Lower cholesterol with black pepper: Know how to include this super spice for better heart health

The active compound called piperine has shown promising results in reducing levels of LDL or bad cholesterol and has antioxidant properties, says Niharika Arora, Clinical Dietitian, Accord Superspeciality Hospital, Faridabad

Black pepper, often considered as a humble kitchen staple, has been gaining attention in recent years for its remarkable health benefits. Not only does it add a fiery kick to our favourite dishes, it also possesses cholesterol-fighting properties that can significantly contribute to our well-being. Here, we will explore the incredible potential of black pepper in lowering cholesterol levels and discuss the right way to incorporate it into our daily diet.

 

THE CHOLESTEROL CHALLENGE

Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream poses a serious risk to our cardiovascular health. High cholesterol levels are often associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and other life-threatening conditions. It is essential to find natural remedies and dietary solutions to combat these risks effectively.

Recent research has highlighted the potential of black pepper in lowering cholesterol. This versatile spice contains an active compound called piperine, which has been found to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Piperine has shown promising results in reducing levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), commonly known as “bad” cholesterol. This it does by internalising the cholesterol transporter proteins. It simultaneously increases HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol).

 

Black pepper is undeniably a spice worth incorporating into our daily lives (Designed by Abhishek Mitra)As an antioxidant, piperine primarily scavenges cell-damaging free radicals and alleviates oxidative stress (caused due to excessive free radical build-up). Such antioxidant activity is especially beneficial for overall good health, as continuous exposure to oxidative stress can severely weaken immunity, increasing the risk of common cancers and many other chronic diseases.

Additionally, black pepper amplifies the absorption of nutrients in our body, making it an excellent complement to a healthy lifestyle. It enhances digestion, increases metabolism and aids in better nutrient assimilation, thereby supporting overall cardiovascular health.

 

Black pepper also has capsaicin, which temporarily reduces the amount of fat your body processes from foods you eat. The outer layer of the peppercorn stimulates the breakdown of fat cells, yielding energy and preventing it from piling up.

 

HOW TO INCORPORATE PEPPER IN YOUR DIET

To ensure optimum benefits and enhanced flavour, it is essential to use black pepper correctly. Here are a few tips on how to incorporate it into your daily diet:

Freshly Ground: Always use freshly ground black pepper for maximum potency. Grinding the whole peppercorns just before use helps retain its powerful flavour and active compounds.

Pair with Healthy Fats: Piperine, the active compound in black pepper, is fat-soluble. To optimise its absorption, consider pairing it with a healthy fat source. Add a pinch of black pepper to avocados, olive oil or nuts for a delicious and nutritious combination.

Spice Up Your Meals: Experiment by adding black pepper to various dishes. From soups and stews to vegetable stir-fries and marinades, this spice can elevate the flavour while helping to control cholesterol levels.

Turmeric-Black Pepper Combination: Combining black pepper with turmeric, another powerful spice, creates a synergistic effect. The presence of piperine enhances the absorption of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric. This combination not only boosts cholesterol control but also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. One can also have it raw on an empty stomach in the morning.

WHAT DO STUDIES SAY?

According to a 2019 study, dietary supplementation with black pepper raised HDL and Vitamin C levels in pigs. A 2021 study showed that black pepper regulated lipid metabolism, inflammation and oxidation status in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Piperine was found to target many processes associated with atherosclerosis. “Besides, piperine may ameliorate myocardial ischemia, cardiac injury and cardiac fibrosis, exhibit antihypertensive and antithrombosis effect, as well as prevent arterial stenosis by inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. The summarised information could provide the basis to develop black pepper or piperine as a food additive to prevent or treat CVDs,” the study said.

From its cholesterol-fighting properties to its role in enhancing nutrient absorption, black pepper is undeniably a spice worth incorporating into our daily lives. By making small changes to our diet and using black pepper correctly, we can take proactive steps towards maintaining a healthy heart and overall well-being.

https://indianexpress.com/article/health-wellness/lower-cholesterol-spice-black-pepper-heart-health-8901658/

Simple blood test may predict future heart, kidney risk for diabetics

A simple blood test may predict the risk of progressive heart and kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

An analysis of a clinical trial of more than 2,500 people with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease has found that high levels of four biomarkers in blood tests are strongly predictive for the development of heart and kidney issues, according to the study published in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

“High levels of certain biomarkers are indicators of heart and kidney complications and may help predict future risk of disease progression,” said lead author James Januzzi from Harvard Medical School, also a cardiologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

People who took canagliflozin, a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2 inhibitor), had lower levels of the four biomarkers compared to those who took a placebo over the three-year study period.

Canagliflozin is a third-line medication to be tried after metformin, a first-line medication for type 2 diabetes.

Treatment with canagliflozin helped to substantially reduce the risk of hospitalisation for heart failure and other heart complications among patients considered to have the highest risk.

The researchers analysed biomarker data from the blood samples of 2,627 people to assess the effects of canagliflozin on concentrations of the four biomarkers. Patients were separated into low, medium and high risk categories.

People at highest risk showed dramatically higher rates of progressive kidney failure and cardiovascular complications throughout the three-year study period.

The analysis found high concentrations of each biomarker at the beginning of the study were strongly predictive of the severity of the participant's heart and kidney issues.

The concentrations of each of the four biomarkers in people taking canagliflozin were lower after one year and three years compared to those taking the placebo.

After one year, the levels of all biomarkers in participants who took canagliflozin rose 3 per cent to 10 per cent, compared to an increase of 6 per cent to 29 per cent in those who took the placebo.

“It was reassuring to discover that canagliflozin helped reduce risks the most in people with the highest chances for complications. Future studies are needed to better understand how type 2 diabetes in conjunction with kidney disease develops and progresses so that we may initiate life-saving therapies earlier, before symptoms of heart and kidney disease have occurred.” Januzzi said.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/simple-blood-test-may-predict-future-heart-kidney-risk-for-diabetics-537264

Covid vaccines effective against severe cases in children, finds study

Although Covid vaccinations in children were effective at the time they were tested, benefits were lower in current context of high infection-derived immunity, say researchers.

Vaccines are effective against severe cases of COVID-19 in children and adolescents, according to a review of studies.

However, the study published in the journal BMJ Paediatrics Open shows that with most children already infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and building up a natural immunity, the additional benefit of vaccination in healthy children is minimal.

The team, led by researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia, explored the challenges and considerations of COVID-19 vaccination, especially in low- and middle-income countries with high levels of community transmission and infection-derived immunity.

The review found that any roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines in low- and middle-income countries should also complement routine childhood vaccine programmes that have a greater impact on illness and death, including for measles, pneumonia and diarrhoeal disease.

The study shows that despite most children having been infected and severe infection could occur, deaths were extremely rare in children.

Globally, 16,100 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in those up to 19 years old, according to the researchers.

They highlight that although COVID-19 vaccinations in children were effective at the time they were tested, the benefits were lower in the current context of high infection-derived immunity.

The study found that the extra gain was also much lower compared to other life-saving vaccines in low- and middle-income countries, where childhood deaths from other vaccine preventable diseases were considerably higher.

The review noted many countries have still not introduced proven lifesaving vaccines, including pneumococcal, rotavirus and human papillomavirus, into their immunisation schedules.

The resources required for COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in these countries posed a considerable challenge, it stated.

John Hart from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute said although there was not strong evidence to support routine vaccination of all healthy children, it was a different for high-risk children, especially those with disabilities and certain underlying conditions.

“Given the very high prevalence of risk factors for severe COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries, vaccination against COVID-19 is an important consideration in all age groups, including children,” he said.

However, decisions should be made considering the direct benefits to the individual child, not broader benefits to the household or community related to transmission, particularly as the effectiveness of the vaccines against infection is temporary, the researchers said.

Professor Fiona Russell from Murdoch Children’s said there was also a lack of public health data in low- and middle-income countries, which underscored the importance of ensuring equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for future epidemics before exposure to infection.

“In low- and middle-income countries, most people were infected by the time vaccines became available, highlighting the profound inequity in global vaccine distribution,” she added.

Research reveals anxious people use less suitable section of brain to control emotions

Experts studied brain scans to see what happens in anxious and non-anxious people in a simulated social situation.

Anxious people use a less suitable section of the forebrain when choosing their behaviour in socially difficult situations than non-anxious persons. This can be detected in brain scans, according to research conducted by Bob Bramson and Sjoerd Meijer at Radboud University's Donders Institute.

For example, an anxious and a non-anxious person both run into someone whom they've been in love with for quite some time. Both of them find this tense and both would like to ask the person out on a date. But do you walk up to that person? Or do you pretend not to see them to avoid embarrassment? Whereas the non-anxious person can put aside this emotion and choose behaviour that allows them to approach the potential lover, this is much more difficult for an anxious person. Bramson: "Anxious people use a less suitable section of the forebrain for this control. It's more difficult for them to choose alternative behaviour, so they avoid social situations more often." Decisions like this demand a balancing act between a possible threat and a reward, a decision that non-anxious people make in the prefrontal cortex. Researchers at Radboud University have now shown that socially anxious people use a different section in the forebrain for decisions like this.

Brain scans

Bramson and Meijer studied brain scans to see what happens in anxious and non-anxious people in a simulated social situation. "Our trial subjects were shown happy and angry faces and had to first move a joystick towards the happy face and away from the angry face. At a certain point they had to do the reverse: move towards an angry face and away from a happy face. This demands control over our automatic tendency to avoid negative situations." Anxious people proved to perform just as well as non-anxious people in this simple task, but the scans showed that a completely different section of the brain was active. "In non-anxious people we often see that, during emotional control, a signal is sent from the foremost section of the prefrontal cortex to the motor cortex, the section of the brain that directs your body to act. In anxious people a less efficient section of that foremost section is used." Other scans showed that the reason for this is probably because the 'correct' section becomes overstimulated in anxious people. "This could explain why anxious people find it difficult to choose alternative behaviour and thus avoid social situations. The disadvantage of this is that they never learn that social situations aren't as negative as they think."

Treating anxiety

For the first time, brain scans have now shown that the forebrain of anxious people works differently from that of non-anxious people with regard to control of emotional behaviour. The researchers think that the results could be used to develop new treatments for people with anxiety.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/research-reveals-anxious-people-use-less-suitable-section-of-brain-to-control-emotions-536971

Scientists identify four new breast cancer risk genes

Identification of these new genes will contribute to the understanding of the genetic risk of breast cancer and help improve risk prediction.

Scientists have found at least four new genes associated with breast cancer that may help identify women at increased risk of the disease.

The finding, published recently in the journal Nature Genetics, also provides crucial information on the biological mechanisms underlying cancer development, potentially opening the way to identifying new treatments.

The international team, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK and Universite Laval, Canada, noted that current genetic tests for breast cancer only consider a few genes, such as BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2.

However, these only explain a minority of the genetic risk, suggesting that more genes remain to be identified, they said.

The latest study looked at genetic changes in all genes in 26,000 women with breast cancer and 217,000 (2.17 lakh) women without breast cancer, from eight countries in Europe and Asia.

"To our knowledge, this is the largest study of its kind," said Professor Douglas Easton, from the University of Cambridge, who co-led the study.

"It was made possible through the use of data from multiple collaborators in many countries, as well as publicly available data from the UK Biobank," Easton said in a statement.

The researchers found evidence for at least four new breast cancer risk genes, with suggestive evidence for many others.

Identification of these new genes will contribute to the understanding of the genetic risk of breast cancer and help improve risk prediction by better identifying those women at higher risk of the disease, they said.

The findings will better inform approaches to breast screening, risk reduction and clinical management, according to the researchers.

The aim is to integrate this information into a comprehensive risk prediction tool currently used worldwide by health professionals, they said.

"Improving genetic counselling for high-risk women will promote shared decision-making regarding risk reduction strategies, screening and determination of treatment options," said Professor Jacques Simard of Universita Laval, co-lead of the study.

"Although most of the variants identified in these new genes are rare, the risks can be significant for women who carry them. For example, alterations in one of the new genes, MAP3K1, appear to give rise to a particularly high risk of breast cancer,” Simard said.

Before this information can be used in a clinical setting, scientists need to validate the results in further datasets.

"We need additional data to determine more precisely the risks of cancer associated with variants in these genes, to study the characteristics of the tumours, and to understand how these genetic effects combine with other lifestyle factors affecting breast cancer risks," Easton added.  

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/scientists-identify-four-new-breast-cancer-risk-genes-536930

Group of activists raise ethical, safety concerns about ICMR document on Controlled Human Infection Studies

The group, including an advocate, researcher, journalist and others, have submitted a 15-page document calling for more transparency, clear definitions of ‘deliberate infection’ and ‘deliberate harm’ and specific assurances on compensation for adverse events

Before embarking upon controlled human infection studies, the government must ensure that there is a public discussion with regard to this, and must also ensure that people are protected against unfortunate results, a group of activists has said.   

The group that includes an advocate, an independent journalist, an independent researcher and other activists, submitted its comments on the Controlled Human Infection Studies (CHIS) consensus policy statement that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has released recently.  

In a 15-page statement, group has also said that the the proposed guidelines or statements must offer opportunities to all people to air their views on this subject. It has called for providing of the names of the individuals who drafted the CHIS document, a list of those consulted, and a list of the reviewers.  The ICMR statement on CHIS is vague, and “allows loopholes, and leeway for legal and ethical violations,” the document said.

The group has sought to know how CHIS can take place when laws such as the Madras Public Health (Amendment) Act 1958, state that any act performed with a deliberate intention to cause an infection, is illegal. A CHIS may be in direct contravention of Acts such as this one, the group has pointed out. 

The group has also given suggestions, and expressed reservations about various issues regarding clinical trials with healthy individuals and the introduction of disease-causing pathogens in them.  

It has also called for gender inclusive language and definitions of terms used. It calls for information on the capacity, effectiveness and efficiency of current regulatory mechanisms for clinical trials. It has also called for the publication of all results of CHIS – including of failed CHIS, and negative results. These publications must include a clear estimation of adverse events and harms, it said.  

The group has demanded a specific assurance of compensations in case a person is adversely injured during the trial. All those involved in the research should be accountable for adverse events, the group has said.   

The drug control regulators’ ethical obligations must be specified, and a separate section with “complete details of safety requirements” should be created. 

The ICMR statement should describe a “knowledge threshold” so that healthy participants in the drug trial are not exposed to something about which the researchers do not have adequate knowledge, the group’s statement said.  

The terms “Deliberate infection” and “Deliberate harm” must be defined and the conceptual difference between the two explained. The “Deliberate harm” in Phase I clinical trials may be different from that in CHIS. The notion of a “permissible” level of harm, how the limit would be set, and by whom must be stated. The possibility of long-term harm in CHIS -- the need for monitoring for this, and how this would be factored in for compensation – must be stated, the group has said. 

It is necessary to engage with the public to prepare and train the community on safety measures in case of a spread of infection with challenging strains of pathogens, as the statement has mentioned a risk of challenging strains.  

The group has also called for detailed explanation of the quantum of compensation, including who will provide the compensation, for those adversely affected during the trial.

 

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/group-of-activists-raise-ethical-safety-concerns-about-icmr-document-on-controlled-human-infection-studies/article67217002.ece

COVID-19 still a global health threat, new variant under scanner: WHO chief

WHO has recently classified a new variant with a large number of mutations

Director-General of WHO Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus on Friday said though COVID-19 is no longer a health emergency for the world, it is still a ‘global health threat' and a new variant of coronavirus is already under the scanner.

The chief of the World Health Organisation (WHO) was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the G20 Health Ministers' Meeting at Mahatma Mandir Convention centre in Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar.

“Although COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, it remains a global health threat. WHO has recently classified a new variant with a large number of mutations. The BA.2.86 variant is under monitoring at present, highlighting once again the need for all countries to maintain surveillance,” he said.

On the occasion, he urged all the countries to speed up the process of finalising the ‘Pandemic Accord' so that it can be adopted in the World Health Assembly scheduled to be held next year.

“COVID-19 has taught us all an important lesson that when health is at risk everything is at risk. The world is learning the painful lessons of the pandemic,” said Dr Ghebreyesus in his address to the G20 member countries.

Beginning with the presidency of Saudi Arabia, he said, discussions led to the establishment of a joint “Finance Health Task Force” under the interim presidency supported by Indonesia and now India under their respective presidencies.

The WHO head said negotiations on the Pandemic Accord and amendments to the international health regulations are making good progress. He said both are essential for creating the legal and operational framework for inclusive, coherent and equitable global health security architecture.

“I seek your commitment for negotiating a comprehensive Pandemic Accord that encompasses all the essence of pandemic so that we never repeat the same mistakes again. Time is the essence here. The accord is scheduled to be considered by the World Health Assembly next year,” he said.

On the occasion, the WHO chief praised India for introducing telemedicine at primary healthcare level. He also congratulated India for “its commitment to universal health coverage at home especially through Ayushman Bharat, the world's largest health insurance scheme”.

“I thank India and all the G20 countries for their leadership in developing the global initiative on digital health, which will be launched formally tomorrow. This important initiative will support the WHO global strategy on digital health and amplify other initiatives including the WHO global digital health certification network,” he said.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/covid-19-still-a-global-health-threat-new-variant-under-scanner-who-chief-536005

Pig kidney continues to function in human body after 32 days, scientists rejoice

In a ray of hope for thousands of kidney transplant patients, surgeons at New York University Langone Transplant Institute have transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney that continues to function well after 32 days in a man declared dead by neurologic criteria and maintained with a beating heart on ventilator support.

This represents the longest period that a gene-edited pig kidney has functioned in a human, and the latest step toward the advent of an alternate, sustainable supply of organs for transplant.

The procedure, performed on July 14, and led by Robert Montgomery, chair of the Department of Surgery, and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, was the fifth xenotransplant performed at NYU Langone.

Observation is ongoing, and the study will continue through mid-September 2023, the university said in a statement.

"This work demonstrates a pig kidney - with only one genetic modification and without experimental medications or devices - can replace the function of a human kidney for at least 32 days without being rejected," said Dr Montgomery.

He had previously performed the world's first genetically modified pig kidney transplant into a human decedent on September 25, 2021, followed by a second similar procedure on November 22, 2021.

Surgeons with the Transplant Institute performed two genetically engineered pig heart transplants in summer 2022.

The first hurdle to overcome in xenotransplants is preventing so-called hyperacute rejection, which typically occurs just minutes after an animal organ is connected to the human circulatory system.

By "knocking out" the gene that encodes the biomolecule known as alpha-gal -- which has been identified as responsible for a rapid antibody-mediated rejection of pig organs by humans -- immediate rejection has been avoided in all five xenotransplants at NYU Langone.

To ensure the body's kidney function was sustained solely by the pig kidney, both of the transplant recipient's native kidneys were surgically removed.

One pig kidney was then transplanted and started producing urine immediately without any signs of hyperacute rejection, said the university.

During the observation phase, intensive care clinical staff maintained the decedent on support while the pig kidney's performance was monitored and sampled with weekly biopsies.

Levels of creatinine, a bodily waste product found in the blood and an indicator of kidney function, were in the optimal range during the length of the study, and there was no evidence on biopsy of rejection.

While previous genetically engineered pig organ transplants have incorporated up to 10 genetic modifications, this latest study shows that a single-gene knockout pig kidney can still perform optimally for at least 32 days without rejection.

“We've now gathered more evidence to show that, at least in kidneys, just eliminating the gene that triggers a hyperacute rejection may be enough along with clinically approved immunosuppressive drugs to successfully manage the transplant in a human for optimal performance -- potentially in the long-term,” said Dr Montgomery.

Monitoring of the pig kidney recipient will continue for another month with permission from the family, ethics committee approval, and continued support from United Therapeutics.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/pig-kidney-continues-to-function-in-human-body-after-32-days-scientists-rejoice-535695

Living alone puts people with cognitive decline at high risk: Study

Living alone puts people with cognitive decline -- a group whose numbers are predicted to swell as the population ages globally -- at high risk as they forget appointments, mix up medications and have no one to contact in an emergency, according to new research.

For such patients, living alone is a social determinant of health with an impact as profound as poverty, racism and low education, according to the study published in JAMA Network Open.

An estimated 1 in 4 older Americans with dementia or mild cognitive impairment lives alone and is at risk of practices like unsafe driving, wandering outside the home, mixing up medications and failing to attend medical appointments.

“These findings are an indictment of our health care system, which fails to provide subsidised home care aides for all but the lowest-income patients,” said Elena Portacolone of the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) Institute for Health and Aging.

In this study, researchers interviewed 76 healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, social workers, case workers, home care aides and others.

The providers raised concerns about patients missing medical appointments, failing to respond to follow-up phone calls from the doctor's office and forgetting why appointments were made, leaving them vulnerable to falling off the radar.

“We don't necessarily have the staff to really try to reach out to them,” said a physician in one interview.

Some patients could not assist their doctor with missing information on their chart, leaving the providers uncertain about the pace of their patient's decline.

Many had no names listed as emergency contacts, “not a family member, not even a friend to rely on in case of a crisis”, according to a case manager.

These patients were at risk for untreated medical conditions, self-neglect, malnutrition and falls, according to the providers.

One consequence of the shaky infrastructure supporting these patients was that they were not identified until they were sent to a hospital following a crisis, like a fall or reaction to medication mismanagement, the study noted.

“In an era when Medicare is going to spend millions of dollars for newly approved drugs with very marginal benefits, we need to remember that Medicare and other payers refuse to pay far less money to provide necessary supports for vulnerable people with dementia,” said senior author Kenneth E. Covinsky of the UCSF Division of Geriatrics.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/living-alone-puts-people-with-cognitive-decline-at-high-risk-study-536337

New rapid blood test to detect 18 infectious, inflammatory diseases in kids

Diagnostic test based on patient’s gene expression could drastically improve the diagnosis of childhood diseases, say researchers

An international team, led by British researchers, has developed a simple blood test which may be able to rapidly diagnose, detect and distinguish between 18 infectious or inflammatory diseases—including group B Streptococcus (GBS), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and tuberculosis.

Using a single sample of blood, the test could enable clinicians to diagnose the cause of fever based on the distinctive pattern of genes being “switched on or off” by the body in response to specific illnesses.

While current tests for some of the conditions can take several hours, days or even weeks, a test-based on this approach would be capable of providing a result in under 60 minutes.

Researchers from Imperial College London explained that a diagnostic test based on patient’s gene expression could drastically improve the diagnosis of childhood diseases, reduce delayed and missed diagnoses, and have a significant impact on health care, especially in developing regions.

“Despite huge strides forward in medical technology, when a child is brought into hospital with a fever, our initial approach is to treat based on the doctors’ ‘impression’ of the likely causes of the child’s illness,” said Professor Michael Levin, from the Imperial’s Department of Infectious Disease.

“As clinicians, we need to make rapid decisions on treatment, often just based on the child’s symptoms, information from the parents, and our medical training and experience,” he added, “but we may not know whether a fever is bacterial, viral, or something else until hours or days after a child has been admitted, when their test results come back.”

“Such delays can stop patients getting the right treatment early on, so there is a clear and urgent need to improve diagnostics. Using this new approach, once it’s translated to near point of care devices, could be transformative for health care.”

In the study, researchers explored an approach focused on detecting the pattern of a patient’s gene expression in blood that occurs in response to specific infections and inflammatory conditions.

Using data from thousands of patients (including more than 1,000 children with 18 infectious or inflammatory diseases) the team was first able to identify which key genes were switched “on” or “off” in response to a range of illnesses—providing a molecular signature of disease.

Machine learning was then applied to identify which patterns of gene expression corresponded to the specific disease areas and pathogens—focusing in on a panel of 161 genes for 18 conditions.

This panel was further validated in a cohort of 411 paediatric patients admitted to hospital with sepsis or severe infections (representing 13 of the 18 diseases), where gene expression was captured from blood analysis, and where diagnoses were made using current gold standard clinical methods.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/new-rapid-blood-test-to-detect-18-infectious-inflammatory-diseases-in-kids-536382

 

New study identifies gene ‘fingerprint’ for brain ageing, sheds light on memory decline

Study on mice has determined that the most pronounced changes occur in the white matter

A new study offers insight into the cognitive decline of normal ageing, shedding light on how ageing contributes to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Most of us who have reached their middle age must have experienced a slowing memory and cognition. Until now, scientists did not have a clear picture of the molecular changes that take place in the brain to cause it.

Now, a study on mice has determined that the most pronounced changes occur in the white matter, a type of nervous system tissue that is integral to transmitting signals across the brain.

The study that identified a gene "fingerprint" for brain ageing also examined two treatments — caloric restriction and infusions of plasma from young mice — that affect certain regions of the brain, with the plasma appearing to slow the age-related memory decline.

In many neurodegenerative diseases, certain areas of the brain are more vulnerable to damage, but there was a lack of clarity on the exact reason.

“I saw this study as a way to explain that somewhat mysterious regional vulnerability,” said Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD, a neurology professor who led the study that examined gene expression in different regions of the mouse brain as it matures.

This study by Stanford scientists was published on August 16 in Cell journal.

The research team sampled 15 regions in both hemispheres of the brains of 59 female and male mice aged 3 to 27 months. They identified and ranked the top genes expressed by cells found in each region of the brain and identified 82 genes that are found frequently and vary in concentration in 10 or more regions.

The team used these genes to develop a common ageing score, assessing how gene activity in different regions of the brain change with age.

The researchers found that white matter, which is found deep in the brain and contains nerve fibres protected by white-coloured myelin, showed the earliest and most pronounced changes in gene expression for mice 12 and 18 months old. According to Wyss-Coray, these mice are about as old, in mouse years, as a person in their 50s.

Past work has shown that ageing disrupts an otherwise stable gene expression pattern in the brain, turning on genes that regulate inflammation and the immune response, and turning off genes responsible for protein and collagen synthesis. The inflammation and immune response affect the integrity of the myelin sheath, the insulation layer around nerves responsible for transmitting signals across the brain.

“White matter has been a rather neglected area in ageing research, which usually focuses on the neuron-dense regions like the cortex or hippocampus,” Hahn said. “The fact that white matter is emerging in our data as an area of particular vulnerability to ageing opens up new and intriguing hypotheses.” Interventions to slow the genetic shift that leads to the decline in specific regions of the brain could be beneficial in addressing neurodegenerative disease as well as the general decline associated with ageing.

During the study, the team explored two interventions — caloric restriction and injections of plasma from young mice — to evaluate whether they protected against the region-specific shifts in gene expression. Each intervention began when the mice were 19 months old and lasted four weeks.

The researchers found that the dietary intervention caused genes associated with circadian rhythms to turn on, while the plasma intervention turned on genes involved in stem cell differentiation and neuronal maturation led to a selective reversal of age-related gene expression.

“The interventions appeared to act on very different regions in the brain and [induce] strikingly different effects,” Hahn said. “This suggests that there are multiple regions and pathways in the brain that have the potential to improve cognitive performance in old age.” The team also examined age-related changes in genes associated with three neurodegenerative diseases — Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis — that typically affect specific regions of the brain. The expression distribution for each gene had changed in older animals and occurred in regions of the brain that are not typically associated with a particular neurodegenerative condition. This finding could offer insight into the vast number of patients who have neurodegenerative diseases without a firm genetic link.

The study could also offer new opportunities to explore treatments and interventions by using the gene expression data to zero in on the cell populations vulnerable to ageing. Future studies could explore how gene expression leads to functional changes in neuronal activity and structure.

Wyss-Coray and colleagues at the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience aim to expand on this work by building similar genetic atlases of ageing in the human brain.

“The individual gene changes observed in the mouse may not directly translate to humans,” Wyss-Coray said. “But we believe the vulnerability of white matter to ageing probably does.”  

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/new-study-identifies-gene-fingerprint-for-brain-ageing-sheds-light-on-memory-decline-536616

New spray technique developed by scientists could usher in new era of transdermal medication

Higher efficiencies could be the key to making electrospray deposition more appealing for the manufacture of medical devices using bioactive materials, say researchers

Scientists at Rutgers University have devised a highly accurate method for creating coatings of biologically active materials for a variety of medical products. Such a technique could pave the way for a new era of transdermal medication, including shot-free vaccinations, researchers said.

Writing in Nature Communications, researchers described a new approach to electrospray deposition, an industrial spray-coating process. Essentially, Rutgers scientists developed a way to better control the target region within a spray zone as well as the electrical properties of microscopic particles that are being deposited. The greater command of those two properties means that more of the spray is likely to hit its microscopic target.

In electrospray deposition, manufacturers apply a high voltage to a flowing liquid, such as a biopharmaceutical, converting it into fine particles. Each of those droplets evaporates as it travels to a target area, depositing a solid precipitate from the original solution.

“While many people think of electrospray deposition as an efficient method, applying it normally does not work for targets that are smaller than the spray, such as the microneedle arrays in transdermal patches,” said Jonathan Singer, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Rutgers School of Engineering and an author of the study.

“Present methods only achieve about 40 per cent efficiency. However, through advanced engineering techniques we’ve developed, we can achieve efficiencies statistically indistinguishable from 100 per cent.”

Coatings are increasingly critical for a variety of medical applications. They are used on medical devices implanted into the body, such as stents, defibrillators and pacemakers. And they are beginning to be used more frequently in new products employing biologicals, such as transdermal patches.

Advanced biological or “bioactive” materials – such as drugs and vaccines – can be costly to produce, especially if any of the material is wasted, which can greatly limit whether a patient can receive a given treatment.

“We were looking to evaluate if electrospray deposition, which is a well-established method for analytical chemistry, could be made into an efficient approach to create biomedically active coatings,” Singer said.

Higher efficiencies could be the key to making electrospray deposition more appealing for the manufacture of medical devices using bioactive materials, researchers said.

“Being able to deposit with 100 per cent efficiency means none of the material would be wasted, allowing devices or vaccines to be coated in this way,” said Sarah Park, a doctoral student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering who is the first author on the paper.

“We anticipate that future work will expand the range of compatible materials and the material delivery rate of this high-efficiency approach,” Park said.

In addition, unlike other coating techniques used in manufacturing, such as dip coating and inkjet printing, the new electrospray deposition technique is characterised as “far field,” meaning that it doesn’t need highly accurate positioning of the spray source, the researchers said. As a result, the equipment necessary to employ the technique for mass manufacturing would be more affordable and easier to design.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/new-spray-technique-developed-by-scientists-could-usher-in-new-era-of-transdermal-medication-536913

Immune cells present long before infection may help predict flu symptoms

Researchers find that having a more functionally diverse set of immune cells was correlated with increased protection from flu symptoms

 

Influenza infection could more accurately predict if an individual would develop symptoms than current methods which primarily rely on antibody levels, according to a study. 

The study found certain immune cells were associated with increased protection, while other immune cells were associated with increased susceptibility to developing symptoms after catching the virus.

“We’ve been struggling for decades, if not centuries, with why some people get sick with infections and some don’t,” said Richard Webby, from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Department of Host-Microbe Interactions.

“This is one of the best attempts to try and figure that out for influenza. We were able to measure many different immune parameters from a single blood draw and correlate them with protection from, or susceptibility to, infection symptoms.”

In the study, published in the journal Nature Immunology, the researchers found that having a more functionally diverse set of immune cells was correlated with increased protection from flu symptoms.

The group identified these cells by comparing the immune cells present in the blood of patients who had symptoms from flu infection to those who were asymptomatic or uninfected.

The blood samples, taken up to six months before that flu season, showed very different sets of immune cells in the two groups.

Those without symptoms not only had a more functionally diverse set of immune cells but those cells were also associated with an influenza-specific long-term response, sometimes called the memory response.

Patients with symptoms tended to have a more similar set of inflammatory immune cells, which are more likely to be involved in a nonspecific, functionally narrow and short-term response.

Further, the study showed that those vaccinated for the flu generally had increased protective anti-flu immune cells, improving their chance of avoiding symptoms.

Those rarer individuals who were unvaccinated and avoided symptoms seemed to have a set of immune cells that mimicked the functions of the protective cells in the vaccinated population.

This may explain why some people are less affected by the flu, even when unvaccinated, than others, but it still suggests vaccination creates the best chance of avoiding symptoms.

One way to encourage this vaccine uptake is to determine the inherent risk in staying unvaccinated accurately.

“Our results reemphasize that vaccination prevents influenza symptoms, and now we can point to the increased levels of those immune cells correlated with that protection,” said Paul Thomas from St. Jude Department of Immunology

“Get your annual flu vaccine.” 

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/immune-cells-present-long-before-infection-may-help-predict-flu-symptoms-536914

Platelets can replicate benefits of exercise in brain, study finds

The study paves the way for potential new treatments for age-related cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease patients.

Scientists have found that an injection of specific blood molecules can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain, paving the way for potential new treatments for age-related cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease patients.

The study, published recently in the journal Nature Communications, found that platelets, the tiny blood cells critical for blood clotting, secrete a protein that rejuvenates neurons in aged mice in a similar way to physical exercise.

 “We know exercise increases the production of new neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain important for learning and memory, but the mechanism hasn't been clear,” said Odette Leiter from the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia.

 “Our previous research has shown platelets are involved, but this study shows platelets are actually required for this effect in the aged mice,” Leiter said in a statement.

The study focused on exerkines, the biological compounds released into the bloodstream during exercise, which are believed to stimulate the exercise-induced response in the brain.

 “We discovered that the exerkine CXCL4/Platelet factor 4 or PF4, which is released from platelets after exercise, results in regenerative and cognitive improvements when injected into aged mice,” Leiter said.

The findings have significant implications for the development of drug interventions.

“For a lot of people with health conditions, mobility issues, or of advanced age, exercise isn't possible, so pharmacological intervention is an important area of research,” said Tara Walker from UQ's Queensland Brain Institute.

 “We can now target platelets to promote neurogenesis, enhance cognition and counteract age-related cognitive decline,” Walker said.

The researchers said the next step is to test the response in Alzheimer's diseased mice, before moving towards human trials.

 “It's important to note this is not a replacement for exercise. But it could help the very elderly or someone who has had a brain injury or stroke to improve cognition,” Walker said. 

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/platelets-can-replicate-benefits-of-exercise-in-brain-study-finds-535731