Dementia and Alzheimer's is the leading cause of death for women over 80, according to ONS in Alzheimers Society, 27 February 2015

Excerpt:
"The Office of National Statistics has today (27 February 2015) released statistics showing dementia and Alzheimer's disease to be the leading cause of death in women over 80.
The statistics, revealing the top causes of death by age and gender, showed that dementia and Alzheimer's accounted for 17 per cent of deaths in women over 80 and was the second leading cause for men, causing 11 per cent of deaths in this age group."

Article at:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=2330

Whole Food Diet Linked To Greater Cognitive Dysfunction In Alzheimer’s in Science 2.0, Hank Campbell, February 27th 2015

Excerpt:
"Writing in Neurobiology of Aging, Parrott et al. detail their study using a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease and found that a whole food diet caused mice with their equivalent of Alzheimer's to do worse on tests of strategic learning and spatial memory.

Usually, researchers want to know if over-expression of amyloid precursor protein or tau causes the plaque or tangles commonly linked to Alzheimer's Disease, named after the fellow who discovered those qualities in diseased brains, Alois Alzheimer, a century ago. In this paper the researchers wanted to reconcile some animal models, which found that oxidative stress was important, and clinical trials, which showed no benefit using antioxidants that could modulate cell signaling and oxidative stress.

Basically, they wanted to see if there were real-world differences based on diet, so they weaned transgenic (TgCRND8) mice with a whole-food diet, things like salmon, blueberries, kale and brussel sprouts and such, or regular chow.

The results were a bit of a surprise. In mice with Alzheimer's, the whole food diet mice developed worse cognitive function than those fed the control diet - spatial memory and strategic rule learning declined."

Article at:
http://www.science20.com/science_20/whole_food_diet_linked_to_greater_cognitive_dysfunction_in_alzheimers-152777

Crohn’s disease and colitis linked to processed food in Morning Ticker, Allison Chambers, Februrary 27, 2015

Excerpts:
"Many obese people have been warned to stay away from processed foods when trying to lose weight. But there may be another reason to avoid them. Now those people who suffer from IBS may want to avoid processed foods as well because of a common ingredient. A new study that was published on February 25 shows that food additives in processed food may affect the bacterial combination in the abdomen and can lead to health issues. The chemicals used in the research shows that it resulted in weight gain, a change in blood sugar readings and caused intestinal problems. It caused a disturbance in the good bacteria in the gut which led to the emulsifiers increasing chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis."

Article at:
http://www.morningticker.com/crohns-disease-and-colitis-linked-to-processed-food/16087/

A New Treatment For Inflammatory Diseases Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine, February 27, 2015

Excerpts:
"The molecule MCC950 targets the inflammasomes and could be used to treat diseases such as cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes. "

"Scientists have developed a small molecule that blocks a key driver of inflammatory diseases. Their results, published in Nature Medicine, could inspire new treatments for arthritis, multiple sclerosis and a family of rare autoinflammatory diseases. University of Queensland scientists worked with an international team, including experts from Trinity College Dublin, to study the molecule known as MCC950. The molecule can suppress activation of a key process in inflammation caused by inflammasomes, crucial drivers of many autoinflammatory diseases. "


Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine at: http://www.asianscientist.com/2015/02/in-the-lab/treatment-inflammatory-diseases/

World Life Expectancy/World Health Rankings website at:
http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/world-rankings-total-deaths

Interactive pages that lets you see world and country totals and do comparisons. For example, deaths caused by heart disease is ranked number one in the world and the United States. Alzheimers is ranked number 22 in the world and number 2 in the United States. You can compare country by country or a particular country vs world totals. Do your own analysis.

City to bring awareness to traumatic brain injuries in Puyallup Herlald, HEATHER DEROSA, February 24, 2015

Excerpt:
" With 1.7 million Americans sustaining a traumatic brain injury every year, Manning is nowhere near alone when it comes to battling his disability day after day.

Manning sustained his brain injury in 1972 at the age of 10 when a semi-truck lost its brakes, crossed the median and struck the vehicle him, his sister and his mother were riding in head-on. He was the only survivor of the crash, and instantly went into a coma, later waking up with a traumatic brain injury."

Article at:
http://www.puyallupherald.com/2015/02/24/3655860/city-to-bring-awareness-to-traumatic.html

Skin Test for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Shows Early Promise in U.S. News-Health, Feb. 24, 2015

Excerpts:
"A small, early study hints that a skin test may someday be able to help diagnose people with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Researchers found that skin biopsies can reveal elevated levels of abnormal proteins associated with the two disorders.

The study is being released ahead of its presentation in April at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) in Washington, D.C.

As it stands now, a definite diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in a living person has not been possible, so the illness is often "unrecognized until after the disease has progressed," Dr. Ildefonso Rodriguez-Leyva, of the Central Hospital at the University of San Luis Potosi in Mexico, explained in an academy news release.

"We hypothesized that since skin has the same origin as brain tissue while in the embryo, that they might also show the same abnormal proteins," he said. "This new test offers a potential biomarker that may allow doctors to identify and diagnose these diseases earlier on."

"According to the AAN, about 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease and 1 million have Parkinson's disease."

Article at:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015/02/24/skin-test-for-alzheimers-parkinsons-shows-early-promise

Common ingredient in packaged food may trigger inflammatory disease in Science AAAS, Kelly Servick 25 February 2015

Excerpt:
"The ingredients that lend a smooth, stable consistency to ice cream, chocolate bars, and other packaged snacks may promote certain chronic inflammatory diseases. That’s the claim of a new study, which finds increases in metabolic disease and intestinal inflammation in mice fed two common emulsifiers used in processed food. The authors are a long way from confirming similar effects in humans, but they suggest that these ingredients cause damage by disrupting the barrier between the immune system and the microbiome—the collection of microbes that inhabit our bodies."

Article at:
http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/02/common-ingredient-packaged-food-may-trigger-inflammatory-disease

Novel anti-cancer DNA vaccine may fight aging, chronic inflammation and osteoporosis in Phys.org, February 25th, 2015

Excerpt:
"An international team of scientists including CureLab Oncology, Inc. (Boston), University of Camerino (Italy), and Boston University have serendipitously discovered a DNA vaccine, which systemically alleviates chronic inflammation in the body. Since osteoporosis is an inflammatory disease, preventive and therapeutic effects of the new vaccine were demonstrated on mouse models with osteoporosis. A paper reporting these results is published in the latest issue of the journal Gerotarget (the geriatric section of Oncotarget). An online preprint of the paper is available on the journal's website."

Article at:
http://phys.org/wire-news/186317774/novel-anti-cancer-dna-vaccine-may-fight-aging-chronic-inflammati.html

New 8-K filed:

"Item 8.01. Other Events.

On February 19, 2015, Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) became aware of a complaint filed on February 18, 2015, in New York Supreme Court for New York County in which the Company and its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Michael J. Mullan, are named as a defendants. The complaint was filed by Iroquois Master Fund, Ltd. and American Capital Management, LLC, who were investors in a private placement of the Company’s securities completed in March 2014 (the “Private Placement Transaction”). The complaint also names as a defendant John J. McKeon, a shareholder of the Company.

Iroquois and American Capital are seeking $4.2 million, in the aggregate, in damages or, alternatively, rescission of the Private Placement Transaction, premised on allegations that the Company entered into a “sham” loan agreement with Mr. McKeon to provide the Company with a $5.8 million line of credit in order to fraudulently induce Iroquois and American Capital to acquire the Company’s securities. The Company had not, to the Company’s knowledge, yet been served with the complaint as of February 24, 2015. Although the Company believes that the material allegations are without merit and intends to vigorously defend the litigation, no assurances can be given with respect to the outcome of the litigation. "

Filing at:
http://app.quotemedia.com/data/downloadFiling?webmasterId=101533&ref=10098983&type=HTML&symbol=RCPI&companyName=Rock+Creek+Pharmaceuticals+Inc&formType=8-K&dateFiled=2015-02-25&cik=0000776008

List of Diseases Autoimmune and Autoimmune-Related Diseases in American Autoimmune

Lst and details at:
http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/list-of-diseases/

Autoimmune diseases fact sheet at Womenshealth.gov

Excerpts:
"
What are autoimmune diseases?

Our bodies have an immune system, which is a complex network of special cells and organs that defends the body from germs and other foreign invaders. At the core of the immune system is the ability to tell the difference between self and nonself: what's you and what's foreign. A flaw can make the body unable to tell the difference between self and nonself. When this happens, the body makes autoantibodies (AW-toh-AN-teye-bah-deez) that attack normal cells by mistake. At the same time special cells called regulatory T cells fail to do their job of keeping the immune system in line. The result is a misguided attack on your own body. This causes the damage we know as autoimmune disease. The body parts that are affected depend on the type of autoimmune disease. There are more than 80 known types."

"How common are autoimmune diseases?

Overall, autoimmune diseases are common, affecting more than 23.5 million Americans. They are a leading cause of death and disability. Yet some autoimmune diseases are rare, while others, such as Hashimoto's disease, affect many people."

Article at:
https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/autoimmune-diseases.html

Progesterone offers no benefits in TBI in JAMA, Februrary 24, 2015

http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2130313

Safety and life-saving efficacy of statins have been exaggerated in World Pharma News, no author cited, 23 FEBRUARY 2015

Excerpts:
"According to Diamond and Ravnskov, statins produce a dramatic reduction in cholesterol levels, but they have "failed to substantially improve cardiovascular outcomes." They further state that the many studies touting the efficacy of statins have not only neglected to account for the numerous serious adverse side effects of the drugs, but supporters of statins have used what the authors refer to as "statistical deception" to make inflated claims about their effectiveness"

"The paper also describes how the basis of the deception is in how authors of the statin studies present the rate of beneficial and adverse effects. The effect of the drugs on the population is called the 'absolute risk,' which has shown that statins benefit only about 1% of the population. This means that only one out of 100 people treated with a statin will have one less heart attack. Statin researchers, however, don't present the 1% effect to the public. Instead they transform the 1% effect using another statistic, called the "relative risk," which creates the appearance that statins benefit 30-50% of the population."

""The adverse effects suffered by people taking statins are more common than reported in the media and at medical conferences" explains Diamond and Ravnskov. According to the authors, "Increased rates of cancer, cataracts, diabetes, cognitive impairments and musculoskeletal disorders more than offset the modest cardiovascular benefits of statin treatment."

The authors advocate other health beneficial strategies that are known to reduce cardiovascular risk, such as cessation of smoking, weight control, exercise and stress reduction. They also emphasized the great value of a low carbohydrate diet for normalizing all of the biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, with excellent outcomes, especially for people with type 2 diabetes.

Diamond and Ravnskov concluded their paper with the sobering statement that "There is a great appeal to the public to take a pill that offers the promise of a longer life and to live heart attack free. The reality, however, is that statins actually produce only small beneficial effects on cardiovascular outcomes, and their adverse effects are far more substantial than is generally known."

Article at:
http://www.worldpharmanews.com/research/3024-safety-and-life-saving-efficacy-of-statins-have-been-exaggerated

14A filing for RCPI. Primarily about annual stockholders meeting on April 10th and reverse stock split plan:
"A proposal to approve an amendment (in the event it is deemed by the Company’s Board of Directors to be advisable) to the Company’s Tenth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to effect a reverse stock split of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock at a ratio within the range of one-for-five (1:5) to one-for-twenty-five (1:25), as determined by the Board of Directors;"

Filing at:
http://app.quotemedia.com/data/downloadFiling?webmasterId=101533&ref=10094777&type=HTML&symbol=RCPI&companyName=Rock+Creek+Pharmaceuticals+Inc&formType=PRE+14A&dateFiled=2015-02-23&cik=0000776008

Canada's Valeant to buy Salix in $10.1 billion deal in Reuters,HERBERT LASH, Feb 23, 2015

Excerpt:
"(Reuters) - Canada's Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX.TO) (VRX.N) agreed to acquire gastrointestinal drugmaker Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SLXP.O) in an all-cash deal valued at about $10.1 billion, the two companies said on Sunday.

The deal for Salix, known for its irritable bowel syndrome drug Xifaxan, was approved by the boards of directors of both companies, the companies said in a news release.

The companies said the deal had an enterprise value of $14.5 billion, which would include Salix's debt and any cash on hand. Valeant will pay $158.00 a share, valuing the all-cash transaction at about $10.1 billion.

The merger is expected to yield more than $500 million in annual cost savings within six months, the release said."

Article at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/23/us-valeantpharms-salixpharms-idUSKBN0LQ0V420150223

Sanofi and Lead Pharma to develop treatments for autoimmune diseases in World Pharma News, 18 FEBRUARY 2015

Excerpt:
"Sanofi announced today that it has entered into a research collaboration and license agreement with Dutch biotech Lead Pharma to discover, develop and commercialize small-molecule therapies directed against the nuclear hormone receptors called ROR gamma t to treat a broad range of autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease, which are among the most common."

Article at:
http://www.worldpharmanews.com/sanofi/3019-sanofi-and-lead-pharma-to-develop-treatments-for-autoimmune-diseases

Study identifies potential new drug target for MS in Medical News Today, Honor Whiteman, 18 February 2015

Excerpts:
"More than 2.3 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, a debilitating condition triggered by damage to nerve cells in the central nervous system. But in a new study published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, researchers say they may have found a way to reduce this nerve cell damage, paving the way for new treatments for the disease."

"While the exact cause of the condition is unclear, it is known to be triggered by an autoimmune response that causes inflammation in the central nervous system. This inflammation destroys a fatty substance that protects the nerve fibers, called myelin, which causes damage to nerve cells, nerve fibers and the cells that produce myelin, called oligodendrocytes."

"They found that the newly created peptide effectively stopped the previously identified protein binding to the glutamate receptor, which improved neurological functioning in the animal models of MS. They found the peptide reduced nerve cell death by protecting myelin from damage, and it also improved survival of myelin-producing cells."

Article at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/289612.php

Treatments to stop Alzheimer's step closer as scientists discover key inhibitor molecule in Medical News Today, Catharine Paddock PhD, 18 February 2015,

Excerpt:
"A key step in the development of Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases is the accumulation or "nucleation" of misfolded proteins - known as amyloid fibrils - that do not disperse or dissolve away but form toxic clusters and help the disease spread in the brain.

The molecule that the international team has discovered is a chaperone called Brichos that sticks to threads of amyloid fibrils and stops them coming into contact with each other, thus breaking the toxic chain reaction"

"The study shows that Brichos effectively blocks secondary nucleation and stops the chain reaction that speeds up Alzheimer's disease.

In humans, Brichos helps proteins avoid misfolding. Lab tests showed that when the chaperone encounters an amyloid fibril, it binds itself to sites on its surface forming a coating that stops it helping other proteins to misfold and nucleate into toxic oligomers."

Article at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/289577.php

Scientists pursue new compounds that can tackle inflammatory diseases in Fierce Biotech Research, February 17, 2015 | By John Carroll

Excerpts:
"Investigators have known for some time that fasting, intense exercise or a low-carb diet can spur production of a compound called BHB, or ß-hydroxybutyrate. Now, working with mouse models for inflammation, investigators at Yale say they have nailed down proof that BHB can directly inhibit the inflammatory protein NLRP3, which could have an impact in treating a range of diseases linked to inflammation, like diabetes, Alzheimer's, atherosclerosis and autoinflammatory conditions.

Almost simultaneously, investigators at Trinity College in Dublin say they identified a molecule that directly inhibits NLRP3, citing it as a prime candidate for heading off the full slate of diseases triggered by inflammation."

"NLRP3 is part of the inflammasome, the Yale scientists note. Introducing BHB into mouse models for inflammatory diseases linked to NLRP3 reduced inflammation, they say, adding that a ketogenic diet--high-fat, sufficient protein and low-carbohydrate--had the same effect. And they want to further their work to see if the approach may work on diseases associated with mutations of NLRP3.

"Our results suggest that the endogenous metabolites like BHB that are produced during low-carb dieting, fasting, or high-intensity exercise can lower the NLRP3 inflammasome," said Dixit. "

Article at:
http://www.fiercebiotechresearch.com/story/scientists-pursue-new-compounds-can-tackle-inflammatory-diseases/2015-02-17

Olive oil ingredient leads cancer cells to their death in Gizmag, Nick Lavars, February 19, 2015

My comments: I can hear the FDA demanding Olive Oil be classified as a drug.

Excerpts:
"An ingredient found in extra-virgin olive oil called oleocanthal has been known as a compound capable of killing a variety of human cancer cells, but how this process actually played out was not understood. Now, a team of researchers has uncovered not only how oleocanthal destroys cancer cells, but that it is able to do so while leaving healthy cells unharmed."

"What first surprised the scientists was how quickly the oleocanthal destroyed the cancer cells. While apoptosis requires between 16 and 24 hours to take effect, the oleocanthal was killing off the cancer cells within 30 minutes to one hour. This led the team to believe that there were some other factors at play.

What they discovered was that the oleocanthal was piercing the cancer cell's vesicles, the containers that store the cell's waste. By puncturing these "dumpsters," as Breslin describes them, it creates an outpouring of enzymes that then cause the cell to die.

"Once you open one of those things, all hell breaks loose," says Breslin.

And when it came to the healthy cells, the researchers found that they remain completely unharmed. While the application of oleocanthal caused a temporary halt in their life cycles, after 24 hours they returned to normal."

Article at:
http://www.gizmag.com/olive-oil-ingredient-cancer-cell-death/36180/#comments

Women with MS may 'have lower levels of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory nutrients' in Medical News Today, 20 February 2015, Honor Whiteman

Excerpt:
"The researchers found that on average, the women with MS had lower levels of five anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients - food folate, vitamin E, magnesium, lutein-zeaxanthin and quercetin - compared with the healthy controls."

""Since MS is a chronic inflammatory disorder, having enough nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties may help prevent the disease or reduce the risk of attacks for those who already have MS.

Antioxidants are also critical to good health and help reduce the effects of other types of damage that can occur on a cellular level and contribute to neurologic diseases like MS."

Article at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/289604.php

Chronic stress can wreak havoc on the body, Finding a way to chill may benefit long-term health in Science News, BY NATHAN SEPPA, FEBRUARY 20, 2015

My Comments: Worth reading entire article.

Excerpts:
Scientists have now identified many of the biological factors linking stress to these medical problems. The evidence centers on nagging inflammation and genetic twists that steer cells off a healthy course, resulting in immune changes that allow ailments to take hold or worsen."

"Stress research gained traction with a master stroke of health science called the Whitehall Study, in which British researchers showed that stressed workers were suffering ill effects. Scientists have since described how a stressed brain triggers rampant hormone release, which leads to imbalanced immunity and long-term physical wear and tear. Those effects take a toll quite apart from the anxiety and other psychological challenges that stressed individuals deal with day to day."

"Stress reactions start in the brain, the master interpreter of events occurring around us. A stressed brain trips excessive release of epinephrine and norepinephrine plus the stress hormone cortisol. Like all hormones, these molecules exert their effects by binding to receptor proteins in and on cells, changing the cells’ behavior. The hiker fleeing the bear does so because receptors by the millions are suddenly telling cells to kick into gear. The pulse rate quickens. That’s also how epinephrine helps resuscitate a person in cardiac arrest.
But an everyday, steady release of stress hormones trips other switches throughout the body in a drumbeat that steadily poisons the system — spreading biological changes like wildfire.

For instance, epinephrine and norepinephrine normally keep a leash on NF-kappa-B, a master regulator of immune processes that is also considered an agent of inflammation. But overproduction of epinephrine and norepinephrine desensitizes their receptors. This bogs down signaling and their ability to rein in NF-kappa-B and inflammation."

"Inflammation’s green light
Taking the brakes off inflammation underlies many of the ailments that crop up in population studies of chronic stress.

A prime concern, from the Whitehall Study and others, has been heart disease. Inflammatory immune cells form part of the plaques that clutter the coronary arteries that nourish the heart muscle. Normally, fibrous caps hold these plaques together, preventing problems. But too much inflammation can weaken the caps, a 2011 study in pigs showed. If a cap ruptures and a plaque is dislodged, the vascular equivalent of a fire alarm goes off, triggering a blood clot to form instantly at the rupture site. If the clot blocks a coronary artery, hello heart attack.

Generation next
Women with ongoing post-traumatic stress disorder were more apt to give birth prematurely than were women who had never had PTSD.

One way to measure inflammation is by tracking blood levels of interleukin-6, an immune signaling protein. A 2013 Whitehall analysis in the Canadian Medical Association Journal tracked IL-6 for five years in more than 3,000 adults. People with at least two high IL-6 readings over that time were more likely to have some sort of heart problem as people with consistently lower IL-6.

Also in Whitehall, scientists linked high IL-6 levels and another inflammatory marker, called C-reactive protein, with stress and diabetes. People who grew up facing stress because of poor socioeconomic conditions faced a doubled risk of type 2 diabetes as adults. The authors attributed one-fourth of the added risk to chronically elevated inflammation.

Scientists are now digging deeper, sorting through changes in gene activity that underlie inflammation and receptor shutdown. For example, childhood stress might get embedded in immune cells called macrophages through epigenetic changes — alterations that affect the activity levels of genes without changing the underlying DNA. Psychologist Gregory Miller of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., suggests that these changes can endow the macrophages with pro-inflammatory tendencies that later foster chronic diseases.

That line of research circles back to NF-kappa-B, the inflammatory molecule. When Miller and colleagues tested immune cells from 33 adults caring for a family member with brain cancer and compared those with cells from 47 people without such a major stressor, the caregivers’ cells had increased activity in genes tied to NF-kappa-B."

Article at:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/chronic-stress-can-wreak-havoc-body

Catching Alzheimer’s before Memory Slips Can a five-minute eye-tracking test warn of disease to come? in Scientific American,
February 12, 2015 |By Esther Landhuis

Excerpt:
"The company has since developed a five-minute Web-based version of the test that uses basic Webcams to capture eye movements. The original setup, which uses an infrared eye-tracking device, costs around $60,000. If shown to work reliably, the online test could become an affordable tool for widespread screening, enabling doctors to see who is at risk for Alzheimer’s three to six years before symptoms emerge.

At the CNS Summit held in November, Dolin reported that the five-minute Webcam approach computed scores with essentially the same accuracy as the eye-tracker system. Furthermore, scores on the five-minute online test seem align with scores on the original half-hour version, he says. But the company still needs to show that its online test predicts which otherwise healthy seniors will develop Alzheimer’s.

To get that data, the company launched a three-year study last October to test its eye-tracking assessment with 3,000 seniors in Shanghai. Participants will take Neurotrack’s test along with cognitive exams and blood tests at the start of the study and yearly thereafter for three years. Additional U.S. studies funded by Neurotrack will evaluate the company’s technology alongside PET and other measures for identifying healthy people on a path toward Alzheimer’s. In addition, several pharmaceutical companies are including Neurotrack in clinical trials of experimental Alzheimer’s therapies. In all, more than 6,000 people will take the Neurotrack test, says co-founder and CEO, Elli Kaplan."

Article at:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/catching-alzheimer-s-before-memory-slips/?WT.mc_id=SA_MB_20150218

New research sheds light on cancer, Alzheimer’s origins in Boston Globe, Carolyn Y. Johnson, GLOBE STAFF FEBRUARY 18, 2015

Excerpts:

"Boston scientists have developed a technique that can trace a cancer cell back to the tissue where it started, raising hope for one day improving treatment for mysterious cancers of unknown origin.

Using the same data set, a team in Cambridge discovered, to their surprise, that immune cells — and not brain cells involved in learning and memory — appear to be at the genetic root of Alzheimer’s disease."

"“If somebody asks you, ‘What is the basis of Alzheimer’s disease?’ you’d say something about the brain,” said Manolis Kellis, a professor of computer science at MIT who led the research. “This map seems to disagree. . . . The reason why you get Alzheimer’s is that you are unlucky in your immune system, not unlucky in your neurons.”

Article at:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/science/2015/02/18/new-research-provides-movie-human-genome-sheds-light-cancer-alzheimer/AD1zU6gN1axLmMWaL3GKgN/story.html

Scientists pursue new compounds that can tackle inflammatory diseases in Fierce Biotech Research, February 17, 2015 | By John Carroll

Excerpt:
"Investigators have known for some time that fasting, intense exercise or a low-carb diet can spur production of a compound called BHB, or ß-hydroxybutyrate. Now, working with mouse models for inflammation, investigators at Yale say they have nailed down proof that BHB can directly inhibit the inflammatory protein NLRP3, which could have an impact in treating a range of diseases linked to inflammation, like diabetes, Alzheimer's, atherosclerosis and autoinflammatory conditions.

Almost simultaneously, investigators at Trinity College in Dublin say they identified a molecule that directly inhibits NLRP3, citing it as a prime candidate for heading off the full slate of diseases triggered by inflammation."

Article at:
http://www.fiercebiotechresearch.com/story/scientists-pursue-new-compounds-can-tackle-inflammatory-diseases/2015-02-17

Treatments to stop Alzheimer's step closer as scientists discover key inhibitor molecule in Medical News Today, Catharine Paddock PhD, 18 February 2015

Excerot:

"Scientists have discovered a molecule that can interrupt an important stage in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The molecule sticks to faulty proteins and stops them forming toxic clusters in the brain."

"A key step in the development of Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases is the accumulation or "nucleation" of misfolded proteins - known as amyloid fibrils - that do not disperse or dissolve away but form toxic clusters and help the disease spread in the brain."

"The study shows that Brichos effectively blocks secondary nucleation and stops the chain reaction that speeds up Alzheimer's disease."

"A good tactic now is to search for other molecules that have this same highly targeted effect and to see if these can be used as the starting point for developing a future therapy."

"Last month, Medical News Today learned of a study that found a significant link between high use of anticholinergic drugs and increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease in older people. Anticholinergic drugs include many popular non-prescription sleep aids and the antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine)."

Article at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/289577.php

Study identifies potential new drug target for MS in Medical News Today, Honor Whiteman, 18 February 2015

Article:
"More than 2.3 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, a debilitating condition triggered by damage to nerve cells in the central nervous system. But in a new study published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, researchers say they may have found a way to reduce this nerve cell damage, paving the way for new treatments for the disease.
Nerve cells
Researchers have developed a peptide that they say improved neurological functioning in animal models of MS by reducing nerve cell damage.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disease most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.

While the exact cause of the condition is unclear, it is known to be triggered by an autoimmune response that causes inflammation in the central nervous system. This inflammation destroys a fatty substance that protects the nerve fibers, called myelin, which causes damage to nerve cells, nerve fibers and the cells that produce myelin, called oligodendrocytes.

As a result, patients with MS can experience a broad range of symptoms, including fatigue, visual problems, muscle weakness, pain, tremors and problems with coordination and balance.

There is currently no cure for MS, though some medications are available that can alleviate symptoms and slow disease progression by targeting the body's immune response.

But in this latest research, lead author Dr. Fang Liu, senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Canada, and colleagues say they may have identified a new biological target for MS treatment.

Newly created peptide improved neurological functioning in animal models of MS
By analyzing spinal cord tissues from deceased MS patients and animal models of the disease, the researchers identified a spinal cord alteration involving a protein that binds to a specific cell receptor associated with glutamate - the most prominent neurotransmitter in the human brain.

The team found that, compared with healthy controls, the spinal cord alteration involving this glutamate-associated protein was present at higher levels in MS animal models and deceased MS patients.

Next, the team developed a new peptide with the aim of using it to disrupt the spinal cord alteration in MS animal models.

They found that the newly created peptide effectively stopped the previously identified protein binding to the glutamate receptor, which improved neurological functioning in the animal models of MS. They found the peptide reduced nerve cell death by protecting myelin from damage, and it also improved survival of myelin-producing cells.

Dr. Liu notes that although many drugs that target glutamate receptors interfere with nerve cell signaling in the brain, the newly created peptide did not appear to have this effect, nor did it directly suppress the immune system.

Commenting on the team's findings, she says:

"We've identified a new biological target for MS therapy. Our priority now would be to extend this research and determine how this discovery can be translated into treatment for patients."

Earlier this month, Medical News Today reported on a study published in The Lancet Neurology, in which researchers claim to have mapped the complete pathological progress of MS for the first time."

Article at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/289612.php

Sanofi and Lead Pharma to develop treatments for autoimmune diseases
in World Pharma News, 18 FEBRUARY 2015

excerpt:
"Sanofi announced today that it has entered into a research collaboration and license agreement with Dutch biotech Lead Pharma to discover, develop and commercialize small-molecule therapies directed against the nuclear hormone receptors called ROR gamma t to treat a broad range of autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease, which are among the most common.
"Anti-ROR gamma t therapies represent a ground-breaking opportunity that we are eager and motivated to pursue through our collaboration with Lead Pharma," said Christian Antoni vice president and head of the Immunology & Inflammation Franchise, Research & Development, Sanofi. "At Sanofi, we believe networked innovations - working collaboratively across science sectors - is the most effective way to bring meaningful new therapies to patients. To this end, Lead Pharma's innovative capabilities and productivity, exemplified by the ROR gamma t program, make them ideal partners for Sanofi in this area of drug discovery."

Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi and Lead Pharma will collaborate during the early phase of research and development with a goal of identifying drug candidates and beginning human trials within 3-4 years. Lead Pharma will receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive research, development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Sanofi will be responsible for clinical development and have worldwide marketing and commercialization rights to any products that may be developed as a result of the collaboration. Lead Pharma is entitled to receive royalty payments on global sales from any such products. Further details of the financial terms have not been disclosed.

About Autoimmune Disorders
A wide range of human diseases are driven by deregulated immune function. There are hundreds of immune-mediated disorders that include joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Often these diseases are characterized by inappropriate activation of molecules termed cytokines, which are important mediators of normal immune function. When inappropriately activated, these powerful molecules can cause severe damage to multiple body systems. Manifestations of immune-mediated diseases range from mild skin rashes to severe organ failure to death. In addition to the significant suffering to patients, the socioeconomic burden of just rheumatoid arthritis has been estimated at approximately $40 billion in the U.S. alone.[1]

About ROR gamma t
The nuclear receptor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma, also known as ROR gamma t or ROR gamma (t), is a key regulator of the cytokine immune pathway, interleukin (IL)-17, which lead to the differentiation of T cells to a pro-inflammatory subtype of T helper cells called Th17. As such, ROR gamma (t) drives the production of key pro-inflammatory proteins including IL-17A, IL-17F and the receptor for IL-23. Clinical studies validating the critical role of the IL-17 pathway in chronic autoimmune-related inflammation is growing. Recent findings that show the biological function of ROR gamma (t) can be moderated with small molecules have propelled this target to the cutting edge of drug discovery."

Article at:
http://www.worldpharmanews.com/sanofi/3019-sanofi-and-lead-pharma-to-develop-treatments-for-autoimmune-diseases

Encephalomyelitis - Pipeline Review, H2 2014 - ReportLinker

Excerpt:
"Anatabine - Drug Profile . ...... star scientific announces patent claims to anatabine citrate to be granted by PTO. ..... It reduces leptin expression and activates adiponectin expression which is a protein potentially involved in insulin sensitivity."

Report at:
http://www.reportlinker.com/p02511201/Encephalomyelitis-Pipeline-Review-H2.html

Adiponectin and Healthy Aging in Centenarians in JAMM, Yasumichi Arai, Nobuyoshi Hirose, February 2012

Abstract
"As the aging population expands rapidly worldwide, it has become increasingly important to identify factors that offer means
to promote healthy aging. It is well documented that advancing age is associated with increased body fat and blunted insulin action.
Centenarians, who are the best model of successful aging, are a unique exception to this phenomenon. Increasing evidence has
documented the preservation of insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis along with the very low prevalence of metabolic syndrome,diabetes, and cardiovascular disease among centenarians. We demonstrated that centenarians have a high serum concentration of adiponectin, which was associated with a favorable metabolic phenotype, including higher levels of HDL-C and lipoprotein lipase, and
lower levels of hemoglobin A1c, C-reactive protein, and E-selectin concentrations. These observations suggested that high adiponectin
concentration may be potentially important for maintaining health and function and could be a target for Anti-Aging Medicine."

Article at:
http://www.anti-aging.gr.jp/english/pdf/2012/9(1)0105.pdf

Adiponectin in Wikipedia: Adiponectin (also referred to as GBP-28, apM1, AdipoQ and Acrp30) is a protein which in humans is encoded by the ADIPOQ gene.[1] It is involved in regulating glucose levels as well as fatty acid breakdown. Adiponectin is a protein hormone that modulates a number of metabolic processes, including glucose regulation and fatty acid oxidation.[3] Adiponectin is exclusively secreted from adipose tissue (and also from the placenta in pregnancy[4]) into the bloodstream and is very abundant in plasma relative to many hormones. Levels of the hormone are inversely correlated with body fat percentage in adults Adiponectin was first characterised in 1995 in differentiating 3T3-L1 adipocytes (Scherer PE et al).[19] In 1996 it was characterised in mice as the mRNA transcript most highly expressed in adipocytes(Maeda, 1996 ((citation #1, below))). In 2007, adiponectin was identified as an transcript highly expressed in preadipocytes[20] (precursors of fat cells) differentiating into adipocytes.[20][21]
The human homologue was identified as the most abundant transcript in adipose tissue. Contrary to expectations, despite being produced in adipose tissue, adiponectin was found to be decreased in obesity.[3][5][14] This downregulation has not been fully explained. The gene was localised to chromosome 3q27, a region highlighted as affecting genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes and obesity. Supplementation by differing forms of adiponectin were able to improve insulin control, blood glucose and triglyceride levels in mouse models.
The gene was investigated for variants that predispose to type 2 diabetes.[14][20][22][23][24][25] Several single nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding region and surrounding sequence were identified from several different populations, with varying prevalences, degrees of association and strength of effect on type 2 diabetes. Berberine, an herbal folk medicine, has been shown to increase adiponectin expression[26] which partly explains its beneficial effects on metabolic disturbances. Mice fed the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have shown increased plasma adiponectin.[27]

Centenarians - Characteristics Of Centenarians in Medicine Net Industries, no date cited

Excerpts:
"The bulk of centenarians are women. At any age women have a greater life expectancy than men, and by the time one reaches one hundred, the sex ratio is four women to one man. The one place where this does not seem to be the case is the island of Sardinia, where the ratio is two women to one man. This finding is not yet explained, though the fact that Sardinia has had a relatively closed gene pool for thousands of years raises the possibility that Sardinians carry a sex-specific gene that promotes longevity. Among supercentenarians the sex ratio is five women to one man."

"Centenarians escape many of the common diseases associated with aging. Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are all less common in centenarians than in seventy- or eighty-year-olds. One important aging-related disease is dementia. The incidence and prevalence of dementia increase exponentially with aging but, as with other diseases, many centenarians do not suffer from dementia. Between 40 percent and 60 percent of subjects in studies from Europe, the United States, and Japan were diagnosed with dementia. The others were cognitively normal. When brain tissue from centenarians without dementia is examined, it often does not show any of the changes typically associated with Alzheimer's disease or stroke. These data show that common aging-related diseases are not inevitable, and it is possible to live into very late life and remain well. Serenity may be a personality characteristic of centenarians. Several of the studies found that many of their subjects were easygoing and relaxed."

"The metabolic state of centenarians is paradoxical. Several groups have found that healthy, functional centenarians have metabolic characteristics that are commonly associated with disease, such as unfavorable cholesterol profiles, with high concentrations of harmful substances such as triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and low concentrations of the beneficial high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). They also have high levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6, and high levels of prothrombotic substances. Several theories try to explain these paradoxical findings. Among them is Claudio Franceschi and colleagues' Inflamm-Aging. Inflamm-Aging hypothesizes that aging is due to environmental stresses, particularly inflammatory ones, and that people who live very long, healthy lives may have one, or both, of two characteristics. Either they avoid these stresses, which is unlikely, or, more likely, they have a particular mix of genes (their genotype) that is robust and can minimize the negative effects of the inflammation. A similar theory is François Schächter's Compensatory Adaptation, which suggests that centenarians have a genotype which allows them to better resist internal or external stresses that would cause disease in an individual with a less favorable genotype."

Link at:
<a href="http://medicine.jrank.org/pages/288/Centenarians-Characteristics-centenarians.html">Centenarians - Characteristics Of Centenarians</a>

Centenarians as a model for healthy aging, C. Franceschi*†‡1 and M. Bonafe*, November 2002

Abstract:
"For over 10 years we have studied centenarians as a model to address the biological basis of aging
and longevity, with particular attention to immunology and genetics. The most important findings can
be summarized as follows. (i) Human immunosenescence represents a complex remodelling, whereby
clonotypical immunity deteriorates, while ancestral, innate immunity is largely preserved. (ii) Continuous
exposure to antigens causes a lifelong, chronic antigenic stress, which is responsible, together with the
involution of the thymus, for the accumulation of memory/effector T cells and the exhaustion of naive ¨
T cells. (iii) Aging is characterized by a peculiar chronic inflammatory status that we propose to call
‘inflammaging’, which appears to be under genetic control, is detrimental for longevity and is more evident
in men than in women. Inflammaging, i.e. the up-regulation of a variety of anti-stress responses at the
cellular and molecular level, is the consequence of the ability of the body to adapt to and counteract
the effects of a variety of stressors, which causes the accumulation of molecular and cellular scars.
Inflammaging is considered the common and most important driving force of age-related pathologies,
such as neurodegeneration, atherosclerosis, diabetes and sarcopenia, among others, all of which share an
inflammatory pathogenesis. (iv) Possible strategies to counteract the major effects of immunosenescence
and inflammaging, such as the systematic reduction of the lifelong antigenic load, the elimination of chronic
infections, thymic rejuvenation and preventative treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs in people with a
pro-inflammatory genotype, are envisaged."

Article at:
http://www-06.all-portland.net/bst/031/0457/0310457.pdf

Statin-fortified drinking water?, By Michelle Roberts, BBC News Online health staff, 1 August 2004

My comments: Are the limeys looney? Someone drop the word about Anatabine Citrate, hint, hint. Just posted in BBC Online but date shows 2004??

Excerpts:
"Dr John Reckless, chairman of Heart UK and a consultant endocrinologist at Bath University, put forward the case.

"The whole point of the debate is to bring out the fact that we are under-treating and the fact that a lot more people could benefit.

"The whole population should be following diet, lifestyle and weight loss measures. We shouldn't have our high- fat meals and we shouldn't lounge around, we should all be taking exercise and so on.

"Of course we all need that. But on the other hand, rather more people do need statins than are currently getting them.

"So maybe people should be able to have their statin, perhaps if not in their drinking water, with their drinking water.

"The issue is how far we should be encouraging wider use," he said."

"Doctors are advised by the Joint British Societies, which includes Diabetes UK, the British Cardiac Society, Heart UK and the Stroke Association, to treat people whose 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease is 20%.

This risk means two in every 10 such people would have a cardiovascular event over the space of 10 years if they were left untreated."

"But Professor Tom Sanders, a nutritionist at King's College, London, and nutrition director for Heart UK, disagreed.

He said although statins were good for people at very high risk of cardiovascular disease, serious side effects made statins unsuitable to be used routinely in those at lower risk.

"It's about balancing the side effects. A public health intervention must have no significant side effects and statins do have significant side effects," he said.

"All the trials are really being done on high risk groups - the elderly, people with diabetes or people with heart disease. The benefit is really confined to people at high risk. We have no trials on low risk groups of exposure.

"At the age of 40, your risk of having a heart attack is below one in 1,000, so any reduction is really quite miniscule in terms of benefit.

"The analogy I use is alcohol. Alcohol saves lives from heart disease at older ages but it's very clear that in people of a younger age who are not at risk it causes more harm than it does good."

"Professor Sanders said: "There are serious side effects with statins. One is myositis, in particular rhabdomyolysis - a muscle-wasting disease. It's a very nasty side effect. It can kill you. It occurs in about 0.5 to one in 1,000 people treated and that's with screening. Without screening the incidence might be higher.


A public health intervention must have no significant side effects and statins do have significant side effects
Professor Tom Sanders

Call to ban anti-cholesterol drug
"You would not allow something that gives an effect in one in 1,000 people to be added into food."

He said the other worry was the harm it could cause to unborn children.

"It causes limb defects and for that reason you could not put it in the water supply," he said.

But Dr Reckless said: "You might well have statin-free baby water so that babies and others not at risk don't take their statin."

He said similar arguments had occurred when people suggested aspirin use should be widespread.

"I certainly wouldn't agree with that, but quite a lot of people who ought to take aspirin don't. Statins are actually substantially safer than aspirin.

"If you put the average older patient on aspirin in one year, one person in 262 would have a significant gastrointestinal bleed in that one year. The risk with a statin of getting acute myositis to be sufficiently concerned is one per 100,000. So statins are very much safer."

For deaths, he said: "With aspirin it's one in 2-3,000. The number for statins is about one in a million."


Article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3931157.stm

Top Biotech Stock Picking – Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals (RCPI), Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA), Array Biopharma (ARRY), Cytokinetics (CYTK) in Wallstreet Observer, CHRIS SESTER • FEBRUARY 16, 2015

Excerpt:
"Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:RCPI) gained +3.44% to close last trading session at $0.166. The company, on January 30, 2015, declared that the United Kingdom’s Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a clinical trial application (CTA) to commence a Phase I study of the Company’s lead compound, Anatabine Citrate. The Company’s lead compound has an anti-inflammatory mode of action distinct from other anti-inflammatory drugs available such as biologics, steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs."

Article at:
http://www.wsobserver.com/top-biotech-stock-picking-rock-creek-pharmaceuticals-rcpi-arena-pharmaceuticals-arna-array-biopharma-arry-cytokinetics-cytk/722799/

13 Ways Inflammation Can Affect Your Health in Health Magazine,
You can't live without inflammation, but it can also be hazardous to your health., Amanda MacMillan

My comments: Seeing more and more articles about chronic inflammation in magazines, newspapers, and reports----looks like the choir is now singing from the the same book.

Excerpts:
""But if immune cells start to overreact, that inflammation can be totally directed against us." This type of harmful, chronic inflammation can have a number of causes, including a virus or bacteria, an autoimmune disorder, sugary and fatty foods, or the way you handle stress. Here are a few ways it can affect your health, both short-term and long."

"Another type of inflammation occurs in response to emotional stress. Instead of blood cells rushing to one part of the body, however, inflammatory markers called C-reactive proteins are released into the blood stream and travel throughout the body.

This is the body's biological response to impending danger—a "flight or fight" response that floods you with adrenaline and could help you escape a life-threatening situation. But unrelenting stress over a long period of time—or dwelling on past stressful events—can cause C-reactive protein levels to be constantly elevated, which can be a factor in many chronic health conditions, like those on the following slides."

"Many of the body's immune cells cluster around the intestines, says Denning. Most of the time, those immune cells ignore the trillions of healthy bacteria that live in the gut. "But for some people, that tolerance seems to be broken," says Denning, "and their immune cells begin to react to the bacteria, creating chronic inflammation."

The immune cells can attack the digestive tract itself, an autoimmune condition known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The symptoms include diarrhea, cramps, ulcers, and may even require surgical removal of the intestines. Doctors aren't exactly sure why some people get IBD, but genetics, environment, antibiotics, diet, and stress management all seem to play a role."

"When inflammation occurs in the joints, it's can cause serious damage. One joint-damaging condition is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—another example of an autoimmune disorder that appears to have a genetic component, but is also linked to smoking, a lack of vitamin D, and other risk factors. A 2013 Yale University study, for example, found that a salty diet may contribute to the development of RA. "

"Any part of your body that's been injured or damaged can trigger inflammation, even the insides of blood vessels. The formation of fatty plaque in the arteries can trigger chronic inflammation. The fatty plaques attract white blood cells, grow larger, and can form blood clots, which can cause a heart attack. One specific protein, called interleukin-6 (IL-6), may play a key role, according to a 2012 study published in The Lancet.

Obesity and unhealthy eating increases inflammation in the body, but even otherwise healthy people who experience chronic inflammation because of an autoimmune disorder—such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or celiac disease—appear to have a higher risk of heart disease, regardless of their weight or eating habits."

"Chronic inflammation has been linked to cancers of the lung, esophagus, cervix, and digestive tract, among others. A 2014 Harvard University study found that obese teenagers with high levels of inflammation had a 63% increased risk of developing colorectal cancer during adulthood compared to their thinner peers. The inflammation may be due to obesity, a chronic infection, a chemical irritant, or chronic condition; all have been linked to a higher cancer risk.

"When immune cells begin to produce inflammation, immune regulation becomes deteriorated and it creates an optimal environment for cancer cells to grow," says Mohamadzadeh."

"When inflammation occurs in the lungs, it can cause fluid accumulation and narrowing of the airways, making it difficult to breathe. Infections, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis) are all characterized by inflammation in the lungs."

"Inflammation can also wreak havoc on your mouth in the form of periodontitis, a chronic inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria accumulation."

" For starters, chronic inflammation can influence hunger signals and slow down metabolism, so you eat more and burn fewer calories. Inflammation can also increase insulin resistance (which raises your risk for diabetes) and has been linked with future weight gain."

"Inflammation throughout the body can interfere with bone growth and even promote increased bone loss, according to a 2009 review study published in the Journal of Endocrinology. Researchers suspect that inflammatory markers in the blood interrupt "remodeling"—an ongoing process in which old, damaged pieces of bone are replaced with new ones.

Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (as with inflammatory bowel disease) can be especially detrimental to bone health, because it can prevent absorption of important bone-building nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D. Another inflammatory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, can also have implications because it limits people's physical activity and can keep them from performing weight-bearing, bone-strengthening exercises."

"The effects of inflammation aren't just internal: They can also be reflected on your skin. Psoriasis, for example, is an inflammatory condition that occurs when the immune system causes skin cells to grow too quickly"

"Inflammation in the brain may be linked to depression, according to a 2015 study published in JAMA Psychiatry; specifically, it may be responsible for depressive symptoms such as low mood, lack of appetite, and poor sleep. Previous research has found that people with depression have higher levels of inflammation in their blood, as well. "

Article at:
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20898778,00.html

Also at:
http://time.com/3702053/inflammation-health-effects/

What Can Make Your Brain Fuzzy, The health marker you don't think to measure IN pREVENTION NEWS, Kelly Burgess

Excerpt:
"Following more than 2,000 patients age 65 and older, they averaged blood sugar levels over a five-year period and found that, in people without diabetes, risk for dementia was 18% higher for people with an average glucose level of 115 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) compared to those with an average glucose level of 100 mg/dl. And in people with diabetes, whose blood sugar levels are generally higher, dementia risk was 40% higher for people with an average glucose level of 190 mg/dl compared to those with an average glucose level of 160 mg/dl.

"We don't know the reason for the link between high blood sugar levels and dementia, but we do know that the risk levels are lower than those that we normally start to worry about," says lead author of the New England Journal of Medicine study Paul K. Crane, M.D., MPH. "This is an observational study, so we don't know if glucose itself is the bad actor or if it's something associated with glucose."

Article at:
http://www.prevention.com/health/brain-games/high-blood-sugar-and-dementia

What Our Diet Is Doing To Our Brains -- And Other Arguments From 'The Zone' in Forbes, David DiSalvo, 2/15/2015

Excerpts:
"Considering that cases of diabetes have risen nearly 180% in the last 30 years, and both the incidence and severity of new Alzheimer’s cases have skyrocketed in the same period, Sears’s points are well worth revisiting. I corresponded with him recently about his latest book, The Mediterranean Zone, and his evidence-based position on what our diet is doing to our bodies and brains.

DiSalvo: In your past work and your latest book you say that there is a direct link between a series of dire health conditions, two of which are already epidemics—obesity and diabetes–and a third that is an epidemic in the making: Alzheimer’s. What’s the line connecting the three?

Sears: The linkage between all three chronic conditions is increased inflammation in the adipose tissue, pancreas or the brain. What you see is the movement of cellular inflammation initially from the adipose tissue to the pancreas and then to the brain, respectively. This is similar to the metastatic spread of a cancer. Virtually all chronic disease involves increased inflammation."

"There are two types of inflammation. The first type is classical inflammation, the kind that hurts. That’s typically why you go to a doctor. [b]The other type is below the perception of pain. This is cellular inflammation. Initially it causes disruption of hormonal signaling in the cells. However, since there is no indication of its presence, it will continue causing increased cellular damage until there is enough accumulated damage that you can call it chronic disease. It could be obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or Alzheimer’s, but they are all ultimately caused by cellular inflammation.


Is this type of inflammation reversible?


The best approach to increased inflammation is to follow an anti-inflammatory diet. This is one that maintains a balance of low-fat protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates (i.e. fruits and vegetables), and moderate amounts of fat that are low in both omega-6 and saturated fats (both of which can increase cellular inflammation) at every meal. This is because the hormonal responses of any meal will last only five hours. Such an anti-inflammatory diet can be supplemented with anti-inflammatory supplements rich in either omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols (the chemicals that give fruits and vegetables their color) and ideally both. Clinical data suggests that cellular inflammation can be rapidly reduced with such a dietary approach. The secret is to follow it for a lifetime.

In your latest book you talk quite a bit about the distinction between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and the problems associated with an imbalance between the two. What is the main issue here?

Omega-6 fatty acids are the building blocks to make pro-inflammatory hormones, whereas omega-3 fatty acids are the building blocks to make anti-inflammatory hormones. You need a balance of both to maintain a healthy immune response. However, an excess of omega-6 fatty acids or a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids causes an increase in cellular inflammation. This increase in cellular inflammation is accelerated in the presence of elevated insulin levels which comes from a high-carbohydrate diet.

Give us a sense of the imbalance in terms of how much omega-6 we’re consuming.

The average American now consumes 7-8% of their total calories as omega-6 fatty acids. This is nearly a 400% increase in the past century. A hundred years ago the average omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid content of the American diet was about 2:1. Today, it is closer to 20:1.


And you say in your recent book that fast food is a major source of the imbalance.

The typical fast food meal has an even higher level of omega-6 fatty acids than grocery-store bought foods. That’s because they are the cheapest source of calories known and make any food taste better (especially fried chicken or French fries). Industrialized beef, chicken, and pork products are also rich in omega-6 fatty acids as they also drive the fattening process.

I’ve read research suggesting that a super saturation of omega-6 fatty acids in our diets may be linked to psychological-emotional issues, even higher rates of violence. Do you think there’s credible evidence for this?

The answer is yes from both epidemiological studies and intervention studies using high-dose omega-3 fatty acids (especially in the treatment of depression, ADHD, and anxiety). I believe the increase in the cellular inflammation in the brain is causing disruption of neurotransmitter signaling patterns, thus preventing the transmission of the appropriate signals to the interior of the nerve cell."

"If someone wants to tackle inflammation and turn things around, where do they begin?

Try to remember what you grandmother told your parents. Eat small, but balanced meals (at least in terms of calories) throughout the day, never consume any more low-fat protein at a meal than you can fit in the palm of your hand, and never leave the table without eating all your vegetables. Her final advice was to take a tablespoon of cod liver oil (rich in omega-3 fatty acids) before you left the house. Who knew she was at the cutting-edge of 21st century anti-inflammation nutrition? If a person wants more detail on modern anti-inflammatory diets, then I would recommend going to www.zonediet.com."

Article at:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2015/02/15/what-our-diet-is-doing-to-our-brains-and-other-arguments-from-the-zone/

Inflammation: The Root Cause of All Disease in World Truth.TV

Article:
"In a medical version of the “unified field” theory in physics, many scientists now believe that most—or perhaps all—chronic diseases may have the same trigger: inflammation. This fiery process has been linked to everything from heart attacks and strokes to type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer.

Chronic, low-grade systemic inflammation—fueled by such disorders as excessive belly fat, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and gum disease—may explain why lifestyle-linked diseases have reached epidemic levels in Western countries, while remaining rare in the developing world.

“There are clear indications that inflammation explains why plaque builds up in the arteries in patients with atherosclerosis,” says Philip Schauer, MD, director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. “Chronic inflammation also plays a direct role in diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma and many other conditions.”

Two groundbreaking new studies published in Lancet suggest that fire inside the artery walls could be the missing puzzle piece to solve the mystery of why many people with normal or even optimal cholesterol levels suffer heart attacks or strokes, while others with very high cholesterol never develop heart disease.

The studies were the first to show a cause-and-effect relationship between a specific inflammatory marker (interleukin 6, also known as IL-6) and heart disease risk—a discovery that could lead to revolutionary new therapies to treat or prevent the leading killer of Americans.

The researchers pooled data from nearly 135,000 people and found that those with a gene variant linked to a lower-than-normal number of IL-6 receptors were much less likely to develop heart disease, even though they had the same rates of smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, and other risk factors as people without this variant.

The findings suggest that medication to block IL-6 receptors—currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (also an inflammatory disease)—could be a new weapon against heart disease.

Is Your Body on Fire?
Most of the time, inflammation protects health. If you stepped on a nail, your body would mobilize immune system troops to battle the invading bacteria by releasing signaling molecules, such as IL-6, to launch the inflammatory cascade. The immune system reaction involves more than 20 proteins that blast the invaders with chemicals to kill them, along with an assortment of odd-looking white blood cell components that resemble characters from Creepshow2.

The result of this immune system response is the familiar feeling of redness and warmth around the wound as it starts to heal. Chronic inflammation, however, harms rather than heals, because the immune system attack never stops. It’s like being shot by “friendly fire” during a perpetual war raging inside the body, says Dr. Schauer.

The #1 Warning Sign of Chronic Inflammation
The easiest way to tell if your body—and arteries—might be on fire is to measure your waist. A circumference above 35 inches for a woman or 40 inches for a man means you could be at risk for a variety of dangerous diseases linked to chronic inflammation, even if your weight is normal.

“Excessive visceral fat is very different than fat in other parts of the body,” says Dr. Schauer. “Abdominal fat cells are much more biologically active than subcutaneous fat cells, releasing several hormones and cytokines [chemical messengers involved in immune system and inflammatory responses]. There is also a genetic component to both chronic inflammation and obesity—it’s not just an unhealthy lifestyle that leads to these problems.”

A Deadly Gang of Metabolic Thugs
A big belly is also the leading indicator of metabolic syndrome, a gang of five metabolic thugs that quintuple risk for type 2 diabetes and triple it for heart attack. Fifty million Americans, many of whom are undiagnosed, suffer from this dangerous disorder.

If you have three or more of the following disorders, you have metabolic syndrome:

A large waistline. This also is called “an apple shape.”
High triglycerides: a level of this blood fat above 150 mg/dL
Low HDL (less than 50 mg/dL for women and less than 40 mg/dL for men). HDL is the good cholesterol that keeps the heart and brain healthy.
High blood pressure: 130/85 mmHg or higher (or you’re on blood pressure medicine).
High fasting blood sugar: 100 mg/dL or above (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood sugar).

Can Targeting Inflammation Improve Alzheimer’s Disease?

Many studies have linked Alzheimer’s disease—also called “type 3 diabetes”—to chronic inflammation. A new study published in Nature Medicine reports that in mice with the memory-robbing disorder, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines called IL-12 and IL-23 soar.

When the animals’ brains were treated with antibodies that target IL-12 and Il-23, their memory deficits were actually “reversed,” the researchers report, suggesting that anti-inflammatory therapies may help combat the disease’s progression.

Another new study found that statins—which are known to have potent anti-inflammatory effects in people—boosted memory in mice in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. The statin used in the study was simvastin (Zocor).

However, medication isn’t the only fire-fighter; research also shows that regular exercise helps keep both the body and brain healthy. Interval training, in particular, is one of the best ways to slim your waist—and put out the fire in your belly.

Source:
www. health.yahoo.net

Article at:
http://worldtruth.tv/inflammation-the-root-cause-of-all-disease/

Worth Repeating---New study underscores the role of brain NF-kB in Aging,Dr. Michael Mullan, 05/10/2013

Article:
"A new study by researchers at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine dramatically underscores the potential role of the NF-kB protein in aging. NF-kB is a master protein which controls many inflammatory chemicals throughout the body. Researchers at the Roskamp Institute have studied NF-kB for many years as a potential way of controlling chronic inflammation which accompanies aging and underlies conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. This new study points to a part of the brain as regulating the aging process. The current view of aging generally suggests that enzymes, DNA, proteins and other constituents of the body essentially “wear out” with age, accumulating damage due to environmental insults until they no longer function properly. This new study suggests something quite different, namely that a part of the brain called the Hypothalamus deliberately induces aging throughout the body. It has been suggested that one reason why the brain might take such drastic action is to inhibit reproduction past a certain age. This suggestion is highly speculative at this stage, but the data offered by the Albert Einstein researchers suggests that, with age, increased NF-kB activity triggers degeneration in both the brain and other areas of the body. The researchers showed that as mice aged, they increasingly expressed NF-kB in the part of the brain that is normally responsible for the production of reproductive and growth hormones. The researchers artificially manipulated NF-kB activity using genetic techniques and showed that reducing NF-kB activity was associated with better performance in cognitive tests, greater muscle strength and greater bone mass and skin thickness. Conversely, exacerbation of NF-kB activity increased all of these peripheral signs of aging, as well as reducing cognitive abilities. Furthermore the research suggested that microglia (the inflammatory cells resident in the brain) are the originators of the NF-kB activity and this spreads to nearby neurons, including those responsible for growth and reproductive hormones. These findings are of direct significance to work at the Roskamp Institute as researchers there have shown that increased NF-kB collates strongly with Alzheimer’s pathology and pathology of other central nervous system disorders. Moreover, they have worked extensively on ways to reduce NF-kB activation, particularly using the naturally occurring compound Anatabine. Roskamp Institute researchers have shown in multiple preclinical studies of neuroinflammation (such as Alzheimer's, traumatic brain injury and Multiple Sclerosis) that Anatabine (supplied by RockCreek Pharmaceuticals) has potent anti-inflammatory properties. This new finding suggests that NFKB inhibitors might also have a role in decelerating aging. In fact, preliminary studies at the Roskamp Institute suggest that mortality in mice with Alzheimer pathology is reduced by Anatabine treatment. Additional studies are needed to clarify whether Anatabine might reduce the Hypothalamic inflammation and increase the release of hormones that oppose aging.

Dr. Michael Mullan M.D., Ph.D
President & CEO
Roskamp Institute

Article at:
http://www.michaelmullan.org/1/post/2013/05/nfkb-anatabine-michaelmullan.html