Electronic cigarettes increase the success of stop smoking

Smokers, who want to stop smoking, 60 percent work if switched to electronic cigarettes, than if they use nicotine replacement products or gum, or just simply have a strong determination, researchers said on Tuesday, May 20, 2014.

Researchers say, based upon the results of a study of nearly six thousand smokers for five years, it appears that electronic cigarettes play an important role in reducing the number of smokers, so as to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco.

In addition to causing lung cancer and other chronic respiratory diseases, tobacco smoking is also a major cause of coronary heart disease, the number one killer in the world.

How an e-cigarette works. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/TymM3o)

"The electronic cigarette significantly improve public health because of the widespread appeal and substantial health benefits to smoking cessation," said Robert West, an expert in epidemiology and public health at University College London who led the study.

Research funded by the charity of Cancer Research UK and published in the Addiction West journal, has surveyed 5,863 smokers between 2009 to 2014 who try to quit without the use of prescribed drugs or professional help.

The research results adjusted for various factors that could affect the success of smoking cessation, says West - including age, dependence on nicotine, previous attempts to quit smoking, and whether such efforts done gradually or immediately.

The results showed 20 percent of those who try to quit with the help of electronic cigarettes quit smoking cigarettes conventional states.

A total of 10.1 percent of respondents who use other aids such as nicotine replacement gum or successfully stop smoking and those who only rely on willpower as much as 15.4 per cent successful.

Electronic cigarettes containing nicotine are stimulants harmless-but-addictive issued through water vapor instead of smoke like tobacco is burned.

Relatively new product that has become very controversial. There are differences in opinion as to whether the cigarettes will be the best tool to help those who want to quit smoking or just be replacing one bad habit with another bad habit.

Since the switch to using electronic cigarettes from tobacco cigarettes do not have to stop dependence on nicotine, some experts say these products can help to stop smoking - which by the World Health Organization (WHO) called "one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced".

Yet another opinion said the lack of scientific evidence to support the long-term safety and effectiveness of electronic cigarettes, as well as a warning that the product could make a habit of smoking as normal and desirable young children or those who were non-smokers.

West agreed that the evidence regarding the long-term use is still lacking, but he stressed that consideration of risk should see strong evidence of loss due to tobacco.

"It was not clear whether the use of electronic cigarettes carry health risks, but from what we know about the moisture content, it will be much less compared to smoking," he said.

Based on WHO data, resulting in the death of half the tobacco cigarette smokers, with mortality rates reaching six million people per year.

West said the evidence shows that smokers who seek help of a doctor or health clinic that provides services to quit smoking has the highest success rate.

"It nearly doubled to tripled smoker's chances of successfully kick the habit, compared to if the do it yourself or rely on substitute products," he said as qouted by Reuters. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | REUTERS]

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Measles virus proven opponent the Cancer

A new study, for the first time, showed the presence of a specific type of viruses therapy or virotherapy that infect and kill human cancer, making the cells healthy and safe.

The study, conducted by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, involving only two patients, both received "a single dose of the measles virus that has been engineered (MV-NIS), which is selectively toxic to myeloma plasma cells," the researchers said.

Stacy Erholtz receives a test to confirm she's in remission from myeloma after receiving a novel virotherapy in this screenshot from a Mayo Clinic video. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1oIYS1G)

Multiple myeloma affects plasma cells in the bone marrow and cause bone and soft tissue tumors, which very rarely can be cured. This therapy brings complete remission in one patient, although only two patients showed improvement.

"This is the first study to determine the feasibility of viroterapi onkolitic systemically spread to cancer," said Dr. Stephen Russell, a hematologist of Mayo Clinic and lead author of the paper and one of the developers of the therapy.

"These patients previously unresponsive to other therapies and suffered a relapse. Therapy also increases the patient's immune system, and make it able to" sweep "the rest of the cancer," he said.

This therapy may work on other types of cancer. More testing will be done. This discovery appears in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | VOA NEWS]
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Genetic mutations eliminate the heart disease risk in the polar bears

Researchers uncover genetic mutations that allow polar bear eating a high-fat diet without bearing the heart disease risk.

Scientists unveil the results of a thorough analysis of the genetics of polar bears on Thursday, May 8, 2014 and compare it to its closest cousin, the brown bear.

Polar bears could hold key to avoiding Heart disease. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1mJrJDh)

They found that since differentiate themselves from brown bears less than 500,000 years ago to be a new species, the polar bear through the remarkable genetic changes that allow them to consume high fat foods in the Arctic is very cold where they live.

Several genes related to cardiovascular function and metabolism of fatty acids has changed radically through mutations that allow them to consume high-fat menu without incurring a high risk of heart disease, the researchers said.

One important example is the change in apoB gene, which plays a role in removing cholesterol from the bloodstream and into the cells, which then lowers the risk of heart disease.

"For polar bears, being very fat is not a problem," said Eline Lorenzen, a molecular ecologist at the University of California, Berkeley, as reported by Reuters news agency.

"All of this makes sense in species that rely entirely on fat to survive," said Lorenzen. In the Arctic region where they lived, much-needed energy and polar bears have more fat tissue to produce it.

Up to half of his body fat and can be a source of fresh water they are metabolic water - water the rest of the body's breakdown of fat, Lorenzen said.

"They basically live in the polar desert," said Lorenzen. In a study published in the journal Cell, the researchers decipher the genome - the genetic blueprint - polar bears based on blood and tissue samples from 79 polar bears from Greenland. They also used a sample of 10 to study the genome of the brown bear species.

Rasmus Nielsen, evolutionary geneticist at the University of California, Berkeley, said the genetic data showed polar bears become more different from brown bears some 400,000 years ago probably, over the end of previous estimates.

Some recent estimates put the origin of the polar bear about five million years ago. "In this short time, the polar bear has adapted to the cold Arctic environment and a new diet. Adaptation we see traces of this in the genomes of polar bears," said Nielsen.

Polar bears are the largest terrestrial carnivore and most large compared to the other eight bear species. They occupy the highest point in the Arctic food chain and spent most of his life in the Arctic sea ice to hunt prey such as seals. Adult male polar bears can weigh up to about 770 kg.

Polar bears are now threatened with extinction, the total population is about 20,000 to 25,000. And climate change causes sea ice shrinkage into which they depend.

Their diet allows the formation of body fat while helping them become baffle float when swimming. But it comes with sacrifice - the level of LDL cholesterol or "bad" cholesterol and high triglycerides in the blood.

High cholesterol and triglyceride levels lead to cardiovascular disease in humans but changes in the genetic make the polar bear able to overcome that problem. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY]

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"Laughing gas" used as an alternative cheap anesthesia

A new study revealed that nitrous oxide, known as 'laughing gas', declared safe for use as an anesthetic drug after a debate in the medical world for many years. Nitrous oxide was first used as an anesthetic drug for patients operated on, about 160 years ago.

Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is a cheap anaesthetic. (Picture from: http://ab.co/1qdfCj8)

Although medical experts believe nitrous oxide has been used billions of times since discovered, however, concerns about the side effects of this gas makes the surgeons are looking for a new type of anesthetic drugs that are more expensive.

Now, the results of the study Professor Paul Myles of the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne may change these assumptions. After 6 years of research, Paul claimed nitrous oxide is safe to use. "We are very serious about these findings, and the gas is not without side effects. However, our results are very convincing, "he said.

This study tested the side effects of nitrous oxide on 7000 patients in 45 hospitals in Australia, Asia, North America and Europe. "Now we can convince anesthetists all over the world, and perhaps also patients who will undergo surgery, that gas is safe and effective to use," he added.

Professor Paul present their research findings at a conference in Singapore. He earnestly tried to convince the medical personnel in hospitals and patients that the drug is also cheap and safe.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ABC NEWS]

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Bacteria on the skin have a role in wound healing

A thin layer of microorganisms that are in the skin plays an important role in wound healing, according to a new study presented by Dr. Matthew Hardman, a senior researcher of the University of Manchester Healing Foundation Centre.

"This study gives us a better understanding of the types of species of bacteria in skin wounds, and how our cells respond to bacteria and how it can affect the interaction of healing," says Dr. Hardman, as reported by Medical News Today.

For the purposes of the study, the researchers compared the bacteria in the skin of people who have chronic wounds and the wounds have healed people.

The findings suggest there may be a particular bacterial pattern or "signature" for wounds that do not heal. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1kAEYSp)

They found no difference in bacterial colonies of these two groups of people. According to the researchers, the findings suggest there may be a pattern of certain bacteria to wounds that do not heal.

In addition, the researchers also conducted experiments on mice to find a reason why some wounds can heal wounds while others do not.

From these experiments, they found mice with specific gene mutations have more harmful bacteria and heal more slowly than mice with a normal gene.

The gene has been known to have links with known Crohn's disease and may help identify the cells and reacts to the bacteria.

"Taken together, our studies in humans and mice provide good evidence about the skin micro biome has a direct effect on how we can recover (from injury)," said Dr. Hardman.

He said that by learning more about skin bacteria may be it can help doctors decide the appropriate treatment to address the harmful bacteria without affecting the beneficial bacteria.

The researchers in this study hope that the findings of this study will be able to help deal with chronic injuries among the elderly.

According to them, about one in 20 elderly people suffered injuries that never healed. Chronic wounds is a health problem that is often caused by diabetes or poor blood circulation.

Dr. Hardman said, that the injury can persist for years and is incurable and the study results were presented at the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting in San Diego, CA, on April 28, 2014. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MEDICAL NEWS TODAY]

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Study find "Young blood" reduce the Effects of aging...

A recent study in the United States get the older mice become more powerful, and can move longer, with better mental attitude, when they gets a blood transfusion or substance substantially from the younger mice.

If this research continues as expected, the researchers hope one day there will be a cure for some disease that occurs in the older people. "(However), do not try (this research) at home," said Saul Villeda of the University of California, San Francisco, the author of one of the three research that released at the site of the Nature Medicine and Science journal on Sunday, May 4, 2014.

Blood cells illustration. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1j0mGe4)

Villeda examined mice that is equivalent to a human age of 20s and 60s. Researchers repeatedly injecting old mice with blood from the younger mice or another age. As a result, the old rats by injection of young blood looks better in the activity and memory test than the mice that received the blood injection from the same age mice.

For example, old mice receiving injections of blood from young mice can remember well where the location of the submerged area of ​​the maze that is used as a memory test. Villeda said the researchers are still figuring out what component in the "young blood" that gave rise to these impacts.

Two other research from Harvard University research focuses on the existence of abundant substance in the blood of young mice. These substances are known as GDF11 protein, a compound which is also found in human blood. "Concentration (of this substance) decreases with age," said Amy Wagers, one of the authors of the two papers.

Average old mice receiving injections of this substance showed greater grip strength and has a longer durability grip on a treadmill than mice that did not receive injections of the protein.

The Harvard researchers also get that old mice receiving injections of blood from younger mice had more vessels and blood flow in the brain. Injections of GDF11 give the same effect.

Lee Rubin, author of the new research at Harvard University, said the results of this study need further work to find ways of treatment of age-related mental decline and dementia alias decline in organ function that tends to occur with aging in humans.

Wagers and Villeda said could not be ascertained GDF11 an explanation of the impact of research recorded Villeda. Wagers suspect there are other substances in the blood that help tackle aging in animals. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE SEATLE TIMES]

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Discovered a new protein to block HIV

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute discovered a new protein in the deep-sea coral that can prevent HIV entry into cells of the T-cells that regulate the immune system. This new protein belongs to a class called cnidarins found on coral hairy sea off the coast of northern Australia.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Research have discovered that a group of proteins found in the coral reef may be capable of blocking HIV. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1iQ8zYX)

The researchers said that, if these proteins can be adapted for use in the form of lubricants and gels, then this could be the prevention of HIV infection. "It's always thrilling when you discover a new protein that other people have never seen before and the facts of this protein appears to block HIV infection - in an entirely new way - makes it really interesting," said Dr. Barry O'Keefe, a senior researcher of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), as reported by Science World Report.

Meanwhile, Dr. Koreen Ramessar, the representative study researcher said that the cnidarins can block HIV without making the virus resistant to other HIV drugs. This makes it ideal cnidarins if included in an anti-HIV microbicide for urgent needs. The researchers found these proteins when investigating thousands of natural product extracts in a biological NCI repository.

After purifying these proteins, the research team tested on laboratory strains of HIV. From the test results, they found at concentrations as low as a billionth of a gram, protein can block the transmission of HIV and prevent transmission of the virus to penetrate the T cells in the immune system. They say, cnidarins appears to bind to the virus and stop it.

"It's really different from what we have seen from other proteins, so we thought cnidarin protein has a unique mechanism," said Dr. Ramessar. Based on these findings, the research team plans to develop ways to produce this protein in a larger amount so that it can be tested more widely. They are also trying to find the side effects or the possibility of protein cnidarin work against other viruses.

Dr. O'Keefe hopes news of discoveries like this will encourage more scientists to use the repository. This research was presented at the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting in San Diego on April 29, 2014. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCE WORLD REPORT]

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The link between Diabetes with Brain Damage

Type 2 diabetes has long been known to have a negative impact on the brain. However, research now proves, people with the disease faster brain shrinkage making it easier to experience cognitive decline.

Type 2 diabetes— long known to have an adverse effect on the brain— has now been linked with the loss of brain matter. (Picture from: http://fxn.ws/1mYF07x)

Using the technique of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the researchers analyzed the brain structures of 614 patients with an average age of 62 years. Participants were included in the study had previously been diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes for about 10 years. They found that long-term diabetes associated with a large shrinkage of brain tissue, causing brain atrophy.

Lead researcher Nick Bryan, chairman and professor of the department of radiology at Perleman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said the general perception has been the effect of diabetes on the brain is associated with vascular disease due to diabetes, then there was a stroke.

"But it turns out diabetes also causes shrinkage of brain tissue. We think this is a direct effect of diabetes on the brain," he said.

The researchers noted, the biggest depreciation contained in the gray area of ​​the brain. Shrinkage in this region often associated with the start of the decline in nerve function. That is why, patients with diabetes have a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease.

"People with diabetes are not necessarily experiencing Alzheimer's, but most of them have the cognitive skills and the ability to think the worse as they age," said Bryan.

According to the study, every 10 years, people with diabetes, the decreased brain function two years sooner than people without diabetes. "One thing is clear, the negative effect of diabetes on the brain looks more significantly longer in those exposed to the disease," he explained.

Bryan suggested that patients make best efforts to manage diabetes and blood sugar to minimize or prevent brain damage due to diabetes in later life. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY]

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Gene Therapy can make the Deaf hear music

Scientists create a breakthrough that allows people with hearing impairment or hearing loss can listen to music. Gene therapy is the first time carried out by researchers from the Australian University of New South Wales (UNSW).

Cochlear implant plus Gene Therapy could restore hearing to the Deaf. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1lIhhab)

As reported by ABC News on Wednesday, April 23, 2014, this study revealed that the regenerative gene therapy successfully regrow the auditory nerve. Thus, this treatment effectively creates a voice for people with deafness.

By providing electric pulses from cochlear implants (bone channels that circular and conical) through the sense of hearing, this breakthrough brings hope to millions of people around the world who have a hearing loss.

This therapy also allows someone who suffers with hearing detects the tone of voice is more complex. This research was published in the Science Translational Medicine journal.

The team implanted “bionic ears” in deaf guinea pigs, whose auditory systems are very similar to humans’. With the device, then, they delivered DNA that coded for a protein called brain-derived neruotrophic factor (BDNF), which encourages nerves to grow. The DNA was taken up by cells in the cochlea and, after two weeks, the nerves had grown significantly toward the electrodes. When the guinea pigs’ hearing was tested they found that animals that were once completely deaf had their hearing restored to almost normal levels. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1lIhhab)

This therapy is also expected to be applicable for the treatment of various neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease and psychiatric conditions such as depression. "People with cochlear implants do well to understand speech, but their perception of the tone can be poor, so they often lose the enjoyment of music," explains Gary Housley, a senior author and UNSW professor.

Researchers hope that, after further research, the people who rely on cochlear implants will be able to enjoy the sound with a wider dynamic tone. "It's very important for our senses, about the world around us and listening to music appreciation," said Housley. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ABC NEWS]

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Mount Everest climb exposes the Diabetes Mechanism

Using the world's highest mountain, Everest, as the open laboratory, a group of British researchers have identified the mechanisms involved in the development of onset of diabetes (type 2 diabetes mellitus) in adults. Experts say the discovery could lead to the development of treatments to prevent the disease.

A team of mountaineers is seen climbing Mount Everest. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1k0elGn)

At an altitude of 8,800 meters over above sea level, Mount Everest in Nepal is the highest peak in the world. The climber must have supplemental oxygen because the air is very thin. Hypoxia or lack of oxygen the blood, a risk factor for diabetes types. To that end, the researchers in the Mount Everest project tried to identify the mechanism of low oxygen levels contribute to the disease in patients who are critically ill due to diabetes.

Mike Grocott, professor of anesthesia and critical pain medication at Southampton University who led the project, said in a low oxygen environment levels, insulin participant numbers began to increase, indicating that the body is resistant to insulin.

There was also an increase in biological clues of inflammation and oxidative stress, or cell damage, similar to patients with type 2 diabetes. Grocott said the findings suggest that treatment may be developed to prevent the disease. "That can help control the tendency to diabetes may be the intervention that focuses on the development of oxidative stress or inflammation," said Grocott.

In an article published in the PLoS ONE journal, the researchers reported that the biological clues, which are caused by extreme altitude, turn around when the climbers down the mountain.

Many people who have diabetes suffer from a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, where the airway breathing is interrupted, sometimes hundreds of times per night. "It seems to make them vulnerable to hypoxia during sleep. And perhaps it contributes to the tendency to have type 2 diabetes," Grocott said.

Grocott said the researchers are now comparing the climbers, most of whom were white, with the porter to see whether the genetic variations protect the native population of Nepal from diabetes. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | VOA NEWS]

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Dark chocolate is good for health

Everyone knows the benefits of chocolate, even women like chocolate ice. Particularly in advertising of a Belgian chocolate product, although the price is almost half of the well known ice cream branded.

Back to chocolate, chocolate which have a beneficial for our health is Dark Chocolate. It useful for our heart health. Scientists found the habit of eating 70g of dark chocolate every day can improve the blood vessel health dramatically.

Increasing the flexibility of arteries and prevents white blood cells sticking to the walls of blood vessels. The research was published by March 2014 issue of the FASEB Journal. Experiments carried to 44 of the middle-aged overweight men. The study was conducted during 2 periods within 4 weeks.

Previous studies said that regular dark chocolate may not be that good for you because manufacturers remove flanavol from it, which is too bitter for most people. According to Doctors Diederik Esser -one of the paper's authors- said that the flavanol content does not add to the beneficial effects on blood vessel health. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DNA INDIA]
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Simple blood test can detect early cancer

The detection of many types of cancer may soon be as easy as a simple blood test, according to a new study. The blood test was developed by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, which also can be used to "keep an eye on the amount of cancer in the patient's body," said the researchers, in addition to measuring their response to a variety of treatments.

Blood Tests are More Efficient in predicting various forms of Cancer. (Picture from: http://www.mdconnects.com/)

The test, called CAPP-Seq or Cancer Personalized Profiling by deep Sequencing, is a refinement of the approaches already exist to measure the levels of tumor DNA in the blood stream of patients, according to the study.

The new method is able to "accurately identify approximately 50 percent of the people who studied with lung cancer stage-1 and all patients with more advanced cancer," according to the researchers.

Other parties who are not involved in this study hopes. "I think this is important progress in this area," said Dr. Abhijit Patel of the Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, where he was doing similar research. "The goal is to detect very small tumors in early stage."

Patel said one of the major breakthroughs in this test is the ability to keep an eye on changes in DNA mutations in patients with cancer who are already receiving treatment and may develop resistance to a particular drug.

He also said the test was most likely will not give false positive results due to "cancer DNA mutations most likely not be found in healthy people." And the results of this study published in the April 6, 2014 issue of Nature Medicine. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | VOA NEWS]
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Painkiller of Cone Snails

Scientists have created a stronger painkiller from snail poison. These substances are derived from a small protein found in the venom of cone snails.

Scientists have created painkillers from the venom of cone snails (pictured), it has been revealed. (Picture from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/)

The possibility of these substances can be more effective than morphine. These drugs will be developed to treat severe and chronic neuropathic pain. Professor David Craik of the University of Queensland in Australia illustrates the development of the five experimental new painkillers as an important step.

"It could serve as a blueprint for the development of a new class of drugs that can eliminate one form of chronic pain that is most severe and extremely difficult to treat," said Craik, as reported by the Daily Mail, on Sunday, March 16, 2014.

The cone snail, which is usually found in warm and tropical sea, using poison to paralyze their prey. The liquid contains hundreds of small proteins known as conotoxins. Craik said conotoxins seem to have analgesic effects in humans.

Researchers are working on developing drugs based conotoxin which can be taken orally. In contrast to the only drug currently used proteins to be injected into the patient's spine. In tests on mice, was shown to significantly reduce pain.

"We do not know about the side effects because it has not been tested in humans, but we think it would be safe," Craik who will soon present the findings at the conference of the American Chemical Society.

Craik added, these proteins act in a completely different mechanism of morphine. Experts think it has the possibility of generating minimal side effects.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILYMAIL]

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HIV infection prevention gel was found

Scientists found that the gel is equipped with an anti-retroviral drugs can prevent HIV-like virus infection in monkeys. The innovative gel prospected to be used in humans to prevent HIV infection.

The gel was tested vaginally in six 
macaque monkeys, and was applied 
up to three hours after they were 
exposed to simian immunodeficiency 
virus. (Picture from: http://www.iol.co.za/)

As reported by the New York Times, on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, it has advantages because the gel can prevent HIV-infected individuals up to 3 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse. This gel is useful for instance for the victims of rape.

Scientists tested with 12 monkeys. A number of 6 monkeys given this gel after infecting with HIV action while others do not. Scientists discovered that the infection can indeed suppressed in monkeys who were given the gel.

Gel containing ralteglavir given to monkeys, the type of anti-retroviral drugs that have been used to treat patients with HIV is approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.

The results of the study revealed that the monkeys were given the gel 3 hours after contact with HIV, only 5 of the 6 infected individuals. In the other group, all infected. In different experiments with 3 individual monkeys were given a gel 30 minutes before contact with HIV, only one infected.

Walid Heneine of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who led the study, said he did not know why there are infected. "We wondered how two people could be infected, but we could not find the reason."

However, Robert M. Grant, AIDS expert from the University of California, said that the results of this study are awesome and should encourage researchers to quickly mengujikannya in humans. However, he said, there are ethical challenges to do so. *** [EKA | FROM VARIUOS SOURCES | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC]

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The new class of antibiotics discovered

A group of researchers from the University of Notre Dame, USA, chaired by Mayland Chang and Shahriar Mobashery discovered a new class of antibiotics. These antibiotics can overcome bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health.

These findings have been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The new class of antibiotics, oxadiazoles named, was found in silico by computer scanning and is promising for treatment of MRSA infections in mice.

The researchers also monitored approximately 1.2 million of other compounds and found that the oxadiazole inhibit PBP2a, penicillin binding proteins, and cell wall biosynthesis that enables MRSA resistant to other drugs. Oxadiazole also effective when taken orally. This is very important because there is only one antibiotic to which MRSA can be used orally.

Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicted numerous clumps of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA); magnified 2381x. (Picture from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/)

MRSA has become a global public health problem since the 1960s because of their resistance to antibiotics. In the United States alone, approximately 278 thousand people were hospitalized and 19 thousand of them died due to an infection caused by MRSA.

So far, only three drugs that have proven effective in treating patients. Unfortunately, rejection of each of these drugs also occur.

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame itself has many years of searching for a solution to tackle MRSA. "Professor Mobashery has been in the mechanism of resistance in MRSA for a very long time," said Chang. "When we have to understand the mechanism, we can create a strategy and develop compounds against MRSA," she said. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY]

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Global warming may increase the Malaria cases

British and American researchers predict that global warming could cause malaria to spread to places that have never been hit by a practically lethal disease is. In a writing that published the Science journal, the researchers said they found what they call "irrefutable evidence" of the impact of climate change.

According to the researchers working in Colombia and Ethiopia, they found cases of malaria increased in the years in which the temperature warms and decreases at cooler temperatures. They have analyzed the malaria cases in Colombia from 1990 to 2005 as well as in Ethiopia from 1993 to 2005. Eventually, they found that malaria cases were increased during warm years and they were lower in cooler yields.

The sightings of the malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum) in the microscope. (Picture from: http://sains.kompas.com/)

They have concluded that malaria would be more dangerous and could be a treat to people when the planet warms. The researchers who conducted the studies were from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as well as the University of Michigan.

According to the estimates of the Science researchers in an earlier paper, the increase in temperature could lead to an extra 3 million malaria cases among Ethiopian children considering preventive methods were not strengthened.

This is the key point. Although global warming can put more people all over the world at risk especially for malaria and other tropical diseases, climatic change can also be another factor.

The amount of malaria threat has been decreased in several developed countries such as Singapore and the United States with the proper use of many control methods. Even in Africa, malaria incidences were highly reduced since 2000.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says malaria killed more than 600,000 people per year, and Africa most severely affected. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. Malaria can be prevented with insecticides, nets, and medicine. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE AMALGEST]
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This magic ring will protect humans from HIV

Uncomfortable should use the male condom or female? Scientists are now offering a new contraceptives. Not only more convenient, these contraceptives can also release anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), drugs for herpes, and can be used within a period of three months.

Scientists have developed a new contraceptive for women that protects against HIV as well as unwanted pregnancies. (Picture from: http://www.skynews.com.au/)

Publication of the magic ring can be read in the PLoS One journal. Patrick Kiser of Northwestern University is one of those involved in this research. The ring is actually a vaginal contraceptive. Shaped like a ring. To use it, the ring must be inserted through the vagina.

This contraceptives offer protection to two kinds of viruses, namely HIV and herpes, but not on other sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis and gonorrhea. Research to produce contraceptives is fairly not easy. Big challenge because of the type of anti-HIV compounds and different herpes.

"The difference between the two major drugs, which confronts us with the challenge to design it," said Kiser rich as quoted from Times of Malta on Friday, March 7, 2014.

"Tenovoir (a type of antiretroviral drugs for HIV) is very soluble in water, while lenonorgestrel (for herpes) is not soluble in water," he said.

Patrick Kiser with a device he 
developed as a new contraceptive 
for women. (Picture from:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/)

"A daily dose between the two are also different. Rings releasing 10 milligrams tenovoir, but only 10 micrograms lenovosgestrel," he added.

Today, the ring is designed to release and lenovosgestrel tenovoir dose smaller than the oral dose because the drug will work on transmission targets. Is this already proven effective contraception? So far, there has been no human trials. However, scientists have performed experiments on rabbits.

Health experts from organizations Scarleten, Karyn Fulcher commented, "I think about education, practicality, and cost." Fulcerh also said, "of antiretroviral drugs continue to be given to healthy people at risk such as giving antibiotics to someone who does not have an infection."

"HIV mutates rapidly and already there are several strains. Resistance is the one that needs to be addressed and there are already some strains are resistant to tenovoir," she added.

Researchers respond that the strategy to provide two types of drugs such as the treatment can be adapted. But essentially, the researcher believes that this will resolve the impracticality contraceptive condom use. Researchers said that contraception should be stored at a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius for a maximum of five years. However, the challenges faced are also storage in the tropics. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TIMES OF MALTA]

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