Technology for accelerated wound healing

Researchers at Uppsala University and SLU have found a new way of accelerating wound healing. The technology involves using lactic acid bacteria as vectors to produce and deliver a human chemokine on site in the wounds. The research group is the first in the world to have developed the concept for topical use and the technology could turn out to be disruptive to the field of biologic drugs.

Treatment of large and chronic wounds are a high cost burden to the health care system since effective tools to accelerate healing are lacking. Wound care is today limited to mechanical debridement, use of different dressings and significant amounts of antibiotics preventing or treating wound infections. With the aging population, occurrence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and the alarming global spread of antibiotic resistance, a treatment that kick-starts and accelerates wound healing will have a significant impact.

There have been many attempts to solve the problem of chronic wounds that have failed. Drug candidates currently in late stage clinical trials comprise of growth factors, which are traditional protein-based biological drugs associated with high costs, and some trials have been prematurely terminated.

Researcher have developed a drug candidate, a next-generation biologic medical product, and are now publishing the fantastic results from the preclinical part where wound healing was strongly accelerated in mice," says Mia Phillipson, Professor at the Department of Medical Cell Biology, Division of Integrative Physiology, Uppsala University.

The acceleration of the healing process occurs due to changes in the microenvironment in the wound, which change the behaviour of specific immune cells. With the newly developed technology, the researchers can increase the level of a chemokine, CXCL12, for a sufficient time period through continuous delivery directly to the wound surface.

Bioavailability of CXCL12 is synergistically increased within the wound as the bacterial produced lactic acid causes a slight pH drop that inhibits degradation. The chemokine, CXCL12, is endogenously upregulated in injured tissue and by increasing the levels further, more immune cells are recruited and are more specialised to heal the wound, which accelerates the whole process.

The potent effect on acceleration of wound healing is demonstrated in healthy mice but also in two models of diabetes, one model of peripheral ischemia as well as in a model using human skin biopsies. There were clear differences in the composition of immune cells in the wounds and the immune cells present produced higher levels of TGFß at earlier time points. The treatment was local without systemic exposure.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Bacteria may boost athletic performance

Bacteria in the digestive tract can boost performance of athletes. The bugs in our gut affect our energy metabolism, making it easier to break down carbohydrates, protein and fiber. They are also involved in inflammation and neurological function.

The microbiome could be relevant for applications in endurance, recovery and mental toughness. Researchers collected fecal samples on a daily basis from athletes training for marathon, a week before and after the race. The researchers sequenced the genomes of the sampled bacteria, using computational metagenomic methods to figure out how many and what types of microbes inhabited the fecal samples.

 When they compared the pre-race and post-race samples, the researchers found a sudden spike in the population of one particular type of bacteria after the marathon. This bug's natural function is to break down lactic acid. During intense exercise, the body produces more lactic acid than usual, which can lead to muscle fatigue and soreness.

Researchers discovered that the bug is very good at breaking down lactic acid in a test tube and remains viable after it passes through the digestive system of mice. The researchers are now feeding the bacteria to mice to measure its effects on lactic acid levels and fatigue.
This leads to discovery of a bacteria in ultramarathoners that can break carbohydrates and fiber which is useful during a 100-mile.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Hot bath versus cold bath

 Scientists are finding more and more health benefits to having a quick blast of cold water, including boosting your immune system and easing low mood.

Experts say the best results come not from a cold shower or bath but alternating between hot and cold water.

This technique, known as contrast water therapy, involves showering for about 20 minutes, using hotter water for three to four minutes before suddenly switching to cold for one minute and then back again.

Standing under, or sitting in, hot water for several minutes opens up blood vessels in the skin and muscles, improving the flow of oxygen-rich blood.

 Switching to cold water for one minute makes the same blood vessels instantly constrict, reducing the flow of blood.
Over a 20-minute period this creates a ‘pumping’ mechanism, where more oxygen-rich blood flows into the muscles and tissues near the skin, while more deoxygenated blood (blood which has deposited its oxygen cargo into those muscles and tissues) is then pulled back through the veins to the lungs, to collect more oxygen.

This has been found to have numerous benefits, including, for example, helping to reduce muscle ache after exercise. During strenuous exercise oxygen-rich blood cannot reach the muscles to match the rate at which oxygen is used. In response, muscles release a substance called lactic acid which causes a painful burning sensation and can delay recovery after exercise.

However, contrast water therapy is thought to help rid the muscles of lactic acid and speed recovery.

The researchers studied 3,000 men and women aged 18 to 65 who were told to turn the shower to cold for up to 90 seconds at a time in the morning.

 The British Association of Dermatologists insists there is no research to confirm that contrast water therapy prevents skin ageing.

Hot and cold showers improve circulation and skin ageing is mostly a problem of poor circulation.

Also, the high level of cold receptors in the skin means a blast of cold water can trigger electrical impulses to the brain, which may have an antidepressant effect.

A study of 14 men at the University of Loughborough found those who had an hour-long soak in a 40C bath burned 140 calories on average equivalent to a half-hour walk and had improved control of blood sugar levels.

Researchers said hot baths raise levels of proteins that help regulate blood sugar and said ‘passive heating’ was a potential therapy for metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.

haleplushearty.blogspot.com

How to prevent osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that affects cartilage. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint.

Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over each other. It also absorbs shock of movement. In osteoarthritis, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together.

The rubbing causes pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joint may lose its normal shape.

Researchers from the University of Surrey identified a link between metabolism and osteoarthritis. Metabolic changes, caused by a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, changes the genetic reprogramming of cells in the body and joints.

Such metabolic changes impact upon the cells ability to produce energy, forcing it to generate alternative sources to function.

The stress this places on cells leads to the overproduction of glucose, which when not used for energy transforms into lactic acid, which is difficult for the body to flush out.

Abnormal levels of this acid in the body leads to the inflammation of the joints and cartilage which impedes on movement and causes pain.

By identifying metabolic changes in cells, it is potentially possible to control or significantly slow down the symptoms of osteoarthritis.