Living Healthy Life

Cancer patients 'relying on charity handouts' for fuel

2011-12-29T23:00:00.001+07:00

Cancer charity MacMillan says many patients need handouts from them to pay fuel bills

Cancer patients are relying more on charity handouts as they struggle to pay rising fuel bills, figures reveal.

Macmillan Cancer Support said it had paid out £2,548,563 to 12,669 cancer patients during 2011, up from £1.4m to 7,369 patients five years ago.

The charity wants a government-commissioned independent review of fuel poverty to prioritise cancer patients.

Macmillan's campaign manager, Laura Keely, said it was "shocking" cancer sufferers needed such help.

'Unacceptable reality'

She said: "To feel too scared to put the heating on because of soaring energy bills is an unacceptable reality for thousands of vulnerable cancer patients who feel the cold more and spend long periods of time at home.

"When the charity was established 100 years ago, founder Douglas Macmillan helped cancer patients by handing out sacks of coal to keep them warm.

"It is shocking that a century on, people who are diagnosed with this devastating disease are still relying on charity help to heat their freezing homes."

The charity says 70% of cancer patients under 55 have less income after being diagnosed, often because their illness affects their ability to earn.

But their fuel bills often rise because they are spending more time at home and often feel colder because of their illness.

Research into fuel poverty for Macmillan suggests those on housing benefit and council tax benefit or with a low annual household income are most susceptible to fuel poverty.

How to take care of your prostate

Breast cancer patients 'stop drugs' due to side-effects

2011-12-11T18:49:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Hot flushes were one of the symptoms experienced

About a third of breast cancer patients stop taking medication because side-effects are more severe than they expect, US researchers suggest.

The Northwestern University team questioned 686 women who were taking aromatase inhibitors as treatment for oestrogen-sensitive breast cancer.

It found 36% stopped their medication because of symptoms such as joint pain, hot flushes, weight gain and nausea.

A UK charity said it was aware some women stopped their treatment early.

Aromatase inhibitors are given to postmenopausal breast cancer patients to reduce the level of oestrogen in those whose tumours were fuelled by the hormone.

About two-thirds of breast cancers are oestrogen-sensitive, and aromatase inhibitors have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer recurring.

Information gap

Patients in the Northwestern University study filled out a 46-question survey rating their quality of life and symptoms associated with breast cancer and treatment.

“We are aware some patients in the UK do stop treatments early and the reasons behind this need further investigation”

End Quote Dr Susie Jennings, Breakthrough Breast Cancer

They were asked about their symptoms before treatment and at three, six, 12 and 24 months after starting treatment.

After three months, a third of women had severe joint pain, 28% had hot flushes and 24% had decreased libido among a range of symptoms.

The longer women were being treated, the more reported side-effects.

Those at highest risk of stopping before the recommended five years were those still experiencing side-effects from chemo or radiotherapy.

As a result of the side effects, 10% of the women had stopped taking the drug within two years. A further 26% had stopped by four years.

The researchers say there is a big gap between what women tell their doctors about side-effects and what they actually experience.

Dr Lynne Wagner led the study, which is being presented to the Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

She said: "Clinicians consistently underestimate the side-effects associated with treatment.

"They give patients a drug they hope will help them, so they have a motivation to underrate the negative effects.

"Patients don't want to be complainers and don't want their doctor to discontinue treatment. So no-one knew how bad it really was for patients."

Dr Wagner added: "This is a wake-up call to physicians that says if your patient is feeling really beaten up by treatment, the risk of her quitting early is high.

"We need to be better at managing the symptoms of our patients to improve their quality of life."

Dr Susie Jennings, senior policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "It is worrying if breast cancer patients are stopping lifesaving treatment early without consulting their doctor.

"We are aware some patients in the UK do stop treatments early and the reasons behind this need further investigation.

"The patient information leaflets do warn women of all the side effects, but it is important there is a continued discussion throughout treatment between patient and doctor.

"If any women are considering stopping treatment we would urge them to speak with their doctor."

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

Jawbones are 'shaped by diet', a study finds

2011-11-26T21:14:00.001+07:00

By Jennifer Carpenter
Science reporter, BBC News

Mandibles used to be strengthened to give greater bite force

Diet has shaped human jaw bones; a result that could help explain why many people suffer with overcrowded teeth.

The study has shown that jaws grew shorter and broader as humans took on a more pastoral lifestyle.

Before this, developing mandibles were probably strengthened to give hunter-gatherers greater bite force.

The results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"This is a fascinating study which challenges the common perception that there has been little recent change in the morphology of humans," said anthropologist Jay Stock from the University of Cambridge.

Many scientists have suggested that the range of skull shapes that exist within our species is the result of exposure to different climates, while others have argued that chance played more of a role in creating the diversity we see in people's profiles.

The new data, collected from over 300 skulls, across 11 populations, shows that jaws shortened and widened as humans moved from hunting and gathering to a more sedentary way of life.

The link between jaw morphology and diet held true irrespective of where people came from in the world, explained anthropologist Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel from the University of Kent.

Concurrently crooked

It would be tempting to conclude that this is evidence for concurrent evolutionary change - where jaw bones have evolve to be shorter and broader multiple, independent times, she told BBC News.

Hyraxes, also known as rock rabbits, love to make their homes in the debris from building sites

But the sole author of the paper suggested that the changes in human skulls are more likely driven by the decreasing bite forces required to chew the processed foods eaten once humans switch to growing different types of cereals, milking and herding animals about 10,000 years ago.

"As you are growing up... the amount that you are chewing, and the pressure that your chewing muscles and bone [are] under, will affect the way that the lower jaw is growing," explained Dr von Cramon-Taubadel.

She thinks that the shorter jaws of farmers meant that they have less space for their teeth relative to hunter-gatherers, whose jaws are longer.

Teeth-pulling tale

"I have had four of my pre-molars pulled and that is the only reason that my teeth fit in my mouth," said Dr von Cramon-Taubadel.

Ever since that time, she has wondered why so many people suffer with teeth-crowding.

"I think that's the reason why this result resonates with people," she said.

Dr Stock added: "[The finding] is particularly important in that it demonstrates that variation that we find in the modern human skeletal system is not solely driven by population history and genetics."

These results fit with previous evidence of both a reduction in tooth and body size as humans moved to a more pastoral way of life.

It also helps explain why studies of captive primates have shown that animals tend to have more problems with teeth misalignment than wild individuals.

Further evidence comes from experimental studies that show that hyraxes - rotund, short-tailed rabbit-like creatures - have smaller jaws when fed on soft food compared to those fed on their normal diet.

Arthmender for Joint Rejuvenation

Stem cell trial halted

2011-11-16T11:03:00.000+07:00

BBC News

Embryonic stem cells

The world's first official trial using human embryonic stem cells in patients has been halted.

Geron, based in California, made the sudden announcement that it was halting further work in this field.

In a statement the company said in the "current environment of capital scarcity and uncertain economic conditions" it had decided to concentrate instead on developing cancer treatments.

Geron said it was seeking partners to enable further development of its stem cell programmes. The press statement implies the decision is purely a financial one - by stopping its stem cell programme it will cut its workforce by more than a third and save millions of dollars.

But the company has already invested tens of millions in the stem cell therapy over the past decade. Its submission to the US Food and Drug Administration to conduct the first trial in patients of human embryonic stem cells was the largest and most complex ever submitted.

Geron had injected stem cells into the spine of a small number of spinal patients to test safety. In its statement the company said the treatment had been "well tolerated with no serious adverse events".

The decision does seem to be extraordinary given the huge investment of time and resources. When I visited Geron nearly three years ago, the then chief executive Dr Tom Okarma claimed the technology had an incredible future (Green light for US stem cell work):

"What stem cells promise for a heart attack or spinal cord injury or diabetes is that you go to the hospital, you receive these cells and you go home with a repaired organ, that has been repaired by new heart cells or new new nerve cells or new islet cells that have been made from embryonic stem cells."

If that future exists, it won't be Geron that will now lead the way.

Ben Sykes, Executive Director of the UK National Stem Cell Network, said:

"Stem cell research continues to show great promise in helping many people currently suffering from incurable conditions and injuries. It is disappointing that Geron has taken the decision to stop its spinal cord injury trial but we hope that the company is able to find new partners who can take on the work and provide the necessary finance."

Joanna Knott, Co-Founder and Chair of SpinalCure Australia said: "This is incredibly sad and frustrating news for people with spinal injuries and their families. It is devastating for those people who will have a spinal injury and may as a result of this research been cured.

Daniel Heumann, who is on the board of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, was more forthright in The Washington Post online which reported him as saying: "I'm disgusted. It makes me sick. To get people's hopes up and then do this for financial reasons is despicable. They're treating us like lab rats."

John Martin, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at University College London said: "The Geron trial had no real chance of success because of the design and the disease targeted. It was an intrinsically flawed study. And for that reasons we should not be describing this as a set back.

"The first trials of stem cell that will give an answer are our own in the heart. The heart is an organ that can give quantitative data of quality."

Josephine Quintavalle from the group Comment on Reproductive Ethics said: "At long last after 10 years of unremitting hype, reality has caught up with embryonic stem cell claims. If Geron is abandoning this project it is because it is simply not working, despite the millions of dollars and hot air that has been invested in the promotion of this research."

Prostate cancer

Bacterium linked to bowel cancer

2011-11-11T10:50:00.001+07:00

By Michelle Roberts
Health reporter, BBC News

A barium X-ray can reveal the site of the tumour

A type of bacterium known to cause dental decay and skin ulcers may also be linked to bowel cancer, scientists suspect.

Two independent research teams have now found the bug Fusobacterium in colon tumours.

It's not yet clear if the pathogen might cause cancerous changes or whether it is an incidental finding, they told Genome Research journal.

If it is to blame, antibiotics might be able to treat it and prevent cancer.

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK after after breast and lung.

Although the exact cause of bowel cancer is unknown, there are certain factors that increase risk, such as a strong family history of the disease and older age.

It may be that Fusobacterium infection can be added to that list, according to the experts, but they say much more work is needed to establish this.

The infection has already been linked with a gut condition called ulcerative colitis which is itself a risk factor for bowel cancer.

Early warning signs and symptoms

A persistent change in normal bowel habit, such as going to the toilet more often and diarrhoea, especially if you are also bleeding from your back passage
Bleeding from the back passage without any reason, particularly over the age of 50
A lump in your tummy or a lump in your back passage felt by your doctor
Unexplained iron deficiency in men or in women after the menopause
Unexplained extreme tiredness

And other cancers are known to be linked with certain bacteria and viruses - for example, HPV and cervical cancer.

The first study, led by Dr Robert Holt from Simon Fraser University in Canada, identified Fusobacterium's hallmark in RNA present in bowel cancer tumours. RNA is genetic material similar to DNA which is involved in transmitting and translating the genetic code.

The other team, led by Dr Matthew Meyerson from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, US, found microbial sequences of DNA indicative of Fusobacterium.

Together, they looked at more than 100 samples of healthy and cancerous bowel tissue.

Sarah Williams, of Cancer Research UK, said the research gave a clue about the environment in which bowel cancer grows, but added: "It's early days and we look forward to the results of more specific, in-depth studies.

"In the meantime, people can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by not smoking, cutting down on alcohol, keeping a healthy weight, being active, reducing the amount of red and processed meat in their diet and eating plenty of fibre."

Detoxify the body

Juice cocktail 'good for heart'

2011-10-14T13:33:00.000+07:00

BBC News

Cranberry juice is in the blend

A blend of fruit juices, including grape, cranberry and blackcurrant, may have benefits for the heart, research suggests.

French scientists tested the blend on pig arteries in the lab, and found it caused artery walls to relax.

It remains to be seen whether fruit juices can improve vascular health, they report in a scientific journal.

The study adds weight to evidence fruit and veg reduces heart disease risk, says the British Heart Foundation.

The researchers looked for a chemical called polyphenol in fruit and berries.

They found the most active fruits included blackcurrant, blueberry, aronia (choke berries), cranberry, lingonberry and grape.

Commenting on the study, Tracy Parker, heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This research adds more weight to evidence that eating fruit and vegetables is good for us in terms of reducing our risk for heart disease.

"However, we still don't fully understand why, or whether certain fruits and vegetables are better than others. Even this study acknowledges that scientists can't yet explain any link.

"What we do know is that we should all eat a wide range of fruit and veg as part of a balanced diet, and fruit juice is a tasty and handy way of doing this.

"Don't forget though, juice contains less fibre and more sugar than the original fruit so it only counts as one of our five-a-day."

The research was published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, Food and Function.

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

Gene find could lead to drug for chronic back pain

2011-09-12T10:16:00.001+07:00

BBC News
A gene responsible for chronic pain has been identified, with scientists saying this could lead to drugs for treating long-lasting back pain.

Writing in the journal Science, University of Cambridge researchers removed the HCN2 gene from pain-sensitive nerves in mice.

Lower back pain can be a chronic, lifelong condition for many people

Deleting the gene stopped any chronic pain but did not affect acute pain.

About one in seven people in the UK suffer from chronic pain, which can also include arthritis and headaches.

The researchers say their findings open up the possibility that new drugs could be developed to block the protein produced by the HCN2 gene, which regulates chronic pain.

The HCN2 gene, which is expressed in pain-sensitive nerve endings, has been known for several years, but its role in regulating pain was not understood.

For the study, the researchers removed the HCN2 gene from pain-sensitive nerves. They then carried out studies using electrical stimuli on these nerves in cell cultures to determine how they were altered by the removal of HCN2.

“Individuals suffering from neuropathic pain often have little or no respite because of the lack of effective medications”

End Quote Prof Peter McNaughton University of Cambridge

They then studied genetically modified mice in which the HCN2 gene had been deleted.

By measuring the speed that the mice withdrew from different types of painful stimuli, the scientists were able to conclude that deleting the HCN2 gene abolished neuropathic pain.

However, they found that deleting HCN2 did not affect normal acute pain - which occurs suddenly, for example when biting one's tongue.

'No respite'

Chronic pain comes in two main varieties. Inflammatory pain occurs when a persistent injury, such as a burn or arthritis, results in very sensitive nerve endings which increase the sensation of pain.

Neuropathic pain occurs when nerves are damaged, causing ongoing pain. This type of chronic pain, which is often lifelong, is surprisingly common and is poorly treated by current drugs, the study says.

It is often seen in patients with diabetes and shingles, and in the aftermath of cancer chemotherapy. It is also common in lower back pain and other chronic painful conditions.

Professor Peter McNaughton, lead author of the study and head of the department of pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, said there was now hope for these people.

"Individuals suffering from neuropathic pain often have little or no respite because of the lack of effective medications. Our research lays the groundwork for the development of new drugs to treat chronic pain by blocking HCN2."

He added: "Many genes play a critical role in pain sensation, but in most cases interfering with them simply abolishes all pain, or even all sensation.

"What is exciting about the work on the HCN2 gene is that removing it - or blocking it pharmacologically - eliminates neuropathic pain without affecting normal acute pain. This finding could be very valuable clinically because normal pain sensation is essential for avoiding accidental damage."

Dr Brian Hammond, chairman of charity BackCare, said the findings of the study were good news.

"Any effective treatment which relieves the suffering of chronic pain is to be welcomed. Treatment which helps reduce pain but still leaves the body's warning mechanisms intact is a major breakthrough."

The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and the European Union.

Joint pain and stiffness

UK stem cell stroke trial passes first safety test

2011-09-04T18:43:00.001+07:00

By Pallab Ghosh
Science correspondent, BBC News
The world's first clinical trial of brain stem cells to treat strokes is set to move to its next phase.

An independent assessment of the first three patients to have had stem cells injected into their brain at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital has concluded it has had no adverse effect.

The assessment paves the way for the therapy to be tested on more patients to find a new treatment for stroke.

Stem cells may be able to repair the damaged areas of the brain

The hope is that the stem cells will help to repair damaged brain tissue.

The trial is being led by Prof Keith Muir of Glasgow University. He told BBC News that he was pleased with the results so far.

"We need to be assured of safety before we can progress to trying to test the effects of this therapy. Because this is the first time this type of cell therapy has been used in humans, it's vitally important that we determine that it's safe to proceed - so at the present time we have the clearance to proceed to the next higher dose of cells."

An elderly man was the first person in the world to receive this treatment last year. Since then it has been tried out on two more patients.

Global trials

The patients have received very low doses of stem cells in trials designed to test the safety of the procedure.

“So far so good. It is still at a very early stage but we draw great comfort from these results”

End Quote Michael Hunt Reneuron Group

Over the next year, up to nine more patients will be given progressively higher doses - again primarily to assess safety - but doctors will also be using this clinical trial to assess the best ways of measuring the effectiveness of the treatment in subsequent larger trials, which would not begin for at least 18 months.

Critics object as brain cells from a foetus were originally used to create the cell treatment. Michael Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of the company that produced the stem cells, Renuron, said that the technology used to grow the cells is such that no further foetal tissue will be required.

There are a growing number of well-regulated clinical trials of stem cell treatments now under way in various parts of the world, including one which also began last year by the US firm Geron to develop a treatment for paralysis.

The development of stem cell treatments is still at an early stage and it is likely to be many years before these treatments become widely available. According to Mr Hunt:

"The earliest a treatment could be widely available if everything goes very well is five years. It is very much a case of so far, so good. It is still at a very early stage but we draw great comfort from these results."

Strokes kill about 67,000 people in the UK every year, according to the Stroke Association.

The charity says it is the third most common cause of death in England and Wales after heart disease and cancer.

Memory concentration

Molecular scalpel hope for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

2011-07-26T11:36:00.001+07:00

By James Gallagher
Health reporter, BBC News
A 'molecular scalpel' shows promise in patients with a deadly muscle wasting condition, according to researchers.

The gene for the protein dystrophin is damaged in people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

A drug trial on 19 children, published in the Lancet, used the 'scalpel' to removed the damage and restore dystrophin production.

Muscle fibres (purple) are replaced by fat (black) in muscular dystrophy.

The charity Muscular Dystrophy Campaign said there was "real hope for the future".

Duchenne muscular dystrophy affects one in every 3,500 newborn boys.

Throughout life the muscle wastes away and children can need a wheelchair by the age of 10. The condition can become life-threatening before the age of 30, when it affects the muscles needed to breathe and pump blood around the body.

New approach

The instructions for making a protein are in the genetic code, but this can be disrupted by mutations or deletions in the code.

Stem cell and gene therapy research has tried to find ways of introducing a functional dystrophin gene.

This study tried to do the best it could with the damaged code.

Muscular dystrophy

Muscular dystrophies are a group of more than 20 different genetic neuromuscular disorders
The most common, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), affects about one in 3,500 boys
About 100 boys are born with the condition in the UK each year.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by problems in a gene on the X chromosome that makes a protein called dystrophin, found in muscle fibres
Muscle fibres break down and are gradually lost
Another form - Becker muscular dystrophy - has similar but milder symptoms

The researchers at the Institute of Child Health at University College London injected tailored pieces of antisense RNA - the scalpel.

This removed a piece of the genetic code allowing it to be matched up either side of the mutation.

The result is a shorter, but still functional, dystrophin.

In the trial, seven out of the 19 children had some degree of dystrophin production restored - all of them were receiving the highest doses.

Professor Francesco Muntoni, lead researcher, told the BBC: "The best result was 20% of normal dystrophin levels. That is quite remarkable considering the study was for 12 weeks.

"I've worked with patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy for many years and this is the first time we can say with confidence that we've made a significant breakthrough towards finding a targeted treatment."

However, he said that as the scalpel was tailored to a specific mutation it could not benefit everyone, in this case around 13% of patients.

"The second most common mutation affects 11% - which needs another scalpel."

Dr Marita Pohlschmidt, director of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, said the study was "quite a big deal".

"If we can change severe symptoms in Duchenne into something milder, that would be fantastic.

"We have fought to find a treatment for this devastating condition for the past 50 years. Today we can say with real confidence that we're going to win that battle. Parents of these boys can have real hope for the future."

Joint Mender for Joint Care

Spinal cord repair restores independent breathing

2011-07-14T19:55:00.001+07:00

By James Gallagher
Health reporter, BBC News
The ability to breathe has been restored to mice with spinal cord injuries, in what US researchers describe as a medical first.

Some patients with damaged spinal cords need ventilators as they are unable to breathe on their own.

Damage to the spinal cord in the neck can result in problems breathing

A report in the journal Nature showed a nerve graft, coupled with a protein, could restore breathing.

Human trials could begin soon, which the charity Spinal Research said could be "potentially life-changing".

Damage at the top of the spinal cord, around the neck, can interrupt messages to the diaphragm - a layer of muscle involved in breathing.

Challenge

The cord is notoriously resistant to repair. Techniques such as nerve grafts, which worked in the arms and legs, had shown limited success with the spinal cord, doctors at the Case Western Reserve University said.

The spinal cord scars after it is damaged, and molecules - chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans - prevent nerves repairing and forming new connections.

Spinal Cord Injuries

There are approximately 800 spinal cord injuries in the UK each year
Roughly half are in the neck
The majority of these patients will have some degree of impaired breathing

Source: Spinal Research

The researchers used a nerve graft to form a bridge across the scar at the same time as injecting an enzyme - chondoitinase ABC - which attacked the inhibitory molecules.

Three months later, tests showed the mice had recovered 80-100% of breathing function.

Professor of neuroscience and lead researcher Jerry Silver said: "The use of the enzyme, that's helped get the nerve fibres out and we were amazed at, once they get out, how well they can reconnect.

"The spinal cord can just figure things out and restore really beautiful functional breathing patterns."

Researchers hope to begin trials in humans. They are also investigating whether bladder function can be restored, which can be lost when the lower spine is damaged.

Dr Mark Bacon, from the charity Spinal Research, said: "Long distance regeneration has remained quite elusive in the field of spinal cord injury repair, so to achieve this and at the end of it establish functional connections that actually do something useful - restore breathing - is remarkable.

"It is potentially life-changing if this or similar techniques can be translated to the clinic."

Symptoms of arthritis

Surgical tools used in NHS operations 'substandard'

2011-06-27T19:52:00.002+07:00

BBC News
Substandard surgical tools from Pakistan are putting UK patients at risk of potentially deadly injury and infection, BBC Panorama has found.

Faults include rough edges, steel burrs that can splinter during operations and corroded metals.

All surgical instruments have to meet regulatory standards but only one of the more than 180 NHS trusts and boards conducts rigorous tests on every tool.

Microscopic shards of steel can puncture surgical gloves or become dislodged inside patients

Barts and the London NHS Trust reject almost 20% of tools as unsafe for use.

Tom Brophy, the dedicated technologist at Barts, said the prevalence of faulty equipment that could endanger patients' lives or cause serious injuries is so worrying that he has started documenting the faults.

While he is able to return unsuitable or faulty tools to suppliers, he said there is nothing to stop those same instruments from being sold on to another UK hospital, either within the NHS or private.

"On more than one occasion a supplier has rung me up and said that the instrument you rejected, I passed it onto another hospital and they accepted it," he said. "Of course they're going to accept it, because they haven't checked it."

While most hospitals carry out some degree of visual checks on instruments, only Barts employs a dedicated technologist.

Blood traces

Poor quality surgical implements have been identified as a likely cause of MRSA infections because shards of steel have caused microscopic holes in surgical gloves.

Badly made instruments that have unwanted grooves or trenches can trap body tissue and fluids - another possible source of infection.

Pakistan's industry

100 million instruments made annually in Sialkot
One in 10 sold to the UK
Only Germany and America buy more
70% of manufacturers registered in the UK are based in the country
12 of 19 samples collected in Sialkot by Panorama and tested in London were rejected

All of the 916 companies making or supplying surgical instruments in the UK must be registered with the Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), but responsibility for quality rests with suppliers and manufacturers.

Neither the NHS or the MHRA requires suppliers to inspect manufacturers.

In a statement, the MHRA said "it has no evidence that non-compliant instruments are being supplied to the NHS", but added that if there were such evidence, it had "a range of powers and sanctions available to deal with the problem".

In addition to rejecting poor quality equipment that is sold to Barts, Mr Brophy said he has been sent used equipment - with traces of blood still on the instruments - being passed off as new.

No hygiene

Two-thirds of the world's surgical instruments are made in the city of Sialkot in northern Pakistan and 70% of the UK's registered manufacturers are based in the city.

Find out more

Sam Poling presents Panorama: Surgery's Dirty Secrets
BBC One, Monday, 27 June at 8.30pm, 9pm in Scotland

Available later in the UK on the BBC iPlayer

While some of the larger companies operate state-of-the art facilities and have rigorous quality-control procedures in place, Panorama found evidence of smaller firms that do not use magnifying glasses to inspect finished instruments before putting the required quality stamp on them.

Others outsourced manufacturing to some of the 3,000 back-street workshops in the city where undercover filming revealed a complete lack of hygiene or quality control.

Professor Brian Toft, a government adviser on patient safety, said if procurement officers in both the NHS and private hospitals in the UK knew of the conditions in which the surgical instruments were being made, they would "faint at the thought of it".

"I cannot believe that anybody in the NHS knows this is going on," he said.

Herbal colon cleanse

Parkinson's artificial brain bank

2011-06-19T19:19:00.001+07:00

By Pallab Ghosh
Science correspondent, BBC News
Researchers in Oxford have begun creating a bank of artificially grown brain cells from Parkinson's patients, BBC news has learned.

They are using a new stem cell technique that allows them to turn a small piece of skin from the patient into a small piece of brain.

Brain cells grown from the skin cells of a Parkinson's patient are likely to deteriorate

This is the first time this has been done in a large-scale study aimed at finding cures for the disease.

Researchers say they can analyse nerve cells as they start to deteriorate.

The first batch of nerve cells have been grown from a 56-year-old Oxfordshire man, Derek Underwood.

He had to take early retirement because of the progression of the disease.

Mr Underwood will be the first of 50 patients whose skin cells will be grown into brain cells as part of a five year study.

According Dr Richard Wade Martins of Oxford University, who is leading the study, the aim is to build up a "brain bank" which will enable researchers to study how the disease develops in unprecedented detail.

"The brain is an inaccessible organ and you can't get bits of people's brain to study very easily," he said.

"But what we have here is a disease in a dish, that are just like Derek's brain cells but are accessible and can be produced in unlimited quantities"

Lab brain

The first step, according to Dr Michelle Hu of the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, is to compare the brain cells grown from Parkinson's patients, with those grown from healthy volunteers and see how they differ.

"For the first time we can look at the cells before they deteriorate and look at the earliest changes," she said.

"We can look at what cellular processes are happening that make the cells die and learn why it is that the cells get sick. And we want to see if there are any treatments we can offer to reverse that process and help patients regain normal function."

This is the first large scale clinical study to use a technique which was developed by Japanese scientists three years ago, called "induced pluripotent stem cell" or IPS for short.

Genes are inserted into the skin cells, reprogramming them to become something else.

IPS is similar to the embryonic stem cell technique which was used to create Dolly the Sheep, but IPS does not result in the creation of an embryo and so is regarded by some as an ethically more acceptable approach.

Take Charge of Your Life with Ayurvedic Herbal

Skin cancer treatments revealed at conference

2011-06-06T18:25:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Patients with advanced skin cancer could benefit from two new treatments that extend life, a cancer meeting in Chicago has heard.

Scientists say a pill called Vemurafenib appears to give patients a greater chance of surviving longer than chemotherapy.

The new drugs improve the survival rates of patients with skin cancer

It was tested on a group of 675 patients with advanced melanoma.

Another drug, taken intravenously, called Ipilimumab, is said to give patients extra years of life.

The results were presented at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

During a trial, 84% of patients who took Vemurafenib pills twice a day were still alive six months later. This compares with 64% of those on standard chemotherapy.

The drug works by acting on a faulty gene, BRAF, found in half of terminally ill patients whose cancer has spread to other organs.

“This is the biggest breakthrough in melanoma treatment in more than 30 years”

Researcher Professor Richard Marais

The results were so impressive that the British experts running the trial stopped it early so they could switch all patients in the group over to Vemurafenib.

And trials showed the drug reduced the risk of the disease worsening by 74%, compared with chemotherapy.

Meanwhile, trial results from another study show that a one-course infusion treatment of Ipilimumab may extend the survival of patients with advanced melanoma.

'Enormous advance'

Several patients have lived for years when they might otherwise have died in weeks or months, say investigators. At least one is still alive five years after receiving the treatment.

Research is now being conducted to find out whether Vemurafenib could be used for other cancers, including ovarian, thyroid and bowel cancer.

Both treatments are now being assessed by European licensing bodies and could become available to UK patients within months, subject to approval.

Although it is unclear if the NHS would be able to afford to use these relatively expensive drugs that cost tens of thousands of pounds.

Professor Richard Marais, whose work at the Institute of Cancer Research demonstrated the importance of BRAF in melanoma, said: "This is the biggest breakthrough in melanoma treatment in more than 30 years.

"The results demonstrate for the first time that a targeted therapy can work in melanoma and will change our approach to treating this disease. It is an enormous advance in the field."

Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said: "For the first time, we have effective treatments becoming available for melanoma.

"Both show how the research we have been doing is feeding through into help for patients.

"It is a first step but a vitally important one, and it encourages us to redouble our efforts for people with this most dangerous type of skin cancer."

Malignant melanoma kills more than 2,000 people in the UK each year, and more than 11,000 people annually develop the disease.

Herbal colon cleanse

Skin cells 'turned into neurons' by US scientists

2011-05-28T09:29:00.001+07:00

By Neil Bowdler
Science reporter, BBC News
A Californian team say they have managed to convert human skin cells directly into functioning brain cells.

The scientists manipulated the process by which DNA is transcribed within foetal skin cells to create cells which behaved like neurons.

An image of neurons in the brain. The researchers claim such cells can be made from skin cells

The technique had previously been demonstrated in mice, says the report in Nature.

It could be used for neurological research, and might conceivably be used to create brain cells for transplant.

Reprogrammed skin

The scientists used genetically modified viruses to introduce four different "transcription factors" into foetal skin cells. These transcription factors play a role in the "reading" of DNA and the encoding of proteins within the cell.

“We showed that it is possible to convert human skin cells directly into cells which look and behave like nerve cells”

Marius Wernig Stanford University

They found the introduction of these four transcription factors had the effect of switching a small portion of the skin cells into cells which functioned like neurons.

Unlike other approaches, the process did not involve the reprogramming of the skin cells into stem cells, but rather the direct transformation of skin cells into neurons.

Marius Wernig, an assistant professor of pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine in California, was one of the researchers.

"We showed that it is possible to convert human skins cells directly into nerve cells which look and behave like nerve cells which usually only exist in the brain," he told BBC News.

"It was known that it was possible to change a specialised cell back into a stem cell, what's called an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS), but it was not known whether a specialised cell could be pushed into another direction, other than backwards."

Professor Wernig conceded that there were examples, some dating back many years, where specialised cells have been switched into similar cell types, but he believes this is the first example of where cells have undergone such radical conversion.

He believes the immediate application will be in modelling diseases, whereby skin cells from a patient with a known neurological condition could be used to produce new brain cells for research.

"It is very very difficult to look into the brain. There is a big skull which protects the brain very well and therefore it's difficult to image," he said.

"Everything that can be done at a cellular level is only possible after a patient has died, by which time the disease is usually in the final stages and you have no chance of seeing how the disease develops."

Future treatments

The technique might one day also be used to create new brain cells which could be transplanted into patients with neurological disorders, he said.

Created from the patient's own skin, these cells would be an exact match for the patient, although there would be many obstacles to overcome, not least the challenge of producing enough of the right type of brain cells.

Commenting on the study, Jim Huettner, an associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine, said the research was "convincing and important".

"They have shown similar things in mice before but in humans they've discovered some subtle differences which often turn up when moving from mice to humans," he said.

"But the work solidifies the idea that this kind of transition is possible and that it's not just some fluke in the mice model."

Skin Problems

Bacteria 'linked' to Parkinson's disease

2011-05-23T22:18:00.001+07:00

BBC News
The bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers have been linked to Parkinson's disease, according to researchers in the US.

Mice infected with Helicobacter pylori went onto develop Parkinson's like symptoms.

The study, presented at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, argues that infection could play "a significant role".

Could this bacterium cause Parkinson's disease?

The charity Parkinson's UK said the results should be treated with caution.

Parkinson's disease affects the brain and results in slow movements and a tremor.

Middle-aged mice, the equivalent of being between 55 and 65 in humans, were infected. Six months later they showed symptoms related to Parkinson's, such as reduced movement and decreased levels of a chemical, dopamine, in the brain.

These changes were not noticed in younger mice.

Toxic

Dr Traci Testerman, from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, said: "Our findings suggest that H. pylori infection could play a significant role in the development of Parkinson's disease in humans.

"The results were far more dramatic in aged mice than in young mice, demonstrating that normal ageing increases susceptibility to Parkinsonian changes in mice, as is seen in humans."

The researchers believe the bacteria are producing chemicals which are toxic to the brain.

They said H. pylori was able to "steal" cholesterol from the body and process it by adding a sugar group.

The bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers may have a role in Parkinson's say researchers.

Dr Testerman said this new chemical was almost identical to one found in seeds from the cycad plant, which had been shown to trigger a Parkinson's-like disease among people in Guam.

She told the BBC: "H. pylori eradication in late stage Parkinson's disease is unlikely to result in significant improvement.

"Certain neurons are killed before symptoms begin, and more are killed as the disease progresses. Those neurons will not grow back."

Dr Kieran Breen, director of research at Parkinson's UK, said: "We believe Parkinson's is most likely caused by a combination of environmental factors together with an individual's genetic susceptibility to developing the condition.

He said there was some evidence that bacteria can prevent the main drug to treat Parkinson's, levodopa, being absorbed, but there was no strong evidence that people who have H. pylori in their gut are actually more likely to develop Parkinson's.

He added: "The current study is interesting and suggests that the bacteria may release a toxin that could kill nerve cells.

"However, the results should be treated with caution. The research was carried out in mice that were infected with relatively high doses of the bacterium or its extract.

"While they developed movement problems, we don't know whether this was actually due to the death of nerve cells. Further research needs to be carried out".

Body cleansing

Anti-retroviral drugs 'help reduce' HIV transmission

2011-05-14T18:39:00.001+07:00

By James Gallagher
Health reporter, BBC News

An HIV-positive person who takes anti-retroviral drugs after diagnosis, rather than when their health declines, can cut the risk of spreading the virus to uninfected partners by 96%, according to a study.

The United States National Institutes of Health sampled 1,763 couples in which one partner was infected by HIV.

Drugs can reduce the risk of the HIV virus spreading

It was abandoned four years early as the trial was so successful.

The World Health Organization said it was a "crucial development".

The study began in 2005 at 13 sites across across Africa, Asia and the Americas.

HIV-positive patients were split into two groups. In one, individuals were immediately given a course of anti-retroviral drugs.

The other group only received the treatment when their white blood cell count fell.

Both were given counselling on safe sex practices, free condoms and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

Among those immediately starting anti-retroviral therapy there was only one case of transmission between partners.

In the other group there were 27 HIV transmissions.

'Renewed commitment'

"This breakthrough is a serious game changer and will drive the prevention revolution forward. It makes HIV treatment a new priority prevention option," said Michel Sidibe, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS).

But he warned that it would cost more than ten billion dollars to provide drugs to the ten million people worldwide who are currently not receiving medication for HIV.

The World Health Organization says sexual transmission accounts for 80% of all new HIV infections. Its director general, Dr Margaret Chan, described the announcement as a "crucial development"

She added: "The findings from this study will further strengthen and support the new guidance that WHO is releasing in July to help people living with HIV protect their partners."

The value of anti-retrovirals, in preventing transmission, had been speculated for some time after observational studies, but researchers say this is the first time it has been proven in clinical trials.

Keith Alcorn, from the NAM, an HIV/AIDS charity, said: "This study resoundingly confirms what lots of smaller studies have been telling us for several years.

"International donors cannot ignore the evidence any longer: HIV treatment is a very powerful form of HIV prevention, and could have a major effect on the HIV epidemic in the worst-affected countries.

"What we need now is a renewed commitment to HIV treatment, and studies to show how to get the maximum benefit out of this breakthrough at country level."

Herbal colon cleanse

New EU regulations on herbal medicines come into force

2011-04-30T14:11:00.000+07:00

By Dominic Hughes
Health correspondent, BBC News
New European Union rules come into force today banning hundreds of traditional herbal remedies.

The EU law aims to protect consumers from possible damaging side-effects of over-the-counter herbal medicines.

New regulations mean many herbal remedies will no longer be available over the counter

For the first time, new regulations will allow only long-established and quality-controlled medicines to be sold.

But both herbal remedy practitioners and manufacturers fear they could be forced out of business.

To date, the industry has been covered by the 1968 Medicines Act, drawn up when only a handful of herbal remedies were available and the number of herbal practitioners was very small.

But surveys show that around a quarter of all adults in the UK have used a herbal medicine in the past two years, mostly bought over the counter in health food shops and pharmacies.

The regulations will cover widely used products such as echinacea, St John's Wort and valerian, as well as traditional Chinese and Indian medicines.

Herbal remedies that have been approved for sale under the new regulations will come with this logo

But safety concerns have focused on the powerful effects of some herbal remedies, as well as the way they interact with conventional drugs.

For example, St John's Wort can interfere with the contraceptive pill, while ginkgo and ginseng are known to have a similar effect to the blood-thinning drug warfarin.

From now on only products that have been assessed by the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will be allowed to go on sale.

Manufacturers will have to prove that their products have been made to strict standards and contain a consistent and clearly marked dose.

And to count as a traditional medicine, products must have been in use for the past 30 years, including 15 years within the EU.

They will also only be approved for minor ailments like coughs and colds, muscular aches and pains, or sleep problems.

Remedies already on sale will be allowed to stay on the shelves until they reach their expiry date.

Free from contamination

Richard Woodfield, head of herbal medicine policy at the MHRA, says so far there have been 211 applications, of which 105 have been granted registration.

“We're very concerned that patients appreciate they must be very careful when they take these medicines and ideally should talk to their doctor or pharmacist”

End Quote Prof Jayne Lawrence Royal Pharmaceutical Society

"Crucially, this EU directive and the registration scheme puts consumers in the driving seat so they can identify that a product meets assured standards on safety, quality and information about safe use.

"Safety speaks for itself, but quality means, are they using the right part of the plant? Is it free from contamination? Is the claimed shelf life suitable?

"Product information will include possible side effects and interactions with other drugs, but above all it must make very clear that it is based on traditional use."

And that is a key point for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which believes the new regime is a step forward in improving safety and quality.

But Prof Jayne Lawrence, chief science adviser to the society, says there are still some concerns about herbal products.

"They certainly haven't been tested on the same basis as a conventional medicine and some of these compounds are very potent.

"Patients might not realise that in some cases they should not take other medicines with them, or if they're going for surgery they should tell their doctors they are taking these particular medicines because there may be complications.

"So we're very concerned that patients appreciate they must be very careful when they take these medicines and, ideally, should talk to their doctor or pharmacist."

The manufacturers of herbal remedies have had seven years to prepare for the new rules after the European Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products was introduced in 2004.

Too onerous?

These regulations apply to over-the-counter sales, which form the bulk of herbal remedies sold in the UK.

But some manufacturers and herbal practitioners have expressed concern, arguing the new rules are too onerous for many small producers.

Michael McIntyre, chairman of the European Herbal and Traditional Medicines Practitioners Association, says there will be a significant impact on herbal medicine practitioners and their suppliers, but admits the rules do need bringing up to date.

"Products that go on the market now will definitely do what it says on the bottle, while we didn't know how good they were in the past.

"But registration is expensive so perhaps there may be fewer products on the market and a smaller range.

"It's difficult to argue that the market should stay as it is, without any regulation, but how many businesses will pack up and walk away? I can't say."

Natural Ayurvedic Herbal Products

Vaccine patch may replace needles

2011-04-22T10:56:00.001+07:00

By Emma Wilkinson
Health reporter, BBC News
A vaccine patch could cut out the need for painful needles and boost the effectiveness of immunisation against diseases like flu, say US researchers.

The patch has hundreds of microscopic needles which dissolve into the skin.

Tests in mice show the technology may even produce a better immune response than a conventional jab.

The patch has hundreds of tiny needles

Writing in Nature Medicine, the team of researchers said the patch could one day enable people to vaccinate themselves.

Each patch, developed by researchers at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, contains 100 "microneedles" which are just 0.65mm in length.

They are designed to penetrate the outer layers of skin, dissolving on contact.

To test the technology, the researchers loaded the needles with an influenza vaccine.

One group of mice received the influenza vaccine using traditional hypodermic needles and another group were vaccinated with the patch.

Patches that had no vaccine on them were applied to a third group of mice.

Three months down the line the team found the patch appeared to produce a more effective immune response in mice, then infected with the flu virus, than a standard vaccination.

“We envision people getting the patch in the mail or at a pharmacy and then self administering it at home”

End Quote Sean Sullivan Study leader

Apply at home

If proven to be effective in further trials, the patch would mean an end to the need for medical training to deliver vaccines and turn vaccination into a painless procedure that people could do themselves.

It could also simplify large-scale vaccination during a pandemic, the researchers said.

Although the study only looked at flu vaccine, it is hoped the technology could be useful for other immunisations and would not cost any more than using a needle.

"We envision people getting the patch in the mail or at a pharmacy and then self-administering it at home," said Sean Sullivan, the study lead from Georgia Tech.

"Because the microneedles on the patch dissolve away into the skin, there would be no dangerous sharp needles left over."

Co-author, Professor Richard Compans from Emory University Medical School, said the vaccine does not have to penetrate deeply because there are immune cells present just below the surface of the skin.

"We hope there could be some studies in humans within the next couple of years," he said.

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

Brain scans fuel hope of early Alzheimer's detection

2011-04-14T12:26:00.001+07:00

By James Gallagher
Health reporter, BBC News
Brain scans may be able to indicate potential Alzheimer's patients years before symptoms appear, according to the results of a small study.

Could MRI scans be used to predict the chance of developing Alzheimer's

Research published in Neurology showed parts of some patients' brains had shrunk up to a decade before signs of Alzheimer's would otherwise be evident.

Alzheimer's Research UK said there was stong evidence that the disease began to develop in mid-life.

Early diagnosis may one day prove vital in enabling effective treatment.

Sixty-five patients, all of whom started with normal brain function, took part in the study at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Rush University Medical Center in the US.

MRI scans were taken and the thickness of regions of the brain were measured.

Brain Thinning

Twenty per cent of patients with brains of average thickness went on to develop Alzheimer's.

However, no patients with thicker brains developed the disease, while 55% of those with thinner ones also contracted it.

Regions of the brain showing thinning in Alzheimer's disease

Medial temporal lobe
Temporal pole
Superior frontal gyrus

Dr Brad Dickerson, lead author and neuroscientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital, said: "We used what we know about the signature brain changes seen in patients with Alzheimer's dementia, measured those areas in individuals with no symptoms and eventually determined that those who ultimately developed dementia showed subtle shrinking long before they had any symptoms."

Early Diagnosis

In the UK, one in 14 people over the age of 65 has Alzheimer's disease.

Research suggests that it takes several years before the disease produces noticeable symptoms.

It means any form of treatment might need to start in middle age, so early diagnosis would be vital.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "This adds to growing evidence that the changes associated with Alzheimer's disease begin long before symptoms start to appear.

"However, this is a small study and it needs to be expanded before we can be certain of the method's accuracy in predicting Alzheimer's.

The authors acknowledge that further work involving many more patients is needed.

Memory concentration

Healthy diet 'boosts childhood IQ'

2011-04-07T12:30:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Eating chips, chocolate and cake may be damaging to a child's intelligence, according to researchers at Bristol University.

Their study suggests a link between a diet high in processed foods and a slightly lower IQ.

Writing in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, they suggest poor nutrition may affect brain development.

Can diet affect intelligence?

The British Dietetic Association said more young parents needed to be educated about healthy eating.

The eating habits of 3,966 children taking part in the The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children were recorded at the ages of three, four, seven and eight and a half.

The researchers said three types of diet emerged: Processed diets which were high in fat, sugar and convenience foods, traditional diets of meat, potato and vegetables, and health conscious diets of salads, fruit and fish.

The children all took IQ tests when they were eight and half.

Brain development

The researchers found a link between IQ and diet, even after taking into account other factors such as the mother's level of education, social class and duration of breast feeding.

A diet high in processed food at the age of three was linked to a slightly lower IQ at the age of eight and a half, suggesting early eating habits have a long term impact.

Dr Pauline Emmett, who carried out the study at Bristol University, said: "Brain development is much faster in early life, it's when it does most of its growing. It seems that what happens afterwards is less important."

Although the relationship between diet and IQ was very strong, the impact was quite small. Processed foods were linked with IQs only a few points lower.

Experts in the field said the results had confirmed common sense.

Fiona Ford, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, said: "It's well worth looking at the long term impact of diets, everyone's familiar with the short term.

"The research confirms the type of advice we already know, but that's not always enough. Sometimes a society has to help a person change, we need to be educating more young parents about healthy eating."

Kristian Bravin, dietician at Leicester Royal Infirmary, said: "Most people know what they should do, some people don't have the inclination to cook good meals.

"I'm all in favour of a little bit of what you fancy, but when you're doing it every week it's a problem.

"People should seek advice from a registered dietician, but simply it's a message of moderating fat intake, five fruit and veg a day and whole grain starchy foods."

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

Test 'predicts' success of IVF after one cycle

2011-03-29T12:08:00.001+07:00

BBC News
A "personalised predictor" model could help women decide whether their next cycle of IVF is going to succeed, say US researchers.

A team from Stanford University in California developed the model using clinical data from a patient's previous failed IVF treatment.

Predicting whether IVF will work is a tricky business

About 75% of in vitro fertilisation treatments do not result in a live birth.

The research appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Women who have gone through this experience are often unsure whether to try IVF again.

It is well known that the procedure carries financial, physical and emotional costs - and there are no guarantees it will work.

Doctors from Stanford University School of Medicine say they set out to develop a way to provide patients with more personalised predictions, which were not just based on age.

“IVF is not an exact science, so we've got to be careful not to give people false hope”

End Quote Dr Allan Pacey fertility expert, University of Sheffield

They analysed the outcomes of more than 1,600 first-time IVF treatments and used these to predict whether a second IVF treatment would result in a live birth.

In doing so, researchers identified 52 factors that influence a woman's chances of having a baby - including patient age, levels of certain hormones, number and quality of eggs and individual characteristics of each embryo.

Researchers then tested their model on a separate set of IVF treatments, which showed that their test's predictions were significantly different to age-based predictions in 60% of patients.

Mylene Yao, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Stanford University and lead author of the paper, said the findings indicated that "the current age-based paradigm may provide misleading live birth outcome probabilities for a large portion of patients".

Having personalised prognostic information, she added, "would be invaluable in assisting women's decisions to keep going or not with IVF".

The paper defines "live birth" as the delivery of a live baby beyond 24 weeks of gestation.

The model relies on data from previous IVF cycles, so it would not be able to predict the chances of success for those undergoing their first IVF treatment.

Dr Allan Pacey, fertility expert and senior lecturer at University of Sheffield, said: "IVF doctors inherently do more than just look at age. We look at lots of factors before talking to patients about their chances of success using IVF."

He added: "There have been a few attempts to create predictor models before, but to have universal appeal the model must work well in lots of different clinics.

"IVF is not an exact science, so we've got to be careful not to give people false hope."

Are you looking for a full cleanse?

Early-warning diabetes test hope

2011-03-23T07:54:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Experts believe a simple blood test could spot diabetes up to 10 years before the first symptoms of the disease occur.

By looking at levels of five amino acids in the blood US researchers were able to correctly identify people who went on to develop type 2 diabetes.

Blood is collected and analysed to estimate future risk

Ultimately the Harvard team hope a test like this could be used to screen for type 2 diabetes, Nature Medicine says.

Early detection can help prevent related complications like blindness.

Risk prediction

Dr Victoria King, head of research at Diabetes UK, said: "Early diagnosis and effective management of type 2 diabetes are crucial in reducing the risk of developing diabetes complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation.

"Therefore finding ways to identify those who are at risk of developing the condition are important.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly
Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly
Type 2 diabetes accounts for between 85-95% of all people with diabetes and is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. Some may also need medicaton and/or insulin

"This research, in future, could lead to ways to help us identify those at risk as well as giving us new insights into how and why type 2 diabetes develops."

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to being overweight, leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating an unhealthy diet.

In many cases the condition can be prevented or delayed by maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle, Dr King said.

Aside from keeping an eye on a person's weight and blood sugar, doctors have had little else they can use to identify at risk individuals.

The test used in the study looks for levels of small molecules in the blood. Among the 2,422 health volunteers tested, 201 later went on to develop diabetes.

And the researchers found that the early blood tests readily identified these patients years before they developed any symptoms.

Those with the highest levels of amino acids in their blood were five times as likely to develop diabetes within the following 12 years of the study.

Dr Robert Gerszten and colleagues who carried out the work say more studies are needed before the test could be recommended for general use.

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

'Hypothermia' may help save lives

2011-03-16T10:59:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Scientists in Edinburgh have been studying the effects of cooling the body temperature of heart attack victims to improve survival rates.

The Emergency Medicine Research Group said that "therapeutic hypothermia" slows the release of harmful chemicals.

Cooling the heart immediately after a cardiac arrest could improve recovery

This is the first time the core body temperature of heart attack victims has been studied.

If the study is successful, the techniques could be delivered by paramedics.

Clinicians know that reducing the core body temperature of a cardiac arrest patient can help recovery but this is usually done in the intensive care unit, often several hours after the heart attack.

But the study, funded by Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, has investigated whether lowering core body temperatures at an early stage in cardiac arrest would result in improved recovery and survival rates and avoid brain damage.

This is another move towards helping the patient and we are hoping it will prove to be even more successful in helping the success rate from the recovery from cardiac arrest

Neil Provan
Scottish Ambulance Service

The study was led by Dr Richard Lyon from research group Topcat.

He said: "The cooling process somehow seems to preserve brain and body function.

"We know that cooling patients after a cardiac arrest is helpful, what we don't know is how to do it, when to start it and how long to do it for."

Dr Lyon said the next step in the research would be trialling the technique using a chilled saline drip.

This would be provided by paramedics.

Clinical Lead for the Scottish Ambulance Service Neil Provan said: "The changes that have taken place over the last 10 years are phenomenal and we are drastically improving the way we deal with cardiac arrests.

"This is another move towards helping the patient and we are hoping it will prove to be even more successful in helping the success rate from the recovery from cardiac arrest."

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

Call to vaccinate against possible H2N2 flu pandemic

2011-03-10T10:20:00.001+07:00

By Dominic Hughes
Health correspondent, BBC News
Governments should launch a vaccination programme now to guard against a possible H2N2 flu pandemic, according to an article in the journal Nature.

The article warns that the H2N2 flu virus could re-emerge as a pandemic in the same way H1N1 did

The US authors say immunity to the H2N2 flu strain is very low in people under the age of 50.

But a safe vaccine already exists after an H2N2 outbreak in the 1950s and '60s.

They say that vaccinating now could save billions of dollars if a pandemic does develop.

Dr Gary Nabel and colleagues from the Vaccine Research Centre in the US say H2N2 has the ability to cause a pandemic in the same way that H1N1 did in 2009.

Between 1957 and 1968, the strain is thought to have caused up to 4 million deaths in a global outbreak, during which time a vaccine was developed.

When the pandemic was over the H2N2 vaccination programme was stopped in the late 1960s, although the virus is still present today among birds and swine.

“The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a pandemic outbreak costs the United States between $71 billion and $167 billion”

End Quote Gary J Nabel Vaccine Research Centre

Vulnerability of Youth

That means older people will have been vaccinated against the virus, but the relatively young will have missed out - what the authors call the vulnerability of youth.

Between 2003 and 2007 they examined levels of immunity to H2N2 among a small group of 90 people.

"Our study suggests that people under the age of 50 have little or no immunity, and resistance dramatically increases for those older than 50. This was also the case for the 2009 H1N1."

They argue that the vaccine developed in the 1950s would still work today and that governments should use this to develop a pre-emptive vaccination programme.

"One approach would be to manufacture the vaccine licensed in 1957 and immunise enough of the world's population to provide 'herd immunity' to the rest.

"This could be achieved by a 'one-time' campaign to immunise most of the adult population worldwide - for example, as part of standard seasonal flu vaccinations - accompanied by an ongoing programme to administer the vaccine to children."

Cheaper option

The authors say this would be a much cheaper option than stockpiling the vaccine or waiting for a pandemic to strike before boosting production.

Flu strains

There are three types of seasonal influenza - A, B and C
Influenza A viruses are further divided into various subtypes, including H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H2N2
H1N1 appeared in 2009 and spread around the world, becoming a pandemic
Source: World Health Organization

"Another major influenza pandemic is likely to cost far more and create a much greater health burden than a well-planned pre-emptive programme.

"The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a pandemic outbreak costs the United States between $71 billion and $167 billion."

Dr Wendy Barclay, Chair in Influenza Virology at Imperial College, says the H2 flu virus does pose a credible pandemic threat, as do other strains of bird flu.

But she believes there are some big questions about whether a pre-emptive vaccination programme would be welcomed by the public.

"Now we are in the calm after the storm of that swine flu pandemic, it is timely to open up the debate about pre-pandemic vaccines. As Dr Nabel himself points out in his article, we have to ask whether the public will want or accept a vaccine against a disease that does not at the moment exist.

"Work towards making such vaccines available is ongoing in many laboratories around the world.

"Scientifically we are in a position to be able to offer a good solution, the issues to be decided are of cost and of public attitude."

Body Cleanse Advanced Kit

Sex education 'could be better'

2011-03-06T08:24:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Lessons about sex, relationships and health are not good enough in 25% of schools in England, inspectors suggest.

Teacher embarrassment and lack of knowledge were often to blame, Ofsted said in a report based on findings at 92 primary and 73 secondary schools.

PSHE is part of the national curriculum in England but is not compulsory

It said in many secondary schools, pupils were taught about the biology of sex but not relationships.

The government says all young people should have high-quality teaching in this area.

It will take Ofsted's findings into consideration in its review of the curriculum.

Ofsted looked at personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education in 165 schools in England.

The subject has been part of the timetable in most schools for about a decade.

Case study

Sarah Campbell Education correspondent, BBC News

Holmleigh Primary School in Hackney has enthusiastically embraced personal, social, health and economic education into the timetable.

Half-hour sessions start at the age of five with issues such as relationships, bereavement and bullying. As children move through the school more sensitive issues are introduced such as substance misuse (aged six), puberty (age nine) and reproduction and childbirth (age 10).

Staff are given extra training in tackling sensitive subjects.

The hope is that by the time they leave the school the children will have a good understanding of issues they may face. Connacht, 11, said: "I never really knew much about drugs or alcohol but when we were taught them I understood and I have told my uncle to stop smoking."

She says the lessons are helpful in dealing with playground rumours such as "when girls start their periods they bleed to death".

Her classmate Rebecca adds that parents sometimes don't like talking about issues like sex so it's helpful that they can learn about it in school.

Ofsted found in more than a third (34%) of the secondary schools visited, students' knowledge of sex and relationship was "no better than satisfactory", while in a further three schools it was rated "inadequate".

The report says: "Students' knowledge and understanding was often good about the biology of sex but weaker about relationships.

"They said that their sex and relationships education was taught too late and there was not enough of it to be useful.

"Discussion was sometimes limited because of the teacher's embarrassment or lack of knowledge. In these schools, the students did not have the opportunity to explore the nature of relationships in any depth. They had not discussed managing risks, saying 'no', negotiation in relationships, divorce and separation, or living in reconstituted families."

In general, Ofsted found PSHE lessons in three-quarters of the schools surveyed were good or outstanding.

But in the remaining quarter, inspectors said the quality of teaching was variable and teachers' subject knowledge and expertise were not good enough.

Chief Inspector Christine Gilbert said: "It is pleasing to see that most of the schools visited were good or outstanding at teaching the subject. However, there were some weaknesses and schools should continue to promote professional development in PSHE education so that teachers strengthen their knowledge and skills in the subject.

"In addition, some schools still struggle to teach their pupils effectively about sensitive but important issues such as the misuse of drugs and alcohol."

In over half of the secondary schools visited, inspectors found students' knowledge about the social risks and physical effects of excessive drinking was "undeveloped".

And it was a common misconception that heroin and cocaine were the drugs responsible for most deaths every year, when smoking and drinking accounted for many more deaths.

Biological facts

PSHE teaching is not compulsory in England, unlike other parts of the UK, although it is on the national curriculum.

It is only compulsory to teach the biological facts of reproduction in secondary school science lessons

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons.

The Labour government had planned to make PSHE a compulsory part of the national curriculum.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: "This report from Ofsted is a useful assessment of PSHE education in schools.

"We want all young people to benefit from high-quality PSHE teaching and we will take this report's findings into consideration as we continue to look at the curriculum across the board."

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