Bluetooth-Enabled Insulin Pen Receives FDA Clearance.

reports San Diego’s Companion Medical received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Bluetooth-enabled smart insulin pen and associated mobile app, called InPen. CEO Sean Saint said, “FDA clearance of the InPen and mobile app represents a significant advancement in diabetes care.” The device and app “can calculate and recommend optimal dosing, track history and timing of doses, monitor insulin temperature, display last dose and insulin-on-board, and report data to the user’s health care provider.” Eli Lilly, which has not in the past been involved with digital health, invested a reported $3 million in Companion Medical last year. http://mobihealthnews.com/content/lilly-backed-smartphone-enabled-insulin-pen-gets-fda-nod

FDA Sends Proposed Trans Fat Rules To OMB For Approval.

reports that the Office of Management and Budget has begun reviewing a proposed rule to allow the Food and Drug Administration to ban trans fat. Although the policy was announced last summer, the FDA “is now formally sending the proposed rule to the White House for approval.” http://thehill.com/regulation/289612-white-house-reviewing-trans-fat-rule

DNC: Nurses Group Endorses Clinton ANA leader sees Clinton as an ally

Nurses play a critical role in prevention and wellness promoting immunizations, teaching patients how manage stress, eat healthier and adhere to their medications. And preventing illness, particularly chronic illness, is key not only to helping patients live better lives but also to curbing healthcare costs. The ANA has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, because it believes she will strengthen the Affordable Care Act, expand Medicaid and ensure health equity for all Americans. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Washington-Watch/ElectionCoverage/59373?xid=NL_breakingnews_2016-07-28&eun=g721819d0r

Poor Physical Fitness Second Only To Smoking As Premature Death Risk Factor.

reports poor physical fitness is the second greatest risk factor for premature death after smoking, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden examined data from the “Study of Men Born in 1913” to determine the greatest risk factors for premature death and found that smoking and poor physical fitness were the greatest risk factors. HealthDay (7/27, Salamon) reports the researchers analyzed the physical exams and exercise testing results of a group of men born in 1913 who were first examined in 1967 for the longitudinal study and then subjected to follow-up exams for the following forty-five years. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/27/being-unfit-may-be-almost-as-bad-for-you-as-smoking/

Consumption Of Polyunsaturated Fat Reduces Blood Sugar Levels, Insulin Resistance, Study Finds.

reports that “consumption of polyunsaturated fat instead of carbohydrate or saturated fat reduces blood sugar levels and insulin resistance while also increasing the body’s ability to make insulin,” researchers found. The findings of the 102-study meta-analysis were published July 19 in PLOS Medicine. http://www.hcplive.com/medical-news/the-effects-of-dietary-fat-and-carbohydrate-on-metabolic-health

Weight-Loss Device Critics Urge FDA To Reverse Approval Decision.

reports that critics of AspireBariatrics’s AspireAssist device “are urging the Food and Drug Administration to reverse its decision” to approve the device, “saying the device mimics, promotes and could lead to potentially life-threatening disorders such as bulimia and binge-eating.” The device implants a tube into the patient’s stomach that is used to drain food that has been eaten for disposal. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-weight-loss-device-obesity-idUSKCN10727Z

At Least An Hour Of Daily Exercise Needed To Counter Risks Of 8 Hours Of Sitting.

reports the researchers recommended at least 60 to 75 minutes of “moderate intensity” exercise daily to “undo the damage of sitting for at least eight hours a day.” They also found lack of exercise and being sedentary “is as dangerous as being obese or smoking.” Furthermore, the researchers found that this added exercise “was not enough to counter the hazards of also watching more than five hours of television a day.” The study found that the health impacts of an eight-hour workday spent bound to a computer or in a car can be alleviated by activities as simple as cycling at speeds of more than 16 kilometers per hour (about 10 mph) or walking briskly at 5.6 kilometers per hour (about 3.5 mph) for more than 60 minutes each day. http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/health/one-hour-exercise-tackles-8-hours-sitting/ According to CNN (7/27, Senthilingam, For), the study’s recommendation “are double the current World Health Organization guidelines, which urge a minimum of 150 physically active minutes each week – which people still fail to meet.” http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_MED_EXERCISE_AND_SITTING_ASOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-07-27-22-04-27 Researchers found that people with the highest levels of moderate physical activity - 60 to 75 minutes daily- erased the higher risk of death linked to being seated for more than eight hours a day. But even that exercise regime was not enough to counter the hazards of also watching more than five hours of television a day.

Flu Vaccine May Confer Reduced Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease In People With T2D, Study Indicates.

After controlling for sex, age, smoking, body mass index, hypertension, medications and other health and behavioral factors, they found that people with Type 2 diabetes who had gotten the flu vaccine had a 30 percent lower risk of stroke, a 22 percent lower risk of heart failure and a 24 percent lower risk of dying from all causes. They also had a slightly lower, but statistically insignificant, risk for heart attack. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/27/flu-vaccine-has-added-benefits-for-people-with-diabetes/?_r=0 Other than preventing flu, no other reason for how it protected was mentioned.

Pregnancy: Low Iron Linked to Thyroid Dysfunction? Increased risk of thyroid autoimmunity, hypothyroidism

Sullivan also noted that the study does not directly prove causation -- and that ferritin levels may be indicative of something else: "Low iron may only be a surrogate for poor diet, lack of care, low iodine, or other possible causative factor," he said. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Thyroid/59287?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-27&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Cloned Animals Age Normally, Study Suggests.

reports “cloned animals appear to live and age normally,” according to a study published in Nature Communications. Researchers studied the health of four cloned sheep that were created from the same cell line as “Dolly,” the first cloned mammal, and found that the four sheep were healthy for their age. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/27/science/dolly-the-sheep-clones.html?_r=0

Late-Onset Menopause May Increase Risk Of Developing T2D.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-36898077 This study suggests that lifetime oestrogen exposure may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes - women may need an 'optimal' amount of oestrogen exposure for best metabolic functioning." Dr Emily Burns of Diabetes UK, said: "Understanding who is most at risk of type 2 diabetes is important in order to intervene and prevent the condition from developing where possible." She said the study's findings were significant, but that further work was needed to fully understand why menopause age appeared to be linked to type 2 diabetes in certain women.

Tenosynovitis on Ultrasound: Common in RA Remission May be a more specific tool to identify subclinical inflammation

Even in the absence of clinically detectable joint swelling, imaging can reveal synovial effusion and synovial hypertrophy using gray scale mode and synovial active inflammation using the power Doppler technique," the authors noted. However, inflammation can be present not only in the synovium, but also in nearby structures such as the tendon sheaths. This tenosynovitis has been linked with pain, disability, and the development of erosions, yet little is known about its prevalence. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Arthritis/59024?xid=nl_mpt_Weekly_Education_2016-07-27&eun=g5883165d1r I am curious if this is what is wrong with my calf tendons from hiking steep hills for a month.

Over One Half Of Adults Misuse Prescriptions, Study Finds.

reports that according to a new study released yesterday by Quest Diagnostics, over one half of adults and 44 percent of children drug tested at a national clinical lab in 2015 “misused their prescription medications.” The study found that the rate of misuse may “skew higher than what would be found in the general U.S. population,” and that the drugs most often misused by patients included “amphetamines for youth 17 and under...benzodiazepines and anti-anxiety medications for adults 25 and older, followed by opioid painkillers.” The study involved over three million test results and checked for 44 drugs. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/07/25/more-than-half-of-adults-misuse-medications-study-finds/

CDC Updates Guidance On Zika Testing, Prevention.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-usa-idUSKCN10522P

Women Who Enter Menopause Early May Age Faster Than Women In Whom Menopause Arrives Later.

Women who enter menopause early may age faster than women in whom menopause arrives later,” a study published July 25 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests. Researchers arrived at that conclusion after analyzing “DNA samples of more than 3,100 women in a 15-year study of post-menopausal women, known as the Women’s Health Initiative.” reports that “menopause speeds up cellular aging by six percent,” the study revealed. So, “if two women are 50 years old but one woman went through menopause at age 42 and the other went through menopause at age 50, the woman who went through menopause at 42 would actually be a year older, biologically, than the other woman,” researchers found. Another finding from the new study was that the women who underwent hormone replacement therapy for menopause tended to be biologically younger than other women, according to an analysis of cheek-cell samples. "The big question is, 'Which menopausal hormone therapy offers the strongest anti-aging effect while limiting health risks?'" Horvath said in a statement. http://www.livescience.com/55536-menopause-aging.html

A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids found in foods such as salmon, walnuts, soybeans, and tofu has been associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).

http://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/59279?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-26&eun=g721819d0r&pos=8

Study Examines Factors Predicting Timing, Duration Of Menopausal Hot Flashes, Night Sweats.

https://consumer.healthday.com/women-s-health-information-34/menopause-and-postmenopause-news-472/menopause-not-all-hot-flashes-are-created-equal-712962.html reported that nearly “80 percent of women do get hot flashes, night sweats or both during menopause,” research suggested. “The timing of these symptoms,” however, “and how long they last appear to vary a great deal, with factors such as body weight, race, education and dietary habits tending to predict the patterns,” investigators found. The findings of the 1,500-woman study were published in the July issue of Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society.

Morning-After Pills Less Effective For Women Who Weigh Over 165 Pounds, Study Suggests.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/do-you-weigh-more-than-165-pounds-that-morning-after-pill-may-not-work-so-well/2016/07/22/0a309f92-5038-11e6-a7d8-13d06b37f256_story.html I think the drug being lipid soluble is getting stored in the fat cells.

Researchers Examine Skinny Patients That Exhibit Health Problems Associated With Obesity.

reports on the insights “skinny” people are giving researchers about weight gain and the adverse health consequences associated with obesity. The Times states that scientists are learning that the development of “serious and sometimes life-threatening medical conditions” associated with obesity have “little to do with the fat itself” and more to do with “each person’s ability to store it.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/26/health/skinny-fat.html?_r=0

Obama Signs Opioid Addiction Bill.

said the bill “aims to help communities develop treatment and overdose programs at a time when fewer than half the estimated 2.2 million Americans who need help for opioid abuse are receiving it, according to U.S. health officials.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-congress-opioids-obama-idUSKCN1022KW

MenB Vax Not Fully Effective in College Outbreak No immunologic response in one-third of those vaccinated

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/59237?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-22&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Only 2% Of Nation’s Hospitals Get 5-Star Quality Rating, CMS Data Show.

reports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released data yesterday showing that only “102 out of nearly 4,600 U.S. hospitals won an overall rating of five stars,” a rate of just 2.2 percent nationwide. The rating is based on 62 quality measurements, including things like “care patients get for heart attacks and pneumonia, as well as the rate that patients get an infection after surgery, emergency room wait times and complication rates after hip replacements.” On the other side of the spectrum, three percent of hospitals, 133, received a one star rating. Three stars was the most common rating, with 1,770 hospitals, or 38.5 percent. Two stars followed, with 723 hospitals, or 15.7 percent. http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/21/only-about-2-percent-of-the-nations-hospitals-get-5-star-quality-rating.html

Homemade vs. Commercial Baby Food: Which Is Better? Either option has pros and cons, study found

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/59228?xid=NL_breakingnews_2016-07-21&eun=g721819d0r

Gut Bacteria May Drive Inflammation in Sepsis, ARDS Microbiome disruption in lungs may play key role in diseases

Bacteria that live in the gut also show up in the lungs of critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and in a mouse model of sepsis, suggesting a shared mechanism of pathogenesis for the two deadly diseases. Bacterial gene sequencing was used to identify the gut bacteria which are not detectable using conventional culture. Greater concentrations of gut bacteria in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with ARDS were associated with greater inflammation, wrote researcher Robert P. Dickson, MD, of the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, and colleagues in the journal Nature Microbiology. No association was seen between Bacteroides OTU abundance and alveolar TNF-α concentration, suggesting that gut-lung bacterial translocation correlates with systemic, but not alveolar, inflammation. http://www.medpagetoday.com/CriticalCare/Sepsis/59217?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-21&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Experimental Drug Spurs Substantial Weight Loss In People With Proopiomelanocortin Deficiency.

“An experimental drug spurred substantial weight loss in people with” proopiomelanocortin deficiency, “a rare genetic disorder that causes severe obesity because patients feel perpetually hungry.” The two patients involved in the study “account for two-thirds of all known adult cases worldwide, said” Marc Reitman, MD, PhD, of the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The findings were published July 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine. extreme obesity. And that, research has shown, seems to stem from a lack of another hormone derived from POMC -- called melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH). Without MSH, people are constantly hungry. "It's like your body doesn't know you've been fed, no matter how much you eat," Reitman said. What's not clear is whether the findings have any relevance for the millions of people with "garden-variety" obesity, Reitman said. It's possible there is an issue with "MSH signaling" in some cases of common obesity, he said I am ALWAYS hungry. https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/obesity-health-news-505/new-drug-may-help-people-with-rare-disorder-causing-constant-hunger-713082.html

More US Adolescents Have Diabetes Or Prediabetes Than Previously Thought, Study Finds.

eports that more US adolescents “have diabetes or prediabetes than previously thought, and many don’t know they have the blood-sugar disease,” a research letter published July 19 in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests. The study found that “nearly one percent of more than 2,600 teens studied had diabetes – with almost one in three cases undiagnosed.” https://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/misc-diabetes-news-181/u-s-teen-diabetes-rate-exceeds-prior-estimates-713035.html

Replacing Even A Moderate Amount Of Carbs With Healthy Fats May Reduce The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes, Research Indicates.

reports that “replacing even a moderate amount of carbs with fats from vegetable oils, nuts and soybeans can reduce the risk of” type 2 diabetes, research suggests. Investigators “found that substituting about 100 calories of unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fats, for 100 calories of carbohydrates lowered blood sugar levels and improved insulin resistance and secretion.” Such improvements may “result in a more than 20 percent reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes,” the study found. http://www.today.com/health/cut-diabetes-risk-replacing-carbs-healthy-fats-t100913

Norovirus outbreak reported among GOP convention staffers

We’ve got about 11 who have been sick over the last few days, and we’ve been out there every day and working with them to eliminate the spread [between] the resort and the delegation from California,” Erie County Health Commissioner http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/288342-norovirus-outbreak-reported-among-gop-convention-staffers

Lifestyle Medicine: Shorter Exercise a HIIT for Some Patients Putting high intensity interval training in the spotlight

So what is HIIT? Basically, the idea is to alternate short bursts of exercise to near maximal effort with rest or light periods of exercise. Sprint interval training, or "SIT," could be used for shorter maximal effort periods of exercise. The claim that gets popularized in the media is that the benefits of exercise can be obtained with shorter amounts of time commitment. (For more info on HITT, the American Academy of Sports Medicine has an infographic you can share with patients.) http://www.medpagetoday.com/Blogs/LifestyleMedicine/59151?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-19&eun=g721819d0r&pos=4

New Research Highlights How Placebos May Actually Treat Disease.

reports an increasing number of studies are shedding light on how placebos appear to effectuate real health benefits in the treatment of common diseases. The piece notes that there exist various studies documenting the neurobiological effects placebos have in the brain, as a result of neuromodulators which can help alleviate pain and a given illness’ symptoms. Moreover, a new animal study published online in July in the journal Nature Medicine suggests placebos may also impact the immune system. http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-placebos-really-work-the-latest-science-1468863413

High Levels Of Urinary Acetaminophen (Tylenol) In Men May Make Achieving Pregnancy Take Longer.

reports, “Time to achieving pregnancy appeared to be longer for couples in which the male partner had high levels of urinary paracetamol [acetaminophen] vs. those who had lower levels,” research suggests. The findings of the 501-couple study were published online July 13 in the journal Human Reproduction. http://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/androgen-and-reproductive-disorders/urinary-paracetamol-may-affect-fertility-in-men/article/510194/

Mediterranean Diet May Reduce Incidence Of Certain Diseases, Study Suggests.

reports new research suggests that a Mediterranean diet rich in “healthy” fats may reduce the risk of incidence of “heart disease, breast cancer and type 2 diabetes.” For the meta-analysis, researchers reviewed 332 previous studies and analyzed around 56 of them, “taking a close look at the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet that included a lot of fat.” The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, “showed that even though such a diet may not affect overall mortality, it may be effective at reducing incidences of certain diseases.” http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/18/health/high-fat-mediterranean-diet-benefits/ The reason It is not known but may be because of an anti-inflammatory effect," "Healthy fats are mono-unsaturated fats as found in olive oil, canola oil and avocados," he researchers described a Mediterranean diet as a diet that placed no restriction on fat intake and included two or more of seven components: High mono-unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio, which can be the result of using olive oil as a main cooking ingredient High fruit and vegetable intake High consumption of dark green leafy vegetables High grain and cereal intake Moderate red wine consumption Moderate consumption of dairy products Low consumption of red meat and meat products with an increased consumption of fish Separate research published in the journal Lancet last month found that a high-fat Mediterranean diet may be more effective than a low-fat diet at helping you lose weight. "Probably because people who are on fat-restricted diets tend to get more of their calories from sugar, such as soda, and unrefined grains," Bloomfield said.

Just One Night Of Wakefulness May Lead To Alterations In Epigenetic And Transcriptional Profile Of Core Circadian Clock Genes In Key Metabolic Tissues.

In a question and answer session with Endocrine News (7/18, Bagley), Jonathan Cedernaes, PhD, of Uppsala University in Sweden, explains the implications of his study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. That study suggests that “just one night of wakefulness can lead to alterations in epigenetic and transcriptional profile of core circadian clock genes in key metabolic tissues, which could explain why shift workers are at an increased risk of metabolic morbidities.” Dr. Cedernaes said, “It is important for policy makers to recognize that all of these people are at increased risk of developing numerous diseases, of which some are type 2 diabetes and obesity.” He called for “more careful monitoring...of shift workers’ health.” http://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/4037-2/

Smoking During Pregnancy May Affect Son’s Adult Sperm Count.

reports a study by Australian researchers found “women who smoke during pregnancy run the risk of having boys with low sperm production in adulthood.” According to researchers, who published the study online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism on June 24, “maintaining a healthy weight during childhood may also help with reproductive health.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-pregnancy-smoking-testicular-idUSKCN0ZV2NW

Estrogen Patches May Reduce Risk For Alzheimer’s In Newly Postmenopausal Women, Study Suggests.

reported, “Estrogen patches, used as hormone therapy for newly postmenopausal women, could cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” research suggests. The findings of the 68-woman study were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. The results revealed lower levels of beta-amyloid deposits in women given the patch compared to those given the placebo. The effect was even more notable in women carrying the APOE e4 gene, which is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's. No reduction in beta-amyloid deposits was seen in women who took estrogen orally. https://www.yahoo.com/news/estrogen-patch-may-cut-alzheimers-risk-newly-postmenopausal-111120751.html?ref=gs

CDC: 1 in 4 Adults Still Use Tobacco Products Cigarette use hits new record low, but emerging products a concern

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pulmonology/Smoking/59096?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-16&eun=g721819d0r&pos=4

Woman-to-Man Zika Infection Reported New York City health officials report first suspected case

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/59095?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-16&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Healthcare Improving In Many US Communities, Study Suggests.

reports the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund, which researched healthcare conditions in 306 communities across the US, released a study Thursday finding that health systems “improved more than they worsened” between 2011 and 2014. Key factors included increased insurance coverage stemming from the Affordable Care Act as well as “doctors and other providers scoring better on quality and efficiency measures.” The study ranked local areas using 33 categories grouped under four headings: “access and affordability; prevention and treatment; avoidable hospital use and cost; and health indicators such as the death rates from certain cancers, adult obesity and infant mortality.” While nearly all communities improved, those in the upper Midwest and New England “fared better than those in the South.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/07/14/health-care-has-improved-study-finds-but-the-changes-are-small/

Certain Factors Influence Whether A Fat Infant Becomes An Obese Adult.

provides a list of factors that influence whether a fat infant goes on to become obese as an adult. Those factors include parental size, birth weight, where the infant falls on the growth curve, and feeding habits. In any case, Dr. Steven Schwarz, a professor of pediatrics at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, said, “Babies should be adorably pudgy.” He explained that “their first year of life is a sort of hibernation period in which they store up fat to fuel their energetic, growth-filled toddler years.” http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-07-14/is-your-baby-too-fat

CDC: Olympics Highly Unlikely To Cause Zika Outbreaks Worldwide.

reports that the 2016 Olympic Games “are highly unlikely to spread Zika worldwide, federal officials said, noting that the 500,000 people expected to travel to Brazil for the August games account for less than 1% of all international travel to Zika-affected areas.” According to a new analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 19 of the more than 200 countries that are sending delegations to the games are vulnerable to travel-related Zika outbreaks “because those countries don’t yet have Zika outbreaks, but have climates and mosquito populations that could allow the virus to spread.” However, most of these countries already have substantial travel to Zika-affected regions so the increased risk that comes from the Olympics is minimal. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/07/13/cdc-olympics-unlikely-spread-zika-worldwide/87025336/

Overweight People Die One Year Earlier Than Expected, Meta-Analysis Finds.

reports that “overweight people die one year earlier than expected and that moderately obese people die up to three years prematurely,” research suggests. To arrive at this conclusion, investigators “sifted through data for nearly 4 million http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_MED_OBESITY_EARLY_DEATH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-07-13-21-21-56

Old Drugs May Offer New Hope in Resistant TB

Their results contradict previous research that has demonstrated the ability of β-lactamase in mycobacterial tuberculosis (TB) to prevent the effectiveness of treatments such as amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, they added. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Tuberculosis/59056?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-14&eun=g721819d0r

Infection Outbreak Tied to Nip/Tuck on Caribbean Isle Mycobacteria brought home from Dominican Republic after cosmetic surgery

Mycobacterial infections are most commonly spread due to nonsterile water and/or surgical conditions, and are known to be very resistant to antibiotics. Cutaneous symptoms include painful nodules that develop into persistent, discharging abscesses. However, systemic symptoms, such as fever, may not be present, the authors warned. Patients who become infected are likely to experience decreases in functionality and quality of life, while also facing financial burdens, such as the insurance company refusing to cover the cost of care. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/59045?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-14&eun=g721819d0r

People Whose Stomachs Are More Physically Full May Feel More Satiated During, After A Meal, Scan Study Indicates.

reports that “people whose stomachs are more physically full feel more satiated during and after a meal.” After examining “simultaneous stomach MRIs and brain fMRIs as participants drank milkshakes and various quantities of water,” researchers also found that “the insula, an area of the brain related to satiation, was more activated when there was more water or milkshake in the participants’ stomachs.” The findings of the 19-participant study is set for presentation at the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior’s annual meeting. http://www.healthimaging.com/topics/imaging-informatics/drinking-more-water-could-produce-satiated-feeling-brain So fill up on NON caloric dense items like whole grains and veggies. Take up a lot of room, but not a ton of calories. Air popped popcorn in a huge bowl is only 200 calories, takes forever to eat and takes up a lot of tummy space. Sprinkle with small amount of cinnamon and sugar. 90 calorie whole wheat/oat flat breads in flax seed oil topped with lots of leafy green, peppers, onions and tomatoes will bloat your stomach 30 minutes later. Eat slowly and your daily calories will go down.

Study Reveals Link Between Dehydration And Overweight.

eports a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine reveals “a link between dehydration and overweight.” After examining recent data from about 9,500 adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey, investigators found that individuals “who weren’t hydrated enough http://time.com/4403276/drink-water-hydration-weight-loss/ The link between hydration and weight isn’t yet clear. “More studies are needed to understand the directionality,” Chang says. “But staying hydrated is good for you no matter what.” Water instead of suger drinks only partly explains this.

Low carb vs Low fat diets

The carbohydrate–insulin model predicts a greater rate of body fat loss during the ketogenic diet period," wrote the authors, but they didn't see that play out in the results -- the rate of fat loss during the last two weeks was similar to the baseline period. This may have been because the increased fat consumption that replaced the carbs led to higher circulating postprandial triglyceride concentration, "which may have stimulated adipose tissue fat uptake and/or inhibited adipocyte lipolysis," they wrote. Hall said in the YouTube video that the results, along with another of his studies in Cell Metabolism -- which found that when calories were compared to calories, fat restriction led to more body fat loss than carbohydrate restriction among obese people -- were not encouraging for the carbohydrate insulin model. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/59012?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-12&eun=g721819d0r I cannot tolerate low carbs and cannot stick to it. But I can a low fat (mostly fish and nuts) diet.

Thumb-Sucking: Can It Prevent Future Allergies? Hygiene hypothesis suggests benefit to thumb-sucking, nail-biting

Explaining the hygiene hypothesis, Jay Portnoy, MD, of Children's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri said "Children with such habits are known to ingest bacteria that are on their hands and this is believed to protect them from developing allergies later in life." "It is possible that other factors may have played a role, but the investigators controlled for as many factors as they could think of and this did not change the results," Portnoy, who was not involved with the study, told MedPage Today via email. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/59001?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-12&eun=g721819d0r

Giving Patients A Choice In Medications Can Improve Effectiveness, Reduce Side Effects, Study Suggests.

reports that a study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine suggests that when patients are allowed to choose between several medications, the medication’s effectiveness may increase and potential side effects may be reduced. According to the researchers, giving patients a choice may help them to focus on sensations that the medication is working or evidence supporting the medication, while denying a choice may make people skeptical of a medication’s effectiveness. http://www.wsj.com/articles/giving-patients-some-choice-may-boost-drugs-effectiveness-1468250226

Study Suggests Pregnant Women Do Not Need Prenatal Multivitamins.

reports on a study published on Monday in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin that suggests prenatal multivitamins do not make a difference in preventing birth complications. The study “found no clear evidence that vitamin C or E supplements helped prevent stillbirth, low birthweight, preterm birth or pre-eclampsia” and that vitamin A might be harmful to pregnancy while iron may cause side effects such as constipation. The researchers concluded that prenatal vitamins may be an “unnecessary expense” and that “Pregnant women may be vulnerable to messages about giving their baby the best start in life, regardless of cost,” despite a lack of “evidence of improvement in child or maternal outcomes.” LiveScience (7/11, Blaszczak-Boxe) reports that the study’s research recommend focusing on improving overall diet and taking folic acid and vitamin D as opposed to a prenatal multivitamin. https://www.statnews.com/2016/07/11/prenatal-supplement-unnecessary/

People Born Around Middle Of 20ᵗʰ Century May Have Greater Link Between Genes And High BMI Than People Born Earlier In The Century.

The obesity epidemic in the United States began approximately in the late 1970s. Birth cohort can thus be conceptualized as a proxy for increased exposure to obesogenic environmental factors. More recent birth cohorts were exposed to these environmental factors at earlier developmental stages and for a greater fraction of their lives compared with older birth cohorts. Numerous environmental changes occurred in tandem during the obesity epidemic.25- 27 Energy intake in the United States increased by on average 7% in men and 22% in women from 1971 to 2000.28- 30 Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption increased rapidly,31,32 and these beverages apparently exacerbate effects of genetic variants on BMI.33 Physical activity patterns, which may offset the effect of genetic risk factors on obesity,4,24 have also changed.34 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2532014

Most Of The Genetic Risk For Type 2 Diabetes Caused By Common Mistakes In The Genetic Code, Study Suggests.

reports that research published in Nature “found that...most of the genetic risk for type 2 diabetes is caused by common mistakes in the genetic code, with each mistake contributing only a small portion of an individual’s risk for developing the disease.” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins said, “What this study says quite definitively for diabetes is the vast majority of hereditary risk variants are in fact these common ones, and the rare ones, while they pop up here and there, are a much smaller contribution.” HealthDay (7/11, Dallas) also covers the story. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diabetes-genes-idUSKCN0ZR1VG

White Matter Changes Persist After Concussion Small case-control study shows DTI changes remained 6 months post-injury

Even though they no longer had symptoms, young athletes who had a concussion still had changes in the white matter of their brains half a year after their injury, researchers found. http://www.medpagetoday.com/SportsMedicine/GeneralSportsMedicine/58986?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-11&eun=g721819d0r

Some Major Diseases Are in Decline In Wealthy Countries.

reported that “something strange is going on in medicine,” as many “major diseases, like colon cancer, dementia and heart disease, are waning in wealthy countries, and improved diagnosis and treatment cannot fully explain it.” According to the Times, while “scientists marvel at this good news, a medical mystery of the best sort,” others “are puzzled.” Perhaps, he said, all these degenerative diseases share something in common, something inside aging cells themselves. The cellular process of aging may be changing, in humans’ favor. For too long, he said, researchers have looked under the lamppost at things they can measure. “I want to look inside cells,” Dr. Cummings said. Inside, there could be more clues to this happy mystery. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/10/upshot/a-medical-mystery-of-the-best-kind-major-diseases-are-in-decline.html?_r=0

More Hospitals Prioritizing Sleep To Help Patients Recover.

reports on the growing trend of hospitals changing their policies to prioritize patients getting sleep after recognizing the crucial role that sleep can play in helping patients heal and recover. The article points out that certain technological changes have facilitated the trend because it is now easier for healthcare workers to check in on patients remotely without disturbing them in person. http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2016/07/10/hospitals-learn-sleep-good-medicine/86550612/

Survivors Of Childhood Cancer May Have Lifelong Risk Of Endocrine Disorders.

reported that a review suggests “survivors of childhood cancer face a lifelong risk of endocrine disorders, which increase with time and the aggressiveness of cancer therapy.” Researchers found that individuals who were “exposed to high-risk therapies had risks that were five to 10 times higher for various thyroid disorders and growth hormone deficiency, as compared with survivors’ siblings.” The data also indicated that “the risk of obesity and diabetes were twice as high among survivors exposed to high-risk treatment regimens.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/GeneralEndocrinology/58974

HPV Cancers Rise, Vaccine Use Lags A 17% increase in cancer incidence over 4 years

Oropharyngeal cancer constituted the largest share of HPV-related cancers (15,738 of the total), followed by cervical cancer (11,771). Anal (5,000) and vulvar (3,500) cancers accounted for most of the remaining cases. More than 90% of cervical cancers and 70% of oropharyngeal cancers were attributable to HPV. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/STDs/58964?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-09&eun=g721819d0r

Study Identifies Bacterial Blueprint For Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Well” blog, a study published in Microbiome “has identified a bacterial blueprint for chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS], offering further evidence that it is a physical disease with biological causes and not a psychological condition.” In the study, which involved 39 healthy people without CFS and 48 people with CFS, researchers found not only that “stool samples of those with C.F.S. had significantly lower diversity of species compared with the healthy people,” but also that “people with C.F.S. had higher blood levels of lipopolysaccharides, inflammatory molecules that may indicate that bacteria have moved from the gut into the bloodstream, where they can produce various symptoms of disease.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/07/gut-bacteria-are-different-in-people-with-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/?_r=0

Low-Fat And Low-Carb Diets Appear To Result In The Same Amount Of Weight Loss, Research Suggests.

reports that “overall, patients lost about the same amount of weight regardless of” whether they followed a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet, research suggests. The findings of the 207-patient study were published in Appetite. http://www.hcplive.com/medical-news/dieting-based-on-food-preferences--low-fat-vs-low-carb

Effects Of T2D On The Brain May Be Detectable In Patients Younger Than 20, Scan Study Indicates.

There have been previous studies in youth with type 2 diabetes demonstrating regions of structural brain changes. However, gray matter volume differences between type 2 diabetes youth and healthy matched controls had not been comprehensively assessed,” said study investigator Jacob Redel, MD, a clinical fellow in the division of endocrinology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. “We hypothesized that we would find some areas of structural differences between the 2 groups, but did not know how significant the differences would be.” Continue Reading Below http://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/type-2-diabetes/t2d-may-affect-brain-volume-in-youths/article/508185/

Collagen, Once in Place, Never Renews Study suggests OA therapies aimed at restoring collagen are doomed

Despite collagen's apparently low turnover rate, GAGs were determined to have a much faster turnover rate, making them a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of OA, Heinemeier and colleagues noted. They went on to suggest that OA research should aim at overall prevention, and/or therapeutic techniques that target GAGs, or other substances with quick turnover rates when compared with collagen. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Arthritis/58941?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-08&eun=g721819d0r

Breaking Down the Types of Fat Analysis shows different types of fat linked to different outcomes

the authors estimated that when 5% of energy from saturated fats was replaced with equivalent energy from polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, total mortality would be reduced 27% (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.70-0.77) and 13% (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.82-0.93), respectively. "Replacement of saturated fats with unsaturated fats can confer substantial health benefits and should continue to be a key message in dietary recommendations," Wang and colleagues concluded. "These findings also support the elimination of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, the primary source of trans-fatty acids." When saturated fat replaced carbohydrate intake, patients had a slightly higher cancer mortality risk (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.98-1.17; P=0.02), but other types of fat were not significantly associated with cancer mortality. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/58926?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-07&eun=g721819d0r

Blood Test May Be Able To Distinguish Between Bacterial And Viral Infections, Research Suggests.

reports that research suggests a blood test may be able to “distinguish between bacterial and viral infections.” This “test looks at the proteins made by seven genes; in the presence of bacteria, four of the genes become more active, while in the presence of viruses, three of them churn out more proteins.” Time adds that “by measuring this, the test can tell with reliable certainty whether an infection is caused by a bacteria or virus.” The research was published in Science Translational Medicine. The seven-gene test was found to be accurate on blood samples from 96 critically ill children.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/blood-test-may-help-prevent-overuse-antibiotics-182354586.html?ref=gs

Surveys Reveal Differences Between Assessments Of Nutritionists And Others About The Healthiness Of Different Foods.

reports there is a gap between nutritionists and the general public concerning the assessed healthiness of many food items, according to two surveys conducted by Morning Consult. The article explains that the public overestimated the healthiness of certain items compared to the assessment of nutritionists, while other items were underrated by the public with nutritionists saying they are healthy while many in the public said they did not know whether the items were healthy or unhealthy. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/07/upshot/confused-about-quinoa-and-nutrition-so-are-other-americans.html?_r=0

Study Suggests Extra Weight Does Not Increase Insulation.

reports a study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism found that obesity did not contribute to increased insulation in mice, suggesting that obesity does not in fact keep the animal warmer. The researchers wrote, “It is doubtful that an insulating effect of obesity, even if it existed, would in any discernible way affect the development or maintenance of human obesity.” https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/obesity-health-news-505/fat-body-warmth-ajpem-release-batch-2753-712554.html

Scratching The Endometrium May Improve Likelihood Of Embryo Implantation In Subfertile Women, Review Indicates.

Scratching the endometrium to create a ‘favorable inflammation’ may improve the likelihood of embryo implantation in subfertile women trying to conceive either naturally or by intrauterine insemination,” research suggests. The findings of the eight-study meta-analysis and review were “reported in a poster at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.” http://www.obgynnews.com/specialty-focus/gynecology/single-article-page/cochrane-review-endometrial-scratching-may-promote-implantation/4ca07e55f0ce2ce10616ccc3d8ae782d.html

Bacterial Meningitis Vaccine Now Required in Ohio Schools

http://www.theintelligencer.net/news/community/2016/06/bacterial-meningitis-vaccine-now-required-in-ohio-schools/

Mom's Flu Vax May Not Protect Young Infants Maternal protection gone after 2 months

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Vaccines/58899?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-06&eun=g721819d0r

Many Foods Made With Subsidized Crops Are Unhealthy, Study Suggests.

reports many foods made with subsidized crops are unhealthy, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers found that corn, dairy, livestock, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat are often processed into unhealthy foods that are high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sodium. The study’s lead author, the CDC’s Karen R. Siegel, said, “We know that eating too many of these foods can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.” eports the study found that people who ate the most foods created with the subsidized commodities were 37% more likely to be obese than those who ate the last amount of those foods. http://time.com/4393109/food-subsidies-obesity/

Modern-Day Environment, Not Genes, May Be Primary Culprit Behind Obesity Epidemic, Study Suggests.

reports, “It looks like the primary culprit behind the obesity epidemic may be the modern-day environment, and not genes,” research indicates. Investigators found that “Americans were more likely to pack on more pounds if they were born later in the 20th century, regardless of whether they had a high genetic risk for obesity.” The findings of the 8,800-participant study were published July 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The presence of obesity-linked genes did not increase in the population over time, the researchers found. However, the effect that these genes had on a person's BMI did increase in subsequent decades, as the modern environment changed in ways that promote obesity. Epigenetic modifications due to the environment change quickly unlike gene mutations. https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/obesity-health-news-505/modern-lifestyle-most-to-blame-for-obesity-epidemic-study-712613.html

Toxic Algae Blooms Infest Florida Beaches

What officials have called “unprecedented” toxic algae blooms in some of southern Florida’s beaches and waterways created a messy 4th of July holiday for those in the area. Thousands of residents and tourists had to cancel plans to celebrate on the area’s usually packed beaches — keeping the majority of celebrations inland. The algae, which has been described as “vile”-smelling and “guacamole-thick,” still remained in the waterways of Martin County this morning — more than two weeks after the first reports of algae blooms came in. http://wtnh.com/2016/07/05/toxic-algae-blooms-infest-florida-beaches/

Research Links Pasta Consumption To Both Lower Body Mass And Waist-To-Hip Ratio.

reports that “a new survey of more than 23,000 people...has linked pasta consumption to both lower body mass and waist-to-hip ratio.” The research “said pasta consumption is associated with better weight management in part because it often occurs as part of a healthy Mediterranean diet.” However, investigators “also found that the correlation between pasta intake and lower obesity rates occurred independently of overall diet.” The findings were published in Nutrition and Diabetes. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/04/eating-pasta-can-help-you-lose-weight--study/

Study Indicates Too Much, Too Little Sleep May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk In Men.

reports in its “Well” blog that a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that men who get insufficient or too much sleep “may have an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes.” For the study, researchers focused on 788 healthy men and women, “measuring their sleep duration using electronic monitors and testing them for markers of diabetes – how well pancreatic cells take up glucose and how sensitive the body’s tissues are to insulin.” They found that the average sleep time for men and women was about seven hours, and that as men slept longer or less, “their glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity decreased, gradually increasing the deleterious health effects.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/05/sleep-problems-tied-to-diabetes-in-men/?_r=0

Coalition Calls For More Aggressive Regulation Of Neurotoxic Chemicals Found In Common Household Items.

Well” blog reports that “a unique coalition of top doctors, scientists and health advocates is calling for more aggressive regulation” of neurotoxic chemicals found in common household items. Members of the coalition, called Tendr, include “pediatric neurologists, several minority physician associations, nurses, learning disability advocacy groups, environmental organizations, and the Endocrine Society, which has compiled several scientific statements documenting adverse health effects linked to endocrine-disrupting chemicals that mimic or disrupt the hormones in our own bodies.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/a-call-for-action-on-toxic-chemicals/

FDA Seeks More Data on OTC Hand Sanitizers Wants evidence that products work as advertised

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HospitalBasedMedicine/InfectionControl/58846?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-07-01&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1