British scientists have discovered an appetite suppressant which can be used to control appetite for food and stop people from eating for pleasure and restricting food intake to hunger.

Peptide hemopressin, which affects the reward part of the brain responsible for hedonistic behaviour, has been discovered by researchers from Manchester University.

The peptide acts as an appetite suppressant and can potentially be used as a diet drug without any side-effects. It could also be used to treat some aspects of alcohol, the researchers explained.

However, the researchers, who studied the effect of the peptide on mice, said that more work was needed before this peptide could be prescribed for human use.

"This is a newly discovered peptide and we do not know yet exactly where it is expressed in the brain. We also need to find out whether it has prolonged actions on body weight. Finally, while our findings are an indication of safety, this cannot be immediately extrapolated to humans. This discovery does, however, offer new insights into how the is results in increased hedonic impact so that when you do eat, food tastes better. Conbrain controls appetite, and opens new avenues by which to manipulate this brain circuitry and aid the development of anti-obesity treatments," Dr Garron Dodd, co-author of the study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, said.

Explaining the working of appetite suppressant, Dr Dodd said the human tendency to sometimes eat for pleasure rather than hunger is controlled by the cannabinoid system in the brain - a component of the naturally-existing circuitry responsible for reward.

"The cannabinoid system affected by chemicals, called 'agonists,' which bind to its receptors and increase the reward from feeding," Dr Dodd added.

"One such agonist is cannabis - it hijacks the cannabinoid system and leads to what is colloquially referred to as 'the munchies'. Similarly, when you fast, the brain causes an increase in naturally-occurring agonists. This results in increased hedonic impact so that when you do eat, food tastes better. Conversely when 'antagonists' bind to the receptors of the cannabinoid system, it decreases the reward from feeding. By reducing hedonistic feeding, it is possible to help people lose weight by quenching the desire to eat."

Malnutrition during childhood can weaken brain function during old age, according to a new study.

The find could have implications for many poor, developing nations and suggests that fighting childhood hunger could have other advantages too.

"For example, fighting childhood hunger can reduce future medical expenditures. It's very expensive for families and society to take care of people who suffer from dementia or cognitive impairment," said Zhenmei Zhang, MSU assistant professor of sociology and lead researcher on the project.

The study revealed that women were 35 per cent more likely to have cognitive impairment at age 65 or older, while men, a 29 per cent higher chance.

"Many of China's surviving older individuals suffered from severe hunger and devastating wars in their childhood. Before 1949, for example, life expectancy in China was 35 years," Zhang said.

The study appears in the journal Social Science & Medicine .

Doctors are very important part of our life and there should be one day when we say thanks to all these professionals for taking care of us and our loved ones. On every July 1 Doctor's day is celebrated in India in honour of Bidhan Chandra Roy, a legendary physician and second Chief Minister of West Bengal.

It is the birth Anniversary of respected Physician and Patriot Dr.B.C.Roy. But, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Ludhiana has decided to mark this day as 'Black Day'.

IMA is protesting against Clinical Establishment Bill and will hold the protest march from Gumar Mandi.

According to doctors the government has taken a wrong decision ignoring the problems of medical fraternity. The members also added that the bill will increase the cost of treatment.

Dr Narotam Dewan, IMA president demanded quoted, "This Bill is neither in favour of the people nor the medical fraternity. This move is aimed only to benefit big corporate hospitals. The National Council, which is proposed to be the governing body as suggested in the Bill, will comprise people drawn from Unani, Siddha, nursing and paramedical bodies. The standards of allopathic system cannot be set and monitored by the National Council constituting of non-allopathic systems. Of the 18 members of the National Council, only two may be medical graduates. We refuse to surrender our dignity and profession."

The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation Act) Bill, 2010 passed by the Union Cabinet has made it mandatory for all clinical establishments to provide medical care and treatment to stabilize any person in an emergency condition.

Researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have identified genetic links to kidney disease and kidney failure.


The scientists have described their research in two presentations at this week's 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes
Association, June 25-29, in Orlando, Florida.


One presentation describes a DNA study of American Indians in Arizona, in which the research tea, discovered a genetic biomarker with a significant association to kidney failure.

The study showed "the strongest evidence" for association with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or kidney failure, in marker rs13315275, and also found evidence of some lesser associations between ESRD and four other markers.

"This study could someday lead to better treatment options for those patients suffering from diabetic kidney disease. We are conducting ongoing studies to further investigate these markers, and potentially what they might mean for the development of new therapeutics," said Dr. Johanna DiStefano, Director of TGen's Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Division, and lead author of the study's abstract.

All five biomarkers are genetic variants of the gene SUCNR1, which is located in a chromosomal region of the human genome identified as 3q24-q27. This region has been linked to diabetic nephropathy (DM), or diabetic kidney disease, in previous studies.

SUCNR1 is a receptor gene that acts on succinate in the kidneys to mediate the rennin-angiotensin system (RAS), a hormone system that helps control the body's blood pressure and fluid balance. High blood pressure can damage the heart, kidneys and exacerbate the harmful effects of diabetes.

Past studies have shown that diabetes is relatively high among Arizona's Native American communities.

In another TGen study, researchers initiated an investigation into the ways that the PVT1 gene impacts development of diabetic kidney disease.

Previous studies have shown an association between PVT1 and kidney failure in patients with diabetes, both autoimmune (type 1) and that most commonly caused by excessive weight, poor diet and lack of exercise (type 2).

In the new study, researchers found that PVT1 was expressed in mesangial cells, which are specialized cells around blood vessels in the kidneys, at a rate up to five times higher in conditions of high glucose (high blood sugar), compared to normal glucose levels. High blood sugar is a signature symptom of diabetes.

Until now all attempts to develop a male pill have failed with scientists working on a contraceptive jab for men given by doctors.

But researchers in Israel have finally been able to create a oral pill that deactivates sperm before they reach the womb.

And theyve developed a version that means it only needs to be to be taken once every three months.

The breakthrough pill could be available in as little as three years, according to the scientist behind the discovery.

Unlike the jab form of the male pill it doesnt use a combination of the male hormone testosterone and the female hormone progesterone to block pregnancy.

The scientist behind the male pill discovery has developed a tablet that removes a vital protein in sperm that is required for a woman to conceive.

So while sperm still get through to the uterus they are unable to fertilise an egg.

Using this approach, researchers believe they have a pill that is 100 pc effective at stopping pregnancy.

Not only is it long lasting but it also has other pluses. There are no side effects as suffered by women who take the contraceptive pill.

Men on the male equivalent hormone jabs, which are still undergoing trials report feelings of moodiness, depression and loss of sex drive.

Professor of Haim Breitbart of Israel's Bar-Ilan University, who has helped develop the pill said: Men dont cope well with side effects and having side effects would probably put many off wanting to take a pill. Weve had none of those problems with our pill.

What we found is that by treating the mice with our molecule we can get sterility for a long period of time -in the lower dose, about one month, and in the higher dose we found three months of sterility.

The mice behaved nicely, They ate and had sex. All I can say is that we couldn't see any behavioural side-effects - all their sex behaviour was retained, which is a very important consideration for men. Human trials of the pill are due to start next year.

A big drawback against men being in control of fertility is the fear they would forget to take a pill.

Polls have repeatedly shown wives and partners do not trust their men to remember to pop a pill every day.

But now that problem has been solved. The new pill can be taken either once a month or once every three months.

Professor Breitbart said: "I think most women would trust their man to remember once a month or once a quarter.

Breitbarts pill jams the sperm's chemical machinery that allows it to create a pregnancy. So while the sperm reaches the womb it dies away unable to fertilise the egg.

He said: We looked at a number of compounds that have no effect on male sex drive, but succeed in impairing the reproductive ability of the sperm.