Breakthroughs Today

While current research on monosodium glutamate indicate that it is not possible to ingest the lethal dose, it remains uncertain whether this substance gets flushed out of the body and not accumulate. WHEN I was barely a grader in a public school somewhere in the province of Zamboanga Del Norte, I heard this talk about this food additive we used to call Vetsin. Someone in town supposedly dissolved a small pack of it, and placed a No. 2 iron nail into the solution. After two days, the rumor claimed, the iron nail dissolved totally. (Someone may have stolen the iron nail to play a prank. I don’t know.) At that age, the experiment was impressed into my mind as something “amazing!” But adults who heard the story outlawed the food additive from their homes. Even today, each time I bring home an unfamiliar cooking mix, my mother would scrutinize the list of ingredients to check if it contains monosodium glutamate (MSG). Involvement in the field of research, however, taught me ...

The Mycoplasma hyorhinis-generated prostate cancer is one instance where bacteria infecting animals cause havoc in human genetic materials. This cross-infection is something that health authorities need to look into because its potential impact on humans. SINCE the late 20th century, investigators in medical science increasingly built up evidence that much of cancer came from infections, be it bacterial or viral (rarely, fungal though). In fact, in 2007, the American Cancer Society estimated that around 30 percent of all cancers worldwide had been results of infection. These infection agents are capable of inducing the birth of tumors through their protein products that exert long-term and growing inflammatory reaction in the human body where the infection resides. Barely two years ago, the Namiki Study reported the first infection with Mycoplasma hyorhinis (Mh), a species of tiny, wall-free microorganisms that resides in the human cell or on its cell membrane. This genus comprise...

Sometimes the cost of a sense of safety can be more than what it deserves. And that cost can mean risk to life, not only yours but also to the unfortunate fetus. A NEW race of contraceptive pills has already entered the Philippine market. Scientists consider this as an emergency contraception (EC), although it’s popularly known as the “morning-after pill.” This oral contraceptive contains four times the normal dose of what most people know of as The Pill, or the combined oral contraceptive (COC) pill. And it is designed to prevent pregnancy after “unprotected” sexual intercourse. This dose must be taken over a period of 12 hours thereafter. The EC pill, like the COC, prevents ovulation from happening. And like COC, it interferes with implantation if fertilization did happen, according to the Rosenfiend study in 1998. And by that capability it is an abortifacient. Progestin hormones are the culprits in this mix. Synthetic progestins, whether norethindrone, norethindrone acetate, eth...

The prospect is very good for the newly gene-modified T-cells that has so far fully stopped chronic lymphocytic luekemia (CLL) in two volunteers. The remission has continued for already a year since the treatment. We hope that longer remissions will be observed in this new method of gene therapy. Carl June, a gene therapy expert at the University of Pennsylvania, has some much reason to celebrate in the recent albeit small victory in the fight against cancer using a new gene modification technique performed on T-cells. The new method uses a carrier that delivers the new genes to the T-cells. The new genes are designed to begin dictating T-cells to kill cancer cells and multiply. A regiment of mercenary T-cells get reproduced, specifically attacking leukemic cells and eradicating them all. All it takes are three infusions of genetically engineered T-cells. The only drawback so far is the reengineered T-cells' nonspecific targeting of other immune-active blood cells. Still two succ...

The mother's remains an irreplaceable food for newborn children up to a year. But often it can be as unsafe as the mother's health state. HALF a decade ago, childhood obesity alarmed health authorities around the world as it emerged as an epidemic. Rapidly increasing rates of youths suffering from Type 2 (insulin-dependent) diabetes had been observed. Last year, the Canadian Diabetes Association, Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research conducted a study attempting to determine how much of it can be due to the mother’s milk. Scientists believe that the human breast milk may hold some key in understanding this development as it is the preferred food during infancy. It contains an array of bioactive compounds, including metabolic compounds. Sometime this year or next the result of this study may provide us the answer. What are known so far about the human mother’s milk can be considered educational already, both to upcoming mothers...

It is good to know that many good things in life are available and can be found in nature. All we need to do is pluck it off, and cook. CULINARY aficionados relish the wonders of their kitchens. The varieties of the spices they can get their hands on can be exhilarating to the person who loves nothing but cooking food. But only recently did scientists come to appreciate more the health benefits of these herbs. One of these is turmeric (either the Curcuma longa, or the C. domestica species). It is often used in powdered form as ingredient in curry and mustard. You can identify it through its characteristic yellow to light yellow-orange color. Its active ingredient is called “curcumin,” or more scientifically precise, “curcuminoids.” A recent review of all studies on curcumin confirmed its effectiveness against inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Rebecca Taylor and Mandy Leonard reported in the Alternative Medical Review this year that a study on IBD showed significant improvement...