Gallstones were more likely to develop in weight cyclers than in weight maintainers -- that is, men who remained within 5 pounds of their initial weight between 1988 and 1992.

Light weight cyclers -- men who lost between 5 and 9 pounds per attempt -- had a 21-percent increased risk of developing gallstones, whereas moderate cyclers (weight loss between 10 and 19 pounds) had a 38-percent increased risk of gallstones.

Severe weight cyclers (men who lost 20 pounds or more per attempt) had a 76 percent increased risk of developing gallstones.

More frequent weight swings also increased gallstone risk: two or more weight cycles increased the risk by roughly 30 percent in men who had weight loss and gain cycles of 10 to 19 pounds, and by roughly 50 percent in men who had weight loss and gain cycles of more than 20 pounds.

These associations remained even after adjusting for body weight and other known and suspected risk factors for gallstones, suggesting that it is weight cycling rather than being overweight or obese alone that raises the risk of gallstones, the researchers note.

Consistent with prior studies, the majority of men in the study were weight cyclers not weight maintainers (17,286 versus 7,443). "Although approximately 30 percent of adult U.S. men are trying to lose weight, intentional weight loss is rarely sustained and is often associated with unintentional weight regain, leading to weight cycling," Tsai and colleagues write in their report, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

It's likely that multiple factors underlie the association between weight cycling and gallstone formation, they say. Studies have shown that large swings in body weight contribute to the development of metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance, which may facilitate gallstone formation. Weight cyclers also have higher levels of the fat-related hormone leptin and blood insulin levels, which could also contribute to gallstones.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, November 27, 2006.

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Japanese scientists say identify anti-TB compound

Last Updated: 2006-11-28 12:43:29 -0400 (Reuters Health)

HONG KONG - Scientists in Japan say they have identified a compound that appears to stop the tuberculosis bacteria from multiplying, offering new hope in the fight against the increasingly drug-resistant disease.

At least a third of the world's population is estimated to be infected with the TB bacteria, which are protected by a thick waxy coat and can lie dormant for years. People who are infected normally only get sick when their immune systems are weak.

In an article published in the open access journal, PLoS Medicine, the researchers tested the compound, OPC-67683, on infected mice.

It attacked the walls of the bacteria and "stopped it from dividing further", said Makoto Matsumoto of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.'s Microbiological Research Institute.

The compound was also effective in fighting multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) strains of TB, he said.

"Now, we want to check (the efficacy of the compound) in human patients. We are getting approval for human clinical tests," Matsumoto told Reuters on Tuesday.

TB is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can affect the lungs, central nervous system, lymphatic system, circulatory system, bones and joints.

One in 10 latent infections progresses to active TB disease, which, if left untreated, can kill more than half its victims. It killed 1.7 million people worldwide in 2004.

Although it is mainly a scourge in developing countries, a rising number of people in the developed world are sickened by it because their immune systems are compromised by immunosuppressive drugs, substance abuse or HIV/AIDS.

Dealing with the disease remains a huge challenge because many strains of TB have become resistant to antibiotics.

Apart from MDR-TB, strains resistant to two of the most effective first-line TB drugs, there is now extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), which is resistant to three or more of the six classes of second-line drugs.

Matsumoto said the compound, which his company synthesized, should be used in combination with other drugs to prevent or slow the development of drug resistance.

Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.