UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News

FDA considers Gluten standards

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering new standards for a fast-growing sector of the food industry: products lacking a protein called gluten.

Gluten is found in grains such as wheat and barley and can trigger an autoimmune reaction that some people's small intestine, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"Our intention is to develop a rule to define the term 'gluten-free' for voluntary use in food labeling," said Janice Oliver, deputy director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "A standardized definition of gluten-free is going to enable everybody to have more confidence in selecting foods by having a standardized definition on the label."

The FDA is proposing companies be allowed to label foods "gluten-free" if they don't contain wheat, barley, rye or their hybrids, or if they contain fewer than 20 parts per million gluten, the Journal reported, noting some companies now use the term "gluten-free" to describe products that are naturally gluten-free, such as fruits or meat. Under the FDA's proposal, that would be considered misbranding.

The public has 90 days to comment on the proposal.

Space officials talk about the ISS

PARIS, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The heads of the International Space Station partners met at the European Space Agency headquarters in Paris Tuesday to review ISS cooperation.

The chiefs of space agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States noted the significant accomplishments of their partnership in implementing the space station configuration and assembly sequence endorsed during their last meeting in March 2006.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration says among the milestones noted were re-establishment of the three-person ISS crew and re-initiation of station assembly activities and space shuttle missions with extravehicular accomplishments by American, Russian, Canadian and European astronauts.

The space chiefs, among other things, expressed continued appreciation for the work by in-orbit crews and ground support personnel to bring the space station to its full productive capacity.

NASA said the space agency heads acknowledged the strength of their partnership and the importance of international cooperation in achieving mutual objectives in the exploration and utilization of space.

New schizophrenia treatment possible

TORONTO, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers have discovered a dopamine signaling complex in the brain that might lead to a new treatment for schizophrenia.

The team, lead by Drs. Susan George and Brian O'Dowd of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, said the complex is composed of two different types of dopamine receptors that might offer a new in understanding of schizophrenia.

"This distinct unit provides a novel signaling pathway through which dopamine can impact the function of brain cells," said George. "This is significant because signaling through calcium release is a major mechanism regulating many important functions in the brain and we have provided the first direct mechanism by which dopamine can activate a calcium signal."

The discovery has significant implications for schizophrenia, since schizophrenic patients may have disordered calcium signals and the major treatments for the disease target the dopamine system.

"Our data links these two pieces of evidence, creating better understanding of the disease and opening the door for a new generation of highly specific drugs that may help alleviate the devastating symptoms of schizophrenia," the scientists said.

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

IQ testing for obese people is challenged

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A U.S. group is challenging an insurance company's requirement that morbidly obese people be given an IQ test before undergoing weight loss surgery.

The Tampa, Fla., Obesity Action Coalition says it believes Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee is the first insurer to require an IQ test to access any medical treatment.

"Requiring an IQ test to access any medical procedure is wrong and by implementing such a requirement, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee is setting a dangerous precedent of denying healthcare based on intelligence testing," said OAC President Joseph Nadglowski Jr. in a statement. "In addition, the testing requirement perpetuates the false notion that those affected by obesity and morbid obesity are of lower intelligence on average then the general public."