Sunshine vitamin 'may treat asthma'

The amount of time asthma patients spend soaking up the sun may have an impact on the illness, researchers have suggested.

A team at King's College London said low levels of vitamin D, which is made by the body in sunlight, was linked to a worsening of symptoms.

Its latest research shows the vitamin calms an over-active part of the immune system in asthma.

However, treating patients with vitamin D has not yet been tested.

People with asthma can find it hard to breathe when their airways become inflamed, swollen and narrowed.

Most people are treated with steroids, but the drugs do not work for all.

Sunshine

"We know people with high levels of vitamin D are better able to control their asthma - that connection is quite striking," said researcher Prof Catherine Hawrylowicz.

Her group investigated the impact of the vitamin on a chemical in the body, interleukin-17. It is a vital part of the immune system and helps to fight off infections.

However, it can cause problems when levels get too high and has been strongly implicated in asthma.

In this study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, vitamin D was able to lower levels of interleukin-17 when it was added to blood samples taken from 28 patients.

The team is now conducting clinical trials to see if giving the sunshine vitamin to patients could ease their symptoms. They are looking at patients who do not respond to steroids as they produce seven times more interleukin-17 than other patients.

Prof Catherine Hawrylowicz told the BBC: "We think that treating people with vitamin D could make steroid-resistant patients respond to steroids or let those who can control their asthma take less steroids."

She said a culture of covering up in the sun and using sun cream may have increased asthma rates, but "it is a careful message because too much sun is bad for you".

Malayka Rahman, from the charity Asthma UK, said: "For the majority of people with asthma, current available medicines are an effective way of managing the condition but we know that they don't work for everyone, which is why research into new treatments is vital.

"We also know that many people with asthma have concerns about the side effects of their medicines so if vitamin D is shown to reduce the amount of medicines required, this would have an enormous impact on people's quality of life.

"We look forward to the results of the clinical trial."

Special Issue on Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases

Volume 5, Number 4A, April 2013

Effect of antihypertensive therapy on hospitalization and mortality among uncomplicated and

high risk hypertensive patients

L. Degli Esposti, S. Saragoni, C. Veronesi, C. Cerra, P. Batacchi, C. Pagliaro, A. Sturani, E. D. Esposti…………………………1

Renin-angiotensin system blockade: Effect on renal mRNA expression in 5/6 nephrectomized rats

E. Y. Cruz-Laguna, A. Ma. Gámez-Méndez, H. Vargas-Robles, A. Ríos, A. Méndez-Tenorio, B. Escalante………………………9

The relation between birth weight and hypertension. A study among Danish nurses

R. A. Virkus, B. Heitmann, E. Obel, T. Bergholt, E. Løkkegaard…………………………………………………………………16

Cardioprotective effects of tea and its catechins

N. N. Li, Y. Zhao, Y. R. Liang………………….…………………………………………………………………………………23

Serotonin uptake rates in platelets from angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mice

P. Singh, T. W. Fletcher, Y. C. Li, N. J. Rusch, F. Kilic……………………………………………………………………………31

Microalbuminuria in pediatric patients with hypertension

N. M. Varda…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………40

Illness beliefs about hypertension among non-patients and healthy relatives of patients

A. Del Castillo, D. Godoy-Izquierdo, Mª L. Vázquez, J. F. Godoy…………………………………………………………………47

Effect of music on blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate of asymptomatic individuals:

A randomized controlled trial

S. Siritunga, K. Wijewardena, R. Ekanayaka, P. Mudunkotuwa……………………………………………………………………59

Neuromodulation in treatment of hypertension by acupuncture: A neurophysiological prospective

P. Benharash, W. Zhou………………………………………………………………………………………………………………65

Fatty acids composition of erythrocytes in arterial hypertension associated with dyslipidemia

T. P. Novgorodtseva, Y. K. Karaman, T. A. Gvozdenko, M. V. Antonyuk, V. V. Knyshova………………………………………73

Effect of gestational protein restriction on left ventricle hypertrophy and heart angiotensin II

signaling pathway in adult offspring rats

R. B. Silva, F. F. Mesquita, M. Andreo, H. B. Assalin, J. A. R. Gontijo, P. A. Boer………………………………………………78

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Retirement 'harmful to health'? Not always

Let’s see an article from BBC first:

Retirement has a detrimental impact on mental and physical health, a new study has found.The study, published by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a think tank, found that retirement results in a "drastic decline in health" in the medium and long term.The IEA said the study suggests people should work for longer for health as well as economic reasons.The government already plans to raise the state pension age.The study, which was published in conjunction with the Age Endeavour Fellowship, a charity, compared retired people with those who had continued working past retirement age, and took into account possible confounding factors.Philip Booth, programme director at the IEA, said the government should go further to deregulate labour markets and allow people to work for longer.

In fact,I think this statement is only one-sided.Yeah,maybe to mental worker it is indeed so.There also a research found that who retired before the age of 60 express more boredom than those who retired later may be a support.However,there are lots of manual worker.They don't have the ability to do heavy physical labor as they grew older. For those weak constitution, early retirement or change a light work maybe a better choice.Money is undeniable important,but health is more important.

As to retirement affects mental and physical health,I think there are some other ways to remedy.For example ,they can learn to play chess,read books, take part in leisure activities to keep mental health.They can also take a walk for physical health.About the effects of leisure activities for the retiree,there is a specialized research.

Look out:'Apple shape' linked to higher risk of kidney disease

It was already known that being "apple-shaped", as opposed to "pear-shaped", added to the risk of developing cardiovascular problems.

This research, in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, found signs of kidney problems in even otherwise healthy apple-shaped people.

UK experts said people needed to take more care of their kidney health.

The research, by a team at the University Medical Center Groningen, in the Netherlands, looked at more than 300 people who had either a healthy bodyweight. or who were overweight.

They found that having a higher waist-to-hip ratio - seen in those who were more apple-shaped - was associated with lower kidney function, reduced kidney blood flow and higher blood pressure in the kidneys.

This was the case even in those who were otherwise healthy.

'Growing problem'

Arjan Kwakernaak, who led the study, said: "We found that apple-shaped persons - even if totally healthy and with a normal blood pressure - have an elevated blood pressure in their kidneys.

"When they are also overweight or obese, this is even worse."

The findings suggest that these individuals may benefit from treatments that reduce kidney blood pressure - such as cutting salt levels and targeted drug treatments.

A spokesman for Kidney Research UK said: "We understand already that central - 'apple' - obesity is associated with higher cardiovascular risk than peripheral - 'pear' - obesity.

"This demonstrates that the same is true for kidney disease."

He added: "This is further evidence that there is a link between obesity and the growing problem of kidney disease, and that more needs to be done to make people aware of the importance of protecting kidney function."

(source:bbc)

New virus which is more deadly than Sars

Sars-Severe Acute Respiratory Syndromes, between November 2002 and July 2003, an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,273 cases and 775 deaths worldwide (9.6% fatality) according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Within weeks, SARS spread from Hong Kong to infect individuals in 37 countries in early 2003. And is said  may still be present in its natural host reservoirs (animal populations) and may return to the human population.

Research on it has not  stopped,including Chinese Medicine.It is said that Chinese herbs can inhibit the proliferation and strengthen the human immune virus, and so on to play a very good antiviral activity.

However,a new virus that is potentially more deadly than Sars emerged,warn scientists after second Briton dies taking death toll to 11.The following  image shows a microscope image of coronavirus:

The mysterious coronavirus, which has emerged in the Middle East, attacks the respiratory system and was only identified six months ago. So far there have been 11 deaths - with the World Health Organisation this week saying a second British man has died.

Unlike Sars, the new virus affects many different organs in the body, killing cells extremely quickly. The source of coronavirus is not known, but experts believe it originated in bats. Animals which could host the virus include monkeys, pigs and even rabbits .

To lose weight,the attitude is of important

How to lose weight is always a hot topic!There are all kinds of ways ,and medince of losing weight. Even a fantastic study states: clicking mouse can be helpful to weight lose,however overruled.The study on weight lose are in an endless stream.Because,not only femal need to lose weight,male also need nowadays.

A  research from SCIRP state that the attitudes towards losing weight make a difference:

To investigate motivators and strategies of adult weight loss or management, 1805 adults aged 18 - 65 were asked by computer assisted telephone interviews about their weight management behavior during the previous four weeks. High levels of importance to reduce risks associated with chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes were observed, although were indistinguishable between people attempting or not attempting to lose or maintain weight. Results showed that BMI was the strongest predictor of attempting to manage weight irrespective of age and, compared with males, females were more likely to attempt weight management at a lower BMI. Among the weight management group, the most popular weight management strategy was to choose healthier food options (77% and 70% for females and males respectively). With the weight management group also more likely to be monitoring the amount of food they consume, limiting portions sizes and tracking their physical activity participation compared with people not managing their weight. The current study showed that the likelihood of weight management within four weeks prior to the survey peaked for both sexes when BMI reached obese levels, (BMI = 30 - 39.9), suggesting that among people categorised as obese most were attempting to manage their weight. The results also suggest that at least some adults were not attempting to maintain their weight in the four weeks prior to the survey, irrespective of their BMI status. The implications of these findings suggest more effective approaches to weight loss and maintenance could focus on strategies that directly address the benefits and motivations of weight loss and weight maintenance, rather than focusing on conveying the risks of being overweight and the importance of avoiding chronic disease.

You can read and download < Attitudestowards, and methods of, maintaining or losing body weight among adults  > for more.