Early-life antibiotic Increases Risk of Asthma

Early exposure to antibiotics can trigger long term susceptibility to asthma, according to new research. Importantly the research team isolated a molecule produced by gut bacteria that in the future could potentially be trialed as a simple treatment, in the form of a dietary supplement, for children at risk of asthma to prevent them developing the disease. Importantly the finding of the molecule produced by bacteria in a healthy gut provides an explanation as to why the recurrent use of antibiotics increases the risk of asthma. Scientist know that recurrent use of antibiotics early in life disrupts a person's healthy gut microbiota and increases the risk of allergies and asthma. Scientist discovered that a consequence of antibiotic treatment is the depletion of bacteria that produce IPA, thus reducing a key molecule that has the potential to prevent asthma. The first years of life are important in developing a stable gut microbiota. It is shaped first by food intake both milk and solid foods as well as genetics, and environmental exposures. Infants at high risk of allergies and asthma have been shown to have a disrupted and delayed maturation of the gut microbiome. The use of antibiotics in the first year of life can have the unintentional effect of reducing bacteria which promotes health, and now know from this research that antibiotics lead to reduced IPA, which have found is critical early in life as our lung cells mature, making it a candidate for early life prevention of allergic airway inflammation. Working in mice predisposed to develop asthma, the research team found that when given antibiotics in early life the mice were more susceptible to house-dust mite-induced allergic airway inflammation and this lasted into adulthood. Asthma is commonly triggered by exposure to house dust mite. This susceptibility was maintained long-term, even after the gut microbiome and IPA levels returned to normal, highlighting that this molecule's function was particularly important early in life. When these mice had their diet supplemented with the IPA molecule early in life, the researchers found that the mice were effectively cured of developing the house dust mite induced allergic airway inflammation, or asthma, in adulthood.

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                                      New Hope for Diabetic Heart Disease Treatment

Drug discovery researchers have found that a natural fat molecule called 'lipoxin A4' (LXA4) could significantly reduce inflammation and improve function for diabetic hearts. Heart conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attacks and heart failure are the leading killers of people with diabetes, driving a growing global health crisis. Chronic inflammation plays a key role in these heart problems, causing ongoing damage to the diabetic heart over time. Researchers found that LXA4 could halve inflammation and scar formation, specifically in cases of heart disease induced by diabetes, as seen in the preclinical animal models. With recent advancements in developing more 'drug-like' LXA4, our findings point to the potential of LXA4-based therapies as a promising new way to manage diabetic heart disease. Heart inflammation in diabetic patients is treated the same way as that of other heart disease patients. This study opens up the possibility of more targeted and effective treatment possibilities for diabetic heart disease patients when combined with their usual blood sugar management medication. The team observed the beneficial effect of LXA4 on the immune system within the diabetic heart. Researchers saw the molecule stimulate reparative macrophages a type of white blood cell within the diabetic heart. These good macrophages reduced scar formation (due to chronic inflammation) in the heart and also helped to improve the overall function. As next steps, efforts to create a stable drug version based on the LXA4 molecule are in progress. The researchers are also investigating the broader applicability of this study to a range of other inflammatory diseases and exploring other drug options to address different aspects of cardio-pulmonary diseases.

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                               Standing at Work Can be Detrimental to Blood Pressure

A new study found that prolonged standing at work had a negative impact on the research participants' 24-hour blood pressure. In contrast, spending more time sitting at work was associated with better blood pressure. The study suggests that activity behavior during working hours may be more relevant to 24-hour blood pressure than recreational physical activity. Regular exercise is important for controlling blood pressure.In particular, more vigorous, aerobic exercise is effective for lowering blood pressure, but also everyday physical activity can have a beneficial impact. Previous studies have shown that exercise in leisure time is more beneficial for the cardiovascular system than physical activity at work, which can even be detrimental to health. The physical activity of municipal employees approaching retirement age was measured using thigh-worn accelerometers during working hours, leisure time, and days off. In addition, the research participants used a portable blood pressure monitor that automatically measured their blood pressure every 30 minutes for 24 hours. Rather than any single measurement, 24-hour blood pressure is a better indication of how blood pressure stresses the heart and blood vessels throughout the day and night. If blood pressure is slightly high throughout the day and does not fall sufficiently even at night, blood vessels start to stiffen and the heart has to work harder to cope with the increased pressure. The latest results confirm previous findings that physical activity at work can be harmful to the heart and circulatory system. In particular, prolonged standing can raise blood pressure as the body boosts circulation to the lower limbs by constricting blood vessels and increasing the pumping power of the heart. A standing desk can provide a nice change from sitting at the office, but too much standing can be harmful. It's a good idea to take a break from standing during the work day, either by walking every half an hour or sitting for some parts of the day. In addition, the results of the study suggest that sedentary work in itself is not necessarily harmful to blood pressure. Instead, researchers stress the importance of recreational physical activity for both office and construction workers.

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              Listening for Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

People with Alzheimer's exhibit a loss of motor control along with cognitive decline, and one of the earliest signs of this decay can be spotted in involuntary eye movements known as saccades. These quick twitches of the eyes in Alzheimer's patients are often slower, less accurate, or delayed compared to those in healthy individuals. Researchers are exploring an alternative method using a more ubiquitous and less intrusive technology: earpiece microphones. People with Alzheimer's exhibit a loss of motor control along with cognitive decline. One of the earliest signs of this decay can be spotted in involuntary eye movements known as saccades. These quick twitches of the eyes in Alzheimer's patients are often slower, less accurate, or delayed compared to those in healthy individuals. Eye movements are fascinating since they are some of the most rapid and precise movements in the human body, thus they rely on both excellent motor skills and cognitive functioning. Detecting and analyzing saccades directly requires a patient to be monitored by eye-tracking equipment, which is not easily accessible for most people. Researchers are exploring an alternative method using a more ubiquitous and less intrusive technology: earpiece microphones. Researchers are using a device called a hearable. It is an earpiece with in-ear microphones that captures physiological signals from the body. The goal is to develop health-monitoring algorithms for hearables, capable of continuous, long-term monitoring and early disease detection. Eye movements, including saccades, cause eardrum vibrations that can be picked up by sensitive microphones located within the ear. The researchers are conducting experiments with volunteers, giving them both hearables and conventional eye trackers. The goal is to identify signals corresponding to saccades, and to differentiate between healthy signals and others that are indicative of neurological disorders like Alzheimer's. One day research will lead to devices that can perform noninvasive continuous monitoring for Alzheimer's along with other neurological diseases. While the current project is focused on long-term monitoring of Alzheimer's disease, eventually, Researchers would like to tackle other diseases and be able to differentiate between them based on symptoms that can be tracked through in-ear signals.

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                                  Use of Acid Reflux Drugs Linked to Higher Risk of Migraine

People who take acid-reducing drugs may have a higher risk of migraine and other severe headache than people who do not take these medications, according to a new study. The acid-reducing drugs include proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole and esomeprazole, histamine H2-receptor antagonists, or H2 blockers, such as cimetidine and famotidine, and antacid supplements. The study does not prove that acid-reducing drugs cause migraine; it only shows an association. Acid reflux is when stomach acid flows into the esophagus, usually after a meal or when lying down. People with acid reflux may experience heartburn and ulcers. People with frequent acid reflux may develop gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, which can lead to cancer of the esophagus. These drugs are often considered to be overprescribed, and new research has shown other risks tied to long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, such as an increased risk of dementia. For the study, researchers looked at data on 11,818 people who provided information on use of acid-reducing drugs and whether they had migraine or severe headache in the past three months. A total of 25% of participants taking proton pump inhibitors had migraine or severe headache, compared to 19% of those who were not taking the drugs. A total of 25% of those taking H2 blockers had severe headache, compared to 20% of those who were not taking those drugs. And 22% of those taking antacid supplements had severe headache, compared to 20% of those not taking antacids. When researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect the risk of migraine, such as age, sex and use of caffeine and alcohol, they found that people taking proton pump inhibitors were 70% more likely to have migraine than people not taking proton pump inhibitors. Those taking H2 blockers were 40% more likely and those taking antacid supplements were 30% more likely. It's important to note that many people do need acid-reducing medications to manage acid reflux or other conditions, and people with migraine or severe headache who are taking these drugs or supplements should talk with their doctors. The study looked only at prescription drugs. Some of the drugs became available for over-the-counter use at non-prescription strength during the study period, but use of these over-the-counter drugs was not included in this study. Other studies have shown that people with gastrointestinal conditions may be more likely to have migraine, but relationship is not likely to fully explain the tie between acid-reducing drugs and migraine found in the study. A limitation of the study is that a small number of people were taking the drugs, especially the H2 blockers.

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