Breakthrough in bid to grow blood vessels in the lab

Scientists are a step closer to making ‘off the shelf’ veins and arteries which could revolutionise treatment for heart attacks and strokes. A team at Cambridge University has managed to grow all three main types of cells which make up the walls of a blood vessel. They say the breakthrough could help create blood vessels in the laboratory for surgeons simply to implant into patients – as an alternative to heart bypass treatment and stenting. One in three deaths in Britain is caused by cardiovascular disease, as a result of blood vessels narrowing or becoming blocked by fatty deposits. Test tube blood vessels could also be used to treat kidney dialysis patients and leg bypasses, and to fix damaged arteries after accidents for those who might otherwise lose a limb. The researchers used patients’ own skin cells to make different types of vascular smooth muscle cells. Dr Sanjay Sinha, who worked on the discovery for four years said: ‘This research represents an important step towards being able to generate the right kind of smooth muscle cells to help construct these new blood vessels. ‘We are very excited about its potential. They could be used to build an artificial artery in a test tube or the stem cells could be injected straight into the heart and they could form within it.’ A biotechnology firm in California managed to grow whole blood vessels in a lab for the first time last June and implanted them into three kidney dialysis patients. But the Cambridge team say they are the first to grow multiple types which could have more medical uses. Dr Sinha added: ‘One type of blood vessel will be not suitable for everything. ‘We are looking at making arteries and now we have the tools to engineer all different types of blood vessels which are appropriate for each patient.’ They said their technique was 90 per cent effective in tests and would be suitable for producing blood vessels on an industrial scale, according to the study published in Nature Biotechnology. Unlike some previous attempts to build veins the new technique does not need plasma – usually taken from animals which can contain chemicals toxic to humans. Therefore the method has few health risks and a lower likelihood of being rejected by the patient’s body, Dr Sinha said.

Breakthrough in bid to grow blood vessels in the lab

Scientists are a step closer to making ‘off the shelf’ veins and arteries which could revolutionise treatment for heart attacks and strokes. A team at Cambridge University has managed to grow all three main types of cells which make up the walls of a blood vessel. They say the breakthrough could help create blood vessels in the laboratory for surgeons simply to implant into patients – as an alternative to heart bypass treatment and stenting. One in three deaths in Britain is caused by cardiovascular disease, as a result of blood vessels narrowing or becoming blocked by fatty deposits. Test tube blood vessels could also be used to treat kidney dialysis patients and leg bypasses, and to fix damaged arteries after accidents for those who might otherwise lose a limb. The researchers used patients’ own skin cells to make different types of vascular smooth muscle cells. Dr Sanjay Sinha, who worked on the discovery for four years said: ‘This research represents an important step towards being able to generate the right kind of smooth muscle cells to help construct these new blood vessels. ‘We are very excited about its potential. They could be used to build an artificial artery in a test tube or the stem cells could be injected straight into the heart and they could form within it.’ A biotechnology firm in California managed to grow whole blood vessels in a lab for the first time last June and implanted them into three kidney dialysis patients. But the Cambridge team say they are the first to grow multiple types which could have more medical uses. Dr Sinha added: ‘One type of blood vessel will be not suitable for everything. ‘We are looking at making arteries and now we have the tools to engineer all different types of blood vessels which are appropriate for each patient.’ They said their technique was 90 per cent effective in tests and would be suitable for producing blood vessels on an industrial scale, according to the study published in Nature Biotechnology. Unlike some previous attempts to build veins the new technique does not need plasma – usually taken from animals which can contain chemicals toxic to humans. Therefore the method has few health risks and a lower likelihood of being rejected by the patient’s body, Dr Sinha said.

 ISRO getting clearances for releasing panel reports on Antrix-Devas deal
BANGALORE: The Department of Space is in the process of getting clearances for release of reports of two committees on the controversial Antrix-Devas deal on the basis of which former ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair and three other scientists were barred from holding any government posts.

This was announced by ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, also the DOS secretary, in a brief statement in his first comments on the issue ever since the controversy erupted over the damning action taken against the four space scientists.

Radhakrishnan said DOS was in the process of getting necessary clearances for releasing reports of the High Powered Review Committee and the High Level Team formed to examine various aspects of the Antrix-Devas agreement of January 2005.

The government had on February 10, 2011 set up the High Powered Review Committee with B K Chaturvedi and Prof Roddam Narasimha as members to review the technical, commercial, procedural and financial aspects of the agreement.

The five-member high level team, headed by former Central Vigilance Commissioner Pratyush Sinha, was set up on May 31, 2011 to examine the deal and identify the acts of omission and commission by government officials.

Bitter over the government action, Nair has demanded an apology from those responsible for it and dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for revoking the official order barring them from holding government posts.

In his letter, Nair also wanted a probe into the entire matter that led to the action that has caused outrage among the scientific community. Nair, the key figure behind India's moon mission, had accused Radhakrishnan of being responsible for the punitive action against him and the three others because of a "personal agenda".

 ISRO getting clearances for releasing panel reports on Antrix-Devas deal
BANGALORE: The Department of Space is in the process of getting clearances for release of reports of two committees on the controversial Antrix-Devas deal on the basis of which former ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair and three other scientists were barred from holding any government posts.

This was announced by ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, also the DOS secretary, in a brief statement in his first comments on the issue ever since the controversy erupted over the damning action taken against the four space scientists.

Radhakrishnan said DOS was in the process of getting necessary clearances for releasing reports of the High Powered Review Committee and the High Level Team formed to examine various aspects of the Antrix-Devas agreement of January 2005.

The government had on February 10, 2011 set up the High Powered Review Committee with B K Chaturvedi and Prof Roddam Narasimha as members to review the technical, commercial, procedural and financial aspects of the agreement.

The five-member high level team, headed by former Central Vigilance Commissioner Pratyush Sinha, was set up on May 31, 2011 to examine the deal and identify the acts of omission and commission by government officials.

Bitter over the government action, Nair has demanded an apology from those responsible for it and dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for revoking the official order barring them from holding government posts.

In his letter, Nair also wanted a probe into the entire matter that led to the action that has caused outrage among the scientific community. Nair, the key figure behind India's moon mission, had accused Radhakrishnan of being responsible for the punitive action against him and the three others because of a "personal agenda".

Ultrasound zap to stop sperm production
LONDON: Scientists claim to have made a step closer to developing an entirely new form of contraception for men after finding that a dose of ultrasound to the testicles helps stop the production of sperm in rats. 

In their study, published in the journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, researchers at the University of North Carolinafound that sound waves could be used to reduce sperm counts to levels that would cause infertilityin humans. 

Although the findings are "promising" , far more tests are required before it could be used in humans, they said. 

"Further studies are required to determine how long the contraceptive effect lasts and if it is safe to use multiple times," lead researcher James Tsuruta was quoted as saying by the BBC News. 

The concept was first proposed in the 1970s, but is now being pursued by the North Carolina team who won a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. They found that two, 15-minute doses "significantly reduced" the number of sperm-producing cells and sperm levels. 

The sperm count in rats dropped to below 10 million sperm per millilitre. It was most effective when delivered two days apart and through warm salt water. 

In humans, the researchers said men were considered to be "sub-fertile" when sperm counts dropped below 15 million sperm per millilitre . Tsuruta said they need to ensure that the ultrasound produces a reversible effect, contraception not sterilization , as well as investigate whether there would be cumulative damage from repeated doses. 

Allan Pacey, a professor in andrology at University of Sheffield, said: "It's a nice idea, but a lot more work is needed." He said that it was likely that there would be recovery of sperm production, but the "sperm might be damaged and any baby might be damaged" when sperm production resumed. 

Ultrasound zap to stop sperm production
LONDON: Scientists claim to have made a step closer to developing an entirely new form of contraception for men after finding that a dose of ultrasound to the testicles helps stop the production of sperm in rats. 

In their study, published in the journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, researchers at the University of North Carolinafound that sound waves could be used to reduce sperm counts to levels that would cause infertilityin humans. 

Although the findings are "promising" , far more tests are required before it could be used in humans, they said. 

"Further studies are required to determine how long the contraceptive effect lasts and if it is safe to use multiple times," lead researcher James Tsuruta was quoted as saying by the BBC News. 

The concept was first proposed in the 1970s, but is now being pursued by the North Carolina team who won a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. They found that two, 15-minute doses "significantly reduced" the number of sperm-producing cells and sperm levels. 

The sperm count in rats dropped to below 10 million sperm per millilitre. It was most effective when delivered two days apart and through warm salt water. 

In humans, the researchers said men were considered to be "sub-fertile" when sperm counts dropped below 15 million sperm per millilitre . Tsuruta said they need to ensure that the ultrasound produces a reversible effect, contraception not sterilization , as well as investigate whether there would be cumulative damage from repeated doses. 

Allan Pacey, a professor in andrology at University of Sheffield, said: "It's a nice idea, but a lot more work is needed." He said that it was likely that there would be recovery of sperm production, but the "sperm might be damaged and any baby might be damaged" when sperm production resumed. 

Electric shock improves academic performance

Posted on: 27 Jan 2012

London: Passing small electric currents through the brain can lead to increased academic performance and boost people's learning, a study has said.

Known as 'Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation', the method has earlier been used to treat cognitive impairment among stroke and brain injury patients and those with learning difficulties, the Telegraph reported.

Experts from the University of Oxford's Department of Experimental Psychology conducted experiments on healthy volunteers and checked how well they performed in mathematical problem solving and linguistic tasks before and after undergoing the shock treatment.

Electrodes were strapped to the head to deliver small electric currents to certain parts of the brain for short bursts up to 20 minutes.

Results showed the treatment improved the volunteers' vision, decision-making, problem-solving, mathematical, language, memory, and attention capabilities.

The positive effects can last up to 12 months, the researchers said.

'The idea is to stimulate the brain in order to make it easier to learn new information such as maths. What we find with adults is that the improvement is not only in maths but actually in language, attention and decision making - they not only become better for a short time, but for long periods,' said Roi Cohen Kadosh, who led the research.

He, however, said it was 'not a magic pill like you might find in Hollywood movies'.

'It's not going to make you Einstein in one day. You still need to work hard, but together with that it makes an enhancement to your performance.'

The research -- published in the journal Current Biology -- said there were no apparent negative side effects if the the treatment is applied correctly.

Electric shock improves academic performance

Posted on: 27 Jan 2012

London: Passing small electric currents through the brain can lead to increased academic performance and boost people's learning, a study has said.

Known as 'Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation', the method has earlier been used to treat cognitive impairment among stroke and brain injury patients and those with learning difficulties, the Telegraph reported.

Experts from the University of Oxford's Department of Experimental Psychology conducted experiments on healthy volunteers and checked how well they performed in mathematical problem solving and linguistic tasks before and after undergoing the shock treatment.

Electrodes were strapped to the head to deliver small electric currents to certain parts of the brain for short bursts up to 20 minutes.

Results showed the treatment improved the volunteers' vision, decision-making, problem-solving, mathematical, language, memory, and attention capabilities.

The positive effects can last up to 12 months, the researchers said.

'The idea is to stimulate the brain in order to make it easier to learn new information such as maths. What we find with adults is that the improvement is not only in maths but actually in language, attention and decision making - they not only become better for a short time, but for long periods,' said Roi Cohen Kadosh, who led the research.

He, however, said it was 'not a magic pill like you might find in Hollywood movies'.

'It's not going to make you Einstein in one day. You still need to work hard, but together with that it makes an enhancement to your performance.'

The research -- published in the journal Current Biology -- said there were no apparent negative side effects if the the treatment is applied correctly.

Cancer-causing chemical found in peanuts, cooking oil

Posted on: 01 Jan 2012

Beijing: Food safety regulators in a Chinese province have detected carcinogenic substance Aflatoxin in peanuts and cooking oil.

The chemical was found in the food items in Shenzhen city of Guangdong province, the Shanghai Daily reported.

The cancer-causing substance triggered a health scare earlier this week after being found in milk products.

Aflatoxin occurs naturally in the environment and is produced by certain types of fungi. It can cause severe liver damage, including cancer.

The Shenzhen market supervision bureau said it found up to four times the permitted level of aflatoxin in peanuts sold in three places, and similar levels in cooking oil in four restaurants.

Food safety officials have recalled cooking oil produced by three companies in Guangdong over fears they may contain excessive levels of aflatoxin.

The companies' storage facilities were shut down and licenses revoked. Their factories were ordered to suspend operations.

Cancer-causing chemical found in peanuts, cooking oil

Posted on: 01 Jan 2012

Beijing: Food safety regulators in a Chinese province have detected carcinogenic substance Aflatoxin in peanuts and cooking oil.

The chemical was found in the food items in Shenzhen city of Guangdong province, the Shanghai Daily reported.

The cancer-causing substance triggered a health scare earlier this week after being found in milk products.

Aflatoxin occurs naturally in the environment and is produced by certain types of fungi. It can cause severe liver damage, including cancer.

The Shenzhen market supervision bureau said it found up to four times the permitted level of aflatoxin in peanuts sold in three places, and similar levels in cooking oil in four restaurants.

Food safety officials have recalled cooking oil produced by three companies in Guangdong over fears they may contain excessive levels of aflatoxin.

The companies' storage facilities were shut down and licenses revoked. Their factories were ordered to suspend operations.