A Broader Role for Amyloids

Amyloids are best known for their role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s. A new study finds that amyloids may also have a normal biological function.
Electron micrograph of a cell packed with round granules.
A cell from the pituitary gland stores the hormones it produces in granules (green). All rights reserved by Wellcome Images.

Alzheimer’s and other related diseases are marked by clumps of protein fibers that accumulate around nerve cells in the brain. These dense plaques are made of proteins that are normally found in the body but have misfolded to form amyloids. Amyloid can also cause problems beyond the brain. For example, they can form waxy protein deposits that stiffen the heart, limiting its pumping ability and leading to fatal heart stoppage.

Amyloids are actually defined by their structure, not the specific proteins that form them. They are made of highly organized protein arrangements called β-sheets that stack perpendicularly along the axis of the amyloid fiber.

A research team led by Dr. Roland Riek of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies noted that structures called secretory granules also have a highly ordered organization. Secretory granules allow cells that secrete hormones and other molecules to store those molecules in a highly concentrated form. With funding from NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the researchers explored whether protein hormones could form amyloids.

The scientists exposed 42 hormones in the lab to conditions similar to that in the Golgi complex, the part of the cell where secretory granules form. In the June 18, 2009, online edition of Science, they reported that, at first, 10 of the hormones formed amyloids. However, when they added a type of molecule known to be involved in forming both secretory granules and amyloids, 31 of the hormones formed amyloids.

Amyloids are notoriously stable, but secretory granules must release their molecular contents in order to work properly. The researchers thus exposed the amyloids they’d made to the conditions they would experience upon being secreted. All the hormone amyloids appeared to release their component hormones under these conditions. Further tests revealed the hormones to be functional.

Since amyloids are thought to be toxic to neuronal cells, the researchers tested whether the ones they’d created were toxic to a neuronal cell line in the laboratory. Some proved moderately toxic. But the scientists noted that their actual toxicity in the body could be substantially lower, because they’re stored inside granules and encapsulated by a membrane.

The researchers next examined secretory granules purified from a pituitary tumor cell line and from rat pituitary tissue. Both types appeared to be composed of amyloids. Amyloids also appeared to be present in secretory granules in mouse pituitary tissue.

These experiments provide evidence that secretory granules contain amyloids, and that amyloids help the body store and release hormones. Previous research has found that amyloids also play a role in forming melanin, which helps protect the skin from sun damage. Together, these studies suggest that amyloids may play normal roles throughout the body. It may not be amyloids themselves that cause disease, but rather conditions that lead too much amyloid to form in the wrong places. Future research will be needed to better understand the role of these molecular structures in disease.

—by Harrison Wein, Ph.D.
Related Links:

* Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center:
http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers
* Molecule Dissolves Fibers Found in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients:
http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/june2008/06022008alzheimers.htm
* Soaking up Toxic Protein to Stop Alzheimer's:
http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/august2007/08272007alzheimers.htm
* Prions Cause Heart Damage in Mouse Study:
http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/july2006/07072006prion.htm

Source: http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/june2009/06292009amyloids.htm

History and Traditions of Yoga

Yoga is one of the 6 major Indian classical schools of philosophy within the ancient system of the Vedas. Although something is known of the development of some aspects of the yogic methodology and several great yogis are known to us from that early period, in the west we are humbled by the immensity of the coverage of subject matter in Vedic teachings. We would be overwhelmed by the studies necessary to understand in depth its wisdom. Nor are we in a position to fully evaluate the accumulated contributions made to the science over the thousands of years of its existence by the wise. Even Indian scholars find it difficult to penetrate the extent of its teaching and rely upon traditional legend to provide them with a basis for their insight and understanding.

The Vedas would seem to be the blanket wisdom teachings from antiquity which inherently possessed or perhaps gave birth to the methods for developing spiritual consciousness by which we identify the branch of the teaching known to us as Yoga.

Yoga as a philosophy is traditionally woven into the living mental fibre of all people of any race and culture who accept natural ethical and moral laws and precepts and seek to integrate these universal teachings into their lives.

The law of Karma and consideration of re-incarnation although considered a new concept by many in western culture is understood as a natural human recycling experience by those tutored in cultures that have embraced the idea for thousands of years. Our opinions matter little when considered the truth of this law. Nature's laws function, whether we observe them working or not. Personal confirmation will remain as our only proof and this can only come to us through our own experience.

To seek the truth in physics or science is one thing. To try to prove a non-material law can be a waste of time when we have every great spiritual teacher instructing us similarly regarding life certainties and laws. Eternal truths, when embraced, offer us a support to move forward with acceptance of the larger issues, and encourage us to apply what we know to our advantage. This is the advantage of a tradition that focuses upon age-old truths and the wisdom of great men and teachers who have lived, and still live in various countries and cultures throughout the world.

Yogic disciplines commence with the aim to know God. Its methods are designed to discipline the body, emotions and the mind in order to focus upon the wisdom within our soul self. It is this that prepares us to know the reality of our own soul before the ultimate spiritual reality when we experience a sense of at-one-ment with Universal Consciousness.

This expanded awareness is not possible without first consciously releasing ourselves from the enslavement of self consciousness of the personality ego. We must be able, having first built up our different parts of the personality, to let go our selves - to become selfless. This is so easy to say, so hard to do. The personality is designed to express itself and to defend its existence. Much of our early years of life are spent in building up the strength of the personality and asserting our individuality, and asserting our personal free will.

We then have to learn to re-evaluate life with selflessness as the requirement if we wish to seek wideradventures in consciousness.

Natural Colon Cleanse

Establishing a natural colon cleanse routine is one of the best things you can do for long term 'body maintenance'. Our bodies are amazingly complicated creations of interlocking parts. When one part of our system functions poorly many other parts can be affected. In many ways our colon and the intestines serve as the 'plumbing' for our bodies. If that plumbing gets clogged with toxins or backed up due to insufficient drainage, the whole body is affected. When the plumbing in your house gets backed up you can pour a toxic drain cleaner down the hole or use a 'snake' to try and force loose the clog. Neither of these options is very appealing for our organic plumbing however.

In fact, part of what clogs our natural plumbing system is toxins from our polluted environment and from our overly processed foods - the last thing you want to do is simply add more toxins to the mix. In theory, doctors could use a surgical probe as a sort of plumbing snake to break loose a particularly severe clog in your colon, but it is much preferable to find a less invasive method of dealing with the problem. How can you find a natural colon cleanse method that will solve the problem of backed up pipes without overloading your body with toxic chemicals or invasive surgical procedures?

What you ingest has a direct and marked impact on the health of your colon. If you eat foods that are heavily processed, high in fat and sugar your body is unable to effectively process many of the chemicals in these foods. Those chemicals are often left as debris along the walls of your intestines. Overtime the buildup can become considerable and begin interfering with your health in marked ways. To help establish a natural colon cleanse routine you will want to take a look at your diet and begin to substitute healthy foods with adequate amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as plenty of dietary fiber.

Often times, in our modern world, fixing the diet will not be enough to create good digestive health. In those circumstances you may wish to add a cleansing supplement to ensure that your 'plumbing' is regularly cleared. By changing to a healthier diet, adding moderate exercise and taking a colon cleansing supplement you will soon establish a natural colon cleanse routine that will have you at optimum health.

Great Insights on Eczema Natural Treatments

Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a serious skin disease that causes severe itchiness and irritation to the patient. Although there are some cases of eczema in which medication is not needed, most eczema issues need serious attention. The problem is that treatment can be expensive and not all eczema patients have enough to shoulder the financial costs associated with it. It is a good thing to know that one can find eczema natural treatment especially since the severity of eczema depends so much on what triggers it like saw dust, powders, detergent, and so on.

The first eczema natural treatment that one person can use is diet. If the eczema itchiness is triggered by food, you should be able to identify the food that causes the irritation and avoid it. Many eczema patients are also kept on fruit diets, specifically orange. The idea behind this is to clean the stomach of toxins. The normal process is to drink orange juice three to four times a day. Some patients show difficulty in this abrupt change in diet. However, relief is felt after two days in this eczema natural treatment approach.

Another eczema natural treatment is sunbath and steam bath. Along with jogging and exercise, sunbath helps kill the bacteria present in the skin that causes the disease. On top of the sun bath, steam bath should be done twice or thrice a day. If the affected area is too painful for a steam bath, you can use a hot towel or wrap it with soft cotton cloth damped in cool water. If the skin is cool, the wound will not be itchy.

The best thing to remember in treating eczema is to identify what causes it. If you know what triggers the pain, then you will be able to avoid them. Essentially, prevention is better than cure. If you neglect this simple rule, you are likely to find out one day that your eczema is just getting worse instead of positively progressing.

How to Get a Ripped Chest

Fat loss to get a ripped chest is probably one of the most important areas to address if you want those big bulging pec muscles that not only look great under your shirt but when you take your top off down the pool or on the beach. A great set of pecs and ripped abs will catch everybody's eye and make you look and feel great. It gives good shape to the front of the body and makes you look fit and healthy. However, if you have a thick layer of fat over those muscles you will just look bulky and flabby with no shape at all and worse still you could develop man boobs.

A common misconception is that to get the chest muscles looking big and toned you need to do thousands of press ups. They can build up a small amount of muscle to a certain extent but they are not going to get rid of that layer of fat. It is this layer of fat that is the biggest obstacle in order to get ripped chest muscles. Even a skinny guy with a low fat layer can get great appearing chest muscles.

So, you're dying to know what the secret is? Well it's not really a great secret. You basically need to get rid of this fat layer by reducing your calorie intake and burning excess calories. If you are a body builder, reducing calories may not be such a good idea as it can sometimes send you into a catabolic state and cause you to actually start breaking down that hard gained muscle. A lot of body builders face this dilemma after months of building up bulk and then trying to lose fat. It is a fine balance between keeping the lean muscle mass but getting rid of the fat layer.

A healthy way to achieve this goal is to maintain an adequate calorie intake and increase the proportion of your calorie intake from protein. It actually takes more calories to burn protein than it does carbohydrate or fat so taking in more protein can help in reducing fat accumulation. The next most important thing is to incorporate cardio routines into your workout program to burn those excess calories. Also performing large muscle exercises such as squats can help lose fat as they use huge muscles, such as the quads, that I like to think of as furnaces - requiring lots of calories to burn to perform the workouts.

The aim is to put this information together into a full workout program that you can follow over time. One way is to spend time searching and doing your research on the internet. Another option is to buy a ready made program. Most cover all the points mentioned above and are great for building all the muscles in the body and lets face it - just building a great set of pecs is going to make you look silly if you have no muscle elsewhere. They also incorporate fat loss routines that actually work.

If you want to get ripped chest quickly then start now - time and indecision is your biggest opponent not genes.

12 Top Benefits of Strength Training For Women

Women everywhere are finally accepting strength training exercise as the tool they need in the battle against body fat. There is no other exercise or activity that will provide so many benefits for women. Strength training is unmatched in its ability to give you a lean, strong, firm, shapely, energetic body no matter what your age is.

Here are the top 12 benefits:
1) Increased metabolism - the body's engine where body fat is either burned for energy or stored as fat. You can alter your body's chemistry to burn fat long after the exercise session is finished with the right exercise.

2) Gives our body greater muscle strength, muscle tone and firmness - so we function better and look so much better. Firmer more toned muscles even help to pad out our skin so wrinkles disappear.

3) Increasing and restoring bone density and strength - prevent and fight osteoporosis by building and maintaining strong bones. Only strength training will do this, low intensity activity like walking is not intense enough to work the muscles that are attached and challenge the bones.

4) Boosts our body's stamina, energy and endurance - so we can breeze through our daily chores and activities and have enough energy left over to do something we enjoy.

5) Improved Balance- strong leg and core muscles help stabilize us and reduces risk of falling with better co-ordination and balance. If we do fall strong muscles act like cushions around bones and joints helping to protect them.

6) Decreased risk of disease- when the entire body is strengthened the immune system is strengthened also. Muscle tissue is where the proteins are stored that the immune system calls upon when needed. A stronger immune system reduces the risk of disease especially the 'big three' heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

7) Increased lean muscle tissue - this is your friend as it will help you lose excess weight or help you manage your weight. Every extra pound of muscle tissue burns 35-50 extra calories each day. You would not even notice a few extra pounds of toned muscle but you would notice how slimmer and trimmer you will become.

8) Injury Prevention- a solid foundation strengthens our bones, ligaments, and tendons. Use strength training to recover to aid rehabilitation and recovery from an injury by slowly building your strength around the injured area.

9) Enhanced performance in sports, exercise and life in general- climbing stairs, carrying the kids or the groceries. Everything we do becomes easier and more enjoyable when we are stronger and fitter.

10) Increased mental health - Boost your alertness, concentration and focus, reduce anxiety and depression and improve overall mood and attitude when you improve you health with proper exercise.

11) Getting older becomes easier - strong muscles build a strong body. A strong body also has a strong mind to counter the effects of the aging process. Strength training and fitness keeps aging bodies in good-working condition.

12) Feeling better and looking better- strength training reduces overall body fat, tones our muscles and helps us to feel good building confidence and maintaining a healthy self esteem. These things are important to live our life at our full potential.

These 12 top benefits all come for free when you begin a proper strength training routine. Get started right away so you don't miss out of these priceless health benefits that will give your life extra vitality, vigor, and get-up-and-go so you can make the most of it.

Anxiety Attack Treatment and Symptoms

Living with anxiety attacks is absolutely terrible. You never know when the next one is going to come over you, or when they will end. Below you will find many of the anxiety attack treatment options as well as the symptoms.

The symptoms of an anxiety attack will vary from person to person. Some of the symptoms you may experience are loss of appetite, fear, hyperventilation, headache, rapid heartbeat, excessive sweat, pain or tingling in the limbs, nausea, heartburn, butterflies in the stomach, trembling, and so on. There are many different symptoms you may experience. Although it is rare to experience all of them at the same time, you will probably experience a few of them in conjunction.

Anxiety attack treatment options vary just as much as the symptoms do. You can use medications, natural remedies, psychology, and self help. One of the best self help programs out there right now that will prevent anxiety attacks is Panic Away. This system teaches you how to identify the beginnings of a panic attack so that you can stop it before it starts.

Panic attacks are never easy to live with, but with so many treatment options available to you, you no longer have to live with it. Finding something that will work for you can sometimes be challenging, but once you find that special technique that cures your panic attacks, you will never have to worry about them again. You will be able to live anxiety free for life.

Anxiety attack treatments are there for those who have a panic disorder and want relief. With so many different treatments available it might be hard to choose but once you do, and once you find something that works well for your anxiety needs, you will be glad you took the trouble.