According to a new study, people with diabetes, especially those treated with insulin, may achieve optimal blood sugar control when they understand the impact of food on blood sugar and they utilize useful advanced blood glucose meter (BGM) features such as meal markers and audible reminders. These findings, presented at the 46th European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, are important because structured self management of blood glucose (SMBG) may be integral to attaining optimal glycemic control. Further, understanding and utilization of particular advanced BGM features may improve the value of SMBG.

A six-month randomized, multicenter prospective clinical outcomes study called ACT (Actions with the CONTOUR® Blood Glucose Meter and Behaviors in Frequent Testers), conducted at four clinical sites in the U.S., evaluated the impact of diabetes education plus use of advanced BGM features versus diabetes education plus use of meters with basic features. Investigators also evaluated the influence of SMBG information, motivation, and behavioral skills on measures of glycemic control via survey questions based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills (IMB) model. The study was sponsored by Bayer HealthCare.

Clinical results indicate that ACT study participants who were randomized to the advanced meter features group (n=105), and used meal markers and audible reminders, engaged in significantly more structured testing, including post-meal testing as well as paired (before and after meal) testing, than those who were randomized to basic meter features. Moreover, 72 percent of study participants in the advanced meter features group had a better understanding of the difference between before and after meal blood sugar results.

Remembering to test blood sugar levels is one of the obstacles for patients with diabetes.(1) At the end of the study, about one quarter of study participants (24 percent in the basic group, 23 percent in the advanced group) said that remembering to test their blood sugars before meals is difficult. However, 55 percent of participants who used basic meter features also said it was difficult to remember to test their blood sugars after meals versus the 23 percent of those that used the advanced meter features. Thus, utilizing the meal marker feature made remembering to test after meals easier.

At the end of the study, more than 61 percent of participants who used the advanced features said they better understood how to make decisions on their own at home, and 66 percent had more confidence in their meal choices since they started testing pre- and post-meal blood sugars. Seventy-two percent of study participants who used the advanced features said they could use their meters in a more helpful way.

The IMB data presented by Dr. William Fisher, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada and co-developer of the IMB model, demonstrate that the correlation of changes in SMBG, IMB skills as they relate to changes in SMBG behavior, and understanding of results are seen in both people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

“There is a considerable amount of medical literature about adherence in diabetes, and a wide range of interventions have been shown to have a positive effect on knowledge, frequency, and accuracy of SMBG. Maintaining change in SMBG over time has been variable, however, and may be dependent upon regular reinforcement. What’s been lacking is a well-integrated behavioral science model of factors that influence SMBG adherence,” said Dr. Fisher. “We are gratified to see that the IMB model for understanding and promoting health behavior change has provided evidence of utility in understanding SMBG in diabetes.”

Study Meaning for Bayer Diabetes Care

“At Bayer Diabetes Care, we are taking a leadership role in developing the awareness that self-monitoring of blood glucose is an important behavioral tool in the management of diabetes,” said Dr. David Simmons, VP and Chief Medical Officer, Bayer Diabetes Care. “The results of the ACT study will help us to identify areas of patient and professional education. They will also provide us with insight for more focused development and improvements in our products and their features, as well as new services we can provide for our customers.”

About Bayer’s Blood Glucose Meters

Bayer’s CONTOUR® USB and DIDGET meters were not used in the ACT clinical study, however both meters are based on Bayer’s trusted CONTOUR® system that was used in the ACT clinical study, using the same advanced meter features and providing the same easy accuracy and No Coding™ technology, automatic correction for hematocrit and many common interfering substances (such as acetaminophen and ascorbic acid), 5-second test time and small (0.6 mL) sample size. The meters use CONTOUR® blood glucose test strips currently available for Bayer’s CONTOUR® meter.

Study Design

ACT: Actions with the CONTOUR® Blood Glucose Meter

Subjects (n=211) had type 1 (n=120) or type 2 (n=90) diabetes, used meal-time insulin at least one meal per day, and tested their blood glucose levels at least three times per day. Subjects received diabetes education and were randomized to Basic (no meal marker or reminder) or Advanced (meal marker and reminder), and were instructed to record blood glucose levels in their logbook. Subjects were seen at baseline, six weeks, three months, and six months with no mandated actions between visits. Baseline testing frequency was self-reported, and meters were downloaded at visit 2-4.

About Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Approximately 23.6 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, which puts them at risk for developing serious health complications over time, such as heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and stroke.(2) Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In persons with type 1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin, and therefore people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin daily.(3) Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in adults, although increasingly, children are being diagnosed with this disease. Type 2 is associated with obesity, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity and race/ethnicity.(4) Managing blood glucose levels within target ranges can prevent or delay the long-term complications of diabetes.(5) An estimated 30 percent of people with diabetes require insulin to manage their disease. Those who require insulin must closely monitor their blood sugar with a blood glucose meter to plan their meals, exercise regimens and insulin dosage.

Forward-looking statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

References

(1) Bayer Diabetes Care Data on file, IMB Cross Sectional study presented at ADA 2010.

(2) ndep.nih/publications/PublicationDetail.aspx?PubId=97#page4 Last accessed Sept 20, 2010

(3) cdc/diabetes/pubs/pdf/search.pdf. Last accessed June 11, 2010

(4) cdc/diabetes/pubs/general.htm Last accessed June 11, 2010

(5) ndep.nih/publications/PublicationDetail.aspx?PubId=97#page4. Last accessed Sept 20, 2010

Source: Bayer Diabetes Care Continue reading →

According to new research from the Monell Center, the degree of change in blood triglyceride levels following a fatty meal may indicate susceptibility to diet-induced obesity. The findings open doors to new methods of identifying people, including children, who are at risk for becoming obese.

Triglycerides are a form of fat that is transported in the blood and stored in the body’s fat tissues. They are found in foods and also are manufactured by the body.

“These findings suggest we may someday be able to use a simple blood test to identify those at risk for obesity,” said senior author Mark Friedman, PhD, a behavioral physiologist at Monell. “The ability to identify more susceptible individuals would make it possible to target obesity-prevention resources on those who need them most.”

The global obesity epidemic is thought to be caused in part by consumption of a diet high in fat and carbohydrates, which promotes weight gain. This propensity to gain weight and become obese when consuming a high-fat diet is at least partially controlled by genes, with some individuals gaining more than others while eating the same diet.

In the study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, Friedman and lead author Hong Ji, PhD, screened rats for vulnerability to diet-induced obesity by measuring the increase in blood triglyceride levels following a single high-fat meal. They then fed the rats a diet high in fat over the next four weeks.

The researchers were able to predict which animals would become obese over the four-week period by examining the earlier metabolic response to the high-fat meal: the smaller the triglyceride change, the greater the weight gain.

There currently are no simple biomarkers for predicting susceptibility to diet-induced obesity, and thus no clinical tests that assist physicians in identifying those at risk for becoming obese. The current findings suggest that a change in blood triglyceride levels may someday be used as such a tool.

Future studies will entail a thorough investigation of the mechanism behind differences in the change in blood triglycerides.

“The differences in weight gain associated with high-fat diets indicate that genetically-determined factors contribute to obesity,” notes Friedman. “We have shown that these genetic factors are related to the body’s ability to burn fat. We now need a better understanding of how this relates to blood triglyceride levels.”

Longer term, Friedman, who received a 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship to pursue his studies on diet and obesity, hopes to determine whether such a blood test is predictive of future weight gain in humans.

The Monell Chemical Senses Center is a nonprofit basic research institute based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For 40 years, Monell has been the nation’s leading research center focused on understanding the senses of smell and taste: how they function and affect lives from before birth through old age. Using a multidisciplinary approach, scientists collaborate in the areas of: sensation and perception, neuroscience and molecular biology, environmental and occupational health, nutrition and appetite, health and well being, and chemical ecology and communication.

Monell Chemical Senses Center Continue reading →

Reverse Medical Corporation announced they have initiated human use of their ReStore™ Microcatheter for reestablishing blood flow in the Neurovasculature. The device was successfully used in an acute ischemic stroke patient in Germany.

Commenting on this significant clinical milestone, Reverse Medical’s President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Valko said, “Human use is always a major milestone to achieve, and the success of the ReStore Microcatheter has now validated our pre-clinical experiences. Demonstrating safety and device performance in the clinical setting will continue to build a strong foundation for accelerating enrollment into our 2010 clinical trial supporting a FDA 510k clearance. Reverse Medical will continue to pursue a broadening platform of state-of-the-art endovascular devices for the treatment of neurovascular disorders.”

Reverse Medical has received enthusiastic support from numerous European centers who have been trained to date on the new technology. Comments from the Company’s lead physician related to the human use experience include, “It is a very clever design and intuitive for use. The options for quickly reestablishing blood flow past the clot, infusing into the clot, or performing thrombectomy, all from one device is very appealing and a clear advancement over other devices for treating acute ischemic stroke patients.”

Source
Reverse Medical Corporation Continue reading →

SiDMAP, LLC, announced that it has expanded its SiDTox™ services to enable rapid and specific detection of drug-induced organ toxicity. Using its proprietary metabolomics technology platform, SiDMAP is able to monitor changes in vital metabolite fluxes in response to drug treatment to quickly determine organ toxicity before structural or morphological damage occurs.

With recent advances in drug discovery, large numbers of potential new drugs have been identified. Yet, a big obstacle that remains in drug discovery and development is the lack of a reliable way to screen these drug candidates to determine toxicity levels early enough in the process. Based on research performed by SiDMAP in collaboration with the Center for Metabolomics at the FDA National Center for Toxicological Research, SiDTox™ now also includes a cost-effective and non-invasive test which promises to better enable pharmaceutical researchers to rapidly detect drug-induced toxicity prior to organ damage.

“Using non-invasive and non-emitting 13C glucose tracer, we are able to quantify synthesis and turnover of selected metabolites in real time in order to develop the necessary translational plasma, tissue and urine isotopomer profiles routinely applicable as toxicity biomarkers in humans,” commented Dr. Laszlo Boros, SiDMAP’s Chief Scientific Advisor. “Our tracer substrate approach utilizes the accurate assessment and quantification of cross-talk and flux alterations among physiologically vital substrate and product pools and their disruption to provide early indications of the presence and mechanisms of drug-induced toxicity, as seen in the FDA study involving valproic acid.”

Presently, drug toxicities, in general, are assessed by morphological markers of organ damage, proteomic and metabonomics methods and gene expression profiles. However, there remains a need for rapid markers to detect drug toxicity prior to irreversible organ damage.

About SiDMAP

SiDMAP provides flux-based, metabolic profiling services to pharmaceutical, biotech and research organizations seeking to enhance drug development processes, and develop further insights into a drug’s mechanism of action and disease states. SiDMAP’s unique technology platform, exclusively licensed from Los Angeles BioMedical Research Institute at Harbor U.C.L.A Medical Center, measures and analyzes metabolic pathway flux to gain unique insights into biological function. SiDMAP assays provide clients with accurate metabolic analysis of the systemic impact of drugs in cells, in preclinical models or in humans. The Company continues to develop biomarkers to assess efficacy and safety of drugs both pre-clinically as well as in the clinic. SiDMAP is head quartered in Los Angeles, California.

Source:
David Manheim
2990 S. Sepulveda Blvd. #300B
Los Angeles, CA 90064
SiDMAP (pdf) Continue reading →

State insurance regulators from Georgia, Oklahoma and Wisconsin on Wednesday testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging about unethical or illegal practices that sales agents allegedly have used in their states to enroll Medicare beneficiaries in private Medicare Advantage plans, the Raleigh News & Observer reports (Goldsmith, Raleigh News & Observer, 5/17). In advance of the hearing, Senate investigators released to Congress interviews and documents that indicate sales agents in at least 39 states have used unethical or illegal practices (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/16).

Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Sean Dilweg testified that 37 out of 43 states that participated in a recent survey have received complaints that Medicare Advantage plan sales agents have used confusing or misleading marketing practices. “In the most troubling of these cases, unscrupulous agents have enrolled beneficiaries with dementia into an inappropriate plan,” Dilweg said (AP/Arizona Daily Star, 5/17). Dilweg, who chairs a National Association of Insurance Commissioners task force on senior issues, added that insurance departments in 39 states have reported complaints about “instances where a plan or an agent provides misleading information about the provider network associated with a certain plan, or the benefits that the plan offers, or the beneficiary cost-sharing involved.”

In some cases, particularly with regard to private fee-for-service plans, “seniors are being told that they can go to any provider without being told that they may only go to a provider that accepts Medicare, and also a provider that has agreed to accept the plan’s payments,” Dilweg said. Insurance regulators in 31 states also have reported “cross-selling” — when sales agents first discuss Medicare prescription drug plans with seniors and then attempt to sell them other plans such as Medicare Advantage plans, annuities and funeral policies, according to Dilweg (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 5/16).

Other Testimony
Sherry Modwell, a special agent for the Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commission, said that one sales agent signed up Georgia seniors for a Medicare drug plan and then enrolled them into a Medicare Advantage plan without their knowledge. In a separate case, seniors were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan even though they had never met or spoken with the agent who enrolled them, Modwell said (AP/Arizona Daily Star, 5/17).

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said, “Unlicensed agents are setting up shop in pharmacies, Wal-Marts and nursing home lobbies to prey upon seniors’ confusion and concern over their medical care coverage.” Holland said that inadequate federal enforcement has led to “virtual lawlessness in Oklahoma,” adding, “Certain insurers are exploiting their exemption from regulatory oversight with aggressive and frequently misleading advertising; agent financial incentives that encourage high-pressure sales tactics; and a lack of responsiveness, if not outright neglect, of a vulnerable population caught in the middle of an unbridled free market” (Povich, CongressDaily, 5/16).

Holland said that “we have pushed the boundaries to respond to our citizens in need because CMS has not done so,” adding that she recently met with CMS officials to discuss the problems in Oklahoma and left with the impression that “they are more concerned with protecting the (Medicare Advantage) program than protecting the people” who are enrolled in the program (CQ HealthBeat, 5/16).

CMS Testimony
Abby Block, director of the CMS Center for Beneficiary Choices, said, “We believe very strongly we need to get this under control,” adding, “But I don’t want to see the whole program disparaged because of the behavior of some bad apples.” Block said that CMS beginning next year will require “specific, unambiguous language in all marketing materials” for Medicare Advantage plans (Nohlgren, St. Petersburg Times, 5/17). Block objected to an idea suggested by committee Chair Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) that would give state regulators the authority to take enforcement action against companies that sell Medicare Advantage plans. State regulators currently can take action only against individual sales agents (CQ HealthBeat, 5/16).

“Medicare Advantage plans are federally financed, so it is critical that CMS retain oversight,” Block said. According to Block, $430,000 in fines were levied against insurers last year, and 98 private fee-for-service plans were placed on “corrective action.” Moreover, CMS recently agreed to a memorandum of understanding with 20 states and Puerto Rico that allows the agency and state insurance commissioners to share compliance and enforcement information; oversee the operations and marketing practices of companies that they jointly regulate; and share information about certain sales agents’ conduct, Block said (CongressDaily, 5/16).

Lawmakers’ Comments
Kohl said he would draft legislation to expand the authority of state insurance regulators (St. Petersburg Times, 5/17). Kohl also said he was pleased by a set of practices that are being adopted by America’s Health Insurance Plans and its members to prevent marketing abuses and strengthen sales agents’ training. “This is a good start, but it’s only a start,” Kohl said, adding, “If more hearings are necessary to hold their feet to the fire, we will hold them.”

Committee ranking member Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) said the insurance industry should be aware that public confidence in privately administered Medicare plans could be in jeopardy because of this issue. Smith told the insurers to “get on top of this and get on top of it fast” (CQ HealthBeat, 5/16). Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said, “I want to assure each of your companies that I am not going to work 10 years to get this corrected — we are going to drain this swamp” (Raleigh News & Observer, 5/17). Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) in a statement said he would work “to enact measures that protect seniors against slimy sales tactics” (CQ HealthBeat, 5/16).

“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. Continue reading →

ImThera Medical, Inc. today announced that it has concluded its Phase I and Phase II protocols for the European Pilot study of the aura6000, a neurostimulation device for treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Clinical trial results from the study will be announced at the American Thoracic Society’s International Conference on May 16, 2011 in Denver, CO.

Principal investigator Dr. Daniel Rodenstein, who helmed the clinical trials, will deliver the results, including significant improvements to patient’s Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI), as well as improvements in sleep quality.

“ImThera’s Therapy is safe and shows substantial OSA reduction and sleep improvement in a majority of patients,” said Dr. Rodenstein. “I am looking forward to the American Thoracic Society’s International Conference and the opportunity to share the substantial patient improvements that resulted from the clinical trial.”

The Pilot Study, performed at Universite Catholic de Louvain, St. Luc Hospital, was comprised of moderate or severe non-compliant CPAP patients. Ten patients have completed the six-month study with all patients compliant and responding well to ImThera’s Targeted Hypoglossal Neurostimulation (THN) therapy, while using the device every night at home.

“We are very happy with the results of our pilot study showing significant improvements of OSA patients when using our aura6000 system. Especially with the very positive comments received from our patients,” said Marcelo G. Lima, president and CEO of ImThera. “This is an important time for the company as we’ve now completed our Series B funding and we look forward to the upcoming IDE application with the U.S. FDA as well as the planned U.S. clinical trials.”

More than 800,000 patients in the U.S. are diagnosed with OSA annually. The industry estimates that as many as 38 million Americans may suffer from OSA and that approximately 20 percent of this population is getting treatment today. While CPAP is the established therapy, studies show that only 46 percent of patients comply with CPAP. The aura6000™ is based on ImThera’s proprietary Targeted Hypoglossal Neurostimulation (THN Sleep Therapy™), delivering stimulation to key muscles of the tongue during sleep.

ImThera’s aura6000™ system takes, on average, ninety minutes to implant surgically. It offers one of the world’s smallest implantable and rechargeable stimulators and does not require additional sensors to function.

Caution: The aura6000 is not for sale in the U.S.A.

Source:

ImThera Medical, Inc. Continue reading →

Clinic Service Corporation (CSC), the leader in Colorado Practice Management Solutions, announced the firm has successfully launched a proprietary EMR solution, with this first release having been developed for primary care physicians.

“We approached the development of this EMR differently than our competitors,” said Andrew Graham, President, CSC. “Rather than focus on creating a software solution obsessed with having nothing but bells and whistles, we designed our system to complement how a physician currently practices medicine. In addition to meeting all Meaningful Use standards, maintaining our doctors’ productivity and profitability while enabling them to keep their focus on their patients was our top requirement.”

CSC, established in 1974, provides practice management solutions to private medical practices in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming. In addition to billing services, CSC assists practices with Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system implementation, business plan development, HIPAA compliance, small business management, and managed care contracting.

Source: Clinic Service Corporation Continue reading →

A study of 90,000 people has uncovered new genetic variants that influence fat mass, weight and risk of obesity. The variants act in addition to the recently described variants of the FTO gene: adults carrying variants in both genes are, on average, 3.8 kg (or 8.5 lb) heavier.

The variants map close to a gene called MC4R: mutations in this gene are the most common genetic cause of severe familial obesity. The study highlights the power of large collections of volunteer samples to uncover common variants that influence health.

“By working together with many international groups we have been able to assemble a sample collection which was large enough to allow this finding to be made,” explains Dr Ruth Loos, leading author from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit. “Several groups had shown that rare, highly disruptive variants in the MC4R gene were responsible for very severe, genetic forms of obesity: this collaboration has uncovered more common variants that affect more people.”

The study, published in Nature Genetics, is led by investigators from the Cambridge GEM consortium (Genetics of Energy Metabolism) and Oxford University and is a collaboration between 77 institutions from the UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Sweden.

The team studied more than 77,000 adults and found that two copies of genetic variants resulted in an average increase in weight of about 1.5 kg.

This is the second set of common variants that are associated with weight and obesity, following the study, involving many of the same team, published in April 2007 that uncovered a role for the FTO gene. People who carry two copies of an FTO variant are about 2-3 kg heavier than those who have no copies of the variant.

Importantly, the effects of the new gene add to those of FTO; people who carried both the FTO variant and new variants were on average 3.8 kg (8.5 lb) heavier.

“This is a great example of how cooperation can bring about new findings that can be missed when researchers work in isolation,” explains Dr In??s Barroso, Investigator at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and one of the senior authors on the study. “The precise role in obesity of genetic variants in FTO and near MC4R remains to be discovered, but we can now begin to understand the biological consequences of these variants. This is where this research will make a difference.”

MC4R protein plays a pivotal role in many aspects of physiology, including regulation of appetite and energy expenditure. The severe form of MC4R-related obesity is a consequence of alterations in the gene sequence, resulting in an inactive or less active MC4R protein.

By contrast, the new variants lie some distance from the MC4R gene. The team suspect that the sequence variant changes activity of the MC4R gene, perhaps by disrupting DNA regions required for normal activity of MC4R.

“Through this new and powerful genetic approach we are increasingly finding that the genes known to play a role in severe – but rare – diseases are also implicated in much more common disease,” explains Professor Mark McCarthy, Robert Turner Professor of Diabetes at the University of Oxford, UK. “The common variants we are uncovering do not have such a dramatic effect on the normal functioning of the gene as do the rare mutations in MC4R that can cause rare examples of very serious, early onset obesity.”

Dramatically, in a study of almost 6000 children, they found that the effects were almost double those seen in adults. Between the ages of four and seven, this additional increase in weight was the result, almost exclusively, of gain of fat tissue, and not due to gain in muscle or other solid tissues.

This more dramatic effect in young children reflects the more extreme consequences seen with rare variants of MC4R that severely disrupt its activity, suggesting that the novel variants do indeed exert their effect through action on MC4R.

“Our work to understand common disease, such as obesity, depends on the participation of thousands of people – members of the public who provide samples,” explains Professor Nick Wareham, Director of the MRC Epidemiology Unit. “Without their willing participation, we could never achieve the power in our research to make striking findings like this.

“For each discovery, our efforts and the contribution of the participants will lead to improved healthcare for the population at large.”

The team will now look to uncover how the DNA variants affect activity of the MC4R protein, which is a key player in orchestrating information from the body to control appetite and energy expenditure to keep body weight in balance. The team propose that altered activity of MC4R, imposed by the variants, might reduce its ability to carry out this important role.

The team emphasize that, although gene variants can affect weight, body mass index and obesity, they are only part of the story: lifestyle actions such as good diet and regular exercise are vital to control of weight.

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Publications details

Loos RJF et al. (2008) Association studies involving over 90,000 people demonstrate that common variants near to MC4R influence fat mass, weight and risk of obesity. Nature Genetics Published online on Sunday 4 May 2008 doi: dx.doi/10.1038/ng.140

Participating groups

A full list of participating groups can be found at the Nature website.

The Cambridge Genetics of Energy Metabolism (GEM) consortium includes researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, MRC Epidemiology Unit and University of Cambridge Department of Clinical Biochemistry and brings together teams with diverse skills to tackle the task of understanding the genetics of both common polygenic forms and also rare monogenic forms of diabetes and obesity.

Funding

This research programme was supported by the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, Diabetes UK, Cancer Research United Kingdom, BDA Research, UK National Health Service Research and Development, the European Commission, the Academy of Finland, the British Heart Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, GlaxoSmithKline, and the German National Genome Research Net.

Additional support was provided to individuals by the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the Throne-Holst Foundation, the Vandervell Foundation, American Diabetes Association, Unilever Corporate Research and the British Heart foundation.

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, which receives the majority of its funding from the Wellcome Trust, was founded in 1992 as the focus for UK sequencing efforts. The Institute is responsible for the completion of the sequence of approximately one-third of the human genome as well as genomes of model organisms such as mouse and zebrafish, and more than 90 pathogen genomes. In October 2005, new funding was awarded by the Wellcome Trust to enable the Institute to build on its world-class scientific achievements and exploit the wealth of genome data now available to answer important questions about health and disease. These programmes are built around a Faculty of more than 30 senior researchers. The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is based in Hinxton, Cambridge, UK. sanger.ac/

Oxford University’s Medical Sciences Division is one of the largest biomedical research centres in Europe and Oxford is ranked third in the world for biomedicine. The Medical Sciences Division represents almost one third of Oxford University’s income and expenditure and two thirds of Oxford University’s external research income. Work ranges from basic science including leading molecular research to studies in humans, with vaccines in field trials for HIV, TB and malaria. ox.ac/

The Medical Research Council supports the best scientific research to improve human health. Its work ranges from molecular level science to public health medicine and has led to pioneering discoveries in our understanding of the human body and the diseases which affect us all. mrc.ac/

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline at gsk/.

GlaxoSmithKline sponsored, in part, the CoLaus Study in Lausanne, Switzerland. This study is one of a large panel of academic-industry collaborations that GlaxoSmithKline has set up to decipher the genetic basis of common diseases. Scientists from GlaxoSmithKline and from Lausanne University Hospital collaborated closely with the MRC and Sanger scientists and were involved in the collection and the analysis of the data which led to the present publication.

The Wellcome Trust is the largest charity in the UK. It funds innovative biomedical research, in the UK and internationally, spending around ??650 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Wellcome Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing. wellcome.ac/

Source: Don Powell

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Continue reading →

The Finnish Meteorological Institute in Helsinki, Finland, will host the first annual meeting of the European Integrated Project on Aerosol Cloud Climate and Air Quality Interactions, EUCAARI, headed by Academy Professor Markku Kulmala, on 19-22 November 2007. The purpose of EUCAARI is to significantly improve current knowledge of the impact of fine particles in the atmosphere on climate and air quality. The first year of the project was dedicated to developing state-of-the-art aerosol measuring equipment, establishing a global network of measuring stations, and planning. The measuring period, beginning next spring, will collect data on European air through both ground-based and airborne measurements simultaneously.

During the past year, this EU-wide research project has developed an extremely sensitive measuring device for aerosols, allowing for reliable measurements of particles less than 3 nanometres across. Such a development in measuring technology will play a key role when solving the physical and chemical questions of aerosol generation and formation, and has already enabled significant, recently-published new observations on the quantity of particles less than 3 nm in size.

The past few months have also seen the establishment of a global measuring station network for EUCAARI. Stations have been established in Brazil, South Africa, China, and India. They cover measurement areas that are geographically important for the monitoring of air pollution. For example, the Brazilian station is located in the rainforest region, and the South African station in the savannah area. The stations will start operating from the beginning of 2008. In addition to the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Meteorological Institute plays a key role in running the observation stations and planning the infrastructure.

Next May, a new, month-long measuring period will begin. During that time, the atmosphere above Europe will be observed simultaneously from both ground-based and aircraft-borne equipment. The data-gathering flights will move across Europe in various directions. This will provide measuring data on, for example, the development of aerosol quantities at various altitudes in the atmosphere, and trace the long-range migration of air masses and various kinds of pollution. The month-long measurement period is part of a wider 15-month (1 March 2008-31 May 2009) intensive EUCAARI ground-based measurement campaign involving measuring stations in and outside Europe. The University of Helsinki’s Hyyti?¤l?¤ Forestry Field Station will contribute to this intensive period by providing ground-based measurements.

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The four-year long EUCAARI was launched in January 2007, and will end in December 2010. The total budget of EUCAARI, currently the largest aerosol project in Europe, is ?‚¬15 million, 10 million of which is covered by the European Union. The project employs researchers from 25 different countries.

For further information, please contact Markku Kulmala, University of Helsinki.

Source: Markku Kulmala

University of Helsinki Continue reading →

A unique pattern of gene expression observed in rats may be linked to a conditioned desire for food and excessive food intake, an article published in BMC Biology suggests.

It’s well known that food-associated cues, such as advertising, can influence food intake. But the underlying neurobiology is far from clear. Craig A. Schiltz and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, USA, created an experimental set up that allowed them to study patterns of gene expression linked to this motivational state – rats conditioned to expect a chocolate-flavoured treat in a particular environment, were subsequently denied their reward.

The research, conducted in the laboratory of Ann E. Kelly showed that expression of a handful of immediate early genes was increased in cortical, striatal, thalamic and hypothalamic brain regions. Food-related cues triggered dramatic changes in the functional connectivity of circuits involved in adaptive behaviour. For example, increased connectivity was seen between the cortex and two other regions – the amygdala and the striatum. Within the latter, there was a shift in activity from the outer shell to the inner core of the nucleus accumbens and an increased expression of the opioid-encoding proenkephalin gene.

Taken together, these results suggest that food-associated cues have a powerful influence on neuronal activity and gene expression in brain areas mediating complicated functions such as cognition and emotion, and more basic abilities such as arousal and energy balance. The pattern of activation differs from that elicited by neutral cues, and may well contribute to a conditioned motivational state that can lead to excessive food intake.

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Article:
Food-associated cues alter forebrain functional connectivity as assessed with immediate early gene and proenkephalin expression
Craig A Schiltz, Quentin Z Bremer, Charles F Landry and Ann E Kelley
BMC Biology (In press)

Contact: Martyn Thomas

BioMed Central Continue reading →