Herbal Combination Improves Quality of Life for Prostate Cancer Patients

Monday, July 7, 2008

In an open clinical trial of 16 men with advanced metastatic prostate cancer, the herbal combination PC-SPES improved quality of life and caused significant reductions in pain and levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), with no major side effects (Pfeifer et al., 2000). The researchers decided to test PC-SPES in patients whose hormone therapy had failed and whose disease was progressing after receiving "numerous anecdotal reports" of benefit from the supplement.

The PC-SPES formula is a dietary supplement composed of eight herbs: Chrysanthemum flowers (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat., Asteraceae); reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum [Leyss. ex Fr.,] P. Karst. Ganodermataceae); licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Fabaceae); dyer's woad (Isatis indigotica L., Brassicaceae); sanchi ginseng (Panax pseudoginseng Wallich, Araliaceae); Rabdosia rubescens (Blume) Hassk., Lamiaceae; baikal skullcap root, or huang qin (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi., Lamiaceae); and saw palmetto fruit (Serenoa repens [Bartram] Small, Arecaceae).

In the study, the supplemental PC-SPES therapy consisted of three capsules three times a day (total 2.88 grams daily) of the herbal formula for five months. Hormone therapy was continued throughout the trial. Urologists and anesthesiologists at three different clinics in Germany and the United States evaluated the effects of PC-SPES on pain, quality of life, and PSA levels. Clinical testing at all clinics included physical exams, blood chemistry, and blood cell count, plus assessment of PSA level, pain, quality of life, and toxicity.

The results were positive. Pain scores for each category of pain decreased significantly, and those who were taking narcotics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain control before the study were able to reduce their pain relief medication by around 40 percent after 20 weeks of treatment with the herbal supplement. Quality of life was evaluated with a standard questionnaire that assesses physical, emotional, social, and functional well-being. PC-SPES was associated with significant improvements in functional, emotional, and physical well-being, although there was no significant change in social well-being. Finally, PSA levels - a marker for prostate cancer activity - dropped dramatically after PC-SPES supplementation. Compared with the control level, the decrease in PSA level was more than 50 percent in 13 of 16 patients, a result that the researchers believe "indicates that PC-SPES is effective."The investigators were also especially impressed with "the highly significant reduction in reported pain." The product itself was tested and found to be free of any non-herbal pain-relieving substances. In addition, there was a decrease in the spread of bone lesions in three patients, which could indicate that PC-SPES has a direct anti-tumor effect. In terms of side effects, half of the participants experienced breast tenderness, and one patient developed mild stomach upset, which, according to the authors, "suggests that PC-SPES has a low side-effect profile."

As researchers often do, the authors recommended that more research is needed, especially in light of the fact that eight of the original patients "are still enjoying the beneficial effects of PC-SPES, long after the 20 week follow-up." They concluded, "...PC-SPES significantly reduces PSA levels and the pain of metastatic disease, thereby improving patients' quality of life without the detrimental side-effects seen with other drug regimens. With no cure currently available for these patients, maintaining a good quality of life is a realistic therapeutic goal that can be achieved with the dietary supplement PC-SPES."

- Rob McCaleb, Herb Research Foundation [Pfeifer BL, Pirani JF, Hamann SR, Klippel KF. PC-SPES, a dietary supplement for the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. BJU International 2000; 85: 481-483.]

Ginseng helps speed recovery from acute attacks of chronic bronchitis

Adjunctive treatment with standardized ginseng extract G115® increased the speed of bacterial clearance in patients undergoing treatment with antibiotics for chronic bronchitis. The study participants were 75 Italians with acute attacks of chronic bronchitis who received treatment with 875 mg amoxicillin and 125 mg clavulanic acid twice daily for 9 days and were then randomized into two groups. One group (37 patients) received only the antibiotic treatment, and the other (38 patients) took the antibiotics in combination with ginseng extract at a dose of 100 mg twice daily. In the 44 patients who were evaluable at the end of the study, the time to complete clearance of bacteria was significantly shorter in the group receiving the combination treatment (median 6 days/mean 5.9 days vs. median 7 days/mean 6.7 days). The researchers suggest, "Patients in whom the elimination of bacteria from the bronchial system is particularly difficult may benefit from the use of ginseng." Scaglione R, Weiser K, Alessandra M. Effects of the standardised ginseng extract G115 in patients with chronic bronchitis. Clin Drug Invest 2001; 21(1): 41-45. source: herbs.org

Antioxidant Activity of Tea Unaffected by Milk

The antioxidant activity of green and black tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, Theaceae) in the body (in vivo) is well established, but an important question remains: Does the addition of milk to tea inhibit the bioavailability of antioxidant tea polyphenols? Not according to the results of this Dutch study, which showed that a single dose of either black or green tea with or without milk caused a significant rise in plasma antioxidant activity (Leenan et al., 2000).

The crossover study compared the antioxidant effects of green tea, black tea, and non-carbonated mineral water with or without milk in 21 healthy volunteers. Each participant received a dose of one of the six test substances on six different days. A single dose of tea was defined as 2 g of tea solids in 300 ml of water (Lipton Research Blend, Lipton, Englewood Cliffs, NJ). The researchers utilized the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay to measure both plasma antioxidant and catechin levels. Blood samples were taken before consumption of the test substances and again 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after consumption. According to the results, both green and black tea caused a significant rise in plasma antioxidant and catechin levels, but the effect of green tea was significantly greater at all time points. The addition of milk to either type of tea did not significantly alter responses.

While a limited number of studies support these results, others have shown that milk had a negative impact on the antioxidant capacity of tea. An earlier study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that while the addition of milk to tea had no effect on antioxidant activity in vitro, it did appear to interfere with absorption of tea polyphenols in vivo. The authors of the older study offered two possible explanations for this effect. First, because milk proteins can cause complexation (binding) of tea polyphenols, the researchers proposed that milk/polyphenol complexes resist gastric breakdown, rendering the polyphenols unavailable for absorption. They also theorized that milk might hinder polyphenol absorption by increasing gastric pH (Serafini et al., 1996).

On the other hand, the authors of the more recent study suggested that the antioxidant assay utilized by Serafini and colleagues (called the Total Radical trapping Ability of Plasma, or TRAP assay) might be less reliable than the FRAP method, as TRAP may be associated with a higher degree of variability. - Evelyn Leigh, HRF

[Leenen R, Roodenburg AJC, Tijburg LBM, Wiseman SA. A single dose of tea with or without milk increases plasma antioxidant activity in humans. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000; 54: 87-92.
Serafini M, Ghiselli A, Ferro-Luzzi A. In vivo antioxidant effect of green and black tea in man. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1996; 50: 28-32.] source: herbs.org

Oolong tea helps in the treatment of stubborn atopic dermatitis

An open Japanese study suggests that consumption of oolong tea (Camellia sinensis) helps speed clearance of recalcitrant atopic dermatitis lesions. The 118 study participants continued their usual dermatologic treatments but also drank oolong tea (10 g steeped in 1000 mL water a day, divided into three doses). Beneficial results were noted after one to two weeks, and 74 (63%) of the participants showed marked to moderate improvement of lesions after one month. After 6 months, 64 patients (54%) still demonstrated a good response to treatment. The study builds on animal research showing that oral administration of green, black, or oolong tea suppressed allergic skin reactions. Uehara M, Sugiura J, Sakurai K. A trial of oolong tea in the management of recalcitrant atopic dermatitis. Arch Dermatol 2001; 137: 42-43. source: herbs.org

Rhodiola enhances fitness and well-being under stressful conditions

A placebo-controlled, Russian clinical study showed that an extract of Rhodiola rosea enhanced physical fitness, improved neuro-motor test responses, reduced mental fatigue, and improved general well being in a group of healthy foreign medical students undergoing a stressful exam period. The 40 study participants, all Indian men between the ages of 17 and 19, were randomly assigned to take either placebo or Rhodiola extract at a dose of 50 mg twice daily. The most significant differences between groups were seen in physical fitness, mental fatigue, neuro-motor tests, and well being; no significant differences were observed in results of correction tests or tapping speed tests. No adverse events were reported. As the dose of Rhodiola employed in this study was lower than that used in previous studies, the researchers concluded, "...the study drug gave significant results compared to the placebo group but that the dose level probably was suboptimal." According to the authors, the majority of earlier studies on the anti-fatigue and performance-enhancing effects of Rhodiola utilized single doses more than three times higher than the dose used in their study. When used in psychiatric practice for the treatment of asthenic syndromes (weakness and debility), doses 15 times as high are used for periods of one to two months. Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Mandrikov VB, et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of the stimulating and adaptogenic effect of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract on the fatigue of students caused by stress during an examination period with a repeated low-dose regimen. Phytomedicine 2000; 7(2): 85-89. Source: herbs.org

What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a complete medical system originated from China more than 300 years ago. It applies traditional Chinese medicine theory to diagnose and treat illness, prevent disease and improve well-being by inserting acupuncture needles at critical points through human body. Due to its proven effectiveness, it has been becoming more and more popular throughout the world.

How Acupuncture Works

There are two kinds of explanations about how acupuncture works. I would like to give a traditional explanation. In traditional Chinese medicine, there exists meridian system through human body and more than 360 acupoints are located at these meridians. Qi, or a stream of energy, flows through these meridians and acupoints to support tissue, muscles and organs. When the Qi is obstructed in certain critical points, or acupoints, the function of tissue, muscles and organs will be impaired.

By inserting acupuncture needles into acupoints helps the release of Qi flow and corrects Qi imbalances at the organ level to improve your energy and internal processing.

Benefits

Since acupuncture promotes the body's natural healing ability, many conditions can be corrected or improved. Also, it is being recognized that acupuncture is a comprehensive system of preventive health care and health maintenance. The effectiveness of acupuncture extends far beyond the conception that it is only useful for chronic pain management or as an analgesic. It has been discovered by many athletes that acupuncture treatment helps them to reach optimum performance levels. Recently acupuncture detoxification treatments have been recognized as a valid form of therapy for chemical dependency problems such as drinking, drug and smoking. Throughout its long history, acupuncture has established a solid reputation as an excellent alternative for health care.

What Conditions Are Commonly Treated by Acupuncture

According to my clinic experience, the following conditions can be treated by acupuncture most effectively.

Pain Relieve and Control

It is well proven that acupuncture can treat many types of pain conditions such as Arthritis, Cervical Spondylopathy, Knee Pain, Hand and Foot Pain, Sciatica, Shoulder Pain, Tennis Elbow, Lower Back and Neck Pain, Tendonitis, etc. More than half of my patients who suffered from different pains visited my office. Most of them have received satisfied treatment results. I have some patients who suffered injury due to car or sports accidents. They are also very pleased with acupuncture treatment.

Headache & Migraines

Many of my patients have suffered from headache or migraine for many years. Before accepting acupuncture treatment, they have tried almost everything. However, none of these approaches really work. After having acupuncture treatment, they felt remarkable improvement of their condition.

Quit Smoking

It usually takes three to five sessions of acupuncture treatment to have smokers to quit.

Other Conditions

I have successfully treated other diseases and conditions such as Anxiety and Depression, Facial Paralysis, Insomnia, Neuralgia, Stroke Rehabilitation, TMJ, Whiplash, etc.

How Acupuncture Feels

Prior to their first treatment, many people do not believe that acupuncture can be painless. Different sensations such as soreness, numbness, distending, warmth and pressure may be felt, but the energetic sensation differs from pain. People often comment that the feeling is unfamiliar but pleasant and relaxing.

Acupuncture needles are very fine, about the size of a thick hair. They are solid and nothing is injected through them. Over the centuries, refined needle insertion techniques have been developed which enable the skilled acupuncture practitioner to place a needle with little or no sensation.

If you have a real fear of needles, discuss it with your acupuncturist. An appropriate treatment strategy can always be agreed upon.

Is acupuncture needle safe

Yes! Because now acupuncture is carried out with sterile and disposable needles approved by FDA.

How many sessions do I need for treatment

Since each person is unique, the number of treatments needed will vary. Among the determining factors are the type of condition, whether the condition is chronic or acute, and the vitality of the individual. Again, you should discuss your treatment program with your acupuncturist.

How many needles should be used in each treatment

According to my experience, six to eight needles are used during acupuncture treatment at most of times. If two or more symptoms or conditions are treated during one session, ten or more needles may be used. For instance, a patient has being suffered from both back pain and headache for a while. The patient can be treated for both in each session instead of treating only one symptom in one session. However, do not try to treat as many symptoms or conditions as possible.

If an acupuncturist does not have enough experience, he or she should just treat one symptom or condition in each treatment.

Some acupuncturists insert as many as thirty or more needles in one treatment. This may mean that by using many needles the chances of inserting some of needles precisely at acupoints may be increased. In fact, this approach may set the treatment effect out of control and cause fatigue that hinders treatment, rather than beneficial relaxation.

How often should I have acupuncture treatment

I usually render it two to three sessions a week for the first two weeks. After reviewing the progress of treatment, I render it one to two sessions a week for the following weeks. However, it entirely depends on the physical condition of each individual.

How long each session takes

Normally, each session takes 20 to 30 minutes. It depends on the sensitivity of each individual and the kind of diseases and conditions.

In general speaking, the quality of acupuncture treatment relies on the experience and skill of an acupuncturist. They are combination of diagnosis of symptom, accuracy of acupoints, timing, the depth and angle of insertion, techniques of manipulation, etc.

Should I stop other medications

No. You should continue to follow your current physician's instructions. Please remember that acupuncture is used to complement and supplement your physician's treatments not to replace them. You should discuss this issue with your physician and acupuncturist.

In which cases, acupuncture is inadvisable

A patient should never be needled under the following conditions:

When the patient is too hot; when his or her pulse is greatly disturbed; when he or she is drunk or angry; when he or she is hungry or has eaten too much; when he or she is overtired, out of breath; or when he or she is full of great fear.

It is preferable not to have acupuncture treatment at all during pregnancy.

Does medical insurance cover acupuncture treatment

I can not give you a "yes" or "no" answer. That depends on which state you live, who is your medical insurance company and what type health insurance plan you have enrolled.

In some states like New Mexico, California, Maryland, etc., most of health insurance companies offer medical insurance programs that cover acupuncture treatment, even for Chinese herb formula.

In Pennsylvania, currently most of health insurance companies do not offer medical insurance programs that cover acupuncture treatment. A few insurance companies like Aetna U.S. Healthcare start to offer acupuncture treatment coverage in one of their medical insurance programs. As I know, Indepence Blue Cross is considering introducing an alternative healthcare program administrated by American Specialty Health Networks. If you are resident of Pennsylvania, you should contact your health insurance company to check whether your current medical insurance cover acupuncture treatment. If you have injuries caused by car accident or work injuries, your auto insurance or work compensation insurance will cover acupuncture treatment most likely. However, you better contact your auto insurance or work insurance company to confirm the acupuncture treatment coverage. From: acuhealing.com

How to Take Chinese Herbs?

Herbal formulas are most often designed to take as an herbal tea.

Directions:

mix a bag of prescribed herbs in two cups of boiled water for two day usage. Take twice daily and a half cup each time, either 30 minutes before a meal or an hour after a meal.

If the taste of the tea is difficult to tolerate, sugar, honey or a natural sweetener such as Stevia extract (which is in health food stores) can be added in small amounts.

Herbs that are for targeting specific conditions may have specific directions on timing of the dose. For example, tonic herbs should be taken before eating. Herbs that can irritate the digestive system should be taken after a meal. Herbs that aid in sleep should be taken before bed. Herbs that are aimed at the menstrual cycle, PMS, or menstrual cramps, should be started 7-10 days before the menstrual cycle begins and continues through the end of menstruation.

When taking herbs for an acute condition, it may take 2-3 days to notice an improvement in symptoms. When taking herbs for chronic conditions, it may take 2-3 weeks to notice an improvement in symptoms.

Precautions:

If you are taking or take any western medicine, prescribed or over the counter, it should be taken 1-2 hours apart from your herbal formula. While taking herbal formulas you should avoid cold, raw, spicy, and oily foods, or foods that are difficult to digest. Salads are acceptable. Also avoid drinking ice water, cold drinks, or acidic juices at the same time as the herbal formula.

With external applications, if itching and burning should occur, these may be signs that you are having an allergic reaction to the herbs. Discontinue the herbs.

If a patient is taking a tonic formula and becomes ill, he/she should stop taking the herbs. Resume when health improves.

Chinese Herb Medicine?

We have received many questions from our web site visitors regarding Chinese Herb Medicine. Dr. Li reviewed these questions. Those very common and important questions are selected and answered by Dr. Li. The following is those FAQ and Dr. Li’s answers:

Q: What is the Chinese herb?

Dr. Li: In China, people have been using natural herbs to treat a wide variety of diseases and conditions. These herbs are called herbal medicine, which are composed of roots, bark, flowers, seeds, fruits, leaves, and branches. It is well known that Traditional Chinese Medicine has over 3000 years history and Chinese herb medicine is one of most important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine which also includes acupuncture. In China, there are over 3000 different herbs that can be used for medical purposes. However, about 300 to 500 of these herbs are commonly used. It is important to use herbs grown in China rather than outside of their native environment. One must use the right herb from the right source to get the full benefit.

Q: What can Chinese herbs do for me?

Dr. Li: Chinese Herbal therapy or herb medicine has three main functions:

1. treat the acute diseases and conditions such as killing bacteria or a virus;
2. heal chronic illness such as gastrointestinal disorder, respiratory disorder, allergies, immune system deficiency, etc. by strengthening the body, helping it to recover;
3. 
   
maintain daily life health by keeping the balance of human body.

In general, herbs can treat a wide variety of diseases and conditions. Comparing with chemical medicine, Chinese herbal medicine is much more gentler and safer because it is made of natural herbs. Most of Chinese herbs do not cause side effects. Even some side effects that do occur among a few herbs, those side effects can be easily counteracted with other herbs. For these reasons, people turn to herbal therapy for a number of indications. More and more people rely on Chinese herb medicine as alternative after chemical medicine failed.

Chronic illness treatment - As we know, many people with chronic illness may take a number of different conventional drugs daily. Chinese herb medicine is a very good alternative for those who are looking for a natural alternative for the conventional western medicine. There are many very efficient Chinese herbal patent medicines and prescribed herb formulas for the medications taken for pain syndromes, gastrointestinal disorders, neurological disorders, stress related syndromes, respiratory disorders, heart problems, sexual dysfunction, allergies and immune system deficiencies, as well as replacements for antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Side effect reduction - As mentioned early, Chinese herbs are safer and less side-effects. Actually they can be taken to reduce the side effects of other medication such as antibiotics, chemotherapy, etc. It is well known that antibiotics weaken the immune system. Herbal therapy can strengthen the system. Also, during chemotherapy, the white blood cell count drops, which causes fatigue, lack of energy and appetite. Herbal therapy has proven quite successful in relieving the side effects of chemotherapy.

For prevention - People may take Chinese herb medicine for disease prevention. For instance, for a person suffering from frequent headaches, taking herbs to prevent the headache from ever starting is a much better option than taking a pain reliever after the fact. Herbs are also used to prevent the flu, menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome, among other things. For health maintenance- Herbal therapy can also be used for general health maintenance. Tonic herbs are used to increase energy and to slow the aging process. They are also used for enhancing sexual energy and for cosmetic purposes. Herbs arc also used to treat minor symptoms that are not severe enough for heavy chemical drugs, symptoms that cannot be diagnosed by Western medicine, and symptoms and illness that are not easy to treat, such as mononucleosis and immune system deficiencies.

Q: Have herbs been processed before use by patients?

Dr. Li: Yes. Chinese Herbs have been processed before use.

Why? First of all, the processing can reduce any possible side effects of herbs by detoxifying the herbs. The second reason for processing herbs is for filtering out impurities such as dirt and sand. Another reason is the processing can soften the strong taste or smell of herbs. Finally, it is very important to address that processing herbs can enhance their functions.

Q: Can you tell me the difference between Chinese patent and prescribed herbs?

Dr. Li: Chinese Patent herbs are premixed herb combinations according to the traditional formulas developed by experts in traditional Chinese medicine through over 3000 years. They are similar to over-the-counter-drugs and usually in the form of pill, capsule and liquid. The advantages of Chinese patent herbs are convenient, ease to take, less expensive. However, patient's symptoms must fit the patent herb's narrow indications.

Prescribed herbs are mixed by a herbalist according to an individual patient's symptoms and diagnoses. In general speaking, prescribed herbs are more effective than patent herbs because the prescribed herbs are tailored to your symptoms and conditions exclusively by your herbalist if he or she is very good at traditional Chinese medicine.

Q: Can I buy Chinese patent herbs from herb store directly?

Dr. Li: Although Chinese patent herbs are relative safe and have less side-effect, I do not recommend you buy Chinese patent herbs from herb store or other channels without obtaining advice from a certified herbalist.

Q: Are the concentrated herbs as the same good as the raw herbs in prescribed herbs?

Dr. Li: Yes! The concentrated herbs are made from the raw herbs. First of all, best herbal sources from China are selected. Then these raw herbs are purified. After that they are processed through steaming, cooking, finally condensed into fine granular particles. Therefore, they are easy to be dissolved and absorbed and enhance the healing process.

Q: Why Chinese herbs are always mixed in formula to use?

Dr. Li: Chinese herbalists usually do not prescribe single herb for their patients. Chinese herbs usually are used in combinations of 8 to 15 herbs. There are three major reasons to support the combination practice. Mutual Reinforcement involves combining two or more very similar herbs together to create a stronger effect. Mutual Assistance is the way to use one herb to help another work better. Mutual Restraint is meant to use one herb to reduce or eliminate side effects of another herb in the combination.

All of these demonstrate that a herbalist should be experienced and knowledgeable about herbs before attempting to combine them. Otherwise, Mutual Inhibition occurs when one herb reduces another's Effectiveness; Incompatibility occurs when the combination of certain herbs produces side effects or becomes poisonous.

I received many emails and phone calls regarding where to buy single Chinese herb. I think that Many of people in the United States misunderstood Chinese herb medicine when they tried to use single Chinese herb to treat some diseases and conditions. One of the most important advatages of Chinese medicine is the power of mixing.

Q: Could you offer me some precautions while I take herbs?

Dr. Li: Like anything else you put in your body, you should be taken a certain amount of caution when you take Chinese herbs. For instance, some herbs are too strong for pregnant women and may cause miscarriage. Certain foods can have adverse effects on the herbal therapy. In general speaking, when taking Chinese herbs, one should avoid food that is raw (fruit is okay, but vegetables should be cooked), greasy, strong tasting or smelling, difficult to digest (such as beef), or irritating to the digestive system (like spicy foods). It is always a good idea to get advice from a herbalist before you take Chinese herbs.

Q: How are herbs taken?

Dr. Li: As you know, prescribed herbal medicine is traditionally taken in tea form. Human body absorbs tea easily and quickly so it is the most commonly used method. Sometimes, if the smell or taste of the herbal medicine is unpleasant, capsule or tablet form of this herbal medicine is recommended. Tea should always be warm, and capsules or tablets should be swallowed with warm water. Generally, it is best to take herbs just before you serve meals. You should consult a herbalist for specific instructions on taking herbs. For example, tonic herbs, to promote health, are best taken before meals. Purgative herbs, to cleanse the system, are best taken on an empty stomach. Herbs that either irritate the stomach or are taken to protect the stomach should be taken after eating. Herbs for insomnia and other sleeping disorders should be taken at bedtime. from: acuhealing.com

Super Cells that can Make Oil, Cure Cancer, and Build a City

We believe multi-cellular organization is where it's at, with our mesoderms and our Mercedes, but there are some super-powered single cells which are far more than meets the unaided eye. We might think their mightiest power is confining us to the bathroom after an ill-advised late night snack, but having only one cell to deal with means bacteria can adapt incredibly well - and a single mutation can give rise to powers that make Professor Xavier's wheelchair-accessible mansion look like a home for people who are good at minigolf. Here we look at five organisms that would be called the Super-Cells, if that name wasn't probably already taken by Michael Crichton.

1) Eat Radiation

Humans have only three responses responses to radioactive waste: pay someone else to take it away quickly, die, or develop superpowers. Unfortunately the last option has a vanishingly small success rate and the tragic side-effect of utterly destroying the victims fashion sense. Luckily a species of bacteria with the ability to consume uranium and other extremely antisocial wastes has been discovered by US scientists - and as a bonus, it's utterly impossible to make a crap movie adaptation of a bacteria.

Geobacter sulfurreducens has already been used at the Rifle Mills site to clear up a large amount of what the nuclear industry calls "oops!", and what us non-radioactive humans call "a goddamn nuclear contamination of groundwater and the Colorado river". Following on the brave scientific tradition of not only looking a gift horse in the mouth but sending it to the vet for a full set of dental X-rays, some scientists suggest the metal-munching microbe could form the basis for a bio-battery cell. Because when you've fed a superpowered organism nothing but nuclear waste for years, nothing can go wrong with then sticking it in a box and carrying it around with you.

2) Generate Electricity

For those who prefer not to expose living creatures to nuclear radiation (environmental activists, vets, those living in areas threatened by Godzilla), scientists at Penn State have played microbial matchmaker - pairing bacteria which can work together to consume cellulose and generate electricity. Such bio-electrical sources are gaining momentum as attempts to find non-petroleum based power sources: the cellulose-fuelled option is popular because of the large volumes available, either as waste from agriculture and food processing or harvested from renewable forests.

The production of energy from cellulose is a trick we've been trying to copy from termites for a while - though the idea of basing our energy economy on ravenous vermin would make Agent Smith shout "See! I was right!" Attempts to exactly replicate the mechanism used in insect stomachs have so far failed (and probably led to a few scientists wondering, in the dead of night, if this is what they really expected to be doing with their lives). Many research efforts are now directed at finding a more manageable version of the same process, of which this binary design is one of the more unique.

3) Make oil without the inconvenient "millions of years" thing

In more proof that the line between being retarded or a genius is often whether people tell you to shut up before you try something, a geneticist and a biologist asked "Why don't we just make more petrol?" Before anybody could explain that you'd need a Delorean with an extremely large trunk, and that people would get annoyed when you started stealing animals just to dump them in a hole the cretaceous period, George Church and Chris Somerville of San Carlos-based firm LS9 engineered a form of E. Coli which produces hydrocarbon chains with promising petrol potential.

This work provides an interesting environmentalist dilemma - on the one hand it could eliminate the need for oil drilling altogether, but it would also remove the current impetus to develop alternative energy sources that don't depend on the "burn stuff and don't breathe the smoke" strategy. Not to mention that a sentence involving "E.Coli", "petrol" and "genetically engineered" may well be enough to make an eco -activists head explode on the spot.

4) Cure cancer

The thing people forget is that killing cancer is easy. Radiation, drugs, heat, cold, thumping it with lasers or ultrasonics or a baseball bast, it's just another cell and those things can't put up much of a fight against SCIENCE. The problem isn't wiping out the tumours, it's the NOT killing everything they're attached to - healthy human cells which are unfortunately even more fragile. People have this vision of cancer as a multi-headed chimeric hydra, a diabolical monster rearing over a small doctor armed only with a scalpel. The reality is a lumberjack trying to kill one red ant among a thousand black ones he can't touch, and he's only got a sledgehammer, napalm and an ICBM missile to do it with.

Which is where clostridia step in. A cell-sized secret agent, the bacteria can be injected into a patient armed with cancer-fighting genes. As an anaerobic organism it will only replicate in low-oxygen environments - like the clumps of dead tissue found in tumors. There they begin replicating and target the cancerous cells with the therapeutic genes engineered into them by the scientists at of Maastricht University. Even better, these replication locations are the very sites where more conventional chemo- and radiation-therapy are least effective. Whether this boon from the bacteria is coincidence, or an attempt by the single-cell samaritan to make up for it's antisocial clostridian cousins which cause tetanus and botulism, isn't known.

5) Build a city

Superman can punch whatever threatens him, and Batman is bound to have anticipated it, but very few individuals can react to a crisis by turning into a goddamn city. And those who can (Metroplex of the Autobots and Jack Hawksmoor of the Authority) kick unreasonably large amounts of ass. This dynamic duo is now joined by bacterial hordes such as the infamous E. Coli, after a research collaboration involving Johns Hopkins University, Virginia Tech, the University of California and Lund University.

We usually picture bacteria as solitary individuals - though since we usually only think of them when we're sick, we use much less printable words. Recent results prove that they understand Sesame Street as well as any of us macroscale monkeys though, co-operating in times of crisis for the good of the whole. They form highly organized structures called biofilms, mini-city analogs which can share food intake and waste disposal routes for the good of the whole colony.

Medical researchers are extremely interested in studying how these sickness-causing conurbations are formed, so that they can find better ways of preventing planning permission and destroying those unwanted urban zones for good. After all, when you're suffering from a urinary tract infection the last thing you want to know is that every burning sensation is a block party for your unwelcome guests. from: dailygalaxy.com

Smokeless tobacco ups oral cancer risk 80 percent

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Chewing tobacco and snuff are less dangerous than cigarettes but the smokeless products still raise the risk of oral cancer by 80 percent, the World Health Organisation's cancer agency said on Tuesday.

The review of 11 studies worldwide showed people who chewed tobacco and used snuff also had a 60 percent higher risk of esophagus and pancreatic cancer.

The researchers sought to quantify the risk of smokeless tobacco after a number of studies differed on just how dangerous the products were, said Paolo Boffetta, an epidemiologist at the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer.

"What we did was try to quantify the burden of smokeless cancer," he said in a telephone interview. "This has never been attempted in such a systematic way before."

The researchers, who published their findings in Lancet Oncology, did this by looking at population-wide studies and trials of both humans and animals.

They found frequency of use varies greatly both across and within countries, depending on sex, age, ethnic origin and economic background, and were highest in the United States, Sweden and India.

They also found that while snuff and chew were less dangerous than smoking because they were not linked to lung cancer, getting cigarette users to switch was not good public policy.

"If all smokers did this there would be a net benefit," Boffetta said. "The point is we don't know whether this would happen and there is no data to suggest these smokers would stop or switch."

from: Reuters