Day: November 30, 2022

Categories : Medical Research & TechnologyTags :

Multiple Sclerosis Therapy also Improves Gut Flora Composition

On By ModernMedia
Gut microbiome. Credit: Darryl Leja, NIH

Dimethyl fumarate, a medication used to treat MS also has a beneficial effect on the composition of the intestinal flora, according to research published in Gut Microbes. Conversely, the gut flora also plays a role in which side effects occur during treatment with the medication.

Few previous studies have examined the effects of MS treatments on intestinal flora and on the role their composition plays with regard to efficacy and side effects. A team of researchers at the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel has now examined these questions in a group of 20 MS patients being treated with dimethyl fumarate.

Dimethyl fumarate reduces the number of MS flare-ups by interfering with the metabolic processes of certain immune cells. However, the therapy is also associated with side effects, including hot flashes and gastrointestinal complaints, and in some cases lymphopenia, a lack of lymphocytes such as B cells and T cells in the blood. This can lead to severe complications.

More ‘good’ bacteria

In their study, the researchers led by Professor Anne-Katrin Pröbstel and Professor Adrian Egli, examined stool and blood samples from participants before and during the first twelve months of the treatment. Their focus was on the composition of the gut microbiome. Pröbstel and her team also measured the number of lymphocytes in the blood in order to identify patients who were experiencing lymphopenia as a side effect.

After only three months of treatment, the research team was already able to identify changes to the gut microbiome: “We were able to show that the gut bacteria of patients receiving the medication started to become more like the composition seen in healthy individuals,” Pröbstel explained. Treatment with dimethyl fumarate reduced the proportion of pro-inflammatory types of bacteria, which have been associated with MS, and supported the growth of “good” bacteria.

Furthermore, the researchers were able to draw a connection between the composition of the gut microbiome and the development of lymphopenia: The presence of Akkermansia muciniphila bacteria combined with the lack of Prevotella copri bacteria emerged as a risk factor for this side effect. The authors therefore suspect that P. copri may protect against lymphopenia.

Interaction between therapy and gut flora

“Our data suggest that immunomodulatory therapies affect not only immune cells, but also positively influence the gut microbiome,” Pröbstel explains. The connection between gut bacteria and clinical side effects of the treatment may eventually enable early identification of patients at risk of developing lymphopenia. Microbiologist Egli continues: “In the future, this relatively new field of microbiology may help us better understand the effects and side effects of many medications with regard to gut bacteria, and to personalise treatment accordingly.”

“What we have so far is only a pilot study with a relatively small number of participants,” she cautioned. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm the results and explore the potential for supporting MS therapies via gut flora and for predicting side effects in advance.

Source: University of Basel

Categories : Cancer ExerciseTags :

Aerobic Exercise Creates a Metabolic Shield against Metastatic Cancer

On By ModernMedia
Old man jogging
Photo by Barbra Olsen on Pexels

A new study at Tel Aviv University found that aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer by 72%. According to the researchers, intensity aerobic exercise increases the glucose consumption of internal organs, thereby reducing the availability of energy to the tumour.  The paper was published in Cancer Research.

Previous studies have demonstrated that physical exercise reduces the risk for some types of cancer by up to 35%. This is similar to the positive impact of exercise on other conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

In this study, Prof Levy and Dr Gepner added new insight, showing that high-intensity aerobic exercise, which derives its energy from sugar, can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer by as much as 72%. “If the general message to the public so far has been ‘be active, be healthy’,” they say, “now we can explain how aerobic activity can maximise the prevention of the most aggressive and metastatic types of cancer.”

The study combined lab models trained under a strict exercise regimen, with data from healthy human volunteers examined before and after running. The human data, obtained from an epidemiological study that monitored 3000 individuals for about 20 years, indicated 72% less metastatic cancer in participants who reported regular aerobic activity at high intensity, compared to those who did not engage in physical exercise.

The animal model exhibited a similar outcome, enabling the researchers to identify its underlying mechanism. They found that aerobic activity significantly reduced the development of metastatic tumours in the lab models’ lymph nodes, lungs, and liver. The researchers hypothesised that in both humans and model animals, this favourable outcome is related to the enhanced rate of glucose consumption induced by exercise.

‘Exercise changes the whole body’

“Our study is the first to investigate the impact of exercise on the internal organs in which metastases usually develop, like the lungs, liver, and lymph nodes,” explains Prof Levy.

“Examining the cells of these organs, we found a rise in the number of glucose receptors during high-intensity aerobic activity – increasing glucose intake and turning the organs into effective energy-consumption machines, very much like the muscles. We assume that this happens because the organs must compete for sugar resources with the muscles, known to burn large quantities of glucose during physical exercise. Consequently, if cancer develops, the fierce competition over glucose reduces the availability of energy that is critical to metastasis.”

“Moreover,” she offers, “when a person exercises regularly, this condition becomes permanent: the tissues of internal organs change and become similar to muscle tissue. We all know that sports and physical exercise are good for our health. Our study, examining the internal organs, discovered that exercise changes the whole body, so that the cancer cannot spread, and the primary tumour also shrinks in size.”  

“Our results indicate that unlike fat-burning exercise, which is relatively moderate, it is a high-intensity aerobic activity that helps in cancer prevention,” adds Dr Gepner. “If the optimal intensity range for burning fat is 65–70% of the maximum pulse rate, sugar burning requires 80–85% – even if only for brief intervals.”

“For example: a one-minute sprint followed by walking, then another sprint. In the past, such intervals were mostly typical of athletes’ training regimens, but today we also see them in other exercise routines, such as heart and lung rehabilitation. Our results suggest that healthy individuals should also include high-intensity components in their fitness programs. We believe that future studies will enable personalized medicine for preventing specific cancers, with physicians reviewing family histories to recommend the right kind of physical activity. It must be emphasized that physical exercise, with its unique metabolic and physiological effects, exhibits a higher level of cancer prevention than any medication or medical intervention to date.”  

Source: Tel Aviv University

Categories : Dentistry Diseases, Syndromes and ConditionsTags :

Bacteria in Severe Oral Infections Linked to Other Diseases

On By ModernMedia
Dentist checking teeth
Image by Caroline LM on Unsplash

To date, there has been little research into identifying the bacteria found in severe oral infections, despite long-suspected links to other diseases. Now, a study from Karolinska Institutet has characterised the microbial composition of these, with many known to be linked to other disease. The study is published in Microbiology Spectrum.

There is growing evidence linking oral health and common diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. However, there have been few longitudinal studies identifying which bacteria occur in infected oral- and maxillofacial regions.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have now analysed samples collected between 2010 and 2020 at the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden from patients with severe oral infections and produced a list of the most common bacteria.

“We’re reporting here, for the first time, the microbial composition of bacterial infections from samples collected over a ten-year period in Stockholm County,” says Professor Margaret Sällberg Chen of the Department of Dental Medicine. “The results show that several bacterial infections with link to systemic diseases are constantly present and some have even increased over the past decade in Stockholm.”

A role in other diseases

The study shows that the most common bacterial phyla amongst the samples were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, while the most common genera were Streptococcus spp, Prevotella spp, and Staphylococcus spp.

“Our results provide new insight into the diversity and prevalence of harmful microbes in oral infections,” says Professor Sällberg Chen. “The finding isn’t only of importance to dental medicine, it also helps us understand the role of dental infection in patients with underlying diseases. If a certain bacterium infects and causes damage in the mouth, it’s very likely that it can be harmful to tissues elsewhere in the body as the infection spreads.”

The research group has previously shown that the occurrence of oral bacteria in the pancreas reflects the severity of pancreatic tumours.

Improve diagnostics and therapy

The study was conducted using 1014 samples from as many patients, of whom 469 were women and 545 men, and a mass-spectrometric method called MALDI-TOF that rapidly identifies individual living bacteria in a sample, but that is rarely used in dental care.

“Our study was a single centre epidemiology study and to ensure the validity of the results we need to make more and larger studies,” says adjunct Professor Volkan Özenci at the Department of Laboratory Medicine. “We now hope that dentists will collaborate with clinical microbiology laboratories more to gain a better understanding of the bacteria that cause dental infections, to improve diagnostics and therapeutic management of oral infections.”

The study is part of Khaled Al-Manei’s doctoral thesis, the next step of which is a similar epidemiological study of fungal infections in the mouth that aims to identify new fungi and microbes and understand what causes their possible malignancy. 

Source: Karolinska Institutet

Categories : HIVTags :

Supporting Men Living with HIV Own their Health

On By ModernMedia

According to World Population Review, South Africa has one of the highest HIV prevalence in the world; ranking 4th with 19.1% in 2020, coupled with the highest burden of people living with HIV (PLHIV) globally, at an estimated 8.45 million.

In an effort to address these issues, and particularly change the stigma associated with the disease, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Department of Health (NDoH) partnered with Project Last Mile and FCB Joburg to launch MINA. For Men. For Health, an initiative aimed at encouraging men to get tested for HIV and provide communal support to begin – and stay on – treatment for those who tested HIV positive.    

The campaign seeks to unpack the societal stigmas that result in men not wanting to get tested and then to adhere to taking Antiretroviral Treatment (ART). Beyond this, the campaign provided a safe space for men to express and share their experiences and fears and to address the various misconceptions about living with HIV. Leaning on insights garnered through community coaches and interactions with men living with HIV, a platform was created which gave men the tools and resources they need to take control of their lives and their HIV status. This was MINA. For Men. For Health.

The campaign’s concept emanated from the idea that men could dispel fears of prioritising their health, giving them exposure to a community of men just like them, which remains a great source of support. In the execution stage, this was coupled with brand ambassadors and social media assets that carried the campaign on social platforms, including collateral for presence and awareness in clinics across the country in severely affected communities. The in-clinic journey was an integral part of the campaign as it was vital to intercept and engage clients in real-time who may have been at the clinic for other reasons, to consider getting tested for HIV or begin/continue with their treatment.

MINA. For Men. For Health has demonstrated success in areas where individuals were exposed to brand messaging. Some key statistics include:

1. For every R17 of PEPFAR funding, R51 of earned media was generated.

2. On average, 48 000 more men tested for HIV per quarter in MINA. For Men. For Health activity facilities than non-activity facilities post-launch.

3. Nationally, first quarter post-launch saw a 7% increase in men’s linkage to care.

There has been a notable increase in the number of men who tested for HIV over the campaign period, with more than 107 290 men having tested since campaign’s inception in November 2020, with a subsequent increase in men commencing ART.

“The efforts and campaigns providing a positive narrative around HIV are now showing success across the board in combating the perceptions around the disease. In addition, the campaign is generating a positive framework to aid men living with HIV to express themselves, get the necessary care, and remain on treatment.” says Rodney Knotts, Senior Marketing Advisor at USAID.

“Currently, we are looking at ways to increase the presence of MINA. For Men. For Health, as mass media and social marketing have long been used as tools to increase education, decrease stigma, and promote behaviour change in the fight against HIV/AIDS in South Africa,” says Jonathan Wolberg, Creative Director at FCB Joburg.

Although South Africa has made significant strides over the last decade in combating HIV-AIDS, complacency will turn back the clock on gains made through consistent community engagement, screening and treatment.

MINA. For Men. For Health continues to play an essential role in addressing this public health challenge that still very much has a place in South African society. 

“MINA. For Men. For Health is all about changing and mainstreaming conversations around HIV.  With our above-the-line, digital and in clinic campaign, we not only hope to support and empower men living with HIV, but also their partners, families and communities.  Our goal is to impact social change and perceptions for all South Africans around this completely treatable chronic condition,” says Amanda Manchia, PLM Strategic Marketing Project Lead.

If you’d like to be part of the MINA. For Men. For Health movement, visit www.minaformenforhealth.co.za or  @MINAForMenForHealth on Facebook.

Categories : Injury & Trauma Metabolic DisordersTags :

New Material Speeds up Diabetic Wound Healing

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

University of Nottingham researchers have discovered a new class of polymer that can aid healing in hard-to-treat diabetic wounds by providing instructions to both immune and non-immune cells. This new material that can be applied to diabetic wounds to accelerated healing with just one application. The findings have been published in Advanced Materials.

Wound healing is a complex biological process that involves various cell types working together, with a cell type called fibroblasts playing a critical role in forming new tissue required for healing. Diabetes can disrupt these processes in cells making wound healing slow and difficult to treat. This can lead to infection and in extreme cases the need for amputation.

Experts from the School of Life Sciences and Pharmacy screened 315 different polymer surfaces, examining the different chemical make-up of each until they identified a polymer type that actively drives fibroblasts and immune cells to promote healing. A team from the School of Engineering made small particles that are decorated with this polymer on their surface. These particles could be directly applied to the wound area.

The long, repeating chain structure of polymers gives them unique properties that can be tailored for different uses. Using polymer microparticles the team showed how this new material, when delivered to a wound on an animal model, produces three times more fibroblast activity over a period of up to 96 hours and achieved more than 80% wound closure.

This new polymer could be applied as a coating to standard wound dressings to provide a fast and effective treatment.

Source: University of Nottingham