How skin cancer becomes invasive

In a study on mouse models and human tissue, researchers have revealed how aggressive forms of skin cancer are able to co-opt the immune system to become invasive. Knowing this could lead to better, more effective treatments.

New research, the findings of which now appear in the journal Cell, has found a mechanism that allows aggressive forms of skin cancer to become invasive and spread quickly.

The study, which nonprofit organization Cancer Research UK funded, was conducted by a team from King's College London and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), both in the U.K.

In their experiment, they analyzed the makeup of skin cancer, or melanoma, cells, looking for the factors that work to their advantage.

They found that such cancer cells release certain molecules that interact with the immune system, sending out signals that favor the growth and spread of tumors.

In the future, the researchers hope that their new discovery will allow scientists to come up with better strategies for targeting aggressive melanoma and preventing a relapse.

A complex signaling mechanism

The research team looked both at melanoma tumor samples collected from human patients as well as mouse models of this form of cancer.

The investigation revealed that skin cancer's aggressiveness is largely due to the presence of the protein myosin II in large quantities within cancer cells.

Myosin II contributes to cell motility, meaning that it helps cells move around; thus, high levels of this protein allow cancer cells to become more mobile and spread around the body quicker.

However, the researchers also found that myosin II stimulates the secretion of substances that send out signals to the immune system, "telling" it to bypass cancer cells.

More specifically, these substances "speak" to macrophages. These are specialized immune cells that normally consume and eliminate foreign bodies, malfunctioning cells, and cellular debris.

When these macrophages receive the signals from the melanoma cells — due to the action of myosin II — this "programs" them to avoid attacking cancer tumors, letting them grow and spread freely.

Targeting the chemical culprits

Another effect of the substances secreted thanks to myosin II is the puncturing of blood vessels so that cancer cells can pass into the bloodstream and travel to distant sites inside the body.

"This study," explains lead author Prof. Vicky Sanz-Moreno, of QMUL, "highlights how cancer cells interact with and influence their surrounding environment to grow and spread."

"Developing treatments that target the chemicals that alter the immune system," she adds, "could help to prevent the spread of the disease."

Further analyses showed the team that the most important chemical released through myosin II is interleukin 1A, a signaling protein that helped boost the invasiveness of cancer cells.

When the researchers decided to target myosin II and block its activity, cancer cells released less interleukin 1A — both in mouse models and human melanoma samples.

"By using therapeutic drugs that block either myosin II activity or the release of interleukin 1A, we can make the tumor less invasive and slow its growth, making it easier to treat."

Prof. Vicky Sanz-Moreno

Source: Medical News Today

UV light could reduce hospital-acquired infections

A new study shows that ultraviolet disinfection technology eliminates up to 97.7 percent of pathogens in the operating room. Using this light wavelength might help defeat superbugs.

Could light help lower the risk of dangerous infections in hospitals?

The study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, examined the effects of a type of ultraviolet (UV) light technology called PurpleSun.

This technology is designed for use in operating rooms, patient rooms, and other healthcare settings.

The study shows that the device can help reduce the risk of infections acquired in the hospital.

These infections cost billions of dollars, and some estimates state that they cause almost 100,000 deaths each year in the United States.

In the current study, researchers used over 3,000 microbiological samples from 100 different surgical cases at three hospitals in the New York area.

Researchers then looked at how well the PurpleSun technology worked. They found that it eliminated most pathogens.

PurpleSun is unique, as it has foldable partitions, which means that it can surround equipment on all sides, and its light hits five surface points. It also uses high levels of UV intensity in 90-second intervals for optimum effect.

"[UV] light technology will not replace manual cleaning and disinfection with chemicals, but it has a place in healthcare settings," says Donna Armellino, lead author of the study and vice president of infection prevention at Northwell Health. She explains:

"This technology can optimize environmental cleanliness, resulting in decreased pathogens that could potentially cause infection."

Donna Armellino

Healthcare-associated infections

The last thing anyone wants to experience is getting some sort of infection in a healthcare environment, such as an operating room or hospital, while they're already seeking medical care.

This type of infection, called a healthcare-associated infection (HAI), happens frequently. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, around 1 in 25 inpatients has an infection that's directly related to hospital care.

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Certain factors can raise someone's risk of developing an HAI; these include catheters, having surgery, getting a shot, and being in a healthcare setting that has not been properly disinfected.

Also, there is a risk of catching an infection from a healthcare worker who is sick. Overuse of antibiotics can play a part, as well.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimate that over 1 million HAIs develop within the country's health system every single year.

HAIs can result in severe complications, and outcomes are often poor. These infections cost billions of dollars each year in healthcare spending and other costs, and HAIs remain a focus for people who work in public health.

UV light in the healthcare setting

Using UV light for disinfection purposes is not a novel idea. In 1877, two Englishmen published a paper in the journal Nature describing how sunlight prohibited the growth of microorganisms.

Studies have looked at UV light in relation to cutting down on airborne pathogens, and work continues to see if this type of technology can be of further use, including the current study, which looks at UV light technology and its use in the operating room.

PurpleSun definitely has its advantages, as it eliminates human error and other common pitfalls of chemical disinfecting agents. It also affects multiple surfaces within seconds and has a configuration that allows it to reach all sides of a piece of equipment. As this study shows, it is very effective at eliminating pathogens.

As Armellino says, while UV disinfection technology should not completely replace manual cleaning, it can be a great accompaniment to regular disinfection routines.

Source: MedicalNewsToday

Are we facing a Parkinson's pandemic?

A

ccording to one new study paper, evidence is emerging that Parkinson's disease is becoming a pandemic. The authors discuss their concerns and the challenges ahead.

Parkinson's is on the rise, but can we slow its march?

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative condition.

Primarily affecting the motor regions of the central nervous system, symptoms tend to develop slowly.

Over time, even simple movements become difficult; and, as the disease progresses, dementia is common.

Historically, Parkinson's was rare. In 1855, for instance, just 22 people living in the United Kingdom died with Parkinson's disease.

Today, in the United States, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that about half a millionpeople are living with the disease.

Recently, a group of experts from the field of movement disorders published an article in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. Titled "The emerging evidence of the Parkinson's pandemic," the authors outline their growing concerns and what might be done.

A pandemic?

Globally, neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability. Of these, Parkinson's disease is the fastest-growing. In 1990–2015, the number of people living with Parkinson's doubled to more than 6.2 million. By 2040, experts predict that that number will reach 12 million.

The term "pandemic" is normally associated with diseases that can spread from person to person. Of course, this does not apply to Parkinson's. However, according to the study authors, the condition's spread does share some of the characteristics of a pandemic.

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For instance, it is a global concern that is present in every region of the planet. It is also becoming more prevalent in all regions that scientists have assessed. Additionally, pandemics tend to move geographically. In the case of Parkinson's disease, it seems to be moving from West to East as demographics slowly change.

Some researchers also believe that although people cannot "catch" noncommunicable conditions such as diabetes through contact with pathogens, they may still be pandemics. They explain that these conditions are still communicable via new types of vectors — namely, social, political, and economic trends.

In the case of diabetes, for instance, one author argues that we are transmitting risk factors across the world. Such factors include "ultraprocessed food and drink, alcohol, tobacco products, and wider social and environmental changes that limit physical activity."

Increasing risk

Because Parkinson's primarily affects people as they grow older, the steady increase in humanity's average age means an inevitable increase in the prevalence of Parkinson's. This slow lift in our average age is not the only factor playing into the hands of a potential epidemic.

Some studies show that, even when analysis accounts for increasing age, Parkinson's disease still seems to be becoming more prevalent.

This means that the average older adult today has an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

The study authors outline some of the factors that appear to be increasing the risk of Parkinson's disease today.

Tobacco's surprising influence

Globally, the number of people who smoke tobacco has dropped significantly over recent decades. People roundly and rightly consider this to be a huge benefit to public health.

However, smoking tobacco appears to reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease. Some studies have shown that smoking can reduce risk by more than 40 percent.

Reducing tobacco consumption may therefore be raising the overall prevalence of Parkinson's disease.

The growth of industry

Also, industrialization might be playing a part in the steady rise in Parkinson's risk. As the authors write:

"Numerous byproducts of the Industrial Revolution, including specific pesticides, solvents, and heavy metals, have been linked to Parkinson disease."

For instance, China — a country that has witnessed rapid industrial growth — has had the swiftest increase in Parkinson's disease.

Scientists are still debating the role that pesticides play in Parkinson's. However, one in particular, paraquat, is strongly linked to the condition and is now banned in 32 countries.

Despite this, the study authors say that in the U.S., people are using it "in ever greater quantities." The U.K. is 1 of 32 countries to have banned paraquat usage. Regardless, they continue to manufacture it and sell it to countries including the U.S., Taiwan, and South Africa.

"Parkinson['s] disease is increasing and may be a creation of our times," write the authors. "As opposed to most diseases whose burden decreases with improving socioeconomic level, the burden of Parkinson['s] disease does the opposite."

Increasing rates of Parkinson's disease are concerning for obvious reasons, but what can we do?

Can we turn the tide?

The study authors believe that the key to transforming this seemingly inevitable rise in Parkinson's disease is activism.

Conditions such as HIV and breast cancer have benefited widely from this approach. For example, many focus on raising awareness, amassing funds, improving treatments, and changing policy.

Stopping the production and use of certain chemicals that may increase the risk of Parkinson's is essential. As the authors write:

"We have the means to prevent potentially millions from ever experiencing the debilitating effects of Parkinson disease."

Also crucial, as ever, is financial backing. More research is needed to understand why the condition appears and how it progresses, and this type of scientific investigation is never cheap.

In particular, scientists need to develop better medications. Currently, the most effective therapy is levodopa, which is 50 years old and not without its issues, including both psychological and physical side effects.

While this recent analysis is worrying, the authors leave the reader with some positivity, concluding that "[t]he Parkinson pandemic is preventable, not inevitable."

Source: MedicalNewsToday

Dementia: Symptoms, stages, and types

Dementia is a collective term used to describe various symptoms of cognitive decline, such as forgetfulness. It is a symptom of several underlying diseases and brain disorders.

Dementia is not a single disease in itself, but a general term to describe symptoms of impairment inmemory, communication, and thinking.

While the likelihood of having dementia increases with age, it is not a normal part of aging.

An analysis of the most recent census estimates that 4.7 million people aged 65 years or older in the United States were living with Alzheimer's disease in 2010. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that:

• just over a tenth of people aged 65 years or more have Alzheimer's disease
• this proportion rises to about a third of people aged 85 and older
• Alzheimer's accounts for 60-80 percent of all cases of dementia

This article discusses the potential causes of dementia, the various types, and any available treatments.

Fast facts on dementia

there are an estimated 47.5 million dementia sufferers worldwide

one new case of dementia is diagnosed every 4 seconds

dementia mostly affects older people but is not a normal part of aging

Dementia symptoms

A person with dementia may show any of the symptoms listed below, mostly due to memory loss.

Some symptoms they may notice themselves, others may only be noticed by caregivers or healthcare workers.

The signs used to compile this list are published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in the journal American Family Physician.

Possible symptoms of dementia:

• Recent memory loss - a sign of this might be asking the same question repeatedly.
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks - for example, making a drink or cooking a meal.
• Problems communicating - difficulty with language; forgetting simple words or using the wrong ones.
• Disorientation - getting lost on a previously familiar street, for example.
• Problems with abstract thinking - for instance, dealing with money.
• Misplacing things - forgetting the location of everyday items such as keys, or wallets, for example.
• Mood changes - sudden and unexplained changes in outlook or disposition.
• Personality changes - perhaps becoming irritable, suspicious or fearful.
• Loss of initiative - showing less interest in starting something or going somewhere.

As the patient ages, late-stage dementia symptoms tend to worsen.

Dementia stages

Sometimes, dementia is roughly split into four stages:

• Mild cognitive impairment: characterized by general forgetfulness. This affects many people as they age but it only progresses to dementia for some.
• Mild dementia: people with mild dementia will experience cognitive impairments that occasionally impact their daily life. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, personality changes, getting lost, and difficulty in planning and carrying out tasks.
• Moderate dementia: daily life becomes more challenging, and the individual may need more help. Symptoms are similar to mild dementia but increased. Individuals may need help getting dressed and combing their hair. They may also show significant changes in personality; for instance, becoming suspicious or agitated for no reason. There are also likely to be sleep disturbances.
• Severe dementia: at this stage, symptoms have worsened considerably. There may be a loss of ability to communicate, and the individual might need full-time care. Simple tasks, such as sitting and holding one's head up become impossible. Bladder control may be lost.

Dementia types

There are several types of dementia, including:

• Alzheimer's disease is characterized by "plaques" between the dying cells in the brain and "tangles" within the cells (both are due to protein abnormalities). The brain tissue in a person with Alzheimer's has progressively fewer nerve cells and connections, and the total brain size shrinks.
• Dementia with Lewy bodies is a neurodegenerative condition linked to abnormal structures in the brain. The brain changes involve a protein called alpha-synuclein.
• Mixed dementia refers to a diagnosis of two or three types occurring together. For instance, a person may show both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia at the same time.
• Parkinson's disease is also marked by the presence of Lewy bodies. Although Parkinson's is often considered a disorder of movement, it can also lead to dementia symptoms.
• Huntington's disease is characterized by specific types of uncontrolled movements but also includes dementia.

Other disorders leading to symptoms of dementia include:

• Frontotemporal dementia also known as Pick's disease.
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus when excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain.
• Posterior cortical atrophy resembles changes seen in Alzheimer's disease but in a different part of the brain.
• Down syndrome increases the likelihood of young-onset Alzheimer's.

Early signs

Early signs of dementia can include:

• Changes in short-term memory.
• Changes in mood.
• Trouble finding the right words.
• Apathy.
• Confusion.
• Being repetitive.
• Finds it hard to follow a storyline.
• Trouble completing everyday tasks.
• Poor sense of direction.
• Difficulty adapting to changes.

 Source : Medical News Today

What you need to know about Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease is an incurable, hereditary brain disorder. It is a devastating disease that causes damage to brain cells, or neurons.

It happens when a faulty gene causes toxic proteins to collect in the brain.

Huntington's disease (HD) affects one person in every 10,000, or around 30,000 people in the United States. Another 150,000 or more people are at risk of developing the condition.

The first signs normally appear between the ages of 30 and 50 years.

Fast facts about Huntington's disease

·     Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease that attacks nerve cells gradually over time.

·     The disease happens when a faulty gene makes an abnormal version of the huntingtin protein.

·     Early symptoms may include mood swings, clumsiness, and unusual behavior.

·     During the later stages of the disease, choking becomes a major concern.

·     There is currently no cure, but medications may help relieve symptoms.

What is Huntington's?

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurological condition. It is an inherited disease that happens due to faulty genes. Toxic proteins collect in the brain and cause damage, leading to neurological symptoms.

As parts of the brain deteriorate, this affects movement, behavior, and cognition. It becomes harder to walk, think, reason, swallow, and talk. Eventually, the person will need full-time care. The complications are usually fatal.

There is currently no cure, but treatment can help with symptoms.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms are most likely to appear between the ages of 30 and 50 years, but they can occur at any age. They tend to worsen over 10 to 20 years.

Eventually the Huntington's disease or its complications are fatal.

According to the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA), the symptoms of HD can feel like having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's and Alzheimer's all in one.

The key symptoms include:

·         personality changes, mood swings, and depression

·         problems with memory and judgment

·         unsteady walk and uncontrollable movements

·         difficulty speaking and swallowing, and weight loss

How signs and symptoms evolve can vary between individuals. In some people, depression occurs before motor skills are affected. Mood swings and unusual behavior are common early signs.

Early signs and symptoms

Early symptoms may not be recognized if HD has not previously occurred in the family. It can take a long time to reach a diagnosis.

Initial signs and symptoms include:

·         slight uncontrollable movements

·         small changes in coordination and clumsiness

·         stumbling

·         slight signs of mood and emotional change

·         lack of focus, slight concentration problems, and difficulty functioning, for example, at work

·         lapses in short-term memory

·         depression

·         irritability

The person may lose motivation and focus, and appear lethargic and lacking in initiative.

Other possible signs of HD may include stumbling, dropping things, and forgetting people's names. However, most people do these from time to time.

The middle and later stages

In time, symptoms become more severe.

These include physical changes, loss of motion control, and emotional and cognitive changes.

Physical changes

The person may experience:

·         difficulty speaking, including looking for words and slurring

·         weight loss, leading to weakness

·         difficulty eating and swallowing, as the muscles in the mouth and diaphragm may not work properly

·         risk of choking, especially in the later stages

·         uncontrollable movements

There may be uncontrollable body movements, including:

·         uncontrollable movements of the face

·         jerking of parts of the face and the head

·         flicking or fidgety movements of the arms, legs, and body

·         lurching and stumbling

As HD progresses, the uncontrollable movements occur more often and with usually with more intensity. Eventually they may become slower as the muscles become more rigid.

Source: Medical News Today

Popular diet could increase risk of birth defects

New research demonstrates that consuming a low-carbohydrate diet during pregnancy may increase the risk of certain birth defects by 30 percent.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are malformations of the brain, spine, and spinal cord. They develop before birth and include spina bifida, wherein the spinal column does not close completely, and anencephaly, wherein large portions of brain and skull are missing.

Research carried out over decades conclusively demonstrated that folic acid can reduce the risk of babies being born with NTDs.

Because folate massively decreases the risk of NTDs, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that all grains and cereals should be enriched with 140 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of product by January 1998.

As soon as the fortification began, cases of birth defects plummeted. Adding folic acid to food prevents more than 1,300 NTD cases each year in the United States.

The rise of low-carb diets

Today, low-carb diets are increasingly popular. According to a recent study, this may be undoing much of the good work that folic acid fortification has done.

Restricting carbohydrate intake often means avoiding the food products that are fortified with folic acid, such as bread, cereal, and pasta. In fact, low-carb diets are associated with a reduced intakeof a number of micronutrients.

Scientists from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill hypothesized that "women who restrict carbohydrates may have suboptimal folate status and subsequently may be at higher risk of having an NTD-affected pregnancy." Their results were published earlier this month in the journal Birth Defects Research.

House cleaning chemicals may cause birth defects

To test their hypothesis, the scientists took data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, which ran from 1998 to 2011. The dataset included 11,285 pregnant women from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Utah.

The scientists were led by Tania Desrosiers, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. The study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Of the participants, 1,740 had "infants, stillbirths, and terminations with anencephaly or spina bifida." Folic acid and carbohydrate intake before conception were estimated using questionnaire data. The researchers also tracked race, alcohol consumption, and education, among other factors.

The risk of low-carb diets

After analysis, the researchers found that folic acid intake in women on low-carbohydrate diets was less than half of the other women. They were also significantly more likely to have an infant with NTD.

Overall, women on restricted carbohydrate diets were 30 percent more likely to have a child with an NTD than women who were not restricting their carb intake.

Source: Medical News Today