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Monday, June 11, 2012
劉兆玄...賞識 (sense of appreciation) ! 台灣缺乏創業氛圍 !!
How to monitoring protein assembly !!!
兩岸醫療與醫藥產業投融資
Chinese company international ambitions in stem cell fields !! !!
射玻尿酸隆鼻? 醫師技術成關鍵 !!
陰莖微整型 用玻尿酸 ?!
太醫佈局中南美洲市場!
百略 目標 全球電毯龍頭!!
醫美大不同: 韓國動刀 台灣微整形 !
讚 ! 台灣醫療服務業
發展障礙早療 環境互動中成長 !!
新药 上市難 入国家医保目录更難 !!
恒瑞医药:国际化迈出重要的一步
温州财经网2012-06-11 10:32 稿源:全景网络编辑:俞健 伊立替康实现美国销售。用于晚期大肠癌一线治疗的化疗药物伊立替康于2011年12月获得美国食品药品管理局FDA认证,获准在在美国销售。从上海海关数据得知,2012年4月公司第一批伊立替康注射剂48000多支终于经上海海关出口至美国。这是公司在实施"国际化"战略中具有里程碑意义的事件。中国虽然有不少产品获得国际认证,但真正获得销售的很少,而伊立替康是中国第一个出口到欧美规范市场的注射剂。美国注射剂管理非常严格,总体而言注射剂是短缺的,这将有利于公司产品在美国的推广。公司仿制药出口准备做一揽子产品。截止目前为止,公司已经有9个制剂产品认证材料上报至美国FDA,等待美国药监局官员的随时检查。预计下半年还要新增3-4个产品。一般而言,美国FDA过了,欧盟很快就能通过。以奥沙利铂为利,在FDA认证通过两天后欧盟很快就通过认证了。注射剂的工厂是生产一个剂型,不是一个品种,只要公司的大体系改造完成,其他软件配备好就能很快通过FDA。在国际认证中最难的是无菌封装的冻干粉针,在FDA检查里层级是最高的,目前公司已经过该认证。预计公司将有10-20个认证产品,实现2-3亿美元的销售收入。随着公司产品一个个顺利获得认证,后续的认证可能将越来越快,预计未来公司将可能有10-20个产品能通过FDA或欧盟认证,国际化销售可期。
财务与估值:我们预计公司2012-2014年每股收益分别为0.96、1.20、1.51元,我们认为公司具有强大的研发实力,国外认证将拓展公司海外业务,同时也可增强公司药品在招标时单独定价的话语权,参考可比公司估值,对应目标价40.5元,维持公司"买入"评级。"10ppb" 絕對保障國人安全 ?!!
中華醫事科大...院士週!
走外科? 除非強烈使命感?
祺驊/ 臺灣輔康 佈局 居家照護醫療器材
兩難..運動有助於減低"煩惱" ?!!
fp7...Better Alzheimer's detection: new EU-funded project to develop nanoscope
Posted: Jun 7th, 2012(Nanowerk News) A new research project that will pioneer a nanoscope to screen patient cells and potentially help with the early detection of Alzheimer's disease has just kicked off. With a boost of more than EUR 4 million in funding from the 'Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the LANIR ('Label free nanoscopy using infra red') project will bring together researchers from 11 partner institutes across Belgium, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy and Romania. The consortium is made up of both small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) and academic partners. Set to run until 2012, the central aim of LANIR is to help find a way of detecting Alzheimer's disease in its early stages, as this is critical to developing effective treatments for the condition. At present, there is no such test available, despite the 7.7 million new cases each year worldwide, as well as 800 000 new patients in Europe who are affected by other forms of dementia. Alzheimer's disease is also directly responsible for increasing dependency costs among the elderly. The LANIR team will develop a nanoscope technique that works by deploying infrared (IR) radiation as a source of detection. It would be able to see features as small as 70 nanometres in lateral dimension, which is comparable to the size of a virus. The LANIR prototype will allow direct imaging of the chemistry and the structure of very small 'buried' features, without having to destroy the surface of a cell or a material. Infrared nanoscopy (IRN) is based on Infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS), which measures the IR absorption in a material by recording the IR light reflected by or transmitted through the sample. When an incident IR wavelength matches with the specific (vibrational) excitations of chemical bonds in the probed molecules or materials, the IR absorption increases resonantly. IR spectroscopy thus reveals characteristic signatures of the chemical structures and molecular species. IRN's two main features are advanced laser techniques and spatio-temporal optical patterning. Chemical fingerprints of a sample can be imaged point by point at nanometre resolution by scanning over the pump-probe pattern on the sample. CORDIS News spoke to Project Manager John Mulcahy from the Materials and Surface Science Institute at the University of Limerick, Ireland, the LANIR coordinating institution. He comments on the project: 'The infrared nanoscope being developed in LANIR will provide tools for use as an early diagnostic device for Alzheimer's disease, which will allow timely intervention against the causes of reversible dementias, the start of therapies that can slow disease progression, the start of therapies that can potentiate the cognitive performance of patients by exploiting the non-complete impairment of their neuronal circuits, and the implementation of measures that reduce the effects of the co-morbidity associated with dementia.' He also described how the nanoscope will help with the timely implementation by patients and their families of the measures necessary to solve problems related to the disease's progression. John Mulcahy outlined how important EU funding is to the success of the project and the significance of the participation of the six SME partners for getting the table-top prototype to market: 'The transnational nature of FP7 Collaborative projects such as LANIR is particularly beneficial to bring together leading microscopists, spectroscopists and biologists under one umbrella beside industry leaders, to develop a new nanoscope and relevant applications of the nanoscope. FP7 funding leverages significant funding to bring this groundbreaking technique to a commercial reality in the shortest possible time. The specific emphasis on SMEs in FP7 projects has also been important to ensure participation from innovative and research and development (R&D)-oriented SMEs, and interfacing them with top-level expertise and infrastructure available in academic and public research bodies, in order to bring forward this groundbreaking technology. It would not have been possible to progress the technology otherwise.' As well as the prototype, table-top, multimodal IRN, the project will also construct three research IR microscopes, which will routinely image at a resolution less than 1 000 nm in IR and less than 100 nm in visible light. These three research IR microscopes will be located in Limerick in Ireland, Bucharest in Romania and Genoa in Italy. Mr Mulcahy says this ensures the benefits of high-end nanoscopy will be spread out across the whole of Europe, a feat he describes as 'impossible without FP7 funding'.
Stem cell research
Saturday, June 9, 2012 by Michael Jennings, spokesman for Research,,I refer to the item Malta Opposes Proposal For Funding Of Research Involving Destruction Of Embryos regarding stem cell research (June 1). It is important to note that the European Commission has no plans to fund research that destroys human embryos. The EU research programme, called FP7, currently uses a "triple lock" system when it comes to stem cell research. First and foremost, EU projects must follow the laws of the country in which research is carried out. Second, projects are subject to scientific peer review and rigorous ethical review. Third, EU funds may not be used for derivation of new stem cell lines or for research that destroys human embryos – including for the procurement of stem cells. The Commission tabled a declaration on the above approach upon adoption of the FP7 legislation in 2006. This approach was fully supported by the European Parliament and the member states upon their adoption of the FP7 legislation. We have made clear that we will do the same for Horizon 2020, which means that research that destroys human embryos will not be funded.
兩岸醫療展14日登場 規模大增
【經濟日報╱記者林宸誼/台北報導】 2012.06.10 03:15 am2012年台灣海峽兩岸健康暨醫療展覽會, 將於14日至17日在台北世界貿易中心一館登場。外貿協會統計,今年有410家廠商使用800個攤位,與去年相比,廠商數及攤位數規模均成長10%以上,預登買主人數亦高於去年同期,預計超過千名國際買主來台參觀採購,總參觀人數將達5萬7,000人次。展覽期間,貿協除了辦理一對一採購洽談會搶攻海外商機外,也將舉辦各類主題研討會。例如兩岸微整形學術研討會、兩岸白內障及屈光手術國際學術研討會、兩岸醫療與醫藥產業投融資,以及醫院管理交流高峰論壇。在座談會方面,美麗專家-長虹生醫將分享保持「身‧心‧靈」健康與青春永駐秘密。在健康照護與醫療器材等產業資訊方面,台灣福康輔助租賃公司將在現場展示多樣化的行動輔具與便利的租賃服務,讓銀髮族生活更加便利。在居家護理方面,雃博公司將展示最新款呼吸器自動調壓系列,提升居家照護的品質。今年展出內容包括:醫療儀器(含醫院設備、IT設備、整形設備用品)、實驗室儀器及生物技術檢驗設備、輔具(含輪椅、電動代步車及零配件)、保健及康複產品(含銀髮族用品、物理治療、個人保健用品及器材)等。【2012/06/10 經濟日報】
DEET防蚊藥有「衛署藥製」皮膚可用
鉅亨網新聞中心(來源:華人健康網)2012-06-10華人健康網 記者張雅雯/台北報導時序進入盛夏,許多人為了避免被蚊蟲叮咬,習慣在四肢皮膚使用防蚊產品,目前衛生署核准含DEET成分防蚊藥品,許可證共有21張,這些防蚊藥品才能使用在皮膚上且有效防蚊,均被列為藥局才能販售的指示用藥或成藥,民眾購買前要認明,包裝上是否有「衛署藥製」或「內衛成製」字號。
人造器官日本以幹細胞成功複製肝臟
鉅亨網新聞中心(來源:華人健康網)2012-06-09華人健康網 記者張世傑/台北報導幹細胞是再生醫學的希望,在臨床應用已可有效改善許多疾病。據法新社轉述,「日本研究者近日成功利用幹細胞,複製人類肝臟,這一醫學突破進一步使人造器官生產成為可能,為需要器官移植的患者帶來了希望」。對此,國內研究開發幹細胞移植的生技業則是興奮表示,雖然目前仍需要更多實證科學,證明幹細胞複製人體器官是否有後遺症出現,但是可以預見未來,對器官移植將產生一線曙光。
外電轉述,日本研究者近日成功利用幹細胞複製人類肝臟。21世紀是再生醫學新世紀,特別是幹細胞是生命的源頭,又具有再生與分化的功能,可讓老化與受損的人體快速達到標本兼治的效果,所以已成為本世紀最受矚目的明星產業。國外媒體指出,日本橫濱城市大學一研究團隊將誘導性多功能幹細胞(iPS) 植入一隻老鼠,培植出一隻雖然體積小,但能正常工作的人類肝臟。他們將人類的誘導性多功能幹細胞(iPS) 培育成細胞前體(precursor cells),然後將其植入老鼠的頭部,以利用其頭部較強的血流來幫助細胞生長。植入的幹細胞長成長約5毫米、能夠生成蛋白質和分解毒素的人類肝臟。由於過去研究者往往從胚胎中提取幹細胞,提取之後的胚胎便遭遺棄,有些人認為道德上這不可接受。但誘導性多功能幹細胞可從成人體內提取,並有潛力生成任何身體組織。但這項研究只可被視作醫學研究,和臨床應用間的過渡,但在投入應用之前還面臨很多挑戰。國內研究幹細胞的生技業者指出,幹細胞是一種「奇蹟」細胞,簡直「無所不能」,是「上帝」埋在我們體內的「種子」,「幹」細胞-取自英文「stem」cell意為樹幹或起源。又稱為起源細胞、母細胞、種子細胞、全能細胞。1997年2月,蘇格蘭的胚胎學家Ian Wilmut等人,以成年母羊乳腺細胞複製出小羊桃莉,為生物學無性生殖的夢想帶來興奮,幹細胞的研究在全球掀起熱潮。2009年1月23ㄖ,美國總統歐巴馬撤銷限制胚胎幹細胞研究的行政命令,隨後美國食品和藥品管理局〈FDA〉批準了全球首宗人類胚胎幹細胞治療臨床實驗,創造人類醫學史上的新篇章,讓幹細胞對再生醫學研究更上一層樓。禮來中國研發中心正式投入運營
2012/06/01 10:04專攻糖尿病藥物開發,加強全球化創新承諾科學家將探索中國患者的糖尿病遺傳基礎,為開發和改進新型糖尿病治療藥物邁出關鍵一步上海2012年6月1日電 /美通社亞洲/ -- 美國禮來制藥( http://www.lilly.com )今日宣布,禮來中國研發中心正式成立,這是禮來制藥對中國作出的又一重大且具有持續性的承諾。禮來中國研發中心的任務是,專注中國的糖尿病患者,探索具有新的作用機制、可以延緩糖尿病進程的新型藥物。由于中國經濟的迅猛發展,導致生活方式的改變及人口老齡化趨勢的日益顯現,糖尿病已成為中國社會的一大公共健康問題,目前中國有九千余萬名糖尿病患者以及超過一億的糖尿病前期患者。亞洲糖尿病患者的基因組成差異對糖尿病的發病機理及進程有一定影響,所以研究這些差異將成為禮來中國研發中心的一項重要工作。該研發中心聘用大約一百五十名科學家和工作人員,他們大多數來自中國。禮來中國研發中心的成立是禮來制藥近年來在全球范圍內推出的一系列重大研發投入中的又一項最新舉措。該中心的成立再次體現了禮來在實施創新,尤其是在糖尿病領域的研究以及改善全球患者的個體療效方面的不懈承諾。禮來制藥全球執行副總裁、禮來研究院總裁嚴倫博博士(Dr. Jan Lundberg)表示:"征服糖尿病這種危害性極大的疾病,需要創新、合作和投資。禮來中國研發中心的成立,說明我們是以非常嚴肅認真的態度,致力于探索和開發中國糖尿病患者迫切需要的具有突破性的藥物。要實現這項目標,我們必須以一種截然不同的、全新的方式來看待糖尿病,同時還要與當地的學朮研究中心及合作伙伴攜手合作,讓禮來的優秀科學家能與中國的杰出科學家并肩作戰。通過以熱忱和樂觀的態度去探索糖尿病形成和發展的新理論,并希望將其轉化成特定的糖尿病治療藥物,我相信我們一定能為中國乃至全世界的糖尿病患者謀取福利。"
專注遺傳基礎研究,定制新型治療方案探索中國乃至亞洲糖尿病患者的遺傳基礎,是禮來中國研發中心要開展的一項重要研究工作。例如,中國糖尿病患者的平均體重指數(BMI)顯著低于美國糖尿病患者的BMI值。此外,相比亞洲以外的糖尿病患者,中國糖尿病患者出現腹部肥胖、脂肪肝和胰島素抵抗現象的比率更高。進一步針對這些特有現象開展研究,可為探索治療糖尿病新藥提供更多的機會。禮來中國研究副總裁、禮來中國研發中心總經理章蓓博士表示:"糖尿病在中國的流行趨勢日益嚴峻,中國的糖尿病患者人數多于世界上其他國家﹔而這其中,多達四分之三的患者尚未能有效地控制疾病。研究機構必須更好地了解導致這一流行病的遺傳和環境因素,從而讓我們能找到針對這些因素的有效藥物。在禮來中國研發中心,我們將探索應對這一未被滿足的患者需求的創新解決方案,比如專注于研究病理生理途徑,攜手中國學朮機構研究中國糖尿病患者獨有的特點,從而實現開發具有突破性的治療藥物的目標。"在短期內,禮來中國研發中心的重點工作是有選擇性地開發具有潛力的新藥靶標,以期為禮來的產品庫增添新的糖尿病治療潛在藥物。
服務中國患者九十余年早在1918年,禮來制藥就在中國設立了第一個海外代表處,禮來在中國的業務發展一直是具有持續性的、顯著而富有意義的。在過去十几年中,禮來已經與中國本土的科學家和科研公司構筑了一個極有效的合作研發網絡。"隨著禮來在中國的業務不斷拓展和延伸,目前已經從藥物早期研發,到臨床研究,藥物生產以及商業化上市,形成了一套完整的價值鏈體系。"禮來中國總裁艾博來(Eric Baclet)先生表示,"禮來中國研發中心的成立再次映証了禮來制藥'植根中國、造福中國'的承諾。"-- 2002年,禮來制藥協助成立了上海開拓者化學研究管理有限公司,這是中國首批外包服務機構之一。2006年,禮來協助該公司成立了上海開拓者醫藥發展有限公司。兩家公司都為禮來制藥獨家提供藥物臨床前的研究服務。2012年4月,禮來和尚華醫藥共慶戰略合作伙伴十周年。今年開拓者化學研究管理有限公司又遷入了在上海一家擁有全新的高水准設施的大樓,繼續為禮來提供專屬服務。 -- 2003年,禮來制藥與藥明康德新藥開發有限公司建立合作伙伴關系,該公司為禮來提供一系列從早期化合物的篩選到大規模的醫藥中間體的生產的合作服務。從2006年起,藥明康德成為禮來制藥核心戰略伙伴,生產原料藥及用于臨床前和臨床研究的藥物。 -- 2007年,禮來在中國設立了禮來亞洲風險投資基金,成為第一家在中國設立專注于中國生物醫藥行業的風險投資的跨國制藥公司。該基金積極尋求投資機會,未來將緊密配合并充分利用禮來中國研發中心的專業能力評估這些投資機會。 -- 2007年,禮來制藥、歐洲糖尿病學會及中華醫學會糖尿病學分會共同簽署了"中歐糖尿病研究及培訓"項目的合作協議。禮來在三年多的時間內提供合計180萬歐元(約合人民幣1800萬元),用于支持中國和歐洲糖尿病研究中心的共同合作項目。這些合作項目包括在中國開展糖尿病基礎和臨床科學研究,設立獎學金資助中國醫生赴歐洲進行學朮交流,為中國醫生舉辦由中外糖尿病權威專家主講的短期研究生課程培訓等。2010年11月2日,禮來制藥宣布再次投入180萬歐元,繼續支持這一中歐糖尿病研究合作項目。 -- 2008年,禮來制藥成立禮來中國藥物開發和醫學事務中心,負責藥物開發過程中臨床方面的工作。 -- 2010年,禮來制藥出資支持國際糖尿病聯盟設立BRIDGES計划,支持中國的研究機構開展了一項專門針對妊娠期糖尿病的研究課題。 -- 2012年,禮來制藥在蘇州建立的第二座工廠竣工,該工廠主要擔負著胰島素生產、包裝和貯藏的工作,并計划于今年中投入運營。 -- 今天,禮來制藥和科文斯中國(Covance China)宣布簽署合作伙伴關系協議。根據這份協議,科文斯將為禮來中國研發中心提供一系列服務,包括藥理學研究、藥代篩選和其他針對潛在的治療糖尿病新藥的臨床前測試及評估工作。禮來中國研發中心與科文斯中國的合作,與雙方總公司建立的全球戰略聯盟高度契合,在中國,雙方的合作將注重于糖尿病領域的研究。
加快前進步伐嚴倫博博士和章蓓博士以及禮來中國總裁艾博來先生等禮來制藥高管,還有中國糖尿病行業的知名專業人士,包括中華醫學會糖尿病學分會主任委員紀立農教授、中華醫學會內分泌學分會主任委員寧光教授,出席了今天舉行的禮來中國研發中心揭幕儀式。活動展示了已經在進行的研究項目,同時受邀的一位中國的糖尿病患者為來賓講述了糖尿病患者日常生活中發生的故事。除了進一步了解禮來對中國的承諾及在研發中心開展的工作性質外,揭幕儀式后來賓們還參觀了新落成的研發中心大樓。
關于禮來制藥禮來制藥是一家極富創新精神的全球領先的制藥企業, 通過應用來自其遍布全球的實驗室研究成果以及與著名科學機構的合作,致力于開發更多一流的、最佳品質的藥物產品。禮來制藥通過藥物和信息為目前數個領域內最迫切的醫療需求做出了回應。禮來制藥于1918年在上海建立了第一個海外代表處,從而邁出了全球化的第一步。1993年禮來重返中國。十九年來,已成為業界發展最快的公司之一。有關禮來制藥的詳細信息可登陸 www.lilly.com / www.lillychina.com消息來源禮來制藥
中國健康產業風險投資!
China Biotech Week In Review: Mindray Medical Continues On Acquisition Path
June 10, 2012| Mindray Medical (NYSE: MR) has made another acquisition that adds a new class of products to its medical device portfolio. This time, Mindray paid $35.5 million for a controlling stake in Wuhan Dragonbio Surgical Implant Co., a company that makes trauma, spine, joint and other orthopedic products (see story). Until now, Mindray's traditional areas of business have been patient monitoring, in-vitro diagnostics, and medical imaging.Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products (SHE: 300122) and Merck (NYSE: MRK) signed an MOU that expands the existing partnership between the two companies by entrusting Zhifei with the responsibility for China marketing of Merck's RotaTeq, an oral pentavalent live rotavirus vaccine (see story). Merck, known as MSD outside the US and Canada, already sells the vaccine in 85 countries. Last year, Zhifei took over the China marketing of Merck's MMR/rubella and Penumovax 23 vaccines.
CRO/CMO NewsFour clinical-stage CROs, each one located in a major Asia Pacific country, have banded together to form the Alliance for Pacific Asia Clinical Trials (A-PACT). A-PACT will offer a one-stop option for pharmas that are conducting a clinical Asia Pacific study. The four founding members are Rundo International of Mainland China, ACM of Japan, C&R Research of South Korea and VCRO of Taiwan.ShangPharma (NYSE: SHP) and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) celebrated ten years of drug development partnership, a relationship that dates back to ShangPharma's founding in 2002 (see story). ShangPharma, a preclinical CRO based in Shanghai's Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, has long had a team exclusively dedicated to working on Lilly projects. In early 2012, ShangPharma opened a new 110,000 square foot facility to house its Lilly-dedicated staff. At the same time, the two companies announced a multi-year extension of their contract.WuXi PharmaTech (NYSE: WX) reported that a former China employee has been convicted for the theft of chemical compounds (see story). The individual, whom WuXi characterized as a junior employee, tried to sell sample compounds belonging to Merck. According to WuXi, it was the first time in the company's eleven-year history that any employee has broken its strict IP protection procedures.
Industry InsightsIndia wants its generic drug industry to be self-sufficient. However, the country remains dependent upon China's API and drug intermediate companies, especially in the areas of penicillin-type antibiotics. Although India is home to a vibrant group of companies that produce finished generic drugs, these companies source many of their raw materials from China-about two-thirds of the total.
Trials and ApprovalsHutchison MediPharma [AIM: CHM], the innovative China drug company that is majority owned by Chi-Med, released positive Phase I data for its two most advanced cancer-targeting molecules: Sulfatinib (HMPL-012) and Fruquintinib (HMPL-013). Both drug candidates were well-tolerated and showed preliminary evidence of efficacy against multiple tumor types.Disclosure: ChinaBio® has a business relationship with Merck
別把微整形當三餐做
2012-06-10 中國時報 邱俐穎 相關新聞 醫藥新知-找出最適合的修修臉魔法近年來微整形夯,越來越多人幾乎把打雷射、脈衝光當「保養」,但醫師提醒,雷射光療屬於侵入性的「治療」,不能密集施打,若打得太密集,造成皮膚細胞壞死,恐成花花臉。台北醫學大學附設醫院皮膚科主任王國憲表示,雷射光療種類眾多,休息時間不能一概而論,果酸換膚至多2周進行1次,淨膚雷射、脈衝光則最好隔3、4周以上,飛梭雷射相隔1、2個月,另進行6至8次治療後,別忘讓皮膚休息幾個月。而微整形術後多會有局部紅腫、水泡、皮膚不平整等反應,通常幾天後就會改善,術後1周最好別過度曝曬太陽,更要加強保溼與防曬,但振興醫院美容中心主任藍淑馨提醒,若有色素沉著,要把握2周黃金治療期,否則一旦反黑,皮膚復原恐要等上3個月。另暑假即將來臨,不少愛美的青少年已準備在接下來的長假裡做微整形,但中國醫藥大學附設醫院美容中心主任吳肇毅說,未滿20歲皮膚尚未成熟,還是不建議這麼早嘗試。
Brain scans show specific neuronal response to junk food when sleep-restricted
June 10, 2012 in Neuroscience The sight of unhealthy food during a period of sleep restriction activated reward centers in the brain that were less active when participants had adequate sleep, according to a new study using brain scans to better understand the link between sleep restriction and obesity. Researchers from St. Luke's – Roosevelt Hospital Center and Columbia University in New York performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on 25 men and women of normal weights while they looked at images of healthy and unhealthy foods. The scans were taken after five nights in which sleep was either restricted to four hours or allowed to continue up to nine hours. Results were compared. "The same brain regions activated when unhealthy foods were presented were not involved when we presented healthy foods," said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, the study's principal investigator. "The unhealthy food response was a neuronal pattern specific to restricted sleep. This may suggest greater propensity to succumb to unhealthy foods when one is sleep restricted." Previous research has shown that restricted sleep leads to increased food consumption in healthy people, and that a self-reported desire for sweet and salty food increases after a period of sleep deprivation. St-Onge said the new study's results provide additional support for a role of short sleep in appetite-modulation and obesity. "The results suggest that, under restricted sleep, individuals will find unhealthy foods highly salient and rewarding, which may lead to greater consumption of those foods," St-Onge said. "Indeed, food intake data from this same study showed that participants ate more overall and consumed more fat after a period of sleep restriction compared to regular sleep. The brain imaging data provided the neurocognitive basis for those results." More information: The abstract "Sleep restriction increases the neuronal response to unhealthy food stimuli" is being presented today at SLEEP 2012, the 26th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) in Boston.
Diabetes rising rapidly among U.S. kids
June 10, 2012 By Serena Gordon, HealthDay Reporter in DiabetesBoth type 1 and type 2 disease rates up more than 20 percent in past decade, finds study. (HealthDay) -- Diabetes is increasing among U.S. children at an alarming rate, say researchers who report jumps of more than 20 percent since 2001 for type 2 disease, which is linked to excessive weight and sedentary lifestyles, and type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. Ads by Google Diabetic Diet & Meals - Free Diabetic Recipes > Breakfast, Lunch - Snack - Dinner - Dessert. - www.diabetesinfocenter.org Brain Training Games - Improve memory and attention with scientific brain games. Free Trial - www.lumosity.com "Both types of diabetes are increasing," said study co-author Dr. Dana Dabelea, associate dean for faculty affairs at the University of Colorado School of Public Health in Aurora. "For type 2, we have some clues as to why it's increasing, but for type 1, we still need to better understand the triggers of this disease." Many of the type 2 diagnoses are explained by the rise in overweight and obese children. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 percent of U.S. children and teens are obese -- three times the number of a generation ago. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly turns on healthy cells responsible for producing insulin, a hormone needed to metabolize the carbohydrates in food. It's been suggested that exposure to certain viruses may trigger the onset of type 1 diabetes. It is not linked to lifestyle factors, such as being overweight. The exact cause of type 2 diabetes is less clear. People with type 2 either don't produce enough insulin, or their bodies don't use insulin efficiently. The disease is linked to sedentary lifestyles and to being overweight. However, other factors may be responsible, too. The disease can often be controlled in its early stages with lifestyle changes that include losing weight and becoming more active. The first study found that about 189,000 people under the age of 20 had diabetes in the United States. Of those, 168,000 had type 1, and more than 19,000 had type 2. From 2001 to 2009, the number of American children with type 2 diabetes increased 21 percent, and cases of type 1 ballooned 23 percent, the researchers found. The study also found that children with type 2 were more likely to have protein in their urine than children with type 1 diabetes, suggesting that they might be at greater risk for early kidney damage. Youngsters with both types of diabetes also showed early indications of damage to the nerve system that regulates the heart and its blood vessels, according to the study. The researchers also found that children with diabetes who watched more than three hours of television daily had poorer blood sugar control and higher levels of triglycerides, a blood fat, than children who watched less TV. Dabelea and her colleagues were scheduled to present their findings on Saturday at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting in Philadelphia. The study was funded by the CDC and the U.S. National Institutes of Health. In another presentation planned for the meeting, researchers who are also from the University of Colorado studied children with type 2 diabetes and found the disease may progress more rapidly in young people than in older folks. With an average follow-up of just four years, this study found that about one-third of children with type 2 diabetes had high blood pressure, compared to 12 percent at the start of the study. Almost 17 percent showed early signs of kidney damage, and 13 percent had early signs of eye disease. "Type 2 is not a benign condition in children," said Dabelea. Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the clinical diabetes center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, said he wasn't surprised by either study's findings on type 2 diabetes. "We're seeing more children with type 2, and at younger ages. They often have more aggressive disease at the time of diagnosis and other conditions, such as [abnormal cholesterol levels]," he said. "I'm concerned because these are young people being diagnosed with an adult disease, and they will probably progress to cardiovascular disease much faster." Zonszein was surprised at the dramatic rise in the rates of type 1 diabetes. "I don't know what would cause more autoimmune disease in type 1," he said. While there are no known ways to prevent type 1 diabetes, both experts said that a healthy lifestyle can go a long way to preventing type 2 in children. Zonszein's first recommendation is to get TVs out of children's bedrooms. Both Zonszein and Dabelea recommended a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and an active lifestyle, not just for the children, but for the whole family. Data and conclusions presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.