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To prevent eczema, promote breastfeeding? – Futurity
Futurity: Research News A program to promote exclusive breastfeeding reduced eczema rates among the babies later on, say researchers. Breastfeeding can reduce risk of eczema later on | Well+Good |
Tag Archives: Research
To prevent eczema, promote breastfeeding? – Futurity: Research News
Futurity: Research News |
To prevent eczema, promote breastfeeding?
Futurity: Research News Babies whose mothers had received support to breastfeed exclusively for a sustained period from birth have a 54 percent lower risk of eczema at the age of 16, a new study shows. Eczema causes the skin to become itchy, dry, cracked, sore, and red. It … Breastfeeding can reduce risk of eczema later on | Well+Good |
Melanoma research roundup
In this slideshow, we highlight recently published research findings on newly identified genetic mutations associated with conjunctival melanoma, expanding the definition of melanoma to include population diversities, and dermatomyositis that fails treatment.
Dermatology Times – Dermatology
talkhealth Allergy and Eczema research published in Daily Mail
In September we ran a survey to see if patients suffering with eczema are more likely to also have allergies or sensitivity to foods such as eggs, nuts, diary and wheat. The aim of the research was to find out ways to help patients manage the two conditions better and for more medical acknowledgement of the connection between the two. We were pleased to have the results published in a dedicated supplement within the Daily Mail. To see the full article please click here.
This is why you should be excited for upcoming cancer research
Clinicians can tap Twitter to air accurate acne info, research shows
Clinicians can sift facts from fiction on diseases such as acne by checking Twitter, a letter by Boston-based Center for Connected Health researchers suggests.
Modern medicine – American Academy of Dermatology
Research advances yield new treatments for skin disease
Dermatologists collaborate on data-driven pediatric psoriasis research
International project aims to inform prospective registry
Modern medicine – dermatology
Many Parasitic Worms Offer Host Benefits: Research Has Potential To Treat Obesity, Psoriasis
AppId is over the quota AppId is over the quota Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;??Eczema / Psoriasis
Article Date: 10 Jan 2013 – 0:00 PST Current ratings for:
Many Parasitic Worms Offer Host Benefits: Research Has Potential To Treat Obesity, Psoriasis 
On the list of undesirable medical conditions, a parasitic worm infection surely ranks fairly high. Although modern pharmaceuticals have made them less of a threat in some areas, these organisms are still a major cause of disease and disability throughout much of the developing world.
But parasites are not all bad, according to new research by a team of scientists now at the University of Georgia, the Harvard School of Public Health, the Universite Francois Rabelais in Tours, France, and the Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
A study published recently in Nature Medicine demonstrates that once inside a host, many parasitic worms secrete a sugar-based anti-inflammatory molecule that might actually help treat metabolic disorders associated with obesity.
The sugar molecule, or glycan, is released by parasites to help them evade the body’s immune system. By reducing inflammation, they are better able to hide in tissues, and humans experience fewer symptoms that might reveal their presence. http://www.eczemablog.net/
“Obesity is an inflammatory disease, so we hypothesized that this sugar might have some effect on complications related to it,” said Donald Harn, study co-author who worked on the research while at Harvard School of Public Health and is now Georgia Research Alliance Distinguished Investigator in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Infectious Diseases.
The researchers tested their hypothesis on mice fed a high-fat diet. Those in the control group exhibited many of the symptoms associated with excessive weight gain, such as insulin resistance, high triglycerides and high cholesterol.
Mice that received treatment with the sugar still gained weight, but they did not suffer the same negative health effects as those in the control.
“All of the metabolic indicators associated with obesity were restored to normal by giving these mice this sugar conjugate,” said Harn, who is also a member of UGA’s Faculty of Infectious Diseases and the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. “It won’t prevent obesity, but it will help alleviate some of the problems caused by it.”
The same sugars excreted by the parasites are also found in the developing human fetus and in human breast milk, which Harn suspects may establish proper metabolic functions in the newborn infant. Beyond infancy, however, sugar expression is only found on a few cells, and the only external source for the sugar is parasitic worms.
Because parasites co-evolved with mammals over millions of years, some scientists believe that the relationship between humans and worms is more symbiotic than parasitic, and that small worm infections might actually have some benefits.
“Prevalence of inflammation-based diseases is extremely low in countries where people are commonly infected with worms,” Harn said. “But the minute you start deworming people, it doesn’t take too long for these autoimmune diseases to pop up.”
This doesn’t mean that people should actively seek out parasitic infections as treatment, he said. But it is an indication that the compounds secreted by worms may serve as the basis for future therapies.
In addition to obesity-related disease, Harn and his colleagues have demonstrated that the sugar molecule released by parasites may alleviate a number of other serious inflammatory medical conditions.
It may work as a treatment for psoriasis, a disease that causes skin redness and irritation. The sugar also appears to serve as a powerful anti-rejection drug that may one day be used in patients who have received organ transplants. And it has been shown to halt or even reverse the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in mice.
More research is needed before this sugar molecule can be tested in humans, but Harn and his colleagues are hopeful that they can create effective treatments that provide all the benefits of parasitic worms without the worms themselves.
“We see great promise in this sugar, and we hope that future research and collaborations will eventually lead to marketable therapies for people suffering from disease,” he said.
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Eczema Blog
Brothers to brave Atlantic Ocean in row for skin cancer research
Two Lymington brothers are preparing to row the Atlantic Ocean in memory of their late father Peter Massey, who sufferer with basal cell carcinoma skin cancer and sadly passed away in 2015 aged 63.
Jude Massey, 17, and Dr Greg Bailey, 26, have launched a campaign to raise £100,000 for the British Skin Foundation – a charity that funds skin cancer research – whilst also raising awareness of the dangers of skin cancer.
The 3,000 mile trip is due to take place in January 2018 and will commence in the Canaries and end in Barbados. “It’s a gruelling trip’” explained Jude, “We’ll be rowing for two hours on and two hours off non-stop both day and night.”
Conditions on the boat will be basic, relying on solar panels to power a water maker for both vital drinking water and fresh water to rehydrate freeze-dried meals. They’ll also have GPS communication, along with radar alerts to avoid collisions with nearby vessels.
Once they have departed they will be at the mercy of the elements with the potential for hurricanes, capsizes, electrical failure, passage of large vessels, large marine life, sea sickness, injury and equipment breakages. Should conditions become unsafe to row, the brothers must deploy their para-anchor, a submersible parachute shaped piece of equipment which will keep the boat pointing into the waves and reduce the likelihood of a capsize as they sit and wait in the watertight cabin.
The challenge will be a good test of both physical and psychological strength. To add some perspective, only 317 crews have successfully crossed the Atlantic, with 153 unsuccessful crews and six crews who died attempting the challenge. Some 536 individuals have been into space and over 5,500 have climbed Mount Everest. The brothers have put their lives on hold to complete the challenge, directing all of their efforts into training and fundraising. The duo, who have never rowed before are aiming to take between four and eight weeks to complete the journey. If they succeed, Jude – a sailing instructor – is likely to become a record holder as the first vegan to complete this journey, shining the spotlight on endurance events for vegans.
Peter, Jude father and Greg’s stepfather, spent 16 years undergoing painful treatment for skin cancer. “There are no words to describe how awful this disease is both for the sufferer and their family” said NHS doctor Greg. “The more awareness we can raise, the better for everyone.”
The brothers will be packing plenty of sunscreen for their trip as they’ll need to be covering themselves from head to toe every day.
The boys are launching their sponsorship awareness campaign and are seeking support from different companies and organisations. They can be contacted through their website, email (contact@oceanbrothers.co.uk) or telephone (07590 926796). Please follow their Facebook & Twitter pages to keep up to date with their training and latest news.