Digital scan of the eyes reveals health condition

In terms of diagnostic imaging, the eye is a unique part of the human body. Using optical coherence tomography OCT technology, 40,000 scans are produced within 1.2 seconds, with a total volume of 65 million voxels.  Voxel is a contraction of "volume" and "element" and refers to a grid point in a three-dimensional grid and overall to a huge volume of information about a patient's retina.

The OCT data are analysed using automated algorithms generated on the basis of Artificial Intelligence. A digital image of the retina provides enormous amount of data, offering information about a person's entire personal and medical Life Data, not only about existing or potential diseases, but also about lifestyle.

The retina shows how old a person is, their gender, smoking habits, blood pressure and whether they have diabetes, or at least an increased risk of developing it. Diabetes and high blood-pressure are very common conditions and in many patients, result in long-term retinal damage, incorporating these new technologies into clinical care will give accurate picture of patients general health for customised treatments.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Levels of genetic code can cause neuropsychiatric disorders

Studying the genetic code allows researchers to know whether some patients with neuropsychiatric disorders either have extra copies of the CHRNA7 gene or are missing copies. Pluripotent stem cell technology helps better understand neuropsychiatric disorders. Taking skin biopsies from patients with these conditions, grow the cells in culture in the lab and reprogram them to become brain cells. Using this approach, researchers gained insights into the mechanisms of disease at the neuronal level.

The CHRNA7 gene is translated into CHRNA7 proteins that form a channel on the cell membrane that allows calcium to enter the cells. By regulating calcium levels, the CHRNA7 gene plays an important role on how neurons communicate and function with each other. The researchers found that neurons with fewer copies of the gene show a reduction in calcium flux, almost half of what they see in control samples, which they expect will have functional consequences on neuronal functioning in those patients.

These results provide insights into why the patients with fewer copies of the gene share clinical characteristics with the patients with extra copies of the gene, despite having opposite underlying genetic makeup. In both cases, the result of the genetic imbalance is a decrease in calcium flux in the neurons. Clinically, while the patients with fewer copies present with moderate to severe cognitive impairment, high prevalence of autism and other neuropsychiatric problems, those with extra copies present with similar but less severe characteristics.

Opposite genetic imbalance results in similar biological effect mediated by different mechanisms. In the case of neurons with fewer copies of the gene, and therefore fewer CHRNA7 proteins to form calcium channels, the researchers proposed that the reduction in calcium flux in the cells results from having fewer calcium channels.For the neurons with extra copies of the gene, we found that having extra copies of the gene results in more CHRNA7 proteins, which overwhelms the process that assembles them together, causes cellular stress and disturbs the formation of calcium channels.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Diabetes has hepatic origins

Obesity increases the risk of developing metabolic conditions, and primarily type 2 diabetes. The molecular mechanisms by which obesity predisposes people to the development of insulin resistance are so far poorly understood. By deciphering how the protein PTPR-γ, which is increased in obesity, inhibits insulin receptors located at the surface of liver cells, the scientists open the door to potential news therapeutic strategies.

The expansion of fat cells, a characteristic of obesity, leads to an increase in inflammatory signals that have effects on the liver as well as on several other organs. Obesity-induced inflammation triggers the activation of a transcription factor called NF-kβ, which seems to be instrumental in the development of diabetes. Researchers examined various human cohorts-these human studies indicated that PTPR-γ content in liver increases upon inflammation, an effect that could directly affect insulin receptors by inhibiting insulin action.

The scientists modified the levels of PTPR-γ expression in mice, by either suppressing, normally expressing or overexpressing it, and observed the effect on insulin resistance. The mice totally lacking PTPR-γ, when put on a high-calorie diet, did develop obesity. But they did not show any sign of insulin resistance and seemed to be entirely protected from diet-induced diabetes. They also administered lipopolysaccharide, a toxin pertaining to certain bacteria of the gut microbiota associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Once again, the animals lacking PTPR-γ did not develop insulin resistance.

They reconstituted the expression of PTPR-γ at normal levels, but only in hepatocytes (liver cells ). The mice were again prone to insulin resistance, indicating the pivotal role of the liver. Moreover, a two-fold overexpression in the liver (mimicking the natural pathophysiology of obesity was sufficient to cause insulin resistance. The metabolic functions of this protein were never characterized; this discovery therefore opens the door for potential new therapies.

The very form of this protein allows for potential inhibition strategies: when two independent PTPR-γ molecules are brought together by a ligand, they cannot act any more. The researchers are now working on identifying the endogenous ligand produced by the body, or on developing molecules that could mimic its function.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Natural immune suppressor responsible for early death in leukemia patients

Patients diagnosed with the most common form of leukemia who also have high levels of an enzyme known to suppress the immune system are most likely to die early. High levels of this enzyme, indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase, or IDO, at diagnosis also identify those who might benefit most by taking an IDO inhibitor along with their standard therapy.

A review of patients with acute myeloid leukemia, or AML, found increased IDO expression in the bone marrow biopsy, performed to diagnose their disease, correlated with lower overall survival rates and early mortality. It also indicates that IDO expression should routinely be measured when the diagnostic bone marrow biopsy is performed, Everyone has the IDO gene, it's the cancer cells in this scenario that activate the disabler of the immune response that is also used by the fetus and solid tumors.

 Stem cells in the bone marrow are supposed to mature into a variety of cells that enable human blood and immune system function. Instead in AML, stem cells get stuck in an in-between, undifferentiated state called blasts.In leukemia, stem cells get limboed in the blast state so you don't get any maturation. That means there are low platelets so you get clotting problems, you have low neutrophils so you have infections, you have less red blood cells so you get anemic.

Bleeding is a major cause of death for patients and often, significant gum bleeding is the first indicator. The patients who died at six months had a high expression of IDO while the blasts produced relatively little IDO in the patients who lived five years or more. During pregnancy, cells in the placenta trigger an isolated suppression of the mother's immune system so it won't reject the genetically foreign fetus. They showed that IDO locally disables the mother's immune system by degrading tryptophan, an amino acid essential to survival of T cells , orchestrators of the immune system's response.

Later work would show that tumors - and leukemia - also use IDO to hide from the immune response. Conversely, some organ transplant patients who inexplicably express higher levels of IDO, have lower rejection rates of their new organ. Induction therapy is given to get the patient into remission, and is typically followed by more chemotherapy to ensure it stays dormant.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Managing antibiotics can not reverse the resistance

Researchers have discovered that reducing the use of antibiotics will not be enough to reverse the growing prevalence of antibiotic resistance for some types of bacteria. Besides passing along the genes bestowing antibiotic resistance to their offspring, many bacteria can also swap genes among themselves through a process called conjugation.

The bacteria tested by researchers have fast conjugation rate, even if you don't use antibiotics the resistance can be maintained. Most resistance to antibiotics arises and spreads through natural selection. Some bacteria have genes that help them survive around of antibiotics, they quickly parent the next generation and pass on those genes.

Many of these genes, however, come at a cost. For example, a mutation may allow a bacterium to build a thicker membrane to survive a particular antibiotic, but that mutation might also make it more difficult for the cell to reproduce. Without the selective pressure of antibiotics killing off the competition, bacteria with this mutation should disappear over time.

The results indicate that for bacteria that swap resistance genes simply managing the amount of antibiotics being used will not turn the tide on the growing problem of resistance. To make any headway, drugs will also be needed that stop the sharing of genes and decrease the rate at which they are passed on through reproduction. One of the drugs is a benign natural product and FDA-approved antipsychotic.
         haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Oral sex, alcohol and smoking can cause mouth cancer

Oral sex, smoking, drinking too much alcohol and a poor diet can increase the risk of mouth cancer. More than nine in ten mouth cancers are linked to lifestyle factors and the only way to curb this risk is by quitting or reducing habits such as smoking and drinking of alcohol.

Some types of oral cancer are linked to sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in the mouth and throat. Being diagnosed with mouth cancer remains fairly unlikely but could happen to anybody so it is really important to know what to look for and be proactive in looking for the early warnings signs.

Lookout for mouth ulcers that do not heal within three weeks, red or white patches and unusual lumps and swellings. Places to check include the floor and roof of your mouth, inside of the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, head and neck. If you notice any of these, please make an appointment with your dentist.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Anger causes untimely death

Researchers have discovered that angry men aged 20 to 40 were one-and-a-half times more likely to be dead 35 years later than those who were calmer. They believe this is due to a number of factors linking stress to physiological damage. The frequent release of adrenaline during periods of stress damages DNA, which could lead to life-threatening illnesses such as multiple sclerosis.

Feelings of anger produce a heightened response in the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with survival instincts. Angry emotions prompt the amygdala to signal a heightened state of anxiety to the rest of the brain and the body, increasing blood flow to the limbs and heart, which makes relaxation impossible.

Those exposed to anger-inducing stimuli without discussing how it made them feel are more likely to experience insomnia than those who engage in an emotional ‘debrief’, according to neuroscientists. Writing the cause of anger frees up the space in the head, dampening the fear response and encouraging relaxation.

 Emotions such as excitement or anger result in the release of stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and testosterone, which put the body into flight-or-flight mode. The chemical surge increases blood flow to the brain and triggers the swelling of both blood vessels and nerves surrounding the brain. The pressure can result in tension and headaches.

Highly hostile individuals performed significantly worse on a simple inhalation task than those who were rated less hostile. When you are angry, neurotransmitters and hormones are sent through the bloodstream which, in turn, increase both the heart rate and muscle tension. Frequent occurrence of this reaction puts a strain on neurons in the hypothalamus, the brain’s ‘stress control centre’, meaning that it becomes harder for the neurons to switch off. And the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin is significantly depleted in some aggressive individuals.

Too much cortisol in the body – released by adrenal glands during angry outbursts can cause an imbalance in blood sugar, repress the thyroid and even decrease bone density. When released initially, cortisol triggers an anti-inflammatory response by the immune system, but prolonged increase of the hormone makes the body more susceptible to viruses. As blood pressure rises thanks to a surge in adrenaline, the heart beats faster, increasing the risk of potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms. Adrenaline also signals for the release of platelets, which can trigger blood clots or block arteries – particularly dangerous if arteries are restricted by a build-up of cholesterol.

Studies have shown that men in particular who score highly on trait anger scales are three times more likely to suffer from general heart disease. Once the ‘fight or flight’ signal has been issued by the brain, blood supply is directed to areas needed for action such as the limbs. That means blood supply to the digestive system is reduced, with a reduced amount of oxygen provided to keep vital ‘good’ bacteria in the gut alive. A dampened immune system can lead to a weakened gut lining, increasing vulnerability to harmful bacteria entering the area.

Heightened stress reduces the amount of available glucocorticoids -the hormone involved in the synthesis of the skin-plumping compound collagen. Lack of collagen contributes towards saggy, wrinkled skin. The weakened immune system caused by stress responses increases inflammatory reactions to pathogens underneath the skin.

Enhanced periods of anger disrupt the skin-barrier function, making it easier for allergens to penetrate and resulting in skin conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis. Repressing, rather than expressing anger puts you at an higher risk of developing health problems. This increased risk of hypertension for angry individuals who tended to keep their anger below a level of consciousness. By repressing emotion, excess stress hormones remain in the emotion-processing areas of the brain for longer period making physical reactions chronic.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Spotting eating disorders

Eating disorders are conditions that negatively impact human health, emotions and ability to function in important areas of life. Common eating disorders are : anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating.

Anorexia: Weight loss is one of the most obvious signs of anorexia. But even when they're drastically underweight, anorexics may still think they're too heavy. Some people with anorexia try to hide their thinness beneath layers of baggy clothes.

They may eat just one small meal, always say they aren't hungry or avoid starchy foods or carbohydrates. They may also avoid social situations, and exercise excessively. Anorexia can lead to dizziness, concentration problems, pale or dry skin, trouble sleeping, weak muscles and thin hair. Girls and women with anorexia may also stop menstruating.

Bulimia: People with bulimia are always dieting and hiding food. They may eat to the point of discomfort but only when no one is watching. After overeating, people with bulimia force themselves to throw up, usually by putting their fingers down their throat. Marks on the back of their hands may indicate bulimia. Routinely using laxatives or going to the bathroom right after eating are also signs of bulimia.

Binge-eating: Binge-eaters consume large amounts of food very quickly, stopping only when they are uncomfortably full. When bingeing, they tend to feel out of control. Binge-eating is hard to identify because it may happen only occasionally. This behavior can continue for a long period of time before notice.
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Development of brain networks

According to new research, the brains of smart people are wired differently, it allows them to absorb important facts quickly – while blocking out irrelevant information. Scientists used MRI scans on many volunteers to shed light on the nature of intelligence. They had already identified areas of the brain that control IQ and now they have uncovered the mechanism behind it. Researchers said it is possible for people to make themselves more intelligent with brain training games.

Researchers discovered that regions interact more closely in brainy individuals – while others disconnect themselves. In more intelligent people, certain regions are clearly more strongly involved in the exchange of information between different 'sub networks' of neurons. This enables important information to be communicated faster, and more efficiently. On the other hand, the researchers also identified areas that are disconnected, or 'de-coupled', from the rest of the brain in brighter people.
They believe this results in better protection against distracting and irrelevant material.

It is possible that due to their biological predispositions, some individuals develop brain networks that favour intelligent behaviours or more challenging cognitive tasks. However, the frequent use of the brain for cognitively challenging tasks may positively influence the development of brain networks. Smart thinking requires various portions of the brain working together like different parts of an engine.

Differences in academic success and professional careers are attributed to a considerable degree to cognitive abilities. Higher level thinking are rooted in the patterns of integration among parts of the brain called functional modules.It combined the brain scans from the participants with an analysis of mathematical graphs of their networks of neurons to come up with the first neurobiological basis of human intelligence.

 The two brain regions involved in the cognitive processing of 'task relevant' information - the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex - are connected more efficiently to the rest of the brain. Another brain region, the junction area between temporal and parietal cortex that has been related to the shielding of thoughts against irrelevant information, is less strongly connected to the rest of the network.

The different topological embedding of these regions into the brain network could make it easier for smarter persons to differentiate between important and irrelevant information – which would be advantageous for many cognitive challenges. This is similar to a social network which consists of multiple sub-networks, for example: families, or circles of friends. Within these sub-networks or modules, the members of one family are more strongly interconnected than they are with people from other families or circles of friends.

Human brain is functionally organised in a very similar way. There are sub-networks of brain regions – modules that are more strongly interconnected among themselves while they have weaker connections to brain regions from other modules. Researchers examined whether the role of specific brain regions for communication within and among brain modules varies with individual differences in intelligence- whether a specific brain region supports the information exchange within their more than information exchange with other families, and how this relates to individual differences in intelligence.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Using mouthwash increases the risk of obesity and diabetes

Using mouthwash twice a day significantly raises the risk of obesity and developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. Swilling with the anti-bacterial fluid could be killing beneficial microbes which live in the mouth and protect against the conditions. People who used the product twice a day were around 55 percent more likely to develop diabetes or dangerous blood sugar spikes.

Popular mouthwash solutions include ingredients that kill good and bad bacterial. Most of these antibacterial ingredients in mouthwash are not selective- they do not target specific oral bacteria-instead, these ingredients can act on a broad range of bacteria.
Researchers looked at overweight people who were at risk of developing diabetes. Over the study period, around 17 per cent developed diabetes or pre-diabetes, but that rose to 20 per cent for those using mouthwash once a day, and 30 per cent for those using it in the morning and evening.

Helpful bacteria in the mouth can protect against obesity and diabetes, as it helps the body produce nitric oxide. This important molecule helps trillions of our cells to communicate with each other by transmitting signals throughout the entire body and regulates insulin levels and our metabolism. Commonly-used mouthwashes typically contain powerful bacteria-killing formulas including cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, triclosan, alcohol, fluoride, peroxide and essential oils. However, the researchers warn killing off good helpful bacteria also makes room for harmful bacteria to thrive.
         haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Low-salt diets lower blood pressure

Low-salt diets packed with fruit and vegetables lower blood pressure more than medication after just four weeks, Cutting out salt and eating lots of fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy, reduces people with high blood pressure's results by an average of 21 mm Hg. The researchers analyzed 412 people with early-stage hypertension who were not taking high blood pressure medication.

Some of the study's participants were fed a 'DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet', which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy products, with minimal saturated fat.
The remaining participants ate a typical American diet. All of the participants were fed different sodium levels equaling around 0.5, one or two teaspoons of salt a day over four weeks with five-day breaks in between.

Approximately one teaspoon is the maximum recommended salt intake in the US to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Results reveal that, among the participants with the highest blood pressure levels, following a low-salt, DASH diet for just four weeks reduced their hypertension readings by an average of 21 mm Hg.

Drugs such as ACE inhibitors, calcium blockers and beta blockers typically reduce blood pressure by between 10 and 15 mm Hg. Participants with lower blood pressure results at the start of the study also saw their readings reduce by between five and 10 mm Hg.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Regeneration of blood vessels

A new study led by researchers identifies a signaling pathway that is essential for angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. The finding may improve current strategies to improve blood flow in ischemic tissue, such as that found in atherosclerosis and peripheral vascular disease associated with diabetes.

The research shows that the formation of fully functional blood vessels requires activation of protein kinase Akt by a protein called R-Ras, and this mechanism is necessary for the formation of the hallow structure, or lumen, of a blood vessel.This showed the biological process needed to increase blood flow in ischemic tissues.

Research team used a combination of 3D cell culture and living tissue to show that vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF promotes vascularization, but the vessel structures formed are chaotic, unstable and non-functional. Functional vessels need to have a lumen; a pipe-like opening that allows oxygenated blood and nutrients to travel through the body and VEGF alone cannot fully support the formation of such a vessel structure.

 VEGF activates Akt to induce endothelial cells to sprout. Then, R-Ras activates Akt to induce lumen formation. The second step involving Akt activation by R-Ras stabilizes the microtubule cytoskeleton in endothelial cells, creating a steady architecture that promotes lumen formation. VEGF and R-Ras activation of Akt signaling are complementary to each other, both are necessary to generate fully functional blood vessels to repair ischemic tissue.  
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Memory depends on subtle brain signals

The fragrance of hot pumpkin pie can bring back pleasant memories of holidays past, while the scent of an antiseptic hospital room may cause a shudder. The power of odors to activate memories both pleasing and aversive exists in many animals. The intricate biochemical mechanism for storing scent-associated memories differs slightly from a less-understood mechanism for erasing unnecessary memories.

Understanding how brains actively erase memories may open new understanding of memory loss and aging, and open the possibility of new treatments for neurodegenerative disease. In multiple ways, the processes of forgetting and remembering are alike. In fruit fly models of odor-associated learning, both the saving and erasure of memories involves
dopamine activation of the brain cells. This clue in flies is important for understanding the human brain.

The olfactory systems of flies and humans are actually quite similar in terms of neuron types and their connections.activation of the neurons causes them to make an identical messenger molecule,  Tcyclic AMP, leading to a cascade of activity within the cell, either building or breaking down memory storage.

The research team discovered one G protein, called G alpha S, that latched on to a neural dopamine receptor called dDA1, associated with memory formation. They found a different G protein, called G alpha Q, linked up with a nearby dopamine receptor called Damb, associated with the machinery of forgetting. The next question was whether those two different G proteins could be controllers of the fly brain's memory machinery.

To find out, the researchers silenced genes involved in the production of the G alpha Q protein in the flies. The flies with the protein silenced were exposed to odors in aversive situations and sent through mazes to see how well they remembered to turn away in the presence of the scent. It appears in flies that some level of forgetting is a constant, healthy process.

There is a slow process that whittles away memories, and it continues whittling them away unless another part of the brain signals the memory is important and overrides it.It may be that the process of acquiring and forgetting memories ebbs and flows in a state of balance. Important memories like the taste of mom's pumpkin pie might be forever retained, but trivialities like what you wore ten years ago can fade into oblivion without consequence.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Effects of maternal stress on fetus

Maternal stress during the second trimester of pregnancy may influence the nervous system of the developing child, both before and after birth, and may have subtle effects on temperament, resulting in less smiling and engagement, as well as diminished ability to regulate emotions. Researchers looked at the stress levels of many low-to-middle-income women who were between 12 and 24 weeks pregnant. The researchers followed the women throughout pregnancy and after delivery, and conducted a test to compare their reported stress levels during pregnancy with objective levels of stress in their 6-month-old offspring.

In the test, the infants' cardiac function was monitored while the mothers were instructed to look at the infant's face but not interact with or touch them for two minutes following a brief play session. The mothers reported the number of stressful life events they had experienced during pregnancy, which included illness, relationship problems, housing difficulties and legal issues. The babies of mothers with the highest number of these stressful life events who completed the testing were 22 percent more reactive than the infants of mothers reporting the lowest number of stressful life events. They also recovered less quickly from the stressor, demonstrating lower resilience.

High reactivity, which is assessed by measuring the variability in the heart rate in conjunction with breathing, is indicative of a stronger decrease in parasympathetic nervous system activity in response to challenge, The parasympathetic nervous system enables the body to rest and digest food, by slowing the heart rate and increasing intestinal and glandular activity. Being highly reactive places children at risk for a range of psychopathological problems, particularly anxiety and depression, as well as externalizing problems, such as disruptive behavior, especially if they experience adverse family and school environments.

However, in an optimal environment with few adversities, children with higher stress reactivity don't have their stress response triggered too often and may exhibit better-than-average social skills and emotional and behavioral well-being, because greater reactivity can make them more sensitive to the benefits of positive relationships and experiences in their environments. Those who had higher levels of perceived stress in pregnancy and post-delivery, had babies with temperamental surgency levels that were 8 percent lower than those babies of mothers in the lower third, who reported less perceived stress in pregnancy and post-delivery.

Surgency includes traits such as willingness to approach and engage with the outside world, as well as laughter and smiles. These same babies born to the highly-stressed mothers were also found to have eight percent lower levels of self-regulation, the ability to manage emotions – such as soothing themselves in periods of high stress  compared with the babies of mothers with less perceived stress during pregnancy and post-delivery. This combination of lower surgency and lower self-regulation can place individuals at added risk for depression, anxiety and difficulties with their social relationships.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Juluca for treating virologically suppressed HIV-1 Infection

FDA Approves Juluca (dolutegravir and rilpivirine) for the maintenance and treatment of virologically suppressed HIV-1 Infection. This is the first complete treatment regimen containing only two drugs to treat certain adults with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) instead of three or more drugs included in standard HIV treatment.

Juluca is a fixed-dose tablet containing two previously approved drugs (dolutegravir and rilpivirine) to treat adults with HIV-1 infections whose virus is currently suppressed on a stable regimen for at least six months, with no history of treatment failure and no known substitutions associated with resistance to the individual components of Juluca.

Limiting the number of drugs in any HIV treatment regimen can reduce toxicity for patients, HIV weakens a person’s immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. Juluca’s safety and efficacy in adults were evaluated in two clinical trials of 1,024 participants whose virus was suppressed on their current anti-HIV drugs.

 Participants were randomly assigned to continue their current anti-HIV drugs or to switch to Juluca. Results showed Juluca was effective in keeping the virus suppressed and comparable to those who continued their current anti-HIV drugs. The most common side effects in patients taking Juluca were diarrhea and headache.

Serious side effects include skin rash and allergic reactions, liver problems and depression or mood changes. Juluca should not be given with other anti-HIV drugs and may have drug interactions with other commonly used medications.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Circulating air can stop carbon dioxide buildup

Poor ventilation leads to a build-up of carbon dioxide in the bedroom To test the effect of keeping a window open, researchers tracked the sleep of healthy students. They slept with windows or doors either open or shut, and the room temperature was monitored. There was also a motion sensor in the pillow and one attached to the sleepers’ arm. Levels of CO2 were measured in the bedrooms over five days.

The result shows that lower carbon dioxide CO2 levels implied better sleep depth, sleep efficiency, and lesser number of awakening. With a window or door closed, the average CO2 level was 1150 parts per million, compared with 717 ppm when the window or door was open.

Humidity levels were similar in both conditions as were temperatures. This showed that an open window was better for reducing carbon dioxide CO2. The perceived freshness of bedroom air improved significantly when the CO2 level was lower.
         haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Drinking of alcohol and metabolic factors increase the risk of liver disease

There is an increasing burden of liver disease and liver cancer. The metabolic syndrome and heavy alcohol consumption are associated with increased risks of liver disease, although only a minority of patients with early-stage liver disease (e.g. fatty liver) develop liver failure or liver cancer. Few general population studies have analyzed metabolic predictors of such severe liver complications.

Researchers studied which metabolic factors best predict severe liver complications. Their analysis included people without liver disease who participated in the Finnish population-based Health 2000 Study (2000-2001). The researchers analyzed follow-up data on liver-related hospital admissions, mortality, and liver cancer from national registers.

Some of the participants experienced a severe liver event during follow-up. Factors predictive of liver events were older age, female gender, alcohol use, diabetes, LDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Among individuals who consumed higher amounts of alcohol (average alcohol use ?210 g/week for men, ?140 g/week for women), diabetes was the only significant predictor.

Among those who consumed less or no alcohol, older age, alcohol use, smoking, abdominal obesity, LDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance were significant predictors. Alcoholic liver disease ALD and non-alcoholic liver disease NAFLD are considered separate entities, distinguished from each other by an arbitrary threshold of average alcohol intake.

This diagnostic approach assumes that alcohol intake does not affect the course of NAFLD and that the metabolic syndrome is the hallmark of NAFLD is not a factor in ALD. This study reveals that alcohol is a relevant risk factor even when alcohol consumption is within the limits currently used to separate NAFLD from ALD.

Liver disease should perhaps not be considered in terms of mutually exclusive entities of ALD and NAFLD, because in a large number of patients with liver disease, the effect of alcohol is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to separate from the effect of metabolic factors.

 Alcohol use and metabolic factors are taken into account at the same time in order to identify individuals with a high risk for severe liver complications. For a comprehensive liver-risk assessment, lipid abnormalities, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and alcohol use should all be considered at the same time.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Air pollution linked to poor sperm quality

Air pollution, particularly levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), is associated with poorer quality sperm. Although the size of the effect is relatively small in clinical terms, given how widespread air pollution is, this might spell infertility for a significant number of couples. Environmental exposure to chemicals is thought to be a potential factor in worsening sperm quality.

The international team of researchers looked at the impact on health of short and long term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) among men from 15 to 49 year old men. The men were all taking part in a standard medical examination programme between 2001 and 2014, during which their sperm quality was assessed (total numbers, shape/size, movement) as set out by World Health Organization guidelines.

PM2.5 levels were estimated for each man's home address for a period of three months, as that is how long it takes for sperm to be generated, and for an average of 2 years, using a new mathematical approach combined with NASA satellite data. A strong association between PM2.5 exposure and abnormal sperm shape was found. Every 5 ug/m3 increase in fine particulate matter across the 2 year average was associated with a significant drop in normal sperm shape/size of 1.29 per cent.

And it was associated with a 26 per cent heightened risk of being in the bottom 10 per cent of normal sperm size and shape, after taking account of potentially influential factors, such as smoking and drinking, age or overweight. However, it was also associated with a significant increase in sperm numbers, possibly as a compensatory mechanism to combat the detrimental effects on shape and size, suggest the researchers.

Components of fine particulate matter, such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, have been linked to sperm damage in experimental studies. Free radical damage, brought on by exposure to air pollutants, might have a possible role, as this can damage DNA and alter cellular processes in the body.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Vitamin D may prevents Rheumatoid arthritis

Maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels may prevent the onset of inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, it is less effective once inflammatory disease is established because diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis leads to vitamin D insensitivity. The impact of vitamin D on inflammatory disease cannot be predicted using cells from healthy individuals or even from the blood of patients with inflammation as cells from the disease tissue are different.

If vitamin D is to be used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, clinicians may need to prescribe much higher doses than currently provide a treatment that also corrects the vitamin D insensitivity of immune cells within the joint. Vitamin D is a potent modulator of the immune system. In particular, vitamin D can suppress inflammation in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are frequently vitamin D deficient and may receive vitamin D supplementation.

The study involved using paired peripheral blood and synovial fluid from the inflamed joint of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The current understanding of vitamin D and rheumatoid arthritis is based on studies of patient blood which may not truly represent the situation at the site of inflammation -the joints. Investigating responses to the active form of vitamin D in immune cells from the inflamed joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to blood from the same patients, the inflamed joint immune cells were much less sensitive to active vitamin D.

This occurred because immune cells from the joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients are more committed to inflammation, and therefore less likely to change, even when they respond to vitamin D. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D may prevent the onset of inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. However, for patients who already have rheumatoid arthritis, providing vitamin D might not be enough. Instead much higher doses of vitamin D may be needed, or possibly a new treatment that corrects the vitamin D insensitivity of immune cells within the joint.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Breastmilk prevents food allergy

A mother's diet can protect nursing newborns against food allergies. In mice, milk from mothers exposed to egg protein gave protection against egg allergy to the mothers and offspring, but also to fostered newborns whose birth mothers had not received egg. Newborns gained an insignificant degree of protection from mothers who were exposed to egg during pregnancy but did not breastfeed them. The protective effect was strongest when the newborns were born to and nursed by mothers who were exposed to egg before and during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

 Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers were sometimes cautioned against consuming foods that commonly cause allergy, such as milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. More recently, feeding peanut foods to infants at high risk for peanut allergy was shown to decrease, not increase, the babies' likelihood of developing allergy to peanut. Allergists now recommend that, unless mothers already have diagnosed food allergies, they should not avoid allergenic foods while pregnant and nursing. Mothers are free to eat a healthy and diverse diet throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Eating a range of nutritious foods during pregnancy and breastfeeding will not promote food allergies in developing babies, and may protect them from food allergy.

Maternal and early childhood diets do not cause food allergies in children. Most children do not develop food allergies, regardless of how they are fed., while some children develop allergies even when fed an optimal diet. The food allergy protections described in the study are dependent on specific proteins, some provided by the mother, others by the offspring. By identifying these proteins and proposing a mechanism through which mother and offspring contribute to the development of food tolerance in the newborn mouse, the research opens new opportunities to study how the protections break down in the case of food allergy and how such breakdowns might be prevented.

Preventing food allergy is critical because there are no approved treatments for this serious and potentially life-threatening condition. The mouse study found that when a nursing mother is exposed to a food protein, her milk contains complexes of the food protein combined with her antibodies, which are transferred to the offspring through breastfeeding. Aided by a protein in the offspring's gut lining and some immune cells, the food protein-antibody complexes are taken up and introduced to the offspring's developing immune system, triggering the production of protective cells that suppress allergic reactions to the food. These protective cells persist after antibodies from the mother are gone, promoting long-term tolerance to the food. A similar mechanism may offer protection to human infants.
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Overweight women need frequent mammograms

Women with higher body mass index (BMI) face an increased risk of not detecting their breast tumor until it has become large, they need shorter intervals between mammography screening exams. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight, with overweight defined as a BMI of 25 or more. High BMI is associated with a number of health risks, including diabetes and heart disease. However, BMI is not considered as part of breast cancer screening guidelines.

Researchers set out to identify risk factors associated with tumors not being detected until larger than 2 centimeters (cm), or about the size of a peanut, and to examine the implications for long-term prognosis. The 2-cm size is important because it is one of the parameters used to separate stage I and stage II cancers. In addition, tumor size is known to be strongly associated with prognosis.The researchers followed the patients until history and looked for how disease progression was related to BMI and breast density.

For cancers detected at screening, both BMI and breast density were associated with having a large tumor at diagnosis. However, for interval cancers, or cancers detected within two years of a normal mammogram, only BMI was linked with having a large tumor. Women with higher BMI had worse prognosis than women with lower BMI among interval cancers.

Breast density showed no significant association with disease progression. Besides the larger interval cancers, women with high BMI may have other factors that put them at risk for a worse prognosis, including the molecular composition of the tumors and hormone receptor expression levels that make them harder to treat.
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Green tea slimming pills linked to liver damage

Green tea capsules are a popular supplement marketed for their anti-cancer fighting properties, anti-oxidant benefits and as a slimming aid. They are sold in various forms including capsules, tablets, powders and liquids.But experts now say taking the pills on an empty stomach especially may cause the active ingredients to have a more powerful and toxic effect on the liver.

Green tea's active ingredient is a type of antioxidant called catechins. In particular, epigallocatchin gallate (EGCG) – the most abundant catechin appears to be the culprit. Extracts contain these at much higher levels than are found in the brewed version of the popular drink.

The users are advised to stop using the product and seek medical help if they develop yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine, sweating, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, unusual tiredness, or loss of appetite, as they may be symptoms of liver problems. There are many cases of liver failure associated with green tea supplements.Pharmacology have linked dozens of cases of liver damage to green tea EGCG.

CBC say at least two deaths have been partially linked to taking the capsules.
Last March, the Norwegian food safety authority issued a similar warning about the supplements.
Mattilsynet acted after it received several reports of adverse events, the majority of which were liver damage. It pointed to higher levels of EGCG as a concern.

Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council, said taking the pills on an empty stomach may be dangerous. The presumption is that people are taking these EGCG-containing supplements on an empty stomach. Concentrated catechins that hit the liver in a fasting state might have an effect that is different than when the liver is metabolising food.
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Eggs can select semen

According to the latest research, female's eggs are able to select sperm with the best genes to ensure the healthiest offspring. Semen does not appear to have the same ability to detect bad genes, this shows that fertilisation is not random and specific pairings between certain eggs and sperm are more common than others. Researchers bred female mice carrying one normal and one mutant copy of a gene that increased the chance of getting testicular cancer.

 The resulting offspring followed Mendel's rules and there was a random dispersal of the mutated form among offspring. Researchers reversed the breeding- gave males the mutant copy of the cancer gene while the females had the normal version. Only 27 per cent of the offspring had the mutant variant, compared to the 75 per cent. Researchers found no evidence the mutated mice embryos were dying shortly after fertilisation, rather they were never fertilised.

The rate of metabolism folic acid - which is an important signalling molecule - is different in sperm and eggs. Research has revealed that these molecules play an important role in fertilisation. Changes in these signals may impact how much sperm and egg are attracted to one another. When sperm from multiple males arrive at an egg concurrently, eggs are able to choose the sperm whose recognition proteins are best suited for healthy fertilization. This selection process can spur the evolution of new recognition proteins, eventually resulting in reproductive isolation and, in some cases, the creation of new species altogether.
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Genome editing improves T-cell for cancer immunotherapy

Researchers have discovered a way to boost the cancer-destroying ability of the immune system's T-cells, offering new hope in the fight against a wide range of cancers. Using CRISPR genome editing, the team took the genetic engineering of killer T-cells one step further by removing their non- cancer specific receptors and replacing them with ones that would recognize specific cancer cells and destroy them.T-cells engineered to fight cancer had two kinds of receptors – the therapeutic one that was added in the lab, and their own naturally existing one.

Since there is only limited 'space' on a cell for receptors, cancer-specific ones need to compete with the cell's own receptors to perform their function. More often than not, the cell's own receptors win that competition, and leave 'space' for only a very limited number of newly introduced, cancer-specific receptors, which means that T-cells engineered with the current technology never reach their full potential as cancer killers. The T-cells we made using genome editing do not have any of their own T-cell receptors left, and therefore the only receptor they can use is the one specific for cancer. As a result, these cells can be  better at seeing and killing cancer than the cells prepared using the current methodology.

T-cells are a part of the immune system that helps human to fight off bacterial and viral infections, such as the flu virus. Some T-cells are also able to attack cancer cells. Augmenting and harnessing the anti-cancer activity of the body's own T-cells has led to the development of so-called immunotherapies which are now transforming the field of cancer treatment, even giving hope to patients with final stage disease.

The team believe that in time new improvements in gene editing technology are set to revolutionise cancer immunotherapy, making the treatments, which are unprecedented in their effectiveness, applicable to wider cohorts of patients suffering from different types of the disease. The improvement in the sensitivity of cancer recognition that can be achieved by editing out the existing natural receptor and then replacing it with one that sees cancer cells is remarkable. Immunotherapy-harnessing the body´s own immune cells has become the most potent and promising new treatment for a range of cancers and represents one of the biggest breakthroughs in cancer treatment.
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Sleeping position increases the risk of still birth

Pregnant women who sleep on their back during the later stages of pregnancy face an increased likelihood of suffering a stillbirth.

Fetus could experience reduced oxygen flow in the late stage of pregnancy, when a women is lying on her back the combined weight of the baby and the womb puts pressure on the mother's blood flow and this can restrict blood flow and oxygen to the baby.

A woman may experience disturbed breathing patterns when she is asleep on her back.
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IVF increases the risk of premature birth

In vitro fertilization IVF increases the risk of women giving birth prematurely. Ten per cent of women who conceived through fertility treatment gave birth before 37 weeks, which is considered premature. However, those born before 37 weeks are still more likely than full-term babies to suffer from a range of long-term problems, including cerebral palsy, and developmental conditions such as ADHD. IVF may trigger changes in the placenta, which increases the risk of premature birth.

Experts believe that freezing the embryo first and then implanting it later, rather than doing everything in the same menstrual cycle, may offer protection against the risk. Women who had IVF were 63 per cent more likely to give birth before 37 weeks than those who had conceived naturally. Some studies indicate that ‘sub-fertile’ women who have trouble conceiving tend to be biologically predisposed to premature birth because implantation process is compromised slightly by IVF.

The removal of eggs during fertility treatment could damage the womb’s lining. If implantation could be delayed after egg collection – as enabled by freezing embryos, then the womb could be given time to heal, leading to a better chance of pregnancy. The potential benefits of freezing embryos are highly dependent on the skills of different IVF clinic's. If implantation could be delayed by a month or two after egg collection, premature birth could be prevented.
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Lung cancer causes hypertension

Shortness of breath and respiratory distress often increase the suffering of advanced-stage lung cancer patients. These symptoms can be triggered by pulmonary hypertension, the pulmonary hypertension is due to immune and inflammatory processes triggered by cancer cells. Lung cancer has long since taken on the character of an epidemic: the disease is already responsible for more than a quarter of all cancer deaths, and the trend is rising.

One reason for this is that the prognosis is poor: only one-fifth of patients are still alive five years after diagnosis. This is partly due to the fact that lung cancer is often not recognized until it is in an advanced stage. Another problem is that a variety of different lung cancers exist, each of which requires its own therapeutic concept. Doctors have observed that many patients with progressive lung cancer develop shortness of breath and respiratory distress.

The same symptoms also occur in diseases such as pulmonary arterial hypertension. Scientists measured the diameter of the pulmonary artery of many lung cancer patients using computer tomography. They found thickening of the walls of the pulmonary artery in more than half of the patients. This is a clear indication that these patients also suffer from pulmonary hypertension.

To identify the causes, the lung researchers analyzed three different forms of lung cancer in mice. These were tumour types that grow at different rates and can be experimentally induced in the lungs of mice. All three mouse models showed signs of pulmonary hypertension as tumour growth progressed.

Further experiments showed that the immune cells release various chemical messengers, as is generally observed in inflammatory reactions. Conversely, pulmonary hypertension did not occur when the mice in the experiment lacked functioning immune cells. This is an indication that inflammatory processes triggered by lung cancer may be responsible for pulmonary hypertension.
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The secrets of Ebola

In a comprehensive and complex molecular study of blood samples from Ebola patients in Sierra Leone. Conducting a sweeping analysis of everything from enzymes to lipids to immune-system-associated molecules, the teamfound 11 biomarkers that distinguish fatal infections from nonfatal ones and two that, when screened for early symptom onset, accurately predict which patients are likely to die.

Health workers collected blood samples from patients after they were diagnosed with Ebola and at multiple points thereafter.They obtained 29 blood samples from 11 patients who ultimately survived and nine blood samples from nine patients who died from the virus. For comparison, the research team also obtained blood samples from 10 healthy volunteers with no exposure to Ebola virus.
"Our team studied thousands of molecular clues in each of these samples, sifting through extensive data on the activity of genes, proteins and other molecules to identify those of most interest.

The team found that survivors had higher levels of some immune-related molecules, and lower levels of others compared to those who died. Plasma cytokines, which are involved in immunity and stress response, were higher in the blood of people who perished. Fatal cases had unique metabolic responses compared to survivors, higher levels of virus, changes to plasma lipids involved in
processes like blood coagulation, and more pronounced activation of some types of immune cells.

Pancreatic enzymes also leaked into the blood of patients who died, suggesting that damage from these enzymes contributes to the tissue damage characteristic of fatal Ebola virus disease. The study showed that levels of two biomarkers, known as L-threonine (an amino acid) and vitamin D binding protein, may accurately predict which patients live and which die. Both were present at lower levels at the time of admission in the patients who ultimately perished.

When Ebola virus leads to death, experts believe it is because of overwhelming viral replication. Symptoms of infection include severe hemorrhaging, vomiting and diarrhea, fever and more. In the current Ebola study, the team found that many of the molecular signals present in the
blood of sick, infected patients overlap with sepsis, a condition in which the body in response to infection by bacteria or other pathogens mounts a damaging inflammatory reaction.
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Effects of parents' lifestyle on their children

The importance of parents' characteristics for their children's health is explained by poor living conditions in childhood lead to poverty in adulthood-which affects health and
the transmission of sound or ill health to children. Beyond the obvious common genetic inheritance across generations, parents' health also has an impact on their children's health by imparting habits and lifestyles.

Our research found that if a parent smoked when their child was young, the child was much more likely to smoke as an adult. A person's obesity in later life was more frequent when their parents were smokers and had a problem with alcohol. Obesity was one not only associated with parents having a problem with alcohol it was also associated with parent being smoker. If a person's father smoked when they were 12, they were almost twice as likely to smoke than people whose father did not smoke at all.

If mothers smoked, it increased the risk of their daughters smoking – but not their sons. The risk that a person would smoke was also higher among those whose father was a manual worker, and who had experienced periods of poverty during their childhood. Our findings should give pause for thought to those who devised the new NHS plans to stop smokers or obese patients from having surgery unless they quit smoking or lose weight.

The decision assumes that these patients' poor health is self induced, so they are made to choose between facing the consequences of their lifestyle or demonstrating a commitment to change. These sorts of public health policies don't take into account that lifestyle is strongly associated with circumstances beyond a person's control, especially their childhood circumstances and their parents' health and lifestyles.

Restricting their access to treatment appears especially unfair when people do not have equal opportunities to be in good health and to adopt healthy lifestyles. People would only be responsible for the share that isn't linked to their childhood conditions or their parents' choices. The study shows that, even without making this distinction between responsibility and true responsibility, the control of people on their health choices and their health status is limited.
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Hemlibra for treating hemophilia

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Hemlibra (emicizumab-kxwh) to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adult and pediatric patients with hemophilia A who have developed antibodies called Factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors. Reducing the frequency or preventing bleeding episodes is an important part of disease management for patients with hemophilia.

Hemophilia A is an inherited blood-clotting disorder that primarily affects males. According to the National Institutes of Health, hemophilia affects one in every 5,000 males born with the condition. Patients with hemophilia A are missing a gene which produces Factor VIII, a protein that enables blood to clot.

Patients may experience repeated episodes of serious bleeding, primarily into their joints, which can be severely damaged as a result. Some patients develop an immune response known as a FVIII inhibitor or antibody. The antibody interferes with the effectiveness of currently available treatments for hemophilia.

Hemlibra is a first-in-class therapy that works by bridging other Factors in the blood to restore blood clotting for these patients. Hemlibra is a preventative (prophylactic) treatment given weekly via injection under the skin (subcutaneous).

Patients treated with Hemlibra reported an improvement in hemophilia-related symptoms (painful swellings and joint pain) and physical functioning (pain with movement and difficulty walking) compared to patients who did not receive prophylactic treatment. Common side effects of Hemlibra include injection site reactions, headache, and joint pain (arthralgia).

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Vaping can cause birth defects

Vaping while pregnant could cause babies to be born with disfiguring birth defects to their faces and heads. Exposure to e-cigarette vapor damaged cells that would eventually become facial features in ways that could cause facial clefts and uneven growth of facial structures. The Centers for Disease  Control and Prevention CDC and doctors already recommend that no form of smoking – including vaping – is safe for pregnant women.

As many as 19.4 percent of young adults thought that e-cigarettes caused ‘no harm,’ according to CDC data collected between 2013 and 2014. More than half of the same age group believed that they were only ‘moderately harmful.’ Studies have shown that e-cigarette vapor does have fewer toxins, but the products are so new that their effects aren’t fully understood.

They discovered that the mixture of liquids to create the novel flavors of e-cigarette vapor were responsible for the worst damage to the developing fetus. Most flavors led to only minor effects, like slightly smaller than normal faces. But one unnamed flavor in particular consistently caused the most damage. All of the frogs exposed to that flavor had significant facial clefts.

E-cigarettes use a heating mechanism to heat e-liquids and convert them into flavored vapor. The liquids contain nicotine, as well as propylene, glycol, vegetable glycerine and flavoring compounds. The ingredients used to make the various flavors are a bit of a mystery. Researchers  analyzed 159 varieties of flavored vape liquids, and found that more than two thirds used a compound called diacetyl, which is linked to a popcorn lung.

Previous research linked flavoring in e-liquids to heart defects in developing zebrafish, brain development delays in mice, and the release of at least two carcinogens. The researchers tested six different e-liquids, with nicotine strengths varying from six mg/ml to 24 and one or more flavoring additives. Two varieties had only one flavor each: red tobacco and menthol. They also tested a liquid flavored with both milk and dark chocolate, and one with melon and candy.

The most dramatic defects were tied to the two liquids with the greatest number of different flavors. One used strawberry, almond, caramel, vanilla, biscuit and Vienna cream flavorings, and the other had cereal, berries, cream and citrus. Both of the many-flavored varieties led to dramatically cleft faces or other facial birth defects in the frogs they were tested on.

Facial and mouth clefts are gaps in the middle of the face that can affect both soft muscle and skin tissue and bones. They are rare in humans, effecting only about 1 in every 150,000 babies born worldwide. Depending on how severe the cleft is, they may be reparable with surgery, but if left untreated can also make it difficult for people with cleft faces and palates to eat, make them prone to ear infections and hearing loss, speech and language impairments and dental problems.
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Anti-malarial drug for Zika virus treatment

Medication used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus. The drug, called chloroquine, has a long history of safe use during pregnancy. Zika causes mild flu-like symptoms. But in pregnant women, the virus can cause serious birth defects in babies-including microcephaly-a neurological condition in which newborns have unusually small heads and fail to develop properly.

Presently, there is no treatment or way to reverse the condition. The latest research suggests the anti-malaria drug chloroquine may be an effective drug to treat and prevent Zika infections. Reseachers examined the effect of chloroquine in human brain organoids and pregnant mice infected with the virus, and found the drug markedly reduced the amount of Zika virus in maternal blood and neural progenitor cells in the fetal brain.

Pregnant mice received chloroquine through drinking water in dosages equivalent to acceptable levels used in humans. Although chloroquine did not completely clear Zika from infected mice it did reduce the viral load, suggesting it could limit the neurological damage found in newborns infected by the virus.
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Naturally acquired immunity against Zika virus

During their study of Zika infection in pregnant mice, the researchers built-up immunity in previously infected mothers that continued into pregnancy and protected fetal tissues. Because the mothers had already cleared their non-symptomatic Zika infections, they developed high levels of protective immunoglobulin antibodies against the virus that researchers found in the animals. Detection of these protective antibodies points to the possibility of developing diagnostic tests to identify naturally immune women and distinguish them from women at high risk of infection.

The ability to identify high-risk women would help develop focused therapeutic strategies for prevention, combining protective antibodies with an eventual vaccine, which could synergistically provide more a robust level of protection against Zika. Built-up immunoglobulin antibodies protect against Zika infection in mothers and their developing fetal offspring.

Researchers said expectant mothers are susceptible to Zika infection compared to non-pregnant women. If the virus is active during pregnancy, it usually spreads to vital tissues of a developing fetus. Because Zika virus infection in healthy non-pregnant women is mostly asymptomatic, many women of reproductive age in high-risk regions have a cleared infection before pregnancy.

Susceptibility to Zika virus infection was markedly reduced in mice that had previously cleared a prior infection compared to those undergoing a first infection during pregnancy. Mice that didn't have prior Zika infections developed clinical symptoms and sharply increased levels of Zika virus in their blood, which spread to fetal tissues.

Zika virus could not be found in most of the baby mice from mothers with resolved infection prior to pregnancy. Protection found in Zika-resistant mice could be transferred to susceptible mice with Zika virus neutralizing antibodies found in the blood of mice with prior asymptomatic infection.
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