Biomedical subjects

M A Brudnak

Publications and source records attributed to M A Brudnak.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Are the 'hard' martial arts, such as the Korean martial art, TaeKwon-Do, of benefit to senior citizens?

Falls are a leading cause of death in the elderly. Associated with aging is a loss of muscular strength, flexibility, and coordination. Regular exercise is widely believed to be of benefit for the elderly. To this end, various exercise regimes have been employed to battle the associated problems of aging. One such has been the Chinese martial art, Tai Chi Chuan (TC). TC as an exercise system uses slow smooth movements to train the body in balance, endurance, and strength. For this reason, it is known as a 'soft' martial art, in that it is very non-impact oriented. There have been a variety of studies in the West examining the beneficial effects of TC. However, to date, there have been no studies with senior citizens using other martial arts, of which, TC is but one. The present study was designed to examine the appropriateness and effects of a Korean martial art known as TaeKwon-Do (TKD), a 'hard' martial art, on an elderly population measuring similar parameters reported for TC. Of those participants that attended >85% of classes, an increase was observed in the average number of push-ups, trunk flexion, and balance time on each foot. TKD proved effective at increasing one-leg balance in the population examined. Additionally, the overall dropout rate was extremely low suggesting both that the elderly are capable of participating in a hard martial art and that they have an interest in it as a viable alternative to other forms of exercise. The present study suggests that TKD as a form of exercise for an elderly population is both viable and potentially popular and warrants further study.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2002

Probiotics as an adjuvant to detoxification protocols.

Autism is a developmental disease characterized by a spectrum of symptoms ranging from decreased verbal skills and social withdrawal, to repetitive behavior and violent outbursts. Genetic analysis has yielded a few potentially interesting genes, however no clear linkage has been established. For this reason, it has been suggested that the etiology of autism may involve multiple loci. This, in large part, explains why so many different theories abound. One such theory is that of mercury poisoning. Environmentally acquired mercury, either through some causal contact or through vaccination, has been postulated as the culprit. Mercury is thought to be exerting its neurological effect on the brain. The standard treatment has been to apply chelating agents in an attempt to extricate the mercury. One missing component in the treatment is the utilization of the body's own detoxification mechanisms. Arguably the largest detoxification component of the body, the endogenous enteric bacteria are an enormous reservoir, which can be constantly and safely replenished. This paper discusses the use of high-dose probiotics as an adjuvant for detoxification protocols with an emphasis on use in autistics.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed2002

Weight-loss drugs and supplements: are there safer alternatives?

Obesity is a major cause of health complaints in western developed countries. Problems ranging from apnea to joint pain have been associated with excess weight. Many factors have been attributed to the epidemic of obesity including sedentary lifestyle, high-fat diets and consumption of large amounts of processed foods. Pharmacies and health-food store shelves abound with a vast selection of products promoted for weight-loss. Some of these have made headlines recently for the damaging effect they have on such things as cardiac valvular function. Unfortunately, others will probably follow and original data is presented on potentially dangerous natural products. Alternatives are presented and discussed below. These natural alternatives include such things as digestive enzyme inhibitors (e.g. L-arabinose, hibiscus tea, marine algae, Nomame Herba, etc), anorexics (e.g. monoterpenes such as d-limonene and perillyl alcohol), glucose-uptake inhibitors (e.g. phlorizin), and probiotics as adjuvants. These all-natural products are presented as some possible alternatives to those that could be potentially lethal and are not meant as the only options.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Application of genomeceuticals to the molecular and immunological aspects of autism.

Autism is a developmental disease affecting as many as 1 in 300 children and is often characterized as a mental disorder originating in infancy that is associated with self-absorption, inability to interact socially, behavior, and language dysfunction (e.g. echolalia). Current theories indicate an important role of diet in the development of disease. It is thought that, as a result of maldigestion of casein and gluten, opioid-type peptides, or exorphins, are produced. Additionally, because of the time-frame of development of the disease, there has been an association with childhood vaccination. Consequently, prevailing therapies attempt to address these causes in one, or a combination, of three ways: diet restriction (removing casein and gluten); supplementation with exogenous enzymes; and probiotic bacteria. Until recently, none of the therapies addressed the molecular mechanisms that may be at work in the development and progression of autism. This paper presents potential molecular and cellular mechanism related to autism as well as discusses their application to the treatment of the disease through the application of genomeceuticals. Additionally, a link between developmentally associated aberrant immune and inflammatory responses, and autism is suggested and explored.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed2001

Genomic multi-level nutrient-sensing pathways.

Traditionally, the pharmaceutical and natural products industries have looked for products, which affect some biochemical or cellular pathway in either a positive or negative manner. While both industries have enjoyed success with this approach, there is a vast area that as of yet has remained relatively untapped: the genome. The following work explores how both industries can benefit from the burgeoning area of nutrients directed toward the genome. Nutritional supplements capable of altering the integrity, expression, or fidelity of genes are herein referred to collectively as 'genomeceuticals' for their ability to acting on the genome in a manner related to pharmaceuticals acting on biochemical pathways. Central to the paper is the finding that glucosamine can up-regulate the obese (ob) gene by acting on a 'nutrient-sensing' pathway (1). An explanation of how nutrient-sensing pathways might be exploited at the genetic level is presented. Discussion is given to how such genomeceuticals can not just replace substances, which may be missing (e.g., an enzyme diminished by mutation), but actually alter the expression and functionality of gene products in, and resulting from, genomic nutrient-sensing pathways.

Biological Factors↗