Health Research: Alcohol use disorder is widespread,in the U,S. ♦ BPA can adversely affect parenting ♦ New treatment for polycystic kidney disease

BPA can adversely affect parenting behavior in mice Studies have shown that maternal care can be negatively affected when females are exposed to BPA; however, no studies have shown how this chemical can affect maternal and paternal care. Researchers have used biparental California mice to prove that offspring born to parents who are exposed to BPA receive decreased parental care by both the mother and father.

Alcohol use disorder is widespread, often untreated in the United States Alcohol use disorder as defined by a new diagnostic classification was widespread and often untreated in the United States, with a lifetime prevalence of 29.1 percent but only 19.8 percent of adults were ever treated.

Large majority of Americans—including gun owners—support stronger gun policies A large majority of Americans—including gun owners—continue to support stronger policies to prevent gun violence than are present in current federal and most state law

New treatment for polycystic kidney disease A new technique for treating polycystic kidney disease has been identified. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder where fluid filled cysts grow in kidneys and destroy normal renal tissue. It is the world's most common inherited kidney disease, affecting between 1 in 400 and 1 in 1000 people worldwide.

Endurance athletes should be tested while exercising for potentially fatal heart condition Some athletes who take part in endurance exercise such as marathon running, endurance triathlons or alpine cycling can develop heartbeat irregularities that can, occasionally, lead to their sudden death. New evidence shows that doctors who try to detect these irregularities by focusing on the left ventricle of the heart, or on the right ventricle while an athlete is resting, will miss important signs of right ventricular dysfunction that can only be detected during exercise and that could be fatal.

Health News:President declares policy for ‘responsible use’ of antibiotics ♦ illness outbreak strikes 55 people ♦ South Carolina boy ,2, dies of E. coli complications ♦ Build replacement kidneys in the lab

President declares federal policy for ‘responsible use’ of antibiotics in food production According to a memorandum signed by President Obama on Tuesday, it is now the policy of the federal government to encourage responsible use of antibiotics in the production of meat and poultry. The memorandum directs federal departments to create a preference for acquiring them.

illness outbreak strikes 55 people staying at homeless shelter l At least 50 people were taken to hospitals Sunday night after an apparent foodborne illness outbreak struck a homeless shelter in Salt Lake City, UT, Those sickened included men, women and three children from the Road Home shelter, were experiencing vomiting and nausea.

South Carolina boy ,2, dies of E. coli complications A 2-year-old boy from Greenwood, SC, has died from complications related to E. coli infection, according to Greenwood County Coroner Sonny Cox. Myles Mayfield reportedly died Sunday night at Greenville Memorial Hospital.

Tests of canned food brands reveal most have controversial chemical in can lining  Bisphenol-A, or BPA, a chemical component found in plastic bottles and canned food liners, has long courted controversy over its alleged health risks. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has maintained that it is safe environmental groups contend that the synthetic compound may cause health complications in humans.

New discoveries advance efforts to build replacement kidneys in the lab Researchers are making progress in their quest to build replacement kidneys in the lab by using the more than 2,600 kidneys that are donated each year, but must be discarded due to abnormalities.The scientists aim to 'recycle' these organs to engineer tailor-made replacement kidneys for patients.

Health News: Dairy recalls raw milk and cream ♦ Hepatitis A exposure possible at subway ♦ Low-dose BPA exposure affects fertility

WA dairy recalls raw milk and cream after positive listeria test  A raw milk dairy in Washington state has voluntarily recalled some of its raw milk and cream products after a recent routine test found Listeria bacteria in a sample of raw cream. Spanish Sonrise Dairy in Yacolt, WA, has recalled all of its raw cow’s milk and goat’s milk and cream

Hepatitis A exposure possible at subway  Arkansas Department of Health advised that patrons of a Subway restaurant in Morrilton seek preventative treatment due to possible Hepatitis A exposure that could have occurred between March 25 and April 5 when a worker on duty was infected with the virus.

Low-dose BPA exposure affects fertility in next three generations of mice Scientists exposed pregnant mice to levels of bisphenol A equivalent to those considered safe in humans, three generations of female mouse offspring experienced significant reproductive problems, including declines in fertility, sexual maturity and pregnancy success.

Depression, diabetes associated with increased dementia risk Depression and type 2 diabetes mellitus were each associated with an increased risk for dementia and that risk was even greater among individuals diagnosed with both depression and diabetes compared with people who had neither condition

Shape-shifting molecule tricks viruses into mutating themselves to death A newly developed spectroscopy method is helping to clarify the poorly understood molecular process by which an anti-HIV drug induces lethal mutations in the virus's genetic material. The findings could bolster efforts to develop the next generation of antiviral treatments

Health Research: New sensor detects spoiled meat ♦ Heavy snoring, sleep apnea may signal earlier memory decline ♦ BPA can disrupt sexual function

New sensor detects spoiled meat Chemists have devised an inexpensive, portable sensor that can detect gases emitted by rotting meat, allowing consumers to determine whether the meat in their grocery store or refrigerator is safe to eat.

Unnecessary preoperative testing still done on cataract patients Although routine preoperative testing is not indicated for patients undergoing cataract surgery, researchers have found that it is still a common occurrence and is driven primarily by provider practice patterns rather than patient characteristics.

Heavy snoring, sleep apnea may signal earlier memory and thinking decline Heavy snoring and sleep apnea may be linked to memory and thinking decline at an earlier age, according to a new study. The research also suggests that treating the disorders with a breathing machine may delay the decline.

BPA can disrupt sexual function in turtles, could be a warning for environmental health Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in food storage products and resins that line plastic beverage containers. Often, aquatic environments become reservoirs for BPA, and turtle habitats are affected. Now, a collaboration of researchers has determined that BPA can alter a turtle's sexual differentiation. Scientists are concerned findings could indicate harmful effects on environmental and human health.

Advancements in retinal detachment research pave the road to better visual recovery Age, disease and even playing certain sports like basketball can increase a person’s risk of developing a detached retina. While surgery is typically used to treat the condition, subsequent scarring and damage to the retina can cause permanent vision problems or even blindness. New research is exploring the biochemical processes that lead to retinal scarring in the hopes of developing the first ever drug intervention to help improve the way retinas heal.

Health Research: BPA can adversely affect reproduction ♦ ink between genetic variation, alcohol dependence ♦ Norovirus candidate vaccine induces broad antibody responses

BPA can adversely affect reproduction of future generations of fish  Bisphenol A is a chemical that is used in water bottles, dental composites and resins used to line metal food and beverage containers. Often, rivers and streams become contaminated with BPA. Fish exposed to BPA will pass adverse reproductive effects onto their offspring Continue Reading

Patients who go home after knee replacement do as well as those discharged to rehab facility  Patients who go home after knee replacement and receive physical therapy at home do as well as those who go to an inpatient rehabilitation facility.   Continue Reading

Link between genetic variation, alcohol dependence found  A biological clue that could help explain why some drinkers develop a dependence on alcohol and others do not has been discovered. The findings help to identifying those at risk of addiction and designing better treatments to help stop drinking Continue Reading

Norovirus candidate vaccine induces broad antibody responses in trial participants  A multivalent candidate vaccine elicits broad antibody responses to a range of norovirus strains,, according to a new study.The results of the study indicate that a vaccine to norovirus may be available in the future.Continue Reading

Discovery of what attracts pregnant mosquitoes is used to fight malaria The battle against malaria is also a battle against its natural host, the mosquito, which means disrupting the insect's life cycle is every bit as important as putting nets over beds. Now, an international research team has discovered what attracts mosquitoes to lay their eggs in specific places Continue Reading

Childrens Health: BPA exposure linked to autism ♦ 2 hours of TV a day increases high blood pressure ♦ Why debunked autism treatment persist ♦ Secondhand smoke risk for infants

BPA exposure linked to autism spectrum disorder, study reports  A newly published study is the first to report an association between bisphenol-A (BPA), a common plasticizer used in a variety of consumer food and beverage containers, with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Continue Reading

More than two hours of TV a day increases high blood pressure in children by 30%  A study on European children concludes that spending more than two hours a day in front of a screen increases the probability of high blood pressure by 30%. The article also points out that doing no daily physical activity or less than an hour a day increases this risk by 50%. Continue reading

Why debunked autism treatment fads persist  The communication struggles of children with autism spectrum disorder can drive parents and educators to try anything. Authors describe treatments for autism that have been attempted with little or no success.including gluten- and casein-free diets, antifungal interventions, chelation therapy, magnetic shoe inserts, hyperbaric oxygen sessions, weighted vests, bleach enemas, sheep-stem-cell injections and many more. Continue Reading

High stress for new mothers increases secondhand smoke risk for infants Mothers with a high level of prenatal social stressors -- including possibly less control over their own housing situation or economic distress -- had 2.5 times higher odds to have only a partial or no restriction on smoking in their home than those with no stressors, which increases secondhand smoke risk, a study has found. Continue Reading

2/2/15 Health News: Synthetic Marijuana Contaminated Holiday Bread ♦ Effect of BPA and estradiol on sperm ♦ Breast cancer ♦ Prescription painkillers, widely double birth defects

Tests Show Synthetic Drug Contaminated Holiday Bread From CA Bakery

Independent lab tests of the holiday bread sold in early January by a Santa Ana, CA, bakery and linked to reports of dizziness, palpitations and other symptoms show that it was probably deliberately contaminated with synthetic cannabinoid, Continue Reading

Effect of BPA and estradiol on sperm development seen by researchers

A direct link between bisphenol A, or BPA, and disrupted sperm production has been discovered by researchers. They say the chemical disrupts the delicate DNA interactions needed to create sperm. This work may have unearthed the physiological mechanism that could account for decreased sperm counts seen in several human studies.Continue Reading

Breast cancer prevention drug benefit varies among at-risk women, study finds

The findings of study may help women and their doctors make decisions about who may get the most benefit out of a breast cancer prevention drug Continue Reading

Prescription painkillers, widely used by childbearing age women, double birth defects  

Women unaware that prescription opioid-based medications such as codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, or morphine, used to treat severe pain, may increase the risk for serious birth defects of the baby's brain, spine, and heart, as well as preterm Continue Reading

New links between obesity, cardiovascular disease found

Novel methods have been applied in a recent study to detect binding of fatty acids to CD36 and their effect on internalization of oxidized LDL. Continue Reading

1/26/15 Health News:Undisclosed Superbug sickened dozens in Virginia ♦ New cancer-fighting strategy ♦ BPA exposure during pregnancy causes oxidative stress in child

Undisclosed superbug sickened dozens at Virginia Mason.

Virginia Mason Medical Center officials in Seattle stated that they overhauled their cleaning protocol for medical scopes after an outbreak of drugresistant superbugs spread by contaminated specialized endoscopes infected at least 32 patients between 2012 and 2014. Authorities believe the bacterium was likely transferred from patient to patient after the devices were cleaned, but still harbored the germs.Continue Reading

New cancer-fighting strategy would harden cells to prevent metastasis

Existing cancer therapies are geared toward massacring tumor cells, but researchers propose a different strategy: subtly hardening cancer cells to prevent them from invading new areas of the body. They devised a way of screening compounds for the desired effect and have identified a compound that shows promise in fighting pancreatic cancer. Continue Reading

Scientists invent system to improve effectiveness of cancer surgery

With the goal of making it easier for surgeons to detect malignant tissue during surgery and hopefully reduce the rate of cancer recurrence, scientists have invented a new imaging system that causes tumors to “light up” when a hand-held laser is directed at them Continue Reading

BPA exposure during pregnancy causes oxidative stress in child, mother

Exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy can cause oxidative damage that may put the baby at risk of developing diabetes or heart disease later in life, according to a new study. Continue Reading

12/11/14 Health News:IS BPA SAFE? ♦ STAGGERING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PREDICTIONS ♦ BOY DIES FROM RAW MILK ♦ SHOULD FDA BAN BULK CAFFEINE SALES

FDA SAYS BPA-LINED CONTAINERS ARE SAFE, BUT NEW STUDY RAISES CONCERNS

It might be easy to dismiss the latest study about spiking one’s blood pressure by drinking soy milk from cans lined with bisphenol A (more commonly known as BPA). After all, serious hypertension is more likely to occur from the sodium contained in whatever food or beverage is in the can. But the new Korean... Continue Reading

UK REVIEW MAKES STAGGERING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PREDICTIONS

Projections of the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) paint a grim picture for what could happen to the world’s economy if the problem is left unchecked. Research commissioned by the U.K.’s Review on Antimicrobial Resistance show that a continued rise in resistance would, by 2050, lead to 10 million deaths every year and a reduction...Continue Reading

AUSTRALIAN BOY, 3, DIES IN E. COLI OUTBREAK FROM RAW MILK

A 3-year old boy has died and four other children have fallen ill in an E. coli and Cryptosporidium outbreak linked to raw milk sold by a company based in Victoria, Australia. The milk, Mountain View Organic Bath Milk, was labeled as being “for cosmetic use only” and “not for human consumption,” as well as... Continue Reading

CSPI WANTS FDA TO BAN SALES OF BULK CAFFEINE

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the sale of pure, powdered or liquid caffeine as a dietary supplement. “CSPI believes that highly concentrated caffeine presents a unique, self-evident danger to consumers that justifies an immediate ban and corresponding adjustments to FDA’s regulations,”... Continue Reading

11/5/14 Health News: Fecal testing in colorectal cancer screening ♦ Fruit, vegetables,whole grains and nuts lower stroke risk ♦ BPA exposure by infants ♦ Craving in alcoholics

Support for fecal testing in familial colorectal cancer screening

Fecal immunochemical tests may be as effective as colonoscopies when it comes to detecting colorectal cancer among first-degree relatives of patients with colorectal cancer, according to a new study Continue Reading

Diets high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts among factors to lower first-time stroke risk

Eating Mediterranean or DASH-style diets, regularly engaging in physical activity and keeping your blood pressure under control can lower your risk of a first-time stroke, experts say. Additionally, these experts not updated prevention guidelines that focus on lowering stroke risk among women Continue Reading,

BPA exposure by infants may increase later risk of food intolerance

Scientists show, for the first time, that there is a link between perinatal exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) at low doses and the risk to develop food intolerance in later life. "We may look back one day and see BPA exposure as one of the more important public health problems of our time," said one expert. "We know that too much exposure is bad, but exactly how much exposure is too much is still up for debate.Continue Reading

Breakdown in gut barriers to bacteria may promote inflammation and craving in alcoholics

Bacteria in the GI tract fulfill many vital functions and are critical for digestion. Yet, these same bacteria can induce strong inflammatory responses by the immune system if they penetrate the gut and enter the bloodstream. Prior research has established the involvement of inflammatory processes in the development of psychiatric disorders, including major depression and alcohol dependence, but the origins of such inflammation have remained unclear. Now, researchers have found that inflammatory pathways are stimulated in alcohol-dependent patients by bacteria that escape the gut barrier, which correlated with alcohol craving. Continue Reading

10/26/14 Health News:ARE FOOD SAFETY RECALLS EFFECTIVE? ♦ HAND SANITIZERS DON’T MIX WELL WITH BPA-COATED RECEIPTS ♦ CONCERNED ABOUT ANIMAL ANTIBIOTIC USE

ARE RECALLS AN EFFECTIVE ELEMENT OF FOOD SAFETY?

Consumers have grown accustomed to the routine of food safety recalls: A food company announces a recall after releasing a product into the market that later turns out to be contaminated with a harmful pathogen, or is otherwise faulty. The company advises customers to check the identifying numbers on the product to see if theirs... Continue Reading

STUDY: HAND SANITIZERS, FRENCH FRIES DON’T MIX WELL WITH BPA-COATED RECEIPTS

A new study by researchers at the University of Missouri in Columbia reveals that people who used hand sanitizers, handled cash-register receipts and then ate French fries were quickly exposed to high levels of bisphenol A (BPA). BPA, commonly used to coat cash-register receipt paper, is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to a... Continue Reading

CONSUMER REPORTS POLL FINDS DOCTORS CONCERNED ABOUT ANIMAL ANTIBIOTIC USE

Physicians are concerned about the agricultural practice of giving antibiotics to healthy animals for growth promotion and disease prevention, according to a poll conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center poll. The national poll, conducted last month, questioned 500 family practice and internal medicine physicians and found that 93 percent said they are concerned... Continue Reading

10/24/14 Health News:BPA raises risk of diabetes, obesity and cancer ♦ ANTIBIOTICS SPREAD SALMONELLA ♦ FOOD DISTRIBUTOR SHUTS DOWN AFTER HUGE RECALL

BPA could raise risk of diabetes, obesity and cancer

Substance used to produce receipts could be absorbed into the bloodstream Includes paper receipts from shops, credit card machines and ATMs Chemical bisphenol-A  - also known as BPA - can disrupt hormones  Cause raise the risk of health problems like obesity, diabetes and cancer Chemical has been banned in baby bottles in Europe due to safety fears Campaigners are calling for the … Continue Reading

STUDY: ANTIBIOTICS MAY HELP SPREAD SALMONELLA BETWEEN ANIMALS

An estimated 80 percent of all antibiotics in the U.S. are given to livestock, which raises concerns among some scientists about the fostering of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. But a study on antibiotics just published by researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine might introduce a whole new concern to the equation. Mice given antibiotics to... Continue Reading

NORTH CAROLINA FOOD DISTRIBUTOR SHUTS DOWN FOLLOWING HUGE RECALL

SunBurst Foods of Goldsboro, NC, which recently recalled virtually all of its pre-packaged sandwiches, hamburgers, chili dogs, salads and other food products because of potential Listeria contamination, has reportedly closed its doors. No illnesses were known to have been reported in connection with the recall. The recall was announced Oct. 12 and included the food... Continue Reading

CDC: SALMONELLA OUTBREAK LINKED TO BACKYARD FLOCKS APPEARS TO BE OVER

They picked up 19 more cases and added a state to the multistate outbreak of Salmonella linked to live poultry from backyard flocks, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is essentially calling it over. The outbreak traced to the source of the chicks — Ohio’s Mt. Healthy Hatcheries — appears to...Continue Reading

7/21/14 Health News: Tainted meat scandal hits McDonald's, KFC ♦ Preserving Livers for Transplantation ♦ PHASE OUT GROWTH-PROMOTING ANTIBIOTICS ♦ BAN ON BPA IN FOOD PACKAGING

Preserving Livers for Transplantation

A new technique increased the time that rat livers can remain viable outside the body. If the approach succeeds in humans, it could aid organ transplant efforts. Continue Reading

Tainted meat scandal hits McDonald's, KFC

Yum Brands -- which owns KFC -- has faced a number of food scandals in China. LONDON (CNNMoney) An American-owned meat factory operating in China has been accused of selling out-of-date and tainted meat to clients including McDonald's (MCD) and Yum Brands (YUM), which owns the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains. Dragon TV reported that workers at the food plant were …continue reading

CARGILL TO PHASE OUT GROWTH-PROMOTING ANTIBIOTICS IN SIGNATURE TURKEY BRANDS

Cargill announced this week that it will stop using antibiotics for growth promotion in raising its turkeys. The company says the changes to its two signature brands — Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms — makes Cargill the first major turkey producer to have a USDA Process Verified Program for this purpose. A Cargill press release... Continue Reading

THREE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SEEK BAN ON BPA IN FOOD PACKAGING

Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Reps. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Grace Meng (D-NY) are calling for a ban on Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to harden plastics and commonly found in food packaging. “The dangers of BPA have been well demonstrated,” the three wrote in an opinion piece for Roll Call. “Exposure, even... Continue Reading

High Plasticizer Levels and BPA Linked to Delayed Pregnancy

Women whose male partners have high concentrations of three common forms of phthalates, chemicals found in a wide range of consumer products, take longer to become pregnant than women in couples in which the male does not have high concentrations of the chemicals, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

The researchers assessed the concentrations of phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA) in couples trying to achieve pregnancy. Phthalates, sometimes known as plasticizers, are used in the manufacture of plastics, to make them more flexible. BPA is also used in plastics, including in some food and drink packaging.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pthalates are used in hundreds of products , such as fragrances, shampoos, nail polish, plastic film and sheets. For the most part, people are exposed to phthalates by eating and drinking foods that have been in contact with containers and products containing the compounds. BPA is used to make some types of plastic containers, in the protective lining of food cans, and other products.

The study authors measured urine concentrations of BPA and 14 phthalate compounds in couples trying to achieve pregnancy. The study authors explained that many phthalates are often broken down and chemically changed before they are excreted from the body.

Pregnancy took the most time to achieve in couples in which the males had high concentrations of monomethyl phthalate, mono-butyl phthalate, and monobenzyl phthalate. Neither male nor female exposure to BPA was associated with pregnancy rates.

Because the researchers examined only the time it took to achieve pregnancy, the study could not determine precisely how the compounds might affect fertility. Future studies, the authors wrote, would be needed to determine if the compounds affected particular aspects of reproductive health, such as hormone levels.

“Our study shows that exposure to certain phthalates can reduce the chance of conception for otherwise healthy couples,” said the study’s first author, Germaine M. Buck Louis, Ph.D., Director of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). “Many people have been exposed to these compounds, so it’s important to continue to investigate whether they have any health effects.

The study was published online in the journal Fertility and Sterility. In addition to Dr. Buck Louis and her colleagues from the NICHD, the study also included researchers from the Texas A&M School of Public Health in College Station, the New York state Department of Health, and the University at Albany of the State University of New York.

In their article, the authors cited previous studies by other researchers who found high concentrations of BPA and other phthalates among couples seeking treatment for infertility. One study found that men with a high BPA level had decreased testosterone levels. Another found that men with a high BPA concentration had a reversal in the ratio of testosterone to estradiol, an estrogen-related hormone. Numerous studies found that, compared to infertility patients without high BPA levels, women seeking treatment for infertility had lower estradiol levels, fewer egg cells, lower rates for the implantation of the fertilized egg, and lower pregnancy rates. Similarly, the authors wrote, studies in lab animals suggest that BPA and other phthalates can hinder the maturation of egg cells, impair the production of reproductive hormones, and alter the development of reproductive organs.

For the current analysis, the researchers studied couples who were not being treated for infertility, but who were trying to conceive a child. The researchers enrolled 501 couples from four counties in Michigan and 12 counties in Texas from 2005 to 2009. The couples were part of the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) study, established to examine the relationship between fertility and exposure to environmental chemicals and lifestyle. Previous analyses from the LIFE study found that high levels of PCBs as well as of lead and cadmium also were linked to pregnancy delay.

The women taking part in the study ranged from 18 to 44 years of age, and the men were over 18. Couples provided urine samples that were analyzed for BPA and the 14 other phthalate compounds. Women kept journals to record their monthly menstrual cycles, intercourse and the results of home pregnancy tests. The couples were followed until pregnancy or for up to one year of trying.

The researchers calculated the probability that a couple would achieve pregnancy by using a statistical measure called the fecundability odds ratio (FOR). The measure estimates couples’ probability of pregnancy each cycle, based on their urinary concentration of the compounds. A ratio less than one suggests a longer time to pregnancy, while a ratio greater than one suggests a shorter time to pregnancy.

BPA concentrations were not associated with a longer time to pregnancy However, male urinary concentrations of the three metabolites of phthalates were associated with approximately a 20 percent increase in the time it took for the couples to achieve pregnancy:

Female urinary concentrations of these three metabolites were not associated with a delay in pregnancy.

“The delays in pregnancy we saw were comparable to those seen for cigarette smoking or with obesity,” Dr. Buck Louis said.

Dr. Buck Louis added that the findings demonstrate that it’s important to study both partners when assessing the effects of environmental substances on pregnancy outcomes. If the researchers had only studied the female partners, she added, they would have missed the association between these three phthalates and a delay in the time the couples took to achieve pregnancy.

“Clearly, in studies of this kind, males matter,” she said.

According to the CDC, monomethyl pthalate is excreted in the urine of people exposed to dimethyl phthalate, which is used in manufacturing rocket propellant and consumer products such as insect repellents and plastics. Mono-n-butyl phthalate , excreted in the urine of people exposed to the dibutyl phthalates, is used as additives to personal care products such as nail products and cosmetics, and in printing inks, pharmaceutical coatings, and insecticides. Mono-n-benzyl phthalate , excreted in the urine of people exposed to benzylbutyl phthalate, is used in products such as adhesives, vinyl tile, sealants, car care products, and some personal care products. People exposed to benzylbutyl phthalate also excrete small amounts of mono-n-butyl phthalate in their urine.

The study authors noted that earlier studies had found that men with high concentrations of monomethyl phthalate had abnormalities in their semen and that men with high concentrations of mono-n-butyl phthalate had diminished sperm motility and reduced sperm count.

3/4/14 Health News: CONTROLLING SALMONELLA - Cashiers May Absorb Controversial Chemical When Handling Receipts- Pneumonia Vaccine

CONTROLLING SALMONELLA WOULD COST FARMERS

Controlling Salmonella or other pathogens would cost producers, and the cost would be expected to be transferred to processors and consumers. For animal pathogens, the USDA’s APHIS bears some of the burden and indemnifies producers for destroyed flocks. Many producers currently bear the cost of preventing animal pathogens from infecting their flocks and herds through... Continue Reading

Cashiers May Absorb Controversial Chemical When Handling Receipts

People who work a cash register all day are most likely absorbing a potentially toxic chemical from the receipts they handle, new research finds. Thermal receipt paper contains bisphenol A (BPA), which is used to prevent the color on paper from running or bleeding. Researchers discovered that people working a two-hour shift at a cash register saw their BPA levels increase three to five times from handling the receipts. Continue Reading

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Flu Hit Working-age Adults Hardest This Year

Young people and middle-aged adults were at high risk this flu season. Working-age adults accounted for 61% of influenza hospitalizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Last flu season, about 35% of flu hospitalizations were in people ages 18 to 64, CDC reported. People in that age range accounted for about 60% of flu deaths. That compared with 18%, 30% and 47% for the three previous seasons, the CDC reported. "One of the reasons flu is hitting young adults hard is such a low proportion, get the flu shot," said CDC Director Tom Frieden. "Only one-third were vaccinated." That's in contrast to a 60% vaccination rate for seniors and more than 50% for children.Continue Reading

Pfizer Pneumonia Vaccine Study Meets Clinical Objectives

Pfizer Inc. said a clinical study of its pneumonia vaccine treatment for older adults showed the immunization prevented several kinds of community-acquired pneumonia. Pfizer's Prevnar 13 is a vaccine meant to prevent pneumococcal diseases, or illnesses caused by s. pneumoniae bacteria, which occur when the bacteria enters the bloodstream or causes an infection in the lungs. The Prevnar 13 trial tested the effectiveness of the vaccine in 85,000 patients aged 65 or older against pneumonia, which Pfizer said makes it the largest double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled vaccine efficacy trial conducted in adults. The immunization was effective against the first episode of community-acquired pneumonia, or pneumonia spread from normal social contact rather than a hospital. Prevnar 13 also prevented the first episode of non-invasive community-acquired pneumonia as well as the first episode of vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease..Continue Reading