Earlier this year, it was reported that a researcher in Israel had gathered statistical proof that cranberry juice really could ward off bacterial infections. He hypothesized that there was some heavy element in the juice that coated a woman's bladder and prevented the bugs from attaching but his research (funded in part by Ocean Spray) wasn't geared to showing how it happened, only that cranberry juice did, in fact, seem to prevent bladder infections.
Now research from England reveals that cranberry juice changes the thermodynamic properties of bacteria in the urinary tract, creating not a physical barrier as hypothesized by the Israeli researcher, but an energy barrier that prevents the microorganisms from getting close enough to latch onto cells and initiate an infection.
Now research from England reveals that cranberry juice changes the thermodynamic properties of bacteria in the urinary tract, creating not a physical barrier as hypothesized by the Israeli researcher, but an energy barrier that prevents the microorganisms from getting close enough to latch onto cells and initiate an infection.
They exposed two varieties of E. coli bacteria, one with hair-like projections called fimbriae and one without, to different concentrations of cranberry juice. Fimbriae are present on a number of disease-causing bacteria, including those that cause urinary tract infections, and are believed to be used by bacteria to form strong bonds with cells.
Without cranberry juice, the fimbriaed bacteria attached readily to the cells. As increasing concentrations of cranberry juice were added to the solution, fewer and fewer attachments were observed.
Cranberry juice had no discernible effect on E. coli bacteria without fimbriae, suggesting that compounds in the juice may act directly on the molecular structure of the fimbriae themselves.
The researchers say that the effects of regular cranberry juice cocktail and diet (sugar-free) cranberry juice are identical which is good news for those of us who are tryingto watch our weight. So drink that cranberry juice! It's good for you!
STALKING A KILLER
Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine have developed a blood test with enough sensitivity and specificity to detect early stage ovarian cancer with 99 percent accuracy. The researcher said that the ability to recognize almost 100 percent of new tumors will have a major impact on the high death rates of this cancer and they hope this test will become the standard of care for women having routine examinations.
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer deaths in the United States and three times more lethal than breast cancer. It is usually not diagnosed until its advanced stages and has come to be known as the "silent killer."
The new test is the most sensitive and specific test currently available. Previous tests recognized 15 to 20 percent of new tumors. The researchers begun a phase III evaluation in a multi-center clinical trial and hope the new test will be widely available soon.
And now we turn our attention to a contagious kind of killer that affects us all.
STOPPING MRSA IN ITS TRACKS
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major global health threat that kills approximately 20,000 people in the U.S. alone each year. A team of researchers at Notre Dame are currently investigating two new drugs specifically targeted to keeping MRSA under control.
Although all the current media attention to MRSA may make it seem like a recent development, the first MRSA strain actually emerged in 1961 in the United Kingdom. This mutated strain of S. aureus became a global scourge within a span of a mere few years. Whereas previous strains of the infection could be killed with the many varieties of penicillin and methicillin, the new variant became resistant to all of the commercially available members of this class of antibiotics. Clinicians had to turn to other antibiotics, which were much less effective and often were toxic to humans.
By the 1980s and 1990s, MRSA was a serious clinical problem, dreaded by doctors in health care facilities, prisons and nursing homes. Then MRSA began to spread to areas outside these institutions. There are now cases of resistance to all eight major existing classes of antibiotics. Resistant bacteria are often resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics, not just one or two.
In the new research, the drugs that have been developed that attack the cell walls of these bacteria. They prevent peptides in the walls from cross-linking to form the rigid cell wall. Since the bacteria can't regulate their internal pressure, the bacterial cells burst apart and die.
Good news indeed. And in case you were wondering, MRSA is loose in our little community. I had a spider bite on my side that became infected with MRSA. It made a nasty little hole that could have burrowed all the way into my chest cavity if I didn't have access to great medical care. Doctors still rely on physically cleaning out and laving the wound to get rid of most of the nasty bugs. And, let me tell you, this HURTS, really bad!! When they cleaned out my wound they heard me screaming in the next corridor. Which brings me to our next little bit of medical research.
STOPPING THE PAIN
Canadian doctors have discovered that a topical spray reduced pain by 34% in children undergoing intravenous procedures, such as injections and tube insertions (cannulation), compared with a placebo group. The findings from this double blind, randomized controlled trial have clinical implications according to the researchers.
They write "The vapocoolant spray we used provided quick and effective reduction of pain due to intravenous cannulation without delaying the procedure. This feature is especially important when time is limited, such as in a busy office practice or emergency department, where topical methods of pain relief have not traditionally been available."
As well, successful insertion of a needle or tube was more frequent after using the vapocoolant spray. The spray is non-toxic, less expensive than alternatives, works immediately and does not require a needle.
The study looked at 80 children aged 6-12 who required urgent intravenous procedures within 30-45 minutes at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ottawa. The success rate of the vapocoolant spray was based on children's self-reported pain, the success rate on first attempt and assessments by parents and child life specialists and ease of procedure's insertion according to nurses.
So here's my question. Why limit this to children? Don't they think we adults suffer too when they do things without anesthesia? A doctor told me that the reason they didn't apply topical anesthesia to my side was because it takes too long for the anesthesia to take effect and it isn't cost efficient. So I say, "Bring on the vapocoolant! We have nothing to lose but the screaming!"
And now a couple of 'quickie' stories about new research to help the minor things.
STOPPING THE STENCH
Researchers in Portugal have developed a new type of 'microcapsule' filled with perfume and embedded in fabric for production of scented suits, socks, undergarments and other clothing. The same technology can be used in many other applications, such as to mask unpleasant body odors when using textile products.
Microcapsules have been used for years to deliver fragrances in products ranging from scratch-and-sniff stickers to the peel-apart fragrance samples found in magazine inserts. But current microcapsules are made using formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent that is also an environmental hazard. The researchers identified polyurethane-urea, a type of environmentally friendly plastic that is compatible with fabrics, as a solution. They used the material to prepare microcapsules containing limonene, the familiar scent abundant in lemons and widely used in perfumes, and applied the capsules onto wool and polyester samples. Of course, if you have problems with scents and odors, this may not be your cup of tea (or dram of perfume).
And for our last story we go back to the kids.
A WHOLE NEW WAY TO BRUSH
So, who needs toothbrushes? Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is frequently used as a sweetener. It has also been shown to reduce levels of the harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay.
While xylitol chewing gums are available, they are not considered to be suitable for younger children. So what's a xylitol-pushing company gonna do? Why put the stuff in gummy bears, of course! Giving children four of the xylitol bears three times a day during school hours resulted in a decrease in the plaque bacteria that cause tooth decay.
H-m-m-m-m-m. Candy to stop tooth decay. Is there any end to the wonderful world of science? Cruise on over to the Deep Website at www.thedeepradioshow.com to learn more about all sorts of wonderful things from the sometimes wacky world of science. Enjoy!
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