Biomarkers for Chikungunya fever .......

Though as we Indians (and more in Karnatak), we might have seen in the last 1-2 years lots of news on Chikungunya. Like raids on many bogus doctors and bogus drugs claiming to treat the disease 100%. Many of us don't even pronounce it correctly, following are the few lines regarding Chikungunya....

Chikungunya (in the Makonde language "that which bends up") virus (CHIKV) is an insect borne virus, of the genus, Alphavirus that is transmitted to humans by virus-carrying Aedes Mosquitoes Originally from Australia, there have been recent outbreaks of CHIKV associated with severe morbidity. CHIKV causes an illness with symptoms similar to dengue fever. CHIKV manifests itself with an acute febrile phase of the illness lasts only two to five days, followed by a prolonged arthralgic disease that affects the joints of the extremities. The pain associated with CHIKV infection of the joints persists for weeks or months.

And also we knew that common laboratory tests for chikungunya include RT-PCR, virus isolation, and serological tests but none of these use to give the severity of CHIKF. Now thanks to a research group from Singapore lead by Dr. Lisa Ng have found three biomarkers for CHIKF, this is really an achievement.

As per the claims by the authors this first comprehensive report, which examines the cellular signals produced as part of the human immune response to Chikungunya virus infection, enables us to understand the changes in molecular signals in the body when infection sets in. These biomarkers can potentially lead to the development of therapeutics to reduce the severity of the disease and halt its progression.

Dr. Ng and her colleagues discovered that an increase in the levels of IL-1β and IL-6, with a concomitant decrease in RANTES, was an indication of a severe form of CHIKF. This finding would allow for quicker and more accurate prognosis of infected patients.

More interestingly the authors found that the level of RANTES was lower in patients with severe CHIKF, as compared to those with dengue. This result could potentially enable physicians and scientists to distinguish quickly between CHIKF and dengue fever - two diseases that present clinically similar symptoms. One more interesting out come of this result is that "cytokines could be used as biomarkers in predicting the severity of the disease". Though further studies are essential, its a significant contribution. Congrats Dr. Ng. More..

http://www.a-star.edu.sg/press_release/attachment/628/Press_release_SIgN-CDC_Chikungunya.pdf

Chloroquine as antiviral agent !

We all knew that chloroquine derivatives are better known as antimalarials, but something new chloroquine can be used as antiviral agent? yes says a group of researchers lead by Dr. Moscona and that too against the two lethal viruses Hendra and Nipah.

The research is significant because of the fact that the two henipaviruses that are the subject of the study are Hendra Virus (HeV) and Nipah Virus (NiV) emerged during the 1990s in Australia and Southeast Asia. (Spread via fruit bats, and they did cause potentially fatal encephalitis and respiratory disease in humans, with a devastating 75 percent fatality rate.) More recently, NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh involving human-to-human transmission have focused attention on NiV as a global health concern. One more interesting fact of this research is chloroquine is already an established drug for malaria and its the cheap drug too.

Like the avian flu, SARS, and Ebola viruses Hendra and Nipah are zoonotic pathogens (originating in certain animals but can jump between animal species and between animals and humans). There are currently no vaccines or treatments against the two henipaviruses, which are listed by the U.S. government as possible bioterror agents.

The aproach of this research group is interesting and also of greater importance because the mode of action of chloroquine is (as explained by the authors) it block the action of a key enzyme, called cathepsin L, which is essential to the virus's growth and maturation. Without this enzyme, newly formed Hendra or Nipah viruses cannot process the protein that permits the viruses to fuse with the host cell. Newly formed viruses then cannot spread the infection; in other words, they can invade, but cannot cause disease.

The authors also claim the fact that "several other zoonotic viruses depend on cathepsin L - most notably, Ebola. Our findings, and our methods, could easily be applied to the study of Ebola and other emerging diseases" .

Congrats Dr. Moscona and group for this acheivement. ...

Beware of cell phones of hospital workers !..

I heard from one of my friend a few days back, that a patient who was admitted to a hospital for the treatment for Parkinson disease got infected thro' the medical ventilator. One can imagine the fate of the patient.

Now while reading an article, I found this something strange (but a true fact !) which I want to share with others, this time the culprit here is mobile phone(s).

A Turkey research group lead by Dr. Fatma Ulger, tested the phones of doctors and nurses in hospital operating rooms and intensive care units. They found that almost 95% were contaminated with bacteria of different types (culturing the bacteria from cell phones !), potentially causing infections ranging from relatively minor skin complaints to life-threatening illness. The results are of great importance because of he fact that 'cross-contamination of bacteria between the hands of healthcare workers and their mobile phones' and there by cell phones acting as a reservoir of infection which may facilitate patient-to-patient transmission of bacteria in a hospital setting.

Hope, at least now the concerned authorities take the necessary steps like "strict infection-control procedures, environmental disinfections hand hygiene and decontamination methods are recommended for not only the hand-held electronic devices also for CELL PHONES.....

Phenylbutyrate for treating Alzheimer's Disease !...

We know that Phenylbutyrate is adrug, used to prescribe for patients suffering from alterations in the urea cycle. Now, Ana García-Osta and co-workers have come up with something interseting, sodium phenyl butyrate can be used to treat Alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with age and characterized by the progressive deterioration of cognitive and intellectual abilities. "Cognitive deficit is associated with a loss of neuron connections. For the memory to develop, it is necessary for a series of cellular and molecular mechanisms to be activated. The interruption of these processes affects the capacity to assimilate and store new memories. Since this a drug already established for its toxicity, if the results claimed by Dr. Ana are established and the mechanism of action are studied, hope this research will add one more drug as serendipity and also the much needed help for those sufferings...

Lovastatin for the treatment of degenerative disc disease ?

We know that Lovastatin is a member of the drug class of statins, used for lowering cholesterol (hypolipidemic agent) in those with hypercholesterolemia and so preventing cardiovascular disease. But recentlyDr. Yang and his research group has come up with new innovative idea that Lovastatin, helps the differentiation of disc cells in vitro.

Degenerative disc disease is one of the leading sources of back and neck pain. Disc degeneration is part of the normal aging of the spine. In this condition, the spinal discs (the pillow-like pads between the bones) lose their cushioning. When this happens, it can cause persistent pain in the lower back, legs, neck or arms. Treatments for pain can include medications and physical therapy. Sometimes surgery is needed if the pain is severe and keeps a person from participating in everyday activities.

In their quest to discover ways to stop or reverse degenerative disc disease, orthopaedic researchers have been removing disc tissue from patients who are having spine surgery and extracting cells from that tissue for cultivation in vitro (a controlled environment outside of a living organism). They then transfer the cells back into the patient. Shu-Hua Yang, MD, PhD, is part of a Taiwanese research team that has discovered that Lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering medication, helps the differentiation of disc cells in vitro.

The results are of great interest : 1. the number of nucleus pulposus cells had increased; 2. Lovastatin increased the synthesis of collagen II, a protein that makes up moveable joints, and decreased the synthesis of collagen I, a protein that is related to fibrosis and 3. Lovastatin had no cytotoxicity (the quality of being toxic) on nucleus pulposus cells..

I think if proven, one more addition to the list of serendipity.......

Though further studeis are essential to establish their claim, its a good beginning..

Omega-3 Fatty Acids for protecting the liver from damage caused by obesity and the insulin resistance it provoke...

(1)--alpha-linolenic acid (ALA),


(2)-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)





(3)-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

According to a recent study by Dr. Joan Claria and co workers, diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids (1, 2 & 3) protect the liver from damage caused by obesity and the insulin resistance it provokes. This research should give doctors and nutritionists valuable information when recommending and formulating weight-loss diets and help explain why some obese patients are more likely to suffer some complications associated with obesity. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in canola oil and fish.

The researchers found that lipids called protectins and resolvins derived from omega-3 fatty acids can actually reduce the instance of liver complications, such as hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance, in obese people. The group claims that, two types of lipids in omega-3 fatty acids—protectins and resolvins—were the cause of the protective effect. These results are based on animal models of testing and hope this info will help dieticin to prepare list of diets to reduce the obesity, with reduced complications to the liver. More....

Two step chemical process for Biofuel.!..

In one of my earlier blog article, have written about how a modified e-coli is used to make biofuel, but this time by chemical reaction that too in only two steps!. Something interesting, the key to the new process is the first step, in which cellulose is converted into the "platform" chemical 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), from which a variety of valuable commodity chemicals can be made. The significance of this research is in the fact that most of the groups have tried to either fructose/glucose, but this group lead by Dr. Ronald Raines, have tried to it starting from cellulose itself. The researchers have developed a unique solvent system, that makes this conversion possible. The special mix of solvents and additives, for which a patent is pending, has an extraordinary capacity to dissolve cellulose, the long chains of energy-rich sugar molecules found in plant material. Because cellulose is one of the most abundant organic substances on the planet, it is widely seen as a promising alternative to fossil fuels.

This solvent system can dissolve cotton balls, which are pure cellulose," says Raines. "And it's a simple system—not corrosive, dangerous, expensive or stinky.

This approach simultaneously bypasses another vexing problem: lignin, the glue that holds plant cell walls together. Often described as intractable, lignin molecules act like a cage protecting the cellulose they surround. However, Raines and Binder used chemicals small enough to slip between the lignin molecules, where they work to dissolve the cellulose, cleave it into its component pieces and then convert those pieces into HMF. In step two, Raines and Binder subsequently converted HMF into the promising biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). Though the over all yield is still to be improved, its a good beginning. Congrats Dr. Raines. More....

Vitamin B12 as an effective 'Canker Sore Therapy' ..

I used to wonder why, the medical practitioners recommend Vitamin B12 for canker sores, now thanks to the research group lead by Dr. Ilia Volkov, have confirmed the fact that a nightly dose of vitamin B12 is a simple, effective and low risk therapy to prevent Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS), better known as "canker sores." In India vitamin B12, is available as OTC.

The researchers tested the effect of vitamin B12 on 58 randomly selected RAS patients who received either a dose of 1,000 mcg of B12 by mouth at bedtime or a placebo, and were tested monthly for six months. Approximately three quarters (74 percent) of the patients of the treated group and only a third (32 percent) of the control group achieved remission at the end of the study.

The results are of important by the fact that the average outbreak duration and the average number of ulcers per month decreased in both groups during the first four months of the trial. However, the duration of outbreaks, the number of ulcers, and the level of pain were reduced significantly at five and six months of treatment with vitamin B12, regardless of initial vitamin B12 levels in the blood. During the last month of treatment a significant number of participants in the intervention group reached 'no aphthous ulcers status' (74.1% vs 32.0%; P < .01) and not only becoz., of the statistical significance and also this treatment is simple and inexpensive and has no known significant toxic effects. More....

New Electrode Material for (Lithium-Ion Batteries) Better Performance ......

Everything nanotech.....its really interesting, now its the turn of Lithium-Ion batteries. Rice University researchers lead by Pulickel Ajayan, have achieved this significant milestone. With increasing demand for battery technology high on the list of priorities in a world demanding electric cars and gadgets that last longer between charges, such innovations are key to the future. This research wherein 'nanotubes were grown to look – and act – like the coaxial conducting lines used in cables. The coax tubes consisted of a manganese oxide shell and a highly conductive nanotube core.

The researchers put in two materials – the nanotube, which is highly electrically conducting and can also absorb lithium, and the manganese oxide, which has very high capacity but poor electrical conductivity, but combined together one get something interesting. And there by one can enhance the number of charge/discharge cycles, with a larger capacity.

The most significance of this research, is the coaxial cable design of these materials that offers improved performance as electrodes for lithium batteries over the other combination. Though further study is essential to substantiate the claim. Its a good beginning..

Ref : http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/nl803081j.

Oncostatin M- as antiviral (viral Hepatitis) and anti cancer agent ?

Oncostatin M, is a pleitropic cytokine that belongs to the Interleukin 6 group of cytokines. Of these cytokines it most closely resembles Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in both structure and function. And this has been establisehd now Dr. Jesús Prieto. And not only Oncostatin M, has anticancer activity, it has got antiviral (Viral Hepatitis) activity also.

Explaination given by the researcher is interesting and has significant too.

When organisms suffer a viral infection, dendritic cells (natural proteins produced as a response of the immune system to foreign agents) release type I interferon. The researchers of the CIMA observed that dendritic cells also produced Oncostatin M. "What was remarkable was the evidence that Oncostatin improved the effect of interferon in inhibiting the replication of viruses as well as noticeably increasing the antiviral response of the immune system.

These findings suggest that the combination of both molecules may be useful for treating viral diseases that do not respond to isolated treatment with interferon, something which occurs in patients with viral B or C chronic hepatitis. "In addition, it is possible that this combination could be effective for designing strategies against different tumor processes in which conventional therapy is unsuccessful.

Source : http://www.basqueresearch.com/berria_irakurri.asp?hizk=I&Berri_Kod=2072