Dr. House
Dr. House
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Roughly 2,000 Kids Are Diagnosed With Unsafe Blood Levels Of Lead In Los Angeles County Each Year, Data Indicate
reports that even though “lead poisoning has become less common in recent years, roughly 2,000 children are diagnosed with unsafe levels of lead in their blood each year in Los Angeles County, according to” data gathered by California, with “south L.A...one of the most affected areas.” Until youngsters “are tested, families are often unaware their homes could be a source of lead.” Many “old homes have not been renovated, and are likely coated in lead paint.” According to the Times, “over the next seven years, L.A. County will receive $134 million to eliminate lead hazards in homes as part of a settlement with three paint companies that were once major suppliers of lead paint.” Unfortunately, “the payout will cover only a fraction of the work that is needed, officials say.” https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-12-30/la-me-lead-poisoning-la-county
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Exposure To Air Pollution May Be Associated With Increased Risk Of Suicide, Depression
reports research indicated that “exposure to air pollution” may be associated with “an increased risk of suicide and depression.” Investigators arrived at that finding after reviewing “nine existing studies on 16 countries, which examined the potential link between air pollution and depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis and suicide.” The findings were published online Dec. 18 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. https://www.newsweek.com/air-pollution-linked-depression-suicide-risk-study-1477679
Nearly Half Of US Adults Will Be Obese Within A Decade, Researchers Project
“Nearly half of American adults will be obese within a decade and one-quarter will be severely so,” researchers predict in findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Reuters (12/18, Emery) reports that “in addition, severe obesity – and the serious health problems and extra healthcare costs associated with it – will disproportionately affect women, low-income adults, non-Hispanic black adults and states bordering the lower half of the Mississippi River.” Investigators arrived at these conclusions after using “more than 20 years of data from 6.3 million adults to project into 2030.” https://apnews.com/c36ead95eea05714347c0552b1cd1d73
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Results From Nearly 70 Percent Of Routine Lab Tests In Children Appeared To Vary With Body Weight, Research Suggests
reports, “Results from nearly 70% of routine lab tests in children varied with body weight,” research indicated. Specifically, “in an analysis of 35 routinely assessed biochemical markers in blood tests, averages for about one-third differed significantly by the presence of overweight or obesity in the child,” researchers concluded in a study that examine data on some 1,300 children and teens. The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. https://www.medpagetoday.com/pediatrics/obesity/83961
Risk of Death Reduced by up to 23% for Chili Lovers
The hot pepper, typical of the Mediterranean diet, is already known for its therapeutic virtues of various kinds. Now a research conducted by the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention of the IRCCS Neuromed of Pozzilli , in collaboration with the Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità , of the University of Insubria of Varese and of the Mediterranean Cardiocentro of Naples, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) , shows how people used to consume it regularly have a mortality risk for every cause reduced by 23% compared to those who do not.
The study examined 22,811 citizens of Molise participating in the Moli-sani study . By following their state of health for an average period of about eight years, and comparing it with their eating habits, the researchers were able to show that in people who regularly consume chilli (four times a week or more), the risk of dying of a heart attack it is reduced by 40% and cerebrovascular mortality is more than halved. This regardless of the type of power supply followed.
The Moli-sani study is the first to explore the properties of this spicy spice in relation to the risk of death in a European and Mediterranean population like that of Molise. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/risk-of-death-reduced-by-up-to-23-for-chili-lovers-328603?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=80953993&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Z-H4w0o3uQ8Oqs5nGAGR6zmH6Ph3Tnxf2e3Ovw-8m748gRt92f0AMM7eTXbqCX7rdbJoVRkgqDRAjDaFJle007O6udQ&_hsmi=80953993
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Better sleep WITH cell phones and tablets???
Current technologies designed to limit our evening exposure to blue light, for example by changing the screen colour on mobile devices, may therefore send us mixed messages, they argue.
This is because the small changes in brightness they produce are accompanied by colours that more resemble day.
The research, which was carried out on mice, used specially designed lighting that allowed the team to adjust colour without changing brightness.
That showed blue colours produced weaker effects on the mouse body clock than equally bright yellow colours.
The findings, say the team, have important implications for the design of lighting and visual displays intended to ensure healthy patterns of sleep and alertness.
The study is published in Current Biology and funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
The body clock uses a specialised light sensitive protein in the eye to measure brightness, called melanopsin, which is better at detecting shorter wavelength photons.
This is why, say the team, researchers originally suggested blue light might have a stronger effect.
However, our perception of colour comes from the retinal cone cells and the new research shows that the blue colour signals they supply reduce the impact on light on the clock.
Dr Tim Brown, from The University of Manchester, said: "We show the common view that blue light has the strongest effect on the clock is misguided; in fact, the blue colours that are associated with twilight have a weaker effect than white or yellow light of equivalent brightness.
"There is lots of interest in altering the impact of light on the clock by adjusting the brightness signals detected by melanopsin but current approaches usually do this by changing the ratio of short and long wavelength light; this provides a small difference in brightness at the expense of perceptible changes in colour."
He added: "We argue that this is not the best approach, since the changes in colour may oppose any benefits obtained from reducing the brightness signals detected by melanopsin.
"Our findings suggest that using dim, cooler, lights in the evening and bright warmer lights in the day may be more beneficial.
"Research has already provided evidence that aligning our body clocks with our social and work schedules can be good for our health. Using colour appropriately could be a way to help us better achieve that."
Reference: Mouland, J. W., Martial, F., Watson, A., Lucas, R. J., & Brown, T. M. (2019). Cones Support Alignment to an Inconsistent World by Suppressing Mouse Circadian Responses to the Blue Colors Associated with Twilight. Current Biology, 29(24), 4260-4267.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.028 https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/when-feeling-blue-light-isnt-so-bad-328541?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=80885465&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--KC77RNMB6moz_YHNLkDDYTQ_cPdpsB0c4baWcJ8RMefLvdLEw05Z_bgIX7U2BzkcdHP0iSUEy8l7oUthk-5hKmeBBCw&_hsmi=80885465
Friday, December 13, 2019
Skipping the Sweet Treats Might Bust the Holiday Blues
Read Time: 4 min
If you’re prone to depression, this holiday season you might want to say “bah humbug” to offers of sugar plum pudding, caramel corn and chocolate babka.
A new study from a team of clinical psychologists at the University of Kansas suggests eating added sugars – common in so many holiday foods – can trigger metabolic, inflammatory and neurobiological processes tied to depressive illness. The work is published in the journal Medical Hypotheses. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/skipping-the-sweet-treats-might-bust-the-holiday-blues-328429?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=80739286&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_R7AIwQIz8Mj-kaXHHAevP00h7nls7YuO76zn3jaZVbE8BdaJ425gmp0RHTsuuf671bnaAnKA6vsOpT8DzC91eX4nUxQ&_hsmi=80739286
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent Labels May Help Combat Obesity, Review
“Food labels detailing how much exercise is needed to burn off a product’s calorie content could help to combat obesity,” researchers concluded in a “new scientific review.” The review concluded that “physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) labels could improve on labels that identify only calories and nutrient content.” The review indicated that “large-scale application of PACE labels could, on average, cut calorie consumption by up to 200 calories per person per day.” The findings of the 14-study review were published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/11/health/physical-activity-food-labels-wellness-scli-intl-gbr/index.html
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Large Study Finds No Link Between Cesarean Sections, Obesity In Children
reports that a large new study published in PLOS Medicine found no link between cesarean sections and obesity in children. For the study, “Swedish researchers tracked medical records of 97,291 men born between 1982 and 1987, following them to age 18,” and found based on an initial assessment of the data that there was “no link between mode of birth and obesity” after factors such as age and body mass index were taken into account. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/well/live/cesarean-c-section-obesity-weight-fat-children.html
Children Born From Frozen Embryo Transfer May Have Higher Risk Of Childhood Cancer,
reports on its website researchers found that “children born after the use of frozen embryo transfer were at higher risk of childhood cancer.” The researchers examined cancer risk in children born through several different methods, but found no increased risk “for children born to parents who used fertility drugs, IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection.” The findings were published in JAMA. https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/10/health/cancer-frozen-embryos-ivf-study/index.html
Study Suggests Older Adults Exposed To Air Pollution For Short Periods May Be More Likely To Be Hospitalized For Variety Of Health Problems
reports a study published in The BMJ suggests that “older adults who are exposed to tiny particles in air pollution for just a day or two are more likely to be hospitalized for a wide variety of common health problems.” Investigators “focused on so-called PM 2.5” and “confirmed previously-known links between short-term exposure to PM 2.5 and an increased risk of hospitalization and death from heart and lung diseases, diabetes, and clots in the large veins of the legs.” The researchers found for such diseases rarely studied in the context of PM 2.5, “each 1 ug/m3 increase in short-term average fine particulate matter levels was associated with an average annual increase of 2,050 hospital admissions, 12,216 total days in the hospital and $31 million in hospital and post-acute care costs.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-airpollution-hospitalizations/air-pollution-tied-to-hospitalizations-for-wide-range-of-illnesses-idUSKBN1YD2ES
Monday, December 9, 2019
Levels Of BPA In People’s Bodies Much Higher Than Previously Thought
“Levels of the widely used chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in people’s bodies are much higher than once thought,” researchers concluded. Now, these scientists also “say they’ve created a more accurate way to measure them.” The new method “outlined in their study suggests that the measurements used by the FDA and other regulatory agencies underestimate BPA exposure by as much as 44 times.” The findings were published online in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. https://consumer.healthday.com/environmental-health-information-12/chemical-health-news-730/bpa-levels-in-humans-are-underestimated-study-752754.html
Brief Visit To A Severely Polluted City May Increase Blood Markers Of Inflammation And Artery Plaque Buildup,
“In 26 healthy young adults from Los Angeles,” investigators “measured blood levels of pollution breakdown products and proteins linked to heart risk before, during and after a trip to Beijing for a summer study program.” The study revealed that “over six to eight weeks in the Chinese capital, pollution metabolites in participants’ urine spiked along with blood markers of inflammation and artery plaque buildup,” the study revealed. The findings were published online in the journal Circulation. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-pollution-biomarkers/brief-visit-to-severely-polluted-city-can-up-biomarkers-of-heart-disease-idUSKBN1YA1Z7
Friday, December 6, 2019
US FDA Investigating Metformin For Presence Of Carcinogen NDMA
“the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating whether the diabetes drug metformin had unsafe levels of a cancer-causing chemical and will recommend recalls as appropriate, the agency said on Thursday.” This comes as “part of the agency’s broader push to investigate a range of drugs for the presence of the carcinogen, known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), with popular heartburn medication Zantac being recalled this year for fear it contained NDMA.” In a separate statement, “Health Canada said...that it was not aware of any metformin products in Canada containing NDMA above acceptable limits, but was working closely with international regulatory partners on its assessment of the issue.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diabetes-fda/fda-probes-diabetes-drug-metformin-for-carcinogen-ndma-idUSKBN1Y92UN
Bariatric Surgery May Reverse Subtle Damage To The Heart,
reports research suggests bariatric surgery “might also reverse subtle damage to” the heart. The study, which “included 38 obese patients who had weight-loss surgery and 19 obese patients who were on the waiting list for” bariatric surgery, revealed that at study start, “58% of patients in the surgery group had subclinical heart disease,” but “in 82% of those patients, subclinical heart dysfunction normalized six months after surgery.” Meanwhile, “subclinical heart disease worsened in 53% of patients on the waiting list during the same period.” The findings were presented at a medical conference. https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/weight-loss-surgery-bariatric-1005/weight-loss-surgery-a-boon-for-the-heart-752707.html
People At High Risk For Diabetes May Improve Health When They Eat All Their Meals Over A Span Of Just Over 10 Hours,
, “In an early effort to explore the benefits of daily fasting in humans,” investigators “found that people who are at high risk of developing diabetes improved their health in myriad ways when they ate all of their meals over a span of just over 10 hours, then fasted for the remainder of their 24-hour day.” That practice, “called ‘time-restricted eating,’ is a variant of ‘intermittent fasting’ – a practice growing in popularity.”
Newsweek (12/5, Gander) reports that “eating during a specific window of time could help with weight loss, sleep, and high blood pressure.” Included in the study were “19 participants who had metabolic syndrome, characterized by a person having a number of conditions such as high blood pressure, high fasting glucose levels and obesity.” After eating “all of their food in a 10-hour window of their choosing for 12 weeks,” participants at study’s end “on average saw a 3 to 4 percent drop across body weight, their body mass index, abdominal fat, and waist circumference.” In addition, they “had lower blood pressure, lower levels of fats linked to cardiovascular disease, and
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Premature Menopause May Be Associated With Increased Risk For Cardiovascular Disease,
“Premature menopause, defined as either surgical or natural menopause before 40 years of age, is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease,” research concluded. The article adds, “In 2018/2019 guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association on cholesterol and primary prevention, a history of premature menopause was used to refine atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.” The findings of the 144,260-postmenopausal woman study were published online in JAMA. https://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/home/topics/androgen-and-reproductive-disorders/surgical-and-natural-early-menopause-linked-to-cardiovascular-disease-risk/
Obesity In Adolescence May Harm Brain Regions Controlling Appetite, Emotion, Cognitive Function,
reported, “Obesity in adolescence may harm regions of the brain that control appetite, emotion and cognitive function,” researchers concluded after “studying MRI scans of 59 overweight teenagers and comparing them with 60 more from healthy individuals.” Using “‘diffusion tensor imaging,’ or DTI, to track the diffusion of water along the brain’s signal-carrying white matter tracts,” researchers “noticed damage to key parts of the brain.” The findings were presented at a medical conference. https://www.radiologybusiness.com/topics/care-delivery/teen-obesity-damage-brains-regulate-appetite-mri
Bones May Age Faster In Older Women Who Get Too Little Sleep,
“Bones may age faster in older women who get too little sleep,” researchers concluded in a “long-term” study “based on data from nearly 11,000 participants.” The study revealed that “postmenopausal women who slept less than five hours a night were more likely to have low bone mass than those who averaged seven hours sleep,” and “short sleepers were also up to twice as likely to have osteoporosis of the hip and spine.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-bones-sleep/short-sleep-after-menopause-linked-to-weaker-bones-idUSKBN1Y326A
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