2 MU Computer Science Teams Ranked Among Best In World In Protein Structure Prediction
A flood of data is emerging from genome research, including sequence data on proteins. To help science keep pace with this flow of knowledge, computer scientists, biophysicists and biochemists across the world have been developing advanced technologies to help derive accurately and quickly the three-dimensional structure of proteins from this data. At a competition that has been called the “Olympic games of protein structure prediction,” two teams of computer scientists at the University of Missouri were ranked among the best in the world. Their new, faster and more accurate protein structure prediction servers will help scientists better determine the function of proteins in cells.
Proteins serve many functions in cells. Some proteins make hair strong and flexible, while others help digest food and contribute to almost every function needed for life. What function a protein serves is determined by its compact three-dimensional shape dictated by a unique sequence of amino acids encoded by the genome. If a protein gets misshapen or misfolded, it stops working properly. In humans, the accumulation of misfolded proteins is linked to a number of disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, cancer and diabetes.
“Given the importance of protein structure to all biological processes, the ability to accurately predict protein structure from sequence data is one of the most challenging problems in biology today,” said Jianlin Cheng, assistant professor of computer science in the MU College of Engineering.
It also is a problem that can be solved with simulations running on computer servers. Now, research groups worldwide are in a race to see who can develop the best server.
Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP) is a competition that pits computer modeling designed by groups from around the world to see whose method comes closest to structures determined in the laboratory. The goal is to provide a rigorous, peer-reviewed test of the accuracy of current computational protein structure prediction methods.
Results from the most recent competition, CASP8, were recently announced. Among the prediction methods ranked best in the world in both template-free and template-based categories were MULTICOM and MUFOLD, both designed by teams of computer scientists at MU. The two prediction categories differ by whether the unsolved protein sequence is generated based on known structures or deduced solely from sequence data.
Both teams predicted the folding of 128 proteins from a number of different species, including those from bacteria, viruses, and both single- and multi-celled organisms.
The MULTICOM team, led by Cheng, included Zheng Wang, a graduate student in computer science; and Allison Tegge, a graduate student in bioinformatics.
The MUFOLD team included Dong Xu, professor of computer science; Yi Shang, professor of computer science; and Ioan Kosztin, an associate professor of physics. Bogdan Barz, a graduate student in physics; Zhiquan He and Qingguo Wang, graduate students in computer science; and Jingfen Zhang, a postdoctoral fellow also were members of the prediction team.
Cheng and Xu, both members of the MU Interdisciplinary Plant Group and investigators in the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, are using their technologies to help plant scientists determine the structure and function of proteins in a number of important crop plants, including corn and soybean.
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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Source: Melody Kroll
University of Missouri-Columbia
Quality And Safety Through Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program: ASGE Recognizes 56 Endoscopy Units
The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has recognized 56 endoscopy units as part of its new program specifically dedicated to promoting quality in endoscopy, in all settings where it is practiced in the United States. The ASGE Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program honors endoscopy units that follow the ASGE guidelines on privileging, quality assurance, endoscopy reprocessing and CDC infection control guidelines.
“ASGE received an outstanding response to this program, and we are delighted to be recognizing the first recipients from 56 endoscopy units, who are working hard everyday to provide high-quality care to their patients in a safe environment,” said Douglas O. Faigel, MD, FASGE, chairman, ASGE Quality Assurance Task Force. “We are proud to acknowledge these ASGE members through our Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program for their commitment to promoting the highest standards of safety and quality.”
An important component of the program is an educational course that thoroughly reviews related guidelines. The inaugural course, “Improving Quality and Safety in Your Endoscopy Unit,” was held on Oct. 17-18, 2008, in Oak Brook, Ill., at ASGE’s Institute for Training and Technology. The course sold out in October, so it is being repeated on February 21, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Upon completion of the program, units receive an ASGE “Certificate of Recognition” for promoting quality in endoscopy. This symbol can be displayed to let patients and referring physicians know that the endoscopy unit is dedicated to delivering high-quality endoscopic care and has received specialized training around these principles.
2009 ASGE Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program Honorees
- Saints Streets/Lafayette General Ambulatory Endoscopy, Lafayette, LA
- Digestive Health And Endoscopy Center, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
- Eastside Endoscopy Center, Saint Clair Shores, MI
- Long Island Digestive Disease Consultants, East Setauket, NY
- Glen Endoscopy Center, LLC, Skokie, IL
- Digestive Disease Consultants, Clifton Springs, NY
- Douglaston Endoscopy OBS, PC, Douglaston, NY
- Stony Brook University Medical Center Endoscopy Unit, Stony Brook, NY
- Baylor Ambulatory Endoscopy Center, Plano, TX
- Southwest Fort Worth Endoscopy Center, Fort Worth, TX
- Fort Worth Endoscopy Center, Fort Worth, TX
- New York GI Center, LLC, Bronx, NY
- Digestive Disease & Hepatology, Rochester, NY
- The Center for Digestive Wellness, Kingsport, TN
- Endoscopy Center at Robinwood, LLC, Hagerstown, MD
- Kips Bay Endoscopy Center, New York, NY
- Pennsylvania Gastroenterology Consultants, Camp Hill, PA
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, GI Division, Philadelphia, PA
- The Endoscopy Center, Encinitas, CA
- Bucks County GI Endoscopic Surgical Center, Levittown, PA
- SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
- San Antonio Endoscopy Center, San Antonio, TX
- Ambulatory Surgical Center of Miami, Miami, FL
- Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA
- Colorado Endoscopy Centers, LLC, Longmont, CO
- Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN
- Gastroenterology Associates of Cleveland, Inc, Beachwood, OH
- Carroll County Digestive Disease Center, Westminster, MD
- Ambulatory Surgical Center of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
- The Endoscopy and Colonoscopy Center, LLC, Hazelwood, MO
- Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Canton, NY
- Tri-State Digestive Disorder Center (TSDDC) Crestview Hills, KY
- Midwest Endoscopy Center, LLC, Saint Louis, MO
- Brandywine Valley Endoscopy Center, Ltd., Coatesville, PA
- Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology, Camp Hill, PA
- Innovis Health, Fargo, ND
- Community Surgery Center, Munster, IN
- Sansum Clinic, Santa Barbara, CA
- Raleigh Endoscopy Center, LLC, Raleigh, NC
- Bayonne Medical Center, Bayonne, NJ
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation Camino Division SurgiCenter, Mountain View, CA
- Endoscopy Center Of North Baltimore, LLC, Towson, MD
- Lakeland Surgical And Diagnostic Center, Lakeland, FL
- University of California, San Diego, GI Division, La Jolla, CA
- The Endoscopy Center At Gateway, PA
- North Texas GI Center, Arlington, TX
- Cape Islands Digestive Disease Associates, PC, Hyannis, MA
- Carolina Mountain Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Center, Hendersonville, NC
- Pinehurst Medical Clinic, Pinehurst, NC
- Digestive Care Inc., Dayton, OH
- Rockford Endoscopy Center, Rockford, IL
- University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
- Gastroenterology Associates, P.A., Hickory, NC
- Lexington Surgery Center, Lexington, KY
- Ambulatory Center For Endoscopy, LLC, West New York, NJ
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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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About the Program
To successfully complete the program and receive a Certificate of Recognition, a center must show proof of successful and current accreditation by a recognized accrediting body (AAAHC, Joint Commission); sign an attestation affirming that certain ASGE and CDC guidelines are adopted as minimum requirements of the unit policy; have a representative of the unit complete the ASGE Recognition Course, “Improving Quality and Safety In Your Endoscopy Unit;” and submit the application fee(s). The Certificate of Recognition award is granted for a three-year renewable period.
The program is applicable to all settings in the United States where endoscopy is practiced, including office-based endoscopy units, hospital-based endoscopy units, and stand-alone ambulatory endoscopy or surgery centers.
As a benefit of successfully completing the program, endoscopy units will receive the ASGE Certificate of Recognition for Promoting Quality in Endoscopy, patient brochures – Ensuring the Safety of Your Endoscopic Procedure, access to advice from reprocessing experts and more. For a list of the full benefits, log on to http://www.asge.org/.
ASGE and Quality ASGE is the profession’s leader in setting standards of excellence in endoscopy through its safety guidelines and the training of its members so that patients receive the best and safest care possible. The Society constantly reinforces the importance of quality among its members through member communications, such as emails and newsletters, and its CME courses, including “Improving Quality and Safety in Your Endoscopy Unit.”
The program course is being repeated in 2009. To register, as well as for a list of full requirements and benefits of the Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program, log on to http://www.asge.org/.
COURSE DETAILS:
Improving Quality and Safety in Your Endoscopy Unit
February 21, 2009
The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV
Course Directors: Jonathan Cohen, MD, FASGE, and David A. Greenwald, MD, FASGE
To register, go to http://www.asge.org/
Additional Faculty:
John L. Petrini, MD, FASGE,
Douglas O. Faigel, MD, FASGE
Thomas M. Deas, MD, FASGE
Irving M. Pike, MD, FASGE
Joseph J. Vicari, MD, FASGE
David Hambrick, RN
ASGE Institute for Training & Technology (IT & T)
The IT&T Center is a fully operational ex-vivo endoscopy lab, equipped with endoscopic workstations and capsule endoscopy workstations. Using the latest medical equipment and technologically advanced endoscopes, cameras, video imaging and computers, the Center faculty engages the participant in a hands-on educational format.
About the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Founded in 1941, the mission of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy is to be the leader in advancing patient care and digestive health by promoting excellence in gastrointestinal endoscopy. ASGE, with nearly 11,000 members worldwide, promotes the highest standards for endoscopic training and practice, fosters endoscopic research, recognizes distinguished contributions to endoscopy, and is the foremost resource for endoscopic education. Visit http://www.asge.org/ and http://www.screen4coloncancer.org for more information.
About Endoscopy
Endoscopy is performed by specially-trained physicians called endoscopists using the most current technology to diagnose and treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Using flexible, thin tubes called endoscopes, endoscopists are able to access the human digestive tract without incisions via natural orifices. Endoscopes are designed with high-intensity lighting and fitted with precision devices that allow viewing and treatment of the gastrointestinal system. In many cases, screening or treatment of conditions can be delivered via the endoscope without the need for further sedation, treatment or hospital stay.
Source: Anne Brownsey
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
New Infant Feeding And Obesity Research Adds Insight To Ongoing Issue
The February edition of the Journal of Nutrition offers new insights into possible associations between infant feeding and health outcomes related to obesity.
According to David Barker, M.D., Ph.D., professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Southampton, UK and professor of Cardiovascular in the Department of Medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University and one of the authors of the report, “A longer period of breastfeeding was associated with lower BMI (a measure for weight) at one year of age. This relationship disappeared by the age of 7 years.” Similarly, there was no significant difference in BMI at the age of 60 years associated with duration of breastfeeding.
These findings may help explain why some studies that examined breastfed infants during the first year of life suggested a protective effect of breastfeeding and obesity, whereas other studies that examined the relationship later in life have found no such effect.
The report features Dr. Barker and other nutrition experts who presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting last year. The session, Infant Feeding and the Development of Obesity: What Does the Science Tell Us?, brought together international experts in the field of infant nutrition to present their recent research that employed new methodology such as randomized clinical trials (involving breastfeeding promotion) as well as sibling pair analysis . Another session presenter, Michael Kramer, M.D., pediatrician and perinatal epidemiologist at McGill University, reported findings from his breastfeeding promotion intervention trial that support Dr. Barker’s results. Dr. Kramer’s research found that while breastfeeding promotion increased breastfeeding it did not reduce the development of obesity at 6.5 years of age..
Dr. Barker, whose study examined breastfeeding in a large group of sibling pairs that were followed into their late 60s, stated, “This type of study design controls for maternal factors. Differences in the long-term effects of breast and bottle feeding may reflect differences in the mothers rather than the effects of feeding itself.” Maternal factors include maternal health status, maternal care-giving, mother child interactions or other health-related behaviors of the mother that may interfere with determining the association of infant feeding and health outcomes and the strength of any possible associations. Additionally, he added that his study augments the current literature on infant feeding, as “few studies have examined whether the duration of breastfeeding is associated with fatness in adult life.”
Other researchers featured in the report include Linda Adair, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Beth Mayer-Davis, Ph.D., R.D., professor of nutrition University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Nancy Butte, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine.
For the full supplement report, which will be released on January 16, please visit http://jn.nutrition.org
Experimental Biology is a multi-society, interdisciplinary, scientific meeting attended by 12,000 independent scientists and sponsored by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). This research was presented as part of the American Society for Nutrition section of FASEB on April 9, 2008.
*This conference was sponsored by IFC, an international association of manufacturers and marketers of formulated nutrition products (e.g., infant formulas and adult nutritionals), whose members are predominantly based in North America. IFC members are: Abbott Nutrition; Mead Johnson Nutritionals; Nestle Nutrition – USA; and Wyeth Nutrition.
International Formula Council
http://www.infantformula.org
Few Canadians Aware Of Peripheral Arterial Disease Clogged Arteries In The Legs
Two out of three Canadians are not aware of peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.), a common vascular disease that affects as many as 800,000 Canadians, according to a study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
Commonly known as “hardening of the arteries,” P.A.D. occurs when arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. As a result, P.A.D. may cause leg muscle pain when walking and lead to disability, amputation and a poor quality of life. The blocked arteries found in people with P.A.D. are a warning sign that other arteries, including those in the heart and brain, may also be blocked, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
In a cross-sectional, population-based telephone survey of 501 adults over age 50, researchers found that public awareness of P.A.D. (36 percent) is markedly lower than for other cardiovascular diseases such as stroke (72 percent), coronary artery disease (51 percent) and heart failure (48 percent). Yet, the risk for P.A.D. is equal to or greater than the risk for these conditions.
Few Canadians know that having P.A.D. significantly increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, amputation and death, the survey showed. Only one in five adults who were familiar with P.A.D. associates the disease with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or death. Only 12 percent know that P.A.D. can lead to amputation.
P.A.D. affects both women and men and can strike adults of any age. The risk of P.A.D. is increased in people over age 50, particularly in smokers and former smokers, and in people with diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and a personal history of heart disease or stroke.
“The study’s findings reinforce the need for national efforts to educate Canadians about peripheral arterial disease,” stated Marge Lovell, RN, lead author and clinical trials nurse at the London Health Sciences and Centre in London, Ontario. “If Canadians are not informed about P.A.D. and its devastating consequences, they will be less likely to take steps to avoid it.”
The study found that most Canadians do not know the causes or risk factors of P.A.D. Cigarette smoking and diabetes contribute to the development and progression of P.A.D., a fact unknown even by many survey respondents who reported familiarity with the disease. Further, half of those familiar with P.A.D. do not know that high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol are also risk factors.
In addition to Ms. Lovell, study authors are Kenneth Harris, MD, Thomas Forbes, MD, Beth Abramson, MD, Gwen Twillman, Paul Schroeder, MA, Emile R. Mohler, III, MD, Michael H. Criqui, MD, MPH, and Alan T. Hirsch, MD. The Canadian Journal of Cardiology is the official journal of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, a member of the P.A.D. Coalition.
The P.A.D. Coalition funded the study through grants from Sanofi-Aventis Canada, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Cordis Endovascular, a division of Cordis Corporation.
For more information on P.A.D. and available resources, visit http://www.PADCoalition.org.
About the P.A.D. Coalition
The Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.) Coalition is an alliance of more than 75 North American health organizations, professional societies, government agencies and corporations united to raise public and health professional awareness about lower extremity P.A.D. Established in 2004, the P.A.D. Coalition is a division of the Vascular Disease Foundation (http://www.vdf.org), a national, not-for-profit section 501(c)(3) organization. The P.A.D. Coalition seeks to improve the prevention, early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation of people with, or at risk for, P.A.D.
P.A.D. Coalition
1075 S Yukon St., Ste. 320
Lakewood
CO 80226
United States
http://www.PADCoalition.org
Mucin Found As Barrier To Pancreatic Cancer Drug
Current treatments for pancreatic cancer have failed to effectively manage the disease and improve the grim survival rate. A Northeastern University study found that the thick layer of mucin covering the tumor cells acts as a barrier to chemotherapy drugs, thus it is responsible for the diminished anti-tumor effect of popular treatment drugs such as 5-FU (fluorouracil).
Professor Robert B. Campbell and his Ph.D. student Ashish V. Kalra have found not only that reducing the mucin on the tumor cell’s surface increases the effect of 5-FU significantly, it may also contribute to a decrease in the amount of drug needed to get the same therapeutic result.
“We are beating down the barrier that stands in the way of effective cancer treatment,” said Campbell, Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Northeastern’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences. “Our goal is to help improve the efficacy of drugs and limit the amount of these toxic drugs needed for treatment.”
This is the second phase of Campbell’s and Kalra’s study of the biological attributes of pancreatic tumor cells and the role cellular barriers play in limiting the effectiveness of drugs. During Phase I, the researchers found that extracellular-bound mucin was impeding the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU against the growth of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro.
In Phase II, they confirmed that the mucin glycation mesh produced during the normal development of pancreatic tumors limits the overall effectiveness of 5-FU in vivo. They also showed that the concentration of 5-FU taken up by the target cell was 5~fold greater when the formation of the glycation mesh was inhibited, further supporting the barrier effect of mucin.
“We knew from the first study that the ability of pancreatic cancer cells to respond to 5-FU treatment in vitro can be enhanced by inhibiting mucin o-glycosylation,” said Campbell. “This time, we found that the overall tumor response to 5-FU in mice that received intratumoral injections of the mucin O-glycosylation inhibitor was greater than the saline control group.”
In addition to the enhanced cell killing effect of 5-FU in a reduced extracellular mucin environment, Campbell and Kalra also confirmed that the exposure to mucin inhibitors did not harm the viability and morphology of the pancreatic cancer cells.
“Improving efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs plus reducing toxicity in pancreatic cancer patients by limiting the amount of drugs needed to get the same results are hugely important steps toward effective treatment of pancreatic cancer,” added Campbell. “These findings also have the potential to improve the effectiveness of other conventional chemotherapeutic drugs.”
Campbell’s and Kalra’s findings are discussed in an article titled “Mucin overexpression limits the effectiveness of 5-FU by reducing intracellular drug uptake and antineoplastic drug effects in pancreatic tumors” published in this month’s issue of the European Journal of Cancer.
The article discussing Phase I of the study appeared in the October ‘07 issue of the British Journal of Cancer.
Northeastern University
716 Columbus Ave., Ste. 598
Boston
MA 02120
United States
http://www.northeastern.edu
Shining A Light On Lighting Up: 5 Ways To Spot And Stop Smoking Related Cancers
At 70 years old, Lydia Whitlow likes to stay active. “I like to work in the yard. It feels good to turn the soil and watch my garden grow,” she says.
Enjoying a sun-filled day in south Houston seemed nearly impossible a few years before, given the circumstances.
Fifteen years ago, her dentist discovered oral cancer during a routine exam. After aggressive surgery, Whitlow, a smoker for nearly 50 years, was relieved to find out she was in remission.
In 2006, she received the grim news she would be fighting cancer for a second round. This time it would be one of the deadliest forms of the disease. An ache in her back led to the diagnosis of “small cell” lung cancer, usually caused from smoking. Small cell is aggressive. Once diagnosed, most patients with metastatic small cell cancer have a poor survival rate.
Other physicians she consulted told her the inoperable cancer in her lungs was resisting traditional therapies. She was out of options, they said.
Whitlow, however, isn’t “most patients,” thanks to lifesaving research at the Center for Thermal Therapy Cancer Treatment at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. That’s where Joan Bull, MD, professor of oncology, told Whitlow there was hope.
For six months, Whitlow climbed into a heavy-duty sleeping bag and warmed by heat lamps. She was then warmed to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, equivalent to a high fever. Preliminary research has shown that heat increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs in fighting tumors. The heat jumpstarts the immune system just like a normal fever does when we are sick, says Bull. “Evidence shows that the combination of chemotherapy, immune-modulating drugs and thermal therapy helps weaken the cancer and, in Whitlow’s case, kills it altogether. In other cases, it can help reduce a tumor to an operable size,” she explains.
Bull is now in Phase 2 of her clinical trials. Her research on thermal therapy is published in the Dec. 2008 issue of the International Journal of Hyperthermia.
Whitlow received thermal therapy treatments once a month. She was lightly sedated during each six-hour treatment session and warmed up by an infrared radiant heat device. “I would be really tired at the end of those sessions. You feel a little weak, but otherwise OK,” she says.
Bull says Whitlow responded to the treatment beautifully. She is now disease free.
Bull can treat patients with small-cell lung, non-small-cell, neuroendocrine and pancreatic cancers. She also works with patients who have breast, endometrial and cervical cancers.
Dentists, like Whitlow’s, serve an important role in the fight against smoking-related cancers. Last year, the American Dental Association (ADA) launched a three-year nationwide public service campaign to boost public awareness of oral cancer and showcase a dentist’s role in helping spot the disease early.
“We educate and train our students to become skillful at obtaining a comprehensive medical history, including family and social history and risk-factor assessment from their patients. We stress the importance of asking the questions, probing deeper into high risk behaviors and actively listening for both verbal and nonverbal cues. We also train them on how to perform a thorough head and neck examination on all their patients to detect early signs and symptoms of cancer,” says Catherine M. Flaitz, DDS, oral and maxillofacial pathologist and dean of the UT Dental Branch at Houston.
“The professors teach us how to identify ‘red flag’ conditions, not just in the mouth, but in the entire head and neck area,” says Nicholas Camarata, a third-year student at the Dental Branch. “It is important for us as students to learn as much as we can about the clinical presentations of oral cancer, so that we are able to practice identifying what is a variation of normal and what should be looked at in greater detail.”
The warning signs include:
– white or red spots on the lips, gum tissue, tongue, roof of the mouth or inside the cheeks
– a sore that bleeds easily or does not heal
– pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or on the lips
– difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue
– a color change in the mouth
– and a change in “occlusion”–the way the teeth fit together.
Flaitz adds that in today’s dental practices, dentists may supplement a clinical examination with new oral cancer detection devices that enhance the visualization of a suspicious lesion for both the patient and the health care provider. Once a suspicious area has been identified, a surgical biopsy is required to make a diagnosis and determine the extent of the disease. Although general dentists may perform these procedures, most patients are referred to oral and maxillofacial surgeons for the biopsy, if a cancer is the primary concern. This tissue is then sent to either a general pathology or oral and maxillofacial surgical pathology laboratory for processing and evaluation.
If you spot oral cancer in an early stage, there is a near 95 percent survival rate. Unfortunately, most oral cancers go undetected until they become clinically obvious and have spread. Since early detection is key to saving lives and facial disfigurement, research is focused on identifying special biomarkers in the lining of the mouth and in saliva that signal a problem before a lesion is apparent. In addition, progress continues in developing advanced light sources that can detect oral cancer before the eye can see it.
Flaitz adds that this is no longer a disease of older individuals. The fastest growing group is patients under 40 who don’t have any classic symptoms or risk factors.
If you use tobacco, there’s one way to lessen your chances of becoming a cancer statistic: quit. But, no one says it’s easy. For the more than 45 million Americans who use tobacco¬, research shows nicotine can be as addictive as cocaine. Most smokers will make at least 11 attempts before they successfully quit.
“Smoking is a very tough public health issue. The key is prevention,” warns Kathleen Reeve, DrPH, associate professor at the UT School of Nursing and a published author on this topic. “We need to do a better job of reaching out to adolescents.” A school curriculum program called ASPIRE (A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience), jointly developed by The UT School of Public Health and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, is helping get the word out to teenagers.
“The program offers interactive activities, videos, support strategies and fun animations to help teenagers make their own choices and stay on the path of good health. It can even offer guidance to adolescents who want to quit,” says Nancy Murray, PhD, assistant professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences at the School of Public Health.
According to a study this year in the journal of Nicotine and Tobacco Research, ASPIRE was proven to be effective in smoking prevention and cessation among teenagers.
Reeve also says that it helps to know that your body is on your side. For instance: Your body will begin to experience relief just 20 minutes after you stop smoking:
– Twenty minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
– Twelve hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
– Two weeks to three months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
– One to nine months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs and reduce the risk of infection.
– Five to 15 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.
– Ten years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decreases.
– Fifteen years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.
Professor Joy Schmitz, PhD, in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the medical school, is a leading expert on smoking cessation. Schmitz says pharmaceuticals are proven to be highly effective.
“The nicotine gum and nicotine patch are two types of replacement therapies. Other types include the nicotine nasal spray, inhaler and lozenge. They all share the same pharmacologic rationale: to aid cessation efforts by providing the smoker with a safer, non-addictive delivery of nicotine and thereby reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms,” says Schmitz.
Newer, FDA-approved, non-nicotine medications include bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix).
Bupropion is the anti-depressant drug also known as Wellbutrin. It has been shown to reduce significantly nicotine withdrawal symptoms, although how it works is not fully understood, says Schmitz.
Varenicline has been shown to reduce cravings for cigarettes and also decrease the pleasurable effects of smoking. “All of these medication options have been tested in randomized clinical trials and have been shown to more than double the odds of quitting when compared to a placebo,” says Schmitz.
Smoking not only impacts the person choosing to continue the habit, but also those around them. Secondhand smoke is classified as a “known human carcinogen” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a branch of World Health Organization.
A 2006 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report showed:
– Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke.
– Babies exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear infections and more severe asthma.
– Secondhand smoke immediately affects the heart and blood circulation in a harmful way.
– Exposure over a long time period can cause heart disease and lung cancer.
A current study at the medical school is researching how secondhand smoke impacts some of the most vulnerable babies. Researchers are recruiting parents who have an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital who have at least one smoker in their household, says Angela Stotts, PhD, associate professor of family medicine at the medical school.
“The study consists of motivational interventions before the infant leaves the NICU. We talk with the family and address concerns the infant could experience from secondhand smoke. We also counsel them on what they can do to reduce their child’s exposure to the smoke. One novel aspect is that we are traveling to the infant’s home at one, three and six months after they go home to leave monitors which measure nicotine levels,” explains Stotts.
In a nationwide effort to help people kick the habit, the American Cancer Society holds its annual Great American Smoke Out during November.
The goal of the campaign is to rally local volunteers to help support smokers who want to quit and press for laws that control tobacco use.
Looking back, Whitlow counts her blessings. “They told me I was one of the lucky ones. I do feel lucky; others simply don’t make it.” That’s why she is doing all she can to spare others her hard-earned lessons.. “Whenever I see young people smoking, I simply go up to them and begin chatting. I tell them it is bad, and then share my story. I regret picking up my first cigarette when I was 18. If I could go back, I would.”
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
7000 Fannin St., #1200
Houston
TX 77030
United States
http://www.uthouston.edu
Seasonal Variation In Blood Pressure
A French study reported in the 12th January issue of Archives of Internal Medicine has found a strong correlation between blood pressure and outdoor temperature in a large sample of the elderly.(1) As a result, the investigators advise that, during periods of extreme temperatures, careful monitoring of blood pressure and antihypertensive treatment “could contribute to reducing the consequences of blood pressure variations in the elderly”.
The study, which monitored 8801 participants over the age of 65 in the French Three-City study, found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure values differed significantly across the four seasons of the year and according to the distribution of outdoor temperature. The higher the temperature, the greater the decrease in blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure, for example, decreased with increasing temperature, with an 8.0 mmHg decrease between the lowest (
Participants’ blood pressure was measured at the beginning of the study (starting in 1999) and again about two years later. Outdoor temperatures on the day of measurement were obtained from local meteorological offices. Participants in the Three-City study were from Bordeaux, Dijon and Montpellier.
“Although our study does not demonstrate a causal link between blood pressure and external temperature, the observed relationship nevertheless has potentially important consequences for blood pressure management in the elderly,” the authors state. “Because the risk of stroke or aneurysmal rupture is highest in the elderly, improved protection against these diseases by close monitoring of blood pressure and antihypertensive medication when outdoor temperature is very low could be considered.”
Speaking on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), Professor Frank Ruschitzka from the University Hospital, Zurich, says that the study reaffirms the place of the elderly as a target group for blood pressure monitoring. “The elderly, especially the increasing number of octogenarians, should not be neglected. They need extra care, and will benefit from monitoring and appropriate treatment. This study emphasises the need for year-round vigilance.”
One possible explanation for the study findings, adds Professor Ruschitzka, lies in the emerging link between vitamin D and blood pressure. The elderly, especially those in care homes, are subject to vitamin D deficiency, largely as a result of their limited exposure to sunlight, and vitamin D deficiency can predispose to hyptertension via activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. “The benefit of sunlight on vitamin D levels in the elderly is under appreciated,” says Professor Ruschitzka. “Fifteen minutes exposure to sunlight can produce the equivalent of 2000 international units vitamin D.”
A report from the Framingham Heart Study published in 2008 found that moderate vitamin D deficiency nearly doubles the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure over a mean of 5.4 years in patients with high blood pressure.(2) The Nurses Health Study, also reporting in 2008, found that lower blood levels of vitamin D are independently associated with an increased risk of hypertension; women with the lowest levels had a 66 per cent higher incidence of hypertension than those with the highest levels.(3)
References:
1. Alpérovitch A, Lacombe J-M, Hanon O, et al. Relationship Between Blood Pressure and Outdoor Temperature in a Large Sample of Elderly Individuals: The Three-City Study. Arch Intern Med 2009; 169: 75-80.
2. Wang TJ, Pencina MJ, Booth SL, et al. Vitamin D deficiency and risk of cardiovascular disease. Circulation 2008; 117: 503-511.
3. Forman JP, Curhan JC, Taylor EN. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of incident hypertension among young women. Hypertension 2008; 52: 828-832.
EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY (ESC)
The European Heart House
2035 Route des Colles
B.P. 179 – Les Templiers
FR-06903 Sophia Antipolis
http://www.escardio.org
Is There A Relationship Between Sleep-wake Rhythm And Diabetes? A New Gene Variant Influences Fasting Glucose Levels Via The Melatonin Metabolism
An international research team with German participation including Helmholtz Zentrum München, among other institutions, has succeeded in identifying a new gene variant which is associated with elevated fasting glucose levels and a high risk for type 2 diabetes.
The gene mediates insulin secretion indirectly via the release of melatonin, which implicates a previously unknown relationship between the sleep-wake rhythm and the fasting glucose level. The finding could open up new possibilities of treatment which go far beyond the primarily symptomatic therapy approaches to diabetes that have been practised until now.
Diabetes mellitus and diabetes-associated late complications are among the most frequent chronic diseases and causes of death worldwide. In Germany there are approximately six million people with type 2 diabetes who are aware that they have the disease. In addition, there is a relatively high estimated number of undiagnosed diabetics. Besides lifestyle factors such as overweight and lack of exercise, genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease.
The international MAGIC Consortium (MAGIC = Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium) combined the data from 13 case-control studies with over 18,000 diabetic and 64,000 non-diabetic study participants and was able to identify a variant of the MTNR1B gene which is associated with both elevated fasting glucose levels as well an elevated risk for type 2 diabetes. The goal of the MAGIC Consortium is to identify gene variants which regulate the fasting glucose levels in healthy individuals.
The study results were published in the January issue of Nature Genetics.
Germany is represented within the framework of the KORA studies by scientists of the Helmholtz Zentrum München (Assistant Professor Thomas Illig; Director of the KORA studies: Professor H.-Erich Wichmann) and the German Diabetes Center in Düsseldorf (Dr. Wolfgang Rathmann, Dr. Christian Herder; Direktor: Professor Michael Roden).
The MTNR1B gene is expressed in insulin-producing islet cells, among other cells, and encodes one of the two known melatonin receptors. It is assumed that this receptor inhibits the release of insulin via the neural hormone melatonin. The melatonin level in the body is high at night and declines in daylight, whereas the insulin level is higher during the day than in the night. Taken together, these new data implicate an association between the sleep-wake rhythm, the so-called circadian rhythm, and fasting glucose levels, which was not known previously.
Until now an efficient strategy for prevention and for therapies to treat the cause of the disease has been missing in diabetes research. The Helmholtz Zentrum München is working intensively on new approaches in the study and treatment of diabetes. Further studies will show which role melatonin plays in the regulation of insulin secretion, fasting glucose levels and the development of diabetes and whether this finding will lead to new treatment options.
HELMHOLTZ ZENTRUM MUENCHEN – GERMAN RESEARCH CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1
D-85764 Neuherberg
http://www.gsf.de
New Non-Drowsy CLARITIN(R) Liqui-Gels(R) Now Available
Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) announces the introduction of new CLARITIN(R) Liqui-Gels(R), the first and only non-drowsy allergy medicine in an easy-to-swallow liquid-filled capsule. Now available over-the-counter, CLARITIN(R) Liqui-Gels(R) provide powerful liquid relief for the worst allergy symptoms without causing drowsiness.
“New CLARITIN(R) Liqui-Gels(R) is the latest advancement for the 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies,” said Dr. John O’Mullane, group vice president, research and development, Schering-Plough Consumer Health Care. “We are pleased to bring this innovative form to the line of non-drowsy CLARITIN(R) products.” Liquid-filled capsules are extremely popular with consumers. A recent survey* found that 75 percent of consumers who use liquid-filled capsules prefer them over tablets.
Like all CLARITIN(R) products, new CLARITIN(R) Liqui-Gels(R) are available without a prescription and treat allergy symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and runny nose without drowsiness. CLARITIN(R) Liqui-Gels(R) are approved for adults and children ages 6 and older and can be found wherever over-the-counter products are sold.
About CLARITIN(R)
All CLARITIN(R) brand products are available without a prescription, including: CLARITIN(R) Tablets, a once-daily, full prescription strength, non-drowsy formulation; CLARITIN(R) RediTabs(R) Tablets, a novel once-daily formulation in a quickly dissolving tablet for ages 6 and older; CLARITIN(R) Liqui-Gels(R), a once-daily formulation in an easy-to-swallow liquid-filled capsule; CLARITIN-D(R) 24-hour and 12-hour Extended Release Tablets, with the decongestant pseudoephedrine, now located behind the counter; CHILDREN’S CLARITIN(R) Syrup, a liquid formulation for children ages 2 and older in grape and fruit flavors; and CHILDREN’S CLARITIN(R) Grape Chewables, a chewable tablet for children ages 2 and older.
CLARITIN(R) is the No. 1 physician-recommended and pediatrician-recommended non-drowsy over-the-counter allergy brand. The CLARITIN(R) Rx-to-OTC switch in 2002 was the largest switch ever–and the first and only for a non-drowsy antihistamine. For more information on allergies and treatment, visit http://www.CLARITIN.com.
About Schering Plough
Schering-Plough Consumer Health Care is the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) and consumer products business unit of Schering-Plough an innovation-driven, science-centered global health care company. Through its own biopharmaceutical research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough creates therapies that help save and improve lives around the world. The company applies its research-and-development platform to human prescription, animal health and consumer health care products. Schering-Plough’s vision is to “Earn Trust, Every Day” with the doctors, patients, customers and other stakeholders served by its colleagues around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is http://www.schering-plough.com .
SCHERING-PLOUGH DISCLOSURE NOTICE: The information in this press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to potential market for CLARITIN Liqui-Gels. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations or forecasts of future events. Schering-Plough does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from Schering-Plough’s forward-looking statements, including market forces, economic factors, product availability, patent and other intellectual property protection, current and future branded, generic or over-the-counter competition, the regulatory process, and any developments following regulatory approval, among other uncertainties. For further details about these and other factors that may impact the forward-looking statements, see Schering-Plough’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the third quarter 2008 10-Q, filed October 29, 2008.
Schering-Plough Corporation
http://www.schering-plough.com
Abbott Introduces RealTime Molecular Assay In Europe For Detection Of HPV Infection
European clinicians will have a new weapon to combat cervical cancer with the introduction of Abbott Molecular’s real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based diagnostic test for human papillomavirus (HPV). The CE-marked assay can identify patients infected with specific viral genotypes known to pose the highest risk for progression to cervical cancer.
Unlike other HPV tests, the Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV assay detects the 14 highest risk HPV genotypes and, in the same procedure, can identify women infected with the HPV 16 and HPV 18 genotypes, which account for more than 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. The assay can rapidly identify HPV-infected patients at risk for cervical cancer by combining two diagnostic tools in one test HPV high- risk screening and viral genotyping.
“The Abbott RealTime HPV assay is a major advance that provides clinicians with three results in one assay: detection of the 14 HPV high risk types as well as genotyping to determine if the highest risk HPV 16 and 18 genotypes are present in the sample,” said Jack Cuzick, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology, Barts and the London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry. “Women with abnormal PAP smear test results will know right away if they are at risk for developing cervical cancer. A negative result from this test will assure them with almost 100 percent certainty that cervical cancer will not occur in the next few years. “
He added that the Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV assay could save time and money for follow-up testing to confirm or eliminate cervical cancer diagnosis.
In scientific evaluations at clinical sites across Europe, the Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV assay demonstrated high accuracy, with specificity of 99.4 percent and sensitivity of 97.5 percent for qualitative detection of the 14 high-risk HPV genotypes.
The new assay uses liquid-based cytology specimens and runs on the Abbott m-Systems m2000™ for large-volume testing laboratories and m24sp™ or manual for labs performing small- to mid-sized volumes.
The range of automated systems provides laboratories the flexibility and efficiency to accommodate various workloads.
Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide. In Europe, some 33,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed each year and it causes 15,000 deaths annually. The average time from HPV infection to development of cervical cancer is 15 years, and the likelihood of progression from infection to disease increases with age. However, most HPV (80 percent) found in the genital tract is benign and clears spontaneously.
There are 100 different HPV genotypes and 40 infect mucosal and genital cells. Of these, there are 14 genotypes classified as high risk HPV from their association with invasive cervical cancer. The HPV 16 and HPV 18 genotypes progress to disease faster than other high-risk genotypes.
Other tests available on the Abbott m2000 system include real-time PCR tests for HIV-1 viral load, hepatitis B viral load, Chlamydia detection, chlamydia/gonorrhea (CT/NG) multiplexed assay, hepatitis C viral load, HCV genotyping, CMV and EBV. Except for RealTime HIV-1 and CT/NG, no other tests are currently available on the m2000 in the United States. Additional information is available on Abbott Molecular’s website at www.abbottmolecular.com.
About Abbott Molecular
Abbott Molecular is an emerging leader in molecular diagnostics – the analysis of DNA, RNA, and proteins at the molecular level. Abbott Molecular’s instruments and reagents detect pathogens and subtle but key changes in patients’ genes and chromosomes, which permits earlier diagnoses, the selection of appropriate therapies and improved monitoring of disease progression.
About Abbott
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 68,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
Abbott
http://www.abbott.com
