Long-Term Antibiotics Fail Again in Lyme Disease

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/57044?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-31&eun=g721819d0r

FDA To Allow Blood Centers To Screen Blood Using Experimental Zika Test.

, “The move means that Puerto Rico, which had halted local blood donations...will soon be able to resume collecting donations from residents. And it should help blood banks elsewhere in the country avoid similar ordeals.” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the FDA will work “with blood centers in Puerto Rico to try to help as many as possible make use of the investigational test.” The new blood test “makes it much less likely that officials will have to declare blood donation moratoriums in states like Florida, Texas and Louisiana this summer, as they were forced to do in Puerto Rico.” Meanwhile, Dr. Simone Glynn, the chief of the branch of blood epidemiology and clinical therapeutics at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute stressed that without a screening test for the Zika virus, “you don’t know whether blood transfusions with infection might be occurring.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/31/health/zika-virus-blood-test-puerto-rico.html?_r=0

Blood Test Helps Measure Women’s Ovarian Reserve.

It’s a question that can keep many women up at night, whether there’s still enough time to have a baby, but now more women are using an easy test that can take all the guesswork out of how much time is left on their biological clocks.” NBC News correspondent Janet Shamlian explained that “a simple blood test” with the nickname of “the baby deadline test is like a checkup for the ovaries.” The test “used to be for women already struggling to get pregnant,” but is “now being used to predict infertility problems.” The NBC News (3/31, Dunn, Deo) website reports that the official name of the test is “the Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test.” Some physicians “are now offering it as an option to healthy women to assess what they call their ovarian reserve.” The test, which “usually costs less than $100,” is a measure of AMH “circulating in a woman’s bloodstream” and “predicts the amount of possible eggs a woman has.” http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/baby-deadline-test-beat-your-biological-clock-n548196

Breastfeeding, new vaccines tied to lower risk for upper respiratory infection

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Vaccines/56989?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-30&eun=g721819d0r

Endometriosis May Be Linked To Higher Risk Of Heart Disease In Younger Women.

reports on its website that for the study, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, investigators “followed 120,000 women over 20 years.” Approximately “12,000 participants had endometriosis.” Although “the overall rate for heart disease was 21 cases per 100,000 women under 40,” the investigators “found that for every 100,000 women with endometriosis, the heart disease rate increased to 65 cases.” http://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/endometriosis-increases-risk-heart-disease-young-women-n547381

Pertussis Vax Wanes, Even With TDaP Booster Protecting against Bordetella pertussis infection remains challenging

"We observed an abrupt shift in the direction of rate ratios in 2010, the very year that children aged 11 years would have been the first cohort born after the 1997 transition from [whole-cell] to acellular vaccines to have received acellular vaccines for all doses of the childhood series," Skoff and Martin wrote. They add that recent data show TDaP protection wanes at a faster rate among adolescents who received DTaP for their childhood vaccination as opposed to wP vaccine, and that "at least" a single dose of wP vaccine, especially when administered as the first dose, seems to improve protection associated with the TDaP vaccine. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Vaccines/56988?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-29&eun=g721819d0r

BPA Linked To Premature Births.

reported researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have found that “higher concentrations of the plastics chemical BPA in a pregnant woman’s system could increase the likelihood that her baby is born premature.” The study was published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. http://time.com/4272462/bpa-linked-to-premature-babies-study/

Number Of US TB Cases Increased For First Time In 23 Years, CDC Says.

reports that for the first time in 23 years, “twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia each had more cases in 2015 than 2014, raising questions – but no definitive answers – about a possible resurgence of one of the world’s deadliest diseases.” Nearly “half of all reported cases” were found in Texas, California, Florida, and New York. Public health officials conjecture that “reduced or stagnant funding for prevention efforts nationwide” may be behind the slight increase. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/03/24/tb-cases-increase-in-u-s-for-first-time-in-23-years/

Single Serving Of Some Fruit Drinks May Contain An Entire Day’s Sugar Allotment For A Child, Study Finds.

Just a single serving of some fruit drinks, like juice and smoothies, contain an entire day’s sugar allotment for a child,” a study published online March 23 in BMJ Open suggests. After analyzing “the sugar content of 100% fruit juices, juice drinks and bottled smoothies that were marketed to children,” investigators then “calculated the amount of ‘free sugar’ in each drink, which was defined as sugars added by the manufacturer – including glucose and fructose – as well as sugars in items like honey or syrups.” http://time.com/4269231/fruit-juice-smoothies-sugar/

the chemical bisphenol S (BPS) Exposure May Induce Formation Of Human Fat Cells, Researchers Say.

reports that in a study published online March 22 in the Endocrine Society’s journal Endocrinology, a research team from Health Canada “has found another health concern associated with” the chemical bisphenol S (BPS). BPS appears to trigger “the formation of fat cells.” Previous research has already implicated BPS, which is often used as a substitute to bisphenol A (BPA) in the making of plastic products, in causing “much of the same adverse health effects as” BPA, such as “reproductive health issues and cancer.” Study senior author Ella Atlas, PhD, said in a press release, “Our research indicates BPS and BPA have comparable effects on fat cells and their metabolism.” She added, “The study is the first to show that BPS exposure can induce the formation of human fat cells.” http://www.medicaldaily.com/bps-bpa-substitute-obesity-diabetes-link-379311

Teen Girls Taking Oral Contraceptives May Be Less Likely To Seriously Injure Their Knees Than Girls Who Do Not, Study Finds.

reports that adolescent girls who take oral contraceptives “may be less likely to seriously injure their knees than those who don’t take” oral contraceptives, a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests. After reviewing “data from more than 23,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 in the” US, researchers found that the teens “with the highest rates of ACL surgery were 22 percent less likely to be taking” oral contraceptives “than those who didn’t have an ACL injury.” http://consumer.healthday.com/bone-and-joint-information-4/knee-problem-news-436/women-knee-injuries-msse-utmbg-release-batch-2586-709170.html

Could enjoying a nap KILL you? Sleeping for more than 40 minutes during the day 'increases the risk of heart disease'

reports that research suggests “napping for 40 minutes” or longer may be linked “to a steep increase in the risk of being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.” The findings will be presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting. Naps of longer than 40 minutes increase the risk of metabolic syndrome Includes raised blood pressure and cholesterol, excess fat around the waist and high blood sugar - all of which increase heart disease risk Naps of 90 minutes linked to 50% greater chance of metabolic syndrome Same effect was seen when people reported being excessively tired Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3506708/Could-enjoying-nap-KILL-Sleeping-40-minutes-day-increases-risk-heart-disease.html#ixzz43pGd1rlH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3506708/Could-enjoying-nap-KILL-Sleeping-40-minutes-day-increases-risk-heart-disease.html hmm last week there was an article saying 20 minute afternoon nappers had longer lifespans.

Only 2.7% Of US Adults Have All Four Basic Characteristics Of A Healthy Lifestyle, Researchers Say.

reports that just “2.7 percent of adults nationwide have all four basic healthy characteristics” necessary for a healthy lifestyle, research suggests. The study “examined if adults were successful in four areas that fit typical advice for a ‘healthy lifestyle’ – moderate exercise, a good diet, not smoking and having a recommended body fat percentage.” Included in the study were “4,745 people from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.” http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2016/03/only_27_percent_of_us_adults_l.html

FDA Requires New Warnings For Immediate-Release Opioids.

reports in “To Your Health” that the Food and Drug Administration announced that “it will require new warnings about the risk of addiction, abuse, overdose and death for short-acting opioid pain medications.” The boxed warning for immediate-release opioids “also will warn of the danger that chronic use of the drugs by pregnant women can result in...Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome” in newborns. The new warnings “will emphasize that immediate-release opioids should be a last resort for severe pain” and will provide “clearer instructions to prescribers about how to administer the drugs and monitor patients.” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf “called opioid addiction one of the most ‘urgent and devastating public health crises facing our nation’ and said the new labels were just part of the government’s larger strategy for” combating it. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/03/22/fda-adds-new-warnings-on-risk-of-addiction-overdose-and-death-for-some-prescription-opioids/

Babies Who Receive Antibiotics During Their First Six Months Appear Not To Gain Excess Weight By Age Seven, Study Finds

reports that babies “who receive antibiotics during the first six months of life don’t seem to gain excess weight by the time they reach the age of seven,” a study published March 22/29 in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests. Researchers arrived at that conclusion after examining “data on nearly 40,000 children in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.” Approximately “14 percent” of the kids studied “were given antibiotics in the first six months of life.” http://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/antibiotics-news-30/antibiotics-don-t-boost-baby-s-weight-study-reports-709126.html

Abnormal Cortisol Levels Pre-Pregnancy May Affect Baby’s Size.

reports a new study suggests that pre-pregnancy stress hormone levels “may affect a woman’s risk of having a low birth weight baby.” Researchers looked at 142 pregnant women and found that abnormal levels of cortisol “is associated with delivering a baby that weighs less at birth.” The findings were published in the journal Health Psychology. http://consumer.healthday.com/pregnancy-information-29/pregnancy-risks-news-546/pre-pregnancy-stress-may-affect-baby-s-size-study-saysyee-709127.html

Study Reveals US Cities That May Be Affected By Zika Outbreak.

reports a new study published in the journal PLOS Currents: Outbreaks identified “fifty U.S. cities where the...mosquito Aedes aegypti would be able to survive in the upcoming summer months.” According to the study, nine “of those cities, home to an estimated 14 million people, could have a ‘high abundance’ of the virus-carrying mosquitoes by July.” Researchers found that by July, “conditions across the entire southern half of the United States are suitable for Aedes aegypti to thrive, particularly in the Southeast.” During a call with reporters earlier this month, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Thomas Frieden said, “There is nothing about Zika control that is quick or easy ... The only thing quick is the mosquito bite that can give it to you.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/03/21/study-these-are-the-u-s-cities-that-could-be-hit-by-a-zika-outbreak/

FDA Wants To Ban Powdered Medical Gloves.

n “To Your Health” reports that the Food and Drug Administration has proposed a ban on powdered medical gloves. If implemented, it would mark only the second time that the FDA has banned a medical device. According to the FDA, the aerosolized powder on latex gloves can trigger respiratory allergic reactions, while the powder on synthetic gloves may “result in airway and wound inflammation and post-surgical adhesions.” According to Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, “This ban is about protecting patients and health-care professionals from a danger they might not even be aware of.” The FDA will seek public comment on the proposed ban for 90 days. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/03/21/what-do-powdered-surgical-gloves-and-prosthetic-hair-fibers-have-in-common-the-fda-doesnt-like-them/

Experimental Graphene Patch Analyzes Sweat To Determine Blood Glucose Levels.

“An experimental device might one day literally take the pain out of managing diabetes,” research published online March 21 in Nature Nanotechnology suggests. Researchers from Korea used “a substance called graphene to develop a thin, flexible patch” that “contains a variety of sensors that detect humidity, sweat glucose levels, pH and temperature.” The patch analyzes “sweat to determine ‘sweat glucose,’ which can be used to figure out blood glucose levels.” http://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/type-i-diabetes-news-182/a-wearable-patch-might-help-manage-diabetes-painlessly-709149.html

Elizabethkingia Infection Reported In Michigan. Rarely seen blood infection outbreak continues; source remains mystery

reported that the virus, which has been spreading through Wisconsin “since November,” has been “identified in a Michigan resident, the Michigan health department said.” CNN mentions the bacteria are “commonly found in soil, river water and reservoirs but do not commonly cause illness in humans.” Health officials in Wisconsin have been working with the CDC “to investigate this outbreak but have not yet identified the source. Michigan is now part of that effort. http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/18/health/elizabethkingia-spread-to-mi/index.html

Politico Analysis: Zika Virus Could Cause “Chaos” In US This Summer.

analysis considers “the chaos that Zika could bring to the United States this summer.” The piece cautions if the virus “hits big – and that’s a big if – it could stir a panic like Ebola, set off an epidemic of finger-pointing and create new fear and acrimony over reproductive rights, global warming and immigration, all at the height of a presidential campaign.” The article suggests “most likely, Zika would cause isolated outbreaks in the U.S., just as dengue, a similar virus, popped up in recent years in Hawaii, Florida and southern Texas,” but this could still “have an outsize political impact” due to the presidential campaign, particularly if the “politically tinged fear” spreads. http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/zika-virus-america-threat-220983

Growing Up In Poor Neighborhood May Put People At Higher Risk For Obesity Later In Life, Study Suggests.

reported that “growing up in a poor neighborhood may put people at higher risk for obesity later in life.” Investigators “looked at data from American students in grades 7 through 12.” Participants were tracked for 13 years. The researchers found that the “risk of future obesity increased when teens moved into poor neighborhoods and decreased when they moved out of poor areas.” The findings were published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. http://consumer.healthday.com/kids-health-information-23/adolescents-and-teen-health-news-719/poor-neighborhoods-increase-teens-risk-of-later-obesity-709028.html

Antibiotic Resistance Common in Kids' UTIs Even first-line treatments could be rendered ineffective

A substantial portion of E. coli urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children were resistant to commonly used antibiotics, both in first world countries and less developed parts of the world, according to a meta-analysis. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/56769?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-18&eun=g721819d0r

Review Finds Little Evidence Sit-Stand And Treadmill Desks May Prevent Or Reverse Harm Of Prolonged Sitting.

In fact, there isn't really any evidence that standing is better than sitting, Verbeek adds. The extra calories you burn from standing over sitting for a day are barely enough to cover a couple of banana chips. "The idea you should be standing four hours a day? There's no real evidence for that," he says. " "The health benefits of standing are not well-known," Carr agrees. "But you're going to burn more calories standing than sitting. I know it's not a tremendous amount." Still, he says, "those calories every day over many years will add up." Carr says the finding of the Cochrane review doesn't mean that standing desks and variations are useless. It just means there hasn't been enough study of the desks to say either way. "The state of the science is definitely early," he says. "There needs to be longer studies with more people to get a good sense these desks actually cause people to stand." http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/17/470713717/stand-to-work-if-you-like-but-dont-brag-about-its-benefits

Kids Who Skip Breakfast Altogether More Likely To Be Overweight Than Kids Who Eat Breakfast Twice.

The Salt” blog reports after tracking some “600 middle-school students from fifth to seventh grade,” researchers found that “weight gain among students who ate ‘double-breakfast’ was no different than that seen among all other students,” whereas the “risk of obesity doubled among students who skipped breakfast or ate” breakfast on an inconsistent basis. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/17/470832131/two-breakfasts-may-be-better-than-none-for-school-kids

Dengue Vaccine Passes Hurdle Human challenge model might help in developing Zika vaccine as well

An investigational vaccine against all four strains of dengue virus yielded complete protection in a human challenge study, researchers reported -- an approach might help in the development of a vaccine against Zika virus. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/56759?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-17&eun=g721819d0r

UK Announces Levy On Sugary Drinks.

eports that on Wednesday, the UK government announced a surprise tax on sugary drinks, creating a new policy battle between the global soft-drinks industry and government officials determined to curb sugar intake. The levy of roughly 18 pence or 24 pence a liter is expected to generate revenues of over $730 million in the first year. http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-unveils-levy-on-sugary-drinks-1458144731

Turning TV Or Radio Off During Meals May Help People Lose Weight, Study Suggests.

reports that turning off the television or radio “during meals helps you lose weight because the sound of your own chewing makes you eat less,” the findings of a study published in Food Quality and Preference suggest. Eating “meals in a quiet environment helps shed the pounds as it boosts consciousness of the food and keeps consumption in check, the study shows.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/12196042/How-to-lose-weight-switch-off-the-TV-at-meal-times.html

Aspirin May Lower GI Malignancy Risk:

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/Hematology/56732?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-16&eun=g721819d0r

Clinton's Health Plan Gets Mostly Passing Grades From Policy Experts But chances of passage 'zero' without big change in Congress

This was in my daily medical news email, not politics. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Washington-Watch/ElectionCoverage/56734?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-16&eun=g721819d0r

WHO Report: One Quarter Of Deaths In 2012 Attributed To Unhealthy Environment.

reports in “To Your Health” that the number of deaths “underscores the devastating impact of the chemicals and waste we’ve been putting into the air, water and earth since the end of World War II.” Breaking down the numbers, “the WHO said deaths due to non-communicable diseases – which include heart disease and cancer and are related to exposure to pollution – now make up 8.2 million or nearly two-thirds of the total deaths.” Meanwhile, deaths attributed to “infectious diseases – such as malaria and diarrhea – due to unsafe water and lack of sanitation represent one-third and are on the decline.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/03/15/human-toll-of-pollution-who-estimates-12-6-million-die-from-unhealthy-environments-each-year/

CDC Issues Guidelines On Opioid Prescriptions.

reports that “the CDC directed the guidelines to primary care physicians, who prescribe nearly half of opiates.” The Washington Post (3/15, Demirjian, Bernstein) points out that “in addition to the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration is reassessing its policies on opioid medications, the Senate has passed legislation that would expand drug abuse treatment and prevention, and the Drug Enforcement Administration is pushing physicians for more responsible prescribing.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/03/15/cdc-issues-new-guidelines-opiate-prescribing-reduce-abuse-overdoses/81809704/

People With Diabetes May Be More Likely To Develop Potentially Deadly Staph Blood Infections Than People Without Diabetes.

reported that “people with diabetes may be significantly more likely to develop potentially deadly ‘staph’ blood infections than those without diabetes,” a study published March 10 in the European Journal of Endocrinology suggests. After examining “the medical records of 30,000 people in Denmark over 12 years,” researchers discovered that “people with any form of diabetes were almost three times more likely to acquire a staph blood infection outside of a hospital, compared to those without diabetes.” That risk increased “to more than seven times higher among people with type 1 diabetes, and almost three times higher for those with type 2 diabetes.” http://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/misc-diabetes-news-181/diabetes-can-raise-risk-for-dangerous-staph-infection-708908.html

Birth Of Sibling A Few Years Into A Child’s Life Tied To Healthier BMI Trajectory For First Child.

website pointed out that “in the longitudinal study that tracked nearly 700 children across the US,” investigators “found that kids who did not have a sibling by the time they were in first grade were more often obese at that age compared to children who gained a sibling between ages three and four.” In other words, “the birth of a sibling a few years into a child’s life was associated with a healthier body mass index trajectory for that first child.” http://abcnews.go.com/Health/birth-sibling-healthier-body-weight-born/story?id=37586460 Researchers emphasized they are not claiming the birth of a sibling directly causes weight loss but that there is an association, and these findings need to be studied further. The surprisingly robust association led the study's authors to wonder what factors might be at play. “The possibility that seems most compelling,” said Dr. Julie Lumeng, a pediatrician at the C.S. Mott Hospital at the University of Michigan and an author on the study, “is that if you have a younger sibling, you’re more likely to run around.” Simply put, having a younger sibling is like having a built-in playmate: at any given time, the siblings are more likely to engage in some kind of active play. Another theory that is a little harder to prove is that once a second child arrives, parents tend to loosen up, which means less restrictive feeding practices for children. Somewhat counter-intuitively, previous research has shown that the more a parent restricts a child’s eating, the higher the risk of obesity. It may be that parental control prevents kids from learning to listen to their own hunger cues, thus promoting unhealthy eating habits.

Urine TB Test Cuts Mortality in Patients With HIV Bedside test offers swifter diagnosis and more rapid treatment

An inexpensive urine test for tuberculosis reduced the risk of death among HIV-positive hospital patients in Africa, where the combined effect of the two diseases is a leading cause of mortality, researchers said. In a randomized controlled trial in four counties, the test was associated with a 17% relative risk reduction in all-cause mortality after 8 weeks, possibly because TB treatment was started more quickly and in more patients, according to Keertan Dheda, MBBcH, PhD, of the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and colleagues. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Tuberculosis/56655?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-10&eun=g721819d0r

Scaring People About Outcome Of Not Vaccinating May Be More Effective Than Giving Facts.

reports that instilling fear in so-called anti-vaxxers about the repercussions of not vaccinating their children, appears to be an effective method to reverse their views. The study revealed that frightening people was more likely to change their minds than giving them facts about vaccines. http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-peril-of-ignoring-vaccinesand-a-solution-1457537743

US Cancer Death Rates Continue To Decline, Report Indicates.

reports that “early cancer prevention, detection and treatment appear to be working, with death rates from all cancers combined continuing to decline in the U.S, according to a report released” by the CDC. The report indicated “men and women across all racial and ethnic groups saw death rates decrease for most type of cancers.” However, liver cancer death rates increased. The report was “a collaboration among the CDC, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.” http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-03-09/us-cancer-death-rates-continue-to-drop

Herpes Vaccine Cuts Viral Shedding Shedding down by as much as 55%, lesion count by 69%

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAD/56634?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-09&eun=g721819d0r

New Data Cast Doubt On Effectiveness, Safety Of Weight-Loss Medication.

“Science Now” that the cardiovascular safety of the weight-loss drug Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion) “remains uncertain,” according to the halfway point results of the LIGHT trial published in JAMA. The researchers also concluded that claims that the drug significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke are also premature. Although the Food and Drug Administration’s approval was based upon an agreement with the drugmaker to continue the LIGHT trial to study the drug’s safety and effectiveness, the trial “was abandoned after the makers of Contrave flouted the terms of their agreement with the FDA and the researchers conducting the clinical trial and made the preliminary safety findings public.” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-heart-attack-stroke-diet-drug-contrave-20160308-story.html

Biomarker Identifies Asthma Aspirin Intolerance Finding could lead to cost-effective urine test

LOS ANGELES -- Elevated urinary leukotriene E4 levels (ULTE4) could prove to be an important biomarker for identifying aspirin intolerance in patients with asthma, according to findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis. The analysis of 10 studies in which the biomarker was analyzed in patients with asthma found UTLE4 to be an accurate marker for aspirin-intolerant asthma when measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, mass spectrometry, or radioimmunoassay. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAAAI/56604?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-08&eun=g721819d0r

Salmonella apparent culprit in Lucky’s illness outbreak in Dayton OH

House-made mayonnaise tests positive for the bacteria, as do at least 9 of those sickened. http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/salmonella-apparent-culprit-in-luckys-illness-outb/nqft8/

Diabetes Drug Benefits MS Patients In Small Clinical Trial.

reports that diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone) “benefited multiple sclerosis patients with metabolic syndrome in a small trial.” In the study of 50 MS patients with obesity, “those receiving the active drugs showed reductions in several biomarker measures including MRI lesion burden compared with the untreated controls, according to a report published on Monday in JAMA Neurology.” http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/MetabolicSyndrome/56607

Higher Percent Of Body Fat May Be Linked To Higher Risk Of Dying Early, Study Suggests.

reports that when the researchers “looked at how body fat correlated with early death,” they “found that people with the lowest BMI had a 44% to 45% higher risk of dying early – likely because they were malnourished or otherwise ill – than those with more average BMI.” Individuals “with the highest body fat composition, regardless of their BMI, also had the highest risk of dying early – women with more body fat showed a 19% increased risk of early death while men had a 60% higher risk of mortality.” http://time.com/4250021/why-bmi-doesnt-tell-you-how-healthy-you-are/ n one study published Monday, researchers found that in a group of more than 1.5 million Swedish military recruits, men who had poor physical fitness at age 18 were three times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in midlife than were those who had been highly fit on the cusp of adulthood. That effect was found independent of BMI, family history or socioeconomic status. Muscle strength and, especially, aerobic capacity of males at age 18 were highly predictive of developing Type 2 diabetes in their 50s or 60s, the authors of the study found. Even men with BMIs that pegged them as "normal healthy weight" in their 50s or 60s were far more likely to develop diabetes if they had shown poor level aerobic conditioning and muscle strength at 18. Researchers are nurturing a growing suspicion that body mass index, the height-weight calculation that distinguishes those with "normal healthy weight" from the overweight and obese, is not the whole picture when it comes to telling who is healthy and who is not. Two new studies drive that point home and underscore that BMI offers an incomplete picture of an individual's health. Fitness matters, as does fatness. And the BMI is an imperfect measure of both. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-age-fitness-matters-20160307-story.html

Study Examines Brain Receptors That May Lead To Unnecessary Food Cravings In The Sleep-Deprived.

published in the March issue of the journal SLEEP suggests the “brain receptors that can lead the sleep-deprived to crave unnecessary food” appear to be “the same as those activated by marijuana.” The Chicago (IL) Sun-Times (3/6) also covered the study. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/05/science/sleep-eating-craving-food.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Study Links Migraine to Emotional Abuse in Childhood Prolonged stress may alter brain function and structure

Childhood emotional abuse is common, and commonly associated with migraine in adults, particularly in men, Tietjen said in an interview. In addition, a history of additional types of abuse, such as physical and sexual abuse, increases the strength of the relationship of emotional abuse with migraine. "The relationship of emotional abuse frequency with migraine is U-shaped, suggesting that a certain amount of abuse may lead to resilience, but at high frequency, development of migraine is more likely," she told MedPage Today. "Childhood abuse can have long-lasting effects on health and well-being." http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAN/56535?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-04&eun=g721819d0r

Chilling the Brain to Understand Speech Processing

Neurosurgeon describes novel technique for assessing specific functions within brain regions. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/56532?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-04&eun=g721819d0r

Eating Food With A Higher Protein Count May Make People Feel Fuller, Meta-Analysis Indicates.

http://time.com/4246736/protein-satiety-fullness/ points out that even though “protein may help dieters feel full, it is not a magic bullet for weight loss, the researchers emphasized.” Nevertheless, “a moderate increase in protein intake may be a good first step for people trying to lose weight, the researchers suggested.” reports that “eating food with a higher protein count really does make people feel fuller,” a five-study meta-analysis published March 3 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests.

CDC Investigating Rare Bacteria Outbreak Linked To 18 Deaths In Wisconsin.

reported the CDC is investigating a “mysterious bacteria outbreak” tied to 18 deaths in Wisconsin since December. So far there have been 44 confirmed cases. On its website, CNN (3/3, Karimi and Goldschmidt) reports the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has identified the bacteria as a rare blood infection known as Elizabethkingia. Symptoms of the illness caused by the bacteria include “shortness of breath, fever, chills and cellulitis.” The CDC is working with Wisconsin health officials to investigate the outbreak. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/wisconsin-investigates-mysterious-infection-n531236

Rate Of “Health Care-Associated” Infections Drops, CDC Report Reveals.

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report Thursday revealing that the rate of bloodstream infections stemming from a central line dropped “by 50% from 2008 to 2014.” Infections acquired where surgeons “made incisions also fell, including 2% for colon surgery and 17% in operations in which doctors remove the uterus through the abdomen.” Between 2011 and 2014, the “rate of antibiotic-resistant MRSA fell by 13%” and “infections of C. difficile. ..fell by 8% during the same period.” Unfortunately, “the USA made no progress in preventing catheter-related urinary tract infections, which can develop in the thin tubes inserted into the bladder,” USA Today adds. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/03/03/rates-some-hospital-acquired-infections-fall-50/81266110/

6th local case of whooping cough reported

http://www.whio.com/news/news/at-least-5-cases-of-whooping-cough-reported-locall/nqcrC/

Exposure To Thirdhand Smoke Results In Insulin Resistance In Mice, Study Finds.

reports that a study published in PLOS ONE reveals thirdhand smoke, defined as “exhaled smoke that makes its way onto surfaces in...homes, cars, or even workplaces,” may “contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes [T2D].” Investigators “found that exposure to thirdhand smoke resulted in insulin resistance” in mice. http://www.medicaldaily.com/thirdhand-smoking-diabetes-376211

Sedentary Time On The Weekends May Be Worse For Weight Than Working At A Desk All Week.

“Playing couch potato on the weekends may be even worse for your weight than working at a desk all week,” the findings of a 332-participant study presented at the American Heart Association’s meeting suggests. But, exercise researchers “reported that even a 20-minute reduction in sedentary time on Saturdays and Sundays added up to a loss of more than two pounds and 1.6 percent of body fat after a year.” That “same association was not seen with sedentary time during the weekdays,” however. http://consumer.healthday.com/fitness-information-14/misc-health-news-265/lazy-weekends-may-boost-body-fat-levels-study-says-708635.html

More Data Connect Zika and Guillain-Barre Syndrome

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/56473?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-01&eun=g721819d0r

Type 1 Diabetes May Be Associated With Higher Risk Of Several Cancers, Reduced Risk Of Others.

that research suggests type 1 diabetes may be associated with “a higher risk of several cancers but a reduced risk of others.” Researchers found that while “men with type 1 diabetes were not at a higher overall risk of getting cancer (hazard ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.98-1.04) than the general population...women with type 1 diabetes had a slightly higher risk.” However, “diabetes patients faced lower risk of prostate cancer...and of breast cancer.” The findings were published in Diabetologia. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Type1Diabetes/56472

Supplements May Interfere With Prescription Drugs, Research Shows.

On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal (2/29, D1, Landro, Subscription Publication) reports that there is increasing evidence that over-the-counter nutritional supplements may interfere with a host of prescription drugs for a variety of common conditions. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, is funding research around the nation into possible adverse interactions between supplements and prescription medicines. http://www.wsj.com/articles/what-you-should-know-about-how-your-supplements-interact-with-prescription-drugs-1456777548