In Obese Mice, Exercise Eases Arthritis, Even Without Weight Loss
Adding another incentive to exercise, scientists at Duke University Medical Center have found that physical activity improves arthritis symptoms even among obese mice that continue to chow down on a high-fat diet. The insight suggests that excess weight alone isn't what causes the aches and pains of osteoarthritis, despite the long-held notion that carrying extra pounds strains the joints and leads to the inflammatory condition. Published Sept. 27 online in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, the findings are now being tested in people.
Researchers Reveal A New Gene That Could Help Identify Individuals Predisposed To Developing Osteoporosis
Researchers at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montreal (IRCM), directed by Dr. Jean Vacher, identified a new gene that modulates bone mass and that could become a risk factor for developing osteoporosis. This scientific breakthrough is publishedin the scientific journal Cell Metabolism. Osteoporosis is a "silent" genetic disease characterized by low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone tissue, which leads to increased bone fragility and risk of fracture. In all cases, the disease is caused by an imbalance between the formation and resorption of bone tissue.
Drug Used To Protect Bone May Extend Survival In Older Breast Cancer Patients
The AZURE trial, led by Professor Robert Coleman from the University of Sheffield, has revealed that the bisphosphonate drug zoledronic acid boosts disease-free survival in postmenopausal breast cancer patients but may have an adverse effect on younger women. The full results of the trial were presented at the European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress in Stockholm and subsequently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Bisphosphonate drugs, like zoledronic acid, are used mainly to treat osteoporosis.