Susanna Jacona Salafia, Author at New �Ӱ�ԭ��

Toast your health with white wine

Susanna Jacona Salafia — Fri, 20 Apr 2001 23:00:00 +0000

In the blood

Susanna Jacona Salafia — Sat, 27 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000

ITALIAN researchers have managed to isolate stem cells from human blood and
grow them. They believe that their breakthrough could eventually lead to a
supply of infection-free human blood for transfusions.

The researchers, led by Cesare Peschle at the higher institute of health in
Rome, first isolated the stem cells in human blood, then grew them. “We have
cultivated them in vitro,” says Peschle, “and we think they duplicated.” He is
due to publish the details of his research findings next month.

Pesche says he has cultured cells called the haematopoietic stem cells that
mature into red blood cells. Angelo Vescovi, of the National Neurological
Institute in Milan says: “It really is a very important finding.”

“There is an awful lot of debate about the definitive stem cell in blood,”
says Derwood Pamphilon, a consultant haematologist with Britain’s National Blood
Service based at the Children’s Hospital in Bristol. If he really has found the
right stem cell, says Pamphilon, “it’s a fascinating finding”.

Why wine is good for your brain

Susanna Jacona Salafia — Sat, 09 Jan 1999 00:00:00 +0000

A GLASS and a half of wine a day could help prevent neurodegenerative
diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Previous studies have highlighted the antioxidant properties of certain
chemicals in wine. Now Alberto Bertelli and his colleagues at the Human Anatomy
Institute at the University of Milan have found that resveratrol, a chemical
produced by vines to fight infection and found in grapes and wine, increases the
activity and effectiveness of an important neural enzyme by up to sevenfold. The
enzyme, known as Map-kinase, stimulates and regenerates neural cells.

The researchers tested resveratrol on human neural cells in laboratory
cultures and found that it made them grow small extensions through which they
could connect with neighbouring cells. This is a key finding since the contacts
between some neural cells are broken in both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. “By
daily reinforcing these contacts, we can prevent neurodegeneration,” says
Bertelli. The team presented its results at the first International Congress on
Health and Wine in Florence last month.

Jean-Marc Orgogozo, head of neurology at the University Hospital of Bordeaux,
published a paper last year which showed that people who drank moderate amounts
of wine daily were less likely to develop neurodegenerative diseases (
American Journal of Epidemiology, vol 148, p 298).