The efficacy of Chinese medicine for the treatment of acute and critical medical conditions

University of Chicago and China Medical University (Taiwan), October 1, 2020

Researchers at the China Medical University in Taiwan and the University of Chicago discussed the theory of Chinese medicine and its application in the treatment of acute and critical medical conditions, including epidemics. Their review was published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine.

In developed nations and Eastern countries, western medicine is routinely used for treatment while traditional medicine is only used by a select few as a complement to modern medicines.
But research shows Chinese medicine can also be an effective treatment for chronic diseases, especially in cases when western medicine fails to produce the desired results.
Many studies have also demonstrated how Chinese medicine can be useful in the management of acute and critical illnesses.
Chinese medicine has a holistic view of the human body and emphasizes individualization based on body balance and mind-body interactions.
Some of the most frequently employed therapies in Chinese medicine are herbal medicines and acupuncture.
The researchers explored the use of this ancient therapy as a complementary medicine in modern times, particularly for the management of serious medical conditions, such as SARS, acute heart diseases and ischemic cerebral stroke.

The researchers also believe that well-designed controlled clinical trials are urgently needed to prove the safety and effectiveness of Chinese medicine, as well as to promote its application.

Citrus peel nobiletin ameliorates high-fat diet-induced vascular and renal changes by decreasing inflammation

Mahasarakham University (Thailand), September 25, 2020

According to news reporting from Maha Sarakham, Thailand, research stated, “We investigate the effect of nobiletin, a flavonoid in citrus peels, on vascular and renal alterations and possible mechanisms involved in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a HFD with fructose 15% in drinking water for 16 weeks.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Mahasarakham University, “HFD-fed rats were treated with nobiletin (20 or 40 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for the last 4 weeks. HFD-fed rats treated with nobiletin was significantly reduced obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and hyperinsulinemia. Nobiletin improved vascular endothelial function, restored creatinine clearance, and reduced plasma urea and creatinine levels, as well as urinary protein excretion. Nobiletin markedly alleviated vascular medial cross-sectional area (CSA) and collagen deposition, glomerular extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and renal fibrosis. Nobiletin significantly elevated plasma adiponectin levels, together with upregulated adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and suppressed transforming growth factor-b1 (TGF-b1) expression in kidney. In addition, an increase of plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) was significantly attenuated after nobiletin treatment.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Our results suggest that nobiletin attenuates HFD-induced vascular and renal alterations in rats, which is possibly related to the modulation of AdipoR1 and TGF-b1expression, and suppression of inflammation.”

From San Diego to Italy, study suggests wisdom can protect against loneliness

Cross-cultural study finds a strong inverse correlation between loneliness and wisdom

University of California San Diego, October 1, 2020

Over the last few decades, there has been growing concern about loneliness across all ages, particularly in middle-aged and older adults. Loneliness, defined as feeling isolated or not having an adequate number of meaningful personal connections, is consistently associated with unhealthy aging and has been identified as a major risk factor for overall adverse health outcomes.

In a recent cross-cultural study, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and University of Rome La Sapienza examined middle-aged and older adults in San Diego and Cilento, Italy and found loneliness and wisdom had a strong negative correlation.

The study, publishing in the October 1, 2020 online edition of Aging and Mental Health, suggests wisdom may be a protective factor against loneliness.

“An important finding from our study was a significant inverse correlation between loneliness and wisdom. People with higher scores on a measure of wisdom were less lonely and vice versa,” said Dilip V. Jeste, MD, lead investigator of the study, senior associate dean for the Center of Healthy Aging and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

“Loneliness was consistently associated with poor general health, worse quality of sleep and less happiness, whereas the reverse was generally true for wisdom.”

Using the UCLA Loneliness Scale and San Diego Wisdom Scale, the researchers examined four groups: adults age 50 to 65 and those older than age 90 from Cilento and from San Diego. The researchers found the inverse correlation between loneliness and wisdom in all four groups.

“We translated the rating scales for loneliness and wisdom from English to Italian. It is remarkable that the findings related to these two traits were largely similar in two markedly different cultures — a rural region of southern Italy and an urban/suburban county in the United States, both with different native languages and unique historical, educational and socioeconomic backgrounds,” said Salvatore Di Somma, MD, PhD, lead Italian investigator and professor of emergency medicine at University of Rome La Sapienza.

The Cilento region in southwestern Italy is a relatively isolated, rural area believed to have a high concentration of individuals older than age 90. The present study was born out of the Cilento Initiative on Aging Outcomes (CIAO) study launched in 2016.

“Both loneliness and wisdom are personality traits. Most personality traits are partially inherited and partially determined by environment,” said Jeste.

Wisdom has several components, such as empathy, compassion, self-reflection and emotional regulation. Researchers found that empathy and compassion had the strongest inverse correlation with loneliness. People who were more compassionate were less lonely.

“If we can increase someone’s compassion, wisdom is likely to go up and loneliness is likely to go down,” said David Brenner, MD, vice chancellor of UC San Diego Health Sciences. “At UC San Diego, we have considerable interest in enhancing empathy and compassion to reduce levels of stress and improve happiness and well-being.”

Jeste said studies that examine how to decrease loneliness as people age will be critical for effective interventions and the future of health care.

“Routine assessment of loneliness with evidence-based, compassion-focused interventions for prevention and management of loneliness should become an integral part of clinical practice. So how do you increase compassion? Utilizing approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy or writing in a gratitude diary can help someone become more compassionate,” he said.

Jeste noted that a limitation of this study was that it was cross-sectional. Only longitudinal studies can establish cause-and-effect relationships. Next steps will include testing an intervention to increase compassion for reducing loneliness.

Cannabinoids associated with negative respiratory health effects in older adults with COPD

Researchers publish first data on the impact of cannabinoids on the respiratory health of individuals with COPD

St Michaels Hospital (Toronto), September30, 2020

Cannabinoids, a class of prescription pills that contain synthetically-made chemicals found in marijuana, are associated with a 64 per cent increase in death among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the first published data on the impact of cannabinoids on the respiratory health of individuals with the lung disease.

The findings, published Wednesday in Thorax, have significant clinical implications as more physicians prescribe cannabinoids to patients with COPD to treat chronic muscle pain, difficulty sleeping and breathlessness.

The study, led by St. Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health Toronto, found that cannabinoids can contribute to negative respiratory health events in people with COPD, including hospitalization and death. COPD is a progressive lung disease that causes difficulty breathing and chronic productive coughing, and can be associated with a variety of non-respiratory issues, like chronic muscle pain and insomnia.

“Cannabinoid drugs are being increasingly used by older adults with COPD, so it is important for patients and physicians to have a clear understanding of the side-effect profile of these drugs,” says Dr. Nicholas Vozoris, lead author, a respirologist at St. Michael’s and an associate scientist at the hospital’s Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute.

“Our study results do not mean that cannabinoid drugs should be never used among older adults with COPD. Rather, our findings should be incorporated by patients and physicians into prescribing decision-making. Our results also highlight the importance of favouring lower over higher cannabinoid doses, when these drugs actually do need to be used.”

The study analyzed the health data of over 4,000 individuals in Ontario ages 66 years and older with COPD from 2006 to 2016. The data was equally split into two groups: older adults with COPD who were new cannabinoid users and older adults with COPD not using cannabinoids. Older adults in Ontario with COPD who were new cannabinoid users represented 1.1 per cent of the data, which was made available by ICES.

Researchers observed particularly worse health outcomes among patients with COPD who were using higher doses of cannabinoids. Compared to non-users, new higher-dose cannabinoid users had a 178 per cent relative increase in hospitalizations for COPD or pneumonia, and a 231 per cent relative increase in all-cause death.

“Older adults with COPD represent a group that would likely be more susceptible to cannabinoid-related respiratory side-effects, since older adults less efficiently break down drugs and hence, drug effects can linger in the body for longer – and since individuals with COPD have pre-existing respiratory troubles and respiratory compromise,” says Dr. Vozoris, who is also a scientist at ICES.

Researchers conducted a sub-analysis to explore what impact cannabinoid drugs versus opioid drugs had on respiratory outcomes among older adults with COPD, since cannabinoid drugs are often prescribed as an alternative to opioids to treat chronic pain. The research team did not find evidence to support that cannabinoids were a safer choice over opioids for older adults with COPD in so far as respiratory health outcomes.

Study identifies exercise as key to halting progress from diabetes to heart disease

University of Otago (New Zealand), September 30, 2020

An international study led by the University of Otago has revealed how exercise can reduce the chance of diabetes leading on to heart disease.

The research has identified that exercisetriggers the release of small sequences of genetic code in the heart called microRNA, which increase protein production to improve heart structure and function.

The study, “Exercise regulates microRNAs to preserve coronary and cardiac function in the diabetic heart,” has recently been published in the journal Circulation Research.

Associate Professors Daryl Schwenke and Rajesh Katare, of Otago’s Department of Physiology, found that specific microRNA are adversely altered in the early stages of diabetes. These altered microRNA can reliably predict the inevitable onset of heart disease. Associate Professor Katare believes this is a pivotal new development as microRNA can serve as a reliable early biomarker for heart disease in diabetes.

“We’ve proven that by using exercise as a treatment, we can increase good microRNA, and reduce bad microRNA from causing damage. Exercise effectively improves regulation of microRNA to prevent the onset and progression of heart disease,” Associate Professor Schwenke says.

Along with highlighting the role of exercise in regulating microRNA, the study also shows that microRNA are a potential novel target for the therapeutic treatment of heart disease in people with chronic diabetes.

“By increasing the good microRNA using pharmacological drugs it is possible to effectively reduce heart disease in diabetic subjects. This approach is not solely reliant on exercise,” Associate Professor Schwenke says.

Over 250,000 thousand New Zealanders have diabetes according to the Ministry of Health, which defines diabetes as a serious health challenge to our country.

Associate Professor Schwenke believes this research has clear long-term benefits on both the quality of life for diabetic patients with heart disease, as well as alleviating the economic burden associated with current treatment of diabetes.

“By understanding the physiological role of microRNA we can see without doubt the positive role of exercise in preventing diabetic heart disease,” he adds.

S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) rescues cognitive deficits in animal research

University of Melbourne (Australia), September 28, 2020

According to news reporting originating in Parkville, Australia, research stated, “Alterations in the methionine cycle and abnormal tau phosphorylation are implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. rTg4510 mice express mutant human P301L tau and are a model of tau hyperphosphorylation. The cognitive deficit seen in these animals correlates with a burden of hyperphosphorylated tau and is a model to test therapies aimed at lowering phosphorylated tau.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of Melbourne, “This study aimed to increase protein phosphatase 2A activity through supplementation of S-adenosylmethionine and analyze the effect on spatial memory and tau in treated animals. 6-month-old rTg4510 mice were treated with 100 mg/kg S adenosylmethionine by oral gavage for 3 weeks. Spatial recognition memory was tested in the Y-maze. Alterations to phosphorylated tau and protein phosphatase 2A were explored using immunohistochemistry, western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Treatment with S-adenosylmethionine increased the Y-maze novel arm exploration time and increased both the expression and activity of protein phosphatase 2A. Furthermore, treatment reduced the number of AT8 positive neurons and reduced the expression of phosphorylated tau (Ser202/Thr205). S-adenosylmethionine contributes to multiple pathways in neuronal homeostasis and neurodegeneration.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “This study shows that supplementation with S-adenosylmethionine stabilizes the heterotrimeric form of PP2A resulting in an increase the enzymatic activity, a reduced level of pathological tau, and improved cognition.”

Teen social networks linked to adult depression

Michigan State University, October 1, 2020

Teens who have a larger number of friends may be less likely to suffer from depression later in life, especially women, a new MSU research study has found.

For female adolescents, popularity can lead to increased depression during the teen years, but can provide lasting benefits of fewer depressive symptoms later in life. Teens who reported fewer friends show higher rates of depression in adulthood, found Molly Copeland (pictured left), assistant professor of sociology, who co- authored the article “The Long Arm of Social Integration: Gender, Adolescent Social Networks, and Adult Depressive Symptom Trajectories” with lead author Christina Kamis, a sociology doctoral candidate at Duke University. It was published Sept. 14 in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

“Adolescence (is) a sensitive period of early life when structural facets of social relationships can have lasting mental health consequences,” wrote Copeland.

Overall, the study found for both men and women, naming few friends predicts higher depressive levels through adolescence into adulthood. But these results are not the same for all genders.

“Compared to boys, girls face additional risks from how others view their social position in adolescence,” Copeland wrote.

This current study used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, specifically social network data asking students to select up to five male friends and five female friends.

They were also asked to indicate how often they felt depressed. Results from both men and women “follow a U-shaped trajectory of depressive symptoms across this period of the life course, where depressive symptoms are highest in adolescence, decline into early adulthood, and then climb into one’s early 30s.” However, women experience a steeper decline in symptoms around 18-26 followed by a greater increase in symptoms in their early 30s.

When combined, the data show that for women, being named as a friend by peers is associated with increased depression at age 12 but fewer depressive symptoms in adulthood.

“This result suggests that the association between popularity and greater depressive symptoms reverses with age so that women who were more popular in adolescence have fewer depressive symptoms in their mid-20s compared to less popular peers,” Copeland wrote.

But men show no association between popularity and depressive symptoms, the study found, only benefits from naming more friends.

Copeland believes this gender difference suggests that gendered expectations and roles that lead to popularity create stress and strain on adolescent girls that does not apply to boys.

“Gender socialization may lead adolescent friendships to become more taxing to girls if the higher emotional intimacy in female friendships means that popularity creates higher emotion or psychological burdens for girls,” Copeland wrote.

But the stress of popularity may give these girls psychosocial skills that are beneficial later in life when dealing with higher education and new jobs.

“Greater sociality may also contribute to a sense of belonging that is psychologically important in adolescent development, setting youth on pathways of lower depressive symptoms.”

Copeland joined MSU’s Department of Sociology this fall following the completion of her doctoral degree from Duke University. Her research joins social network analysis and medical sociology to examine how social relationships can benefit or introduce risks to health across the life course.

Study study finds association between screen time use, diet and other health factors

Arizona State University, September 29, 2020

The era of the television brought with it the TV dinner — a fast, convenient meal that, while nutritionally questionable, meant the whole family could gather together on the sofa to enjoy “The Ed Sullivan Show” and eat their Swanson Salisbury steak, too.

Over the next several decades, advancements in technology and the ubiquity of streaming services has allowed for the proliferation of binge-watching culture, where hours spent sedentary rack up faster than “Jeopardy” points, and greasy fast food is only a few taps on your smartphone away.

Chris Wharton, assistant dean of innovation and strategic initiatives at Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions, whose research interests include lifestylewide behavior change, wanted to know what kind of relationship the time we spend in front of screens has with various health behaviors and factors.

In a study recently published in BMC Public Health, one of the largest open access public health journals in the world, Wharton found that heavy users of screens — defined as those who use screens an average of 17.5 hours per day — reported the least healthful dietary patterns and the poorest health-related characteristics compared with moderate and light users, who averaged roughly 11.3 and 7 hours of screen use per day, respectively.

“A lot of screen time-related literature has primarily focused on television,” Wharton said. “But with the advancement of all these other types of devices that people use throughout the day, we wanted to see how health behaviors and factors are associated with a variety of screen-based devices.”

For the study, more than 900 adults across the U.S. who owned a television and at least one other device with a screen were asked to complete a survey to assess screen time use across multiple devices, dietary habits, sleep duration and quality, perceived stress, self-rated health, physical activity and body mass index.

Among the findings, unique dietary habits were associated with different types of screen use such that heavy users of TV and smartphones displayed the least healthful dietary patterns compared with heavy users of TV-connected devices, laptops and tablets.

Additionally, heavy users of smartphones reported the lowest quality of sleep.

“I find that important and interesting because it does back up what we understand about smartphones,” Wharton said. “We love to look at our phones and worry ourselves with the news right before we go to bed. But one of the simplest things people can do for their health when it comes to screens — which is probably one of the hardest things to do because of the convenience and their addictive nature — is putting all those devices down, in particular your smartphone, two hours before bedtime.”

Wharton also explored the phenomenon of binge-watching, defined as watching multiple episodes of a television program in a single sitting, and found that it was significantly associated with less healthy dietary patterns, including frequency of fast food consumption, eating family meals in front of a television and perceived stress.

“We’re engaging with media in lots of different ways, and in mobile ways,” Wharton said. “And across a lot of these devices, heavy users were engaging in a lot of fast food consumption. So the convenience of (screen use) seems to be associated with the convenience of fast food.”

That is, with the exception of laptops, which Wharton attributes to the likelihood that laptops are more often used for work than entertainment.

Wharton said the results of this study lay the foundation for future research into screen time interventions because they give researchers insight into which negative health effects are associated with which types of devices.

“When we look at interventions to help people eat more healthfully, as it relates to screen time, maybe we can’t just focus on television. The smartphone might be another really important factor in that,” he said. “Or if we want to improve physical activity, maybe we don’t need to think about smartphones but we do need think about TVs.”

In another study, currently pending publication, Wharton asked 10 participants to forgo screen use of any kind from the time they got home after work to the time they went to sleep for two weeks straight.

“We have some qualitative data to suggest that when people eliminate screens from their lives at night, magical things happen,” he said. “Initial results suggest that people have to figure out what to do with this time, so they’re doing things like spending more face-to-face with family and friends, cooking and preparing food, being physically active and engaging in hobbies. Things that are fulfilling in physically healthful ways and mentally healthful ways that you don’t get when the majority of your day is engaged with screens.”

Wharton himself has been making an effort to be especially conscious of his screen time use during the pandemic (he’s even taken up the violin), a time when many of us are hearing the opposite message.

“I worry when people say, ‘Now is the time to re-up your Netflix subscription. What else are you going to do?'” Wharton said. “I would flip that on its head and say, ‘Oh my gosh, now is the time to think about all the things to do other than sit in front of screens.’

“COVID is really bringing this into crystal-clear focus, that our lives are fully mediated by screens. They were before, they especially are now. I think it’s a good time to think about what a healthy but technologically plugged-in life could look like where screens aren’t the only way in which we interact and do everything in our life, but instead are just a small side component of everything else that we do. We are nowhere near a conclusion like that, but I think we need to get there because screens have come to dominate us, and they drive real problems in our health.”

Study: Vitamin C improves sepsis survival rates

Virginia Commonwealth University, September 29, 2020

A recent study published in the journal JAMA suggests that vitamin C may be beneficial for people with sepsis.

Researchers examined the effect of vitamin C on organ failure, a common complication of sepsis that often leads to death. They found that it lowered mortality rates among patients with sepsis and reduced how long they stayed in the hospital.

While more research is needed, the team said that vitamin C treatment can transform patient care. It can potentially save lives and cut hospital costs, especially as sepsis is a major contributor to healthcare expenses in the United States.

“While further research is needed, the results from our preliminary study are encouraging,” said first author Dr. Alpha A. Fowler III, a professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

Vitamin C offers promising treatment for sepsis

For the study, the researchers randomly selected 167 sepsis patients across seven sites. These patients were given either vitamin C or a placebo intravenously every six hours for four days.

After 28 days, the researchers found that the placebo group had a 46 percent mortality rate while the vitamin C group’s mortality rate was just 30 percent.

The team did not find any significant effect on sepsis-related organ failure, but the vitamin C therapy did seem to reduce the duration of hospitalization. On average, the vitamin C group spent seven days in the ICU and 15 days overall in the hospital while the placebo group spent 10 and 22 days, respectively.

“This therapy could potentially transform the way we care for sepsis patients,” said Fowler. “We may have found a lifesaving therapy.”

According to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in the country, with up to 300,000 deaths from sepsis reported each year. It’s a life-threatening condition caused by the body’s response to an infection, which may progress into septic shock. When that happens, blood pressure drops drastically, potentially leading to death.

Although a treatment for sepsis exists, some patients are not able to survive from the disease. Hospital costs from sepsis are also sky-high; sepsis accounted for 24 billion dollars of the country’s total hospital costs in 2013, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Moreover, sepsis hospitalization is 70 percent more expensive than typical hospitalization.

“Taking care of a septic patient in the ICU costs tens of thousands of dollars each day,” added Fowler. “Improving clinical outcomes for sepsis means significant cost savings for the U.S. health care industry.”

Sepsis expert incorporateed vitamin C in landmark sepsis treatment

Dr. Paul Marik, a critical-care physician at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, popularized what’s known as the “Marik protocol.” It involves a cocktail of substances, including vitamin C, that’s used to treat sepsis.

He came up with the protocol in 2016 when he had a patient who was critically ill with the disease. He had recently just read an article detailing the benefits of vitamin C, as well as thiamine, for those undergoing septic shock. Hard-pressed, he took a chance and administered a cocktail of vitamin C, thiamine and corticosteroids. To his relief, the patient recovered within days. He gave the cocktail to two more patients and they too recovered from the disease.

Despite these glowing results, Marik was met with skepticism within the medical community; journals refused to publish his findings while medical institutions refused to grant him funding for further research.

Still, Marik vouches for the use of vitamin C. In fact, the protocol is still in use in his hospital, because of it’s low-cost and the safety of the substances it uses.

Possible neuroprotective effect of milk thistle silymarin against aluminum chloride-prompted Alzheimer-like disease

Ain Shams University (Egypt), September 28, 2020

According to news reporting originating from Cairo, Egypt, research stated, “Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a worldwide rapidly growing neurodegenerative disease. Here, we elucidated the neuroprotective effects of milk thistle’s flavonolignan silymarin (SM) on the hippocampal tissues of aluminum chloride (AlCl [ [3] ] )-induced Alzheimer-like disease in rats using biochemical, histological, and ultrastructural approaches.”

Our news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Ain Shams University: “Forty rats were divided into control, SM, AlCl [ [3] ] , and AlCl [ [3] ] + SM groups. Biochemically, AlCl [ [3] ] administration resulted in marked elevation in levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) and decrease in levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Moreover, AlCl [ [3] ] significantly increased tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-1beta (IL-1b), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities. Furthermore, myriad histological and ultrastructural alterations were recorded in the hippocampal tissues of AlCl [ [3] ] -treated rats represented as marked degenerative changes of pyramidal neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Additionally, some myelinated nerve fibers exhibited irregular arrangement of their myelin coats, while the others revealed focal degranulation of their myelin sheaths. Severe defects in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) were also recorded.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “However, co-administration of SM with AlCl [ [3] ] reversed most of the biochemical, histological, and ultrastructural changes triggered by AlCl [ [3] ] in rats. The results of the current study indicate that SM can potentially mend most of the previously evoked neuronal damage in the hippocampal tissues of AlCl [ [3] ] -kindled rats.”

In vivo anticancer effects of resveratrol mediated by NK cell activation

Yonsei University College of Medicine (South Korea), September 25, 2020

According to news reporting out of Seoul, South Korea, research stated, “Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune lymphocytes that play an important role in anti-viral and anti-tumour immune responses. Several cancer immunotherapy approaches targeting NK cells are currently in clinical or preclinical development.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Yonsei University College of Medicine, “Here, we aimed to find food nutrients that activate NK cells and determine their usefulness as candidates for anti-cancer and anti-metastatic drugs. Resveratrol appeared to activate NK cells most effectively among the substances tested and synergistically increased IFN-g secretion and NK cell cytotoxicity with interleukin-2 (IL-2). CD107a, NKp30, and NKG2D expression levels were upregulated on the surface of NK cells upon treatment with resveratrol in combination with IL-2 compared with treatment with IL-2 alone. Moreover, NK cell activity in human and mouse whole blood was enhanced upon treatment with resveratrol. Most importantly, administration of resveratrol effectively inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in mice.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “We suggest that resveratrol may represent a candidate anti-cancer drug that acts by activating NK cells in vivo.”

Lower risk of bowel cancer death linked to high omega 3 intake after diagnosis

Harvard Medical School, September 16, 2020

A high dietary intake of omega 3 fatty acids, derived from oily fish, may help to lower the risk of death from bowel cancer in patients diagnosed with the disease, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.

If the findings can be reproduced in other studies, patients with bowel cancer might benefit from boosting their oily fish intake to help prolong their survival, say the researchers.

Previous experimental research has shown that omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFAs)—namely, eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA)—can suppress tumour growth and curb blood supply to malignant cells (angiogenesis).

The researchers base their findings on the participants of two large long term studies: the Nurses’ Health Study of 121,700 US registered female nurses, aged between 30 and 55 in 1976; and the Health Professionals Follow Up Study of 51, 529 male health professionals, aged between 40 and 75 in 1986.

All participants filled in a detailed questionnaire about their medical history and lifestyle factors when they joined the studies, and this was repeated every two years subsequently.

The information requested included any diagnosis of bowel cancer and other potentially influential factors, such as height, weight, smoking status, regular use of aspirin and non-steroidal inflammatory drugs, and exercise taken.

Data on what they ate were collected and updated every four years, using Food Frequency Questionnaires, with categories for each nutrient ranging from ‘never or less than once a month,’ to 6 or more times a day.’

The completeness of the data was above 95% for each of the questionnaires in both studies through to 2010.

Among 1659 participants who developed bowel cancer, 561 died; 169 of these were classified as deaths from the disease during an average monitoring period of 10.5 years. Other major causes of death included cardiovascular disease (153) and other cancers (113).

Participants with a higher dietary intake of omega 3 from oily fish were more likely to be physically active, take multivitamins, drink alcohol and to consume more vitamin D and fibre. They were also less likely to smoke—all factors associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer.

But those who had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and whose diets contained higher levels of marine omega 3 had a lower risk of dying from the disease. Omega 3 intake, however, was not linked to a lower risk of death, overall.

The extent of the reduced risk seemed to be linked to dose, with higher doses associated with lower risk, the findings showed. This held true even after taking account of intake prior to the diagnosis, as well as other potentially influential factors.

Compared with patients who consumed less than 0.1 g of omega 3 fatty acids daily, those who consumed at least 0.3 g daily after their diagnosis, had a 41% lower risk of dying from their disease.

This reduced risk applied to food sources and supplements, although few people used omega 3 fish oil supplements, the researchers point out.

The association between marine omega 3 intake and lowered risk of death seemed to be particularly evident among those who were tall, had a BMI below 25, or who didn’t take regular aspirin.

And increasing intake of marine omega 3 by at least 0.15 g daily after diagnosis was associated with a 70% lower risk of dying from bowel cancer; while a reduction in daily intake was associated with a 10% heightened risk of death from the disease.

Similar patterns were evident for death from all causes (13% lower and 21% higher, respectively) in those who either increased or decreased their intake after diagnosis.

This is an observational study so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, but the researchers say that their findings provide the first line of population based evidence for the potentially positive impact of oily fish omega 3 fatty acids on bowel cancer survival.

“If replicated by other studies, our results support the clinical recommendation of increasing marine omega 3 PUFAs among patients with bowel cancer,” they conclude.

Vitamin D sufficiency associated with fewer complications among patients hospitalized with respiratory virus

Boston University School of Medicine, September 28 2020.

Research reported on September 25, 2020 in PLoS Oneuncovered a lower risk of adverse clinical outcomes among hospitalized COVID-19 patients whose vitamin D levels were sufficient.

COVID-19 is a coronavirus that can cause severe respiratory symptoms, although many cases are asymptomatic or mild.

The study analyzed data from 235 men and women hospitalized with COVID-19. Blood samples collected upon admission were analyzed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D, C-reactive protein (CRP) and other factors.

Seventy-four percent of the patients had severe infection and 32.8% had sufficient levels of vitamin D. Among those whose vitamin D levels were sufficient at 30 nanograms per milliliter or more, risks of illness complications, including loss of consciousness, low oxygen levels or death were significantly lower than the risks experienced by those whose levels were insufficient. Patients over 40 years of age who had sufficient blood levels of vitamin D had less than half the risk of death from COVID-19 compared to those who had insufficient or deficient levels. White blood cells known as lymphocytes were higher and CRP levels were lower in the vitamin D sufficient group.

“This study provides direct evidence that vitamin D sufficiency can reduce the complications, including the cytokine storm (release of too many proteins into the blood too quickly) and ultimately death from COVID-19,” remarked corresponding author Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, who is a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics and molecular medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. “Because vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is so widespread in children and adults in the United States and worldwide, especially in the winter months, it is prudent for everyone to take a vitamin D supplement to reduce risk of being infected and having complications from COVID-19.”

Study reveals dietary fructose heightens inflammatory bowel disease

Stony Brook University SUNY, September 29, 2020

Diet remains an important part of disease prevention and management, and a new study suggests that consumption of fructose may worsen intestinal inflammation common to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Led by David Montrose, PhD, of the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, the study is currently published early online in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Rates of IBD have been increasing worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately three million Americans are diagnosed with IBD each year, up one million from incidence in the late 1990s. Consumption of a western diet, including fructose, is associated with increasing rates of obesity and diabetes, and IBD may be an additional disease exacerbated by fructose intake.

“The increasing incidence of IBD parallels higher levels of fructose consumption in the United States and other countries,” says Montrose, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and faculty researcher in the Stony Brook University Cancer Center. “Our findings provide evidence of a direct link between dietary fructose and IBD and support the concept that high consumption of fructose could worsen disease in people with IBD. This is important because it has the potential to provide guidance on diet choices for IBD patients, something that is currently lacking.”

Montrose, along with colleagues at Weill Cornell Medicine, tested three mouse models of IBD. They were fed high amounts of fructose, which worsened colonic inflammation along with notable effects in their gut bacteria including changes in their type, metabolism and localization within the colon. Complementary mechanistic work demonstrated that the microbiota is causally linked to the detrimental effects of the high fructose diet.

The paper concludes that the “excess dietary fructose consumption had a pro-colitic effect that can be explained by changes in the composition, distribution and metabolic function of resident enteric microbiota.”

Montrose says several next steps are planned to expand upon these findings. These include the development of interventions to prevent the pro-inflammatory effects of dietary fructose as well as evaluating whether this diet increases colitis-associated tumorigenesis. This second point is particularly important because IBD patients are at increased risk of developing colon cancer due to a lifetime of chronic inflammation of the gut.

Ginkgo extends neuroprotective effects to the neurons located near the retinas

Gyeongsang National University (South Korea), September 29, 2020

In a recent study, South Korean researchers demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba. They reported that an extract obtained from G. biloba leaves successfully protected retinal ganglion cells (RGC) — the output neurons of the retina — from hypoxic injury both in vivo and in vitro.

The researchers discussed their findings in an article published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

Ginkgo biloba can prevent glaucoma caused by oxidative stress

The oldest records of G. biloba’s use in TCM suggest that only its seeds were used at first by traditional healers. It took a long time before they discovered the medicinal properties of G. biloba leaves and began using them to treat heart and lung diseases.

When G. biloba reached Western shores, its leaf extracts gained traction for their brain benefits. Standardized extracts of G. biloba leaves have since been used for the treatment of mild to moderate age-related memory impairment, dementia and peripheral vascular diseases.

According to the South Korean researchers, oxidative stress, or excess free radical production, induced by hypoxia — a condition in which tissues do not receive an adequate supply of oxygen — is linked to the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Glaucoma refers to a group of eye conditions that affect the optic nerve and is one of the leading causes of blindness among older adults.

Fortunately, recent findings show that G. biloba leaf extract (GBE) can help reduce oxidative stress as well as treat disturbed vascular circulation. To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of G. biloba, the researchers first induced oxidative stress in rat RGC. They then treated the cells with either a standardized GBE (EGb 761) or a control.

For their in vivo experiment, the researchers induced hypoxic optic nerve injury in rats by using a microserrefine clip with an applicator to clamp the animals’ optic nerves. They then gave the rats various concentrations of EGb 761 via intraperitoneal injection and measured RGC density to estimate cell survival.

The researchers reported that treatment with 1 or 5?mcg/mL EGb 761 significantly increased the survival of RGC after exposure to oxidative stress. In vivo, treatment with 100?mg/kg or 250?mg/kg EGb 761 also significantly improved RGC survival, proving the neuroprotective effects of G. biloba.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that G. biloba leaves can be used to protect against hypoxic injury that leads to glaucoma.

Dietary folate, magnesium, and dairy products may all help stave off bowel cancer

Service de Gastroenterologie (France), McGill University (Quebec), Erasmus University (Netherlands), September 29, 2020

Folate, magnesium, and dairy products may all help stave off bowel cancer, but there’s no evidence that garlic or onions, fish, tea or coffee protect against the disease, finds an overarching analysis of published pooled data analyses in the journal Gut.

In the US alone around 1 in every 20 people is likely to develop bowel cancer at some point during their lifetime. And worldwide, more than 2.2 million new cases and 1.1 million deaths from the disease are predicted every year by 2030.

While deaths from the disease have been falling in most developed countries, the numbers of new cases have been rising in some, including in Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands.

Screening for the disease can pick up the disease at an early treatable stage, but take-up varies considerably from country to country. And as it takes more than 15 years for bowel cancer to develop, a healthy lifestyle likely has a key role in helping to halt or stop its progress altogether, say the researchers.

They therefore trawled relevant research databases for published systematic reviews and meta-analyses (pooled data analyses) of clinical trials and observational studies assessing the impact of dietary and medicinal factors on bowel cancer risk.

The medicinal factors included: aspirin; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as paracetamol; and statins.

The dietary factors included: vitamins or supplements (magnesium, calcium, folic acid, vitamin A, B, C, E, D, β-carotene and selenium); coffee; tea; fish and omega 3 fatty acids; dairy products; fibre; fruit and vegetables; meat; and alcohol.

They included relevant studies published in French or English between September 1980 and June 2019, but excluded those involving people at high risk of developing bowel cancer. Some 80 articles out of a total of 343 were included in the overarching (umbrella) analysis of pooled data analyses.

The results showed that aspirin is likely protective against bowel cancer, lowering the risk by between 14% and 29% at doses as low as 75 mg/day, with a dose-response effect reported up to 325 mg/day.

NSAID use for up to 5 years was associated with a significant (26% to 43%) fall in the incidence of bowel cancer.

Magnesium intake of at least 255 mg/day was associated with a 23% lower risk compared with the lowest intake, and high intake of folic acid was associated with a 12-15% lower risk, although it wasn’t possible to pinpoint a threshold dose from the available data.

Similarly, eating dairy products was associated with 13% to 19% lower risk of the disease. But the small number of available meta-analyses, and the many different research outcomes and variety of dairy products included make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the quantities required to ward off the disease, caution the researchers.

Fibre intake was associated with a 22%-43% lower risk, while fruit/vegetable intake was associated with up to a 52% lower risk, with added benefit for every additional 100 g/day increase in intake.

Dietary soy intake was associated with a modest, but significant, fall (8-15%) in risk.

But there was no evidence that vitamins E, C, or multivitamins were protective. Similarly, there was no evidence that β-carotene or selenium helped stave off the disease.

The data were weak or equivocal on the impact of tea; garlic or onions; vitamin D either alone or combined with calcium; coffee and caffeine; fish and omega 3; and inconsistent on the protective effect of vitamin A and the B vitamins.

A modest protective effect was found in observational studies for high calcium intake, but a meta-analysis of clinical trial data found no protective effect, and even an increased risk.

Similarly, although meta-analyses of observational studies suggest that statins may lower cancer risk, no positive effect was noted in meta-analyses of clinical trial data.

Most of the available meta-analyses of observational studies reported an increased risk of between 12% and 21% for meat, particularly red and processed meat. Dose-effect studies reported a 10-30% increased risk for each additional 100 g/day of red meat eaten.

Alcohol was associated with a significantly increased risk. The higher the intake, the greater the risk. This was evident even at the lowest level of consumption studied: 1-2 drinks/day.

The researchers caution that the level of evidence is low or very low in most cases, mainly due to wide differences in study design, end points, numbers of participants, etc. And they were unable to define “an optimal dose and duration of exposure/intake for any of the products, even in the case of low dose aspirin and other compounds that have been extensively assessed,” they point out.

Nevertheless, they suggest that their findings could help clinicians advise patients on the best diet to lower bowel cancer risk and guide the direction of future research.

Pomegranate improves mitochondria function and counters age-related disorders

Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland) September 27, 2020

With their vibrant scarlet color and sweet-but-tart flavor, pomegranate has become an increasingly popular (and delicious) addition to salads, dressings, beverages and desserts. They are also a proven superfood, credited by researchers with the potential to prevent and help resolve many disease conditions.

Now, a new Swiss study shows that urolithin A, a molecule produced when pomegranate is digested, could hold the key to rejuvenating cell mitochondria – and even prolonging the quality of your life. Let’s take a closer look at urolithin A – and its amazing restorative potential.

Pomegranate triggers urolithin A to rejuvenates the powerhouse of our cells

Mitochondria are tiny structures inside of cells that have the all-important task of turning fuel into energy. Over time, however, they can degrade and deteriorate.

In young, healthy cells, these aging and damaged mitochondria are swiftly broken down and eliminated. This beneficial process, known as mitophagy, helps to ensure optimal cellular function.

Mitophagy becomes less efficient with age, causing malfunctioning mitochondria to accumulate in cells – where they weaken muscle tissues and impair cellular health. Researchers believe that these deposits of mitochondrial debris can trigger degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, as well as decreased mobility and frailty in elderly people.

This is where pomegranates come in…

A molecule called urolithin A is produced by the body upon the digestion of two polyphenols – punicalagins and ellagitannins – that exist naturally in pomegranates. In cell and animal studies, this newly-discovered molecule was shown to induce mitophagy, and prevent the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria.

In fact, new research supports the ability of urolithin A to actually rejuvenate cell mitochondria – not only increasing muscle function, but extending life.

What did the study show?

In a study published in 2016 in Natural Medicine, researchers found that urolithin A maintained mitochondrial respiratory capacity and extended the lifespan of C. elegans – a short-lived worm commonly used in longevity studies – by a stunning 45 percent.

And that isn’t all.

In another phase of the study, researchers administered urolithin A to aging mice, and found that it improved muscle function by 57 percent and running endurance by 42 percent.

And it was not only aging mice that benefited from urolithin A. The substance increased the running capacity of young, healthy mice – by a dramatic 65 percent.

The research suggests that boosting levels of urolithin A – through consuming pomegranate extracts – can enhance mitochondrial function, thereby improving muscle quality.

Researchers noted that this finding holds particular significance for elderly people. By helping to enhance muscle function, urolithin A may help ward off the loss of mobility and general decline that can accompany weakened muscle tissue.

Calling urolithin A a “promising approach to improving mitochondrial and muscle function in the aging population,” the team called for further research.

Pomegranate has a proven ability to combat heart disease and cancer

The new study is not the first to reveal important health benefits from pomegranates – these tasty members of the berry family have been impressing researchers with their ability to combat serious degenerative diseases.

In a recent review published in Advanced Biomedical Research, the authors noted that pomegranate can help prevent or treat a veritable laundry list of dangerous conditions known to trigger potentially life-threatening diseases – including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, oxidative stress, high blood sugar, atherosclerosis and inflammation.

Interestingly, in some cases pomegranate has been found to work in much the same way as pharmaceutical medications. For instance, pomegranate extracts help to suppress pro-inflammatory COX-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha – much as anti-inflammatory drugs do. And, when it comes to regulating blood pressure, pomegranate extracts seem to function like ACE inhibitors, a group of pharmaceutical hypotensive medications.

Pomegranates also have been shown in studies to reduce incidence of tumors, reduce the number and size of cancerous stem cells, and induce apoptosis – or cancer cell death. Pomegranate extracts are currently used to treat a variety of cancers, including those of the prostate, breast, colon, lung and skin.

Finally, pomegranate extracts have protective effects against neurodegenerative conditions. Research has shown that they help to prevent accumulations of beta-amyloid, a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Pomegranates owe much of their potent disease-fighting powers to their extraordinary antioxidant capabilities.

The juice of a single pomegranate contains more than 40 percent of the RDA of vitamin C – itself a potent antioxidant and immune system booster. Pomegranates are also rich in beneficial amino acids, polyphenols and anthocyanins – natural pigments that give the pulp its intense scarlet color. These colorful flavonoids also contribute to pomegranate’s ability to scavenge free radicals and prevent oxidative damage in cells and tissues.

And, wait, there’s more good news about pomegranates: no side effects or adverse changes have been reported – even in a clinical study in which participants received 1, 420 mgs a day of pomegranate fruit extract.

However, the researchers noted that pomegranate could interact with certain prescription drugs. Before supplementing with pomegranate extracts, consult a trusted, healthcare provider.

You can consume pomegranates in the form of various beverages – such as juice or tea – or nibble the luscious seeds out of hand as a snack. Pomegranate extracts are also available in the form of capsules and tablets.

By rejuvenating fragile, indispensable cell mitochondria, pomegranate can help combat the muscle weakness and frailty often associated with aging – leading to a stronger, longer life.

High-fiber diet, low level inflammation: Sidestepping the effects of radiation

Universities of Gothenberg and Lund (Sweden) and University of South Australia, September 29, 2020

Loved or hated, the humble oat could be the new superfood for cancer patients as international research shows a diet rich in fiber could significantly reduce radiation-induced gut inflammation.

Conducted by the University of Gothenburg, Lund University and the University of South Australia, the preclinical study found that dietary oat bran can offset chronic gastrointestinal damage caused by radiotherapy, contradicting long-held clinical recommendations.

Gastroenterology and oncology researcher UniSA’s Dr. Andrea Stringer says the research provides critical new insights for radiology patients.

“Cancer patients are often advised to follow a restricted fiber diet. This is because a diet high in fiber is believed to exacerbate bloating and diarrhea—both common side effects of radiotherapy,” Dr. Stringer says.

“Yet, this advice is not unequivocally evidence-based, with insufficient fiber potentially being counterproductive and exacerbating gastrointestinal toxicity. Our study compared the effects of high-fiber and no-fiber diets, finding that a fiber-free diet is actually worse for subjects undergoing radiotherapy treatment. A diet without fiber generates inflammatory cytokines which are present for a long time following radiation, resulting in increased inflammation of the digestive system. Conversely, a fiber-rich diet decreases the presence of cytokines to reduce radiation-induced inflammation, both in the short and the long term.”

Intestinal issues following radiotherapy are problematic for many cancer survivors.

“In Europe, approximately one million pelvic-organ cancer survivors suffer from compromised intestinal health due to radiation-induced gastrointestinal symptoms,” Dr. Stringer says.

“This is also commonplace in Australia and around the world with no immediate cure or effective treatment. If we can prevent some of inflammation resulting from radiation simply by adjusting dietary fiber levels, we could improve long-term, and possibly life-long, intestinal health among cancer survivors.”

Poor bone quality is linked to poor heart health

Queen Mary University of London and University of Southampton, September 28, 2020

New research by Queen Mary University of London and the University of Southampton’s Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit (MRC LEU) has found associations between lower bone mineral density and worse cardiovascular health in both men and women.

Published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, the study used the internationally unique UK Biobank cohort to investigate links between bone and cardiovascular health. They used a combination of imaging and blood biomarker data to investigate the relationship in the largest sample of people reported to date.

Osteoporosis and heart disease are important public health problems. These conditions share a number of risk factors such as increasing age, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle. Research shows that there may be links between the two conditions even after accounting for shared risk factors. This suggests that there may be biological pathways linking the two conditions, and investigating these links could reveal targets for novel drug therapies. However, current research studies lack objective measures of bone and heart health and are often limited to studies of small numbers of people for relatively short periods of time.

The researchers found that lower bone density was linked to greater arterial stiffness (indicating poor cardiovascular health) in both men and women. They also found that individuals with poor bone health had an increased risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease. These links were not explained by shared risk factors or traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Interestingly, they found that the mechanisms underlying the bone-heart relationship appeared different in men and women.

Dr. Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, BHF Clinical Research Training Fellow from Queen Mary University of London, led the analysis. She said: “Our study demonstrates clear links between bone disease and cardiovascular health. The underlying pathophysiology of the bone heart axis is complex and multifaceted and likely varies in men and women.”

Professor Nick Harvey, Professor of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology at the MRC LEU, University of Southampton, who supervised the work added: “The wealth of information available in the UK Biobank permitted a highly detailed analysis of the complex interactions between musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health, helping to elucidate potential underlying mechanism, and informing novel approaches to clinical risk assessment.”

Professor Steffen Petersen, Professor of Cardiology at Queen Mary University of London co-supervised the project. He comments: “Increasing our understanding of novel determinants of heart disease, such as the bone-heart axis, is key to improving disease prevention and treatment strategies and for improving population health.”

Professor Cyrus Cooper, Director of the MRC LEU, University of Southampton, added: “This study directly complements our program of research investigating the lifecourse determinants of musculoskeletal health and disease. It illustrates the importance for the University of Southampton and the MRC LEU of our ongoing contribution to the leadership of the large, state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary Imaging Study as part of the unique world-leading UK Biobank resource.”

Researchers Say THC From Cannabis May Treat Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Study

University of South Carolina, September 24, 2020

Since Covid-19 first became a dangerous pandemic, many have wondered how cannabis use might factor into risk or healing for the deadly disease. While some immediately assumed cannabis was harmful, like tobacco, and others assumed it could cure or preventthe disease, scientists quickly began to explore the question.

Early research focused on the cannabinoid CBD as a potential treatment for cytokine storms and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) – a symptom in severe cases of Covid-19, which can lead to death. The results suggested that CBD may be an effective treatment, although human studies need to be conducted to confirm.

Now, researchers are exploring whether another popular cannabinoid, THC, might help with treating the novel coronavirus. And they suggest THC may actually be able to prevent Covid-19 from escalating into a fatal condition.

The new research from the University of South Carolina, Columbia investigated whether using THC might be able to prevent Covid-19 deaths. THC is the notorious chemical in cannabis that produces psychoactive effects like feeling ‘high’ or having an elevated mood. But it is also a highly medicinal chemical with potent anti-inflammatory and pain relieving traits.

In this case, researchers were looking to see if THC’s anti-inflammatory powers might be able to fight against cytokine storms and ARDS.

Cytokine storms are a dangerous symptom of Covid-19 (and other severe infections) which happens when the immune system goes overboard in its attempt to fight off an infection. Cytokines are normally part of a healthy immune response – triggering inflammation to fight against an infection. But when the infection is severe enough, our bodies can release way too many cytokines, and thus create a dangerous level of inflammation. This leads to ARDS, where breathing becomes difficult or even impossible. And cytokine storms can also lead to death from organ failure. Several studies point to CBD as a potential treatment for ARDS, and the FDA recently greenlighted clinical trials for a synthetic cannabinoid treatment for ARDS.

In the new research, scientists explored whether THC might be able to treat cytokine storms and ARDS, by studying its effects on mice.

In this animal model, researchers exposed two groups of healthy mice to a bacterial infection called Staphylococcus aureus or SEB. SEB is known to cause cytokine storms and ARDS in mice, and it almost always leads to death for those exposed. In this case, however, the researchers gave one group of mice a treatment of THC right after they infected them with SEB, along with doses 24 and and 48 hours afterward.

Amazingly, 100% of the mice who were given THC before being infected survived having SEB. Meanwhile, 100% of the mice who weren’t given THC died from the ARDS that resulted from their infection.

While some researchers suggested early on that cannabis’ anti-inflammatory effects could potentially be dangerous in early phases of an infection – suppressing the immune system when it should be defending against attack. This study suggests that using THC early in the infection drastically improved the prognosis and avoided damage to the lungs. While the results need to be confirmed by human research, it could be good news for cannabis users who fear ongoing cannabis use could increase their risk of infection with Covid-19. For mice with SEB, THC helped even when administered immediately after the infection.

Researchers also found that THC was also able to significantly suppress the inflammatory cytokines that are involved with ARDS. It also was able to elevate regulatory T cells which help suppress inflammation. Interestingly, researchers also noticed a shift in the expression of miRNA in cells in the lungs – which may play an important role in suppressing cytokine storms, reducing lung injury and preventing death from ARDS.

In a follow up study, the same researchers went a step further, exploring whether the results from the first study are relevant to those suffering from ARDS as a result of Covid-19. While both Covid-19 and SEB lead to cytokine storms and ARDS, it’s not clear that this happens in the same way. So, given the way THC acted on RNA in mice, these researchers decided to perform an analysis comparing gene expression in Covid-19 patients with ARDS and mice with ARDS from SEB. They found similarities suggesting THC may work well in both cases.

The researchers explain that “Collectively, this study suggests that the activation of cannabinoid receptors may serve as a therapeutic modality to treat ARDS associated with Covid-19.”

While this is a very early study, and more studies should be conducted in human populations with Covid-19, the research suggests that cannabis’ active ingredient THC could be able to prevent Covid-19 from escalating to ARDS – or treat it if it does.

Meditation keeps emotional brain in check

Michigan State University, September 29, 2020

Meditation can help tame your emotions even if you’re not a mindful person, suggests a new study from Michigan State University.

Reporting in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, psychology researchers recorded the brain activity of people looking at disturbing pictures immediately after meditating for the first time. These participants were able to tame their negative emotions just as well as participants who were naturally mindful.

“Our findings not only demonstrate that meditation improves emotional health, but that people can acquire these benefits regardless of their ‘natural’ ability to be mindful,” said Yanli Lin, an MSU graduate student and lead investigator of the study. “It just takes some practice.”

Mindfulness, a moment-by-moment awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings and sensations, has gained worldwide popularity as a way to promote health and well-being. But what if someone isn’t naturally mindful? Can they become so simply by trying to make mindfulness a “state of mind”? Or perhaps through a more focused, deliberate effort like meditation?

The study, conducted in Jason Moser’s Clinical Psychophysiology Lab, attempted to find out.

Researchers assessed 68 participants for mindfulness using a scientifically validated survey. The participants were then randomly assigned to engage in an 18-minute audio guided meditation or listen to a control presentation of how to learn a new language, before viewing negative pictures (such as a bloody corpse) while their brain activity was recorded. The participants who meditated – they had varying levels of natural mindfulness – showed similar levels of “emotion regulatory” brain activity as people with high levels of natural mindfulness. In other words their emotional brains recovered quickly after viewing the troubling photos, essentially keeping their negative emotions in check.

In addition, some of the participants were instructed to look at the gruesome photos “mindfully” (be in a mindful state of mind) while others received no such instruction. Interestingly, the people who viewed the photos “mindfully” showed no better ability to keep their negative emotions in check.

This suggests that for non-meditators, the emotional benefits of mindfulness might be better achieved through meditation, rather than “forcing it” as a state of mind, said Moser, MSU associate professor of clinical psychology and co-author of the study.

“If you’re a naturally mindful person, and you’re walking around very aware of things, you’re good to go. You shed your emotions quickly,” Moser said. “If you’re not naturally mindful, then meditating can make you look like a person who walks around with a lot of mindfulness. But for people who are not naturally mindful and have never meditated, forcing oneself to be mindful ‘in the moment’ doesn’t work. You’d be better off meditating for 20 minutes.”

Freezing prostate cancer: Study shows notable outcomes with cryoablation

University of California Los Angeles, September 28, 2020

A less-invasive treatment technique called hemi-gland cryoablation (HGCryo) – destroying the areas of the prostate where cancers are located by freezing them – provides a high rate of effective prostate cancer control, according to a new study published in The Journal of Urology®, Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

“Freedom from cancer, as documented by biopsy, was found in 82 percent of men who underwent HGCryo, at their 18 month follow-up,” according to the research by Ryan Chuang, MD, and colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles. The importance of utilizing modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided prostate biopsy in monitoring the effectiveness of HGCryo is also emphasized as part of this study.

‘Hemi-Gland Cryoablation’ Eliminates Clinically Significant Cancer in Most Patients

In the HGCryo procedure, using an advanced ultrasound/MRI fusion system, needles are precisely placed in and around the area of the prostate where the cancer is located. Argon gas is then injected to create extremely cold temperatures, destroying the cancer and surrounding area.

According to the study, 61 men with clinically significant prostate cancer (grade 2 or higher) involving one side of the prostate gland, underwent HGCryo. Cryotherapy was performed using general anesthesia; patients were discharged on the same day as the procedure. The results were assessed through follow-up imaging procedures and MRI-guided biopsies.

Biopsies were performed at 6 months in all patients; 27 patients underwent an additional biopsy after reaching 18 months’ follow-up. At both times, biopsies showed no evidence of clinically significant prostate cancer in 82 percent of patients. In men who had areas of prostate cancer detected at follow-up, repeated HGCryo or other treatments were effective.

The study assessed three different biopsy approaches for monitoring the outcomes of HGCryo therapy: tracking of prior cancer-positive sites, biopsy targeting of MRI-visible lesions, and systematic biopsy of the entire prostate using a template. “While tracking biopsy was the most sensitive, all three methods were required for maximum cancer detection,” Dr. Chuang and coauthors write.

HGCryo provided notable cancer control even in six patients with more advanced prostate cancers (grade 3 or 4). None of the patients died from their cancer, and none developed metastatic prostate cancer.

Postoperative complications of HGCryo were “generally mild and short-lived.” There were no serious complications, including urinary incontinence – a common complication after prostate cancer surgery. One patient developed erectile dysfunction , which was successfully treated with medication.

Cryotherapy is an FDA-approved treatment for prostate cancer and is increasingly popular as a less-invasive alternative to surgery. However, there has been limited evidence on its long-term effectiveness in controlling prostate cancer. Most studies of prostate cryoablation were performed before the availability of modern multiparametric MRI scanning of the prostate, which can provide “a targeted path to precise biopsy and focal treatment” in most men with prostate cancer.

As with other types of partial gland ablation (PGA) for treatment of prostate cancer, the findings highlight the importance of follow-up biopsy as “the most important criterion for success” in evaluating the results of HGCryo. Dr. Chuang and colleagues conclude, “As utilization of MRI-guided biopsy increases, with resulting improved accuracy of prostate tissue characterization, numbers of candidates for PGA are expected to rise.”

Early introduction of gluten may prevent celiac disease in children

Kings College London, September 28, 2020

Introducing high doses of gluten from four months of age into infants’ diets could prevent them from developing coeliac disease, a study has found.

These results from the Enquiring About Tolerance (EAT) Study, published today in JAMA Pediatrics, by researchers from King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, St George’s, University of London, and Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, suggest the early introduction of high-dose gluten may be an effective prevention strategy for the disease, though researchers say further studies are needed before being applied in practice.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease whereby eating gluten causes the body’s immune system to attack its own tissues. There are currently no strategies to prevent coeliac disease and treatment involves long-term exclusion of gluten from the diet. Even very small amounts of gluten in the diet of those with coeliac disease can cause damage to the lining of the gut, prevent proper absorption of food and result in symptoms including bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and tiredness.

Previous studies exploring early introduction of gluten in infants have varied in the amount of gluten consumed and the timing of the introduction. The EAT study investigated the effects of gluten alongside breastfeeding, from the age of four months. The results were compared to children who avoided allergenic foods and consumed only breast milk until age six months as per UK government guidelines.

Infants in the intervention arm of the EAT study were given 4g of wheat protein a week from four months of age. This was in the form of two wheat-based cereal biscuits such as Weetabix, representing an age-appropriate portion of wheat.

1004 children were tested for antitransglutanimase antibodies, an indicator of coeliac disease, at three years of age. Those with raised antibody levels were referred for further testing by a specialist.

The results showed that among children who delayed gluten introduction until after six months of age, the prevalence of coeliac disease at three years of age was higher than expected—1.4% of this group of 516 children. In contrast, among the 488 children who introduced gluten from four months of age, there were no cases of coeliac disease.

Lead author Professor Gideon Lack, Professor of Paediatric Allergy at King’s College London and head of the children’s allergy service at Evelina London Children’s Hospital said: “This is the first study that provides evidence that early introduction of significant amounts of wheat into a baby’s diet before six months of age may prevent the development of coeliac disease. This strategy may also have implications for other autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes.”

Author Dr. Kirsty Logan, Researcher in Paediatric Allergy at King’s College London said: “Early introduction of gluten and its role in the prevention of coeliac diseaseshould be explored further, using the results of the EAT Study as the basis for larger clinical trials to definitively answer this question.”

Organic potatoes contain more microelements that are often deficient in soil

University of Warmia and Mazury (Poland), September 23, 2020

Researchers at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn investigated the effect of three production systems, namely, conventional, integrated and organic farming, on the micronutrient and trace element content of tubers belonging to very early, early and medium-early maturing potato cultivars.

The researchers found that organic farming allows crops to obtain more essential micronutrients from the soil than either conventional farming or integrated farming systems. These microelements are crucial not only for plant growth and development but also for plant survival. Research also suggests that these nutrients can influence the appearance of plants and, most importantly, their fruit yields.

The researchers discussed their findings in an article published in the journal Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B – Soil & Plant Science.

Organic farming ensures good plant nutrition

Today, modern farmers have a variety of options when it comes to raising animals and growing crops. Organic farming, conventional farming and integrated farming are three of the most common production systems currently used in agriculture.

In organic farming, farmers use natural fertilizers (e.g., farm manure, organic compost), herbicides and pesticides to support the growth of their crops. They also use natural methods (e.g., clean housing, rotational grazing) to keep their livestock healthy and feed them nothing but organic and chemical-free feed. (Related: Do you know the history of organic farming?)

In conventional farming, farmers rely on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides to ensure the quality and quantity of their produce. They also use growth hormones and antibiotics to accelerate the growth of their livestock and keep them safe from diseases. Conventionally raised farm animals also have less access (or none at all) to the outdoors than organically raised animals.

Integrated farming is a relatively new approach that combines livestock and crop production to reduce costs and waste and improve income. In this agricultural system, waste from one component (e.g., livestock) is used to sustain the other component (e.g., crops or fish). Besides ensuring that farm waste is eliminated sensibly, integrated farming also promotes ecological diversity by including both plants and animals in the production.

For their study, Polish researchers grew five local potato cultivars using the three above-mentioned production systems under field conditions. They then analyzed samples from each to determine the amounts of select microelements and trace elements they contained.

Microelements that the researchers looked for included boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) that are essential for living organisms. They also tested for trace elements, such as chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb), which are all important but are considered non-essential nutrients.

The researchers found that the micronutrient and trace element content of potato tubers were influenced by three factors, namely, the type of production system used to grow them, plant genotype and weather conditions during the growing season. Organic potatoes had higher B and Cu content but lower Fe, Mn and Zn content than potatoes grown in either conventional or integrated systems. Meanwhile, conventionally grown potatoes had the highest Pb content.

Organic cultivation resulted in better alimentation of potato tubers with B and Cu, which are crucial elements for plant growth and survival but are often found to be deficient in soil. In contrast, the researchers noted that conventional farming required the use of fertilizers to ensure adequate plant nutrition.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that organic farming is the best cultivation system to use as it ensures that crops receive proper nourishment, especially ample amounts of essential micronutrients.

Common Antioxidant Enzyme Catalase May Provide Potential Treatment for Covid-19

University of Caliornia Los Angeles, September 29, 2020

Researchers from UCLA and China have found that catalase, a naturally occurring enzyme, holds potential as a low-cost therapeutic drug to treat COVID-19 symptoms and suppress the replication of coronavirus inside the body. A study detailing the research was published in Advanced Materials.

Catalase is produced naturally and used by humans, animals and plants. Inside cells, the antioxidant enzyme kick starts the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide, which can be toxic, into water and oxygen. The enzyme is also commonly used worldwide in food production and as a dietary supplement.

“There is a lot of focus on vaccines and antiviral drugs, and rightly so,” said Yunfeng Lu, a UCLA Samueli School of Engineering professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and a senior author on the study. “In the meantime, our research suggests this enzyme could offer a very effective therapeutic solution for treatment of hyperinflammation that occurs due to SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as hyperinflammation generally.”

Lu’s group developed the drug-delivery technology used in the experiments. Three types of tests were conducted, each addressing a different symptom of COVID-19.

First, they demonstrated the enzyme’s anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to regulate the production of cytokines, a protein that is produced in white blood cells. Cytokines are an important part of the human immune system, but they can also signal the immune system to attack the body’s own cells if too many are made — a so-called “cytokine storm” that is reported in some patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Second, the team showed that catalase can protect alveolar cells, which line the human lungs, from damage due to oxidation.

Finally, the experiments showed that catalase can repress the replication of SARS?CoV?2 virus in rhesus macaques, a type of monkey, without noticeable toxicity.

“This work has far-reaching implications beyond the treatment of COVID-19. Cytokine storm is a lethal condition that can complicate other infections, such as influenza, as well as non-infectious conditions, like autoimmune disease,” said Dr. Gregory Fishbein, an author on the study and a pathologist at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.

Abstract

Objective

To examine the molecular effects of mindful activities such as yoga and meditation

Design

This was an open label single arm exploratory yoga intervention study.

Study participants

64 healthy individuals within the age of 18-60 years were recruited for this one month yoga intervention study.

Intervention

Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) is a standardized yoga protocol released by Ministry of AYUSH, India for International Yoga Day. It includes all aspects of yoga i.e. asanas, pranayama and meditation. It is designed for adoption by all age groups for the health of community.

Outcome measures

The participants were assessed for biochemical parameters including Fasting Sugar and Lipid profile. The molecular markers of neurogenesis (i.e. Brain derived Neurotropic Factor, BDNF) and Angiogenesis (i.e. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, VEGF and Angiogenin) along with Amyloid β (marker related to neuro-degenerative diseases) were assessed. All the assessments were made at baseline and after one month of the intervention.

Results

After one month of CYP practice High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) levels increased significantly (p<0.001), although other biochemical parameters i.e. fasting sugar and other lipid assessments were found to be unaltered. Angiogenesis marker, angiogenin was increased significantly (p<0.002), other angiogenesis marker VEGF did not show any change along with BDNF, marker of neurogenesis. Amyloid β levels were also unaltered. Even though individual levels of VEGF and Amyloid β did not show any change, proportion of VEGF to Amyloid β showed a significant increase (p<0.001) after one month of CYP intervention indicating that the change in VEGF levels were significantly higher than the change in Amyloid β levels.

Conclusion

CYP practice may influence cell survival pathways mediated by angiogenic and neurogenic cross talk. Hence, CYP can be considered as a preventive measure for diseases associated with impaired angiogenic and neurogenic mechanism. This is the first study to examine the effects of CYP at the molecular level.

Pterostilbene shows promise against inflammatory bowel disease

Tokyo University of Science, September 25 2020.

Research described on September 22, 2020 in the FASEB Journal suggests that pterostilbene, a blueberry compound similar to resveratrol (found in grapes), has potential as a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Inflammatory bowel disease is caused by an increased immune response that results in chronic inflammation, which leads to ulcers in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

“Resveratrol, a polyphenol, was known to have pronounced immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects on animal models of colitis ulcer,” explained first author Takuya Yashiro of Tokyo University of Science. “Therefore, we investigated the possibility of other compounds structurally similar to resveratrol as a new type of treatment for IBD.”

By testing the effects of resveratrol derivatives in cultured cells, the research team observed that pterostilbene had the strongest inhibitory effect against the proliferation of immune cells known as T cells that are activated by dendritic cells (another type of immune cell). Pterostilbene also decreased Th1 and Th17, which are subtypes of T cells. Pterostilbene was also associated with an increase in regulatory T cells that have an anti-inflammatory effect. The findings indicate that pterostilbene has a suppressive effect against the overactive immune response involved in IBD.

In mice with induced colitis, pterostilbene decreased the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha and reduced symptoms.

“Pterostilbene supplementation may either inhibit the pathology of IBD or delay its onset,” the authors concluded. “Whether pterostilbene executes similar immunosuppressive effects in human immune cells requires further analysis.”

“For disease prevention, it is important to identify the beneficial components in foods and to understand the underlying mechanism by which immune responses and homeostasis are modulated in body,” Dr Yashiro remarked. “Our findings showed that pterostilbene possesses a strong immunosuppressive property, paving the way for a new, natural treatment for IBD.”

Anxious, moody older adults are vulnerable to worse cognitive function

Northwestern University, September 26, 2020

Our aging brains collect tangles and sticky plaques that can interfere in our cognition and memory. But some older adults with this neuropathology have more cognitive resilience than others, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

The reason: their personalities.

Personality traits were associated with cognitive resilience, which is the ability to better live with the neuropathology in the brain that causes dementia. Individuals with a greater tendency toward self-discipline, organization, diligence, high achievement and motivation — a trait known as higher conscientiousness — was associated with greater resilience.

Individuals with higher neuroticism — a greater tendency towards anxiety, worry, moodiness and impulsivity — were more likely to have worse cognitive function than expected given the amount of neuropathology detected at autopsy.

The study was published Sept. 24 in Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences.

“These findings provide evidence that it is possible for older adults to live with the neuropathology associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias while maintaining relatively healthy levels of cognitive function,” said lead study author Eileen Graham, a research assistant professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“Our study shows personality traits are related to how well people are able to maintain their cognitive function in spite of developing neuropathology,” Graham said. “Since it is possible for personality to change, both volitionally and through interventions, it’s possible that personality could be used to identify those who are at risk and implement early interventions to help optimize function throughout old age.”

Personality and other factors that promote cognitive resilience may be particularly important in the context of stress (like the COVID-19 pandemic) and this is an important area of future research, Graham noted.

This is believed to be one of the first studies showing an individual’s personality traits are linked to how well they are able to sustain their cognitive function as they age. These findings lend credence to the idea that personality can be leveraged to help individuals maintain their cognitive function when they may otherwise be vulnerable to neurodegeneration.

The data was collected at Rush University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Individuals contributed annual psychosocial self-report survey and clinical data. At study enrollment they also consented to donating their brains for post-mortem autopsy. Study participants contributed years of rich data on their psychological and cognitive functioning while they were living, as well as autopsy data after they died.

Green soy extract could prevent cognitive dysfunction: Mouse data

University of Shizuoka (Japan), September 14, 2020

Intake of green soybean extract could help reverse cognitive dysfunction and its associated accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain, say researchers.

The accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins has long been linked to the development of brain stunting conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

The new findings come from a Japanese trial in mice with cognitive dysfunction.

Writing in the Journal of Functional Foods, the team revealed that brain functions were ‘significantly better-preserved’ in aged mice fed green soybean than age-matched control mice with or without yellow soybean feeding.

The molecular mechanisms of these beneficial effects on brain function were examined using transcriptome analysis.

An increased expression of lipocalin-type prostaglandin D₂synthase (Ptgds) and a significant reduction in the amyloid precursor protein Aplp1 was reported by the team, led by Keiko Unno from the University of Shizuoka in Japan.

“As Ptgds binds and transports small lipophilic molecules (…) it has been proposed as the endogenous Aβ chaperone,” noted the team, adding that lower levels of the usually abundant protein “may play an important role in the development of dementia and of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).”

“Furthermore, the amount of beta-amyloid 40 and 42 was reduced in the insoluble fraction of cerebral cortex,” the team noted.

Soy benefits

Unno and colleagues noted that previous research has suggested several beneficial effects of soybean components such as so isoflavones, including previous suggestions of benefits for cognitive function and the prevention of oxidative damage.

In the current study, the isoflavones found to be present in soybean extracts were mostly the glycosides genstin and daidzin.

“The levels of genistein and daizein, aglycones of genstin and daidzin, respectively, were very low or not detected,” reported the team – adding that the content of oligo sugars, especially sucrose, was significantly higher in green soybean than in yellow.

Furthermore, the contents of saponin and carotene in green soybean were found to be slightly higher in the green than in yellow, however the contents of other components were not different between green and yellow soybeans.

“Soybean feeding did not change the weight of body, liver or cerebrum,” Unno and colleagues said – adding that the average food consumptions of each group were also not different.

Source: Journal of Functional Foods

Cannabis use for menopause symptom management

San Francisco Veterans Administration, September 28, 2020)

As legislation relaxes regarding cannabis, it is being used to manage numerous chronic health conditions and mood symptoms. A new study indicates that a growing number of women are either using cannabis or want to use it for the management of bothersome menopause symptoms. Study results will be presented during the 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), which opens on September 28.

In a sample of 232 women (mean age, 55.95 y) in Northern California who participated in the Midlife Women Veterans Health Survey, more than half reported such bothersome symptoms as hot flashes and night sweats (54%), insomnia (27%), and genitourinary symptoms (69%). Roughly 27% of those sampled reported having used or were currently using cannabis to manage their symptoms. An additional 10% of participants expressed an interest in trying cannabis to manage menopause symptoms in the future. In contrast, only 19% reported using a more traditional type of menopause symptom management, such as hormone therapy.

Cannabis for menopause symptom management was most often used in women reporting hot flashes and night sweats. Such use did not differ by age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or mental health conditions.

“These findings suggest that cannabis use to manage menopause symptoms may be relatively common. However, we do not know whether cannabis use is safe or effective for menopause symptom management or whether women are discussing these decisions with their healthcare providers–particularly in the VA, where cannabis is considered an illegal substance under federal guidelines. This information is important for healthcare providers, and more research in this area is needed,” says Carolyn Gibson, PhD, MPH, a psychologist and health services researcher at San Francisco VA Health Care System and the lead author of the study.

The study, “Cannabis use for menopause symptom management among midlife women veterans,” will be one of many presentations during the 2020 NAMS Virtual Annual Meeting focused on novel approaches for treating menopause symptoms.

“This study highlights a somewhat alarming trend and the need for more research relative to the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use for the management of bothersome menopause symptoms,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.

Drs. Gibson and Faubion are available for interviews before and after the virtual annual meeting.

Pets Linked To Maintaining Better Mental Health And Reducing Loneliness During Lockdown

University of York and University of Lincoln (UK), September 25, 2020

Sharing a home with a pet appeared to act as a buffer against psychological stress during lockdown, a new survey shows.

Most people who took part in the research perceived their pets to be a source of considerable support during the lockdown period. (23 March – 1 June, 2020)

The study – from the University of York and the University of Lincoln – found that having a pet was linked to maintaining better mental health and reducing loneliness. Around 90 per cent of the 6,000 participants who were from the UK had at least one pet. The strength of the human-animal bond did not differ significantly between species with the most common pets being cats and dogs followed by small mammals and fish.

More than 90 per cent of respondents said their pet helped them cope emotionally with the lockdown and 96 per cent said their pet helped keep them fit and active.

However, 68 per cent of pet owners reported having been worried about their animals during lockdown, for example due to restrictions on access to veterinary care and exercise or because they wouldn’t know who would look after their pet if they fell ill.

Lead author, Dr Elena Ratschen from the Department of Health Sciences University of York said: “Findings from this study also demonstrated potential links between people’s mental health and the emotional bonds they form with their pets: measures of the strength of the human-animal bond were higher among people who reported lower scores for mental health-related outcomes at baseline.

“We also discovered that in this study, the strength of the emotional bond with pets did not statistically differ by animal species, meaning that people in our sample felt on average as emotionally close to, for example, their guinea pig as they felt to their dog.

“It will be important to ensure that pet owners are appropriately supported in caring for their pet during the pandemic.”

Co-author, Professor Daniel Mills from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Lincoln said: “This work is particularly important at the current time as it indicates how having a companion animal in your home can buffer against some of the psychological stress associated with lockdown. However, it is important that everyone appreciates their pet’s needs too, as our other work shows failing to meet these can have a detrimental effect for both people and their pets.”

Dr Ratschen added: “While our study showed that having a pet may mitigate some of the detrimental psychological effects of the Covid-19 lockdown, it is important to understand that this finding is unlikely to be of clinical significance and does not warrant any suggestion that people should acquire pets to protect their mental health during the pandemic.”

More than 40% of UK households are estimated to own at least one pet.

The study also showed that the most popular interaction with animals that were not pets was birdwatching. Almost 55 per cent of people surveyed reported watching and feeding birds in their garden

New Compound From Blueberries Could Treat Inflammatory Disorders

Scientists show how a polyphenolic compound derived from blueberry can treat inflammatory bowel disease

Tokyo University of Science, September 25, 2020

Various plants and their products are known to contain “bioactive” ingredients that can alleviate human diseases. These “phytocompounds” often contain restorative biological properties such as anti-cancerous, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, understanding how they interact with the body can lead to potential treatment strategies against major immune disorders.

A team of researchers at Tokyo University of Science, led by Prof Chiharu Nishiyama, has been working this direction for the past several years, to identify novel active components in functional foods and understand their effects on the body. Their efforts have now led to success: In their latest study, published in The FASEB Journal, the scientists identified a polyphenolic compound called “pterostilbene” (PSB) with strong immunosuppressive properties–making it a potential therapeutic option for chronic inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This compound is very similar to another phytocompound known to have important medicinal effects, called “resveratrol” (RSV). Dr Takuya Yashiro, corresponding author of this report, explains the idea that prompted their research, “RSV, a polyphenol, was known to have pronounced immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects on animal models of colitis ulcer. Therefore, we investigated the possibility of other compounds structurally similar to RSV as a new type of treatment for IBD.”

In patients with IBD, the gastrointestinal tract lining contains long-lasting ulcers caused by chronic inflammation due to an elevated immune response in the body. This involves the excessive production of immune system-related molecules called “cytokines.” Moreover, two types of immune cells, “dendritic cells” (DCs) and “T cells,” are also involved: at the onset of an immune response, DCs produce inflammatory cytokines and activate T cells to initiate a defense response. These processes together form a complex pathway that result in a “hyper” immune response. Thus, to find an effective compound that can suppress the immune system, it was crucial to test it on this population of immune cells.

Thus, to begin with, the scientists studied the effects of a range of plant-derived compounds on DC-mediated T cell proliferation. Their initial research led them to PSB, which showed stronger immunosuppressive activity than the other candidates. When they dug deeper, they found that PSB treatment prevents T cells from differentiating into Th1 and Th17 (subtypes of T cells that elevate the immune response) while increasing their differentiation into regulatory T cells (another subtype known to inhibit inflammation). They also revealed that PSB treatmentinhibits inflammatory cytokine production from DCs by attenuating the DNA-binding activity of a crucial transcription factor PU.1. When they further tested PSB in mice with IBD, they found that oral intake of PSB improved symptoms of IBD. Thus, the study confirmed that PSB is an extremely promising anti-inflammatory agent to fight IBD. Not just this–it is easily absorbed by the body, making it an ideal drug candidate!

Through these findings, the scientists have ushered in new possibilities for the treatment of not just IBD but also other inflammatory disorders. Dr Yashiro concludes, “For disease prevention, it is important to identify the beneficial components in foods and to understand the underlying mechanism by which immune responses and homeostasis are modulated in body. Our findings showed that PSB possesses a strong immunosuppressive property, paving the way for a new, natural treatment for IBD.”

Loving-Kindness Meditation Will Make You Happier Than Compassion Meditation

HSE University (Russia), September 24, 2020

Researchers from HSE University compared the effect of two meditation practices – loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM). Loving-kindness meditation turned out to be more effective when it comes to increasing happiness, but, in contrast with previous studies, compassion meditation also did not result in a growth of negative emotions. The paper was published in Mindfulness journal.

Meditation has long become a routine for many people, particularly in the US and Western Europe. It is used to restore energy, decrease stress, and find inspiration. Different types of meditation have different effects. Researchers are increasingly interested in these hardly measurable but nevertheless important differences in the impact that meditation practices have on people’s emotional state.

In Buddhism, there is a group of practices called the ‘four immeasurable meditations’. It includes loving-kindness meditation, compassion meditation, appreciative joy meditation, and equanimity meditation. While they differ from each other and can be used separately, they are all aimed at forming positive messages to others and oneself.

Judging by their names, loving-kindness meditation and compassion meditation may seem similar, but they also have rooted theoretical differences. While LKM is about the meditator’s motivation to see others be happy, CM aims to alleviate the feeling of suffering.

The researchers sought to answer the question as to whether the outcomes of the two practices differ and what emotions they cause. They recommended that volunteers practice one of the meditations: the first group practiced LKM, and the second practiced CM. Each of the participants received a 15-min audio with the meditation practice instructions. The third, control, group, solved a crossword puzzle. Before and after the experiment, the participants completed a questionnaire, where they evaluated the emotions they were experiencing. A total of 201 American students participated in the experiment; none of them had practiced meditation before.

The study showed that the participants who practiced one of the meditations noticed a significant increase in happiness, as well as love and care for other people. LKM was more effective in increasing positive emotions and happiness.

‘The higher effectiveness of loving-kindness meditation may be a sign that this type of meditation is more suitable to newcomers – those who have never tried meditation before,’ said Ulyana Sirotina, one of the paper’s authors. ‘Compassion meditation is traditionally practiced after one has already mastered LKM.’

The researchers had assumed that CM would increase negative emotions, since the meditator is focused on suffering, but this did not happen. This conclusion contradicts an earlier study, where those practicing compassion experienced more sadness than before meditation. The researchers believe that the difference in the results may be due to differences in procedures: the instructions in the two experiments were different. While participants focused on compassion toward friends and strangers in the earlier study, this time they were also prompted to show self-compassion, which helped them deal with sadness. Self-compassion is likely a key factor responsible for positive emotions during CM, an assumption that could be evaluated in future studies.

These conclusions gave the researchers a deeper understanding of how strongly various meditation instructions may impact their emotional state. Since meditation is increasingly used by medical professionals and psychologists in clinical practice, such studies serve to enrich knowledge on the use of specific meditation approaches.

Researchers discover a specific brain circuit damaged by social isolation during childhood

Mt Sinai School of Medicine, August 31, 2020

Loneliness is recognized as a serious threat to mental health. Even as our world becomes increasingly connected over digital platforms, young people in our society are feeling a growing sense of isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many countries to implement social distancing and school closures, magnifies the need for understanding the mental health consequences of social isolation and loneliness. While research has shown that social isolation during childhood, in particular, is detrimental to adult brain function and behavior across mammalian species, the underlying neural circuit mechanisms have remained poorly understood.

A research team from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has now identified specific sub-populations of brain cells in the prefrontal cortex, a key part of the brain that regulates social behavior, that are required for normal sociability in adulthood and are profoundly vulnerable to juvenile social isolation in mice. The study findings, which appear in the August 31 issue of Nature Neuroscience, shed light on a previously unrecognized role of these cells, known as medial prefrontal cortex neurons projecting to the paraventricular thalamus, the brain area that relays signals to various components of the brain’s reward circuitry. If the finding is replicated in humans, it could lead to treatments for psychiatric disorders connected to isolation.

“In addition to identifying this specific circuit in the prefrontal cortex that is particularly vulnerable to social isolation during childhood, we also demonstrated that the vulnerable circuit we identified is a promising target for treatments of social behavior deficits,” says Hirofumi Morishita, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, a faculty member of The Friedman Brain Institute and the Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, and senior author of the paper. “Through stimulation of the specific prefrontal circuit projecting to the thalamic area in adulthood, we were able to rescue the sociability deficits caused by juvenile social isolation.”

Specifically, the team found that, in male mice, two weeks of social isolation immediately following weaning leads to a failure to activate medial prefrontal cortex neurons projecting to the paraventricular thalamus during social exposure in adulthood. Researchers found that juvenile isolation led to both reduced excitability of the prefrontal neurons projecting to the paraventricular thalamus and increased inhibitory input from other related neurons, suggesting a circuit mechanism underlying sociability deficits caused by juvenile social isolation. To determine whether acute restoration of the activity of prefrontal projections to the paraventricular thalamus is sufficient to ameliorate sociability deficits in adult mice that underwent juvenile social isolation, the team employed a technique known as optogenetics to selectively stimulate the prefrontal projections to paraventricular thalamus. The researchers also used chemogenetics in their study. While optogenetics enables researchers to stimulate particular neurons in freely moving animals with pulses of light, chemogenetics allows non-invasive chemical control over cell populations. By employing both of these techniques, the researchers were able to quickly increase social interaction in these mice once light pulses or drugs were administered to them.

“We checked the presence of social behavior deficits just prior to stimulation and when we checked the behavior while the stimulation was ongoing, we found that the social behavior deficits were reversed,” said Dr. Morishita.

Given that social behavior deficits are a common dimension of many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia, identification of these specific prefrontal neurons will point toward therapeutic targets for the improvement of social behavior deficits shared across a range of psychiatric disorders. The circuits identified in this study could potentially be modulated using techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation and/or transcranial direct current stimulation.

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Mental Health and The Simons Foundation.

World first study links obesity with reduced brain plasticity

University of South Australia, September 25, 2020

A world-first study has found that severely overweight people are less likely to be able to re-wire their brains and find new neural pathways, a discovery that has significant implications for people recovering from a stroke or brain injury.

In a new paper published in Brain Sciences, researchers from UniSA and Deakin University show that brain plasticity is impaired in obese people, making it less likely that they can learn new tasks or remember things.

Using a series of experiments involving transcranial magnetic stimulation, the researchers tested 15 obese people aged between 18 and 60, comparing them with 15 people in a healthy-weight control group.

Repeated pulses of electrical stimulation were applied to the brain to see how strongly it responded. The healthy-weight control group recorded significant neural activity in response to the stimulation, suggesting a normal brain plasticity response. In contrast, the response in the obese group was minimal, suggesting its capacity to change was impaired.

UniSA researcher Dr. Brenton Hordacre says the findings provide the first physiological evidence of a link between obesity and reduced brain plasticity.

Obesity is based on body mass index (BMI) which calculates the ratio between height and weight to determine body fat. An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. Anything above that is obese.

“Obesity is already associated with a raft of adverse health effects, including a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and dementia,” Dr. Hordacre says.

“For the first time, we found that obesity was associated with impaired brain function, adding further support for the need to address the obesity epidemic.

“A growing number of people are obese—650 million according to the World Health Organization—which not only has health consequences but is a serious financial burden for global health systems,” he says.

“These new findings suggest that losing weight is particularly important for healthy brain aging or for recovery in people who suffer strokes or brain injuries, where learning is fundamental for recovery.”

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in Australia and the leading cause of disability, affecting speech, cognition and memory.

The ability of the brain to find new pathways is crucial to recovery, Dr. Hordacre says. Worldwide, 15 million people suffer strokes each year, a third of whom die.

Could a shot of orange juice boost brain power for men?

University of Reading (UK), September 23, 2020

Scientists report that a single glass of flavonoid-rich orange juice may boost cognitive function, compared to placebo.

Data published in the European Journal of Nutrition indicated that a 240 ml glass of the flavonoid-rich orange juice was associated with significantly improved scores for attention, executive function, and psychomotor speed in healthy middle-aged men without mild cognitive impairment six hours after consumption, compared with placebo.

“It is important to acknowledge that orange juice consumption was not associated with a significant improvement on every individual cognitive test; this would not be expected given that the effects of nutritional interventions on cognitive performance are small and difficult to detect in healthy adults,” wrote the researchers.

“However, consistently higher means were observed following orange juice relative to the placebo in the vast majority of outcomes.”

Study details

The researchers recruited 24 healthy men aged between 30 and 65 to participate in their randomized, double-blind, crossover study. The men were randomly assigned to consumer orange juice containing 272 mg of flavonoid or a calorie-matched placebo, with the interventions separated by two weeks.

A battery of tests revealed that, compared to placebo, the flavonoid-rich orange juice was associated with significantly better performance on tests of executive function and psychomotor speed.

Alertness was also reportedly improved following orange juice consumption.

Mechanism?

Bioavailability data would suggest that the cognitive benefits observed after six hours are related to the flavanones hesperidin and narirutin, said the researchers.

“One plausible hypothesis is that flavonoid consumption may lead to acute cognitive benefits via increased [cerebral blood flow] as a result of enhanced endothelial function and increased bioavailability of nitric oxide,” they wrote. “Human studies show significantly increased [cerebral blood flow] several hours following cocoa flavanol consumption. These are supported by chronic studies which show increased activation in the right middle prefrontal cortex and the right superior parietal cortex following anthocyanin and flavanol-rich grape juice consumption.

“Moreover, increased steady-state-evoked potentials in posterior parietal and central–frontal regions and increased [cerebral blood flow] in the hippocampus during a spatial memory task have been observed following several weeks daily consumption of cocoa flavanols. As yet, there are no published data examining peripheral or [cerebral blood flow] in humans following flavanone consumption; therefore, these potential mechanisms are speculative at this time.

To conclude, the authors stated: “These data demonstrate that fruit juice-based flavonoids can acutely enhance cognition in healthy adults. This is consistent with the accumulating evidence from chronic interventions and epidemiological research that increased consumption of fruits, fruit juices and other flavonoid-rich foods over the lifespan is associated with cognitive benefits such as a reduced risk of neuropsychological disease, attenuation of aging-induced cognitive decline and maintenance of optimal cognitive facilities.”

Previously reported experiments suggest that aspects of the physical environment, in particular measures of negentropy (i.e., order) associated with the statistical outputs of truly random number generators, may be affected during periods of focused mental attention. The present study was designed to conceptually replicate those reports during energy medicine sessions.

Method

A custom-built “quantum noise generator” (QNG) was used to continuously record and digitize (at 1 KHz) 16 independent channels of random samples (i.e., noise) produced by electron tunneling and avalanche effects in Zener diodes. One metric was developed to quantify temporal dependencies in the noise samples aggregated across the 16 channels, and a second metric was formed that measured spatial dependencies among the 16 channels. The two metrics were combined into a single “spacetime” variable used to measure fluctuations in entropy during 110 half-hour energy medicine sessions. As a control, the same measure was examined in data recorded eight hours after each energy medicine session took place, when no one was in the laboratory.

Results

QNG data recorded during the half-hour sessions showed significant deviations from chance expectation, with a peak deviation observed at 24 minutes into the half-hour (z = 4.24, p < 0.00003, two-tail), and with deviations associated with p < 0.05 from 20 to 29 minutes, after correction for multiple comparisons. By comparison, data recorded eight hours after each session showed uniformly null results. This outcome is consistent with previously reported studies, suggesting that during periods of focused attention negentropic deviations emerge in random physical systems. Counterarguments to this interpretation are discussed, as well as recommendations for future studies.

Orally administered cinnamon extract attenuates cognitive and neuronal deficits following traumatic brain injury

Tel Aviv University (Israel), September 21 2020

According to news reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The present paper shows how cinnamon extract (CE) consumption mitigates neuronal loss and memory impairment following traumatic brain injury (TBI), one of the world’s most common neurodegenerative diseases. TBI patients suffer short-and long-term behavioral, cognitive, and emotional impairments, including difficulties in concentration, memory loss, and depression.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the Tel Aviv University – New York State Sackler School of Medicine, “Research shows that CE application can mitigate cognitive and behavioral impairments in animal models for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, whose pathophysiology is similar to that of TBI. This study builds on prior research by showing similar results in TBI mice models. After drinking CE for a week, mice were injured using our 70-g weight drop TBI device. For 2 weeks thereafter, the mice continued drinking CE alongside standard lab nutrition. Subsequently, the mice underwent behavioral tests to assess their memory, motor activity, and anxiety. The mice brains were harvested for immunohistochemistry staining to evaluate overall neuronal survival. Our results show that CE consumption almost completely mitigates memory impairment and decreases neuronal loss after TBI. Mice that did not consume CE demonstrated impaired memory. Our results also show that CE consumption attenuated neuronal loss in the temporal cortex and the dentate gyrus. Mice that did not consume CE suffered a significant neuronal loss. There were no significant differences in anxiety levels and motor activity between all groups.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “These findings show a new therapeutic approach to improve cognitive function and decrease memory loss after TBI.”

Insomnia, sleeping less than six hours may increase risk of cognitive impairment

Penn State University, September 24, 2020

Middle-aged adults who report symptoms of insomnia and are sleeping less than six hours a night may be at increased risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study by Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The results may help health care professionals understand which patients who report insomnia are at increased risk for developing dementia.

Insomnia is characterized by reports of difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking up too early and not being able to get back to sleep. When these symptoms occur at least three nights a week and for at least three months, it is considered a chronic disorder. Researchers found that adults who reported insomnia and obtained less than six hours of measured sleep in the laboratory were two times more likely to have cognitive impairment than people with the same insomnia complaints who got six or more hours of sleep in the lab. The study results were published in the journal Sleepon Sept. 24.

According to Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral health and sleep specialist at Penn State Health Sleep Research and Treatment Center, about 25% of the adult general population reports insomnia symptoms and another 10% suffers from chronic insomnia. He said that being able to distinguish which of these individuals are at risk for further adverse health conditions is critical.

“This study reinforces the need to objectively measure the sleep of adults who complain of insomnia,” Fernandez-Mendoza said. In previous research, the team found that adults with insomnia who obtained less than six hours of sleep were at risk for various cardiometabolic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease or stroke and mental health problems, such as depression.

“These new results demonstrate that these middle-aged adults also have an increased risk of cognitive impairment, which can be an early indicator of future dementia in a significant proportion of them,” Fernandez-Mendoza said.

Researchers examined data from the Penn State Adult Cohort, a randomly-selected, population-based sample of 1,741 adults who had one measured night of sleep. Before having their sleep measured in a sound, light and temperature-controlled room, participants completed a clinical history, physical exam and questionnaire to identify self-reported sleep disorders, physical health conditions, mental health problems and substance use. They also were evaluated for cognitive impairment before sleeping in the laboratory, including receiving tests that assessed attention, memory, language and other measures.

Fernandez-Mendoza and colleagues found that adults who reported insomnia symptoms or chronic insomnia and slept less than six hours in the lab were two times more likely to have cognitive impairment when compared to good sleepers. They also found that this association was particularly strong for adults with coexisting cardiometabolic conditions and cognitive impairment, which may be an indicator of vascular cognitive impairment—a condition where poor cardiovascular health results in impaired brain function.

Adults who reported insomnia but who slept six or more hours in the lab were not at risk of cognitive impairment when compared to good sleepers. The research team accounted for potential differences in sociodemographic factors—including age, sex, race, ethnicity, years of education—and the presence of physical and mental health problems, including sleep apnea, as well as substance use, such as smoking and alcohol intake.

Fernandez-Mendoza said that only having one measured night of sleep limited the study’s conclusion to in-lab sleep studies and cautioned that these data do not prove causality. Nevertheless, they further show that insomnia, cognitive impairment and cardiometabolic conditions, like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, often tend to co-occur in adults who get less than six hours of sleep in the lab but not in those who can sleep six hours or more, he highlighted.

“This study is important because it is the first large U.S. prospective study associating insomnia with cognitive risk,” said Michael Twery, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health and one of the study’s funders. “Recent scientific advances indicate that the brain depends on sleep. Understanding the connection between sleep deficiency and early cognitive decline could lead to improved treatments for insomnia.”

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