24. March 2008 by HealingMindN.

Perturbation of gene expression of the chromatin remodeling pathway in premature newborns at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Background

One-third to one-half of all infants born before the 28th week of gestation develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Inflammatory regulators appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of BPD, possibly beginning in fetal life. To evaluate the feasibility of using expression profiling in umbilical cord tissue to discover molecular signatures for developmental staging and for determining risk of BPD, we conducted a cross-sectional study of infants born at less than 28 weeks of gestation (n = 54). Sections of umbilical cord were obtained at birth from 20 infants who later developed BPD and from 34 of their peers who did not develop BPD.

Results

Umbilical cord expression profiles at birth exhibited systematic differences in bioenergetic pathways with respect to gestational age. Infants who subsequently developed BPD had distinct signatures involving chromatin remodeling and histone acetylation pathways, which have previously been implicated in several adult onset lung diseases. These findings are consistent with prior work on inflammatory processes and bioenergetics in prematurity.

Conclusion

This study of gene expression of the newborn umbilical cord implicates the chromatin remodeling pathways in those premature infants who subsequently develop BPD. Larger sample sizes will be required to generate prognostic markers from umbilical cord profiles.

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24. March 2008 by HealingMindN.

Drug-laced corn flakes for breakfast? Fried chicken made from poultry raised on penicillin for dinner? Do we really know what we’re eating? Has the way America produces food gotten out of control?

Biotech companies are planting fields of corn, rice, and other food crops genetically engineered to grow drugs, hormones, plastics, and chemicals. Antibiotics are being fed to food animals that are not sick. These practices can have devastating consequences for our health, environment, and economy.

How much do you know about the foods that line your kitchen shelves? Click here to take our short quiz.

It will take strong government oversight and active citizen participation to keep our food safe. It will take the expertise, experience, and leadership of the Union of Concerned Scientists. And it will take the help of people like you.

UCS is spearheading the charge to:

• Increase public awareness about practices that threaten our health and the safety of our food;

• Ban the genetic engineering of food crops grown outdoors for the production of pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals;

• Pass legislation prohibiting the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in animal agriculture;

• Promote practical, modern, ways of producing food that maximize productivity and produce healthier animals and meat—all without damaging our soil, our water, and our air; and

• Fight for your right to know what’s in the foods you’re eating by improving food labeling laws.

You can help our efforts by taking our short quiz and testing your own food knowledge. Then help us raise awareness about these issues by passing the quiz along to your friends and family. Together, we can really know what we’re eating—and be confident that it’s safe for us, our families, and for our planet.

Posted in Nutrition Spectrum | Print | No Comments »