DNA Databases - Threat To Privacy Or A Good Thing?

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Main Category: Genetics
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 9:00 PDT Current ratings for:
DNA Databases - Threat To Privacy Or A Good Thing?

Creating huge national databases of people's DNA is an increasingly contentious topic since the US Supreme Court recently backed the routine swabbing of DNA from all criminal suspects once they are arrested - at the immediate stages of investigation and before any legal proceedings.

The Fourth Amendment requires the US government to balance legitimate law enforcement interests with the privacy rights of individuals. When it comes to genetic fingerprinting, people worry about how safely guarded their DNA data is, as well as about the reliability of the information.

Similar concerns are hotly debated in the medical world. The sharing of large amounts of DNA data can enable researchers to predict and treat serious disease. But would you want an insurer to gain access to your genetic blueprint of personal disease risk?

A new example of where there may be clear medical benefits to widespread sampling of DNA is seen in research against Alzheimer's disease.

Today (July 12th), the international conference for the UK's Alzheimer's Association, held in Yorkshire, England, heard researchers claim they had gained whole genome sequences for the "largest cohort of individuals" ever grouped together for a single disease - more than 800 people.

Who should have access to your DNA?

Enrolled in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the genetic information from these people could be crucial for the understanding and treatment of this common type of dementia.

But how safe is it to give up all your genetic information to medical research? Well, in medical research studies, highly regulated ethical protocols are in place that aim to prevent such things as abuse of private and confidential data.

For the Alzheimer's research project, anyone interested in enrolling in the study had to give their informed consent, and the study doctors and scientists had to abide by numerous protocols set out in advance. Any parties interested in gaining access to the resulting DNA database must also agree to a number of principles, including not asking any researcher to somehow try and track down individual DNA data.

So, in medical research, information from individual people's DNA should be safely anonymized so that analysis is on a "big data" level and cannot be drilled down to identifiable individuals.

This is not always the case, though. A paper published in the journal Science by Yaniv Erlich, who runs a lab at MIT's Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, shows how he managed to identify individuals and their families among anonymous DNA research data.

So how much trust do people place in police and other public authorities to safeguard the data on your genes? The Economist recently ran an online poll and found a roughly 60/40 split - the majority of people said yes to the question, "Is it ever right for the DNA of the innocent to be used for any purpose without the consent of the 'owner.'" The debate, "The ethics of DNA databasing", centered on a motion that "This house believes that people's DNA sequences are their business, and nobody else's".

While it seems a majority of people are not too worried about national DNA databases, a large minority are seriously concerned.

Written by Markus MacGill

Copyright: Medical News Today
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Dementia Care In Hospitals Is Still Poor, According To Second National Audit Of Dementia, UK

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Dementia Care In Hospitals Is Still Poor, According To Second National Audit Of Dementia, UK

People with dementia are still experiencing poor quality care in hospitals, according to the second National Audit of Dementia published today (Friday 12 July). Although some improvements have been made since the first audit was published in 2011, there is a gap between written policies and actual practice and several areas have shown little progress.

Just over three quarters (76 per cent) of hospitals now have dementia champions in place at ward level, but two fifths (41 per cent) of hospitals are still not offering dementia awareness training to new staff. Similarly two fifths of hospitals (41 per cent) have offered no awareness training to support staff, and a tenth did not provide this training to nurses in the twelve months.

Commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and carried out by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the audit surveyed almost all eligible hospitals across England and Wales (98 per cent).

As well as training, the report highlights the following key areas for improvement:

Only 36 per cent of hospitals currently have care pathways in place for people with dementiaLess than half of patients in the audit had been given key health assessments e.g. for delirium (38 per cent) or mental state (50 per cent)A third of hospitals are not giving sufficient guidance and information to family carers and written information in case notes is still patchyLess than half of hospital boards are routinely reviewing performance in relation to patients with dementia.

There has been some progress in areas, including an increase in the number of patients receiving nutritional assessments and a 10 per cent fall in the prescription of antipsychotic drugs.

Alzheimer's Society comment:

'Hospitals are under immense public and political pressure to improve their standards, but given that people with dementia occupy a quarter of hospital beds, it is scandalous that improving dementia care is not a top priority for a number of hospital managers.

'With the news this week that thousands of healthcare assistants are not receiving even basic training, let alone awareness training of how to care for people with dementia, it is unsurprising that we are hearing of instances when carers dare not leave their loved ones' side.

'We know that staff want to improve their knowledge of dementia care, but they need to be offered the right tools, support and training to do so. Without a serious culture change to ensure that new policies are actually being put into everyday practice, care for people with dementia cannot and will not improve.'

George McNamara

Head of Policy and Public Affairs

Alzheimer's Society

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our alzheimer's / dementia section for the latest news on this subject.

One in three people over 65 will develop dementia

Alzheimer’s Society research shows that 800,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer’s disease. In less than ten years a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051

Alzheimer’s Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them

Alzheimer’s Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Alzheimer’s Society has a plan to deal with dementia. Help us support people to live well today and fight for a world without dementia tomorrow. We rely on voluntary donations to continue our vital work. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898

Alzheimer’s Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0300 222 11 22.

Alzheimer’s Society

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Cook Medical Launches Hemospray™ - A Hemostatic Spray For The Treatment Of Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeds, UK

Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Cook Medical Launches Hemospray™ - A Hemostatic Spray For The Treatment Of Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeds, UK

Cook Medical has chosen the annual meeting of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) to introduce an innovative endoscopic spray for use in nonvariceal bleeds in the upper GI tract to the UK market. Hemospray, which has undergone a clinical study and multiple evaluations[1], expands Cook Medical's current line of haemostasis devices, achieving haemostasis with a proprietary inorganic powder. It is now available to clinicians in the United Kingdom.

Hemospray is a single-use device, delivered through the channel of an endoscope and sprayed toward the source of a bleed. When the powder comes in contact with blood, it absorbs water and forms a gel, which acts both cohesively and adhesively to create a stable mechanical barrier that adheres to and covers the bleeding site. It is a nonthermal, nontraumatic treatment modality for achieving haemostasis.

"Hemospray is an important and new therapy, which offers an additional treatment option for patients who suffer from bleeding lesions in the upper GI tract," said Dr. John Morris, consultant gastroenterologist at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Hospital.

Current hemostasis therapies rely on thermal, mechanical or injection devices. These devices carry risks of damage to the surrounding tissue and also require that the device be precisely placed on the bleeding vessel. Hemospray is designed to minimize the risks associated with current therapies and without the precision required of other treatment modalities.

"Because these bleeds can be complicated, no treatment option represents the perfect solution, even Hemospray," said Barry Slowey, vice president and global business leader for Cook Medical's Endoscopy division. "However, we do feel that this new device gives clinicians another important tool for the care of their patients."

A study conducted by lead investigators Prof. Joseph Sung and Dr. Sam Giday at the Chinese University of Hong Kong showed that Hemospray achieves acute hemostasis in peptic ulcers.[2] Further clinical studies are currently being conducted with Hemospray across multiple sites in Canada, Europe, and Hong Kong. The results of these studies will be available in the coming months.

For doctors wishing to use Hemospray at their hospital, training can be provided at over 20 centres countrywide in the UK. To reserve a place on an upcoming course please contact your local Cook representative.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our gastrointestinal / gastroenterology section for the latest news on this subject.

Early Clinical Experience of the Safety and Effectiveness of Hemospray in Achieving Hemostasis in Patients with Acute Peptic Ulcer Bleeding Endoscopy 2011; 43: 291-295

A hemostatic spray: The easy way out for upper gastrointestinal bleeding? Endoscopy 2011; 43: 343-344

Safety Analysis of Hemostatic Powder (Hemospray™) in a Porcine Model of Gastric Bleeding. GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 75, No. 4S: 2012: AB228

Use of the endoscopically applied hemostatic powder TC-325 in cancer-related upper GI haemorrhage: preliminary experience (Barkun, AN et al) GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 75, No. 6: 2012: p1278

Hemospray for Non-Variceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Results of the Seal Dataset (Survey to Evaluate the Application of Hemospray in the Luminal Tract) GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 75, No. 5: 2012: AB133

Emerging technologies for endoscopic hemostasis. GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 75, No. 5: 2012: p933

[1] See list of references above.

[2] Sung JJ, Luo D, Wu JC, et al. Early clinical experience of the safety and effectiveness of Hemospray in achieving hemostasis in patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding. Endoscopy. 2011;43(4):291-295.

Cook Medical

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Consumption Of Artificial Sweeteners Associated With Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, Cardiovascular Disease

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Diabetes
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Consumption Of Artificial Sweeteners Associated With Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, Cardiovascular Disease

More and more Americans are consuming artificial sweeteners as an alternative to sugar, but whether this translates into better health has been heavily debated. An opinion article published by Cell Press in the journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism reviews surprising evidence on the negative impact of artificial sweeteners on health, raising red flags about all sweeteners - even those that don't have any calories.

"It is not uncommon for people to be given messages that artificially-sweetened products are healthy, will help them lose weight or will help prevent weight gain," says author Susan E. Swithers of Purdue University. "The data to support those claims are not very strong, and although it seems like common sense that diet sodas would not be as problematic as regular sodas, common sense is not always right."

Consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome - a group of risk factors that raises the risk for heart disease and stroke. As a result, many Americans have turned to artificial sweeteners, which are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar but contain few, if any, calories. However, studies in humans have shown that consumption of artificially sweetened beverages is also associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome as well as cardiovascular disease. As few as one of these drinks per day is enough to significantly increase the risk for health problems.

Moreover, people who regularly consume artificial sweeteners show altered activation patterns in the brain's pleasure centers in response to sweet taste, suggesting that these products may not satisfy the desire for sweets. Similarly, studies in mice and rats have shown that consumption of noncaloric sweeteners dampens physiological responses to sweet taste, causing the animals to overindulge in calorie-rich, sweet-tasting food and pack on extra pounds.

Taken together, the findings suggest that artificial sweeteners increase the risk for health problems to an extent similar to that of sugar and may also exacerbate the negative effects of sugar. "These studies suggest that telling people to drink diet sodas could backfire as a public health message," Swithers says. "So the current public health message to limit the intake of sugars needs to be expanded to limit intake of all sweeteners, not just sugars."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject.

Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, Swithers et al.: "Artificial sweeteners produce the counterintuitive effect of inducing metabolic derangements."

Cell Press

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posted by kathryn on 12 Jul 2013 at 3:45 pm

I have noticed that many people with weight problems are drinking the poison sweeteners along with massive portions of food.
In a healthy diet sugar is a natural option, it appears diabetes 2 has increased while using the sweeteners, perhaps being obese is not related diabetic problems as I note many slim people and anorexic people use sweeteners and some have diabetes!

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Belly Fat Tied to Raised Heart and Cancer Risks

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Academic Journal
Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology;  Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 3:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Belly Fat Tied to Raised Heart and Cancer Risks

Carrying too much fat around the abdomen puts people at greater risk for heart disease and cancer compared with people who have a similar body mass index (BMI) but who carry their fat in other parts of the body.

So says a US study published online in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Previous studies have shown that the risk of disease and death linked to obesity or being overweight varies among individuals with the same BMI (body mass index - the ratio of their weight in kilos to their height in metres squared).

Now a new study suggests ectopic fat - that is, fat present where it shouldn't be, in this case the highly visible spare tyre(s) around the middle - might explain this variation.

We already know that carrying excess fat around the waist can be more dangerous than carrying it elsewhere, such as the hips or the thighs (apple-shaped as opposed to pear-shaped).

But this latest study, from lead author Kathryn A. Britton, instructor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues, is the first to use CT scans to see which specific deposits of excess fat are linked to disease risk.

The study uses data collected in the Framingham Heart Study from 3,086 participants who were followed for up to seven years. Their average age was 50, and around half were women.

The physical exams the participants underwent at the start of the Framingham study period included CT scans, which allowed the researchers on this study to assess ectopic fat deposits in the abdomen, around the heart and around the aorta, the largest artery in the human body.

Over the follow-up, there were 90 heart-related events, 141 cases of cancer, and 71 deaths (from all causes) among the participants.

When Britton and colleagues analyzed these in relation to the fat deposits, and took out the effect of clinical risk factors and BMI, they found abdominal fat was linked to heart disease and cancer.

This study is the first to show that when you add presence of belly fat to measures that compare BMI to waist size, the ability to predict cardiovascular risk improves.

Although the researchers didn't investigate why fat in the abdomen is tied to higher risk for heart disease and cancer, they conclude their findings support the growing idea that ectopic fat has "a pathogenic role".

One possible explanation could be to do with the fact belly fat often indicates there is too much fat around internal organs.

Britton says findings like these are valuable because, given the worldwide obesity crisis, it is important to identify individuals at high risk so that prevention and therapy can be tailored specifically for them.

Britton's study comes after one published in 2012 in which researchers at the Mayo Clinic found belly fat increases the risk of death even in people of normal weight.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. "Body Fat Distribution, Incident Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and All-cause Mortality"; Britton KA, Massaro JM, Murabito JM, Kreger BE, Hoffmann U, Fox CS; J Am Coll Cardiol, published online July 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.06.027; Link to Abstract. Additional source: American College of Cardiology. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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posted by Joel Mitchell on 12 Jul 2013 at 12:12 pm

Unfortunately, we are what we eat and America's diet now consists of primary PIG food. We use corn and grains to fatten our livestock and now ourselves. Look in the mirror and on your plate. No wonder.

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2nd Digital Marketing For Medical Devices Europe Summit, 22-23 December 2013, London

Main Category: Conferences
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 7:00 PDT Current ratings for:
2nd Digital Marketing For Medical Devices Europe Summit, 22-23 December 2013, London

Conference organizer ExL Pharma is proud to bring the 2nd Digital Marketing for Medical Devices Europe Summit to the Hilton Kensington Hotel in London 22-23 December 2013.

The 2nd Digital Marketing for Medical Devices is designed to give Marketing Professionals in the Medical Device, Biotech, Diagnostics and Healthcare Industries the rare opportunity to discuss and benchmark with peers, where the industry is heading, how to adapt to a changing customer profile and new communication channels and benefit from a fully integrated marketing approach. It will be a MUST ATTEND for these organisations.

18 experts from leading companies such as Zimmer, Medtronic, Mölnlycke, American Medical Systems, Smith Medical, and B. Braun share best practices and vital information how to create and implement a successful digital marketing strategy, align sales and marketing and leverage emerging opportunities.

The medical device industry is often perceived as lagging somewhat behind other industries in areas related to digital marketing, mobile optimization, social media and branding. But with cheap products from China flooding the market, there is a lot of pressure on marketers to review their strategies and ensure maximum reach, while creating brand loyalty to increase sales! This Summit will focus on an integrated marketing approach providing useful tools, hands-on advice and strategies that have worked to overcome common pitfalls. Through interactive workshops, roundtables, panel discussions and case studies participants can enhance their skill set and learn how to overcome their challenges with regards to social media, content & website management, demonstrating ROI, iPad implementation, elearning, analytics, customer engagement and more!

To find out more information about the program and attending the Summit, please contact Kai Hahn at khahn@exlpharma.com or visit http://www.exlpharma.com/digitaldeviceEU

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our conferences section for the latest news on this subject.

About ExL Events

ExL Pharma, a division of ExL Events, Inc., is the industry leader in developing innovative, educational conferences that serve the pharmaceutical and allied healthcare communities in the United States, Europe, Latin America and various markets. Behind our diverse pharmaceutical event portfolio, ExL's experienced team conducts extensive market research and targeted outreach. The results translate into innovative, high-quality events designed to exceed the dynamic informational and networking needs of specific audiences and working groups.

ExL Pharma conference platforms facilitate the exchange of critical information between industry executives and suppliers who support their scientific and commercial goals. Our events are the preferred resource for industry professionals seeking important information and networking opportunities with a clear delineation between content and commercialism.

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Smoking Combined With Heavy Drinking Speeds Up Cognitive Decline

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Also Included In: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Smoking Combined With Heavy Drinking Speeds Up Cognitive Decline

The combination of smoking and heavy drinking speeds up cognitive decline, according to new research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Researchers from UCL (University College London) found that smokers who drank alcohol heavily had a 36% faster cognitive decline compared to non-smoking moderate drinkers.

Smoking and heavier alcohol consumption often co-occur, and their combined effect on cognition may be larger than the sum of their individual effects. The research team assessed 6,473 adults (4,635 men and 1,838 women) aged between 45 and 69 years old over a 10-year period. The adults were part of the Whitehall II cohort study of British civil servants.

All the participants were asked about their cigarette and alcohol consumption, and their cognitive function (including verbal and mathematical reasoning, short-term verbal memory and verbal fluency) was then assessed three times over 10 years.

The research team found that in current smokers who were also heavy drinkers, cognitive decline was 36% faster than in non-smoking moderate drinkers. This was equivalent to an age effect of 12 years - an additional two years over the 10-year follow up period. Among smokers, cognitive decline was found to be faster as the number of alcohol units consumed increased.

Lead researcher Dr Gareth Hagger-Johnson said: "Our research shows that cognitive decline was 36% faster in those people who reported both cigarette smoking and drinking alcohol above the recommended limits (14 units per week for women, 21 units per week for men). When we looked at people who were heavy-drinking smokers, we found that for every 10 years that they aged their brains aged the equivalent of 12 years."

"From a public health perspective, the increasing burden associated with cognitive aging could be reduced if lifestyle factors can be modified, and we believe that people should not drink alcohol more heavily in the belief that alcohol is a protective factor against cognitive decline. Current advice is that smokers should stop or cut down, and people should avoid heavy alcohol drinking. Our study suggests that people should also be advised not to combine these two unhealthy behaviours - particularly from mid-life onwards. Healthy behaviours in midlife may prevent cognitive decline into early old age."

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