Narrow Results

Traditional herbal formula Gushukang (GSK) was clinically applied to treat primary osteoporosis and showed osteoprotective effect in ovariectomized rodent animals and regulatory action on calcium transporters. This study aimed to determine if GSK could ameliorate aged osteoporosis by modulating serum level of calciotropic hormones and improving calcium balance. 18-month-old male mice were orally administered with either GSK (0.38g/kg body weight) or calcitriol (1$\mu$g/kg body weight) combined with high calcium diet (HCD, 1.2% Ca) for 60 days. The aged mice fed with normal calcium diet (NCD, 0.6% Ca) were a negative control. Trabecular bone and cortical bone properties as well as calcium balance were determined. Treatment with GSK significantly increased 25(OH)D and 1,25-(OH)₂D levels in serum, moreover, it markedly attenuated trabecular bone micro-architectural deteriorations and elevated trabecular bone mass as well as strengthened cortical bone mechanical properties shown by the increase in maximal bending load and elastic modulus. Calcium balance, including urinary Ca excretion, fecal Ca level and net calcium retention, was remarkably improved by GSK, which up-regulated TRPV6 expression in duodenum and TRPV5 expression in kidney and down-regulated claudin-14 expression in duodenum and kidney. Additionally, 1-OHase and 24-OHase expression was significantly decreased (vs. NCD group) and increased (vs. HCD group), respectively, in kidney of GSK- and calcitriol-treated mice. Taken together, this study demonstrated the ameliorative effects of Gushukang on aged osteoporosis by effectively stimulating vitamin D production and improving calcium balance of aged mice with high dietary calcium supplement.

It was investigated if Vitamin D (Vit D) status or source (Vitamin D2 vs. Vitamin D3) interferes with bone mass recovery from strontium ranelate (SrRa) treatment of rats with Vit D insufficiency and established osteopenia. Osteopenic and Vit D insufficient rats were divided in groups to complete a 105-day period. First experiment: The rats were fed with diets that only varied in Vit D (100 vs. 0 IU%) and/or SrRa (0 vs. 900 mg/kg/day) content. A SHAM group received Vit D throughout the experience. Second experiment: Rats were divided into groups and received Vit D2 or Vit D3 through diet and SrRa by gavages in a fasting state. Two SHAM groups received Vit D2 or Vit D3 throughout the study. Results: Levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin 25OHD were reduced in groups lacking dietary Vit D (p < 0.001). Independently of Vit D status or source, SrRa did not affect body weight gain or bone alkaline phosphatase levels; osteocalcin and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen levels were reduced (p < 0.05) and bone Sr content was increased (p < 0.0001). Although no improvement in biomechanical parameters was observed, total skeletal bone mineral content and proximal tibial bone mineral density were increased (p < 0.05). There was a reduction in the trabecular number and an increase in the trabecular surface and bone volume without reaching SHAM levels. Conclusion: This is the first study that examined SrRa effects in an osteopenic vitamin D–insufficient experimental model. Under our experimental conditions, SrRa increased bone Sr content independently of Vit D status or source; however, no evidence of an anabolic or antifracture effect was found, and only a slight decrease in some bone resorption parameters was observed.

AUSTRALIA — Childhood CT scans slightly raise cancer risk.

AUSTRALIA — There's a very simple solution to your lack of vitamin D.

INDIA — India develops cheap rotavirus vaccine.

JAPAN — 'Tug of war' method to measure the copy number limits of all genes in budding yeast.

SINGAPORE — SG Austria co-edits just released book on living cell bioencapsulation.

SINGAPORE — Nano Today's 2013 impact factor increases from 15.355 to 17.689.

SINGAPORE — Cholesterol beats coronaviruses, Avian flu and Swine flu.

THE PHILIPPINES — Philippines maps out plan to switch to 100% renewables in 10 years.

EUROPE — Roche launches first sugar-transferase for new glyco-engineering portfolio.

EUROPE — Older liver cancer patients respond to radioembolization equally as well as younger patients.

NORTH AMERICA — Protein helps colon cancer move and invade.

NORTH AMERICA — FDA approval of VIBATIV(R) (telavancin) for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia.

NORTH AMERICA — “On Demand Medical Research” is up and running.

UNITED KINGDOM — Diabetes rises sharply among UK's young adults.

UNITED KINGDOM — 'Mental illness' isn't all about brain chemistry: it's about life.

UNITED KINGDOM — Public to see impact of medical research funding.

AUSTRALIA – Chronic pain research delves into the brain

KOREA – STC life, Ltd. successfully treats stroke patients at Stem Cell Research Treatment Center

MALAYSIA – Indigenous people ‘at graver risk’ of neglected diseases

SINGAPORE – A*STAR scientists create stem cells from a drop of blood

THE PHILIPPINES – ‘Too many exotic species’ in Philippine greening plan

AFRICA – The parasite that escaped out of Africa

CANADA – Genome British Columbia researchers closing in on chlamydia vaccine

EUROPE – Teesside University pioneering life-saving research

EUROPE – Inactivated polio vaccines broadly available for the world's children in the drive toward polio eradication

EUROPE – Vitamin D deficiency may compromise immune function

EUROPE – Inflammation mobilizes tumor cells

NEPAL – Animal-borne parasites plague Nepal

UNITED STATES – Zebrafish discovery may shed light on human kidney function

UNITED STATES – Nanoparticles and magnetic fields train immune cells to fight cancer in mice

UNITED STATES – Building heart tissue that beats

UNITED STATES – Immunology researchers uncover pathways that direct immune system to turn ‘on’ or ‘off’

UNITED STATES – How diabetes drugs may work against cancer

UNITED STATES – Study reveals how a protein common in cancers jumps anti-tumor mechanisms

SINGAPORE – A New Way of Looking at Cancer

SINGAPORE – Novel Discovery by NUS Scientists Improves Profiling of AML Patients for Targeted Therapies

SINGAPORE – Red Meat Consumption Linked with Increased Risk of Developing Kidney Failure

SINGAPORE – Thomson Medical and UK-based Cell Therapy Limited Collaborate on Stem Cell Research to Develop Regenerative Medicines

UNITED STATES – New Biomaterial Developed for Injectable Neuronal Control

UNITED STATES – Research Shines Light on Lesser Known Form of Vitamin D in Foods

UNITED STATES – MRIGlobal to Lead International Research Collaboration for Tularemia Vaccine

INDIA – Improving Agricultural Yield and Quality through Tissue Culture Technology

TAIWAN – A Cascade of Protein Aggregation Bombards Mitochondria for Neurodegeneration and Apoptosis under WWOX Deficiency

SINGAPORE – Singapore Scientists Provide New Insights on How Cancers Evade the Immune System.

SINGAPORE – NUS Scientists Discover Novel Vulnerabilities in Dengue Virus.

UNITED STATES – New Study Suggests that Vitamin D Decreases Risk of Cancer.

UNITED STATES – Study Reverses Thinking on Genetic Links to Stress, Depression.

UNITED STATES – Antibody Helps Detect Protein Implicated in Alzheimer’s, Other Diseases.

UNITED STATES – Fruits and Vegetables’ Latest Superpower? Lowering Blood Pressure.

AUSTRALIA & KOREA – Novotech Signs MOU with South Korea’s Leading Medical Center, the Asan Medical Center.

Vitamin D (VD) deficiency is a very common disease among elderly people. The lack of VD causes various diseases related to skin, eyes and throat. The previous epidemiological studies tried to predict the vitamin B6 and VD levels from the blood samples. Since this is laborious and time-taking, it is very difficult for the homely people to work on it. There is a strong requirement for the noninvasive method as there is a necessity to detect the deficiency at the early stage. Certain crucial parameters that could be used for analysis are based on the intake of anthropogenic parameters along with the commonly known body vitals. These parameters include the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHR) and body roundness index (BRI). The dataset used for the prediction of VD has been collected from 501 patients in the age of 40–75 years old. The prediction of VD levels in the body has various complications, like the sex, previous health records, inherent health conditions and body pathology. To consolidate all those parameters and to analyse, a robust model is required to associate the parameters which are used to predict the deficit of VD. A binary set of gated recurrent units (GRUs) are used along with the auto-encoders. The feature extraction and selection module in the network are composed of two different patch-based networks which makes the three-stage network robust. Despite these difficulties, the model is robust enough to predict the levels of VD in the body based on the anthropogenic parameters. To support this network, a sub-VitaDNet module is proposed based on the food taken. Through this network, the food taken is continuously observed and the levels of VD are predicted. Hence, the authors believe that the model is robust enough to predict the VD levels in the body.

We review the potential effects and mechanisms of vitamin D (VD) in patients with BPPV-associated anxiety and depression, offering a new perspective for treating the population. Methods: Through a systematic review of existing literature, we analyzed the relationship between VD and comorbid anxiety and depression in BPPV, with a particular focus on neuroendocrine-immune modulation, genetic polymorphisms, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Results: A comprehensive analysis indicates a significant correlation between low levels of VD and the occurrence, recurrence of BPPV, and the comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression. VD may exert protective effects against BPPV-associated anxiety and depression by regulating neuroendocrine and immune responses, influencing gene expression, and alleviating oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Conclusion: This review suggests that monitoring VD levels and appropriate supplementation could be crucial for the treatment of patients with BPPV comorbid with anxiety and depression. More research should further validate the specific mechanisms of action of VD and its clinical application value to provide more scientific guidance for the treatment of psychiatric disorders accompanying BPPV.

Vitamin D is a lipid soluble vitamin synthesized by the skin upon exposure to UV light. Approximately 10–20% of vitamin D comes from dietary sources and 25OH-D is its circulating form. Vitamin D receptors are found in reproductive tissues including ovary, uterus, and endometrium permitting investigators to hypothesize a role for vitamin D in reproduction. Indeed, a number of animal studies provide evidence of vitamin D’s importance in fertility. Studies in humans, however, generally have not supported an effect of vitamin D on fertility outcomes. Several retrospective cohort studies did not demonstrate an association between vitamin D levels and pregnancy. Similarly, one study did not find correlation between anovulatory infertility and vitamin D intake. Very low levels of vitamin D, however, were associated with miscarriage in another study. A large meta-analysis of 11 studies and 2700 women did show an improvement in IVF success rates in those with higher levels of vitamin D. Finally, two small studies on vitamin D supplementation and pregnancy did not show a benefit of increasing vitamin D intake. In conclusion, the literature at best shows a minimal impact of vitamin D on infertility and IVF outcomes.

Background: Several studies have demonstrated that vitamin D (vitD) might play an important role in the reproductive system due to expression of vitD receptor and vitD-metabolizing enzymes in many reproductive tissues. VitD deficiency has been associated with increased risk of obstetric complications. However, the effect of vitD levels on in vitro fertilization (IVF)/ICSI outcomes is not fully understood. Evidence shows that women with adequate vitD levels might have higher pregnancy rates. This study evaluated the association between serum vitD levels and IVF/ICSI outcomes.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted at IVFMD, My Duc Hospital and IVFMDPN, My Duc Phu Nhuan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam between November 2017 and July 2019. Vietnamese patients aged 18–40 years with serum vitD (25(OH)D) samples collected before starting controlled ovarian stimulation and undergoing embryo transfer were eligible. Patients were divided into four groups based on 25(OH)D levels: <10 ng/mL, 10 to <20 ng/mL, 20 to <30 ng/mL, and $\ge$30 ng/mL. The primary outcome was ongoing pregnancy rate.

Results: Of 3779 patients recruited, 25(OH)D levels were <10 ng/mL in 564 (14.9%), 10 to <20 ng/mL in 436 (11.5%), 20 to <30 in 1,142 (30.2%), and $\ge$30 ng/mL in 1,637 (43.3%). Ongoing pregnancy rates were similar across the four subgroups (36%, 40%, 36%, and 36%, respectively; p = 0.409). The number of oocytes retrieved, embryos, clinical pregnancy, implantation, and miscarriage rates did not differ significantly between subgroups.

Conclusions: In this analysis, serum vitD levels did not appear to be correlated with pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI.