1/29/15 Health News: Measles outbreak up to 87 cases ♦ Pasture feeding improves nutritional of red meat ♦ Salt and hypertension ♦ Malignant melanoma

California measles outbreak is up to 87 cases in 7 states, Mexico

Officials have now confirmed at least 87 cases of measles in seven states and Mexico, as the outbreak centered in California continues to spread.Continue Reading

Arizona measles outbreak reaches ‘critical point’.

Two additional cases of measles were confirmed in Arizona January 27 and public health officials warned that one of the confirmed cases may have exposed as many as 195 children to the disease at the Phoenix Children’s East Valley Center. Continue Reading

Pasture feeding may improve nutritional benefits of red meat

Pasture-fed lamb meat is high in polyunsaturated fat due to the specific plant species consumed, indicating that it may be better for your health. Continue Reading

Can coffee protect against malignant melanoma?

Both epidemiological and preclinical studies have suggested that coffee consumption has a protective effect against non-melanoma skin cancers. However the protective effect for cutaneous melanoma is less clear, according to a new study. Continue Reading

Blame it on your brain: Salt and hypertension

Excessive salt intake "reprograms" the brain, interfering with a natural safety mechanism that normally prevents the body's arterial blood pressure from rising, Continue Reading

1/13/15 Health News AMINO ACID CURTAILS E. COLI O157 ♦ Nanotechnology guides cancer surgery ♦ FDA label likely prevents use of metformin

RESEARCH: AMINO ACID AFFECTS E. COLI O157 BEHAVIOR

New research suggests that an amino acid is what affects the behavior of E. coli O157. A University of Glasgow team analyzed the genome sequence of 1,500 strains of E. coli to see how the genes of the pathogen respond to different concentrations of D-Serine, an amino acid produced in the brain, where it plays... Continue Reading

Glowing' new nanotechnology guides cancer surgery, also kills remaining malignant cells

A new way to selectively insert compounds into cancer cells has been developed by scientists -- a system that will help surgeons identify malignant tissues and then, in combination with phototherapy, kill any remaining cancer cells after a tumor is removed. Ultimately, it could make cancer surgery far more effective. Continue Reading

Ouch! When teeth and hands connect, bites may be beastly

Hand injuries are frequently caused by human and animal bites, prompting as many as 330,000 emergency department visits in the United States each year. A literature review outlines the potential complications of human and animal bites to the hand, the importance of early injury assessment, and the use of antibiotic and other treatment methods to avoid infection, permanent disability, and amputation. Continue Reading

Overly conservative FDA label likely prevents use of metformin in many type 2 diabetics, experts say

Many patients with type 2 diabetes in the United States may be discouraged from taking metformin--a proven, oral diabetes medicine--because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration inappropriately labels the drug unsafe for some patients also suffering from kidney problems, researchers report  Continue Reading