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Could an out-patient surgical procedure for cure of age-related macular
degeneration (AMD) with stem cells transfer become commonplace in the next decade?
During a recent visit to discuss the possibility of conducting human trials of
retinal stem cell transplants in India, Professor Pete Coffey, from University College
London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom; reportedly told the Times of India:
"… some cases, the transplants were so successful that the patients were able to read,
cycle and use a computer. By 2011, we will make it a 45-minute out patient operation."
Professor Pete Coffey and his colleagues at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology in London,
UK, have previously written:
"Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) transplantation aims to restore the subretinal
anatomy and re-establish the critical interaction between the RPE and the photoreceptor,
which is fundamental to sight."1
"Diseases that have been treated with RPE transplantation demonstrating partial reversal
of vision loss include primary RPE dystrophies … photoreceptor dystrophies as well as
complex retinal diseases such as atrophic and neovascular age-related macular degeneration
(AMD)."
"Unfortunately, in the human trials the visual recovery has been limited at best and
full visual recovery has not been demonstrated."
"Autologous full-thickness transplants have been used most commonly and effectively in
human disease but the search for a cell source to replace autologous RPE such as embryonic
stem cells, marrow-derived stem cells, umbilical cord-derived cells as well as immortalised cell lines continues."
Reference: da Cruz L, Chen FK, Ahmado A, Greenwood J, Coffey P. : RPE transplantation and
its role in retinal disease. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2007 Nov;26(6):598-635.
Vitamin B Trio Effective Against AMD
Women's Antioxidant & Folic Acid Study
Results from the vision component of the Women's Antioxidant and Folic Acid
Cardiovascular Study, also known as WACS, were presented at the ARVO 2007
Annual Meeting. Researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital and the
National Eye Institute concluded that the data from this randomized trial
indicate that supplementation with folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 reduced
the risk of AMD in women with cardiovascular disease (CVD) (1).
These three B-vitamins, particularly folic acid, have been shown to reduce
high levels of the naturally occurring compound, homocysteine. Research has
implicated elevated plasma levels of homocysteine in the development of
vascular diseases including choroidal neovascularization in exudative AMD.
Christen WG, et al. Folic acid plus B-vitamins and age-related macular
degeneration in a randomized trial in women. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
48:E-abstract 1152, ARVO, 2007.
Editor's Note: View more information on macular degeneration and specific
nutritional recommendations.
Vitamin C Gives Staying Power to Antioxidants
Green tea has long been touted for its healthy, antioxidant properties.
Catechins may be responsible for some of green tea's reported health benefits,
such as a reduced risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke. But catechins are
relatively unstable in the intestines meaning that less than 20 percent of
the total generally remains after digestion. Citrus juice increased available
catechin levels by more than five times, and vitamin C increased recovered
levels of the two most abundant catechins by six-fold and thirteen-fold.
Lemon juice caused 80 percent of tea's catechins to remain available.
For more information, go to Science Blog November 13, 2007
Food Industry Defends Carbon Monoxide Use in Meat
U.S. lawmakers have begun to criticize the practice of adding carbon monoxide
to meat in order to stabilize its color and keep it looking fresh longer.
The process, they said, misleads consumers by making the products appear safer
than they are, and puts people at risk of eating spoiled meat. The meat industry
currently puts inserts carbon monoxide into its meats to help the meat stay and
fresh looking, instead of the meat turning its more natural brownish color. The
danger is that this practice can mask the freshness of the meat and makes it
difficult for consumers to evaluate the products safety. For more information,
go to http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0756414420071114?feedType=
RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true.
Information also sourced from Dr. Mercola's article.
Eating beans helps lower cholesterol
Consuming as little as one-half cup of cooked dry beans every day helped
volunteers lower their total cholesterol levels in an Agricultural Research
Service (ARS) study in North Dakota. These results, published in the November
issue of the Journal of Nutrition by the ARS scientists and their colleagues,
add to a growing--and convincing--body of evidence that beans are a heart
healthy food choice.
While the findings confirm earlier studies by other researchers showing that
eating beans lowers cholesterol levels, the mechanisms that underlie the effect
require further study.
For more information, contact Rosalie Marion Bliss, ARS News Service Agricultural
Research Service, USDA Tel: +1 301 504 4318
e-mail: rosalie.bliss@ars.usda.gov
website: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr
Broccoli Salad
1 cup chopped bunch of broccoli florets cut small
3 Tablespoons chopped red onion
3 Tablespoons dry raisins or dried cranberries
2 Tablespoons slivered almonds
Salad Dressing:
1/3rd cup mayonnaise
1/2-1 tablespoons white vinegar
1 Teaspoon sugar
Combine chopped broccoli florets, chopped onions, slivered almonds and raisins in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well; chill before serving or serve at room temperature.
Contributed from the book - Indian Flavors to Savor – The Easy Home Cooked Way. For more information on this book, go to http://www.flavorstosavor.com
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