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Improved Method Developed To Test Carcinogen Risk
Researchers at Oregon State University recently completed the largest animal study ever done in the field of toxicology, and the findings challenge some basic concepts about how to determine what level of a cancer-causing compound can be considered safe.
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Prehypertension, Obesity And Kidney Disease Risks
People with prehypertension are not at increased risk of kidney disease if their body mass index (BMI) is under 30.0 kg/m2, a first-ever examination of the combined effect of blood pressure and body weight on the risk of kidney disease shows.
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Extending The Life Of An Appetite-Suppressing Peptide
The peptide alpha-MSH works in a region of the brain known as the hypothalamus to suppress appetite. A team of researchers, at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, and the University of California Davis, has provided new insight into the way in which levels of the active form of alpha-MSH are regulated in mice. Specifically, genetic and biochemical analysis performed by the team, led by Sabrina Diano and Craig Warden, indicated that the protein PRCP is expressed in the hypothalamus and breaks down the active form of alpha-MSH, generating a slightly smaller peptide that does not suppress food intake. Importantly, administration of PRCP inhibitors to both normal and obese mice reduced their food intake. Further, mice lacking PRCP had increased levels of the active form of alpha-MSH in the hypothalamus and were leaner and shorter than normal mice; they also did not get obese when fed a high-fat diet. The authors suggest that these data are the first step in identifying PRCP as a candidate drug target for the treatment of obesity and obesity-related disorders. Although Richard Palmiter, at the University of Washington, Seattle, also raises this intriguing possibility, he cautions that any drug would need to penetrate the brain.
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Expert: Adults Need To Revisit Childhood Vaccinations

"Vaccines are not just for children any more." That is the important, and potentially life-saving message, that Geisinger Health System pediatric gastroenterologist William Cochran, M.D., vice chairman of the Janet Weis Children"s Hospital, wants to deliver. And this is a message that comes from personal experience. "I am a physician, and I didn"t realize that adults needed to be revaccinated for what are considered childhood diseases such as pertussis (whooping cough)," said Dr. Cochran. "And I found that out the hard way by contracting that very disease." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pertussis is an acute, infectious cough illness that remains prevalent in the United States despite longstanding routine childhood pertussis vaccination. It is characterized by the unforgettable "whoop" sound made when gasping for breath after a coughing fit. It creates a sticky, thick mucous that makes it difficult to eat, drink and breathe. This remains an issue because immunity wanes approximately five to 10 years after completion of childhood vaccination, leaving adolescents and adults susceptible to the disease. The CDC reports that since the 1980s, the number of reported pertussis cases has increased steadily, especially among adolescents and adults. And, between 2000-2003 and 2004-2007, there was a 100-percent increase in reported cases of pertussis; there may be as many as 800,000 to 3.3 million adult and adolescent cases of pertussis in any given year. "This is considered the 100-day cough," said Lisa Esolen, M.D., system director of Geisinger Infection Control. "This is not a cough that goes away after a few days. At Geisinger alone, we"ve had two pertussis outbreaks within a span of a year, one of which required delivering antibiotics to 105 people who were exposed. That is a significant number. And all it takes is awareness and revaccination to control." Dr. Cochran"s experience with the disease, and lengthy and painful recovery, has inspired him to educate adults about the importance of revaccination. "The coughing gets so bad that I can"t get any air. My airway closes until the "whoop" end of the cough occurs. It"s very frightening and extremely painful," he said. "The CDC recommends that all adults between the ages of 19-64 should be revaccinated, along with healthcare providers. If more adults get their vaccines, then we"ll have more power to stop this horrible disease in its tracks." About Geisinger Health System Founded in 1915, Geisinger Health System (Danville, PA) is one of the nation"s largest integrated health services organizations. Serving more than two million residents throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania, the physician-led organization is at the forefront of the country"s rapidly emerging electronic health records movement. Geisinger is comprised of two medical center campuses, three hospitals, a 740-member group practice, a not-for-profit health insurance company and the Henry Hood Center for Health Researchdedicated to creating innovative new models for patient care, satisfaction and clinical outcomes. Geisinger Health System


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