HEALTH TIP:  Tanning Beds Deemed Deadly Cancer Risks

The pursuit of the perfect tan could be much more costly
than you think. According to experts from the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France,
tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation
carry a cancer risk that is equivalent to cigarettes. The
IARC, a part of the World Health Organization (WHO), has
now re-classified UV tanning beds to the highest possible
cancer risk category known as “carcinogenic to humans.”

Scientists have long suspected that tanning beds and ultra-
violet radiation were probable carcinogens, and the results
of the recent analysis performed by IARC offer proof that
this is true. The analysis reviewed about 20 studies to
reach the conclusion that the risk of skin cancer is
increased by 75 percent when individuals use tanning beds
prior to reaching the age of 30.

Although it was previously believed that only one type of
ultraviolet radiation was lethal, the experts also
discovered that all types of ultraviolet radiation caused
disturbing mutations in mice, offering more proof that the
radiation is carcinogenic. The research was published
online in the medical journal Lancet Oncology.

The new classification puts tanning beds and other sources
of ultraviolet radiation in the same top cancer risk
category as tobacco, the hepatitis B virus and chimney
sweeping, which are all known to be definite causes of
cancer. The IARC says that most lights that are used in
tanning beds produce ultraviolet radiation that causes
skin and eye cancer.

According to Vincent Cogliano, a member of the research
team, “People need to be reminded of the risks of sunbeds.”
He then added, “We hope the prevailing culture will change
so teens don’t think they need to use sunbeds to get a tan.”
Cogliano also warned that all ultraviolet radiation is
unhealthy, whether it comes from a tanning bed or the sun.

Dan Humiston, president of the Indoor Tanning Association
(ITA) expressed doubt about the recent finding. He said,
“The fact that the IARC has put tanning bed use in the
same category as sunlight is hardly newsworthy.” He went
on to explain, “The UV light from a tanning bed is
equivalent to UV light from the sun, which has had a group
1 classification since 1992. Some other items in this
category are red wine, beer and salted fish. The ITA has
always emphasized the importance of moderation when it
comes to UV light from either the sun or a tanning bed.”

Kathy Banks, chief executive of The Sunbed Association, a
European trade association of tanning bed makers and
operators, disputed the new classification. In a statement
she said, “The fact that is continuously ignored is that
there is no proven link between the responsible use of
sunbeds and skin cancer.” She also noted that people who
use tanning beds use do so less than 20 times per year.

However, as the use of tanning beds has significantly
increased among people under age 30, physicians have
observed a rise in the skin cancer. In fact, prior studies
have shown that younger people who use tanning beds on a
regular basis have an eight time greater likelihood to
develop melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, when
compared to those who have never used them. One case in
point is that melanoma is now the leading type of cancer
diagnosed in Britain for Women in their twenties. Until
now, the WHO warned only people younger than 18 to avoid
using tanning beds.

According to Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical
officer at the American Cancer Society, “This new report
confirms and extends the prior recommendation of the
American Cancer Society that the use of tanning beds is
dangerous to your health, and should be avoided.”

Instead of using a tanning bed, the American Cancer Society
advises people to use bronzing or self-tanning creams. The
organization has reported that in 2008, approximately
62,000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United
States, with about 8,000 people losing their lives to the
deadly cancer.
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Gene may be key in treating Ebola, anthrax

FORT DETRICK, Md. – U.S. Army medical scientists say they’ve
determined a single host gene may be key in treating both
Ebola and anthrax infections. The study, conducted at the
Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, in-
dicates a minor reduction in levels of a gene known as CD45
can provide protection against the microbes that cause Ebola
hemorrhagic fever and the bacterium that causes anthrax.
Taken together, scientists said the study’s results suggest
a common host restriction factor and a promising approach to
drug development for treating two completely different infec-
tions. The researchers said mice expressing reduced levels of
CD45 between 11 percent and 77 percent were protected against
Ebola virus. In addition to an overall survival rate of 90
percent to 100 percent, the mice had reduced levels of virus
load in the major organs, and had completely cleared the
virus 10 days after challenge. In contrast, mice that had
naturally occurring levels of CD45 — or none at all — suc-
cumbed to infection within seven to eight days following
challenge. Scientists said mice that expressed reduced levels
of CD45 retained greater control of gene expression and im-
mune cell proliferation following Ebola virus infection.
These factors contributed to enhanced viral clearance, in-
creased protection against the virus and a reduction in cell
death. The study is reported in the early online edition of
the journal Cell Host and Microbe.

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Stem cells may treat neurodegeneration

TEL AVIV, Israel – Israeli scientists say they have shown the
viability of using bone marrow stem cells to treat such neuro-
degenerative diseases as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Tel
Aviv University researcher Yoram Cohen said he has proven the
viability of the innovative stem cells, called mesenchymal
stem cells, using in-vivo magnetic resonance imaging. Cohen
said he tracked the stem cells progress within the brain, and
initial studies indicate they can identify unhealthy or
damaged tissues, migrate to them and potentially repair or
halt cell degeneration. “By monitoring the motion of these
cells, you get information about how viable they are, and how
they can benefit the tissue,” he said. “We have been able to
prove that these stem cells travel within the brain, and only
travel where they are needed. They read the chemical sig-
naling of the tissue, which indicate areas of stress. And
then they go and try to repair the situation.” His research
is detailed in the journal Stem Cells.

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Nanocapsules used for drug delivery

PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh scientists say they
have created nanoscale devices for drug or imaging agent de-
livery and to enhance oxygen sensors. In a report published
online in the journal Advanced Materials, a team led by chem-
istry Professors Alexander Star and Stephane Petoud describe
the creation of nanosized capsules that are universally com-
patible with a range of substances, particularly related to
medicine and energy. When applied to medicine, the tiny ves-
sels can potentially carry a sizable “cargo” of anti-cancer
drugs or medical imaging agents. That study included grad-
uate students Brett Allen, Chad Shade and Adrienne Yingling.
In a separate paper appearing online in Nature Chemistry
another team headed by Star and Petoud developed a highly
sensitive, fluorescent oxygen sensor that can detect minute
amounts of the gas. The researchers said such oxygen detec-
tors are important safety devices in mines, aircraft, sub-
marines and other confined spaces. In both studies the sci-
entists said they used carbon nanomaterials to create en-
hanced versions of existing technologies. “For decades, re-
searchers have been searching for an optimal vessel for
storing and transporting a variety of cargo to specified
locations,” Star said. “Our devices have the potential to be
universal delivery vehicles for a range of materials. Our
next steps will focus on controlling how and when the nano-
capsules open by using different stimuli such as pH, light,
and chemical agents.”

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Canadian scientists inhibit cancer protein

TORONTO – Canadian medical scientists say they’ve developed
a new way to inhibit two cancer proteins in a study that
might lead to more effective chemotherapy. A research team
led by University of Toronto-Mississauga Professor Patrick
Gunning created several molecules that inhibit Stat3 — a
protein that in cancer cells pairs with a copy of itself and
becomes unstable. “The molecules we have created are particu-
larly nice because they’re showing selectivity against cancer
cells, but not against healthy cells,” Gunning said. “This
molecule could be used in conjunction with typical chemother-
apeutics, and it could mean that drugs will have less resis-
tance-so you could use lower dosages and cause fewer side
effects.” The scientists said the Stat3 protein is involved
in nearly all cancers, and is known to contribute to the
resistance of cancer cells to current drug therapies. “Most
currently available therapeutics aim to induce cell death,”
Gunning said. “We wanted to make small molecules that could
try and stop this protein.” The study that also included
scientists from the University of Central Florida and the
Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto appears in the Sep-
tember issue of the European journal ChemBioChem.

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Low vitamin D raises diabetic heart risk

ST. LOUIS – Diabetics deficient in vitamin D can’t process
cholesterol so it builds in blood vessels, increasing heart
attack and stroke risk, U.S. researchers said. Principal
investigator Dr. Carlos Bernal-Mizrachi, a Washington Uni-
versity endocrinologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. -
Louis, said when people are deficient in vitamin D the mac-
rophage cells — dispatched by the immune system in response
to inflammation — eat more cholesterol, which they can’t
get rid of. “Vitamin D inhibits the uptake of cholesterol by
cells called macrophages,” Bernal-Mizrachi said in a state-
ment. “The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol and be-
come what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the
earliest markers of atherosclerosis.” The researchers studied
macrophage cells taken from people with and without diabetes,
and with and without vitamin D deficiency. When vitamin D
levels were low in the culture dish, macrophages from dia-
betic patients were much more likely to become foam cells.
The study, published in the journal Circulation, found vit-
amin D regulates signaling pathways linked both to uptake
and to clearance of cholesterol in macrophages.

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Molecule senses human respiratory viruses

SAN ANTONIO,  Aug. 25 (UPI) — University of Texas Health
Science Center microbiologists say they have identified a
defense molecule that senses the presence of respiratory
viruses. The scientists, led by Assistant Professor Santanu
Bose, said the cellular molecule not only can sense two
common respiratory viruses, but it also can direct cells to
mount a defense. The researchers said their discovery of the
molecule, called NOD2, could lead to new therapies for human
respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A, both of which
are serious threats to people with weak immune systems. “This
molecule could be used to boost host immune defenses and
stimulate vaccine efficacy … especially among high-risk indi-
viduals,” Bose said. “This is a major breakthrough in under-
standing respiratory virus behavior and innate immune anti-
viral factors, and provides the basis for innovative thera-
pies to improve host responses to infectious diseases,” said
Professor Joel Baseman, chairman of microbiology and immun-
ology at the Texas Health Science Center. The research that
included graduate student Ahmed Sabbath and research scien-
tists Te-Hung Chang and Rosalinda Harnack appears online in
the journal Nature Immunology.

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Amino Acids May Curb Urge to Pull Hair

We’ve all heard the phrase, “I am going to pull my hair out,”
from someone in a stressful situation, but there are actually
many Americans who suffer from urges to pull their hair and
have been diagnosed with a disease called trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania is a condition where sufferers have
compulsive urges to pull on their hair, many times pulling
it out, causing bald areas. There is new evidence that a
daily dose of amino acids, found in health food stores, may
curb the urge to pull ones hair.

A team of researchers with the University of Minnesota,
lead by Dr. Jon Grant, a psychiatrist with the University,
recently released their study illustrating the positive
effects of amino acids against compulsive hair pulling,
in the July 2009 issue of the Archives of General
Psychiatry. According to Dr. Grant, compulsive hair
pulling begins in adolescence with many suffers not
realizing their problem or are too ashamed to seek
assistance, making it difficult to determine exactly how
many suffer from the condition. According to the study,
around two percent of Americans are affected and it is
seen most often in women. Trichotillomania has also been
linked to anxiety disorders and social phobias.

Currently there is no FDA-approved treatment for the
condition, but based on the new study, amino acids may be
the key. Researchers conducted a study that lasted for 12
weeks, involved 45 women and five men ranging in age from
18-65, who regularly pull their hair. The trial was a
double-blind controlled trial, with half of the group
receiving 1200 mg of N-Acetylcysteine daily for six weeks,
and then an increased dosage of 2,400 mg daily for the
remaining 6 weeks, the other half of the participants were
given a placebo treatment for the full 12 weeks. At the
end of the 12-week trial, 56 percent of the group receiving
the amino acids reported feeling much better and 16 percent
of the placebo group reported less tendencies to pull their
hair. Amino acids have previously proven to have positive
results in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar
disorder and schizophrenia, and it is sold in a nasal spray
formula used to treat mucus buildup and other uses.
Eventually we may see a formula specific to obsessive-
compulsive disorders, but more testing is needed.

Dr. Grant wrote, “This study, the first to our knowledge
that examines the efficacy of a glutamatergic agent in the
treatment of trichotillomania, found that N-acetylcysteine
demonstrated statistically significant reductions in
trichotillomania symptoms.” According to Grant amino acid
treatment, subdue a chemical in the brain that could also
lead to a potential treatment for other obsessive-compulsive
disorders, such as constant hand washing and may even help
addicted gamblers.

Amino acids are readily available at any health food store
and are relatively inexpensive, costing between $20 and $25,
for a month’s supply. For those who suffer from the condition,
this would be a minimal price to pay versus the potential
embarrassment for early balding, especially for children
and young adults, where more emphasis is placed on
appearances. The team of researchers noted, as effective
treatments for trichotillomania arise, it is important for
medical staffs to be aware of the condition and its signs
and symptoms, and screen patients for the disorder, to help
provide prompt medical attention. Even though the research
proved positive, the perfect dose and duration of amino
acid treatment has not been determined and anyone wanting
to try amino acid therapy, as treatment for trichotillomania
may want to discuss the treatment with their doctor.