Using specialist computer software, a total of 54 Caucasian participants of both sexes were asked to manipulate the skin color of male and female Caucasian faces to make them look as healthy as possible. They chose to increase the rosiness, yellowness and brightness of the skin.

“Most previous work on faces has focused on the shape of the face or the texture of the skin, but one of the most variable characteristics of the face is skin color,” said Dr. Ian Stephen who is now at the University of Bristol.

“We knew from our previous work that people who have more blood and more oxygen color in their skins looked healthy, and so we decided to see what other colors affect health perceptions. This has given us some clues as to what other skin pigments may relate to a healthy appearance.”

Skin that is slightly flushed with blood and full of oxygen suggests a strong heart and lungs, supporting the study’s findings that rosier skin appeared healthy. Smokers and people with diabetes or heart disease have fewer blood vessels in their skin, and so skin would appear less rosy.

The preference for more golden or ‘yellow-toned’ skin as healthier might be explained by the ‘carotenoid pigments’ that we get from the fruit and vegetables in our diet.These plant pigments are powerful antioxidants that soak up dangerous compounds produced when the body combats disease. They are also important for our immune and reproductive systems and may help prevent cancer.

They are the same dietary pigments that brightly colored birds and fish use to show off their healthiness and attract mates, and the researchers think that similar biological mechanisms may be at work in humans.

“In the West we often think that sun tanning is the best way to improve the color of your skin,” said Ian Stephen, “but our research suggests that living a healthy lifestyle with a good diet might actually be better.”

Melanin, the pigment that causes the tan color when skin is exposed to the sun makes the skin darker and more yellow, but participants in the study chose to make skin lighter and more yellow to make it look healthier.

“This discovery is very exciting and has given us a promising lead into cues to health,” said Professor David Perrett, head of the Perception Lab at the University of St. Andrews, where the research took place.

“What we eat and not just how much we eat appears to be important for a healthy appearance. The only natural way in which we can make our skin lighter and more yellow is to eat a more healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables.”

Source: Springer Science Business Media

A research article published on November 14, 2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology describes the responses of 26 ED patients to F-S provocation. The research team, including Professors Kellow, Abraham and Hansen from the University of Sydney, Australia, monitored gastrointestinal symptoms and breath hydrogen concentration (a marker of small bowel absorption) for 3 h following ingestion of 50 g glucose on one day, and 25 g fructose/5 g sorbitol on the next day. Responses to F-S were compared to those of 20 asymptomatic healthy females.

F-S provoked gastrointestinal symptoms in 15 ED patients but only in one healthy control. In contrast, only one ED patient displayed symptom provocation to glucose, which does not usually provoke gastrointestinal symptoms; this shows specificity of the F-S response. A greater symptom response was observed in the most underweight ED patients (BMI ≤ 17.5 kg/m2) compared to those with a BMI >17.5 kg/m2. There were no differences in psychological scores, prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders or breath hydrogen responses between patients with and without an F-S response.

The key findings of this study are that F-S provoked gastrointestinal symptoms in more than half of the female ED patients, a significantly greater proportion than that found in healthy individuals; the response was specific for F-S ingestion; and there was a greater symptom response in patients at lower BMI values. Consistent with this last finding, symptom provocation was more common in anorexia nervosa patients. Hence negative energy balance appears to play a role in F-S sensitivity in these patients. As fructose and sorbitol are likely to be commonly ingested by ED patients, representing a potential source of gastrointestinal distress that would impact negatively on their nutritional management, F-S provocative testing could prove valuable in identifying those patients with symptom sensitivity to these substances.

Reference: Friesen N, Hansen RD, Abraham SF, Kellow JE. Fructosesorbitol ingestion provokes gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with eating disorders. World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(42): 5295-5299 http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/15/5295.asp

Source: Jin-Lei Wang
World Journal of Gastroenterology

The study was the work of Dr Pia R Kamstrup, of Herlev Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital in Herlev, Denmark, and colleagues, and is published in the 10 June issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA.

Despite the fact that statins are now routinely used to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol), myocardial infarction (MI or heart attack) remains a leading cause of illness and death, wrote the authors.

There is a need to identify other risk factors as targets for treatment they said. Lipoprotein (a), a cholesterol that is not included in routine cholesterol screening, has been suggested as a potential candidate, but there is not enough evidence of how closely it is linked to heart attack risk.

Lipoprotein (a) levels vary from person to person, sometimes the level in one person can be thousands of times higher or lower than the level in another person, the range is so vast. This is partly determined by genetics, and the variations in one gene in particular, known as the “Lipoprotein (a) kringle IV type 2 (LPA KIV-2) size polymorphism genotype”. The authors wrote in their background information that the number of KIV-2 repeats is already known to correlate inversely with levels of lipoprotein(a).

For the study, Kamstrup and colleagues looked at whether genetically elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) were linked to increased risk of heart attack (MI) in three studies covering about 45,000 white individuals from Copenhagen who started giving samples in 1976 until 2007.

The researchers found that risk of MI increased with increasing levels of lipoprotein (a), and with “decreasing numbers of lipoprotein(a) KIV-2 repeats associated with elevated levels of lipoprotein(a)”.

They saw a consistent increase in MI risk linked to genetically elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) in all three studies, and noted that the KIV-2 genotype explained 21 per cent and 27 per cent of the total lipoprotein (a) concentrations in two of the three studies.

Kamstrup and colleagues wrote that:

“Instrumental variable analysis (in which the increase in lipoprotein (a) levels explained by the KIV-2 genotype was related to MI) directly demonstrated that genetically elevated lipoprotein (a) is associated with increased risk of MI, like elevations in plasma lipoprotein (a).”

They suggested that while the findings appear strong enough to show that the higher levels of lipoprotein (a) probably caused the increased risk of MI, final proof should still be sought using randomized clinical trials that show MI risk going down in response to therapies that lower lipoprotein (a).

In an accompanying editorial, Drs George Thanassoulis and Christopher J. O’Donnell of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Framingham Heart Study, commented that although Kamstrup and colleagues revealed some “interesting mechanistic insights” into the biological link between lipoprotein (a) and MI, and put forward evidence that there might be potential benefit in reducing lipoprotein (a) early in life, the “clinical implications are quite limited”.

“These results do not provide the necessary evidence that genetic testing of the LPA locus or measurements of plasma lipoprotein(a) have a role in cardiovascular risk stratification or decisions regarding lipid-lowering therapy,” they wrote, agreeing with the authors in that “ultimately, despite nature’s best efforts to provide causal evidence for lipoprotein(a), only a true randomized controlled trial demonstrating reductions in MI with targeted lipoprotein(a)-lowering therapy can provide the evidence for benefits and risks of an lipoprotein(a)-lowering strategy”.

“Genetically Elevated Lipoprotein(a) and Increased Risk of Myocardial Infarction.”
Pia R. Kamstrup; Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen; Rolf Steffensen; Borge G. Nordestgaard.
JAMA, 2009;301(22):2331-2339.
Vol. 301 No. 22, June 10, 2009

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today

The analysis of this large Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, which appears in the August issue of Journal of Lipid Research, was carried out by Keri Monda and colleagues at North Carolina and Baylor. They found that over a 12 year period, all individuals who increased their exercise by about 180 metabolic units per week (equivalent to an additional hour of mild or 30 minutes of moderate activity per week) displayed decreased levels of triglycerides and increased levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol. However, statistically significant decreases in the “bad” LDL cholesterol were only observed in women, with particularly strong effects in menopausal women and African-American women. And total cholesterol levels were only significantly decreased in African-American women.

The authors speculate that these novel differences may arise from hormonal differences between the sexes, especially considering the extra effects seen post-menopause. The racial differences observed may stem from genetic variations that require further exploration.

The authors do also note that their exercise data was assessed by questionnaire and this was non-scientific, though the particular methodology used has been extremely reliable in other studies. They also note that all evaluated participants were healthy, so these results cannot be generalized to individuals with diabetes or those on cholesterol-lowering medications.

From the article: Longitudinal impact of physical activity on lipid profiles in middle-aged adults: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, by Keri L. Monda, Christie M. Ballantyne and Kari North

Source:
Nick Zagorski
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Selenium is a trace essential mineral with anti-oxidant properties. The body naturally absorbs selenium from foods such as vegetables, meat and seafood. However, when the balance is altered and the body absorbs too much selenium, such as through taking selenium supplements, it can have adverse affects.

A team led by Dr Saverio Stranges at the University’s Warwick Medical School has found high levels of selenium are associated with increased cholesterol, which can cause heart disease.

In a paper recently published in the Journal of Nutrition, the research team examined the association of plasma selenium concentrations (levels of selenium in the blood) with blood lipids (fats in the blood).

The researchers found in those participants with higher plasma selenium (more than 1.20 µmol/L) there was an average total cholesterol level increase of 8% (0.39 mmol/L (i.e. 15.1 mg/dL). Researchers also noted a 10% increase in non-HDL cholesterol levels (lipoproteins within your total cholesterol that can help predict the risk of someone suffering a heart attack or chest pain). Also, of the participants with the highest selenium levels, 48.2% admitted they regularly took dietary supplements.

The study was conducted among 1042 participants aged 19-64 in the 2000-2001 UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. All participants were interviewed face-to-face to assess lifestyle factors such as diet and drinking habits. Blood samples were then taken for analysis.

Dr Saverio Stranges said although high selenium levels were not exclusively caused by people taking dietary supplements, the results of the study were concerning because the use of selenium dietary supplements had risen considerably in the UK in recent years. He said this was largely due to the perception that selenium can reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases.

He said: “This use has spread despite a lack of definitive evidence on selenium supplements efficacy for cancer and other chronic disease prevention. The cholesterol increases we have identified may have important implications for public health. In fact, such a difference could translate into a large number of premature deaths from coronary heart disease.

“We believe that the widespread use of selenium supplements, or of any other strategy that artificially increases selenium status above the level required is unwarranted at the present time. Further research is needed to examine the full range of health effects of increased selenium, whether beneficial or detrimental.”

Source: Kelly Parkes-Harrison
University of Warwick

During sexual intercourse, HIV-infected men transmit HIV through their semen, which carries free-floating virus as well as HIV-infected leukocytes. Traces of HIV have been detected on sperm as well, but the role they play in viral transmission has been a matter of debate. After all, men with vasectomies can transmit HIV. Now, Ceballos et al. show that HIV attaches to the surface of sperm and that these HIV carriers pass on the virus to DCs and other HIV targets.

Sperm express molecules known to interact with HIV’s envelope, such as heparan sulfate and mannose receptors. The authors show that HIV relies on heparan sulfate to attach to sperm, but not mannose receptors as previously predicted.

Once attached, the virus was transmitted from sperm to DCs in culture. The DC receptors CD4 and DC-SIGN were required for transmission, suggesting that DCs pick up the virus by binding to sperm rather than by ingesting them. DCs matured after interacting with the sperm, producing tolerance-promoting cytokines like interleukin-10. The authors speculate that this immune-suppressing profile, versus an inflammatory profile, might also help the virus spread.

Sperm might reach DCs by passing through microabrasions in the vaginal or anal lining that often form during intercourse, suggest the authors. Or they might contact the finger-like projections of DCs that extend to the surface of mucosal linings. Furthermore, the team found that a slightly acidic pH, similar to the pH in the vagina after sex, promoted HIV-sperm binding and the subsequent rate of sperm-related DC infection.

Source:
Rita Sullivan
Rockefeller University Press

The study shows that in most species males show more consistent, predictable behaviours, particularly in relation to parental care, aggression and risk-taking. Females, on the other hand, are more likely to vary their behaviour. They are also more likely to respond to these traits and therefore seem to be ‘choosier’ about the personality of a potential mate.

The research, which is published in the journal Biological Reviews (18 November 2009) draws on several studies, dating back to 1972. It is the latest study in a growing body of research from a University of Exeter team that links gender personality differences to sexual selection.

The authors believe sexual selection may hold the key to this variation. A concept originally developed by Charles Darwin, sexual selection is the theory that evolutionary traits can be explained by competition between one sex – usually males – for mates and by (female) mate choice. While the physical attributes resulting from sexual selection – from dazzling peacocks tails to over-sized antler horns – are well known, there has been much less of a focus on the impact on personality.

Lead author Dr Wiebke Schuett of the University of Exeter says: “Our study is the first to bring together research about the impact of sexual selection on personality in humans and other animals. Our study suggests that, while males tend to exhibit more pronounced personalities, including more predictable behaviour, in a range of different contexts, females are more receptive to these traits in males. We found a surprising level of similarity across a range of species.”

This paper supports research carried out by the same team, published in the journal Animal Behaviour (February 2009). The team studied the social and feeding behaviours of a population of zebra finches. They found that although the male zebra finches did not explore their environment more than the females, they were more consistent in their exploratory behaviour. The team concluded that males are more likely to be selected as mates if they are consistent in any behaviour that would be beneficial to a partnership and its offspring. This would include finding food or seeing off predators.

Dr Sasha Dall of the University of Exeter, the team leader, says: “This body of research suggests that male personality could have evolved in much the same way as signs of physical attractiveness – to help attract a mate. Scientists have not given the role of sexual selection in shaping animal personality much consideration in the past. We hope that our work will pave the way for further research in this rather overlooked subject.”

Dr Wiebke Schuett was funded by the European Social Fund.

The paper, entitled Sexual Selection and Animal Personality, can be accessed at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119878059/issue (DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185X.2009.00101.x).

Source: Sarah Hoyle
University of Exeter

Dr Harvey Marcovitch, who commissioned leading experts in the field to write for this special issue said, “Patient safety is this journal’s main aim and there can be no area of medicine where patients in the UK are more in need of protection. We need tight control of advertising of cosmetic surgery – including internet advertising. We need proper regulation of the industry and we need both surgeons and GPs to manage patient expectation.”

In one paper, entitled ‘Clinical Risk in Aesthetic Surgery’, Nigel Mercer, consultant plastic surgeon and President of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) argues: “We have reached a stage where public expectation, driven by media hype and, dare one say, professional greed, has brought us to a ‘perfect storm’ in the cosmetic surgical market.”

He adds, “There has been a massive increase in ‘marketing’, including discount vouchers, 2-for-1 offers and holidays with surgery! In no other area of medicine is there such an unregulated mess. What is worse is that national governments would not allow it to happen in other areas of medicine. Imagine a ‘2-for-1′ advert for general surgery? That way lies madness!”

Highlights:

Clinical Risk in Aesthetic Surgery: Nigel Mercer discusses the role of the media and advertising and calls for tighter regulations in the UK, comparing this country’s lack of regulation with the Food and Drug Administration’s role in the US.

Key quotes:

- “Perhaps, like tobacco, there should be a Europe-wide ban on advertising all cosmetic ’surgical’ procedures, including on search engines…”.

- “If we have to sell anything, we should sell our advice, not procedures. If we cannot self-regulate, then, like the financial institutions, regulation will eventually be imposed…”

- “All cosmetic treatments are medical interventions, and every medical intervention has a complication and failure rate. Consequently, there are no ‘consumers’ or ‘clients’ but only ‘patients’…”

- “Perhaps the single most important factor in reducing clinical risk in cosmetic surgery is the motive for performing any procedure must never be financial gain, so I suggest we get our act together as an industry as we are in grave danger of biting the hand that feeds us.”

France Sets Standards for Practice of Aesthetic Surgery: French consultant plastic surgeon, Alain Fogli describes the strictly defined guidelines for cosmetic surgery in France which include:

- Surgical procedures can only be undertaken by surgeons who are registered specialists and deemed competent. Possession of a general medical degree, and the fact that the practitioner is ‘experienced’ are not deemed to be sufficient qualifications

- A ban on all forms and methods of publicity and advertising, direct or indirect, in whatever form, including the Internet

Minimizing Risk in Aesthetic Surgery: Foad Nahai, President of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS) and former president of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) describes how to minimise risk in each facet of ‘the safety diamond’: patient, facility, procedure and surgeon.

He tells readers:

“Regulations governing the training of all cosmetic surgeons are sorely needed. Governments are reluctant to become involved, as they see this issue as a ‘turf battle’ between various physician groups and not a public safety or patient safety issue. However, there is no question that this is a patient safety issue of paramount importance and I take our governments to task for not addressing it.”

- Since by law any physician is allowed to practise cosmetic surgery, attempts by individual physicians or plastic surgery organisations to restrict those who are not qualified is viewed as a restraint of trade.

Improving the Safety of Aesthetic Surgery: Recommendations Following a 14-Year Review of Cases to the Medical Defence Union (1990-2004): Consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS Secretary, Rajiv Grover, reveals a 14-year audit of claims to the MDU which shows why patients sue. He provides recommendations to avoid these situations such as careful pre-operative counselling, thorough documentation and exploring with the patient what degree of correction and scarring is realistic – and not being falsely optimistic about the likely outcome.

Managing Risk to Reputation: Magnus Boyd, Partner at leading UK solicitors, Carter-Ruck suggests how doctors can protect their reputation and how the media can influence the outcome of a professional investigation or the expression of anger from a disgruntled patient.

Both Dr Harvey Marcovitch and Mr Nigel Mercer are available for comment.

Clinical Risk

The journal Clinical Risk aims to give both medical and legal professionals an enhanced understanding of key medico-legal issues relating to risk management and patient safety, through authoritative articles, reviews and news on the management of clinical risk. The AvMA Medical and Legal Journal and the Healthcare & Law Digest, both included within Clinical Risk, contain articles on current medico-legal issues and reports on a wide range of recently settled clinical negligence cases.

Source
BAAPS

“Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy being with family, not to be in bed with the flu,” said Sharon Stanley, chief nurse of the American Red Cross. “You can follow easy tips to try and avoid becoming ill over the upcoming holiday.”

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods in the United States. If traveling for the holiday or hosting a family celebration, washing one’s hands as often as possible is important to help ward off illness. The Red Cross offers the following ideas to help halt the spread of the flu virus during the Thanksgiving holiday:

Tips for Travelers

Before traveling…

- If sick, stay home. It’s disappointing to not be able to join in the family celebration, but act responsibly and stay home to avoid spreading the flu.

- It’s possible to spread the flu virus one day before actually showing symptoms. Those who have been in close contact with a sick individual should be extra careful about using good hand hygiene and cough etiquette and very aware of what might be flu symptoms.

While traveling…

- Wash hands with soap and water as often as possible. If soap and water aren’t available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.

- Use sanitizing wipes to disinfect hard surfaces such as airplane tray tables, luggage handles, cell phones, door handles and seat armrests.

- Remember to wash hands or use a hand sanitizer before eating any meals or snacks. It’s important to remember that you are touching a lot of surfaces that others are touching as well. Make sure your hands are clean before you put anything into your mouth.

- Bring personal blankets, pillows and earphones to avoid using something which may have been in contact with the flu virus.

- After washing hands in a public restroom, turn off the faucet with a paper towel. Then use another paper towel to dry hands and open the door when exiting the restroom.

Have a safe celebration

Thanksgiving is all about food, family and friends. Here are some steps that will help keep the celebration happy and healthy:

- Avoid the usual kisses and handshakes when greeting friends and family.

- If hosting the holiday dinner and someone in the household becomes ill, make sure that they can be isolated into a separate area for care, or ask another family member to host dinner to avoid spreading the flu.

- Wash hands frequently, before preparing food, while cooking, and especially before eating.

- Keep plenty of hand soap in the bathroom, preferably in a pump container. Skip the pretty hand towels this year and instead use disposable hand towels or a roll of paper towels.

- Consider putting the glasses away this year and using plastic cups, or provide a way for guests to identify their drinks. Don’t drink out of anyone else’s glass.

- Put serving utensils in every dish, including snacks like nuts, pretzels, etc. This allows people to spoon out their portion instead of reaching in with their hands.

Remember-always cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and clean hands afterwards. If no tissue is available, cough or sneeze into the inside of the elbow or upper arm. Avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth to prevent spreading germs. Visit Redcross.org for more information on how to keep safe and prepared for any emergency.

Source
American Red Cross

Parents of children with asthma should monitor their child’s health closely for signs of influenza. Symptoms of influenza include:

- Sudden onset of high fever
- Headache, muscle aches and joint pain
- Cough (usually dry)
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion and runny nose

If your child experiences these symptoms-or exhibits signs of worsening asthma-contact your health care provider immediately. If a child with asthma does become sick with the flu, they should continue taking their normal medications, unless recommended otherwise by their healthcare provider.

Remember these tips to protect your health and prevent spread of the flu:

- Get vaccinated for both the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu.
- Remember to cover your nose and mouth with your arm when you cough or sneeze.
- Frequently wash your hands with soap and water.
- Alcohol-based hand cleaners are effective when washing is not possible.
- Avoid large crowds if possible. Ask family and friends to be mindful of your higher risk and not expose you to their sickness if they are ill.
- The CDC recommends staying home if you have flu like symptoms for seven days or until you are clear of symptoms for 24 hours.
- Always watch for public health advisories, as these recommendations may change.

For those with asthma, please remember to refer to and maintain your Asthma Action Plan as necessary. The American Lung Association has a template you can download to create your Asthma Action Plan here.

For Related information about Influenza and H1N1 please visit:

http://www.lungusa.org

http://www.facesofinfluenza.org

http://www.flu.gov

Source
American Lung Association