StemCell Therapy

A rare disease is defined as any disease that affects a small percentage of the population. In the United States, a disease is classified as rare when fewer than 200,000 individuals are affected by it. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are approximately 6,500 to 7,000 known rare diseases affecting an estimated 25 million Americans.

One of these is Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS), a disorder of connective tissue that can affect blood vessels, including the aorta, as well as bones, joints, cognitive ability and internal organs.

Here, Michigan Medicine cardiologist Marion Hofmann, M.D., who typically treats 10 to 15 Loeys-Dietz patients each year, sheds some light on this complex rare disease.

LDS is caused by a mutation in the TGFBR1, TGFBR2, SMAD3, TGFB2 or TGFB3 genes, as we know today. More could be identified in the future.

Loeys-Dietz Syndrome is a genetic condition, but not always inherited. In patients with the condition, we usually recommend genetic testing of the parents and siblings to see if it is inherited or if it is a new mutation. If the parent or siblings of a patient diagnosed with LDS do not test positive for the genetic variant, we assume the variant is present for the first time in one family member. This occurs in approximately 75% of LDS cases. There is a 50% chance the gene will be passed on regardless of whether LDS was inherited or a first time mutation.

Because relatively common symptoms can camouflage LDS, the condition may go undiagnosed until a serious complication occurs. Patients might be diagnosed with Loeys-Dietz after an aortic aneurysm (a weakened or bulging area on the wall of the aorta) is found on a CT scan or echocardiogram, or after experiencing a life-threatening aortic dissection (a tear in the inner layer of the aorta) or a dissection in other arteries. If a patient experiences either of these vascular conditions, we would likely suggest genetic testing to determine if Loeys-Dietz Syndrome was the cause.

In approximately 20% of patients experiencing an unexplained aortic dissection, we find gene abnormalities, including LDS, that predispose to aortic disease.

MORE FROM MICHIGAN: Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Some patients, but not all, are diagnosed because of certain skeletal characteristics that point to Loeys-Dietz. These include a chest wall deformity in which the chest wall pushes outward or appears sunken, scoliosis, long and slender fingers, flexible joints, flat feet, translucent skin, abnormal scarring of the skin and a bulging or widening of the spinal sac surrounding the spinal cord. However, the spectrum of the disease is very broad and were finding that not all LDS patients exhibit these characteristics.

Genetic testing confirms a suspected LDS diagnosis. Other similar disorders such as Marfan Syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome can present similar characteristics, so genetic testing is important to differentiate these disorders. In recent years weve realized just how complex LDS is. As clinical genetic testing is more commonly used, diagnostic accuracy for LDS has improved and were learning more about how LDS presents. For example, were finding that family members carrying the same mutation are affected differently. Cardiac and genetic evaluation of all family members is important for patients with LDS to identify other relatives at risk for the condition.

Patients with Loeys-Dietz need regular checkups and vascular imaging to identify high-risk situations that could lead to aortic dissection. We recommend medication to avoid high blood pressure, which puts stress on weakened areas of the aortic wall, lifestyle modifications and preventive surgery to treat aortic aneurysms deemed to be at high risk for dissection. Patients with LDS are typically prescribed beta blockers or angiotensin receptor blockers.

Like Podcasts? Add the Michigan Medicine News Breakto your Alexa-enabled device orsubscribe for daily updates oniTunes,Google PlayandStitcher.

Anyone experiencing an aortic dissection or an aneurysm requires lifelong care as they are more likely to have a future event. Patients with LDS require special counseling for family planning and during pregnancy.

Additional information comes from nationwide patient support groups and their symposiums. The U-M Frankel Cardiovascular Center, in collaboration with the Marfan Foundation, is hosting the Detroit regional symposium for Marfan Syndrome and related disorders on April 25, 2020.

Weve been able to gain important knowledge about LDS and other aortic-related conditions through worldwide collaboration of researchers interested in LDS and aortic dissection in general. The International Registry on Aortic Dissection was launched in 1996 and the Montalcino Aortic Consortium was formed in 2013 to collect and share information about the genetic causes of aortic dissection. The next GenTAC Aortic Summit, which is committed to advancing research, education and treatment of heritable aortic diseases, will be held October 10 and 11, 2020, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and will be hosted by Michigan Medicine cardiologist Kim Eagle, M.D. Through these resources, were learning more about the condition and gaining insight into diagnosis and treatment advancements.

Importantly, 10-20% of patients with a history of what was thought to be sporadic or unexplained aortic dissections actually have an identifiable genetic cause, including LDS. Being able to pinpoint the genetic causes of disease is very powerful. It allows health care providers to use a gene-based medical management strategy, which is the goal of personalized medicine. Genetic counseling and potentially genetic testing is very important for family members of patients with unexplained aortic dissections as well as with Loeys-Dietz Syndrome.

Read the original post:
Loeys-Dietz Syndrome A Rare and Complex Heart Disease - University of Michigan Health System News

Updated: May 25, 2018:

JD Supra is a legal publishing service that connects experts and their content with broader audiences of professionals, journalists and associations.

This Privacy Policy describes how JD Supra, LLC ("JD Supra" or "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses and shares personal data collected from visitors to our website (located at http://www.jdsupra.com) (our "Website") who view only publicly-available content as well as subscribers to our services (such as our email digests or author tools)(our "Services"). By using our Website and registering for one of our Services, you are agreeing to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Please note that if you subscribe to one of our Services, you can make choices about how we collect, use and share your information through our Privacy Center under the "My Account" dashboard (available if you are logged into your JD Supra account).

Registration Information. When you register with JD Supra for our Website and Services, either as an author or as a subscriber, you will be asked to provide identifying information to create your JD Supra account ("Registration Data"), such as your:

Other Information: We also collect other information you may voluntarily provide. This may include content you provide for publication. We may also receive your communications with others through our Website and Services (such as contacting an author through our Website) or communications directly with us (such as through email, feedback or other forms or social media). If you are a subscribed user, we will also collect your user preferences, such as the types of articles you would like to read.

Information from third parties (such as, from your employer or LinkedIn): We may also receive information about you from third party sources. For example, your employer may provide your information to us, such as in connection with an article submitted by your employer for publication. If you choose to use LinkedIn to subscribe to our Website and Services, we also collect information related to your LinkedIn account and profile.

Your interactions with our Website and Services: As is true of most websites, we gather certain information automatically. This information includes IP addresses, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp and clickstream data. We use this information to analyze trends, to administer the Website and our Services, to improve the content and performance of our Website and Services, and to track users' movements around the site. We may also link this automatically-collected data to personal information, for example, to inform authors about who has read their articles. Some of this data is collected through information sent by your web browser. We also use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect this information. To learn more about cookies and other tracking technologies that JD Supra may use on our Website and Services please see our "Cookies Guide" page.

We use the information and data we collect principally in order to provide our Website and Services. More specifically, we may use your personal information to:

JD Supra takes reasonable and appropriate precautions to insure that user information is protected from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. We restrict access to user information to those individuals who reasonably need access to perform their job functions, such as our third party email service, customer service personnel and technical staff. You should keep in mind that no Internet transmission is ever 100% secure or error-free. Where you use log-in credentials (usernames, passwords) on our Website, please remember that it is your responsibility to safeguard them. If you believe that your log-in credentials have been compromised, please contact us at privacy@jdsupra.com.

Our Website and Services are not directed at children under the age of 16 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 16 through our Website and/or Services. If you have reason to believe that a child under the age of 16 has provided personal information to us, please contact us, and we will endeavor to delete that information from our databases.

Our Website and Services may contain links to other websites. The operators of such other websites may collect information about you, including through cookies or other technologies. If you are using our Website or Services and click a link to another site, you will leave our Website and this Policy will not apply to your use of and activity on those other sites. We encourage you to read the legal notices posted on those sites, including their privacy policies. We are not responsible for the data collection and use practices of such other sites. This Policy applies solely to the information collected in connection with your use of our Website and Services and does not apply to any practices conducted offline or in connection with any other websites.

JD Supra's principal place of business is in the United States. By subscribing to our website, you expressly consent to your information being processed in the United States.

You can make a request to exercise any of these rights by emailing us at privacy@jdsupra.com or by writing to us at:

You can also manage your profile and subscriptions through our Privacy Center under the "My Account" dashboard.

We will make all practical efforts to respect your wishes. There may be times, however, where we are not able to fulfill your request, for example, if applicable law prohibits our compliance. Please note that JD Supra does not use "automatic decision making" or "profiling" as those terms are defined in the GDPR.

Pursuant to Section 1798.83 of the California Civil Code, our customers who are California residents have the right to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

You can make a request for this information by emailing us at privacy@jdsupra.com or by writing to us at:

Some browsers have incorporated a Do Not Track (DNT) feature. These features, when turned on, send a signal that you prefer that the website you are visiting not collect and use data regarding your online searching and browsing activities. As there is not yet a common understanding on how to interpret the DNT signal, we currently do not respond to DNT signals on our site.

For non-EU/Swiss residents, if you would like to know what personal information we have about you, you can send an e-mail to privacy@jdsupra.com. We will be in contact with you (by mail or otherwise) to verify your identity and provide you the information you request. We will respond within 30 days to your request for access to your personal information. In some cases, we may not be able to remove your personal information, in which case we will let you know if we are unable to do so and why. If you would like to correct or update your personal information, you can manage your profile and subscriptions through our Privacy Center under the "My Account" dashboard. If you would like to delete your account or remove your information from our Website and Services, send an e-mail to privacy@jdsupra.com.

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. Please refer to the date at the top of this page to determine when this Policy was last revised. Any changes to our Privacy Policy will become effective upon posting of the revised policy on the Website. By continuing to use our Website and Services following such changes, you will be deemed to have agreed to such changes.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site, your dealings with our Website or Services, or if you would like to change any of the information you have provided to us, please contact us at: privacy@jdsupra.com.

As with many websites, JD Supra's website (located at http://www.jdsupra.com) (our "Website") and our services (such as our email article digests)(our "Services") use a standard technology called a "cookie" and other similar technologies (such as, pixels and web beacons), which are small data files that are transferred to your computer when you use our Website and Services. These technologies automatically identify your browser whenever you interact with our Website and Services.

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to:

There are different types of cookies and other technologies used our Website, notably:

JD Supra Cookies. We place our own cookies on your computer to track certain information about you while you are using our Website and Services. For example, we place a session cookie on your computer each time you visit our Website. We use these cookies to allow you to log-in to your subscriber account. In addition, through these cookies we are able to collect information about how you use the Website, including what browser you may be using, your IP address, and the URL address you came from upon visiting our Website and the URL you next visit (even if those URLs are not on our Website). We also utilize email web beacons to monitor whether our emails are being delivered and read. We also use these tools to help deliver reader analytics to our authors to give them insight into their readership and help them to improve their content, so that it is most useful for our users.

Analytics/Performance Cookies. JD Supra also uses the following analytic tools to help us analyze the performance of our Website and Services as well as how visitors use our Website and Services:

Facebook, Twitter and other Social Network Cookies. Our content pages allow you to share content appearing on our Website and Services to your social media accounts through the "Like," "Tweet," or similar buttons displayed on such pages. To accomplish this Service, we embed code that such third party social networks provide and that we do not control. These buttons know that you are logged in to your social network account and therefore such social networks could also know that you are viewing the JD Supra Website.

If you would like to change how a browser uses cookies, including blocking or deleting cookies from the JD Supra Website and Services you can do so by changing the settings in your web browser. To control cookies, most browsers allow you to either accept or reject all cookies, only accept certain types of cookies, or prompt you every time a site wishes to save a cookie. It's also easy to delete cookies that are already saved on your device by a browser.

The processes for controlling and deleting cookies vary depending on which browser you use. To find out how to do so with a particular browser, you can use your browser's "Help" function or alternatively, you can visit http://www.aboutcookies.org which explains, step-by-step, how to control and delete cookies in most browsers.

We may update this cookie policy and our Privacy Policy from time-to-time, particularly as technology changes. You can always check this page for the latest version. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email.

If you have any questions about how we use cookies and other tracking technologies, please contact us at: privacy@jdsupra.com.

See more here:
The California Genetic Information Privacy Act: How This Proposed Legislation Fits in the California Privacy Regulation Framework - JD Supra

Its long been thought that some people find exercising easier than others.

While some will happily jog off to the gym, others are left daunted by the prospect of doing anything that might cause perspiration or shortness of breath.

This might not just be a theory after all.

Scientists have found a link between certain genes and a persons ability to exercise efficiently.

Read more: Vogue Williams shared post-baby exercise tips

The research, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, discovered a genetic mutation in some people which made it harder for them to workout.

The genetic mutation can affect cellular oxygen sensing which is linked to a persons ability to exercise effectively.

The team involved in the research - which included researchers from King's College London - found that people with the gene had reduced rate of growth, persistent low blood sugar, a limited exercise capacity and a very high number of red blood cell.

In order to try to figure out why people with a limited exercise capacity behaved the way they did, the researchers tested one case study.

Read more: The top rated fitness trackers

After numerous tests - which included a genetic analysis and high-altitude testing - the scientists discovered that the mutated gene in question was the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene.

The VHL gene plays an important role in our genetic make up, primarily because it helps our cells survive when our ability to take in oxygen is reduced.

The scientists found that the VHL gene was impaired in some people who struggle to exercise.

Thats because this gene is linked to the mitochondria and when the mitochondria isnt firing on all cylinders - which is the case in people with a mutated VHL - then it makes it harder to exercise.

Read more: Experts say we should walk during our lunch breaks

Dr Federico Formenti, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, one of the leading authors of the study, said: The discovery of this mutation and the associated phenotype is exciting because it enables a deeper understanding of human physiology, especially in terms of how the human body senses and responds to reduced oxygen availability.

It also goes a long way to explain why some people can train and run a marathon whilst others would struggle with training, even if they were mentally motivated enough to complete it.

More research will need to be done in order to determine just how much this gene can affect people, but its a great step in the right direction for the study of human physiology.

See the original post:
Blame it on your genes - a genetic mutation reduces the ability to exercise - Yahoo Lifestyle

FOLSOM, Calif. According to a new epidemiologicalstudy, women in their late 50s and early 60s who consumed at least two servings of walnuts per week had a greater likelihood of healthy aging compared to those who did not eat walnuts. After accounting for various factors that could impact health in older adults, such as education and physical activity, walnuts were the only nut associated with significantly better odds of healthy aging.

In this study, which was supported by the California Walnut Commission,healthy aging was defined as longevity with sound mental health and no major chronic diseases, cognitive issues or physical impairments following the age of 65. Researchers found a significant association between total nut consumption (including walnuts, peanuts and other nuts) and healthy aging, but the link was particularly robust for walnuts.

By 2034, for the first time ever,older adults will outnumber children. Baby boomers (those 65 and older) are expected to make up 21% of the population, with more than half being women. The significance of this demographic turning point in our countrys history is clear research that examines the aging process, including simple, low-cost interventions like healthy food choices, will be especially crucial to healthier lifespans.

Previous research from primary investigator Dr.Francine Grodstein, formerly of Brigham and Womens Hospital, has found that eating walnuts may have a positive impact on reducing the risk for physical impairments in older adults as well as cognitive decline. Additionally, others in the same research group have found decreases in cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes all conditions that become more common as we age. There is no one solution to slowing down the effects of aging, but adopting the right habits, like snacking on a handful of walnuts, can help.

In this study, Grodstein looked at data from 33,931 women in the Nurses Health Study (NHS) to evaluate the association between nut consumption and overall health and well-being in aging. Between 1998-2002, female nurses in the NHS were asked about their diet (including total nut consumption); evaluated for chronic diseases (such as cancer, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and Parkinsons disease); and assessed for memory concerns, mental health and physical limitations (including daily activities like walking one block, climbing a flight of stairs, bathing, dressing oneself and pushing a vacuum cleaner). Of the study participants, 16% were found to be healthy agers, defined as having no major chronic diseases, reported memory impairment or physical disabilities as well as having intact mental health.

Althoughprevious researchhas connected a healthy diet, including walnuts, to better physical function among older men and women, this study only included women. More research is needed to understand if these results hold true among men. Additionally, participants were not assigned to eat walnuts or other foods; they were simply asked about their dietary choices. It is possible that subjects misreported their dietary intake since this information was collected by questionnaires. As an observational study, this does not prove cause and effect. However, this research sheds light on simple habits that can influence health during later years in life such as eating walnuts.

The California Walnut Commission (CWC) supported this research. The CWC has supported health-related research on walnuts for more than 30 years with the intent to provide knowledge and understanding of the unique health benefits associated with consuming walnuts. While the CWC does provide funds and/or walnuts for various projects, all studies are conducted independently by researchers who design the experiments, interpret the results and present evidence-based conclusions. The CWC is committed to scientific integrity of industry-funded research.

TheCaliforniawalnut industry is made up of over 4,800 growers and more than 90 handlers (processors). The growers and handlers are represented by two entities, the California Walnut Board (CWB) and the California Walnut Commission (CWC).

California Walnut CommissionThe California Walnut Commission, established in 1987, is funded by mandatory assessments of the growers. The CWC represents over 4,800 growers and approximately 90 handlers (processors) ofCaliforniawalnuts in export market development activities and conducts health research. The CWC is an agency of theState of Californiathat works in concurrence with the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

Non-Discrimination StatementThe CWC prohibits discrimination in all programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, marital/familial/parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, or because all or part of an individuals income is derived from any public assistance programs.

Persons with limited English proficiency or disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (translated materials, braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the CWC offices at (916) 932-7070.

To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online athttp://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.htmlor write a letter with all information requested in the form and either send to USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,Washington, D.C.20250-9410, fax to (202) 690-7442, or email toprogram.intake@usda.gov. CWC is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

More:
Regular Walnut Consumption Linked to Health and Longevity in Women, According to New Study - PerishableNews

Craigslist founder Craig Newmark (L) and CEO Jim Buckmaster pose in front of the Craigslist office March 21, 2006 in San Francisco. The site has become a behemoth but changed little aesthetically. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

Craigslist founder Craig Newmark (L) and CEO Jim Buckmaster pose in front of the Craigslist office March 21, 2006 in San Francisco. The site has become a behemoth but changed little aesthetically.

Craigslist is a bit of an anomaly on the rapidly changing Internet. While other sites are constantly tweaking, testing new designs, finding new ways to gather data, Craigslist is remarkable for its stability.

A typical city's page looks roughly the same today as it did 15 years ago.

"It's like a shark that's never had to evolve," says Jessa Lingel, who's written about the history of Craigslist for the website The Conversation and also in the book, An Internet for the People: The Politics and Promise of craigslist.

While maintaining an old-school look, Craigslist has since grown to the behemoth of today, with billions of page views a month and an estimated revenue (according to one consulting group) of more than $1 billion in 2018.

The site was founded by Craig Newmark, who started it as an email list to friends about happenings in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995. Jim Buckmaster, Craigslist's CEO, has been in his job for two decades.

"They're both just old-school engineer type guys who just really believe in keeping the design as simple and functional as possible," Lingel says. "[I]t's never had a competitor that was really able to swallow up its user base. It's had loyal customers all along, loyal users all along, so it's just never been forced to adapt."

Craigslist doesn't run banner ads, and according to Lingel, it doesn't sell user data to third parties. It makes money by charging a small number of users to post ads.

"Ads like job postings, real estate ads, if you're like a car dealer, furniture dealer, you have to pay a small amount of money, we're talking like $5 to $25 and that's this entire revenue stream," Lingel says.

But for most people, it's totally free. It's become the biggest market for classified ads on the Internet.

Craigslist is also different for being anonymous. Authorities accused the site of facilitating prostitution; it dropped its longtime "personals" section in the U.S. two years ago after Congress passed the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, which aimed to crack down on child sex trafficking. Reports through the years describe Craigslist's role in helping accused killers, rapists, robbers and scammers find their victims.

As Craigslist celebrates 25 years this year, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly spoke to Lingel, who is also an assistant professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania, about how the site has managed to keep on keeping on.

Interview highlights contain extended Web-only content.

On Craigslist users posting anonymously, contrary to sites such as Facebook

That policy goes back to Craigslist's early days in the 1990s when it was very common to be anonymous online or pseudonymous, you know, using pseudonyms or fake names. And just like they haven't changed their appearance, they have never let go of that policy. And they see that policy as providing a form of protection and privacy to their users.

So it is true that there have been some, you know, very violent crimes. There's been scams on Craigslist. But of course, there are also scams on platforms that we think of as much classier or much safer. There's scams on LinkedIn, on eBay, on Facebook. So it isn't so much that the anonymity means that crime happens. It just means that we have a policy to blame. So we do tend to blame the platform more when we can't point at individual users because we don't know anything about them.

On what she's learned about how Craigslist compares to other sites when it comes to discrimination

I heard over and over again this sense that Craigslist is part of the poor people's Internet. And what participants and people I interviewed meant by that was that Craigslist sort of has this stigma that using it means you're lower class, using it means you're sort of hard up. But it also meant that people of color, poor people, found that they could use the site in a way that really made sense for them.

So on a platform like Airbnb, for example, if you're trying to get a rental, people can discriminate against you based on how you look. We actually know for a fact that there have been these high-profile incidents on Airbnb of hosts discriminating against guests because of their name or what they look like.

So suddenly on a site like Craigslist, you can rent an apartment, you can try and search for a job. And you don't have to worry about people discriminating against you because you're anonymous.

On Craigslist and the future of the Internet

I've been studying digital culture for about 10 years and I've always been interested in platforms that are sort of outside the mainstream. And one thing that really interests me about Craigslist is that it's been online for so long, and it hasn't had to change its politics. So Craigslist holds onto these early 1990s Web values about a platform being truly accessible, the platform being open and a platform that doesn't change its appearance. And in that sense, Craigslist reminds us there's a path that a company can take, and it can feel democratic and it can feel less commercial and still be incredibly successful. You know, you don't have to sacrifice your profits in order to protect user data.

NPR's Elena Burnett and Emily Kopp produced and edited the audio version of this story.

Read the original:
At 25 Years, Understanding The Longevity Of Craigslist - NPR

A new study suggests olive oil could be integral to the Mediterranean diet's brilliance.

The diet, which US News & World Report ranked the best diet of 2019, has been linked to good health and longer lives.

According to new research by the University of Minnesota Medical School, olive oil alone, a staple ingredient of the diet, appears to have properties that promote longevity and decrease the risk of age-related disease like diabetes and heart disease.

Doug Mashek, the lead researcher, said that studying the way olive oil affected human cells in petri dishes indicated that the fats in olive oil activated cell pathways in the body that are linked to longer life.

"We found that the way this fat works is it first has to get stored in microscopic things called lipid droplets, which is how our cells store fat," Mashek said in a press release. "And then, when the fat is broken down during exercising or fasting, for example, is when the signaling and beneficial effects are realized."

Foods includingwhole-grain pita bread, fresh fruit, salads, nuts, beans, olive oil, and salmon are Mediterranean diet staples. Anna Kurzaeva/Getty Images

This isn't the first time the Mediterranean diet has been found beneficial for long-term health.

The concept of the Mediterranean diet comes from the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, where people historically ate mainly vegetables, oily fish, nuts, and healthy fats. The Harvard School of Public Health and a think tank called Oldways created a diet based on the general eating principles of these places, according to US News.

Unlike highly restrictive diets like the keto diet or the Atkins diet, the Mediterranean diet allows people to eat a wide variety of foods in moderation. In fact, the diet is safe for most people, including children and older people.

Foods including whole-grain pita bread, fresh fruit, salads, nuts, beans, olive oil, and salmon are Mediterranean diet staples and promote a variety of health benefits.

When people fill their diets with the fresh, unprocessed foods found in the Mediterranean diet, they may lose weight, improve their heart health, and prevent diabetes, according to US News.

Since the diet focuses on heart-healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and salmon, it also couldlower bad cholesterol, a major cause of heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. "The Mediterranean diet discourages saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (trans fats), both of which contribute to heart disease," the Mayo Clinic said on its website.

The diet could also help prevent cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's as well as breast cancer.

More:
There's evidence that exercise after consuming olive oil could trigger changes linked to longevity - Insider - INSIDER

Sci-fi aside, how long will I live?

Living to 100 will soon become a routine fact of (long) life. Life expectancies have been rising by up to three months a year since 1840 and although gains in the UK began to slow in 2011, it is still estimated that more than half the babies born in wealthier countries since 2000 may reach their 100th birthdays.

It is an impressive increase: in the early 1900s, the probability of a baby reaching 100 was 1%. A newborn in the UK today has a 50% chance of living to 105. There were 3,600 centenarians in 1986. Today there are some 15,000.

You do not have to be a newborn to benefit from this trend of increased longevity, though. A 60-year-old in the west today has an even chance of living to 90 and a 40-year-old can expect to live to 95.

But the longevity boost is not done yet: it is generally agreed that the natural ceiling to human life is somewhere around 115. Others say that even without cutting-edge AI or other technological wizardry, we could live far longer. Opinion broadly divides into three groups: the levellers who say we are at peak lifespan now. The extrapolators who argue that technology and education have made their biggest leaps but can squeak us up to a ceiling of 120 before levelling off for good. And the accelerators those determined to defeat ageing, who believe we are on the verge of major breakthroughs in scientific and technological research that will increase longevity, pushing us into the realms of immortality.

Life expectancy has been increasing since we cracked infant mortality in the 19th century. Economy, technology, healthcare and education have all combined with vaccines, safer childbirth and medical advances in the care of stroke and heart attack patients to keep the relentless pace of increasing longevity going strong.

But the growth in life expectancy began to slow in 2011 in the UK and people live longer in more than two dozen other countries.

There has not been a big medical or health gamechanger in the past couple of decades. While some argue that we should celebrate the longest lifespans that humans have ever attained, others warn that illness and infirmity risk turning long lives into slow, miserable declines.

In his essay on ageing, De Senectute, Cicero says there are four reasons why people write off old age: it stops you working, it makes your body weak, it denies you pleasure and every day is one step closer to death. Then he shows why each argument is wrong. The old retain their wits quite well, he notes, so long as they exercise them.

Dan Buettner coined the term blue zones for five regions he identified as having populations who live healthier and longer lives than others (they are Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, the Nicoya peninsula in Costa Rica, Loma Linda in California and Ikaria in Greece). The diets of those living in these regions, he discovered, consist almost entirely of minimally processed plant-based foods mostly wholegrains, greens, nuts, tubers and beans. Meat is eaten, on average, five times a month. They drink mostly water, herbal teas, coffee and some wine. They drink little or no cows milk.

Other scientists have added different ideas to the mix. Sufficient sleep and a sense of purpose are important but exercise is key at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week, plus twice-weekly muscle-strengthening sessions, to reap health and longevity benefits.

Having said that, short bouts of light physical activity, such as walking and cleaning, have been shown to increase the lifespans of older people. And a study published last January found that simply moving instead of sitting for 30 minutes each day could reduce the risk of early death by 17%. Some research suggests that club sports such as tennis and soccer are best for longevity because they also encourage social interaction, another vital ingredient to longevity.

At conferences on longevity, it is immediately obvious during the morning breaks that the buffets remain largely untouched and that everyone drinks their tea and coffee inky black, disdaining even a drop of milk. Most serious seekers of longevity also practice both calorific fasting and intermittent fasting.

In a nutshell, the approach is to eat 30% fewer calories and fast for 16 hours a day, though this may not be appropriate for certain vulnerable groups. In essence, it means skipping breakfast and not making up for the missed meal during the day.

No one knows quite why intermittent fasting works. The best guess is that it has something to do with metabolic switching and cellular stress resistance causing the body to increase production of antioxidants.

Repeated studies on mice going back a century seem to prove that it works on rodents, at least. Last December, the New England Journal of Medicine reviewed all the studies in this area and concluded that a combination of fasting and calorific reduction does slow ageing, extend lifespan and counteract age-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes and neurological disorders such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons and stroke. Animal models show that intermittent fasting improves health throughout the lifespan, the paper concluded.

The problem with gauging its efficacy on humans is that, as the paper said: It remains to be determined whether people can maintain intermittent fasting for years and potentially accrue the benefits seen in animal models.

US scientists are raising funds to launch a five-year clinical trial of a product called metformin, commonly prescribed for pre-diabetics and diabetics. Longevity advocates believe it may have a side effect slowing the development of age-related diseases.

Im not telling everyone to go out and take it until our clinical trial proves it does what I believe it does, said Dr Nir Barzilai, the director of the Institute for Ageing at New Yorks Albert Einstein College of Medicine. But if our trials come back with the results I expect then, yes, I believe everyone should take this drug.

Even more niche are the the promises of Dr Aubrey de Gray, a gerontologist who founded the Sens (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence) Research Foundation with the goal of undoing ageing.

Sens is defined by a focus on repairing molecular and cellular damage rather than on merely slowing down its accumulation, he said. The logistics of indefinitely healthy ageing will, he believes, be simple and affordable: Mostly itll be injections once a decade.

The latest epigenetic clock, DNAm PhenoAge, will shortly hit the shelves. Epigenetic clocks a form of molecular augury were first developed in 2011 and claim to offer a glimpse into the future. By analysing the pattern of chemical chains that attach to the DNA in your cells, these clocks apparently reveal how swiftly you are ageing and perhaps even how much longer you will live.

The big sell with these tests is that while DNA is fixed at birth, our epigenetic patterns change according to our lifestyles. The promise of those who produce these clocks for commercial use is that they enable us to calibrate our ageing.

The tests havent been independently evaluated and do not need to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration but that has not stopped some life insurance companies using the tests to predict lifespans. Researchers have jumped on board, too, using the clocks to test anti-ageing drugs and to look for an anti-ageing diet.

Talk of immortality was outlaw science until a couple of decades ago but now it is attracting serious interest and big bucks: in 2013, Google invested $1.5bn (1.1bn) in an entire division, Calico, which is devoted to solving death. The PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel has given millions of dollars to De Greys foundation.

Instead of focusing on why, say, we get cancer or have a stroke and how to treat each distinct condition, this branch of medical research argues for all these conditions to be regarded as symptoms of one far larger and deadly disease: ageing itself. Instead of trying to treat all these different diseases that develop as people age, the argument goes, we should be trying to treat that one big disease. If we can do that, all the so-called age-related conditions that currently harm so many and cost so much will be by definition eradicated.

No one is saying it is going to be easy. This branch of research attempts to tackle ageing inside every cell of the body. In other words, change the whole genetic makeup of the human species. There are plenty of claims that we can already slow down the ageing of cells or senescence but the most radical adherents claim that the first person to live to 1,000 has already been born.

The Miracle of Fasting, Paul and Patricia Bragg

How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease, Michael Grege

The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Whove Lived the Longest, Dan Buettner

Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Dont Have To, David Sinclair

The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer, Dr Elizabeth Blackburn and Dr Elissa Epel

100 Days to a Younger Brain, Dr Sabina Brennan

Read this article:
The 100-year life: how to prolong a healthy mind - The Guardian

In this study, the researchers looked at data from 33,931 women in the Nurses Health Study (NHS) to evaluate the association between nut consumption and overall health and well-being in ageing.

According to a new epidemiologicalstudy, women in their late 50s and early 60s who consumed at least two servings of walnuts per week had a greater likelihood of healthy ageing compared to those who did not eat walnuts. After accounting for various factors that could impact health in older adults, such as education and physical activity, walnuts were reportedly the only nut associated with significantly better odds of healthy ageing.

In this study, which was supported by the California Walnut Commission, healthy ageing was defined as longevity with sound mental health and no major chronic diseases, cognitive issues or physical impairments following the age of 65.

Previous research from primary investigator Dr. Francine Grodstein, formerly of Brigham and Womens Hospital, has found that eating walnuts may have a positive impact on reducing the risk for physical impairments in older adults as well as cognitive decline. Additionally, others in the same research group have found decreases in cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes all conditions that become more common as we age.

As part of this study, between 1998-2002, over 33,931 female nurses in the NHS were asked about their diet (including total nut consumption); evaluated for chronic diseases (such as cancer, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and Parkinsons disease); and assessed for memory concerns, mental health and physical limitations (including daily activities like walking one block, climbing a flight of stairs, bathing, dressing oneself and pushing a vacuum cleaner). Of the study participants, 16 percent were found to be healthy agers, defined as having no major chronic diseases, reported memory impairment or physical disabilities as well as having intact mental health.

Althoughprevious researchhas connected a healthy diet, including walnuts, to better physical function among older men and women, this study only included women. More research is said to be needed to understand if these results hold true among men. Additionally, participants were not assigned to eat walnuts or other foods; they were simply asked about their dietary choices. It is possible that subjects misreported their dietary intake since this information was collected by questionnaires. As an observational study, this does not prove cause and effect. However, this research aims to shed light on simple habits that can influence health during later years in life such as eating walnuts.

Read more:
Walnut consumption linked to health and longevity in women, says study - New Food

AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. ("AgeX"; NYSE American: AGE), a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics for human aging and regeneration, announced a new paper co-authored by two AgeX scientists that could lead to new insights into the fundamental mechanisms of aging and why super-centenarians not only live the longest, but also experience extraordinary healthspans; an extension of the healthy years of life that compresses morbidity to a very short period near the end of life. The paper, "Induced pluripotency and spontaneous reversal of cellular aging in supercentenarian donor cells," is published online in the peer-reviewed scientific journal "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications" from Elsevier. The senior author is Dana Larocca, PhD, VP of Discovery Research at AgeX, and the first author is Jieun Lee, PhD, Scientist at AgeX.

"Clearly, we can learn a lot about aging and longevity from the longest of the long-lived, the supercentenarians, and we hope that this paper accelerates such research," commented Dr. Larocca. "Now that we have converted the cells of one of the longest-lived people in history, a deceased 114-year-old American woman, to a young pluripotent state, researchers can do so with cells from other supercentenarians. The goal is to understand specifically how these "extreme agers" manage to avoid the major chronic illnesses of aging better than any other age group including centenarians. We can essentially put their cells in a time machine and revert them to an earlier state, then study their biology to help unlock the mysteries of super-longevity. Scientists have long wondered, and now we know that we can indeed reset the developmental state and cellular age in the oldest of the old."

By way of comparison, the paper also describes undertaking a similar process with cells from two other donors: an eight-year-old with a rapid-aging syndrome commonly known as Progeria, and a 43-year-old, healthy disease-free control (HDC) subject. The paper notes that the supercentenarians cells reverted to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells at the same rate as the HDC subject and the Progeria patient. However, there may be some negative impact of extreme age on telomere resetting as this did not occur as frequently in the supercentenarian as in the other two donors.

The donated cells were from "the longevity collection," a cell bank established by the NIHs National Institute on Aging.

About AgeX Therapeutics

AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: AGE) is focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapeutics for human aging. Its PureStem and UniverCyte manufacturing and immunotolerance technologies are designed to work together to generate highly-defined, universal, allogeneic, off-the-shelf pluripotent stem cell-derived young cells of any type for application in a variety of diseases with a high unmet medical need. AgeX has two preclinical cell therapy programs: AGEX-VASC1 (vascular progenitor cells) for tissue ischemia and AGEX-BAT1 (brown fat cells) for Type II diabetes. AgeXs revolutionary longevity platform induced Tissue Regeneration (iTR) aims to unlock cellular immortality and regenerative capacity to reverse age-related changes within tissues. AGEX-iTR1547 is an iTR-based formulation in preclinical development. HyStem is AgeXs delivery technology to stably engraft PureStem cell therapies in the body. AgeX is developing its core product pipeline for use in the clinic to extend human healthspan and is seeking opportunities to establish licensing and collaboration agreements around its broad IP estate and proprietary technology platforms.

For more information, please visit http://www.agexinc.com or connect with the company on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that are not historical fact including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" should also be considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. and its subsidiaries particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in more detail in the "Risk Factors" section of AgeXs Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commissions (copies of which may be obtained at http://www.sec.gov). Subsequent events and developments may cause these forward-looking statements to change. AgeX specifically disclaims any obligation or intention to update or revise these forward-looking statements as a result of changed events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release, except as required by applicable law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200228005122/en/

Contacts

Media Contact for AgeX:

Bill Douglass Gotham Communications, LLCbill@gothamcomm.com (646) 504-0890

See the original post here:
AgeX Therapeutics Researchers Publish Paper on the Age Reprogramming of Super-Centenarian Cells - Yahoo Finance

KEY POINTS

Olive oil has been renowned for its umpteen health benefits and for adding to the Mediterranean diets excellence. A new study reported that olive oil could be associated with good health and longer lives.

The researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School studied how olive oil affected human cells in Petri dishes and found that the fats present in the oil activate certain cellular pathways associated with longevity. The study also demonstrated that olive oil reduced the risk of age-related ailments including diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.

The findings of the study suggested that olive oil fats get stored in the body and gets released during exercise. While combining olive oil consumption with fasting or exercising, the effects of the oil will be more pronounced.

We found that the way these fat works is it first has to get stored in microscopic things called lipid droplets, which is how our cells store fat. And then, when the fat is broken down during exercising or fasting, for example, is when the signaling and beneficial effects are realized," Insider quoted the studys lead researcher Dr. Doug Masheks press release.

Clinical trials might be the next steps for their research in order to discover new drugs or to further tailor dietary regimes that aid health benefits.

Mediterranean diet emerged from the countries surrounding the Mediterranean sea, where individuals historically consumed vegetables, healthy fats, nuts, and oily fish. Unlike the fad diets including Atkins or the keto, the Mediterranean diet allows people to eat a wide variety of foods in moderation. It is one of the safest diets for most people, including older adults and children.

Mediterranean diet staples including fresh fruits, whole-grain bread, salads, nuts, olive oil, beans, and salmon promote a wide range of health benefits, Insider mentioned.

This is not the first study to demonstrate the benefits of olive oil. Previous researches have reported that the oil could reduce frailty in older individuals, reduce inflammation in older people, prevents stroke risk, protect against heart diseases, prevent breast cancer risk and also prevent cognitive diseases including Alzheimers and Parkinsons as well.

olive oil for heart attack Photo: congerdesign - Pixabay

Original post:
Consuming Olive Oil After Exercising Can Aid Good Health And Longevity - International Business Times

A new study released this month suggests women who drink dairy milk, even as little as one cup per day, may be at an elevated risk of developing breast cancer.

The study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology from researchers at Loma Linda University Health found that even relatively moderate amounts of dairy milk consumption is associated with an increase of breast cancer risk of up to 80 percent, depending on the amount consumed.

Consuming as little as to cup of dairy milk per day was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer of 30 percent,Gary E. Fraser, author of the paper, said.

By drinking up to one cup per day, the associated risk went up to 50 percent, and for those drinking two to three cups per day, the risk increased further to 70 percent to 80 percent.

Researchers observed the dietary intake of 53,000 women for nearly eight years, all of whom were initially cancer free.

By the end of the study, there were 1,057 women diagnosed with breast cancer, or about 2 percent of the total women who participated in the study. No clear associations were found between soy products and breast cancer, independent of dairy.

Fraser said the associations between breast cancer and dairy milk could be the result of the sex hormone content of dairy milk, as cows are lactating and about 75 percent of the dairy herd is pregnant.

Dairy milk does have some positive nutritional qualities, Fraser said, but these need to be balanced against other possible, less helpful effects. This work suggests the urgent need for further research.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates more than 42,000 women will die from breast cancer in 2020. Its the second leading cause of cancer death in women, behind lung cancer.

The nutrition study has some limitations, as this one was observational, making it difficult to confirm cause and effect. There could be other factors associated with milk consumption that are impacting breast cancer risk.

Read this article:
Dairy milk could increase the risk of breast cancer - The Hill

KEY POINTS

Longevity may, at times, be subjected to chance, but scientific information also provides a wide-ranging guide by identifying in advance some warning signs. Markers linked to life-threatening and age-related complications like dementia, for instance, are largely being identified early on. Findings of the study that were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine have made a significant contribution to this field. According to the study, your sense of smell may provide clues in determining your lifespan.

The Sense of Smell

Researchers found that older adults suffering from a poor sense of smell may die sooner compared to those with better olfactory attributes.To examine the relationship between longevity and sense of smell, researchers gathered 2,289 adults with ages ranging from 71 to 82 years old. They were then asked to identify twelve common smells, with researchers ranking their capability to recognize the correct smell from 0 to 12.

To make sure that all participants begin on a level footing, researchers made sure none of the volunteers were frail. All of them were checked if they could climb ten steps easily and walk a quarter of a mile, as well as complete routine activities without any help.During the 13-year study, 1,211 of these participants died. sense of smell and longevity Photo: Public Domain Pictures - Pixabay

Upon checking their data, researchers found participants who have a weak sense of smell were 46% more likely to die by the tenth year of the study. Another 30% were at risk of dying by the end of the study compared to those who have a good sense of smell.

Poor Sense Of Smell

The link was hugely limited to volunteers who showed good to excellent health at the beginning of the study. This proved that a poor sense of smell might be a sensitive and an early sign of deteriorating health before it is recognized clinically.

This was the conclusion of Dr. Honglei Chen, the senior author of the study and a professor at Michigan State University in East Lansing.Highlighting the impact of having a poor sense of smell, Dr. Chen said those with olfactory problems were 62% more likely to die by the tenth year of the study. This is despite being in excellent or good health at the beginning of the study.

Researchers also found that those with a poor sense of smell are at higher risk of dying from cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, but not from respiratory conditions or cancer.Having a poor sense of smell may be an early indication of poor health in older age. As the results suggest, this goes beyond neurodegenerative ailments that often signal the start of mental or physical decline.

Visit link:
This Smell-Related Trait May Hold The Key To Living Longer - International Business Times

Just like we learned as children, when crossing an intersection, always look both ways. But more importantly, always look left first. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), "A significant proportion of intersection crashes involve left turns."

Proactively turning left to make sure another driver isn't breaking the rules of the road can help prevent a collision. According to Attia, more automotive accidents occur in intersections (20%) compared to on freeways (18%), so it's safe to assume the designs of each roadway might be a contributing factor in car crashes.

In an intersection, drivers are often turning in front of oncoming traffic, as opposed to freeways, where everyone is headed in the same direction. Attia wrote in a blog post, "A driver is most likely going to be struck near the driver's side by another vehicle, otherwise known as a broadside or T-bone crash."

In the same post, Attia demonstrates a variety of potential intersection crashes. In each one, the driver with the right of way would be killed from direct impact on the left side, and the other driver is usually running a red light or a stop sign. But those scenarios refer to intersection crashes, not T-junction crashes.

View post:
Want To Increase Your Longevity? Looking To The Left Might Help - mindbodygreen.com

A new government survey found that approximately 4 in 10 American adults are obese, with nearly 1 in 10 being severely obese.

The report was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and released Thursday.The data was collected during 2017-2018, recording the height and weight of participants to get an average American Body Mass Index (BMI). Approximately 5,000 U.S. adults were surveyed.

The BMI measurement calculates an individuals height to weight ratio to gauge the level of body fat. A BMI of 30 or higher falls within the obese range, and a BMI above 40 is considered severely obese, according to CDC definitions.

Results indicated that 42 percent of participants were obese, just slightly higher than the40 percent recorded in a 2015-2016 study.

Participants who were found to be severely overweight rose to more than9 percent, after recording 8 percent in the previoussurvey.

Obesity appeared more prevalent across certain racial groups, with black American adults reportinga 49.6 percent obesity rate, andHispanic and non-Hispanic adults following with ratesabove 40 percent. Asian participants reported the lowest adult obesity rate with 17.4 percent,the CDC found.

Obesity rates have steadily risen since 1999, according to historical data from the CDC, with a slight dip in 2011-2012. The recent report stated that the newest data may not be statistically significant, as the small increases do not deviate far from previous results.

Similar data shows the prevalence of obesity rising on average as well since 1999, with its occurrence in U.S. adults who are 20 or older rising significantly from 30 percent to 38 percent over a 15 year period.

See the original post here:
More than 4 in 10 Americans obese, study finds - The Hill

Research continues to drill down into the properties of different food items to evaluate their impact on peoples health over a specified period of time. Naturally, the foods that come out on top are the ones that protect you against a host of deadly conditions, such as heart disease and cancer. While evidence clearly shows that no single item will be a panacea, specific ingredients have been shown to provide myriad health benefits nonetheless, making them an essential component of any diet.

One such ingredient is paprika, a ground spice made from a mixture of dried peppers in the Capsicum anuum family, including hot chili peppers, cayenne peppers, poblano peppers, aleppo peppers, sweet peppers, and others.

Here are three reasons to include paprika in your diet

Evidence suggests paprika may benefit your cholesterol levels, a key protective measure against heart disease.

Cholesterol comes in two forms: LDL and HDL cholesterol, and the former is often branded the bad cholesterol because carrying too much of it clogs up your arteries, a mechanism that hikes your risk of having a heart attack.

HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, cancels out this harmful process by picking up the LDL cholesterol and transporting it to the liver where it is removed from the body.

READ MORE:How to live longer: How education or a lack of it could impact life expectancy

Studies investigating the carotenoid compounds found in paprika, such as beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, have revealed they play a role in fighting oxidative stress, which is thought to increase your risk of certain cancers.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals - unstable molecules which can lead to cell and tissue damage - and antioxidants, which are thought to protect against these unstable molecules.

Notably, in a study in nearly 2,000 women, those with the highest blood levels of beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and total carotenoids were 2535 percent less likely to develop breast cancer.

Whats more, capsaicin in paprika may inhibit cancer cell growth and survival by influencing the expression of several genes, says research.

Capsaicin, the active comment of paprika that gives it its spice, may help to manage diabetes, a chronic condition that is a precursor to heart disease.

How? Research suggests capsaicin may influence genes involved in blood sugar control and inhibit enzymes that break down sugar in your body. It may also improve insulin sensitivity, another key component of blood sugar control.

Improving blood sugar control is critical because unregulated blood sugar levels can lead to more serious complications, such as heart disease.

Bolstering the claims, in a four-week study in 42 pregnant women with diabetes, taking a daily 5-mg capsaicin supplement significantly decreased post-meal blood sugar levels, compared with a placebo.

Read the original post:
How to live longer: Three reasons why paprika spice may increase your life expectancy - Express

by Ben Remocker 26 Feb 03:09 PST

The 49er class invites expressions of interest to design and build 49er and/or 49erFX sails for the 2021-2024 quadrennial.

The 49er class welcomes world leading sail designers and manufacturers to bid on becoming our class sailmaker(s). The selected sailmaker(s) will have the opportunity to build sails for at least the four year period leading to the Paris Olympics, with the possibility to extend for further quadrennials.

The current 49er sails have been used since 2009 while the 49erFX sails have been used since 2012. The 49er class has had 3 different designs of sails over the years, while the 49erFX is coming off the original set of sails.

The class is seeking to improve consistency and longevity of the sails, to keep the costs of campaigning as manageable as possible.

Each of the two rigs, 49er and 49erFX, has been updated for 2021 already, with CST being the new mast maker for the classes. The new masts are of the same geometry and bend characteristics as the previous generation of masts. The existing class masts are expected to remain class legal for the foreseeable future.

We invite all interested parties to get the full technical requirements via email. Expressions of interest are due by March 28th, 2020.

Follow this link:
Call for bids - 49er and 49erFX Sails The class is seeking to improve consistency and longevity - Sail World

Nature has its way of keeping things in balance. When it comes to body weight, the key regulator is leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells. When fat storage increases, leptin informs the brain to lower appetiteand vice versa. Thats how the body balances its fat stores and food intake, keeping them within a fine range.

In some people, however, the system miscalculates. For the past 25 years, since leptin was first discovered by Rockefellers Jeffrey M. Friedman, scientists have wanted to understand exactly how changes in the hormones function may lead to obesity, an ever-worsening public health problem that now affects more than 650 million adults worldwide. Some have suggested that the disease is caused by problems in leptins faithful reporting of fat levels to the brain; others have argued that it is in fact due to the brains failure to respond to the hormone.

It turns out this internal calibrator can go kaput in different ways in different people.

In a study published in Nature Medicine earlier this year, Friedman, the Marilyn M. Simpson Professor, and his collaborators suggest that at least 10 percent of obese people may be genetically incapable of producing sufficient leptin at all. No matter how much fat is stored in the body, their leptin levels remain low.

These people have less leptin from an early age, making them a little bit hungrier than everyone else, says Olof Dallner, a research associate and the lead author of the study.

A typical leptin-deficient mouse weighs 1.94 times more than the average lab mouse.

The researchers traced the problem to a type of RNA that seems to regulate how much leptin is produced. When the team engineered mice without this specific RNA, and fed them a high-fat diet, the mice kept accumulating fat to the point of becoming obese, but their leptin levels nevertheless remained low. Another group of unaltered mice munching on the same unhealthy diet became a little chubby, toobut this group produced normal amounts of leptin, which appears to have kept them from becoming outright obese.

Theres compelling evidence that these findings might pertain to humans, too. When the team looked at the genetic profiles of more than 46,000 people, they found that alterations in the human version of the same RNA are linked with lower leptin levels. Some people, this work suggests, may have a subtype of obesity thats potentially treatable with leptin therapy. That was indeed the case with the low-leptin mice: When the animals received injections of leptin, they lost weight.

All of this is good news for people with leptin-curbing mutations. But most obese people gain weight not because of too little leptin but because their brain has stopped responding to it. For this group, there may be other avenues for therapyfor example, targeting the brain networks that control not just how much we eat, but also how much energy we burn.

In a recent study published in Cell, Friedmans team identified a group of neurons in the brain stem that do just that. In mice, turning the neurons off triggers the burning of fat to produce body heat, and also decreases hunger. It suggests that these multitalented cells could be powerful levers for managing body weightespecially if they could be targeted with drugs.

See the original post here:
When zombies take over the brain - The Rockefeller University Newswire

WACO, Texas (KWTX) Baylor Scott & White Health today opened a new Sports and Orthopedic Center Thursday on the campus of Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center in Waco.

The 106,000-square-foot, four-story Ted and Sue Getterman Baylor Scott & White Sports and Orthopedic center provides a full spectrum of sports medicine including rehab, surgery and recovery all under one roof.

The center was a dream of Dr. Jon Ellis and Dr. David Haynes who started as Southwest Sports medicine in 2005.

"It's a wonderful day right? All the contributions of so many people that have gone into making this a reality. This was a 15 year vision that we now stand in front of. It's an amazing feeling, very grateful," Haynes said.

Hundreds of employees of Baylor Scott & White and top business people and community leaders were on hand for the grand opening.

The center provides primary care and preventative medicine, 48 exam rooms, advanced diagnostic imaging, orthopedic surgery center and indoor and outdoor sports performance areas.

See the original post here:
Waco: Sports and Orthopedic Center opens - KWTX

ALTON - OSF HealthCare Saint Anthonys Health Center said today there have not been any coronavirus (COVID-19) cases investigated at their location in the Riverbend.

We are aware of a reporting about a suspected COVID-19 case in Belleville, Colleen Reynolds, media relations coordinator for OSF HealthCare based out of Peoria said. I can say to date, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthonys Health Center and related OSF medical clinics have not requested testing and have not put anyone under investigation in the Riverbend as a result of being seen by us.

Below is a story released that the flu is a much bigger threat in Illinois than COVID-19.

Flu Remains Larger Threat than COVID-19

NOTE: CDC reports flu-related deaths in the U.S. has reached 16,000 with six pediatric deaths in Illinois and two in Michigan. This story was updated 2/26/2020 to reflect updated number of pediatric deaths nationally, including in Illinois and Michigan.

Despite heightened alerts about the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, local health leaders stress the seasonal flu remains far more concerning. The two Illinoisans diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered and returned to work. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says flu activity remains high in the US and expected to continue for weeks. The agency emphasizes pediatric deaths, at 105, are the second highest since they were included in weekly reporting in 2004.

In Illinois and throughout the country, health facilities are mostly treating the unusual Influenza B-Victoria strain of flu virus. The last time this occurred was the the1992-1993 season. Terri McCrery, infection preventionist for OSF HealthCare says the numbers affected by the new coronavirus cant compare to the seasonal flu.

Youre talking a handful nationally here with the coronavirus and youre talking millions with the flu so we need to be watchful of the flu, she warned.

McCrery says this latest flu strain is affecting children most significantly. The overall cumulative hospitalization rate 47.4 per 100,000 population is similar to that seen in recent influenza seasons; however, "rates in children and young adults are higher than at this time in recent seasons," the CDC reports.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there have been increased hospitalizations but fewer deaths from the flu so far this season. Illinois is among the states where the risk remains widespread and high.

Even if you dont often get sick, McCrery says it only takes one exposure to influenza which is a long-lasting airborne virus. She says the flu can have a devastating impact, even on those considered young and with a healthy immune system.

A 16-year-old junior at Glenwood High School in the Ball-Chatham, Illinois school district died from complications of the flu. Joey Sandhaas, came down with pneumonia and fought for his life for more than a week.

Its not too late to get the flu shot. Dont think youre going to be one of the ones that it skips by and not get the flu because you could get it and it could be deadly, she advised.

OSF HealthCare has imposed visitor restrictions at its hospitals because of the elevated risk. The restrictions encourage people to voluntarily limit hospital visits, especially if feeling ill. Visitors 18 and over must wash or sanitize their hands and wear masks available at hospital and medical office entrances.

McCrery also encourages those who have flu-like symptoms to be seen early, especially if they have underlying health issues.

She urges everyone, Dont go out in public if you have the signs and symptoms the fever, the cough, runny nose. Stay home but then if youre home for a day or two, go be seen. Dont let it wait. The flu can turn into pneumonia, bronchitis and that would be required to be seen by the doctor so please be cautious.

Be seen early if you suspect the flu

Anti-viral drugs can be used to treat flu illness. The CDC recommends prompt treatment for people who have flu infection or suspected flu infection and who are at high risk of serious flu complications, such as people with asthma, diabetes (including gestational diabetes), or heart disease.

If you suspect you have the flu, please call ahead to your health care provider including OSF Urgo or OSF PromptCare so staff can take proper precautions to assess you. OSF OnCall is also an online option where you can be connected virtually to be assessed.

Here are tips to know when to seek emergency care for flu-like symptoms.

Most people with the flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care.

If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are in a high risk group, or are very sick or worried about your illness, contact your health care provider (doctor, physician assistant, etc.).

Certain people are at high risk of serious flu-related complications (including young children, people 65 and older, pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions). This is true both for seasonal flu and novel flu virus infections. (For a full list of people at high risk of flu-related complications, see People at High Risk of Developing FluRelated Complications). If you are in a high risk group and develop flu symptoms, its best for you to contact your doctor early in your illness. Remind them about your high risk status for flu. CDC recommends that people at high risk for complications should get antiviral treatment as early as possible, because benefit is greatest if treatment is started within 2 days after illness onset.

No. The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill.

If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness, you should go to the emergency room. If you get sick with flu symptoms and are at high risk of flu complications or you are concerned about your illness, call your health care provider for advice. If you go to the emergency room and you are not sick with the flu, you may catch it from people who do have it.

What are the emergency warning signs of flu?

People experiencing these warning signs should obtain medical care right away.

These lists are not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptom that is severe or concerning.

Yes. There are drugs your doctor may prescribe for treating the flu called antivirals. These drugs can make you better faster and may also prevent serious complications. See Treatment Antiviral Drugs for more information.

CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Your fever should be gone without the need to use a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol. Until then, you should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

CDC also recommends that children and teenagers (anyone aged 18 years and younger) who have flu or are suspected to have flu should not be given Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) or any salicylate containing products (e.g. Pepto Bismol); this can cause a rare, very serious complication called Reyes syndrome. More information about Reyes syndrome can be found hereexternal icon.

Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. If you must leave home, for example to get medical care, wear a facemask if you have one, or cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Wash your hands often to keep from spreading flu to others.

Here are some frequently asked questions about flu vaccines.

Even healthy people need a flu vaccine. Influenza (flu) is a contagious disease which can lead to serious illness, including pneumonia. Even healthy people can get sick enough to miss work or school for a significant amount of time or even be hospitalized. An annual flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. Pregnant women, young children, older people, and people with certain chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease are at increased risk of serious flu-related complications, so getting a yearly flu vaccine is especially important for them. Is the flu vaccine safe? Yes. The flu vaccine is safe. Hundreds of millions of Americans have safely received flu vaccines over the past 50 years, and there has been extensive research supporting the safety of seasonal flu vaccines.

Each year, CDC works closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other partners to ensure the highest safety standards for flu vaccines. The most common side effects of flu vaccines are mild. The flu vaccine cannot cause flu illness; however, it can cause mild side effects that may be mistaken for flu. Common side effects from the flu shot include soreness, redness, and/or swelling from the shot, headache, fever, muscle aches, and nausea.

These side effects are NOT the flu. If experienced at all, these effects are usually mild and last only 1-2 days. Even if I get sick, wont I recover quickly? Not necessarily. Influenza can be serious and anyone can become sick with flu and experience serious complications, including active and healthy kids, teens and adults. Even if you bounce back quickly, however, others around you might not be so lucky. You could spread your illness to someone who is more vulnerable to flu. Some people can be infected with the flu virus, but have no symptoms.

During this time, you can still spread the virus to others. Dont be the one spreading flu to those you care about. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Office of Health Communication Science Last Updated November 17, 2016 Page 2 of 2 Cant I wait and get vaccinated when/if flu hits my community? It is best to get vaccinated before flu begins to spread. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu, so the sooner you get vaccinated, the more likely it is that you will be protected once flu begins to circulate in your community. Flu vaccines cant give you the flu. Even if you got a flu vaccine, there are reasons why you might still get flu or a flu-like illness.

You may have been exposed to a non-flu virus. The flu vaccine can only prevent illnesses caused by flu viruses. It cannot protect against other viruses that may cause symptoms similar to flu, like the common cold.

You might have been exposed to flu after you got vaccinated, but before the vaccine took effect. It takes about two weeks after you receive the vaccine for your body to build protection against the flu.

You may have been exposed to an influenza virus that was very different from the viruses included in that years vaccine. The flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will cause the most disease during the upcoming season, but there can be other flu viruses circulating.

Unfortunately, however, some people who get a flu vaccine may still get sick. How well the flu vaccine works (or its ability to prevent flu) can range from season to season and also can vary depending on who is being vaccinated. However, if you do get sick, flu vaccination might make your illness milder than it would have been otherwise dont avoid getting a flu vaccine because you dont like shots.

The minor pain of a flu shot is nothing compared to the suffering that can be caused by the flu. A flu vaccine reduces your risk of illness, hospitalization, and can prevent you from spreading the virus to your loved ones. So, whatever little discomfort you feel from the minor side effects of the flu shot is worthwhile to avoid the flu. You need to get a flu vaccine every year.

There are two reasons for getting a flu vaccine every year: a) Flu viruses are constantly changing and so flu vaccines may be updated from one season to the next. You need the current seasons vaccine for the best protection. b) A persons immune protection from the vaccine declines over time. Annual vaccination is needed for the best protection.

Subscribe to our Podcast and listen to today's headlines.

If you have a news, human interest or sports idea, e-mail Danbrannan@riverbender.com or call or text 618-623-5930. Follow Dan Brannan on Facebookandon Twitter.

Print Version Submit a News Tip

Link:
OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony's: No Reported Cases of Coronavirus Investigated Here, Flu Stats, Preventative Steps Given - RiverBender.com

Whats one thing about cardiology youre most passionate about?

Cardiovascular disease is the number-one cause of death for both men and women. I feel like its not talked about enough that its the number-one cause of death in women, specifically. Theres a big movement for breast cancer, etc., but more women actually die of heart disease or stroke.

What is something you wish your patients would speak up about more?

Often people who have chest discomfort say, Oh I just assumed it was this. I think its human nature to assume its something less serious than your heart. But its better to make sure its NOT your heart, and to not assume its heartburnwhich presents differently in everyone, particularly in women. Women who get chest pain may have atypical symptoms: it could be shoulder pain, jaw pain or shortness of breath or nausea. If theyre getting any of those symptoms with exertion, and only with exertion, its much more concerning for heart disease.

Tell us about the testing available to help prevent heart disease?

I am more into non-invasive testing, so I love being able to get answers for patients non-invasively if possible. I think for women in general, theres more research going into the risk factors that lead to heart disease. If we can help make them aware that their risk is higher, and start more preventative measures earlier in life (between their childbearing years and when cardiovascular disease usually presents), theres good potential to help.

Link:
Munson Shares Heart Disease Symptoms for Women to Watch - MyNorth.com