In a 20-year study of 4,000 people, it is discovered that groups of genes collectively known as HLA genes are associated with Parkinson's disease. In theory, that enables the immune system to attack infectious organisms without turning on itself - but it is not always an infallible system. The genes vary considerably between individuals. The researchers revealed that with better understanding of the link between Parkinson's disease, immunity and inflammation, it may be possible to design more effective drugs for treating the condition.
In a small trial conducted in a London hospital, doctors found that the use of genetically engineered herpes virus in combination with standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy helped kill the tumors in most patients. Head and neck cancer affects up to 8000 people in the UK every year, and while early treatments are effective, many patients are not diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage. The herpes virus is engineered to grow inside tumor cells but not normal cells. Moreover, it produces a human protein that activates the immune system and labels tumor cells to be eradicated.
A patch, developed by researchers at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, containing 100 "microneedles" which are just 0.65mm in length are designed to penetrate the outer layers of skin, dissolving on contact. According to a research, the patch appeared to produce a more effective immune response in mice, then infected with the flu virus, than a standard vaccination. Sean Sullivan, the study lead from Georgia Tech revealed that they envied people getting the patch in the mail or at a pharmacy and then self-administering it at home.
UK provides top palliative care; Hong Kong ranks 20th
A report by the Economist Intelligence Unit revealed that most dying patients are not receiving adequate hospice and palliative care. EIU global director Tony Nash suggested the reason is the focus on curative care, where most doctors aim at curing their patients at all costs. Moreover, acceptance of hospice and palliative care is interpreted as surrendering. Measuring 40 countries with a 'Quality of death Index', Britain topped the ranking while Hong Kong came in at 20th. The ranking was determined by factors such as availability of painkillers, hospices and public funding, doctor-patient transparency, training of healthcare workers and whether palliative care is incorporated into national health policies.
According to a research based on 270 patients and published in the journal Neurology lead by the Munich University team, for every 1% of brain cell death, an additional centimetre of head size was associated with a 6% greater score on the memory tests. Lead researcher Dr Robert Perneczky revealed that improving prenatal and early life conditions could significantly increase brain reserve, which could have an impact on the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or the severity of symptoms of the disease. However Dr Simon Ridley, head of research for the Alzheimer's Research Trust said that Alzheimer's was a very complex disease so we should be careful not to focus too much on a single risk factor.
Heart disease patients with anxiety 'at greater risk'
In a study of more than 1,000 people with heart disease, researchers noted a 74% increased risk of cardiovascular events in those with an anxiety disorder. However, the authors of the study say the question of why anxiety disorders are linked to increased risk in patients with coronary heart disease is still not clear. This is consistent with what was revealed by Judy O'Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation. She revealed that the association between poor mental health and coronary heart disease was very complex and still not fully understood so more time and money are needing on understanding the links between poor mental health and heart disease.
A 16-year long Harvard study found that women aged between 25 and 42 who spent an additional 30 minutes a day biking or walking briskly gained less weight compared to those who only increased slow walking. Rania Mekary, the co-lead author of the study, says that even increasing the amount of time exercising by a little bit can make a difference in preventing weight gain. Those who increased their amount of time of biking by 5 minutes a day gained less weight than those who didn't.
A new report that compiled data from 9 earlier studies showed a 12% percent risk reduction in developing head and neck cancers in people who drink coffee compared to those who don't. Moreover, the more you drink, the lower the risk. The researchers warned however, that this data does not necessarily prove coffee to be protective of cancer, as other associated factors of coffee drinking could also be involved.
A 13-year-long study which involved 40,000 people from the Netherlands has found that drinking more than six cups of tea a day cut the risk of heart disease by a third and consuming between two to four coffees a day was also linked to a reduced risk. Coffee has properties which could in theory simultaneously increase and reduce risk -potentially raising cholesterol while battling the inflammatory damage associated with heart disease. A senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation revealed that although this study has added further weight to the evidence that drinking tea and coffee in moderation is not harmful for most people, it's worth remembering that leading a healthy overall lifestyle is the thing that really matters.
Researchers from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and Dr Paul Scott Thorner from the University of Toronto reported that a patient with kidney disease suffered a kind of tissue damage called angiomyeloproliferative lesions and died from an infection after receiving stem cell therapy. This type of lesion develops at the injection sites and is a new and previously unrecognized complication seen after stem cell therapy. Dr Duangpen Thirabanjasak from Chulalongkorn University, who led the research, believed that the blood vessel and bone marrow masses were either formed directly from the stem cells or were caused by them. However, more work is needed to investigate why the masses were developed and how this could be avoided.
