'We Can Completely Reverse Alcohol Dependence'

Scientists have discovered a way to entirely remove the urge to drink alcohol compulsively in an animal model. The researchers hope that, with enough funding, a solution to this age-old problem might be on the horizon.

Alcohol has been brewed and consumed by humans for almost 10,000 years.

In 2014, 87.6 percent of Americans over the age of 18 reported that they had consumed alcohol at least once in their life.

Although commonly available, it is an incredibly addictive substance. In the United States, an estimated 16.3 million adults over the age of 18 have an alcohol use disorder, and around 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually.

For these reasons, thousands of researchers are dedicated to understanding the causes behind a compulsive need to drink alcohol and ways in which it might be curbed.

Read more: 'We Can Completely Reverse Alcohol Dependence'

Could alcoholism finally be on the way out?

Source: MedicalNewsToday

Sepsis And The Hematology Laboratory

An affordable, widely available test can impact today`s biggest healthcare challenge.

Sepsis, the inflammatory response to infection, is quickly becoming one of the biggest healthcare problems worldwide. No matter the perspective one takes, the numbers are staggering. Currently the number of diagnosed cases per year in the United States is at least 750,000; some estimates surpass one million. Worldwide mortality estimates are as high as 20 percent, and thus we are dealing with one of the biggest drivers of mortality in modern medicine. Sepsis kills nearly as many people as heart attack, HIV, and breast cancer combined.

Viewed from the perspective of health economics, the average in-hospital cost per case is approximately $20,000 dollars, and yearly estimates of sepsis-related expenses in the U.S. alone exceed $20 billion.

Read more: Sepsis And The Hematology Laboratory

Source: MedicalLaboratoryObserver

There Is Now A Sixth Taste – And It Explains Why We Love Carbs

As any weight-watcher knows, carb cravings can be hard to resist. Now there’s evidence that carbohydrate-rich foods may elicit a unique taste too, suggesting that “starchy” could be a flavour in its own right.

It has long been thought that our tongues register a small number of primary tastes: salty, sweet, sour and bitter. Umami – the savoury taste often associated with monosodium glutamate – was added to this list seven years ago, but there’s been no change since then.

However, this list misses a major component of our diets, says Juyun Lim at Oregon State University in Corvallis. “Every culture has a major source of complex carbohydrate. The idea that we can’t taste what we’re eating doesn’t make sense,” she says.

Read more: There Is Now A Sixth Taste – And It Explains Why We Love Carbs

Mmm… taste that delicious starch

Jonathan Knowles/Getty

Source: NewScientist

Watch Video: Scientists have discovered a sixth taste!

Spike In Teen Obesity Explained By Decreased Calorie Burn In Puberty

The rise in obesity rates during adolescence may be due to a substantial fall of calories burned during the rapid growth phase of puberty, finds a new study by the University of Exeter Medical School in the United Kingdom.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 20 percent of adolescents age 12-19 years are obese in the United States. Obese teenagers are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for the development of diabetes.

Adolescents who are obese are also at a greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, social and psychological problems, and they are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Read more: Spike In Teen Obesity Explained By Decreased Calorie Burn In Puberty

During puberty, the number of calories girls and boys burn while at rest plummets.

Source: MedicalNewsToday

Short-Chain Fatty Acids In Control Of Body Weight And Insulin Sensitivity

The connection between the gut microbiota and the etiology of obesity and cardiometabolic disorders is increasingly being recognized by clinicians. Our gut microbiota might affect the cardiometabolic phenotype by fermenting indigestible dietary components and thereby producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). These SCFA are not only of importance in gut health and as signaling molecules, but might also enter the systemic circulation and directly affect metabolism or the function of peripheral tissues.

In this Review, we discuss the effects of three SCFA (acetate, propionate and butyrate) on energy homeostasis and metabolism, as well as how these SCFA can beneficially modulate adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and liver tissue function.

Read more: Short-Chain Fatty Acids In Control Of Body Weight And Insulin Sensitivity

Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) and liver function.

Source: NatureReviewsEndocrinology

Why Cockroach Milk Is the New Health Obsession

Health freaks will go to extreme lengths in the name of nutrients (and staying one step ahead of the trend), but I'm not afraid to say it: The latest "superfood" is just plain gross.

Taking stomach-churning to a whole new level is cockroach milk, which is comprised of the nutrient-rich milk crystals found inside the Pacific Beetle cockroach. This species uses said protein crystals as food for cockroach infants, but new research suggests that it could be beneficial to humans, too, as it's one of the most nourishing and highly caloric substances on the planet. It boasts four times as much protein as cow's milk, but also contains essential amino acids that promote cell growth, lipids that keep our bodies healthy, and sugars that fuel energy.

Read more: Why Cockroach Milk Is the New Health Obsession

Source: msn.com/en-ca/health/wellness

Watch: Cockroach Milk - The Next Superfood?

How Reliable Is The Glycemic Index?

Individual response to glycemic index values vary so much that it may not be useful in indicating blood sugar response, says research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The glycemic index (GI) of a food indicates the speed with which blood sugar can be expected to rise after a person eats it. Each food gets a score out of 100 on the index, for example, 40 for baked beans.

Glycemic load is a measure that applies the GI to a portion of food. The glycemic load for a 150-gram serving of baked beans would be 6.

GI is used to help people with diabetes to control their blood sugar. Some food labels carry GI measurements. More recently, a number of popular diets have been based on GI. Lists are available for people to check the GI and glycemic load of different foods.

Read more: How Reliable Is The Glycemic Index?

People use the glycemic index as a guide to suitable foods, but is it a valid measure?

Source: medicalnewstoday

Validating the Performance of Body Fluid Specimens

In health care, the analysis of body fluids plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of a wide variety of conditions. Traditionally, clinical laboratorians have provided analysis of body fluid specimens without question while also recognizing the sometimes difficult work that goes into their collection. As standards for method validation and laboratory developed tests (LDTs) evolve, the analysis of body fluids is receiving increased attention from both laboratories and regulatory bodies.

The clinical laboratory’s overarching goal is to ensure accurate test results from all specimens. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every laboratory to investigate the analytical performance of the tests performed on the various fluid types accepted and to provide a context for result interpretation.

Read more: Validating the Performance of Body Fluid Specimens

Source: medlabmag

Serum Albumin Levels Associated with Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients

Serum albumin is commonly used as a proxy for nutritional status, as well as a marker of inflammation and a low serum albumin concentration is not only indicative of protein energy wasting in dialysis patients, but it is also a powerful predictor of the mortality risk in this population.

Several clinical conditions are associated with low serum albumin levels in dialysis patients, including infectious and inflammatory diseases, fluid overload, inadequate dialysis, severe co-morbidity, and taste change. Therefore, regular monitoring of serum albumin levels is useful for predicting outcomes in dialysis patients.

Read more: Enlarged Prostate: Molecular Mechanism Clue May Explain Link To Inflammation

The Hitachi 7600–210 modular clinical biochemistry analyzer (Photo courtesy of Hitachi).

Source: labmedica

Enlarged Prostate: Molecular Mechanism Clue May Explain Link To Inflammation

A new study reveals an important molecular clue about how inflammation may lead to prostate enlargement or benign prostatic hyperplasia. The researchers believe their discovery may also lead to ways of overcoming resistance to androgen-targeted treatment for the condition.

Enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in older men where the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous.

As the prostate gland enlarges, it presses against and pinches the urethra, the tube that allows urine to leave the bladder. Also, the bladder wall gradually thickens and the bladder may get weaker and lose the ability to empty completely.

Read more: Enlarged Prostate: Molecular Mechanism Clue May Explain Link To Inflammation

Enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in older men.

Source: medicalnewstoday