Genes for 'Spanish flu' pandemic found -(2 of 2)

Taubenberger was able to isolate the eight genes of the 1918 virus by the technique of inverse genetics. Kawaoka's team blended genetic elements from the 1918 flu virus with those of current flu pathogens, generating viruses that carried different genetical combinations. Tested on ferrets and mice, most of the combined viruses infected the upper respiratory tract of the laboratory animals but did not cause pneumonia.

One exception, however, included a complex of three genes that, acting in concert with another key gene, allowed the virus to efficiently colonize lung cells and make RNA polymerase, a protein necessary for the virus to reproduce. The other key gene makes hemagglutinin, a protein found on the surface of the virus and that confers on viral particles the ability to attach to host cells.

The RNA polymerase is used to make copies of the virus once it has entered a host cell. The role of hemagglutinin is to help the virus gain access to cells, Kawaoka said. Other co-authors of the study include Shinji Watanabe, Jin Hyun Kim and Masato Hatta, also of UW-Madison, and Kyoko Shinya of Kobe University, in Japan. The work was funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and by grants-in-aid from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan. - dailyinquirer

Genes for 'Spanish flu' pandemic found (1 of 2)

A US-Japanese research team announced it had isolated three genes that explain why the 1918 Spanish flu, believed to be the deadliest infectious disease in history, was so lethal.

The pandemic killed between 20 and 50 million people -- more than in all of World War I, which ended in November 1918 -- and spread around the world. The genes allowed the virus to reproduce in lung tissue, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Conventional flu viruses replicate mainly in the upper respiratory tract: the mouth, nose and throat," said University of Wisconsin-Madison virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka, who co-authored the study along with Masato Hatta, also of UW-Madison. The 1918 virus replicates in the upper respiratory tract, but also in the lungs," causing primary pneumonia among its victims," Kawaoka said. "We wanted to know why the 1918 flu caused severe pneumonia," he added. Autopsies of Spanish flu victims often revealed fluid-filled lungs severely damaged by massive hemorrhaging.

Virologists linked the virus' ability to invade the lungs with its high level of virulence, but the genes that conferred that ability were unknown, the researchers wrote. The discovery of the three genes and how they help the virus infect the lungs is important because it could provide a way to quickly identify the potential virulence factors in new pandemic strains of influenza, Kawaoka said. The genes could also lead to a new class of antiviral drugs, which is urgently needed as vaccines are unlikely to be produced fast enough at the outset of a pandemic to blunt its spread, he added.

The researchers generated Spanish flu viruses from genetic material extracted from preserved lung tissue of three of the pandemic's victims, thanks to Jeffrey Taubenberger's work at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.-dailyinquirer

Senses Takers (3 of 3)

Smell

Loss of smell: Colds and sinus infections can temporarily knock out the nerves endings responsible for smell. If your sense of smell doesn’t return in a week or so, or if you lose your sense of smell suddenly for no apparent reason, see a doctor. Loss of smell may indicate nasal polyps or benign growths in the nose, and may also be associated with brain tumors or diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s

Strange or foul odors with no apparent source: Smelling rotten eggs, burning electrical wires or other phantom odors may be a precursor to serious conditions such as epilepsy or brain tumors. It may also be a reaction to prescription drugs, such as some thyroid and antiseizure medications. Either way, have it checked.

Taste

Loss of taste: Most people mistake a loss of smell for a loss of taste, since the two sensory organs are so closely related. To tell for sure, put a pinch of salt on your tongue. If you can taste it, then what you’ve lost is your sense of smell. If you can’t taste the salt, see your doctor. Loss of taste can indicate a stroke or brain tumor.

Senses Taker (2 of 3)

Touch

Tingling, burning or numb sensation: Unless your arm has fallen asleep from lack of use, any suspicious tingling or burning sensation in your limbs, especially in your fingers and arms, could be an early-warning sign of heart attack or stroke. It tingling skin is accompanied by a feeling of pressure on the chest, call for emergency help trying to single out one instruments in a song—the bass guitar, for example—and follow only that instrument. Doing these exercises regularly will allow you to perceive more details in the sounds you hear every day.

Keep the volume low. Ever spend the afternoon mowing the lawn and notice a ringing in your ears later? That’s the sound of your hearing going away. A good rule of thumbs: If it’s loud enough that you have to shout to be heard over it, you need ear protection. Power tools, lawn mowers, firearms and rock concerts are all good opportunities to protect your hearing with earplugs.

Smell

When it comes to taste and smell, our olfactory sense is arguably the more powerful. The nerves that govern smell are thousands of times more sensitive than the sensory cells in our taste buds. In fact, much of what we associate as the taste of something is really the smell of it. Some ways to enhance what your nose knows:

Hone your honker. To appreciate a scent best, technique is everything. Fremont has used his sense of scent to design such colognes as CK One and Polo Sport for men. Smelling very deeply doesn’t give you the best appreciation of a smell. Instead, it’s better to take several small sniffs-it helps you detect the notes of an aroma better.

Use your mouth. As you sniff, keep your mouth open. You will draw the scent is not our mouth, which gives an extra dimension to the smell.

Senses Takers (1 of 3)

Glitches in your senses may signal certain health problems

Your sensory organs can offer early warning signs of serious health problems. Here are some perplexing symptoms and what they may mean.

Sight

Double vision or persistent blurred vision: Any sudden change in vision is worth checking out with a doctor. These particular symptoms may be warning signs of cataracts, conclusion or stroke.

Blurred vision accompanied by a scratching sensation: First, check in the mirror to see if a foreign object has landed in your eyes. If you don’t see anything unusual, you may have a small scratch on the surface of the eyeball. Or maybe yu have a mild infection. Both will disappear in a few days. Meanwhile, close your eyes and apply hot, wet washcloth. The heat should speed healing and solve the problem quickly. If the discomfort lasts more than two days or is so severe you can’t keep your eye open, see an ophthalmologist.

Black spots or flashes of light: These are common symptoms of a detached retina, the part of the eye that is sensitive to fight. Caught early, the retina can be reattached, returning vision to normal.

Sound

Ringing in the ears: Called tinnitus, ringing can occur after long exposure to loud noise, or as a result of injury, infection or buildup of wax or fluid in the ear. If it persists more than three days, see a doctor. Tinnitus can be a symptom of Meniere disease, a balance disorder of the inner ear that causes dizziness and vomiting. Ringing may also signal an overdose of aspirin or occur as a side effect of prescription medications such as Lasix.

Rumbling or shifting noises: If the sounds appears to be coming from inside your head especially when you tilt your head or roll over in bed, you probably have wax or water trapped in your ear. The problem should go away in a few days. If it doesn’t see a doctor.

Vital Facts about Minerals (6 of 6)

Zinc

Vital for normal growth and to heal wounds. Important for our ability to taste.

Where and How much % U.S. RDA

Total cereal, 1 oz, (100%)
Ground beef, lean, broiled, 3 oz, (29 %)
Shrimp, broiled, 3oz, (9 %)
Chicken, roasted. 3 oz, (6 %)
Whole-wheat bread, slice, (3 %)

Vital Facts about Minerals (5 of 6)

Phosphorus

Vital for building strong bones. Important for muscles to work properly.

Where and How much % U.S. RDA

Salmon, broiled, 3oz, (23 %)
2% milk, 1 c, (23 %)
Yogurt, plain, 1 c, (22 %)
Total cereal, 1 oz, (20 %)
Chicken, roasted, 3 oz, (20 %)

Vital Facts about Minerals (4 of 6)

Magnesium

Important for energy release from foods, especially carbohydrates. Helps to transmit nerve impulses to muscles.

Where and How much % U.S. RDA

Almonds, ¼ c, (26 %)
Peanut, butter, ¼ c, (26 %)
Spinach, cooked, ½ c, (20%)

Pinto beans, cooked, ½ c, (13 %)
Shrimp, broiled, 3 oz, (7 %)

Vital Facts about Minerals (3 of 6)

Potassium

Helps maintain body’s water balance. Aids in nerve and muscle function.

Where and How much % U.S. RDA

Potato, baked, medium, (33 %)
Yogurt, plain, 1 c, (31 %)
Peanut butter, ¼ c, (27 %)
Banana, medium, (26 %)
Tomato, medium, (22 %)

Vital Facts about Minerals (2 of 6)

Iron

Important for oxygen transfer in the blood. Helps to prevent anemia. May help with the immune system.

Where and How much % U.S. RDA

Total cereal, 1 oz, (100 %)
Kix cereal, 1 oz, (44 %)
Spinach, cooked, ½ c, (17 %)
Ground beef,lean, broiled, 3 oz, (11 %)
Prunes, dried, ½ c, (11 %)

Vital Facts about Minerals (1 of 6)

Calcium

Vital for strong bones and teeth. Important for proper nerve, muscle and heart activity. Aids in blood clotting. May help to reduce blood pressure.

Where and How much % U.S. RDA

Yogurt, plain, 1c, (45 %)
2% milk, 1c, (30 %)
Cheddar cheese, 1 oz, (18 %)
Spinach, cooked, ½ c, (12 %)
Broccoli, cooked, ½ c, (9 %)

Anemia drugs help end-stage anemic kidney patients

Good morning everyone. Anemia drugs help end-stage anemic kidney patients.

Aggressive treatment with blockbuster anemia drugs may offer the best approach for kidney dialysis patients with severe anemia, US researchers said on Tuesday. But aggressive treatment only made things worse for patients in the final stages of kidney disease with mild anemia, they reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The findings may help guide regulators as they weigh new restrictions on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents or ESAs, such as Amgen Inc's Epogen. ESAs are used by 95 percent of patients with chronic kidney disease.

"Eliminating coverage or severely restricting marketability of ESAs might mean pouring out the baby with the bath water," Dr. Wolfgang Winkelmayer of Stanford University School of Medicine in California said in a statement.

Earlier this month, U.S. regulators said health providers who treat cancer patients with ESAs will need to be trained in their use and document that they have informed patients of the risks, under guidelines approved by U.S. regulators. Cancer patients with anemia often initially respond well to ESAs, but the drugs can cause tumors to grow faster and shorten patients' lives.

The new requirements, which take effect March 24, apply to Amgen Inc's Epogen and Aranesp, as well as Johnson & Johnson's Procrit. Sales of the drugs -- which are genetically engineered forms of a protein that boosts production of red blood cells -- have fallen sharply since a late 2006 study by J&J showed a higher risk of death and cardiovascular complications for aggressively treated patients.

For the study in end-stage kidney disease patients, Winkelmayer and colleagues evaluated different treatment approaches used on 4,500 patients at dialysis centers throughout the United States. They divided patients according to the aggressiveness of treatment used and the severity of their anemia.

"Our study for the first time showed that with very aggressive treatment in those patients (with the most severe anemia), there was an association with better outcomes," Winkelmayer, who conducted the research while at Harvard Medical School, said in a telephone interview.

Winkelmayer said his findings suggest at least for some chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis, aggressive treatment is best.

ESAs are the most expensive drugs used by dialysis patients reimbursed by the federal Medicare insurance program, costing the agency nearly $2 billion a year. – Indian Express

Hormone replacement therapy ‘increases lung cancer risk’

Good morning friends. Women aged 50 to 76 who use hormone replacement therapy combining estrogen and progestin may have a higher risk of lung cancer than non-users, a new study has found.

Researchers said that although the risk is "duration-dependent," with women taking HRT for 10-plus years at greatest risk of developing lung cancer, an acceptable length of HRT has yet to be determined. While the risk of developing lung cancer for women using estrogen plus progestin HRT 10 years or longer was approximately 50 percent more than women not using HRT, this risk is actually quite small compared to the risk from smoking.

"Although HRT use has declined and is not recommended except for short-term treatment of menopausal symptoms, our results indicate millions of women may remain at risk of developing lung cancer," said Chris Slatore, principal investigator and an assistant professor of medicine in the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center; and a member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

For the study, Slatore and colleagues reviewed data collected from 2000 to 2002 in the Vitamins and Lifestyle Study in Washington state. They identified 36,588 peri- and postmenopausal participants aged 50 to 76 who met their study criteria and followed them for six years using the Seattle-Puget Sound Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results cancer registry.

At the end of the observation period, December 31, 2007, 344 of the participants had developed lung cancer. After adjusting for smoking, age and other factors that affect the risk of lung cancer, the researchers determined the use of estrogen and progestin for 10 or more years was associated with increased risk for lung cancer compared with no use of HRT. They also found duration of use was associated with an advanced stage of cancer at diagnosis.

Although the mechanisms underlying the association between HRT and lung cancer are still unknown, the researchers report that genetic and environment interactions likely play a role. They also suggest that estrogen plus progestin may lead to more aggressive disease or mask early symptoms, or HRT users may be less likely to see or receive medical care in a timely fashion.

"These findings may be useful in counseling women about their risk of developing lung cancer and prompt further research into the mechanisms underlying HRT and increased lung cancer risk," said Slatore. – Indian Express

The study has been published in the pre-print online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Low-dose pills, high dose benefits

Low-dose pills, high dose benefits It is well-known that use of birth-control pills cuts the risk of getting ovarian cancer. By stimulating pregnancy, the Pill shuts down ovulation and allows the ovaries to “rest”. But until recently, this extra benefit of the Pill has been studied only in women taking high-dose formulas. Now, researchers from the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, US, report that newer, low-dose pills are just as effective, reducing the chances of developing the cancer by the same 40 percent as the older pills. – Stella G. de Dios, M.D.