Health News: Feared salmon virus arrived in BC waters ♦ Higher risk of leukemia linked to low sunlight, vitamin D ♦ .Flu virus hijacking tactics revealed

Feared salmon virus arrived in BC waters The European variant of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) was said to have arrived in British Columbia almost five years ago, but then the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it was not so after testing two suspect salmon. That was in 2011. But if British Columbia was ISAV-free then, it almost certainly is not now.

.Flu virus hijacking tactics revealed paving way for new treatments Scientists have discovered how flu viruses 'hijack' cell machinery when they infect the body. The findings may pave the way for more effective antiviral treatments for pandemics and for seasonal flu, which infects over 800 million people worldwide every year.

Higher risk of leukemia linked to low sunlight, vitamin D Persons residing at higher latitudes, with lower sunlight/ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure and greater prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, are at least two times at greater risk of developing leukemia than equatorial populations.

Cancer drug shows promise for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy A drug commonly used to treat leukemia is showing potential as a treatment that could slow the progression of the muscle-wasting condition, Duchenne

Weight Loss Research: Eating healthy or feeling empty? ♦ Vitamin D levels linked to weight-loss surgery outcomes ♦ Let hunger be your guide

Mothers should be cautious when discussing weight with daughters How should a concerned mother discuss issues of diet and weight with her daughter? Very carefully

Vitamin D levels linked to weight-loss surgery outcomes Low levels of vitamin D have long been identified as an unwanted hallmark of weight loss surgery, but new findings from a study of more than 930,000 patient records add to evidence that seasonal sun exposure -- a key factor in the body's natural ability to make the "sunshine vitamin" -- plays a substantial role in how well people do after such operations.

Let hunger be your guide The tendency of today's consumers to eat when they are not hungry might be less advantageous for health than eating when they are hungry.

Eating healthy or feeling empty? Eating too much is typically considered one of the prime culprits of obesity. Now a new study has looked specifically at over consumption of 'healthy' foods which consumers often perceive as less filling

Health Research: Quality Control for portable, rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing ♦ Obesity more dangerous than lack of fitness ♦ Large proportion of IBS sufferers are vitamin D deficient

NanoOK: Quality Control for portable, rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing Scientists have been putting Oxford Nanopore's MinION sequencer through its paces with an open-source, sequence alignment-based genome analysis tool called 'NanoOK.'

Email between patients, physicians improves health A third of patients with chronic conditions who exchanged secure emails with their doctors said that these communications improved their overall health.

Large proportion of IBS sufferers are vitamin D deficient A large proportion of people living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are vitamin D deficient, a new study has found. The British study, which is the first of its kind, found that out of 51 IBS patients tested 82 per cent exhibited insufficient vitamin D levels.

Obesity more dangerous than lack of fitness A new study has dismissed the concept of 'fat but fit.' In contrast, the results from the new study suggest that the protective effects of high fitness against early death are reduced in obese people.

Multiple Vitamin recalled because of fear of vitamin D toxicity

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting healthcare professionals and patients of a voluntary recall of compounded multivitamin capsules containing high amounts of Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol), distributed nationwide by Glades Drugs in Pahokee, Florida. FDA has received reports of several adverse events potentially associated with these compounded capsules made by Glades Drugs.

Consumption of this product may result in vitamin D toxicity, which may be severe and may lead to life-threatening outcomes if left untreated. Patients suffering adverse effects from high Vitamin D levels (Cholecalciferol) may not initially show symptoms. Therefore, patients who have received these compounded capsules should stop taking this medication and immediately seek medical attention.

Symptoms of short-term vitamin D toxicity are due to high calcium levels (also known as hypercalcemia) and include confusion, increased urination, increased thirst, loss of appetite, vomiting, and muscle weakness. Acute hypercalcemia may intensify tendencies for heart arrhythmias and seizures and may increase the effects of certain heart drugs. Long-term toxicity may cause kidney failure, increase in calcium deposits in the blood and soft tissue, bone demineralization and pain. Patients with conditions such as liver disease or chronic kidney failure may be at increased risk for developing vitamin D toxicity.

Health care providers should quarantine and return any products subject to this recall to the company at: Glades Drugs, 109 S. Lake Ave., Pahokee, FL 33476. Glades Drugs sent recall letters to patients, attempted to contact them by phone, and called prescribing physicians.

FDA encourages health care professionals and patients to report adverse reactions to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program:

• Complete and submit the report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm; or
• Download and complete the form, then submit it via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178.

Health Research: Vitamin D does not reduce colds in asthma patients ♦ Myths about surrogacy ♦ Inflammation linked to weakened reward circuits in depression

Majority of car-pedestrian deaths happen to those in wheelchairs, often at intersections An investigation into how often wheelchair users are killed in car-pedestrian crashes finds they are a third more likely to die than non-wheelchair users; more than half of those deaths occur at intersections

Inflammation linked to weakened reward circuits in depression Persistent inflammation affects the brain in ways that are connected with stubborn symptoms of depression, such as anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure. The findings bolster the case that the high-inflammation form of depression is distinct, and are guiding researchers' plans to test treatments tailored for it.

Vitamin D does not reduce colds in asthma a patients Vitamin D supplements do not reduce the number or severity of colds in asthma patients, according to a new study. The findings surprised the researchers who had previously published research showing a 40 percent reduction in asthma exacerbations in patients with a vitamin D deficiency who achieved normal levels of the vitamin with supplements. Because colds often trigger exacerbations, they hypothesized that vitamin D supplementation would reduce colds and cold severity.

Landmark report exposes myths about surrogacy in the United Kingdom It is a myth that a high proportion of potential parents from the UK go overseas if they need to use surrogacy, a new report concludes. The landmark report is the first of its kind, and provides an unprecedented insight into how surrogacy is practised in the UK, dispelling a number of pervasive myths that have informed recent debate on the issue.

Cardiovascular Research:Specific Vitamin D levels linked to heart problems ♦ Poor air quality increases patients' risk of heart attack ♦ Moving to a walking neighborhood is good for your blood pressure

Poor air quality increases patients' risk of heart attack

People with heart disease face an increased risk of a serious heart attack during poor air quality days.

New Milestone in Cardiovascular Disease Management for People with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Cardiovascular disease deaths are declining in people who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after the year 2000, according to new research. This decline is found when compared to people diagnosed with RA in previous decades as well as when compared to people without the disease – signifying an encouraging milestone.

Specific vitamin D levels linked to heart problems

A lack of vitamin D can result in weak bones. Recent studies also show that vitamin D deficiency is linked to more serious health risks such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

Moving to a walking neighborhood is good for your blood pressure

People who moved from a neighborhood that required a vehicle to run errands to one that made walking-errands convenient were significantly less likely to have high blood pressure than people who moved from one low-walkability neighborhood to another low-walkability neighborhood. Specifically, people who moved to a highly walkable neighborhood had a 54 percent lower risk of high blood pressure than those who moved to a more car-dependent neighborhood over 10 years of follow up

Food Research: Diet lacking soluble fiber promotes weight gain, mouse ♦ Vitamin D pill a day may improve exercise performance and lower risk of heart disease

Diet lacking soluble fiber promotes weight gain, mouse A new study highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in maintaining intestinal and metabolic health and suggests that eating more foods high in soluble fiber may help prevent metabolic disease and obesity.

Vitamin D pill a day may improve exercise performance and lower risk of heart disease Taking vitamin D supplements can improve exercise performance and lower the risk of heart disease.

Obese people need more vitamin E, but actually get less Obese people with metabolic syndrome face an unexpected quandary when it comes to vitamin E -- they need more than normal levels of the vitamin because their weight and other problems are causing increased oxidative stress, but those same problems actually cause their effective use of vitamin E to be reduced.

Even a little is too much: One junk food snack triggers signals of metabolic disease We hate to ruin Thanksgiving, but a new report suggests that for some people, overindulgence at the dinner table or at snack time is enough to trigger signs of metabolic disease

Women's Health: Obese pregnant women who lose weight have healthier newborns ♦ Increasing vitamin D supplementation in elderly women ♦ Substantial differences in obstetric care for First Nations women in Canada

Obese pregnant women who lose weight save money, have healthier newborns, Severely obese women who maintained or lost weight during pregnancy had healthier babies and lower healthcare costs. The work compared 82 severely obese pregnant women with 85 healthy weight women. The obese mothers experienced more medical problems during pregnancy, higher medical costs and longer lengths of hospital stay. Twenty-six percent of the obese mothers maintained or lost weight during pregnancy.

Exercise Could Provide a Margin of Safety for Women Who Want to Delay Preventive Mastectomy, Penn Study Shows Regular physical activity could play a role in helping women at high-risk of breast cancer delay the need for drastic preventive measures such as prophylactic mastectomy. Results of the study help clarify the emerging connection between exercise and breast cancer risk. The authors suggest that women who have an elevated breast cancer risk or worry about having such risk should consider doing 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity per day for five days per week.

Increasing vitamin D supplementation in elderly women Elderly women should take in more vitamin D than previously recommended during the winter months.

Substantial differences in obstetric care for First Nations women in Canada There are substantial differences in obstetric care provided to First Nations women compared with women in the general population, and these differences may contribute to higher infant mortality in First Nations populations.

Health Research: Smokers at higher risk of losing their teeth ♦ Long sleep and high blood copper levels go hand in hand ♦ Social factors may impact young leukemia patients' survival

Low vitamin D among elderly associated with decline in cognition, dementia Vitamin D insufficiency among the elderly is highly correlated with accelerated cognitive decline and impaired performance, particularly in domains such as memory loss that are associated with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, researchers have found.

Smokers at higher risk of losing their teeth, Regular smokers have a significantly increased risk of tooth loss, a new study has confirmed. Male smokers are up to 3.6 times more likely to lose their teeth than non-smokers, whereas female smokers were found to be 2.5 times more likely.

Long sleep and high blood copper levels go hand in hand People who sleep fewer than 6 hours or more than 10 hours per night suffer from low-grade inflammation more often than people who sleep 7-8 hours per night. Earlier studies have found a relation between reduced sleep and low-grade inflammation, according to one of the study researchers. Furthermore, low-grade inflammation occurs in overweight, depression and diabetes. This new study is the first to analyze the association between sleep duration and serum micronutrient concentrations in a large sample, and it found a link between high serum copper concentration and long sleep duration.

Social factors may impact young leukemia patients' survival A new study reveals that insurance status, marital status, and county-level income may affect the chances of survival in young patients with acute myelogenous leukemia

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Health Research: Key mechanism that causes neuropathic pain found ♦ Marijuana users substitute alcohol at 21 ♦ Higher vitamin D doses needed to restore healthy levels in overweight blacks

Marijuana users substitute alcohol at 21 A recent study looked at marijuana and alcohol use in people between the ages of 18 and 24. It's probably not surprising that the results show a drastic increase in alcohol consumption in people just over 21; after all, that's the minimum legal age to drink. What an economist-researcher found remarkable is that, at the same age, there was an equally dramatic drop in marijuana use.

Age-related self-destruction of cells makes kidney prone to injury As advances in medicine allow individuals to live longer, people are facing unique age-related health challenges. As they age, organs such as the kidneys become more susceptible to injury, and their ability to self-repair is decreased. Researchers have found a cellular signal that causes kidney cells to die, making the kidneys prone to injury.

Higher vitamin D doses may be needed to restore healthy levels in overweight blacks The current recommended minimum daily dose of vitamin D is not sufficient to restore healthy vitamin D levels in overweight or obese black.

Life expectancy substantially lower with combination of diabetes, stroke or heart attack In an analysis that included nearly 1.2 million participants and more than 135,000 deaths, mortality associated with a history of diabetes, stroke or heart attack was similar for each condition, and the risk of death increased substantially with each additional condition a patient had.

Key mechanism that causes neuropathic pain found A biological process called endoplasmic reticulum stress appears to play a key role in causing neuropathic pain, according to a new study. The discovery could eventually lead to new therapeutics for controlling chronic pain associated with trauma, diabetes, shingles, multiple sclerosis or other conditions that cause nerve damage

Weight Loss Research: Weight loss, combined with vitamin D, reduces cancer ♦ To shed weight, go vegan ♦ What effect does marijuana really have on weight gain?

Weight loss, combined with vitamin D, reduces inflammation linked to cancer, chronic disease For the first time, researchers have found that weight loss, in combination with vitamin D supplementation, has a greater effect on reducing chronic inflammation than weight loss alone. Chronic inflammation is known to contribute to the development and progression of several diseases, including some cancers.

Want to be seen as more loving and a better cook? Do you want to be seen as a better cook and a more loving parent? It's as easy as serving a vegetable at dinner, according to recent research. Families are most likely to consume vegetables at dinner time, yet only about 23% of dinners contain a full serving of vegetables..

Online computer game can help shed weight, reduce food intake A simple new computerized game could help people control their snacking impulses and lose weight. Psychologists report that participants lost an average of 0.7kg and consumed around 220 fewer calories a day whilst undergoing the week of training

To shed weight, go vegan People on a vegetarian diet, and especially those following a vegan one that includes no animal products, see better results than dieters on other weight-reducing plans. In fact, they can lose around two kilograms more on the short term.

What effect does marijuana really have on weight gain? While cannabis alters the functions of neurobiological circuits controlling appetite, its effect on weight gain is complex since several factors appear to be involved. The main finding of the study shows that long-term cannabis use indeed influences weight gain, although its effects may differ by gender.

Health News: FDA rejects snack foods from India for contaminants ♦ Legalizing medical marijuana does not increase use among adolescents ♦ Vitamin D status related to immune response to HIV-1

FDA  rejects several snack foods from India for contaminants The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected a number of snack imports made by Indian company Haldiram Snacks for concerns over high levels of pesticides, mold and bacteria. The move comes as global food corporation Nestlé has been subjected to a nationwide ban in India of its Maggi noodles that have allegedly tested for high levels

Legalizing medical marijuana does not increase use among adolescents Nationwide study analyzing 24 years of data (1991 to 2014) from over one million American adolescents in the 48 contiguous states has found no evidence that legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes leads to increased use among teenagers.

Personal experience a major driver in decision for or against flu vaccination Convincing someone to receive the annual flu vaccine goes beyond clever messaging and well-written public service announcements, research finds. A study outlines both the barriers and facilitators that motivate people in their flu vaccine decisions.

More dialysis patients living in poor neighborhoods The percentage of adults beginning kidney dialysis who lived in zip codes with high poverty rates increased from 27.4 percent during the 1995-2004 time period to 34 percent in 2005-2010.

Vitamin D status related to immune response to HIV-1 Vitamin D plays an important part in the human immune response and deficiency can leave individuals less able to fight infections like HIV-1. Now an international team of researchers has found that high-dose vitamin D supplementation can reverse the deficiency and also improve immune response

Health Research: How to manage pain in the ER: Ask the patient ♦ Study may help to find vets with high-risk of suicide ♦ Vitamin D shows promise for treating Crohn's disease

Winner doesn't always take all Theoretically predicted and now demonstrated experimentally for the first time using soil bacteria: weaker organisms can prevail against stronger ones -- if they are superior in number. This acts as a driving mechanism in the maintenance of genetic diversity, scientists report.

Gene modulation method may provide insight on regrowing inner-ear sensory hair cells An expert in the biology and physiology of the inner ear has developed a method to temporally modify the expression of the retinoblastoma-1 gene in mice. Modulation of the RB1 gene can allow for the regrowth of cells in the inner ear and potentially restore hearing and balance caused by the loss of sensory hair cells.

Vitamin D shows promise for treating Crohn's disease New research suggests that supplementation with vitamin D may impact on the intestinal barrier dysfunction associated with Crohn's disease, and could have a role in the treatment of the condition.

How to manage pain in the ER: Ask the patient Simply asking the question, 'Do you want more pain medication?' resulted in satisfactory pain control in 99 percent of emergency department patients participating in a study of a new evidence-based protocol to treat acute, severe pain in emergency department patients.

Study may help to find vets with high-risk of suicide Veterans Affairs health data has been used to identify very small groups of patients with very high, predicted suicide risk -- most of the individuals had not been identified for suicide risk by clinicians. Such methods can help the Veterans Health Administration to target suicide prevention efforts for patients at high risk, and may have more wide-ranging benefits.

Prenatal Research: Prenatal exercise lowers risks of C-sections ♦ Sunshine alone not enough for vitamin D ♦ Maternal obesity compromises baby's' immune system

Prenatal exercise lowers risks of C-sections, higher birth weights Pregnant women who exercise can significantly lower the risk of undergoing cesarean sections and giving birth to large babies. Prenatal exercise has been suggested to be a means to prevent childhood obesity through a "normalization" in birth weight

Sunshine alone not enough for vitamin D during pregnancy Despite high levels of sunshine, low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy are common in Mediterranean women. This finding should help lower the prevalence of early childhood diseases associated with Vitamin D deficiency such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, disorders in bone formation, higher risk of emergency caesarean delivery and premature birth.

Maternal obesity compromises baby's' immune system at time of birth Maternal obesity is linked to several adverse health outcomes for the infant that can persist into adulthood. But when does the immune system of babies born to obese mothers get compromised? Very early in the baby's life, according to a study. The research team analyzed umbilical cord blood samples of infants born to lean, overweight and obese mothers, and found that pre-pregnancy maternal weight has a significant impact on the neonate's immune system.

Changes in placentas protective ability during pregnancy linked to transporter proteins An important function of the human placenta is to protect the fetus from detrimental substances in maternal blood, such as glucocorticoids or toxins. Placental membrane-bound transporter proteins, known as multidrug resistance proteins, protect the fetus by returning unwanted materials to the maternal circulation. A study now reports that bacterial and viral infections differentially influence these transporter proteins in early and late pregnancy, suggesting potential mechanisms underlying infection-related pregnancy complications such as preterm birth and fetal brain damage.

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Health Research: Light, not pain-killing drugs, used to activate brain's opioid receptors ♦ First embryonic stem cell therapy safety trial ♦ Vital step in stem cell growth revealed

Vitamin D toxicity rare in people who take supplements Americans have low vitamin D levels and as a result vitamin D supplement use has climbed in recent years. Vitamin D has been shown to boost bone health and it may play a role in preventing diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses. In light of the increased use of vitamin D supplements, researchers set out to learn more about the health of those with high vitamin D levels. They found that toxic levels are actually rare

First embryonic stem cell therapy safety trial in Asian patients A clinical trial for patients with degenerative eye diseases is the first to test the safety of an embryonic stem cell therapy for people of Asian descent. The study, which followed four individuals for a year after they were treated with embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells for macular degeneration, observed no serious side effects related to the therapy.

Light -- not pain-killing drugs -- used to activate brain's opioid receptors Neuroscientists have attached the light-sensing protein rhodopsin to opioid receptor parts to activate the receptor pathways using light from a laser fiber-optic device. When an opioid receptor is exposed to a pain-killing drug, it initiates activity in specific chemical pathways in the brain and spinal cord. And when the researchers shone light on the receptors that contained rhodopsin, the same cellular pathways were activated. Neurons in that part of the brain release chemicals such as dopamine that create feelings of euphoria

Vital step in stem cell growth revealed Stem cells, which have the potential to turn into any kind of cell, offer the tantalizing possibility of generating new tissues for organ replacements, stroke victims and patients of many other diseases. Now, scientist have uncovered details about stem cell growth that could help improve regenerative therapies.

How Vitamin D May Affect Heart Disease, Diabetes

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Chronic inflammation plays a role in both of these diseases, and most immune cells have receptors for vitamin D. Binding of vitamin D to its receptor regulates many key processes inside cells. However, the mechanisms connecting activation of the immune system with these diseases aren’t well understood.

Macrophages and their precursors, monocytes, are types of white blood cells that help the body fight off invading microbes. Image credit: Purestock/Thinkstock.

Heart disease stems from atherosclerosis, which occurs when a substance called plaque builds up inside blood vessels. Plaque consists of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other materials found in the blood. Over time, the buildup can cause hardening and narrowing of arteries and can lead to coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Type 2 diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body produces insulin but isn’t able to use it effectively. As a result, glucose builds up in blood and may ultimately damage nerves, blood vessels, and other body parts.

A team of researchers led by Dr. Carlos Bernal-Mizrachi at Washington University School of Medicine set out to examine the connections among vitamin D, immune function, atherosclerosis, and insulin resistance. They genetically altered mice to lack vitamin D receptors in 2 types of inflammation-related immune cells: monocytes and macrophages. Without these receptors, the cells couldn’t respond to vitamin D. The study was supported in part by NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Results appeared on March 24, 2015, in Cell Reports.

Both types of mice developed insulin resistance. Macrophages accumulated in the liver, which made excess glucose. The engineered mice also developed atherosclerosis that was spurred by monocytes lacking vitamin D receptors. The monocytes became filled with cholesterol and carried the cholesterol to plaques. This process of atherosclerosis is different from that involving LDL cholesterol.

When the researchers added normal immune cells back into the engineered mice, their insulin sensitivity improved and atherosclerosis declined. This finding showed that vitamin D pathways in immune cells play a key role in chronic inflammation that, in turn, affects development of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis.

“Inactivation of the vitamin D receptor induced diabetes and atherosclerosis, so normalizing vitamin D levels may have the opposite effect,” Bernal-Mizrachi says. “The identification of monocyte cholesterol transport as a mechanism for atherosclerosis in our animal model opens up a new area of research that could identify novel therapies for heart disease.”

The group is now conducting clinical trials in people with type 2 diabetes to see whether vitamin D treatment can prevent some of the complications of diabetes and inflammation.

—by Carol Torgan, Ph.D.

Health Research: College athletes may have low vitamin D levels ♦ C. difficile doubles hospital readmission rates♦ Mutation explain why flu can kill + more

More than one-third of Division I college athletes may have low vitamin D levels A new study found that more than one-third of elite, Division I college athletes may have low levels of vitamin D, which is critical in helping the body to absorb calcium needed to maintain bone mass, and to minimize injury risk.

C. difficile doubles hospital readmission rates, Patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) are twice as likely to be readmitted to the hospital as patients without the deadly diarrheal infection, according to a new study.

Fracture liaison services prevent fractures and save lives Using a simulation model, researchers have shown that the implementation of Fracture Liaison Services could considerably reduce the human associated with osteoporotic fractures.

What to do with kidneys from older deceased donors? For older patients in need of a kidney transplant, rapid transplantation from an older deceased donor is superior to delayed transplantation from a younger donor. Kidneys from older donors do not have sufficient longevity to provide younger patients with a lifetime of kidney function, but they do have sufficient longevity to provide older patients

Genetic mutation helps explain why, in rare cases, flu can kill A small number of children who catch the influenza virus fall so ill they end up in the hospital even while their family and friends recover easily. New research helps explain why: a rare genetic mutation that prevents the production of a critical protein, interferon, that is needed to fight off the virus.

Heart Research: Vitamin D clogged arteries ♦ Number of births may affect mom's future heart health ♦ Spontaneous coronary artery disease inherited

Vitamin D prevents diabetes and clogged arteries in mice   Vitamin D deficiency is linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and both disorders are rooted in chronic inflammation. Now, studying mice that lack the ability to process vitamin D in immune cells involved in inflammation, researchers found that the animals made excess glucose, Continue Reading

Number of births may affect mom's future heart health, Women who give birth to four or more children are more likely to have cardiovascular changes that can be early indicators of heart disease than women who have fewer children, Continue Reading

Spontaneous coronary artery disease inherited  A familial association in spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a type of heart attack that most commonly affects younger women, has been identified by researchers, suggesting a genetic predisposition to the condition. Continue Reading

Study adds evidence on link between PTSD, heart disease  In a study of more than 8,000 veterans in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, those with posttraumatic stress disorder had a nearly 50 percent greater risk of developing heart failure. Copntinue Reading

How the Human Immune System Keeps TB at Bay  A new tissue culture model using human white blood cells shows how people with a latent -- or symptom-free -- tuberculosis infection are protected from active disease by a critical early step in their immune response, researchers say.Continue Reading

Health News: Opossum-based antidote could save thousands of lives ♦ Fruit likely caused listeria ♦ Vitamin D helps immune cells prevent atherosclerosis, diabetes + more

CDC:Recalled fruit likely caused listeria cases last summer  This past summer, consumers were confronted with a series of recalls of peaches, nectarines, plums, pluots and other stone fruits potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The fruit, sourced from Wawona Packing Co., was recalled from major retailers such as ALDI, Trader Joe’s, Costco, Kroger and Walmart.. Continue Reading

Being near greened vacant lots lowers heart rates  Greening vacant lots may be associated with biologic reductions in stress, according to a new study. Residents who walked near newly greened vacant lots had significantly lower heart rates compared to walking near a blighted, or neglect Continue Reading

Vitamin D helps immune cells prevent atherosclerosis, diabetes Altered signaling through the vitamin D receptor on certain immune cells may play a role in causing the chronic inflammation that leads to the combination of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These are the most common cause of illness and death Continue Reading

Opossum-based antidote to venom from snake bites could save thousands of lives Scientists have turned to the opossum to develop a promising new and inexpensive antidote for venomous snake bites. They predict it could save thousands of lives worldwide without the side effects of current treatments. Continue Reading

Total body iron balance: Liver MRI better than biopsy  Investigators have demonstrated that MR imaging of the liver is more accurate than liver biopsy in determining total body iron balance in patients with sickle cell disease and other disorders requiring blood transfusion therapy. This discovery follows the researchers earlier work in pioneering techniques to use MRI to noninvasively measure liver iron. Continue Reading

Cancer Research: Beating deadly hereditary stomach, breast cancers ♦ Evolution of high-risk leukemia ♦ Kidney cancer detected early with urine test + more

Bright new hope for beating deadly hereditary stomach, breast cancers  Deadly familial stomach and lobular breast cancers could be successfully treated at their earliest stages, or even prevented, by existing drugs that have been newly identified by cancer genetics researchers. Continue Reading

Scientists trace genomic evolution of high-risk leukemia  By genomic sequencing of leukemia cells from relapsed patients at different stages, scientists have discovered key details of how acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells mutate to survive chemotherapy.Continue Reading

Kidney cancer detected early with urine test  If kidney cancer is diagnosed early -- before it spreads beyond the kidney -- 80 percent of patients survive. However, finding it early has been among the disease's greatest challenges. Now, researchers have developed a noninvasive method to screen for kidney cancer that involves measuring the presence of proteins in the urine.Continue Reading

Vitamin D may keep low-grade prostate cancer from becoming aggressive  Taking vitamin D supplements could slow or even reverse the progression of less aggressive, or low-grade, prostate tumors without the need for surgery or radiation, scientists say Continue Reading

Regaining normal sexual functioning is 'rare' after prostate operations  Regaining normal erectile function is rare after the most common prostate operation, radical prostatectomy  Continue reading