Research Looks Into Which Dietary Patterns Best Reduce Heart Disease.

“After an in-depth review of the scientific data,” the investigators “found the most heart-healthy diet includes foods like extra-virgin olive oil, antioxidant-rich berries, green leafy vegetables, plant-based proteins, nuts in moderation and can include lean meats.” In order “to cut down on cholesterol, the study authors suggest limiting or eliminating coconut and palm oils, which are high in saturated fatty acids, and eggs, which raise the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream.” http://abcnews.go.com/Health/food-fads-diet-trends-fare-heart-health/story?id=45777365

Brain Naturally Produces Fructose, Researchers Say.

Scientists are reporting that the brain naturally produces fructose, a type of sugar associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. By showing that fructose in the brain is not simply due to dietary consumption of fructose, we've shown fructose can be generated from any sugar you eat. It adds another dimension into understanding fructose's effects on the brain," Hwang said in a university news release. In the brain, glucose sends signals of being full, but that's not the case with fructose. The conversion of glucose to fructose also occurs in other parts of the body, the researchers said. "This pathway may be one other mechanism by which high blood sugar can exert its adverse effects," Hwang said. https://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/brain-health-news-80/the-brain-can-produce-its-own-sugar-report-719787.html

Pancreas Can Be Triggered To Regenerate Itself Through Certain Diet, Animal Study Suggests.

reported that research suggests “the pancreas can be triggered to regenerate itself through a type of fasting diet.” Researchers found that “restoring the function of the organ...reversed symptoms of diabetes in animal experiments.” The findings were published in Cell. In the experiments, mice were put on a modified form of the "fasting-mimicking diet". It is like the human form of the diet when people spend five days on a low-calorie, low-protein, low-carbohydrate but high unsaturated-fat diet. It resembles a vegan diet with nuts and soups, but with around 800 to 1,100 calories a day. Then they have 25 days eating what they want - so overall it mimics periods of feast and famine. Previous research has suggested it can slow the pace of ageing. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39070183

Gut Microbiota Research May Lead To New Metabolic Disorder Treatments, Study Suggests.

New research is helping to unravel the mystery of how disruptions to the bacteria in our gut, caused by an unhealthy diet or irregular sleep, can lead to a number of diseases. Such research could someday result in new treatments for obesity, diabetes and other metabolic conditions by restoring the health of the gut-microbe community, known as the microbiota. Researchers are exploring how to do this through individualized diets and mealtimes or other interventions. When gut microbiota are healthy, they maintain regular daily cycles of activities such as congregating in different parts of the intestine and producing metabolites, molecules that help the body function properly. A disruption of the gut’s circadian rhythms is communicated through the bloodstream and upsets many of the body’s other circadian clocks, especially in the liver, one of the main metabolic organs, according to a study by Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science published in the journal Cell in December. The gut’s circadian rhythms and those in other organs “dance together in a very profound way and go up and down in coordination with each other,” says Eran Elinav, a physician and immunologist at the Weizmann Institute and one of the study’s lead investigators. “By controlling the gut microbiota, you can modify many physiological capabilities” throughout the body, he says. http://www.cell.com/fulltext/S0092-8674%2816%2931524-0 https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-disrupting-your-guts-rhythm-affects-your-health-1488164400 Being able to predict how different foods affect people’s blood-sugar level, based on the composition of their microbiota, also could potentially help maintain metabolic health. The Personalized Nutrition Project, another study led by Drs. Elinav and Segal, studied 1,000 people and about 50,000 meals and snacks for a week. People’s metabolisms varied widely, it found. After eating ice cream, for example, blood-sugar levels would soar for some participants while hardly budging for others, Dr. Segal says.

Offer All Women Pre-Pregnancy Genetic Screening Testing partners may be considered as well

All women, regardless of ethnic background, should be offered additional carrier screening prior to pregnancy, said the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Ethnic-specific screening, pan-ethnic screening, and expanded carrier screening are all acceptable strategies that ob/gyns can use to identify the risk of genetic disorders in potential offspring, reported the ACOG Committee on Genetics. The authors noted that traditionally, carrier screening was targeted towards specific populations that were at increased risk of disorders, such as Ashkenazi Jewish descent for Tay-Sachs disease, but it has expanded to pan-ethnic screening (screening all individuals for a panel of disorders, regardless of ethnicity) and expanded carrier screening (screening for as many as several hundred conditions). A patient can request a form of genetic screening not offered by her ob/gyn, but it is up to the clinician to explain the limitations and benefits of the requested screening strategy, as well as offer alternatives, the authors wrote in Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/63374?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-24&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Americans Suffer From “Weight Creep” As They Age.

reports that “a 2011 study of 120,877 Americans found that people as young as their mid-30s begin to gain close to one pound per year.” The Times says that “the problem is that even as our metabolisms downshift, few of us respond by paring our calorie intake...or boosting our calorie expenditures through exercise.” According to Dr. Louis J. Aronne, an endocrinologist and obesity expert, “at a certain point, obesity appears to garble the hormonal signals that travel among the brain, gut and muscles and tell us to eat when we’re hungry and stop when we’re satisfied.” Meanwhile, the “2011 study also found that...those who regularly ate potatoes in any form, consumed processed foods and routinely sipped sugary drinks or alcohol gained the most weight.” The study also pointed to television and sleep. The Times points out that “a brisk walk, or a decision to forgo one small dietary indulgence, could make all the difference.” http://www.latimes.com/science/la-healthy-living-the-reasons-for-weight-1487203562-htmlstory.html Another study reported that adults gain about 1 1/2 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years but seldom lose that. As each holiday comes each year, so does weight creep.

Corticosteroids May Increase Testosterone Deficiency In Individuals With Lupus, Research Suggests.

reports that research suggests individuals “with lupus who used corticosteroids had higher levels of luteinizing hormone and more frequent bioactive testosterone deficiency compared with the general population.” In the cluster analysis, there was a subset of patients with lupus who had increased levels of follicle stimulating hormone, LH and prolactin as well as lower levels of bioactive testosterone. I The findings were published in Arthritis & Rheumatology. http://www.healio.com/rheumatology/lupus/news/online/%7Bcb2a1bf7-e6cb-4bba-8e27-0e9dbf02dd23%7D/corticosteroids-increased-testosterone-deficiency-in-patients-with-lupus

Belly Fat May Be More Dangerous For Older Women Than Excess Weight, Study Suggests.

published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests “in older women, it’s not excess weight that’s deadly, but where those extra pounds collect that can shorten life.” Researchers found that, “among women 70 to 79, being overweight or obese didn’t appear to cut years off life – unless the weight was centered around the waist.” Meanwhile, the study also found that “being underweight also appeared to shorten life span.” https://consumer.healthday.com/senior-citizen-information-31/misc-death-and-dying-news-172/belly-fat-more-dangerous-in-older-women-than-being-overweight-720027.html "Central adiposity will increase anyone's risk of death, said Sharon Zarabi, director of the bariatric program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "As health practitioners, we are moving away from body mass index as an indicator to health risk and looking more at body composition, using waist circumference and body fat percentage," Zarabi said. The study findings were published Feb. 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. An older woman should be concerned when her body weight is below normal for her height, and less concerned when she is slightly heavier than normal." In general, these findings suggest that being underweight is more detrimental in older women, and being slightly heavier in later life could be beneficial, she said. Body weight can reflect several different aspects of body composition, each reflecting health and disease in its own way, Chen said. "One's weight should be interpreted with caution with respect to age, ethnicity, race and other measures of health, such as waist circumference," she said.

Stress May Be Linked To Obesity, Study Suggests.

reports that research suggests “long-term exposure to the stress hormone cortisol” may be linked “to increased levels of obesity and wider waists.” Investigators “collected years of hair samples of about 2,500 people.” The researchers “found obese participants had significantly higher levels of cortisol...than people who were normal weight or overweight.” reports that “the release of cortisol...says” lead author Sarah Jackson, “is triggered by receptors that are densely located in visceral fat tissue, the type that surrounds our organs, which may explain its association with weight gain and loss.” http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/23/health/stress-weight-gain-study/

CDC Researchers Report 10% Decline In Fertility From 1990 To 2014.

) reports CDC researchers writing in the National Vital Statistics Reports found “overall fertility rates and reproductive rates have fallen among U.S. women from 1990 to 2014,” by about 10% from 2,081.0 births per 1,000 women in 1990 to 1,862.5 per 1,000 in 2014. During the period there was a 5% decline from 1990 to 1997, followed by an 8% spike from 1997 to 2007, with another 12% decline from 2007 to 2014. The researchers pointed out that fertility was “below replacement level” in every year except 2006 and 2007. Fertility rates also declined “among all races and Hispanic subgroups” except Cuban American women. http://www.medpagetoday.com/obgyn/pregnancy/63320

Study Finds No Association Between Sitting And Diabetes.

reports on a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine finding “no significant link between sitting and the incidence of diabetes.” Lead researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis, PhD, MSc, associate professor from the Charles Perkins Center at University of Sydney in Australia, said, “Sitting has attracted a lot of publicity in recent years for being as dangerous as smoking and for being harmful regardless of how physically active people are,” but “this is one of the very few long-term studies to investigate whether there is a link between sitting behaviors and risk of development of diabetes.” The study was based on survey responses from “a long-term study completed by 4,811 middle-aged and older London-based office workers who did not initially have diabetes or cardiovascular disease.” http://www.healio.com/family-medicine/diabetes/news/online/%7B7393e768-4bcf-458a-8728-d12e6142ebee%7D/long-periods-of-sitting-may-not-lead-to-diabetes

Study Suggests Dentists Seeing Patients With Periodontitis Could Identify Diabetes With HbA1c.

reports on a study published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care finding that “screening periodontitis patients in the dentist’s office with a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test may help identify undiagnosed cases of diabetes and prediabetes.” The researchers also found that “patients with severe periodontitis had significantly higher mean HbA1c values compared with a control group without periodontitis” with 23% of those with severe periodontitis identified as having diabetes, and 47% of those with severe periodontitis identified as having pre-diabetes. The study was based on data from 313 patients at a university dental clinic, of whom 78 had severe periodontitis. http://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/diabetes/63340

Mouse Study Finds Prenatal BPA Exposure May Change Brain’s Processing Of Satiety Signals.

reports a mouse study in Endocrinology found that prenatal exposure to BPA “alters the way the brain deals [with] signals of ‘hungry’ or ‘full’ later in life.” Mice exposed to BPA failed to develop “satiety circuitry” in the brain so that as adults they failed to respond to the presence of leptin, “the metabolic signal telling the brain how much fat is in the body.” Thomas Zoeller, an endocrinologist at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, said that similarly, “Children that have genetic defects in their leptin signaling system are absolutely obese.” Thaddeus Schug, of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, pointed out that the BPA doses in the study are “some 10-100 times higher than what we humans are normally exposed to.” Schug said that it is important for there to be more communication among the FDA, EPA, industry and the NIH. http://www.popsci.com/our-mothers-exposure-to-bpa-might-lead-us-to-over-eat-as-adults

HORRIBLE Sick, dying and raped in America's nursing homes

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/02/health/nursing-home-sex-abuse-investigation/

Studies Look Into Benefits, Risks Of Testosterone.

reports on four National Institute of Health-funded testosterone trials published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of 788 US men 65 or older who were randomly assigned to “rubbing testosterone gel on the skin daily for a year” or using a non-testosterone gel. At one year, those treated with testosterone showed no improvement in “memory or mental function,” but did show “increases in bone density and strength, especially in the spine,” and “reported having more energy,” while those with anemia “showed substantial improvement.” Those treated with testosterone also “had more plaque buildup and narrower arteries” at one year. CNN (2/21, Scutti) reports that Dr. Bradley Anawalt, a member of the Endocrine Society Leadership Council, said the Testosterone Trials “were necessary and important. There is too little known about the effects of testosterone on men’s health in general and in older men in particular.” Dr. Anawalt, who was not involved in the studies, praised the methodology of the trials. He stressed, however, “It is still essential to perform studies that are five or 10 years, or longer.” CNN points out that a separate study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found testosterone therapy was “associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events in men 40 or older over a period of about three years.” http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/21/health/testosterone-therapy-study/index.html

Does Vitamin D Lower Respiratory Infection Risk? Meta-analysis authors say 'yes,' but other experts are skeptical

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pulmonology/URIstheFlu/63180?xid=nl_mpt_Weekly_Education_2017-02-22&eun=g5883165d1r

Novel Treatment Promising for Resistant HIV Monoclonal antibody suppresses virus in patients lacking treatment options

The experimental monoclonal antibody ibalizumab, which works differently than other HIV drugs, lowered viral load in vulnerable patients with multidrug-resistant virus, researchers reported here. When ibalizumab was given with at least one other active drug, 43% of heavily treatment-experienced patients reached an undetectable viral load, according to Brinda Emu, MD, of Yale University in New Haven, Conn. The results come from a phase III study of 40 patients presented at the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. Ibalizumab targets the CD4 receptor protein to prevent HIV entry into T cells and is the first monoclonal antibody to be tested for HIV treatment. It's not as potent as other antiretrovirals, but it may provide the added activity needed to suppress HIV in people with few or no other treatment options. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/CROI/63272?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-21&eun=g721819d0r&pos=4

ENDO 2017 Presidential Plenary Session To Focus On “The Influence Of The Microbiome In Pediatric Patients.”

previews the upcoming ENDO 2017 conference in Orlando, FL, and provides “an overview of the Presidential Plenary session, which focuses on the microbiome in pediatric patients.” In particular, “the Presidential Plenary session will focus on ‘The Influence of the Microbiome in Childhood’ and will feature presentations by Martin J. Blaser, MD, professor of Microbiology and the director of the Human Microbiome Program at New York University Langone Medical Center, and Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, director of the Center for Genome Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.” http://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/endo-2017-preview-gut-check-microbiome-pediatric-patients/

YIKES Insulin Use In Patients With Gestational Diabetes May Be Associated With Increased Risk For Adverse Perinatal Outcomes, Study Suggests.

reported, “In a national cohort of women in France who gave birth after 22 weeks, those with gestational diabetes had a ‘moderately increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes’ compared with women without diabetes,” researchers found. What’s more, “the risk was generally higher in those who had been treated with insulin,” the study revealed. The findings were published online in Diabetologia. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-017-4206-6

MEETING: Diabetes and metabolism in Orlando March 28-31

https://www.cityofhope.org/research/medical-and-research-events-calendar/levine-symposium/levine-symposium-program

Adherence To A Gluten-Free Diet May Be Associated With Increased Blood Levels Of Arsenic And Mercury, Study Indicates.

reports, “A gluten-free diet may have a downside: increased blood levels of arsenic and mercury,” researchers found after analyzing “data on 7,471 participants in a larger national health study, of whom 73 reported being on a gluten-free diet.” The study revealed that urinary arsenic concentrations “in those on the diet were nearly twice as high as in those not on it.” In addition, “blood levels of inorganic mercury were...significantly higher in gluten-free dieters.” The findings were published online in the journal Epidemiology. HealthDay (2/16, Preidt) also covers the story. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/well/eat/a-downside-of-gluten-free.html?_r=0

Women Who Use Hormone Therapy After Menopause May Not Have A Lower Risk Of Alzheimer’s, Study Suggests.

reports, “Women who use hormone therapy after menopause may not have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s,” researchers found after analyzing data on some “8,000 Finnish women who were between the ages of 47 and 56 when the study began in 1989.” At baseline and then every few years after that, women “reported on their hormone use.” Overall, “there was no correlation between women’s hormone use and their risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” but “women who said they’d used hormones for more than 10 years were half as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as nonusers were.” The findings were published online Feb. 15 in Neurology. Healio (2/16, Oldt) also cover the study. https://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/alzheimer-s-news-20/hrt-won-t-lower-women-s-alzheimer-s-risk-study-finds-719716.html

CDC: Current Flu Shot's Effectiveness Pegged at 48% 'Moderate' influenza activity this flu season

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/63194?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-17&eun=g721819d0r&pos=4

New HIV Cases Fell in 2008-2014 New CDC estimates paint optimistic picture

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/CROI/63147?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-16&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3

Vitamin D May Reduce Risk Of Respiratory Infections, Study Suggests.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/02/16/515428944/a-bit-more-vitamin-d-might-reduce-winter-colds-and-flu “Shots” blog reports that vitamin D may reduce the risk of respiratory infections, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Additional coverage is provided by the Independent (UK) (2/16, Pickover) and the Telegraph (UK) (2/15, Bodkin).

Following Diet That Mimics Sporadic Fasting May Reduce Body Weight, Body Fat, And Improve Metabolic Markers In Healthy Adults, Researchers Say.

Following a diet that mimics sporadic fasting over the course of three months reduced body weight and total body fat and improved metabolic markers in healthy adults,” researchers concluded. The findings of the 100-participant study were published in Science Translational Medicine.

Science Advisory Group Releases Report Supporting Human Gene Editing.

reports that an “influential science advisory group formed by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine on Tuesday” gave support to a “once-unthinkable proposition: clinical efforts to engineer humans with inheritable genetic traits.” The group “endorsed the alteration of human eggs, sperm and embryos – but only to prevent babies from being born with genes known to cause serious diseases and disability, only when no ‘reasonable alternative’ exists, and only when a plan is in place to track the effects of the procedure through multiple generations.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/health/human-gene-editing-panel.html

Hair Analysis May Be Able To Detect, Diagnose Cushing Syndrome Early, Research Suggests.

reports that a human hair analysis may be able to detect and diagnose Cushing Syndrome early. National Institutes of Health researchers “found [that] the easiest way to measure the cortisol level in the body” and detect Cushing Syndrome is by “using strands of hair.” The research was led by Dr. Mihail Zilbermint, an endocrinologist at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The study “enrolled 30 patients with Cushing Syndrome and mixed it with six patients without the condition.” Researchers found that the cortisol levels of the first hair segment “accurately matched the result of blood and urine tests,” typically used to diagnose the condition. The findings were published in Endocrine: International Journal of Basic and Clinical Endocrinology. http://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/8595/20170214/is-cushing-syndrome-risky-get-to-know-how-hair-analysis-helps-easily-detect-the-condition.htm

Genetic Predisposition To Higher Abdominal Adiposity May Be Linked To Higher Risk For Cardiometabolic Traits And Type 2 Diabetes, Study Suggests.

reports that in the “Mendelian randomization analysis, having a polygenetic predisposition for abdominal fat was tied to having increased levels of cardiometabolic risk factors and a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and CHD.” In particular, “each one-standard-deviation increase in waist-to-hip ratio based on the polygenic risk score and adjusted for BMI was associated with 27-mg/dL higher triglyceride levels, 4.1-mg/dL higher 2-hour glucose levels, and 2.1–mm Hg higher systolic blood-pressure levels. http://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/diabetes/63116 The authors plan to continue their research, in the hopes of identifying "individual genes, which could be targeted to improve body fat distribution and potentially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease," Emdin told MedPage Today. So I can blame my genes and prednisone for fat belly despite swimming half mile every day and eating right.

ACP: Non-Drug Tx Preferred for Low Back Pain Try exercise, mindfulness, acupuncture or yoga before NSAIDs

For patients with low back pain, providers should consider alternatives to drugs as first-line therapy, according to an updated clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians (ACP). Moderate-quality evidence in the literature shows that chronic pain can be eased with exercise, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, acupuncture, and mindful stress reduction, according to Amir Qaseem, MD, PhD, MHA, and colleagues on the ACP's Clinical Guidelines Committee, writing online in the Annals of Internal Medicine.. Similar results have been observed in lower-quality studies with tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise, progressive relaxation, electromyography biofeedback, laser therapy, operant therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and spinal manipulation, the panel determined. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PainManagement/BackPain/63108?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-14&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3

Use Of Oral Contraceptive By Women With MS May Not Increase Relapse Risk And May Exert Some Protective Effect, Research Indicates.

reports, “Use of an oral contraceptive by women with multiple sclerosis (MS) did not appear to increase risk of relapse and may have exerted some protective effect,” researchers found in a 162-woman study, the findings of which were published online in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal. http://www.mdmag.com/medical-news/oral-contraceptive-wont-hurt-might-help-ms

Study Rules Out Sitting As A Direct Cause Of Diabetes.

reports researchers have in a “new 13-year study ruled out sitting as a direct cause for diabetes.” Investigators did so after examining data on “nearly 5,000 patients in order to investigate the link between specific sitting time and incident diabetes onset.” The findings were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. http://www.mdmag.com/medical-news/sedentary-days-not-linked-to-diabetes

Daylight Savings Time May Be Tied To Increased Miscarriage Risk Among Some Women Undergoing IVF, Study Indicates.

“Daylight savings time may be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage among some women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF),” researchers concluded after observing that “miscarriage rates in IVF patients who had a prior miscarriage were much higher among those who received an embryo 21 days after the spring time change than those whose embryo transfers were conducted before or nowhere near the time change.” The findings were published online in Chronobiology International. https://consumer.healthday.com/infertility-information-22/infertility-news-412/daylight-savings-time-may-lower-chances-of-ivf-success-for-some-study-719514.html

Hormonal Deficits Seen in Men with SLE

Men with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or systemic sclerosis (SSc) are more likely to have a deficiency of testosterone than men without these diseases. Further, treatment with prednisolone or cyclophosphamide exacerbates the alteration in sex hormones, according to findings from a cross-sectional study by Swedish investigators http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/63080?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-13&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1

Immigration Order Is Bad Idea, Say 12 Doc Groups At very least, restrictions should be eased for medical personnel, patients

President Trump's executive order on immigration should be rescinded, but if that does not happen soon, the Trump administration should take steps to selectively ease travel restrictions that impact medical education and access to healthcare services, according to 12 different physician organizations. The 12 organizations -- which include the American College of Physicians, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Society of Nephrology -- said in a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly that they were particularly concerned that "by restricting entry of physicians and medical students from seven designated Muslim majority countries, the order will undermine medical education and result in patients losing access to their doctors." "We are also greatly concerned that the 120-day ban on accepting refugees, and the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, will contribute to an ongoing public health crisis for those affected, needlessly subjecting them to violence, injury, illness, deprivation and even death," the letter continued. While the groups said they were pleased that the order had been temporarily stayed, they also recommended four steps the administration could take in the meantime to selectively ease travel bans on affected patients and healthcare personnel: http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/WorkForce/62990?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-10&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

GAO Report: Weak Reporting System Allowed Continued Use Of Risky Surgical Devices.

reports a Government Accountability Office report issued Wednesday found that doctors failed to inform the FDA “about cases in which cancer was spread around inside women’s bodies” by power morcellators – a surgical tool that “was widely used for more than 20 years before the F.D.A. acted to limit it, after being alerted to the problem in 2013 by a patient who was harmed.” The device is “a spinning blade that shreds tissue” and is used “to help remove benign uterine tumors called fibroids, or to remove the entire uterus” by “slicing up tissue so it could be removed through tiny incisions.” According to the Times, the GAO report found “a major flaw in the system for detecting harm” – “It is passive, relying on ‘adverse event’ reports.” However, the report calls for tighter regulations “just as the Trump administration has suggested that drug and device regulations should be loosened, not tightened.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/08/health/morcellator-gao-report-fda.html?_r=0

NIH To Fund Four Last-Stage Clinical Trials Of Artificial Pancreas Devices.

http://time.com/4662760/artificial-pancreas-diabetes-nih/

Heavy Lifting, Working Nights Can Hamper Fertility Egg cell formation, other biomarkers stymied by physical demanding labor

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Infertility/62980?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-09&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Low-Dose Aspirin May Benefit Healthy Women Trying To Conceive But Who Have Experienced Pregnancy Loss, Study Indicates.

“In healthy women trying to conceive who have experienced pregnancy loss, treatment with daily, low-dose aspirin was associated with an increase in both pregnancy and live birth rates among those who had higher levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein vs. those assigned a placebo,” researchers found after analyzing “data from 1,228 healthy women aged 40 years or younger with one or two prior pregnancy losses.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/cardiometabolic-disorders/news/in-the-journals/%7B32a0d613-2939-4037-a31e-5b7eed8a3325%7D/low-dose-aspirin-increases-live-birth-rate-in-women-with-low-grade-inflammation-pregnancy-loss

Certain Patients With Sickle-Cell Trait May Have Lower HbA1c Levels, Possibly Causing Clinicians To Miss Signs Of Diabetes, Research Indicates.

A genetic trait that affects red blood cells and is fairly common among African Americans and Hispanic Americans can cause an important blood sugar test to miss signs of diabetes, researchers” found. The NPR (2/7, Harris) “Shots” blog and “All Things Considered” program report that African-Americans with the sickle cell trait appear to have lower HbA1c levels than African-Americans without the trait, researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Brown University found after examining data from two large studies encompassing some 4,600 patients. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/02/07/513891129/the-a1c-blood-sugar-test-may-be-less-accurate-in-african-americans

New Year, New Vaccination Guidelines CDC and AAP committees offer updates for flu shots, HPV, and others

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/62954?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-07&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3

Still No Consensus on Antibiotics for Persistent Sinus Infection To prescribe or not prescribe?

The way that I distinguish an allergic sinusitis from a bacterial sinusitis is that when I have an allergic sinusitis, the symptoms improve within about a week to 10 days, but with a bacterial sinusitis I get physically weak and can't even get out of bed," the statement said. "When I go to a visit, I generally do not say, 'I want an antibiotic.' The doctor will ask me, 'Why are you here, and tell me about what is going on,' and I have found that, after reviewing my history, she ends up saying, 'I think you may need an antibiotic,'" Mr. X concluded. "I would delve into the patient's history a bit more, particularly with regard to prior episodes that were diagnosed as bacterial sinusitis, documentation of prior episodes of pneumonia, and his allergic reaction to ampicillin. Microbiological data and vaccination history would also be of interest, because this information may point to potentially useful preventive measures and/or clues to an immunodeficiency state. Use of intranasal steroids is appropriate for allergic rhinosinusitis, but because of the delayed effect of steroids, waiting until symptoms are 'bad' probably undermines their effectiveness," he stated. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pulmonology/URIstheFlu/62949?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-07&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Male Birth Control Gel Works In Monkeys, Study Suggests.

reports a new study found that a male contraceptive called Vasalgel was effective at preventing pregnancy in monkeys. The treatment “consists of a polymer gel injected into the vas deferens...that blocks sperm from escaping.” Researchers observed sixteen males over one mating season, and seven males over two. They are “optimistic that human clinical trials of the method could begin in 2018,” but admit they “still need to test the reversibility of the method in monkeys,” as well as other safety studies. Their findings were published Monday in the journal Basic and Clinical Andrology. AFP (2/7) also covers the study. http://time.com/4661209/male-birth-control-gel/

WOW Maternal Licorice Consumption In Pregnancy May Be Associated With Lower IQ, AD/HD-Like Behavior, Early Puberty In Kids.

reported that “eating large amounts of licorice during pregnancy could lead to a lower IQ,” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD)-like “behavior, and early puberty in kids,” researchers found. The findings of the 378-participant study were published online Feb. 3 in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Eating too much licorice is potentially harmful even for those not pregnant. In particular, black licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a sweetening compound taken from licorice root. The compound can cause potassium levels in the body to fall, which can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, oedema (swelling), lethargy, and heart failure, according to the Cleveland Clinic. During pregnancy, glycyrrhizin is believed to impair the placenta by allowing stress hormones to cross from the mother to the baby. High levels of hormones like glucocorticoids are thought to affect fetal brain development, and are linked to behavioral disorders in children. In a 2013 study, Professor Jonathan Seckl, an endocrinologist at the Queen’s Medical Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh, and study author, explained to The Telegraph: “If you inhibit this barrier then you start to get children being born with low birth weight and who have altered stress responses and depression. This may be what underpins the variation you get from one individual to another.” http://www.medicaldaily.com/eating-licorice-candy-during-pregnancy-may-lead-adhd-symptoms-early-puberty-410245 Inappropriate use of licorice can produce pseudoaldosteronism, by inactivating 11β-hydroxysteroiod-dehydrogenase and by binding to mineralocorticoid receptors. Licorice possesses many other therapeutic properties as to potentiate the action of cortisol, to reduce testosterone synthesis, especially in women, to exert an estrogen-like activity and to reduce body fat mass.

Couples Who Are Both Obese May Have Harder Time Conceiving Than Couples Who Are Both At A Healthy Weight, Researchers Say.

“Couples who are both obese may have a harder time conceiving a child than couples who are both at a healthy weight, researchers” from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found after studying some “500 couples in Michigan and Texas...as they tried to conceive.” When the female partner “was overweight or obese, the couple typically took longer to conceive,” the study revealed. When both partners had a BMI of 35 or higher, “they were 60 percent less fecund than slimmer couples,” investigators found. The findings were published online in Human Reproduction. HealthDay (2/3, Pallarito) and Endocrine Today (2/3, Cox) also covered the study. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/obese-couples-take-longer-conceive-study-finds-n716471

Getting Away From Artificial Lighting May Help Reset Circadian Rhythms, Improve Sleep, Study Suggests.

reports in the two-part study, researchers “equipped five people with wearable devices that measured when they woke up, when they went to bed and how much light they were normally exposed to.” The researchers “also measured their melatonin levels in a lab.” Following those assessments, “everyone went on a week-long camping trip...during the winter.” They found that “people’s internal clocks were delayed during their normal schedules” and “also had higher melatonin levels.” In the second part of the study, researchers observed people who “went camping for just a weekend” while others stayed home. Investigators found that individuals “who stayed home stayed up later than usual and slept in,” while those “on the two-day trip” saw a shift in their internal clocks. http://time.com/4656550/camping-sleep-insomnia/

Is That Burger Wrapped in Harmful Chemicals? Fast food packaging contains fluorine that can leach into food

It's not just the fast-food burger and fries that are unhealthy -- the packaging they come in might be bad for you too, scientists said. Of 407 fast-food packaging samples tested, 33% had detectable levels of fluorine, a marker for a class of highly fluorinated chemicals known as PFASs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), reported Laurel Schaider, PhD, of the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, Mass., and colleagues. Previous research has linked PFASs with cancer, thyroid disease, immunotoxicity, low birth weight, and decreased fertility. These chemicals are used in food packaging because of their water- and grease-resistant properties, and research has shown they can leach into food, the authors wrote in Environmental Science & http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/GeneralEndocrinology/62851?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-02&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

heart failure Patients Should Get Their Flu Shots Preventing respiratory infection seen as especially helpful in vulnerable population

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/URItheFlu/62864?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-02&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1

Measles In New Jersey: Alert Issued As More Cases Discovered

In 2017, the state is already on a pace to surpass all measles cases reported over the past two years. http://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/measles-new-jersey-alert-issued-more-cases-discovered

Endocrine Society Issues Updated Clinical Practice Guideline For Pediatric Obesity.

“The Endocrine Society released an updated evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity with lifestyle changes.” The guideline, called “Pediatric Obesity – Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline,” was published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. http://www.empr.com/news/child-obesity-lifestyle-modifications-psychological-complications/article/635031/

Lupus: A Continuum of Disease? Incomplete lupus is often mild, but can progress, cause damage

Patients with "incomplete lupus erythematosus" (ILE), who have some features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but do not fulfill the stringent disease criteria, typically have milder disease -- but a subset of patients have major organ manifestations, accrue organ damage, or go on to develop full-blown SLE, according to a large lupus registry study. Lupus is a highly heterogeneous disease, affecting multiple organ systems and often in overlapping patterns. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) requires four of its criteria to be met for the diagnosis to be made, but a substantial number of patients have fewer and have been variously described as having possible, latent, probable, or incomplete lupus. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/62832?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-02-01&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1

Gestational Weight Gain and Pregnancy Outcomes: No Link No impact in outcomes for overweight or obese pregnant women

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/SMFM/62771?xid=nl_mpt_Weekly_Education_2017-02-01&eun=g5883165d1r there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups in adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as diagnoses of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, or birth weight over 4,000 grams. "This may call into question previously described associations between excess gestational weight gain and pregnancy outcomes," Peaceman said in his report at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine annual pregnancy meeting. "However, this is only an initial data evaluation, and it should not lead to a conclusion that efforts to control gestational weight gain should now be abandoned."