May 15, 2012 Clippings

'Low oxygen levels drive cancer growth'

Low oxygen levels in cells, not genetic mutations, may fuel uncontrollable cancer growth, says a new discovery.

If hypoxia, or low oxygen levels in cells, is proven to be a key driver of certain types of cancer, treatment plans for curing the malignant growth can change in significant ways, said Ying Xu, professor of bioinformatics and computational biology at Georgia University's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The research team analysed samples of messenger RNA data, also called transcriptomic data, from seven different cancer types in a publicly available database.

They found that long-term lack of oxygen in cells may be a key driver of cancer growth, the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology reports. Previous studies had linked low oxygen levels in cells as a contributing factor in cancer development, but not as the driving force for cancer growth.

High cancer rates worldwide cannot be explained by chance genetic mutations alone, Xu said, according to a Georgia statement.  He added that bioinformatics, which melds biology and computational science, has allowed researchers to see cancer in a new light.

"Cancer drugs try to get to the root, at the molecular level, of a particular mutation, but the cancer often bypasses it," Xu said.  "So we think that possibly, genetic mutations may not be the main driver of cancer." The researchers analysed data downloaded from the Stanford Microarray database via a software programme to detect abnormal gene expression patterns in seven cancers: breast, kidney, liver, lung, ovary, pancreatic and stomach.

Xu relied on the gene HIF1A as a biomarker of the amount of molecular oxygen in a cell. All seven cancers showed increasing amounts of HIF1A, indicating decreasing oxygen levels in the cancer cells.

Low oxygen levels in a cell interrupt the activity of oxidative phosphorylation, a term for the highly efficient way that cells normally use to convert food to energy.

Low oxygen levels engender the process of creating new blood vessels. They provide fresh oxygen, thus improving oxygen levels in the cell and tumour and slowing the cancer growth — but only temporarily.

"When a cancer cell gets more food, it grows; this makes the tumour biomass bigger and even more hypoxic. In turn, the energy-conversion efficiency goes further down, making the cells even hungrier and triggering the cells to get more food from blood circulation, creating a vicious cycle. This could be a key driver of cancer," Xu said.

Source: www.dnaindia.com

15.05.2012

Women suffer post-traumatic stress after ICU

Women are more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress than men after leaving an intensive care unit (ICU), according to a new study.

However, psychological and physical 'follow-up' can reduce both this and post-ICU depression.

Patients in the ICU often suffer post-traumatic stress, anxiety, or depression due, not only to the illness or trauma that put them there, but to the very nature of the ICU and life-saving treatment.

As a result, follow-up schemes have been put in to place to help alleviate these psychological problems.

Researchers from the Karolinska University Hospital Solna and the Karolinska Institutet compared patient's recovery from 2006, before a follow-up scheme was started, with that of patients in 2007 and 2008.

The scheme consisted of non-compulsory meetings at three, six and 12 months after being discharged from ICU with a nurse, physician and a physiotherapist, revisiting the ICU, and in severe cases being referred to a psychiatric unit for further therapy.

Before the use of the follow-up scheme women had much higher scores on the Impact Event Scale (IES), which measures post-traumatic stress, than men. For women, after the introduction of follow-up, these scores were significantly reduced. However, the scheme had no effect on the IES score of men.

"In general, for the same event, women are twice as likely to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, recover more slowly, and are more prone to suffer long-term effects. We found this was also true in ICU survivors. The women with the highest IES scores were the ones who were most helped by the follow-up scheme. While it is not clear whether the scheme only helps patients at severe risk of PTSD, it does mean that these people have access to the treatment they need," explained Dr Peter Sackey, who led this study.

The study was published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

15.05.2012

Want to be a mum? Keep your teeth clean!

While fate determines some fertility factors, a new study has suggested that oral issues may play a key role.

A recent Australian study compared rates of periodontal disease with the speed by which women conceived. Of 1,956 women (average age 31) seeking to become pregnant, 74 per cent had healthy smiles, while the remaining fourth had cavities.

Those with periodontal problems took 42 per cent longer to conceive (7 months vs. 5).

This might be because the kind of oral bacteria that causes cavities also increases inflammation, which not only impacts placental health, but might even increase the risk of miscarriage or premature birth.

Whether or not you're a wannabe mom - taking care of those choppers can yield big health benefits.

Previous research found that people who avoid brushing their teeth were 70 per cent more likely to suffer a cardiovascular event (e.g., heart attack) than those with conscientious oral care.

Obvious dietary factors in dental health include avoiding sugary fare - but lesser known findings indicate certain foods, like raisins, cranberries and green tea may reduce cavity risk.

Eating more fruit and veggies will also help you avoid obesity - which triples your risk of periodontal disease.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

15.05.2012

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends

Martin Luther King Jr.