OK, I've got a bit of a soap-box feeling about this issue.... the autism and vaccination thing. I've been so blessed to have very average children, with no hints of autism, Aspergers, or anything on the spectrum. I do know lots of parents who are worried about vaccines playing a role in the onset of these disorders autism spectrum disorders or ASD.
I believe the link between vaccines and ASD has been thoroughly laid to rest. Still, many really cling to this as a reason to delay or even refuse vaccinations for their children. The issue I have is twofold: one, by your not vaccinating you're putting my child at risk for disease. Two: by maintaining focus on the vaccine/ASD link the energy/intellect/resources of researchers investigating ASD is distracted, sidetracked, derailed, and unproductive.
Case in point, this paper coming form the May 5 issue of The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders "Is Maternal Influenza or Fever During Pregnancy Associated with Autism or Developmental Delays? Results from the CHARGE (CHildhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment) Study."
This study looked at over 500 kids who have been placed on the ASD. Over 50% of moms reported having a fever while pregnant. Synopsis by Medscape: "Fever during pregnancy is linked to a 2-fold increased risk for ASD or developmental delay (DD) in offspring, new research suggests. However, using medication to lower the fever may counter this effect.
'The inflammatory process may have a damaging effect on the developing fetus in some women," lead author Ousseny Zerbo, PhD, now a postdoctoral researcher with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research in Oakland, said in an interview with Medscape Medical News. "These results call for more studies looking at inflammation during pregnancy and risk of autism,' he added."
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Sleep your way to thin
OK, I wish this were really true. But maybe not sleeping is making you fat?
A new study, published April 11 in Science Translational Medicine suggests that not getting enough shut-eye might be a contributing factor to weight gain, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. Big time.
The researchers took 24 healthy volunteers and subjected them to a grueling 21 days of very little sleep and total day/night disorientation. For four weeks, the volunteers were only allowed to sleep 5.6 hours of every 24. Lights were kept on "dim" and the day/night schedule was shifted to 28 hours.
How did the volunteers respond? Insulin levels dropped in all subjects to a level seen in pre-diabetes. Volunteers also measured a reduced resting metabolic rate, down 8% from normal. Meaning, fewer the sleepy volunteers needed fewer calories to maintain weight. Insulin levels, blood sugar response, and basal metabolic rate returned to normal within a few days of the volunteers resuming a normal amount of sleep, within the normal 24 hour day/night cycle.
What's the take home?
Missing out on sleep can effect you. Big time. Sure, these volunteers were only tortured for a few weeks, and quickly went back to normal. But what if you're trying to survive on 5-6 hours of sleep a night for years? Decades? This study suggests it can take a significant toll on your basal metabolic rate to the extent that if no other variables change would lead to 12+ lbs gained in one year. And missing out on the extra sleep can result in insulin insensitivity - a serious pre-diabetic state. There's lots of other animal and human studies supporting these conclusions.
Now, being realistic, and being a mom of two little girls who have their own definition of sleep that rarely takes into account Mom's need for shut-eye, I know how hard getting all your zzz's can be. But this study might help give you a little more encouragement to try to catch a nap when you can, or maybe try to turn in when the kids to a couple times a week. Your waistline and your longevity might benefit in the long run.
Oh, in case you're wondering about if the volunteers were compensated, "Participants received payment for volunteering in this study, equivalent to ~$10 per hour when in the laboratory." They also got meals. No mention of them being provided video games.
The article:
A new study, published April 11 in Science Translational Medicine suggests that not getting enough shut-eye might be a contributing factor to weight gain, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. Big time.
The researchers took 24 healthy volunteers and subjected them to a grueling 21 days of very little sleep and total day/night disorientation. For four weeks, the volunteers were only allowed to sleep 5.6 hours of every 24. Lights were kept on "dim" and the day/night schedule was shifted to 28 hours. How did the volunteers respond? Insulin levels dropped in all subjects to a level seen in pre-diabetes. Volunteers also measured a reduced resting metabolic rate, down 8% from normal. Meaning, fewer the sleepy volunteers needed fewer calories to maintain weight. Insulin levels, blood sugar response, and basal metabolic rate returned to normal within a few days of the volunteers resuming a normal amount of sleep, within the normal 24 hour day/night cycle.
What's the take home?
Missing out on sleep can effect you. Big time. Sure, these volunteers were only tortured for a few weeks, and quickly went back to normal. But what if you're trying to survive on 5-6 hours of sleep a night for years? Decades? This study suggests it can take a significant toll on your basal metabolic rate to the extent that if no other variables change would lead to 12+ lbs gained in one year. And missing out on the extra sleep can result in insulin insensitivity - a serious pre-diabetic state. There's lots of other animal and human studies supporting these conclusions.
Now, being realistic, and being a mom of two little girls who have their own definition of sleep that rarely takes into account Mom's need for shut-eye, I know how hard getting all your zzz's can be. But this study might help give you a little more encouragement to try to catch a nap when you can, or maybe try to turn in when the kids to a couple times a week. Your waistline and your longevity might benefit in the long run.
Oh, in case you're wondering about if the volunteers were compensated, "Participants received payment for volunteering in this study, equivalent to ~$10 per hour when in the laboratory." They also got meals. No mention of them being provided video games.
The article:
Adverse Metabolic Consequences in Humans
of Prolonged Sleep Restriction Combined
with Circadian Disruption
Orfeu M. Buxton, Sean W. Cain, Shawn P. O’Connor, James H. Porter, Jeanne F. Duffy, Wei Wang, Charles A. Czeisler, Steven A. Shea
The abstract found here.
Orfeu M. Buxton, Sean W. Cain, Shawn P. O’Connor, James H. Porter, Jeanne F. Duffy, Wei Wang, Charles A. Czeisler, Steven A. Shea
The abstract found here.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A private study
Found this story today. Wow.
OK, I wanted to post this on my "regular" blog, but thought it fit better here. I mean, there's a phenomena out there that people acknowledge, deny, joke about, but it's never really been investigated. Brave souls. I'd love to see the grant application for this one.
Quote from the article:
Quote from the article:
Having 3 distinct regions, the G-spot emerged with dimensions of length (L) of 8.1 mm x width (W) 3.6 mm to 1.5 mm x height (H) 0.4 mm. Upon removal of the entire structure with the adjacent margin tissues, the G-spot stretched from 8.1 to 33 mm.
Takeaway message: as much as we think we already know about anatomy, apparently there's still more to discover. Well, maybe more to document.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Bottoms up, little worms!
Caenorhabditis elegans Battling Starvation Stress: Low Levels of Ethanol Prolong Lifespan in L1 Larvae
So....
"Starving worm larvae that usually live 10 days could survive 20 to 30 in the presence of alcohol. "
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