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Month: June 2023

Published on Leave a comment on Genetic Risk Factors For Dupuytren’s Contracture Are Inherited From Neanderthals
Dupuytren's disease Credit: Wikipedia

It turns out that many people of northern European descent have inherited some Neanderthal genes. A study found that these are contributing to a higher risk for Dupuytren's contracture (also called Dupuytren's disease). One study estimated that about 30% of Norwegian males over the age of 60 have Dupuytren's disease, but studies find that it is rare in African populations.

The researchers of the study looking at Dupuytren's disease noted that the average Neanderthal ancestry among Europeans is about 2%. [Note: Neanderthals are also referred to as Neandertals.]

Dupuytren's disease is a gradual thickening and tightening of tissue under the skin in the hand, which eventually can cause one or more fingers to stay bent toward the palm. It usually occurs in men over the age of 60.

Neanderthals and Denisovans (referred to as “archaic humans”) are now extinct. They lived in Western (Neanderthals) and Eastern Eurasia (Denisovans) until approximately ∼42,000 years ago. There was interbreeding (sex) with modern humans (Homo sapiens), which is how some of their genes have been passed down through the years. 

From Science Daily: The Viking disease can be due to gene variants inherited from Neanderthals

Many men in northern Europe over the age of 60 suffer from the so-called Viking disease, which means that the fingers lock in a bent position. Now researchers at Karolinska Institutet, together with colleagues, have used data from over 7,000 affected individuals to look for genetic risk factors for the disease. The findings, which have been published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, show that three of the strongest risk factors are inherited from Neanderthals. ...continue reading "Genetic Risk Factors For Dupuytren’s Contracture Are Inherited From Neanderthals"

Published on Leave a comment on New Non-Surgical Approach to ACL Rupture Looks Promising

Could this be another paradigm shift in medical care? This time it's substituting a non-surgical approach vs the current surgical approach for ACL ruptures.

A recent study found that a non-surgical bracing procedure for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures of the knee resulted in 90% having evidence of ACL healing at 3 months. And those with more healing at 3 months had better long-term (12 month) outcomes.

Those with less severe ACL ruptures had quicker, better healing, and a greater percentage (92%) returned to their pre-injury sport. But 64% were able to return to their sport even if they had a more severe ACL rupture. Eleven patients (14%) reinjured their ACL within a year.

The Cross Bracing Protocol (CBP) used in this study of 80 patients (within 4 weeks of ACL rupture) was: 1) knee immobilization at 90° flexion in a brace for 4 weeks, 2) followed by progressive increases in range-of-motion until the brace was removed at 12 weeks, and 3) physiotherapist-supervised goal-oriented rehabilitation.

The researchers hypothesized that holding the knee at 90 degrees could help unite the torn ends of the ACL and encourage healing. Of course, more and larger studies are now needed to confirm the results.

From Medical Xpress: New treatment could help avoid surgery by healing ACL rupture, study shows

A new non-surgical bracing treatment may help to facilitate healing after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, a new study has found. ...continue reading "New Non-Surgical Approach to ACL Rupture Looks Promising"

Published on Leave a comment on Technique May Improve the Microbiome of C-section Babies

Recent studies suggest that "vaginal seeding " of a newborn is effective and also has beneficial health effects for the baby. Vaginal seeding is transferring some of a mother's vaginal fluids (which contain beneficial microbes) onto newborns delivered via C-section.

The reason for doing this procedure (using gauze pads) is because during a vaginal birth the baby picks up the mother's microbes as it moves through the birth canal (this is good!). Babies delivered by C-section don't pick up all these beneficial microbes - instead they get what is floating around the delivery room.

Rutgers Univ. researchers found that infants that received vaginal seeding hosted a different microbial population in their stool and skin (more like the mother's) than those who didn't in the first month after birth. The vaginal seeding had worked - the mother's microbes had become part of the baby's microbiome.

Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello has been doing research in the area of vaginal seeding and infant microbiome for a while. (Description of vaginal seeding method she uses.)

By the way, breastfeeding the baby is also a great way to transfer maternal microbes to the baby. There are hundreds of species in the breast milk, and the species in the milk vary over time.

From Medical Xpress: Technique may restore healthy bacterial balance in C-section babies

Newborns delivered by cesarean section who are swabbed with the vaginal fluid of their mothers after birth have beneficial bacteria restored to their skin surface and stools, according to a new study.  ...continue reading "Technique May Improve the Microbiome of C-section Babies"

Published on Leave a comment on Enjoy the Day!

Today is the summer solstice. It's the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Enjoy!

The summer solstice occurs when one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt towards the sun. It's the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year.

After today, the length of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere will start shortening until the winter solstice in December.

Published on Leave a comment on Study Finds Mediterranean Diet Lowers the Risk of Developing Heart Disease In Women

A recent study was good news for those wishing to lower their chances of developing heart disease (cardiovascular disease) without the use of medications. Instead, focus on the foods you eat, specifically those in a Mediterranean-style diet.

The Univ. of Sydney researchers did an analysis of 16 existing studies (with 722,495 women) and found that women following a Mediterranean diet lowered their odds of developing heart disease by 24% and lowered their risk of early death by 23%.

In this study, a Mediterranean diet meant eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil. Moderate amounts of seafood, low to moderate in wine consumption, and low in red/processed meats, dairy products, animal fat, and processed foods.

Why is the Mediterranean diet beneficial? The diet focuses on whole foods that are also rich in fiber, antioxidants, has an increased intake of all sorts of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, flavanols, etc.), less oxidative stress, it's anti-inflammatory, reduced glycemic load, boosts the immune system, and feeds the beneficial microbes in our gut microbiome.

Interestingly, studies find that frequent consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) lowers the risk of death from several diseases (heart disease, cancer, neurogenerative disease, and respiratory disease), lowers the incidence of breast cancer, and promotes healthier brain aging. A Mediterranean diet is associated with numerous health benefits (e.g., lower dementia risk) besides a lower heart disease risk.

These findings are important because heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization. According to the CDC, it is the number 1 killer of women in the United States.

From Medical Xpress: Mediterranean diet cuts women's cardiovascular disease and death risk by nearly 25%, finds study

Sticking closely to a Mediterranean diet cuts a woman's risks of cardiovascular disease and death by nearly 25%, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence—the first of its kind—published online in the journal Heart. ...continue reading "Study Finds Mediterranean Diet Lowers the Risk of Developing Heart Disease In Women"

Published on Leave a comment on Carbon Dioxide Levels Are Higher Than Ever In the Atmosphere

Holy moly! Our carbon dioxide levels are rising, really rising! Every year there is a new high, and this year is no exception.

According to NASA, in May at the Mauna Observatory in Hawaii the carbon dioxide measurement was 421 ppm. It's called the "global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration". This week the reading at Mauna Launa Observatory is 423.96 ppm. It's going up! And yup, this is climate change.

From the NASA Global Climate Change page on Carbon Dioxide (go to the link to see the graphs, and prepare to be shocked).

Carbon Dioxide  LATEST MEASUREMENT:  May 2023     421 ppm

Key Takeaway: Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere warms the planet, causing climate change. Human activities have raised the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide content by 50% in less than 200 years.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat-trapping gas, or greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and from natural processes like volcanic eruptions.

Since the beginning of industrial times (in the 18th century), human activities have raised atmospheric CO2 by 50% – meaning the amount of CO2 is now 150% of its value in 1750. This is greater than what naturally happened at the end of the last ice age 20,000 years ago.

The animated map shows how global carbon dioxide has changed over time. Note how the map changes colors as the amount of CO2 rises from 365 parts per million (ppm) in 2002 to over 400 ppm currently. (“Parts per million” refers to the number of carbon dioxide molecules per million molecules of dry air.) These measurements are from the mid-troposphere, the layer of Earth's atmosphere that is 8 to 12 kilometers (about 5 to 7 miles) above the ground.

One big concern that needs to be addressed: What will high carbon dioxide levels do to our thinking processes? Over the years carbon dioxide levels have been rising, and are now at levels not experienced in several million years!

Think of a "stuffy room" where it is harder to think - this can already occur starting at about 600 ppm of CO2, and known to occur at 945 ppm and higher (in rooms with many people in them). While current CO2 levels are below that, we are faced with the possibility that if they keep rising we will get there eventually - and there will be no escape from the "stuffy room" feeling!

...continue reading "Carbon Dioxide Levels Are Higher Than Ever In the Atmosphere"

Published on Leave a comment on Great Resource For Learning About Your Air Quality
Hazardous air quality Credit: Mara Silgailis

Meteorologists are predicting that we (in the US and Canada) will be experiencing more hazardous air quality days in the coming months and years due to wildfire smoke. An excellent resource for monitoring the air quality where you live is AirNow.gov. It has both current air quality and forecasts.

The NY Times currently has interactive air quality maps, which are tracking the wildfires from Canada.

Smoke is air pollution, whether it's from wildfires, cigarettes, or vehicles. It's not just our lungs and internal organs that suffer from smoke with particles smaller than 2.5 microns. (For comparison: A human hair is at least about 20 microns in diameter.) The particles travel from the lungs through our bloodstream to the organs. But our skin also suffers. It causes flares of inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis, and increases wrinkles and age spots.

Air pollution is dangerous to everyone!

Some health effects of air pollution: Harm to the lung and airways, damage to most organ systems of the body, lung cancer, COPD deaths, heart disease deaths, stroke deaths, bladder cancer, childhood leukemia, poorer lung development in children, lung impairment in adults, reduced cognitive function, increased risk of dementia, diabetes, effects on immune system, allergic rhinitis, structural changes in the brain, inflammation, and with high levels of smaller than 2.5 μm particles can have delayed psychomotor development and lower child intelligence. And the list goes on!

Do go and check out AirNow.gov and all the links on the site, including an interactive fire and smoke map. Stay indoors (as much as possible) with the windows shut on "unhealthy, very unhealthy, or hazardous" air quality days. Consider wearing masks outdoors and using an air purifier indoors on those days.

Published on Leave a comment on A Good Diet Is Associated With Lower Rates Of Miscarriage

It absolutely makes sense that a good diet before and during pregnancy is associated with better pregnancy outcomes, including the risk for miscarriage.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham reviewed 20 studies (for a total of 63,838 women) and found that a good diet with healthy foods (both preconception and during pregnancy) is linked to a lower chance of miscarriage. On the other hand, a diet high in processed foods was associated with a doubling of miscarriage risk. Interestingly, higher intake of fried foods and a lower intake of chocolate is also associated with higher miscarriage odds.

What is a "good diet" linked to lower risk of miscarriage? One that is rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, and seafood. A high intake of fruits was linked to 61% reduction of miscarriage risk, high intake of vegetables had a 41% reduction, dairy was linked to a 37% reduction, and consumption of eggs had a 19% reduction. Seafood (fish) had a 19% reduction.

Hmmm.... overall the results sound like Mediterranean-style or healthy Nordic foods diets are beneficial. By the way, the researchers were unable to draw any conclusions regarding meat, red meat, white meat, fat, and oil.

There are many reasons for the lower rate of miscarriage with a healthy, whole foods diet: from an increased intake of all sorts of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, flavanols, etc.), rich in anti-oxidants, less oxidative stress, lower rates of inflammation, boosts the immune system, to feeding beneficial microbes in our gut microbiome.

Fun fact: the developing fetus can taste the foods the mother eats.

From Medical Xpress: Diet high in fruit and vegetables linked to lower miscarriage risk

A preconception and early-pregnancy diet that contains lots of fruit, vegetables, seafood, dairy, eggs and grain may be associated with reducing risk of miscarriage, a new review of research suggests. ...continue reading "A Good Diet Is Associated With Lower Rates Of Miscarriage"

Published on Leave a comment on The Bacteria Involved In Tooth Decay

More clues were revealed in a recent study about the microbes involved in the formation of tooth decay and cavities (dental caries). Scientists and dentists have long known about Streptococcus mutans involvement in cavity formation, but they found that another bacterial species can also be involved.

In the study researchers analyzed tooth plaque of 300 children (aged 3 to 5 years) and discovered that the bacteria Selenomonas sputigena (normally involved in gum disease) can partner with S. mutans to form cavities.

Perhaps in the future microbes or enzymes will be used to fight or suppress harmful bacteria involved in dental caries. We'll see.

From Science Daily: Dentists identify new bacterial species involved in tooth decay

Collaborating researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and the Adams School of Dentistry and Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina have discovered that a bacterial species called Selenomonas sputigena can have a major role in causing tooth decay. ...continue reading "The Bacteria Involved In Tooth Decay"

Published on Leave a comment on Health Risks From Popular Artificial Sweetener

Artificial sweeteners are very popular, with sucralose (Splenda) being the most widely used artificial sweetener in the US. However, there is increasing evidence that these sweeteners are linked to health problems. Recently, a study found that basically all safety claims by the manufacturer of sucralose are nonsense (deceptive advertising!), and that the sweetener instead can cause health harms.

Health harms from sucralose include: damages DNA (it's genotoxic), it causes "leaky gut" (makes the wall of the gut more permeable), bioaccumulates in the body, leukemia, alters gut microbes, drives glucose intolerance, causes weight gain, increases appetite. decreases insulin sensitivity, metabolic dysfunction, enters into breastmilk of nursing mothers, promotes intestinal inflammation, and more.

Of course the European Union has stricter standards regarding sucralose than the US. (Why am I not surprised?).

The following two articles discuss different aspects of sucralose and its health harms. The one from US Right to Know is worth reading in full.

Excerpts from Medical Xpress: Chemical found in common sweetener damages DNA

A new study finds a chemical formed when we digest a widely used sweetener is "genotoxic," meaning it breaks up DNA. The chemical is also found in trace amounts in the sweetener itself, and the finding raises questions about how the sweetener may contribute to health problems. ...continue reading "Health Risks From Popular Artificial Sweetener"