Plucking hairs 'can make more grow'

Plucking hairs in a precise pattern can make even more pop up in their place, a US study suggests.

Playing with the density of hair removed altered how serious an injury the body recognised and in turn how much hair regrew.

The team managed to regenerate 1,300 hairs by plucking 200, in the study using mice reported in Cell journal.

Experts said it was "really nice science" but were uncertain if it could lead to a cure for human baldness.

Half of men have male-pattern baldness by the age of 50.

The team at the University of Southern California were investigating how hair follicles communicate with each other to decide on the scale of repair job needed.

Inflammation

In a series of experiments they removed 200 hair follicles from a circular patch of skin in mice.

A low-density pluck - removing follicles from a patch 6mm in diameter - led to no regeneration at all.

A medium-density pluck, with 200 removed from a 5mm circle, led to 1,300 new hairs.

A higher-density effort, with the same number of hairs but from a 4mm diameters circle, led to 780 new hairs.

Pulling every hair out led to every hair coming back, but no extra regeneration.

Hair comes back thicker after thorough plucking

The researchers showed that the level of inflammation under the skin was finely tuned to the scale of the damage.

And through a cascade of chemical signalling and immune responses, this controlled the amount of regeneration.

The team say it is like each hair gets a vote about what happens next and when it reaches a critical threshold it can trigger regeneration. They call the concept "quorum sensing".

Lead researcher Dr Cheng-Ming Chuong said: "It is a good example of how basic research can lead to work with potential translational value.

"The work leads to potential new targets for treating alopecia, a form of hair loss."

What the findings means for people plucking their eyebrows is uncertain.

Pathway

Chris Mason, professor of regenerative medicine at University College London, told the BBC: "It's a really nice piece of science. The idea of quorum sensing is smart."

But it is not known whether it will cure human baldness.

Prof Mason added: "That's the million-dollar question. I'm not sure. As it stands here, you've got to have some hair to pluck.

"A lot of studies have produced hair, but it's too fine - it's baby hair, it's light-coloured and it just doesn't look right. But here we can infer they are adult hairs so that is something that is a step change.

"Could you tap into the pathway with a cream or injection? That could well be possible - or maybe don't wait until you're totally bald?"

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Ebola survivors 'face health issues'

The WHO said the risks of the Ebola virus spreading from country to country were reducing

Many Ebola survivors are likely to face further health issues including eye and joint problems, the World Health Organization has warned.

And a recent case may have caught Ebola through sexual contact with someone who had recovered, experts said.

The WHO has decided the crisis still constitutes as a public health emergency of international concern.

But said there had been "real, substantive progress" in the drive to end the outbreak in the last few weeks.

Health aftermath

Officials announced they are attempting to set up clinics in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea to monitor the health consequences Ebola survivors face.

Patients have reported problems with their vision, joints and on-going fatigue.

But Dr Bruce Aylward, assistant director general of the WHO, admitted not much was known about the long-term implications of the virus.

He said the information gathered at these clinics would help the mental and physical health needs of people recovering from the disease.

Experts from the organisation also said a recent Ebola patient was "likely to have been infected following sexual contact involving a survivor some months after his recovery".

Meanwhile reports suggest Liberian medics have been investigating whether a patient may have contracted the disease in this way.

WHO scientists are now considering whether it would be feasible to offer screening to check if the virus is still present in semen 90 days after male survivors have been declared Ebola free.

Current WHO advice says survivors should practice safe sex for three months following recovery as the virus can linger in these bodily fluids.

International spread

At a meeting convened to review whether the WHO should continue to describe the outbreak as an international emergency, Dr Aylward said real progress had been made.

He said the worst-affected countries were on track in clearing the disease, despite the advancing rainy season which had threatened to make logistics harder.

And the WHO said the risks of international spread of the virus were abating.

But Dr Aylward warned numbers were "not at zero by any stretch".

Challenges continue, including new cases that are not on registered lists of known Ebola contacts.

Just 30 confirmed infections were recorded in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the previous week.

But the decline in numbers posed a challenge for those developing vaccines and therapies, the WHO warned.

There have been 25,532 cases during this Ebola outbreak and 10,584 deaths.

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Being overweight 'cuts dementia risk'

Those who were overweight had an 18% reduction in dementia, researchers found

Being overweight cuts the risk of dementia, according to the largest and most precise investigation into the relationship.

The researchers admit they were surprised by the findings, which run contrary to current health advice.

The analysis of nearly two million British people, in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, showed underweight people had the highest risk.

Dementia charities still advised not smoking, exercise and a balanced diet.

Dementia is one of the most pressing modern health issues. The number of patients globally is expected to treble to 135 million by 2050.

There is no cure or treatment, and the mainstay of advice has been to reduce risk by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Yet it might be misguided.

'Surprise'

The team at Oxon Epidemiology and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analysed medical records from 1,958,191 people aged 55, on average, for up to two decades.

Their most conservative analysis showed underweight people had a 39% greater risk of dementia compared with being a healthy weight.

But those who were overweight had an 18% reduction in dementia - and the figure was 24% for the obese.

"Yes, it is a surprise," said lead researcher Dr Nawab Qizilbash.

He told the BBC News website: "The controversial side is the observation that overweight and obese people have a lower risk of dementia than people with a normal, healthy body mass index.

"That's contrary to most if not all studies that have been done, but if you collect them all together our study overwhelms them in terms of size and precision."

Loss of tissue in a demented brain compared with a healthy one

Any explanation for the protective effect is distinctly lacking. There are some ideas that vitamin D and E deficiencies contribute to dementia and they may be less common in those eating more.

But Dr Qizilbash said the findings were not an excuse to pile on the pounds or binge on Easter eggs.

"You can't walk away and think it's OK to be overweight or obese. Even if there is a protective effect, you may not live long enough to get the benefits," he added.

Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and other diseases are all linked to a bigger waistline.

Analysis

By James Gallagher, Health editor, BBC News website

These findings have come as a surprise, not least for the researchers themselves.

But the research leaves many questions unanswered.

Is fat actually protective or is something else going on that could be harnessed as a treatment? Can other research groups produce the same findings?

Clearly there is a need for further research, but what should people do in the meantime?

These results do not seem to be an excuse to eye up an evening on the couch with an extra slice of cake.

The Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Research UK have both come out and encouraged people to exercise, stop smoking and have a balanced diet.

Dr Simon Ridley, of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "These new findings are interesting as they appear to contradict previous studies linking obesity to dementia risk.

"The results raise questions about the links between weight and dementia risk. Clearly, further research is needed to understand this fully."

The Alzheimer's Society said the "mixed picture highlights the difficulty of conducting studies into the complex lifestyle risk factors for dementia".

Prof Deborah Gustafson, of SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York, argued: "To understand the association between body mass index and late-onset dementia should sober us as to the complexity of identifying risk and protective factors for dementia.

"The report by Qizilbash and colleagues is not the final word on this controversial topic."

Dr Qizilbash said: "We would agree with that entirely."

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Being overweight 'cuts dementia risk'

Those who were overweight had an 18% reduction in dementia, researchers found

Being overweight cuts the risk of dementia, according to the largest and most precise investigation into the relationship.

The researchers admit they were surprised by the findings, which run contrary to current health advice.

The analysis of nearly two million British people, in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, showed underweight people had the highest risk.

Dementia charities still advised not smoking, exercise and a balanced diet.

Dementia is one of the most pressing modern health issues. The number of patients globally is expected to treble to 135 million by 2050.

There is no cure or treatment, and the mainstay of advice has been to reduce risk by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Yet it might be misguided.

'Surprise'

The team at Oxon Epidemiology and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analysed medical records from 1,958,191 people aged 55, on average, for up to two decades.

Their most conservative analysis showed underweight people had a 39% greater risk of dementia compared with being a healthy weight.

But those who were overweight had an 18% reduction in dementia - and the figure was 24% for the obese.

"Yes, it is a surprise," said lead researcher Dr Nawab Qizilbash.

He told the BBC News website: "The controversial side is the observation that overweight and obese people have a lower risk of dementia than people with a normal, healthy body mass index.

"That's contrary to most if not all studies that have been done, but if you collect them all together our study overwhelms them in terms of size and precision."

Loss of tissue in a demented brain compared with a healthy one

Any explanation for the protective effect is distinctly lacking. There are some ideas that vitamin D and E deficiencies contribute to dementia and they may be less common in those eating more.

But Dr Qizilbash said the findings were not an excuse to pile on the pounds or binge on Easter eggs.

"You can't walk away and think it's OK to be overweight or obese. Even if there is a protective effect, you may not live long enough to get the benefits," he added.

Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and other diseases are all linked to a bigger waistline.

Analysis

By James Gallagher, Health editor, BBC News website

These findings have come as a surprise, not least for the researchers themselves.

But the research leaves many questions unanswered.

Is fat actually protective or is something else going on that could be harnessed as a treatment? Can other research groups produce the same findings?

Clearly there is a need for further research, but what should people do in the meantime?

These results do not seem to be an excuse to eye up an evening on the couch with an extra slice of cake.

The Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Research UK have both come out and encouraged people to exercise, stop smoking and have a balanced diet.

Dr Simon Ridley, of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "These new findings are interesting as they appear to contradict previous studies linking obesity to dementia risk.

"The results raise questions about the links between weight and dementia risk. Clearly, further research is needed to understand this fully."

The Alzheimer's Society said the "mixed picture highlights the difficulty of conducting studies into the complex lifestyle risk factors for dementia".

Prof Deborah Gustafson, of SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York, argued: "To understand the association between body mass index and late-onset dementia should sober us as to the complexity of identifying risk and protective factors for dementia.

"The report by Qizilbash and colleagues is not the final word on this controversial topic."

Dr Qizilbash said: "We would agree with that entirely."

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Plucking hairs 'can make more grow'

Plucking hairs in a precise pattern can make even more pop up in their place, a US study suggests.

Playing with the density of hair removed altered how serious an injury the body recognised and in turn how much hair regrew.

The team managed to regenerate 1,300 hairs by plucking 200, in the study using mice reported in Cell journal.

Experts said it was "really nice science" but were uncertain if it could lead to a cure for human baldness.

Half of men have male-pattern baldness by the age of 50.

The team at the University of Southern California were investigating how hair follicles communicate with each other to decide on the scale of repair job needed.

Inflammation

In a series of experiments they removed 200 hair follicles from a circular patch of skin in mice.

A low-density pluck - removing follicles from a patch 6mm in diameter - led to no regeneration at all.

A medium-density pluck, with 200 removed from a 5mm circle, led to 1,300 new hairs.

A higher-density effort, with the same number of hairs but from a 4mm diameters circle, led to 780 new hairs.

Pulling every hair out led to every hair coming back, but no extra regeneration.

Hair comes back thicker after thorough plucking

The researchers showed that the level of inflammation under the skin was finely tuned to the scale of the damage.

And through a cascade of chemical signalling and immune responses, this controlled the amount of regeneration.

The team say it is like each hair gets a vote about what happens next and when it reaches a critical threshold it can trigger regeneration. They call the concept "quorum sensing".

Lead researcher Dr Cheng-Ming Chuong said: "It is a good example of how basic research can lead to work with potential translational value.

"The work leads to potential new targets for treating alopecia, a form of hair loss."

Pathway

Chris Mason, professor of regenerative medicine at University College London, told the BBC: "It's a really nice piece of science. The idea of quorum sensing is smart."

But it is not known whether it will cure human baldness.

Prof Mason added: "That's the million-dollar question. I'm not sure. As it stands here, you've got to have some hair to pluck.

"A lot of studies have produced hair, but it's too fine - it's baby hair, it's light-coloured and it just doesn't look right. But here we can infer they are adult hairs so that is something that is a step change.

"Could you tap into the pathway with a cream or injection? That could well be possible - or maybe don't wait until you're totally bald?"

21.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ebola survivors 'face health issues'

The WHO said the risks of the Ebola virus spreading from country to country were reducing

Many Ebola survivors are likely to face further health issues including eye and joint problems, the World Health Organization has warned.

The organisation said there had not been enough focus on this so far.

It added there had been "real, substantive progress" in the drive to end the outbreak in the last few weeks.

But experts remained "absolutely firm" the crisis still constituted a public health emergency of international concern.

The WHO announced it was attempting to set up clinics in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea to monitor the health consequences Ebola survivors face.

Dr Bruce Aylward, assistant director general of the organisation, admitted not much was known about the long-term implications of the virus.

But he said the information gathered at these clinics would help the mental and physical health needs of people recovering from the disease.

According to WHO doctors, a substantial proportion of patients have reported problems with their vision and joints.

Dr Andrew Ramsay, working for the WHO in Sierra Leone, previously said: "Eye problems might be caused by damage to the cornea, to the nerves or something else.

"At this point we do not have enough information to know exactly what is going on.

"But we need to find out urgently so we can do whatever we can to preserve the eyesight for people who have to try to pick up their lives again."

Experts said they were also considering whether it was feasible to offer screening to male survivors to check if the virus was still present in semen after they recovered.

Current advice suggests survivors should practice safe sex for 90 days after they have been declared free of the virus, as it can linger in some bodily fluids.

At a meeting convened to review whether the WHO should continue to describe the outbreak as an international emergency, Dr Aylward said real progress had been made.

He said the worst-affected countries were on track in clearing the disease, despite the advancing rainy season which had threatened to make logistics harder.

And the WHO said the risks of international spread of the virus were abating.

But Dr Aylward warned numbers were "not at zero by any stretch".

Challenges continue, including new cases that are not on registered lists of known Ebola contacts.

Just 30 confirmed infections were recorded in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the previous week.

But the decline in numbers posed a challenge for those developing vaccines and therapies, the WHO warned.

Dr Aylward said: "A lot of thought by a lot of smart people is going on to make sure we have the tools we need going forward."

There have been 25,532 cases during this Ebola outbreak and 10,584 deaths.

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Short people's 'heart risk greater'

The shorter you are, the greater your risk of heart problems, a team at the University of Leicester says.

The study, of nearly 200,000 people, found sections of DNA that control both height and heart health.

The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed every extra 2.5in (6.4cm) cut coronary disease incidence by 13.5%

The British Heart Foundation said short people should not be unduly worried and everyone needed a healthy lifestyle.

Coronary heart disease, which includes heart attacks and heart failure, is the leading cause of death in the UK.

More than 73,000 people die from the disease each year.

'Small' risk

The idea that height plays a role in heart health was first proposed more than 50 years ago, but researchers did not know why.

Some thought the relationship was a consequence of other factors, such as poor childhood nutrition stunting height and also affecting the heart.

But the study at the University of Leicester suggests the answer lies deeper - inside our DNA.

They analysed 180 genes that have a known link to height.

The results showed that every 2.5in of height affected the risk by 13.5%, so the difference in heart risk between a five-footer and a six-footer would be around 64%.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, from the University of Leicester, told the BBC News website: "In the context of major risk factors this is small - smoking increases the risk by 200-300% - but it is not trivial.

"I wouldn't say shorter people need to take greater precautions, because if you're 6ft 1in (1.85m) you still need to stop smoking.

"This is only one of many factors affecting risk, everybody should be cautious."

Genetic clues

The study also showed those genes cutting height were also increasing the amount of cholesterol and fats in the bloodstream.

The researchers believe some of the height genes may also be controlling both growth and blood vessel development.

"Understanding these pathways may lead to new treatments and that may be more valuable in the longer term," Prof Samani added.

But it is worth remembering it is not all good news being tall. as height increases the risk of cancer.

Prof Peter Weissberg, the medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study does not suggest that short people should be unduly worried about their health or that doctors need to focus on the health of shorter patients.

"Everyone, regardless of their height, should do everything in their power to reduce their risk of future heart disease by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and not smoking.

"Currently available health checks are designed to help you understand what measures you need to take to reduce your personal risk."

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Breast cancer risk test devised

Scientists have predicted the odds of women developing breast cancer by looking for tiny errors in their DNA.

The international team analysed 77 genes. Individually they each had a low impact on cancer risk, but were a powerful combination.

The findings, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, could eventually transform screening, preventive treatments and even HRT.

Cancer charities said the field was developing rapidly.

The genetic tests that have already been developed are restricted, in the UK, to those women with the very highest risk of developing breast cancer.

They look for changes such as mutations in the BRCA genes that led the Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie to have her breasts and ovaries removed.

They can give up to a 90% chance of cancer in a woman's lifetime, but are rare.

'Very exciting'

The team, led by the Institute of Cancer Research in London and the University of Cambridge, looked at the parts of the genetic code that have a more subtle effect yet will influence every woman's chance of cancer.

Of the 77 cancer-risk sites in the DNA inherited from the mother and the matching 77 from the father, an average woman would have 66.

It allowed the team to calculate the probability of women developing breast cancer.

• In women with no family history of breast cancer, the highest-risk group had a 16.6% lifetime risk
• In women with no family history of breast cancer, the lowest-risk group had a 5.2% lifetime risk
• In women with a family history of breast cancer, the higher-risk group had a 24.4% lifetime risk
• In women with a family history of breast cancer, the lowest-risk group had a 8.2% lifetime risk

"These are quite substantial risks," said Prof Montserrat Garcia-Closas, of the Institute of Cancer Research.

She told the BBC News website: "I think it's very exciting at the moment. The discovery of these variants has progressed very quickly in the last five years and I think it's reaching a plateau. And at that point it's time to start designing a genetic test that includes all these elements. That's likely to be reached within a year."

The ability to accurately predict the risk of breast cancer could have a powerful impact on medicine.

It could clearly show which women need drugs, such as tamoxifen and raloxifene, to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

The lowest-risk women may not need breast cancer screening, while those at highest risk might need to start earlier.

Hormone replacement therapy has many benefits, but it does increase the risk of cancer. So knowing the background genetic risk could also inform who should and should not have HRT.

'Major step'

But one of the great challenges will be to combine these tests with current techniques.

Prof Douglas Easton, of the University of Cambridge, said: "We've now reached a crucial stage at which all this research can be combined to help target screening and advice to those women who need them the most.

"There's still work to be done to determine how tests like this could complement other risk factors, such as age, lifestyle and family history, but it's a major step in the right direction that will hopefully see genetic risk prediction become part of routine breast screening in the years to come."

Dr Matthew Lam, of the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "In recent years we've learnt so much about genetic risk factors of breast cancer. What's great to see now is that these findings are starting to be translated into practical methods to predict risk."

Nell Barrie, of Cancer Research UK, said: "This study shows how the genetic map of breast cancer that scientists have been building up over the years might be used to identify women most at risk, so we can take steps to reduce their chances of developing the disease or catch it at the earliest possible stage."

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UK pollution forecast prompts warning

Parts of the UK could reach the highest level of air pollution on Friday, prompting heath warnings.

Warm, still conditions are expected to combine with traffic fumes, pollution from the continent and Saharan dust from the south as it rises to level 10.

Much of the South East and eastern England will see high levels of pollution, although the problem is expected to be short-lived.

Defra said overnight Atlantic winds will disperse polluted air by Saturday.

Last month, Public Health England issued a warning after smog appeared in parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In areas experiencing very high levels of air pollution, adults and children with lung problems, adults with heart problems and older people are advised to avoid strenuous activity.

People are also advised to reduce physical exertion, particularly outside, and asthma sufferers may need to use their reliever inhaler more often.

How concerning?

By James Gallagher, Health editor, BBC News website

Healthy people tend to notice air pollution as a dry throat, sore eyes or a tickly cough.

But it can have a more serious impact on health by being the trigger for a heart attack or by making asthma worse.

Even low levels of air pollution can harm the health of people who are particularly sensitive.

But on Friday pollution will hit "level 10" or "very high" - the highest category of air pollution in the UK.

It does not mean people need to stay indoors.

But it is the only category of air pollution at which at-risk people - those with heart or lung problems and the elderly - are told to completely avoid strenuous physical activity.

Even healthy people are told to cut down on the amount of physical exertion.

However, the pollution will be brief and levels will drop to low/moderate by Saturday.

'National embarrassment'

People are also advised to avoid busy roads and those who carry a reliever inhaler should always have it with them.

Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation, said: "This latest high air pollution episode, coming so soon after the last, is troubling, and could again put people living with respiratory conditions at risk of worsening symptoms."

A Defra spokeswoman said: "This is expected to clear on Saturday and pollution levels will return to low throughout the morning."

A case brought by environmental lawyers Client Earth against the government over levels of air pollution that breach European Union rules is shortly to return to the Supreme Court.

Philip Insall, director of health for cycling charity Sustrans, described the state of air pollution in Britain as "criminal" and a "national embarrassment".

He said: "The next government will need to get a grip on air pollution.

"That will mean serious, dedicated investment and an effective programme of action to help more people out of their cars and choosing walking and cycling for short journeys."

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Review of case against NHS manager

The General Medical Council is to review an investigation into a senior executive at NHS England, Dame Barbara Hakin.

She has faced claims she endangered patients by ordering a hospital trust to meet performance targets whatever the cost, while she was head of the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority.

Dame Barbara, now national director for commissioning operations, was cleared by the GMC in 2013 after an investigation.

But that will now be reviewed.

Allegations of bullying and endangering patient safety had dogged Dame Barbara since 2009, when she ran the East Midlands authority.

They relate in particular to the treatment of the former chief executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals turned whistleblower, Gary Walker, who lost his job after being told waiting time targets had to be met despite his concerns over patient safety.

A year-long GMC investigation cleared Dame Barbara of 17 separate allegations in 2013, all of which she had denied.

That investigation is now being reviewed, but the GMC says Dame Barbara is not facing a fresh inquiry.

Documents seen by the BBC suggest the decision may "in part be materially flawed" - including concerns that the evidence gathered did not go far enough in relation to the allegations around patient safety - and say a review is in the public interest.

A General Medical Council spokesperson said: "We don't comment in detail on individual doctors. But we can confirm that Dame Barbara Hakin is not under investigation by the GMC.

"We are however reviewing a decision made as part of our original investigation. This process, known as Rule 12, enables the GMC in certain circumstances to review a decision previously made."

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