The May Day Meeting

The COORS study group had a wide ranging discussion of current science.  We reviewed the latest research of some of our topics that we have discussed over the past twelve months.  We started with an open discussion of cannabinoids and the their pharmacology.  It is a subject that has grown in importance and we will devote an extended meeting for that exploration next fall.  After that we discussed the new micro blood sample technology (Thanos) that is spreading inexpensive blood testing that requires only a single drop of blood.  Walgreen's has embraced it although it is only in a few location in California currently.  

We then discussed the importance of our own bacterial flora and the impact of glyphosate in that respect, the psychology of being anti-GMO without understanding the science of GMO.
We then reviewed the nutrients recognized by the Institute of Food Technologists of having the most preventive effect on cognition decline, the test that physicians in the US use to screen and track cognition decline (MMSE which is available in the reference section), evidence that AGE's are a primary cause of dementia and obesity, the discrediting of Dean Ornish's nutrition approach in the April Scientific American (very low fat, vegetarian, high carbohydrate), the effect of fructose on cardiovascular disease and mortality, the preventive effect of caffeine and caffeic acid on breast cancer occurrence and recurrence, and the effect of curcurmin consumption on HPV mediated oral cancer.  We also discussed the importance of the SirT1 pathway on mitochondrial preservation, how it is stimulated by moderate exercise, fasting, and resveratrol as well and implications for muscle, dementia, and inflammation. 
We also reviewed pain perception with the research that infants experience pain much the same as adults. This has been controversial because infants have commonly been given little or no anesthetic for pain control.  


The balance of the meeting was spent reviewing cancer mechanisms, types, and classifications.  We discussed the importance of epigenetics in cancer.   We especially dissected the very real concerns regarding benefit versus harm of PSA and mammograms.  The science and statistics suggest that the current screening regimens are harmful on balance.  This goes against the feelings of many patients and physicians.  The "right" answer is less than clear.  Next time we will discuss the differences and similarities between pediatric and geriatric patients and have an introduction to cannabinoid pharmacology.  The motto of COORS ought to be "We grow our brains by open discussion of science, good and bad."

Dave