TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2014 HEALTH & SCIENCE Snail venom cuts pain in early lab trial

WASHINGTON: An experimental drug made prey, injecting a venom that paralyzes fish long ment of a whole new class of drugs capable of population and can arise from cancer, AIDS, dia- from snail venom has shown early signs of enough for the snail to eat it up. relieving one of the most severe forms of chron- betes, and other debilitating diseases. promise in numbing pain, raising hopes in the A tiny protein derived from the snail’s venom ic pain that is currently very difficult to treat,” One conotoxin-derived drug, ziconotide, has hunt for new, non-addictive medications, has formed the basis of five new experimental said Craik. already been approved for human use. However, researchers said Sunday.The drug, which has not compounds, said lead researcher David Craik of Animal venoms are poisons that can block it is not available in pill form and must be been tested yet on humans, was judged to be the University of Queensland in . certain channels in the nervous system, and act infused directly into the lower part of the spinal about 100 times more potent than morphine or A preliminary study using one of these new differently than opioid painkillers such as mor- cord. gabapentin, which are currently considered the compounds on lab rats “appeared to significant- phine and hydrocodone, which carry the risk of The five new compounds Craik and col- gold standard for chronic nerve pain. ly reduce pain,” said a press statement released addiction and death from overdose. leagues are developing would be taken orally. The active ingredient, conotoxin, comes from ahead of Craik’s presentation at an American Pharmaceutical companies have begun “We don’t know about side effects yet, as it carnivorous cone snails, which are common in Chemical Society meeting in Dallas, . investigating venoms in recent years as poten- hasn’t been tested in humans. But we think it the western Pacific and Indian Ocean. “This is an important incremental step that tial sources of new drugs for managing neuro- would be safe,” Craik said, adding that human The marine animals can reach out and stab could serve as the blueprint for the develop- pathic pain, which affects 15 percent of the US trials are at least two years away. — AFP Polluted forces half cars off the road

PARIS: Paris on Monday resorted to drastic measures to curb soaring pollution levels by forcing all cars with number plates ending in even numbers off the road for the first time in two decades. Around 700 police officers were deployed to man 60 checkpoints around the French capital to ensure that only cars with number plates ending in odd numbers were out on the streets. Public transport has been free since the weekend to persuade Parisians to leave their cars at home, and the state railway company SNCF warned on its website of packed suburban trains at peak hours due to the extreme meas- ure.”It is sure we will have more clients today,” a delighted taxi driver told AFP. “There are people who take their car because they don’t want to be pressed up against others in the metro. Today they will take a taxi.” The restrictions came into force across Paris and 22 surrounding areas from 5:30 am (0430 GMT). They will be reviewed on a daily basis, GUILO: In this Tuesday, April 6, 2004 file photo, a worker collects sun-dried cocoa with odd numbers potentially banned on beans to be put into sacks for export in Guiglo, Ivory Coast. A large-scale study is Tuesday if an extension is deemed necessary. being launched in 2014 to see if pills containing the nutrients in dark chocolate can Parking will be free for vehicles with even help prevent heart attacks and strokes. — AP number plates, the Paris city hall said, calling on residents to consult carpooling or car-sharing sites to work out their travel plans. Study to test ‘chocolate’ However not everyone seemed to be aware PARIS: Police officers control vehicles along the Seine river in Paris, yesterday. Cars with even-num- of the ban, or chose to ignore it. “You don’t have bered license plates are prohibited from driving in Paris and its suburbs yesterday following a gov- pills for heart health the right to drive with your number plate,” a man ernment decision over the weekend. Paris is taking drastic measures to combat its worst air pollu- on a scooter remarked to another while stopped tion in years, banning around half of the city’s cars and trucks from its streets. — AP NEW YORK: It won’t be nearly as much tive flavanols in most of the candy on at a red light. “Oh really? I didn’t know,” the sec- cal football, with less than a week to go before Bollecker. fun as eating candy bars, but a big study the market. Cocoa flavanols are often ond driver replied before speeding off. Those key municipal elections. “Drivers are being targeted even though is being launched to see if pills contain- destroyed by the processing,” said who choose to brave the ban risk a fine of 22 The opposition UMP candidate for Paris may- heating is more polluting, but no one is asking ing the nutrients in dark chocolate can Manson, who will lead the study with euros ($30) if paid immediately, or 35 euros if or, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, called the meas- for heating to be used on alternate days.” help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Howard Sesso at Brigham and others at paid within three days. Electric and hybrid cars ure a “fig leaf”. By Saturday the number of pollution particu- The pills are so packed with nutrients Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center will be exempted from the ban as well as any Ecology Minister Philippe Martin said he lates in the air had fallen slightly after hitting a that you’d have to eat a gazillion candy in Seattle. vehicle carrying three people or more. understood the “difficulties, the irritation and high of 180 micrograms per cubic metre-well bars to get the amount being tested in Participants will get dummy pills or It is the first time since 1997 that the French even anger” over the move, adding: “But we just over double the safe limit-on Friday. this study, which will enroll 18,000 men two capsules a day of cocoa flavanols for authorities have resorted to such a drastic meas- had to take this decision.” So-called PM10 particulates are created by and women nationwide. four years, and neither they nor the ure. The government made the announcement Martin said similar measures in 1997 “had vehicles, heating and heavy industry, with the “People eat chocolate because they study leaders will know who is taking on Saturday after pollution particulates in the air yielded results,” adding that he hoped that the safe limit set at 80 per cubic metre. enjoy it,” not because they think it’s good what during the study. The flavanol cap- exceeded safe levels for five straight days in Paris number of vehicles on the roads would be “sig- The smoggy conditions have been caused by for them, and the idea of the study is to sules are coated and have no taste, said and its environs. One enterprising website did nificantly lower” on Monday, without giving a a combination of cold nights and warm days, see whether there are health benefits Manson, who tried them herself. not waste any time cashing in on the restric- figure. which have prevented pollution from dispers- from chocolate’s ingredients minus the tions. Lending site e-loue.com encouraged France’s Automobile Club Association (ACA), ing. sugar and fat, said Dr. JoAnn Manson, Dummy pills Parisians with odd-number plates to rent them which counts some 760,000 members, The pollution particulates in the air can preventive medicine chief at Harvard- In the other part of the study, partici- to neighbours who could not drive on Monday. denounced the move as “hasty, ineffective” and cause asthma attacks as well as respiratory and affiliated Brigham and Women’s pants will get dummy pills or daily multi- “bound to lead to chaos”. heart problems. The World Health Organization in Boston. vitamins containing a broad range of Ban is ‘hasty, ineffective’ - “This measure had no effect in any country has said finer particulates-known as PM2.5 are The study will be the first large test of nutrients. Participants will be recruited The issue has become something of a politi- where it was introduced,” said ACA head Didier cancer-causing. — AFP cocoa flavanols, which in previous small- from existing studies, which saves mon- er studies improved blood pressure, ey and lets the study proceed much cholesterol, the body’s use of insulin, more quickly, Manson said, although artery health and other heart-related some additional people with a strong Five babies a day left at China city’s ‘baby hatch’ factors. interest in the research may be allowed BEIJING: More than 260 unwanted children, most statement issued Sunday said. Many babies are given up because parents can- A second part of the study will test to enroll. The women will come from the multivitamins to help prevent cancer. Women’s Health Initiative study, the of them babies, have been abandoned in a Chinese Its quarantine facilities were “not enough to not afford expensive medical bills and fees for spe- Earlier research suggested this benefit long-running research project best “safe haven” in just over six weeks-more than five a meet the demand” and wards that had previously cial education, it said. but involved just older, unusually known for showing that menopause hor- day-since it opened in late January, authorities said. held 50 children were now caring for 80 to 100, it A disabled child can be a huge drain on a fami- healthy men. Researchers want to see if mone pills might raise heart risks rather The “baby hatch” in Guangzhou, in the southern added. ly’s resources, and although the country’s one-child multivitamins lower cancer risk in a than lower them as had long been province of Guangdong, was suspended on China has set up 25 baby safe havens in 10 policy normally allows parents to have another broader population. thought. Men will be recruited from oth- Sunday after the city’s welfare home exceeded its provinces and major cities since June 2011 and baby if their first is disabled, the restrictions can be The study will be sponsored by the er large studies. Manson also is leading a capacity to handle new arrivals. plans to roll out the facilities to most of the country, a factor in other abandonments. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute government-funded study testing vita- All of those abandoned suffered from illnesses the official Xinhua news agency reported in Anyone leaving a child at the Guangzhou safe and Mars Inc., maker of M&M’s and min D pills in 26,000 men and women. including cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome and February. haven will now be reported to police, the city state- Snickers bars. The candy company has Results are expected in three years. congenital heart disease, and 67 percent of them The havens-introduced to reduce the risks of ment said. Any re-opening will be announced at a patented a way to extract flavanols from People love vitamin supplements but were less than a year old, the Bureau of Civil Affairs children dying after being abandoned in the street- later date, it added. P cocoa in high concentration and put “it’s important not to jump on the band- of Guangzhou Municipality said. usually have an incubator, a delayed alarm device, “Losing the care and love of the family at a them in capsules. Mars and some other wagon” and take pills before they are rig- The facility was set up in late January and 262 an air conditioner and a baby bed, that report said. young age will cause lifetime psychological dam- companies sell cocoa extract capsules, orously tested, she warned. “More is not children had been abandoned at it by Sunday Welfare staff retrieve a baby five to 10 minutes age to a child,” it cited the head of the welfare but with less active ingredient than necessarily better,” and research has morning, it said in a statement. The 1,000-bed wel- after a person leaves the child and presses the home, Xu Jiu, as saying. “And abandoning children those that will be tested in the study; shown surprising harm from some nutri- fare home was housing 1,121 residents, with alarm button, allowing families to give up the is illegal. I hope parents who want to do so think candy contains even less. ents that once looked promising, she “You’re not going to get these protec- said. — AP another 1,274 being cared for by foster families, the infant safely and anonymously. prudently before acting.” — AFP Second artificial heart implant due in ‘weeks’ PARIS: After its first recipient died, French biomedical firm Carmat said yesterday it expected to try again to implant its experimental artificial heart in another patient “in several weeks”. Artificial hearts have been in use for many years as a temporary fix for patients with chronic heart prob- lems, but the Carmat product aims to provide a longer-term solution to enable hospitalised patients to return home and lead normal lives. Philippe Pouletty, Carmat co- founder, told Europe 1 radio that a second experiment would depend on finding a suitable patient, adding that the company still had to wait for the results of an in-depth analy- sis of the first trial on a 76-year-old PARIS: A file picture taken on December 21, 2013 at Georges Pompidou man. European hospital in Paris, shows an artificial heart produced by Biomedical The septuagenarian with termi- firm Carmat. Carmat announced a new implantation will be probably tried “in nal heart disease died on March 2, the next few weeks”. — AFP two-and-a-half months after being The company is hoping to trial form and function of an actual implanted with the artificial device. the artificial heart in a total of four human heart. “Currently we don’t know what patients, and if all survive for at least In that sense, it varies greatly the patient’s cause of death is, we one month, the experiment will be from other artificial hearts currently This image provided by the BICEP2 Collaboration shows slight temperature fluctuations, indicated by variations in are doing in-depth analyses before color, of the cosmic microwave background of a small patch of sky and the orientation of its polarization, shown as deemed a success. being used, which are cruder, most- going on to the next implant,” The device, a self-contained unit ly synthetic pumps. Nearly 100,000 short black lines. Researchers say since the cosmic microwave background is a form of light, it exhibits all the Pouletty said, appearing to refute a properties of light, including polarization. The changes in a particular type of polarization, indicated here, are the- implanted in a patient’s chest, is a people in Europe and the United theory that a short circuit caused orized to be caused by gravitational waves. These waves are signals of an extremely rapid inflation of the universe mix of synthetic materials and ani- States are in need of a heart trans- in its first moments. — AP the device to stop working. mal tissue, and seeks to mimic the plant, according to Carmat. — AFP