Gut organisms could be clue in controlling obesity risk

ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2012) — The international obesity epidemic is widespread, nondiscriminatory, and deadly. But do we really understand all of the factors underlying this alarming trend? The concept of energy balance (energy consumed

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Binge eating may lead to addiction-like behaviors

ScienceDaily (Apr. 24, 2012) — A history of binge eating -- consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time -- may make an individual more likely to show other addiction-like behaviors, including substance abuse, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. In the short term, this finding may shed light on the factors that promote substance abuse, addiction, and relapse. In the long term, may help clinicians treat individuals suffering from this devastating disease.

See Also:Health & MedicineControlled SubstancesNutritionDiet and Weight LossMind & BrainAddictionCocaineNutrition ResearchLiving WellReferenceSubstance abuseBulimia nervosaDrug addictionDetox

"Drug addiction persists as a major problem in the United States," said Patricia Sue Grigson, Ph.D., professor, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences. "Likewise, excessive food intake, like binge eating, has become problematic. Substance-abuse and binge eating are both characterized by a loss of control over consumption. Given the common characteristics of these two types of disorders, it is not surprising that the co-occurrence of eating disorders and substance abuse disorders is high. It is unknown, however, whether loss of control in one disorder predisposes an individual to loss of control in another."

Grigson and her colleagues found a link between bingeing on fat and the development of cocaine-seeking and -taking behaviors in rats, suggesting that conditions promoting excessive behavior toward one substance can increase the probability of excessive behavior toward another. They report their results in Behavioral Neuroscience.

The researchers used rats to test whether a history of binge eating on fat would augment addiction-like behavior toward cocaine by giving four groups of rats four different diets: normal rat chow; continuous ad lib access to an optional source of dietary fat; one hour of access to optional dietary fat daily; and one hour of access to dietary fat on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. All four groups also had unrestricted access to nutritionally complete chow and water. The researchers then assessed the cocaine-seeking and -taking behaviors.

"Fat bingeing behaviors developed in the rats with access to dietary fat on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays -- the group with the most restricted access to the optional fat," Grigson said.

This group tended to take more cocaine late in training, continued to try to get cocaine when signaled it was not available, and worked harder for cocaine as work requirements increased.

"While the underlying mechanisms are not known, one point is clear from behavioral data: A history of bingeing on fat changed the brain, physiology, or both in a manner that made these rats more likely to seek and take a drug when tested more than a month later," Grigson said. "We must identify these predisposing neurophysiological changes."

While the consumption of fat in and of itself did not increase the likelihood of subsequent addiction-like behavior for cocaine, the irregular binge-type manner in which the fat was eaten proved critical. Rats that had continuous access to fat consumed more fat than any other group, but were three times less likely to exhibit addiction-like behavior for cocaine than the group with access only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

"Indeed, while about 20 percent of those rats and humans exposed to cocaine will develop addiction-like behavior for the drug under normal circumstances, in our study, the probability of addiction to cocaine increased to approximately 50 (percent) for subjects with a history of having binged on fat," Grigson said.

Future studies will look more closely at how bingeing can lead to addiction-like behaviors -- whether bingeing on sugar or a mixture of sugar and fat also promotes cocaine or heroin addiction, for example, and whether bingeing on a drug, in turn, increases the likelihood of bingeing on fat.

To hear Grigson discuss her findings in more detail on the 'Sound Research' podcast, go to http://goo.gl/zdwP5 online.

Other researchers are Matthew D. Puhl, Angie M. Cason, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine; Rebecca L. Corwin and Francis H.E. Wojnicki, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse funded this research.

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Dietary changes help some children with ADHD

ScienceDaily (Apr. 24, 2012) — Together with child and adolescent psychiatrists, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have just completed an extensive report which reviews the studies which have been done so far on the significance of diet for children and young people with ADHD. The report shows that there are potential benefits in changing the diets of children with ADHD, but that key knowledge in the area is still lacking.

See Also:Health & MedicineAttention Deficit DisorderChildren's HealthNutritionMind & BrainADD and ADHDChild PsychologyChild DevelopmentReferenceAdult attention-deficit disorderGluten-free, casein-free dietAutistic spectrumAlpha wave

The comprehensive report covers the scientific literature on the significance of diet for children with ADHD: "Our conclusion is that more research is required in the area. There is a lot to suggest that by changing their diet, it is possible to improve the condition for some ADHD children," says professor in paediatric nutrition Kim Fleischer Michaelsen from the Department of Human Nutrition at the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, who is heading the study.

Professor Kim Fleischer stresses that more research is needed: "Several of the studies show, for example, that fatty acids from fatty fish moderate the symptoms. Other studies detect no effect. Elimination diets are also promising. These look at whether there is anything in the diet which the children cannot consume without adverse side effects. However, we still lack knowledge about which children with ADHD benefit from dietary changes, how positive the effect is in the long term and what the changes mean for children's health."

Dietary changes not beneficial for everyone

The report shows that not all ADHD children benefit from changes to their diet, and that there are still many unknown factors. Tine Houmann, a consultant at the Centre for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, says:

"There are different types of ADHD, and the disturbance is probably due to both genetic and environmental factors. We know that children with ADHD react very differently to both medication and dietary changes. We therefore need to study which children benefit from dietary changes, and whether we can identify genetic or environmental factors that can predict this."

Bigger studies needed

The experts hope that, by acquiring more knowledge on the subject, it is possible to reduce the use of medication and instead develop special dietary advice for the children: "It is promising that many research results indicate that dietary changes can help some ADHD children. However, it is crucial that bigger studies on dietary changes are conducted on children with ADHD to see how effective this is and how long the benefits last," says Kim Fleischer Michaelsen, while stressing that parents should always seek professional advice before changing their children's diet.

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Chinese researchers eye anti-AIDS gel

Chinese researchers eye anti-AIDS …

Chinese researchers said Monday they have discovered an HIV-blocking agent that could be developed into a gel to limit the sexual transmission of AIDS.

Scientists from Hong Kong University said joint research with Shanghai Targetdrug Co., Nanjing University and City University of Hong Kong had discovered a molecule that blocks HIV from entering human cells.

Zhiwei Chen, director of the AIDS Institute of the University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, said the potency of the TD-0680 molecule against sexually transmitted HIV was "encouraging".

The new molecule could be developed into a microbicide gel to "prevent HIV sexual transmission" by killing off the virus as it tries to enter the body.

This would give people, especially women, an "alternative method to protect themselves from the virus, in addition to condoms", Chen said.

"The ideal solution is to develop an effective vaccine. Since such a vaccine remains elusive, we must explore other strategies such as topical microbicide," he said.

The TD-0680 molecule is several times more potent than Maraviroc, a Pfizer-developed equivalent which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for clinical treatment, the Chinese scientists said.

Unprotected sex accounts for more than 90 percent of AIDS infections in China, the researchers said in a statement.

Their work was published recently in the peer-reviewed Journal of Biological Chemistry.

smc/slb

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HIV-positive man fights charge that saliva was deadly

Reuters – 6 hrs ago ALBANY, New York (Reuters) - A gay-rights group is urging New York state's high court to overturn the conviction of an HIV-positive man whose saliva was found to be a "dangerous instrument" in a biting case.

David Plunkett was sentenced in 2007 to 10 years in prison for aggravated assault, a felony that requires the use of a "dangerous instrument."

Plunkett argued unsuccessfully the charge could not be sustained because HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva. The Court of Appeals, New York's top court, will hear Plunkett's case on Thursday.

Lambda Legal, a national group that advocates for gays and lesbians and people with HIV, argued in a court brief filed this week that upholding Plunkett's conviction would further stigmatize people living with HIV and AIDS.

"Clearly, the trial court here erroneously believed that HIV could be transmitted by saliva," the Lambda Legal brief reads.

In 2006, the staff at a medical clinic in Ilion, about 70 miles east of Syracuse, called police to complain that Plunkett was causing a disturbance. Police said he punched and bit one of the responding officers, according to court documents.

Herkimer County Court Judge Patrick Kirk in 2007 denied Plunkett's motion to dismiss the aggravated assault charge, ruling that while Plunkett's teeth could not be considered a dangerous instrument, his saliva could.

Plunkett pleaded guilty and was given a 10-year prison sentence. In 2010, an appeals court found that by pleading guilty, Plunkett had forfeited his right to challenge any trial court error.

Plunkett and Lambda Legal argue that under New York law, only substances that are "readily capable of causing death or other serious physical injury" can be considered dangerous instruments.

A number of studies have found saliva does not contain sufficient concentrations of HIV to transmit the virus to other people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "contact with saliva alone has never been shown to result in transmission of HIV."

Plunkett's attorney, Audrey Baron Dunning, argued in an appellate brief that upholding Plunkett's conviction could "open the door for enhanced prosecution of persons with many forms of illness, contagious disease or condition."

The Herkimer County District Attorney's office did not return a call seeking comment.

(Editing by Todd Eastham)

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Health care debate: high stakes for those with HIV

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Life Transitions May Trigger Eating Disorders

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- A lack of support following traumatic life events such as relationship problems, the loss of a loved one, abuse and sexual assault can trigger eating disorders, a small new study finds.

People with eating disorders said even changing schools or jobs could trigger eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, according to the University of Minnesota researchers.

The study included 26 women and one man aged 17 to 64 (the median age was 27) who had suffered from eating disorders for an average of 20 years and were receiving treatment from a specialist outpatient clinic.

Nine of the patients had anorexia, three had bulimia, one had both, and the other 14 had eating disorders that did not meet the diagnostic criteria for any one specific condition.

The researchers identified six main factors that triggered eating disorders in these patients. They included:

School transition, such as starting junior high school or college. "Nobody knew who I was," one study participant said. "I was incredibly lonely with no support and I just stopped eating."Relationship changes, such as breaking up with a romantic partner or having parents split up. "I was so mad at my dad for choosing her over us.... I think that is when my eating disorder really began," one woman wrote about her father's new girlfriend.Death of a family member or close friend. One woman said her eating disorder began after the death of her sister in childhood. "I started to eat to compensate for feelings of anxiety," she said. Abuse, sexual assault or incest. "I thought if I gained weight that he would leave me alone or I could fight him back," one abuse survivor said.Changing homes or jobs.Illness or hospitalization.

The study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

"The aim of our study was to find out if there was any link between transitional events in family life and the onset of eating disorders," lead author Jerica Berge, an assistant professor in the department of family medicine and community health, said in a journal news release.

"Eating disorders are an important public health issue and knowing what causes them can help us to develop more effective treatment and support," she said.

The study findings confirm that eating disorders can be caused by major life changes and lack of support in dealing with those events.

"We hope that our findings will be of interest to parents as well as health professionals as they underline the need for greater awareness and support at times of change and stress," Berge said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about eating disorders.

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Stopping Blood Thinners Raises Stroke Risk for Patients With Irregular Heartbeat

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New Techniques May Improve Infant Heart Surgery

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- Two new monitoring techniques may provide early warnings about possible brain damage in children as they undergo surgery for heart defects, researchers report.

Autoregulation monitoring is a noninvasive technique that can determine when blood flow to the brain may be low. The other method, a blood test, uses a small sample of blood to detect brain-tissue injury during surgery.

Doctors previously had no way to detect brain injuries as they occurred during heart surgery.

Details of the research are to be presented Wednesday during an American Heart Association press briefing.

Brain injury occurs in 30 percent to 70 percent of infants and children who have surgery to repair congenital heart defects, which are heart abnormalities present at birth. For each 1,000 live births in the United States, about eight babies will have some type of heart defect, according to a heart association news release.

This was a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of new ways to monitor for brain damage while children have surgery to repair heart defects. The researchers plan to conduct another study to assess the effectiveness of these brain monitoring techniques 18 months after surgery.

Researchers' data and conclusions should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

More information

The March of Dimes has more about congenital heart defects.

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Health Tip: When Seniors Are Malnourished

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago (HealthDay News) -- Older people are particularly prone to malnutrition because of chronic disease, having to live on a fixed income, or the unmet need to provide their aging bodies with the proper vitamins and nutrients.

Some 3.7 million American seniors are malnourished, the American Academy of Family Physicians estimates. The academy mentions some of the potential side effects:

Feeling fatigued.Losing weight without trying.Losing muscle strength.Feeling depressed.Having memory loss.Getting sick frequently.Developing anemia.

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Health Tip: Stress Fracture of the Foot

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago (HealthDay News) -- The bones of your feet are designed to absorb the weight and energy of the rest of your moving body. But when nearby muscles are overused and can no longer absorb the shock of running, jogging or playing sports, for example, your foot may develop a stress fracture.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says possible warning signs of stress fracture of the foot include:

Pain that gradually worsens over time, increasing during weight-bearing activities and improving during rest.Swelling at the top of the foot and outside the ankle.Tenderness or soreness.Bruising.

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Health Highlights: April 25, 2012

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Case of Mad Cow Disease Discovered in California

A fourth case of mad cow disease has been diagnosed in the United States, this time in California, but it poses no danger to human health, U.S. Agriculture Department officials said Tuesday.

"There is really no cause for alarm here with regard to this animal

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