A Breath Mint Made From ... Coffee?

We all know why Starbucks puts boxes of breath mints close to the cash register. Your morning latte can create a startling aroma in your mouth, strong enough to startle your co-workers too.

But intriguing new research from Tel Aviv University by breath specialist Prof. Mel Rosenberg of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine finds that a coffee extract can inhibit the bacteria that lead to bad breath. New laboratory tests have shown that the extract prevents malodorous bacteria from making their presence felt — or smelt.

"Everybody thinks that coffee causes bad breath," says Prof. Rosenberg, "and it's often true, because coffee, which has a dehydrating effect in the mouth, becomes potent when mixed with milk, and can ferment into smelly substances."

But not always. "Contrary to our expectations, we found some components in coffee that actually inhibit bad breath," explains Prof. Rosenberg. The findings were presented last month to members of the International Society for Breath Odor Research in Germany by Yael Gov, a researcher in Prof. Rosenberg's laboratory.

A "taster's choice" for stopping bad bacteria

In the laboratory, the team monitored the bacterial odor production of coffee in saliva. In the study, three different brands of coffee were tested: the Israeli brand Elite coffee, Landwer Turkish coffee, and Taster's Choice. Prof. Rosenberg expected to demonstrate the malodor-causing effect of coffee in an in vitro saliva assay developed by Dr. Sarit Levitan in his laboratory. To his surprise, the extracts had the opposite effect.

"The lesson we learned here is one of humility," says Prof. Rosenberg. "We expected coffee would cause bad breath, but there is something inside this magic brew that has the opposite effect."

Prof. Rosenberg would love to isolate the bacterial-inhibiting molecule in order to reap the biggest anti-bacterial benefits from coffee. "It's not the raw extract we will use, he says, "but an active material within it." His latest discovery could be the foundation for an entirely new class of mouthwash, breath mints and gum. Purified coffee extract can be added to a breath mint to stop bacteria from forming, stopping bad breath at its source, instead of masking the smell with a mint flavor.

Source: Sciencedaily

Cord Blood

The blood that remains in your baby's umbilical cord after it has been cut is called cord blood, which is rich in stem cells. These valuable cells, which are genetically unique to your baby and family, can only be collected in the minutes after your baby's birth.

Cord blood stem cells are the body's "master cells" and can regenerate into the cells that form all other tissues, organs, and systems in the body. They are showing promise in the treatment of brain injury and juvenile diabetes and have already been used to treat nearly 70 serious diseases, saving many lives.

Most families bank their baby's cord blood stem cells for peace of mind, knowing that these stem cells can be lifesaving to their baby and other family members. By saving your baby's cord blood you secure an invaluable medical resource that can help you protect your baby:

• Your baby's cord blood stem cells may benefit your family as they have been used to treat nearly 70 serious diseases. And stem cells have been used for decades in lifesaving treatments for diseases including leukemia, other cancers, and blood disorders.
• Cord blood is showing significant potential to treat conditions that have no cure today like juvenile diabetes and brain injury. This new field, called regenerative medicine, focuses on using stem cells to help repair damaged tissue and regenerate healthy cells.
• You have helped to secure the best treatment options for your family. Using your own family's cord blood has been shown to significantly improve medical outcomes compared to using cord blood from someone outside your family.¹

Take advantage of your one chance to save your baby's cord blood—immediately after birth.

Diseases treated by Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells are being used in promising treatments for brain injury, and there are many other areas of therapy in development, including:

• Heart disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Muscular dystrophy
• Parkinson's

• Brain injury/stroke
• Juvenile diabetes
• Multiple sclerosis
• Liver disease

• Spinal cord injury
• Orthopedic injury
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)

Source: Cord Blood Registry

The New Allergy Zones

The spring allergy season has sprung—and wrought plenty of discomfort for the approximately 35 million Americans with seasonal allergies. Pollen may not be all that's making your eyes water and nose run, though. Surprising allergens lurk in unexpected places in your home and make you feel even worse. In fact, the list of sneeze-inducing culprits is long: animal dander, mold, dust, and dust mites (tiny insects that thrive on organic matter, primarily flakes of skin), as well as pollen carried into the house from outside. But these irritants are manageable—and getting a handle on them will help reduce your symptoms. We went to four top experts for the unexpected sources of your sneezes and some room-by-room tips for eliminating them.

Living room: Surprise allergy source: Pet-owning visitors

Friends with pets usually have animal dander on their clothes. When they visit, they can deposit this irritant on upholstered furniture—even if they don't bring Fido or Felix with them.

Solution: Vacuum your couches and padded chairs after pet-owning pals sit on them. Prevent the allergens from spewing right back out of the machine by using one with a HEPA filter (which traps tiny particles so they can't escape the dust bag).

Surprise allergy source: Couch pillows, throws, and stuffed toys

These items come into contact with skin, and that means tiny flakes that slough off and encourage dust mites. If your pet sits on, fetches, or plays with any of these, they're also covered with animal dander.

Solution: Tumble the items in the dryer on high for 10 to 15 minutes each week. (If this will damage the material, clean instead according to the manufacturer's instructions.)

Bedroom Surprise allergy source: Shelves

It's not just your novel's plot twists that are causing your eyes to tear up and your nose to run. You can also blame the dust that collects on books and other shelf-dwellers, including framed photographs and mementos. Books can also contribute to indoor mold problems, especially in humid conditions.

Solution: Keep shelves of all kinds, including bookshelves, away from the bed, or banish them from the bedroom entirely. Place trinkets behind glass doors so they don't collect dust. Clean surfaces and vacuum bedroom floors at least once a week.

Surprise allergy source: Bed pillows

The warmth and humidity of your body encourage dust mites to grow in bed pillows, no matter what type of stuffing they have.

Solution: Either trade old pillows for new ones annually, or encase pillows in allergy-proof covers that you wash once or twice a month in hot water (follow the manufacturer's instructions). The most allergy-resistant, comfortable cases are made of tightly woven fabric that's impermeable to dust mites—and feels good to the touch.

Bathroom Surprise allergy source: The floor mat

Trapped moisture in the bath mat causes dust mites and mold to thrive.

Solution: Choose a washable mat and clean it weekly. After a shower or steamy bath, hang it up and open a window or run the fan.

Kitchen Surprise allergy source: The refrigerator door seal

As you transfer food in and out of the refrigerator, moisture, crumbs, and spills can build up in the crevices of the door seal and encourage mold to flourish there.

Solution: Wipe the seal with a mixture of mold-zapping bleach and water weekly; use a cotton swab to get into the grooves and clean them thoroughly.

Surprise allergy source: Cooking steam

Steam wafts from pots and pans as you cook and settles in places you may not clean daily, causing mold to build up. Spots where dampness may land include walls, ceilings, cupboard doors, upper shelves, and areas hidden behind large appliances.

Solution: Run the stove's exhaust fan to vent cooking moisture—not just smells—out of the house. If mold does appear, eliminate it with a solution of bleach and water.

Laundry room Surprise allergy source: Damp clothes

Mold and bacteria can develop on damp, unwashed clothing that sits around for days before it's laundered, as well as on clean items left in the washer tub for more than a few hours.

Solution: Don't let moist, dirty laundry build up, and dry freshly washed items ASAP. Here's a bonus idea: Use liquid detergent instead of powder, which can produce irritating dust, worsening your allergy symptoms.

All around the house Surprise allergy source: Your hair and clothes

When you arrive home after spending time outdoors, you carry in dust and pollen on your shoes and clothes and in your hair (long hair and loose hairstyles tend to trap more irritants than short or tightly bound strands).

Solution: When outside, cover your hair with a hat or scarf. When you get home, remove your head covering and shoes inside the door, change into clothes that you wear only indoors, and shampoo and dry your hair. Wash your comb and brush weekly to keep them free of any irritants they've picked up.

Surprise allergy source: Plants

Damp soil can support the development of mold, and if you spill occasionally as you water, you can encourage growths in any carpet or curtains you happen to hit.

Solution: Give away or toss out plants if mold and dust cause you to have severe symptoms. If you choose to keep the plants instead, place the pots on tile and well away from curtains. Bonus tip: A layer of pebbles or small stones placed on top of the soil will prevent the release of mold spores that may be growing in the soil.

Surprise allergy source: The fish tank

Mold grows on parts of the tank or bowl that are out of the water but nevertheless remain damp. Carelessly strewn fish food also helps mold develop and can nourish a dust mite colony.

Solution: Use a rag to dry off above-water tank parts daily. When you feed the fish, make sure the food lands in the water, not on the tabletop or floor.

Source:Msn

Tufted Bacteria Cause Infection In Premature Babies

Bacteria that normally reside on the skin of healthy people can cause serious infections in premature babies. A group of researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have now found an explanation for why a certain kind of staphylococcus can attach itself to the skin and quickly develop dynamic ecosystems: the bacteria are like tufted, self adhesive hairballs.

Staphylococcus establishes itself on the child's skin and mucous membranes directly after birth. In healthy adults and children, these bacteria normally live in harmony with the host organism. However, in sick adults or premature babies, they can cause blood poisoning.

The scientists believe that the hair-like protrusions on the surface of the bacteria that have now been identified serve to adhere the bacteria to the host's cells, whereupon they cause infection. They also found that the antimicrobial substance LL37, which is found on the skin (amongst other places) can inhibit the growth of the bacteria, and probably plays an important part in keeping the bacteria flora stable and inhibiting their uncontrolled proliferation.

"We wanted to conduct this research not only to learn more about the pathogenic potential of the bacteria, but also to understand how the child can protect itself from attack by, for instance, enhancing the body's own defences," says Giovanna Marchini, associate professor at Karolinska Institutet and senior physician at the Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital neonatal section.

Dr Marchini stresses that humans have evolved effective forms of co-existence with certain microbes; for example, the most common intestinal bacteria produces Vitamin K, which we need every day and which is important for the blood's coagulative properties. Bacteria are also necessary for the development of an effective immune defence system. In recent years, these 'beneficial' bacteria have been the object of increasingly intensive study, and are behind the development of the 'hygiene theory'.

"It's thought that the past decades' hunt for disease-causing bacteria means that we now live too cleanly, which has contributed to the sharp rise in allergies and other ‘luxury diseases'," continues Dr Marchini. "Other than wanting to prevent infection in babies, we also think it's an exciting challenge to understand the conceivable health aspects of these tiny, round and tufted skin dwellers.

Source: Sciencedaily

Acne antibiotic may be treatment for brain fever

Minocycline reduces death in JE-infected mice and could do the same in humans, say researchers.If Indian scientists can transfer their laboratory success to human trials, a common acne-treating antibiotic could well turn out to be a life saver for patients of Japanese encephalitis (JE), commonly known as brain fever.

Researchers at the National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) in Manesar, Haryana, have shown that the common antibiotic minocycline reduces death in JE-infected mice and believe it could do the same in humans.

“Even if we replicate a fraction of the success in animals reported by NBRC team, we can save several lives and prevent many others from being maimed every year,” says N.C. Borah, managing director of the Guwahati Neurological Research Centre (GNRC).

He plans to undertake clinical trials in May at GNRC and two other hospitals in Guwahati and Dibrugarh as each of these centres receive 300-400 seriously ill JE patients every season that typically begins with the monsoon.

A viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain, JE kills about one-third of its patients and half the remaining end up with serious disabilities including cognitive and behavioural impairment. The infection is endemic in India, where 135 districts in 15 states routinely report cases, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare.

“No effective treatment exists today, what we have is only supportive,” says Anirban Basu, the lead researcher from NBRC, who thinks clinical success could lead to immediate therapy, as minocycline is an inexpensive and freely available drug currently used for treating bacterial infections of the skin, teeth and urinary tract.

Basu’s early work showed that minocycline not only reduced the inflammation in the brain, but also stemmed loss of healthy neuronal cells and decreased the viral load (a measure of the severity of a viral infection). However, questions like how effective the drug will be, if there’s a time lag between the infection and the treatment, or whether it will reduce the disabilities in survivors can be answered only after the human trials, says Basu.

Scientists believe it’s a fairly safe bet, as it’s the efficacy rather than the safety that needs to be ascertained, because the drug is already in use. “It’s a straightforward case, but we are hitting a stone wall,” says NBRC director Vijayalakshmi Ravindranath, since there’s no government agency to do translational research or even coordinate it. Translational research helps convert laboratory findings into therapeutics—or from bench to bedside. “In the absence of intellectual property, there’s no money to be made here or else we could have gone to a commercial agency for trials.”

The cost of the trial is not a trivial issue either. But the department of biotechnology, of which NBRC is an autonomous institute, has promised to extend support. Trials in children are difficult and expensive, as each centre needs to have sufficient number of ventilators, which can cost up to Rs 20,000 per day for every child. “I am pushing it; we hope to get started by this season,” says Ravindranath. NBRC has identified a contract research organization and is chalking out the trial design, things which research institutions in the country typically don’t do.

Borah thinks the sample of 250 patients can be recruited in just one season in the north-east, which has the highest incidence of JE. “We will run the study for four weeks and it can be completed by November,” he adds.

The successful and timely completion of this trial is important for more than one reason. Minocycline has shown promising results in other neurogenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, a nervous system disorder. Moreover, its success in JE could be an encouragement for further initiatives in “repurposing” of existing or discarded drugs. “This is a good strategy for developing countries,” says Basu.

Source:TOI

9 Foods That Reduce Stress Levels

 

Eat these foods, reduce your stress.

Reach for these items next time you're feeling under pressure, under the weather, or just too close to that breaking point. Munching on these stress-free foods will help pull you back into the game.

                                                       Oranges

A German study in Psychopharmacology found that vitamin C helps reduce stress and return blood pressure and cortisol to normal levels after a stressful situation. Vitamin C is also well-known for boosting your immune system.

                                              Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes can be particularly stress-reducing because they can satisfy the urge you get for carbohydrates and sweets when you are under a great deal of stress. They are packed full of beta-carotene and other vitamins, and the fiber helps your body to process the carbohydrates in a slow and steady manner.

                                                   Dried Apricots

Apricots are rich in magnesium, which is a stress-buster and a natural muscle relaxant as well. Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts. Almonds are packed with B and E vitamins, which help boost your immune system, and walnuts and pistachios help lower blood pressure.

                                                      Turkey

 Turkey contains an amino acid called L-tryptophan. This amino acid triggers the release of serotonin, which is a feel-good brain chemical. This is the reason why many people who eat turkey feel relaxed, or even tired, after eating it. L-Tryptophan has a documented calming effect.

                                                    Spinach

 A deficiency in magnesium can cause migraine headaches and a feeling of fatigue. One cup of spinach provides 40 percent of your daily needs for magnesium.

                                                   Salmon

 Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids protect against heart disease. A study from Diabetes & Metabolism found that omega-3s keep the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline from peaking.

                                                   Avocados

 The monounsaturated fats and potassium in avocados help lower blood pressure. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says that one of the best ways to lower blood pressure is to consume enough potassium (avocados have more than bananas).

                                            Green Vegetables

 Broccoli, kale, and other dark green vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins that help replenish our bodies in times of stress.

More stress-busting tips:

• Exercise reguarly
• Drink an energy shake for breakfast
• Eat small meals throughout the day, which will keep your blood sugar stable (when blood sugar is low, mental, physical, and emotional energy decreases, and stress increases).

Source:Msn

Bacteria Play Role In Preventing Spread Of Malaria

Bacteria in the gut of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito inhibit infection of the insect with Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria in humans, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Scientists found that removing these bacteria, or microbial flora, with antibiotics made the mosquitoes more susceptible to Plasmodium infection because of a lack of immune stimulation. As part of the malaria transmission cycle, a mosquito acquires the malaria-causing parasite when it feeds on blood from an infected person. The parasite develops within the mosquito and can then be transmitted to another human when the mosquito feeds again.

“Our study suggests that the microbial flora of mosquitoes is stimulating immune activity that protects the mosquito from Plasmodium infection. The same immune factors that are needed to control the mosquito’s infection from the microbes are also defending against the malaria parasite Plasmodium,” said George Dimopoulos, PhD, senior author of the study and associate professor with Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.

“The interplay between bacteria and the mosquito’s immune system may have significant implications for the transmission of malaria in the field where mosquitoes may be exposed to different types of bacteria in different regions. Theoretically, these bacteria could be introduced to the mosquitoes to boost their immunity to the malaria parasite and make them resistant and incapable of spreading the disease. Our current research aims at identifying those bacteria that trigger the strongest mosquito immune defense against the malaria parasite.”

As part of the study, the Johns Hopkins researcher treated mosquitoes with antibiotics to kill the gut bacteria. Treated mosquitoes were more susceptible to infection by Plasmodium when feeding on infected blood compared to mosquitoes that were not treated with antibiotics. To further verify the results, bacteria-free mosquitoes were infected with bacteria to determine if they were less susceptible to Plasmodium infection.

In addition, the researchers determined that mosquitoes infected with bacteria died earlier than mosquitoes without bacteria when infected with Plasmodium; 60 percent of the mosquitoes with gut-bacteria died compared to 40 percent of those free of bacteria—even with Plasmodium levels five times higher than those with bacteria.

“The malaria parasite must live in the mosquito for about two weeks in order to complete its life cycle and be transmitted to a person. The fact that these bacteria shorten the mosquito’s life span is additional good news,” said Dimopoulos.

Malaria kills over one million people worldwide each year; the majority of deaths are among children living in Africa.

Source:Sciencedaily