Hearing experts break sound barrier for children born without hearing nerve

Medical researchers are breaking sound barriers for children born without a hearing nerve. Hearing loss manifests in various forms, most of which can be partially restored through hearing aids and cochlear implants. Those devices cannot help a small population of individuals who do not have a cochlear, or hearing, nerve -- these people are unable to perceive sound, no matter how loud, outside of feeling vibration. The ABI is considered revolutionary because it stimulates neurons directly at the human brainstem, bypassing the inner ear entirely. 

A multi-institutional team of hearing and communication experts led by the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) is breaking sound barriers for children born without a hearing nerve in a clinical trial backed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Launched in March 2014, the three-year study has enrolled five of 10 participants and successfully implanted an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) device in four children who previously could not hear.

The research team will present preliminary findings at the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) 2015 Annual Meeting in San Jose, California, on Feb. 14.

"Initial activation of the ABI is like a newborn entering the world and hearing for the first time, which means these children will need time to learn to interpret what they are sensing through the device as 'sound,'" said audiologist Laurie Eisenberg, Ph.D., a Keck School of Medicine of USC otolaryngology professor and study co-leader. "All of our study participants whose ABIs have been activated are progressing at expected or better rates. We are optimistic that, with intensive training and family support, these children will eventually be able to talk on the phone."

Hearing loss manifests in various forms, most of which can be partially restored through hearing aids and cochlear implants. Those devices cannot help a small population of individuals who do not have a cochlear, or hearing, nerve -- these people are unable to perceive sound, no matter how loud, outside of feeling vibration. The ABI is considered revolutionary because it stimulates neurons directly at the human brainstem, bypassing the inner ear entirely.

Surgeons outside the United States have been doing ABI surgeries in children for more than 10 years, but there was never a formal safety or feasibility study under regulatory oversight. In the United States, the ABI is approved for use only in patients 12 years or older with neurofibromatosis type II, an inherited disease that causes a non-malignant brain tumor on the hearing nerve, but it has shown limited effectiveness in adults.

Scientists believe that the ABI would be more effective in younger children, when their brains are more adaptable. The clinical trial will attempt to prove that the surgery is safe in young children and allow researchers to study how the brain develops over time and how it learns to hear sound and develop speech.

"Hearing loss can be devastating to a child's social development, and for some children, the ABI is their last viable chance to hear," said Keck School of Medicine of USC Professor Robert V. Shannon, Ph.D., an investigator for the trial and a leading scientist in the development of ABI technology since 1989. "Several of the young children who had ABIs implanted outside the United States have sought help at the USC-CHLA Center for Childhood Communication and we know that they now have the potential to understand speech. This really shows how powerful and flexible the brain is. By studying how the brain and the hearing system work together through this device, our team will set the gold standard for use of this technology".

Culled from University of Southern California - Health Sciences

Alzheimer's drug may reduce urge to binge eat

The Alzheimer's drug memantine may perform double-duty helping binge eaters control their compulsion. Researchers have demonstrated that memantine, a neuroprotective drug, may reduce the addictive and impulsive behavior associated with binge eating.

The Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) study, which appears online in Neuopsychopharmacology, also found that a specific area in the brain, the nucleus accumbens, which is responsible for addictive behaviors, facilitates the effects of memantine.

Binge-eating disorder is a prevalent illness in America, affecting more than 10 million people. It is characterized by periods of excessive uncontrolled consumption of food, followed by uncomfortable fullness and feelings of self-disgust. New evidence indicates that changes in brain chemistry reflecting the addictive nature of binge eating may parallel drug and alcohol addiction.

Using an experimental model to simulate binge-eating behavior, researchers were able to identify the area of the brain associated with binge-eating and then suppress the behavior by applying memantine directly into that area.

"We found that memantine, which blocks glutamate NMDA receptors, blocks binge eating of junk food, blocks the strength of cues associated with junk food and blocks the compulsivity associated with binge eating," explained senior author Pietro Cottone, PhD, an associate professor of pharmacology and psychiatry at BUSM and co-director of the Laboratory of Addictive Disorders.

This research opens new avenues for binge eating treatment especially since memantine is a drug already approved for other indications. "Individuals with binge eating disorder have a very poor quality of life and decreased lifespan. Our study gives a better understanding of the underpinning neurobiological mechanisms of the disorder," added coauthor Valentina Sabino, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and psychiatry at BUSM and co-director of the Laboratory of Addictive Disorders.

Source: Boston University Medical Center

Researchers identify peptide that reduces urge to eat

Researchers have identified a peptide and hormone that when administered to a specific area of the brain may reduce the desire for food. The study, which appears in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, may one day lead to medications that treat obesity and binge eating disorders.

Obesity is a complex disorder affecting more than 78 million Americans which involves an excessive amount of body fat. It increases your risk of diseases and health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Binge-eating disorder is a prevalent illness in America characterized by periods of excessive uncontrolled consumption of food, followed by uncomfortable fullness and feelings of self-disgust.

Using an experimental model, the researchers found when administering pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP), a peptide and hormone produced by neurons, in a specific area of the brain called the "central amygdala," it reduced the intake of food and led to weight loss.

According to the researchers PACAP is known for its food intake and body weight effects in the hypothalamus (the area of the brain known for controlling appetite). However, this is the first report of PACAP effects in the amygdala, a region of the brain outside the hypothalamus, involved in fear but also in the emotional component of eating.

The researchers also discovered how PACAP decreases food intake when injected in the amygdala. In general, food intake can be decreased in two ways: eating fewer meals of normal size during the day, or smaller meals. "We found that amygdalar PACAP reduces the amount of food eaten within meals, but not how many meals are consumed. In addition, we found that PACAP reduced the rate of intake of food. This means that, following administration of PACAP, models were eating more slowly," explained Valentina Sabino, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and psychiatry, and co-director of the Laboratory of Addictive Disorder at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM).

In addition, they found that PACAP effects on food intake and body weight were dependent on another brain factor: the growth-hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). "The effects of PACAP on food intake and body weight were absent when it was given together with another drug that blocks BDNF signaling, suggesting that PACAP acts through BDNF," said Sabino.

The researchers believe these findings have implications for a variety of conditions, since they found not only how much food subjects ate but also how fast they ate them. "The PACAP system may hypothetically be the target of medications to treat not only obesity but also binge-eating, a disease characterized by excessive, uncontrollable consumption of food within brief periods of time," added coauthor Pietro Cottone, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and psychiatry and co-director of the Laboratory of Addictive Disorder at BUSM.

Also contributing to this study were BU researchers: Attilio Iemolo, PhD, and Antonio Ferragud, MS.

Funding for this study was provided by the National Institute of Health (National Institute of Mental Health and National Institute on Drug Abuse), the Peter Paul Career Development Professorship, the Peter McManus Charitable Trust, and Boston University's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
.

Source: Boston University Medical Center

Prime Solver

A fundamental problem had stymied mathematicians for centuries. Then a former Subway cashier announced he’d solved it.

What does a eureka moment look like? It’s usually more subtle than having an apple fall from a tree, striking a young scientist in the head. In fact, you might watch the whole thing unfold without realizing anything took place at all.

That’s what happened on July 3, 2012, when a middle-aged Chinese man passed a seemingly uneventful half-hour in the backyard of his friend’s suburban home in Pueblo, Colo. The man, Yitang Zhang, spent most of the time pacing, occasionally glancing at the golf course that abutted the yard or gazing toward Pikes Peak and other mountains in the distance. He didn’t say a word, and after 30 minutes he went inside the house, perhaps to find relief from the heat and blazing sun.

Zhang had just solved one of the most celebrated problems in mathematics, a version of the twin prime conjecture. (A conjecture’s a mathematical hypothesis with some basis to it, not just a wild guess.) He didn’t bother telling his friend what he’d accomplished, as it would have been rather difficult to explain, even if Zhang was inclined to talk about his work, which he’s not. The effort of trying to get a layperson to grasp the miraculous, though exceedingly technical, sleight of hand he’d just pulled off would likely have ruined the moment of private exaltation Zhang was experiencing. “I didn’t tell him anything,” he says. “It was unnecessary to tell him...

Culled from discovermagazine.com

BBC RADIO 4’S OPENING LINES 2015

BBC Radio Drama Readings Unit welcomes submissions from writers new to radio for their annual series, Opening Lines which is broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Broadcast on Radio 4, Opening Lines is an annual series that showcases the best in new talent. It provides a platform for emerging radio writers and is now open for submissions to those who have not previously had a story broadcast on network radio or have substantial writing credits in other areas of radio. The Opening Lines team have offered some guidance on what they are looking for.

“We are looking for original short stories which work being read out loud i.e. with a strong emphasis on narrative and avoiding too much dialogue, character description and digression. Pay particular attention to how the story opens and closes, the ending needs to link back to the beginning. We are interested in seeing stories which cover a broad range of subject-matter but material which explores particularly dark, harrowing themes is not suited to Opening Lines. Stories must not contain defamatory, obscene or any other unsuitable material which is likely to cause offence to a wide audience of all ages.”

The time alloted for each story is 14 minutes, so stories must be between 1900 and 2000 word long. Entries which fall outside these parameters will not be considered. Only one entry is accepted per person.

The three strongest stories will be recorded and broadcast, and transcripts of the best stories will also be published on the BBC website. The three successful writers will be invited to London for an afternoon in Broadcasting House. They will also have the chance to see their stories being recorded.

Submission Guidelines 2015

The BBC Radio Drama Readings Unit welcomes submissions from writers new to radio for their annual series, Opening Lines which is broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

The next window for sending in material is

5th January – 13th February 2015.

We are unable to respond to unsolicited stories submitted outside this time-frame.

The three successful writers will have their stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and be invited to the BBC in London to see their stories being recorded. As well as broadcasting the three strongest stories we publish transcripts of the best stories submitted within this period on the Opening Lines website.

KEY INFORMATION

To ensure your story is read and doesn't miss out on this opportunity, the following criteria must be met:

• Writers who have previously had a story/stories broadcast on network radio or have substantial writing credits in other areas of radio (e.g. comedy and drama) are not eligible for this series.
• We only accept one story per writer.
• Please don’t re-submit stories that have previously been considered for Opening Lines
• Stories must be between 1,900 and 2,000 words in length.

Submissions which fall outside of these parameters will not be considered.

We are looking for original short stories which work being read out loud i.e. with a strong emphasis on narrative and avoiding too much dialogue, character description and digression. Pay particular attention to how the story opens and closes, the ending needs to link back to the beginning.

We are interested in seeing stories which cover a broad range of subject-matter but material which explores particularly dark, harrowing themes is not suited to Opening Lines. Stories must not contain defamatory, obscene or any other unsuitable material which is likely to cause offence to a wide audience of all ages. Click hereto read stories which have featured in recent series.

We will read all eligible submissions and get in touch with those writers whose stories have been longlisted for the 2015 series by the 15th May 2015, which is when the longlist will be published on our website. We regret that we are unable to respond to those writers whose stories haven’t been selected, but you will of course, be able to check the website to see the longlist.

HOW TO ENTER

Please complete the Submission Form which can be downloaded here.

Then send us your story and the completed Submission Form either:

by email to OpeningLines@bbc.co.uk

or by post to

BBC Radio Drama Readings,

Room 8015,

Broadcasting House,

Portland Place,

London W1A 1AA.

A woman's breast tissue ages faster than the rest of her body

Steve Horvath has discovered that a woman's breast tissue ages faster than the rest of her body.

"Healthy breast tissue is about two to three years older than the rest of a woman's body," said Horvath. "If a woman has breast cancer, the healthy tissue next to the tumor is an average of 12 years older than the rest of her body."

The results may explain why breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Given that the clock ranked tumor tissue an average of 36 years older than healthy tissue, it could also explain why age is a major risk factor for many cancers in both genders.

Source: Steve Horvath. DNA methylation age of human tissues and cell types. Genome Biology, 2013; 14 (10): R115 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2013-14-10-r115

DNA clock helps to get measure of people's lifespans

A biological clock that provides vital clues about how long a person is likely to live has been discovered by researchers. Researchers studied chemical changes to DNA that take place over a lifetime, and can help them predict an individual's age. By comparing individuals' actual ages with their predicted biological clock age, scientists saw a pattern emerging.

Researchers studied chemical changes to DNA that take place over a lifetime, and can help them predict an individual's age. By comparing individuals' actual ages with their predicted biological clock age, scientists saw a pattern emerging.

People whose biological age was greater than their true age were more likely to die sooner than those whose biological and actual ages were the same.

Four independent studies tracked the lives of almost 5,000 older people for up to 14 years. Each person's biological age was measured from a blood sample at the outset, and participants were followed up throughout the study.

Researchers found that the link between having a faster-running biological clock and early death held true even after accounting for other factors such as smoking, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with researchers in Australia and the US, measured each person's biological age by studying a chemical modification to DNA, known as methylation.

The modification does not alter the DNA sequence, but plays an important role in biological processes and can influence how genes are turned off and on. Methylation changes can affect many genes and occur throughout a person's life.

Dr Riccardo Marioni, of the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, said: "The same results in four studies indicated a link between the biological clock and deaths from all causes. At present, it is not clear what lifestyle or genetic factors influence a person's biological age. We have several follow-up projects planned to investigate this in detail."

The study's principal investigator, Professor Ian Deary, also from the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, said: "This new research increases our understanding of longevity and healthy aging. It is exciting as it has identified a novel indicator of aging, which improves the prediction of lifespan over and above the contribution of factors such as smoking, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease."

The study is published in the journal Genome Biology.

Culled from University of Edinburgh