Depression gene found

Scientists claim to be a step closer to understanding mental illness after discovering a gene linked to depression in older men.

An international team, led by University of Western Australia, has pinpointed a polymorphic gene that determines the risk of depression in older men, the latest edition of the 'International Journal of Epidemiology' reported.

According to the scientists, the study demonstrated that the risk of depression was greatest amongst people who carry a genetic polymorphism of the Creactive protein (CRP) gene and is not linked to increased levels of CRP, as previous scientific studies had suggested.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein found in the blood in response to inflammation "The results of our study suggest that these genetic variations lead to a relative deficiency in an individual's ability to address the physiological changes that occur as a result of acute stressful events.

"This marks the first time researchers have shown that men who display a polymorphism on chromosome one've a greater chance of displaying depressive episodes," Professor Osvaldo Almeida, who led the team, said.

For the study, the scientists used the Australian electoral rolls from 1996 and 1998 to sample (randomly) 12,000 men, aged 65 and older, living in Perth, Western Australia. Of these men 3,700 consented to donate a blood sample for genetic analysis. Other health and lifestyle factors were collected.

Of these 4.9% of the sampled men showed clinically significant symptoms of depression. The study involved analysing the genetic makeup of 3,700 men aged 65 years or older.

"These findings allow us to better understand depression risk factors and therefore will equip us with improved treatment and management methods. "We already know that depression is prevalent amongst older Australians with an estimated 8% of older Australian adults suffering from depression at some point, making this a major public health problem.

"The next step is to use these findings to better manage the treatment of the depression and that's a real challenge," Prof Almeida said.

FREEZER TO YOUR RESCUE

Your freezer can be your best friend when you’re slimming. Here are some of the best waistlinefriendly frozen foods to have on standby.

PEAS
Frozen peas count as healthy pulses as well as a veg portion — so add them to everything for a boost of vitamin C, folic acid, protein and soluble fibre. They will lower the GI of a dish (the rate at which it releases sugar into your blood stream), sustaining you for longer. Frozen peas actually have more vitamins than fresh ones because they are frozen within two-and-a-half hours of harvesting, sealing in all the goodness.

OVEN CHIPS
Oven chips are skinnier (average 4.2% fat) than home-made fried chips (average 6.7% fat), making for a healthier, as well as more convenient option if you’re weight-watching. Because they are frozen so quickly, oven chips also have 33% more vitamin C in them than chips you cut yourself from fresh potatoes.

FISH
Fish frozen at sea has locked in freshness and makes the perfect low-cal supper simply grilled or steamed with new potatoes and veg. If you don’t like it plain, choose “dusted” (not breaded or battered) fillets, as the calorie count is lower.

SPINACH
A good source of iron (which slimmers can sometimes fall short on), and fills up space on your plate for virtually no calories. Frozen can be better than fresh. Evidence shows that two days after picking, fresh spinach has already lost 75% of its vitamin C, while frozen spinach only loses around 25 per cent of its Vitamin C content for as long as you keep it in the freezer.

YOGA FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

Growing old is the stage when you have more time for your family, leisure, recreation and relaxation. This is also a stage when you have more time to yourself and this time maybe utilised to combat common ailments that one is susceptible to as one grows old. Some ailments linked to old age include:

• Aches and Pains / Arthritis
• High Blood Pressure
• Digestive Disorders
• Diabetes
• Insomnia
• Heart Ailments


This list could be endless for seniors if the need to stay fit and healthy. Since the degeneration of the body also sets some limits to the type of exercises you can do, milder forms of exercise like briskwalking and yoga can be practiced. The approach of yoga ensures long-lasting effects when practiced regularly. Yoga is a form of exercise that adapts to your needs and abilities and can be performed even by senior citizens. Since it touches your whole being, it makes you fitter, calmer and more relaxed. Yoga also helps to control/ prevent emotional problems linked with old age.


Yoga asanas and breathing techniques are designed to normalise your blood pressure, balance the nervous system, improve circulation and digestion, minimise aches/pains and are essential in the prevention of heart ailments. The breathing techniques can make you feel refreshed and cleanses the air passages which can help prevent respiratory ailments. Practicing yoga regularly also ensures a stronger immune system. In the next few days, common ailments related to old age would be addressed and simple yet effective Yogic techniques to combat them would be showcased. Remember: While practicing yoga, know your body and respect its limits. Do not push yourself too hard in a pose. Remember yoga aims to quiet the mind as you exercise your body. Practice to your comfort and joy.

• The above set of postures are very beneficial for good circulation of blood around the neck area and releases pain and stress if any.

• People with spondylitis and vertigo must consult their doctor before doing these postures.

BASIC POSTURES FOR THE NECK AND HEAD

1 Rotate your head in both directions.

2 Hold your neck firmly and drop your head at the back.

3 Keep your elbows parallel to the ground and apply pressure with your palm and resist the force with your neck. Repeat on both sides.

4 Interlock your hands at the back of your head and repeat the same procedure as above.

5 Keep your elbows straight while dropping your head at the back.

Stand up and move around

Prolonged sitting leads to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Hate it when the TV remote is not around and you've to stand up to change channels? Well, it's time you start loving the practice, for experts have said that long periods of sitting down could lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even obesity.

In a new study, it has been shown that most people spend just one hour of their waking day not seated. And now, for the first time, Australian researchers will try to track just how much lounging around people do and whether simple tasks, like standing up to turn the TV off, can improve health.

Experts have predicted that time spent between watching the TV, working and travelling, in total consumes 14 hours of a day - with most people only awake for 15 hours.

And researchers believe that if we change the way we sit, and exercise at least 30 minutes a day, it could reduce the risk of developing lifestyle diseases.

Paul Gardiner, Queensland University's Cancer Prevention Research Centre spokesman, said that older people were the worst for lounging around.

"It's not always how long you sit but also the way you sit. Studies have shown by having regular breaks it could alter blood glucose levels which are linked to diabetes," The Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

He added, "We are trying to get people to avoid prolonged sitting."

The researchers revealed that kids are seated for up to 44 per cent of day, not including sleeping, but it increases to 56 per cent by adulthood. In seniors, 65 per cent of their day is seated. Gardiner suggested that people find ways to stand up while doing everyday activities, such as standing while on the phone.

"If you are watching the TV, put the remote on top and stand up to change channels. In the office, get up and go for a walk after you are on the telephone. Move bins and printers to a central location so workers have to stand up and walk," he said.

FANCY DÉCOR, PRICES AND LOOS

Australian Rod Vallis and his wife Suzie have travelled to 22 countries. Last year we’d gone for a company trip to Europe. This year, thanks to recession, the furthest international destination we could travel to was the newly opened ‘World Cuisine Network’, Indiranagar. The swanky glass exterior building houses 4 options; Bistro — the coffee shop, La Vigna — authentic Italian restaurant, Masala Craft — Indian food cooked in Olive Oil (!) and Mezzeh — the Lebanese Sheesha bar cum restaurant.

To squeeze in two destinations we had starters at Mezzeh and dinner at La Vigna. They don’t take reservations at Mezzeh so we went early. At 8 pm, on a Thursday night, it was buzzing. The terrace restaurant has two distinct areas; a covered lounge and bar area with low seating and an al fresco dining area. The décor is very Mid-eastern; cloth canopies, Lebanese music.

The menu had dishes which sounded more like bad words than good food. If you hear someone screaming ‘Fattoush!’ relax, they’re only ordering a salad, a well made one at that. To try as many dishes as possible without spending too much (fairly expensive) we ordered a Cold Mezzeh Platter (Rs 350/-) and a hot Pastry Combo (Rs 280/-). The cold platter totalled 5 dips and salads (including Fattoush), served with 3 pieces Khubus (Pita bread), a bit too thick, but crisp, dished out fresh from the oven by award winning Egyptian Chef Sayed. The Hummus, a dip made of chick peas and tahina sauce was of just the right consistency. The Baba Ganouj and the Moutabal, both made out of egg plant had a nice sharp bite to it. The best was the ‘terrorist group sounding’ Tabbouleh, a salad of chopped parsley leaves mixed with mint, olive oil and lime; crunchy, well spiced. In the Pastry Combo, the Cheese Fatayer was just a mini cheese croissant, bland and flavourless, while the Borek Lamhe was a beef croissant with miniscule amounts of beef. Suzie loves spinach and pine nuts, both of which were present in the interesting Spinach Fatayer. The fried lamb kebabs with pine nuts were crisp and well spiced. From their range of dairy dips we ordered the Labneh Khaleet, a deliciously creamy Lebanese cheese mixed with olives. A warning: vegetarians should stuff themselves with the wide variety of starters because the main course offers them almost no options.

Meanwhile Rod came out of the loo with wet hands. He couldn’t work the hi-tech towel dispenser. Making fun of him, I went in, returned with the same result. Finally, Sue came out with a paper towel and a comment about men not reading instructions. We just had to place our hand on the dispenser front and the tissue would gush out.

Hands dry, bill paid, we left for Italy and our main course. We were the only ones who’d made the journey to La Vigna. While it lacked customers and a buzz (was surprisingly empty on another night too) it didn’t lack much else; the décor was classy, the wine list robust, the kitchen well equipped. In their bid to serve authentic Italian food they’d imported everything; ingredients like peeled tomatoes, a wood fired oven to give your pizzas a distinct flavour and even the Italian Chef, Pablo.

We were stuffed so we ordered just enough to write about. The freshly baked and complimentary garlic bread further clogged our stomachs. Luckily the Lasagna wasn’t the cheesy variety but the authentic, light, tangy (imported tomatoes) preparation they serve at street side bistros in Rome. The Seafood Risotto was a bit bland, the flavours provided only by the saffron and the fresh mussels and prawns. Sue, who comes from the land of lamb chops (New Zealand) approved of the Agnello Grigliato — Grilled chops which she’d ordered medium rare, though I found it chewy. The only dessert we ordered, the Tiramisu was fairly competent though it left a powdery residue in the mouth.

At both the restaurants they’ve taken great effort to keep the preparations simple and authentic.

Therein lays the problem too, it doesn’t wow you. Most of us have started expecting (especially for that price) some experimentation.

Nevertheless I’ll be back; to try the entrees and Sheeshas at Mezzeh, the Pizza at La Vigna and (a confession – we didn’t wash with soap!) to figure out how the hi-tech soap dispenser operates.

HEART-0-MATIC

A machine that uses dead hearts to simulate working of a live one will allow researchers to conduct experiments at a fraction of the cost of using live animals.

A new machine that makes an animal heart pump much like a live heart after it has been removed from the animal’s body, is set to revolutionise heart surgery.

Developed at the USbased North Carolina State University, the machine saves researchers time and money by allowing them to test their technologies without the costs and time associated with animal or clinical trials.

Currently, most medical device prototypes designed for use in heart surgery are tested on live pigs. However, these tests are both expensive, time-consuming, and involve a lengthy process to ensure that the use of live animals is necessary.

The computer-controlled machine, allows researchers to film the interior workings of the pumping heart – enabling them to ascertain exactly which surgical techniques perform best for repairing heart valves.

The machine, dubbed the ‘dynamic heart system’ – pumps fluid through a pig heart so that it functions in a very realistic way.

“Researchers can obtain pig hearts from a pork processing facility and use the heart system to test their prototypes or practice new surgical procedures,” says Andrew Richards, a Ph. D. student in mechanical engineering at NC State who designed the heart machine.

The system is much cheaper than testing on a live animal, which costs approximately $2,500, said Richards. “It costs approximately $25 to run an experiment on the machine,” he added.

By using the machine, researchers can determine if concepts for new surgical tools are viable before evaluating them on live animals. They can also identify and address any functional problems with new tools.

“There will still be a need for testing in live animal models,” says Dr. Greg Buckner, who directed the project, “but this system allows researchers to do ‘proof of concept’ evaluations, and refine the designs, before operating on live animals.”

The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute funded the development of the heart machine system.

RESTLESS

Our Dr tells you the real cause behind that uncontrollable urge to ‘take a walk’ before you sleep or move your legs.

Getting up from your desk every now and then ‘to have chai’? Laughing off your spouse’s complaints about hyper movements of your legs in your sleep? Well, you may want to look at your restless behaviour more seriously because you might be a victim of the ‘Restless Legs Syndrome’ (RLS).

RESTLESS WHAT?
RLS is often a lifelong disorder that begins in your middle age. While the exact cause is not known, fingers have been pointed at brain iron deficiency. Primarily because iron is required for the synthesis of dopamine in the brain. Though there are no tests that can prove presence of RLS, if you have the following symptoms, consider treatment:

• An uncomfortable sensation in the legs, (generally between knees and ankles) especially in the evenings, causing an urge to move the legs which brings temporary relief.

• Inability to sit and pace about.

• Discomfort that increases during inactivity and rises to an extent that you can neither sit still or lie down.

• Even if you fall asleep, you are troubled by another symptom, Periodic Leg Movement in Sleep (PLMS), consisting of a repetitive flexion of the legs.

CAUSES

RLS may be primary or secondary. Primary or idiopathic RLS is a lifelong disorder and often hereditary. It’s more common in women and frequently gets aggravated during pregnancy. An Indian study found that RLS was present in approximately 8 per cent of Parkinson’s Disease patients. Other causes of secondary RLS include diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure and neuropathies.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO

Treatment for RLS needs to be given over a prolonged period. However, it’s effective enough to eradicate all symptoms. Among the host of medications, the most useful ones are the dopamine agonists (the newer non-ergot dopamine agonists are preferred). Iron supplements are given to those with iron deficiency and secondary causes are treated.

AVOID
• Drugs such as antidepressants, calcium channel-blockers etc.
• Caffeine, alcohol and smoking to ensure that the medications work optimally.

Drugs reverse Alzheimer’s in trial tests

In a research that will bring hope to millions, scientists in the US have reported that they have successfully reversed the effects of Alzheimer’s with experimental drugs. The drugs target and boost the function of a newly pinpointed gene involved in the brain’s memory formation, BBC News website said on Thursday siting a report in the journal Nature. In mice, the treatment helped restore longterm memory and improve learning for new tasks.

The same drugs — HDAC inhibitors — are currently being tested to treat Huntington’s disease and are on the market to treat some cancers. They reshape the DNA scaffolding that supports and controls the expression of genes in the brain. The Alzheimer’s gene the drugs act upon, histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), regulates the expression of a plethora of genes implicated in plasticity — the brain’s ability to change in response to experience — and memory formation.

Want to have great sex? Wear high heels

They say superstilettos can ruin ladies’ feet, but now experts are warning that flat shoes can be just as dangerous. Not only that, they also boost women’s sex lives.

The claims are backed by the finding that foot injuries are on a rise, courtesy ballet pumps and flip-flops. Flat shoes can cause severe foot pain, shooting pains in shins, backaches and even arthritis.

Italian researchers have also found that women who wear a heel of one to two inches may have more fun between the sheets. The body posture adopted while wearing heels improves the pelvic floor muscles, which help to create a mind-blowing climax. Mike O’Neill, spokesman for Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, said: “Over the last four years we’ve had a significant increase in the number of problems caused be wearing flat shoes such as ballet pumps or flip flops. I’ve seen three or four just in the last week.”

“Very flat shoes worn for long periods of time can cause problems, and very high heels worn for long periods of time can also cause problems. The feet aren’t designed to work in either. The ideal heel size is around an inch.”

What keeps smokers thin

Previous studies have shown that smokers have less body fat as compared to non-smokers. Now, a new study by US researchers may help explain the reason. For the study, researchers from Weill Medical College of Cornell University New York evaluated the levels of alpha2-zinc-glycoprotein1 (AZGP1), a gene linked to weight loss, in 37 healthy nonsmokers and 55 healthy smokers. They found that AZGP1 levels were higher in smokers than nonsmokers.

New Research

Midwife-attended home births risky, says study
The risk of newborns dying is higher when delivery is at home attended by a certified nurse midwife than when babies are born in hospitals with a certified nurse midwife in attendance, according to data released in Baltimore, Maryland at the meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. While the study of nearly 12 million births in the US found only 14 newborn deaths among babies delivered at home by a certified nurse midwife, this rate was more than two-fold higher than for hospital deliveries attended by a certified nurse midwife. Furthermore, the rate was four-fold higher for home deliveries by other midwives.

Sex hormone plays vital role in hearing:
Oestrogen, a sex hormone, also has a vital bearing on how our brain processes sounds, according to a new discovery. The findings show for the first time that a sex hormone can directly affect auditory function, and seemingly control other types of sensory processing as well. “We’ve discovered oestrogen doing something totally unexpected,” said Raphael Pinaud, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, who led the study.

Famed Nefertiti bust a fake?
The bust of Queen Nefertiti housed in a Berlin museum and believed to be 3,400 years old is a copy dating from 1912, says Swiss art historian Henri Stierlin. Stierlin says in a new book that the bust was made at the order of German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt. In 1912, it was admired as an original work by a German prince and the archaeologist “couldn’t sum up the courage to ridicule” his guest, Stierlin said.

Care for elderly, be blessed with longer life

People who selflessly care for the ill and the elderly are blessed with a longer life, according to a new research.

The worry that all the stress attached to careviging might shave some years off life and turn people to the grave early is totally unfounded. In fact, the opposite is true — people who nurse a loved one may be repaid with a longer lifespan, MSNBC reported on Wednesday.

Earlier studies have found that people who cared for sick relatives died at a younger age than people who didn’t help. But researchers from the University of Michigan suspected the caregiving wasn’t the problem.

“We thought that it wasn’t the helping that was harmful, and that the harm seen in those studies came from watching someone die,” says study author Stephanie Brown, a social psychologist and an assistant professor in the department of internal medicine at the University of Michigan.

To see if caregiving was truly beneficial to the caregiver, Brown and her colleagues scrutinized data from 1,688 couples who were at least 70 years old. Over a seven year period, the elderly couples were surveyed four times. During each survey, husbands and wives were asked whether they either provided or received help with such daily activities as eating, dressing, bathing, walking across the room, or using the toilet. They were also asked who performed household tasks such as grocery shopping, managing money and meal preparation. Brown and her colleagues found that if you accounted for the negative impact of stressing over a loved one’s illness, that caregiving actually led to longer life.

During the course of the study, people who spent at least 14 hours a week caring for a sick spouse were almost 30% less likely to die during the study period than those who spent no time helping, according to the research recently published in Psychological Science.

A smaller study in the journal Stroke came to a similar conclusion. Researchers interviewed 75 people who spent an average of almost 37 hours per week caring for a loved one who had suffered a stroke. A full 90% of those interviewed reported that their caregiving enabled them to appreciate life more. Many also reported that it helped them develop a more positive attitude toward life.

When it came to stresses associated with caregiving, 44% said they felt “no strain” while 41% reported “some strain.”

The research by Brown and her colleagues fits in with results from various research results showing that animals release higher levels of a hormone called oxytocin when they are parenting. That hormone leads to lower levels of stress-linked substances, Brown says. It also makes sense in light of studies showing that people who volunteer tend to live longer than those who don’t, she adds.

New Research

Fathers’ mental health problems harmful for kids:
Fathers’ mental health problems could be harmful for their kids, a new study warns. Researchers at the University of Oxford said such kids are more likely to have psychiatric or behavioural disorders. Paternal depression during the postnatal period, measured at eight weeks after birth, has been linked to increasing the chance of the child subsequently developing behavioural and emotional problems from 10% to 20%. The study found that teenage offspring of depressed fathers also have an increased risk of various psychological problems, including depression and suicidal behaviour.

‘French are the top sleepers, eaters’:
True to their reputation as leisure-loving gourmets, the French spend more time sleeping and eating than anyone else among the world’s wealthy nations, says a new study. The average French person sleeps almost nine hours every night, more than an hour longer than the average Japanese and Korean. Moreover, the French still spend more than two hours a day eating, more than any other nation surveyed.

Nanotech may help fight HIV:
Biomedical engineers at Yale have found a new method that may help stop HIV infection in future — a safe way to deliver therapeutic RNAs into vaginal cells. Using nanoparticles made of a biodegradable polymer known as PLGA, the researchers created a stable “time release” vehicle for delivery of siRNAs (molecules that silence genes for treatment of STDs) to sensitive mucosal tissue like that of the vagina. The technique can be used to make creams containing anti-HIV RNAs.

Late mothers live longer:
Women who have babies in their forties and fifties tend to live longer than other women, a new study has found. The Utah-based study shows their brothers also live longer, suggesting that the same genes prolong lifespan and fertility more than other factors.

Baby foods are worse than burgers

Anew study has revealed that some baby foods contain “staggering” amounts of sugar and fat that make them worse than junk food. Researchers for the Children’s Food Campaign found that Farley’s Original Rusks contain more sugar than McVities Chocolate Digestives, while Heinz Toddler Mini Cheese Biscuits have proportionately more saturated fat than a McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese.

“The results of this survey are staggering. Many foods marketed for babies and young children are often advertised as ‘healthy’. In terms of sugar and saturated fat content, some are worse than junk food,” the Daily Express quoted Children’s Food Campaign joint-coordinator Christine Haigh as saying. “In particular, failing to correctly label products that contain dangerous trans fats is outrageous,” Haigh added.

Anger can be pinned on genes

Do you often get angry? Well, then, blame your genes, says a new study.

German researchers say that a gene called DARPP-32 may help explain why some people fly into a rage at the slightest provocation, while others remain calm.

The researchers, from the University of Bonn, asked over 800 people to fill in a questionnaire designed to study how they handle anger. The team also administered a DNA test to determine which of three versions of the DARPP-32 gene people were carrying.

The gene affects levels of dopamine, a brain chemical linked to anger and aggression. Researchers found that those who had the “TT” or “TC” versions of the gene portrayed significantly more anger than those with the “CC” version.

The researchers also found that those who display more anger have less grey matter in the amygdala, a part of the brain that helps keep our emotions balanced.