Health News:Functional human liver cells grown in the lab ♦ Cataract surgery lessens patients' dizziness ♦ Scientists 'see' detailed makeup of deadly toxin for the first time

Functional human liver cells grown in the lab A new technique for growing human hepatocytes in the laboratory has now been described by a team of researchers. This groundbreaking development could help advance a variety of liver-related research and applications, from studying drug toxicity to creating bio-artificial liver support for patients awaiting transplantations.

Immune-disorder treatment in mice holds potential for multiple sclerosis patients A simple, rapid way to treat an immune-related disorder in mice has been identified by researchers, an approach that could eventually help multiple sclerosis patients after further research.

Cataract surgery lessens patients' dizziness Older people with visual impairment can report feeling dizzy and falling. A new study found that after routine cataract surgery, the improved vision led to patients experiencing significantly less dizziness, although they did not experience fewer falls.

Scientists 'see' detailed makeup of deadly toxin for the first time An exciting advance provides hope for developing novel potential method of treating pneumococcal diseases such as bacterial pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia. A team of researchers uses a technique called X-ray crystallography to see the individual atoms of the toxin. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that more than 1.6 million people every year die from pneumococcal infections, including more than 800,000 children under 5 years old.

Cancer Research: Toxin from fish has potential to treat cancer ♦ Leukemia thwarted by cutting off link to environmental support ♦ Prostate cancer not caused by shift work,

Access denied: Leukemia thwarted by cutting off link to environmental support A protein's critical -- and previously unknown -- role in the development and progression of acute myeloid leukemia, a fast-growing and extremely difficult-to-treat blood cancer, has been revealed by researchers.

Researchers decode molecular action of combination therapy for a deadly thyroid cancer In their bid to find the best combination of therapies to treat anaplastic thyroid cancer, researchers have demonstrated that all histone deacetylase inhibitors are not created equal

Toxin from salmonid fish has potential to treat cancer Pathogenic bacteria develop killer machines that work very specifically and highly efficiently. Scientists have solved the molecular mechanism of a fish toxin that could be used in the future as a medication to treat cancer

Prostate cancer not caused by shift work, Shift work is widespread: between approximately one in five and one in six of the working population work shifts. Now new research shows, that in fact, shift workers do not develop prostate cancer more frequently than their colleagues who work during the day.

For prostate cancer patients, risk-specific therapies now more the norm After decades of over treatment for low-risk prostate cancer and inadequate management of its more aggressive forms, patients are now more likely to receive medical care matched to level of risk.

Great Britain: Vacuum packed smoked fish Recalled over Costridum botulism controls

J & K Smokery Ltd has recalled all packs of its vacuum packed smoked fish because of concerns about procedures to control Clostridium botulism. This bacterium produces a toxin that may cause a serious form of food poisoning called botulism. Although no trace of the toxin has been found in products tested, a recall from customers is being carried out as a precautionary measure.

The effectiveness of process controls that could potentially affect the safety of vacuum packed smoked fish produced by J & K Smokery Ltd, cannot be demonstrated satisfactorily.

The FSA has issued a Product Recall Information Notice.

Product details

The products being recalled are:

Product: J & K Smokery all vacuum packed smoked fish products

Pack size: all

Batch code: all

Date codes: all

Approval number: UK LO 068 EC

J & K Smokery Ltd has recalled all affected products.

The company supplies stores and mobile fish suppliers and has told all of these retail customers. A point-of-sale notice will be displayed by businesses selling the recalled products, explaining to consumers why the products have been recalled.

If you have bought any of the above products, do not consume them. Instead, return them to the store or mobile fish supplier from where they were bought for a full refund

Health News:Florida study of rare toxin carried by sport fish ♦ 44 Salmonella cases linked to frozen raw breaded chicken ♦ Targeted nanoparticles can overcome drug resistance

Florida study of rare toxin carried by sport fish underscores consumer warnings A rare toxin carried by barracuda, grouper and other locally caught sport fish sickens Floridians in greater numbers than previously believed, a new analysis suggests. Consuming the food borne toxin, called ciguatera, can result in severe nausea and vomiting and sometimes long-term tingling in the limbs or joint pain.

44  Salmonella cases in Canada linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products The Canadian government is warning consumers about the safety of breaded chicken nuggets, chicken burgers and strips after 44 people have been sickened with Salmonella.

Delivering drugs to the right place For the 12 million people worldwide who suffer from polycystic kidney disease (PKD), an inherited disorder with no known cure, a new treatment option may be on the horizon. A targeted drug delivery method has been developed that could potentially slow the progression of polycystic kidney disease

Computer simulation predicts development, progress of pressure sores A computational model that could enhance understanding, diagnosis and treatment of pressure ulcers related to spinal cord injury has been devised by investigators. The team also described results of virtual clinical trials that showed that for effective treatment of the lesions, anti-inflammatory measures had to be applied well before the earliest clinical signs of ulcer formation.

Targeted nanoparticles can overcome drug resistance in trypanosomes Sleeping sickness threatens millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is considered fatal if untreated, but treatment options are limited. Existing drugs have serious side effects, and the parasites are developing resistance. A study now reports a new way to circumvent drug resistance and lower the curative dose by delivering existing drugs directly into the parasite.

Canada: Papillon Roquefort Cheese Recalled

The food recall warning issued on June 17, 2015 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) food safety investigation.

Industry is recalling Papillon brand Roquefort Cheese from the marketplace because it may contain the toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased affected product should check with their retailer.

Recalled products

Brand Name	Common Name	Size	Code(s) on Product	UPC
Papillon	Roquefort	Variable	All codes up to and including Best Before: 2015.09.15	Variable

What you should do

Check to see if you have recalled product in your home. Recalled product should be thrown out or returned to the store where it was purchased.

Food contaminated with Staphylococcus toxin may not look or smell spoiled. The toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria is not easily destroyed at normal cooking temperatures. Common symptoms of Staphylococcal poisoning are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping and fever. In severe cases of illness, headache, muscle cramping and changes in blood pressure and pulse rate may occur.

Antibiotic Resistance Research: New strategies for stopping the spread of Staph and MRSA ♦ Physicists develop ultrasensitive nanomechanical biosenso ♦ Molecular docking site of a bacterial toxin identified

How bacteria survive antibiotics may improve treatment of infectious diseases Infectious diseases kill more people worldwide than any other single cause, but treatment often fails because a small fraction of bacterial cells can transiently survive antibiotics and recolonize the body. A study reveals that these so-called persisters form in response to adverse conditions through the action of a molecule called Obg, which plays an important role in all major cellular processes in multiple bacterial species.

New strategies for stopping the spread of Staph and MRSA Staphylococcus aureus -- better known as Staph -- is a common inhabitant of the human nose, and people who carry it are at increased risk for dangerous Staph infections. However, it may be possible to exclude these unwelcome guests using other more benign bacteria.

Molecular docking site of a bacterial toxin identified A team of pharmacologists and toxicologists have identified the molecular docking site that is responsible for the Clostridium difficile toxins being able to bind to its receptor on the membrane of the intestinal epithelium. This docking site functions like an elevator, transporting the toxins into the cell's interior.

Physicists develop ultra sensitive nano mechanical bio sensor Two young researchers have developed an ultra compact highly sensitive nano mechanical sensor for analyzing the chemical composition of substances and detecting biological objects, such as viral disease markers, which appear when the immune system responds to incurable or hard-to-cure diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and many others. The sensor will enable doctors to identify tumor markers, whose presence in the body signals the emergence and growth of cancerous tumors;

Children's Health: Blood markers predict outcome of infant heart surgery ♦ Plant toxin causes biliary atresia in animal model ♦ changes to childcare 'mandatory' sleep rules in daycare

Parents often misperceive their obese children as 'about the right weight' Although rates of childhood obesity have risen over the last several decades, a vast majority of parents perceive their kids as “about the right weight”. The authors believe it is the first study to examine the lack of change over time of parents’ perception of their preschool child’s weight.

Using fresh whole blood lowers children's' donor exposure risk in heart surgery Children who undergo heart surgery are better off receiving fresh whole blood transfusions from a single donor, rather than receiving component blood from multiple donors. Limiting donor exposures reduces the patient's' risk of complications.

Blood markers could help predict outcome of infant heart surgery It may be possible to predict an infant's progress following surgery for congenital heart disease by analysing a number of important small molecules in the blood.

New study calls for changes to childcare 'mandatory' sleep rules in daycare Findings from a new study have put to bed the idea of mandatory sleep times in licensed child care settings. The study found that children who were exposed to more than 60 minutes mandatory sleep at childcare slept worse at night which continued when they started school.

Plant toxin causes biliary atresia in animal model A new study is a classic example of how seemingly unlikely collaborators can come together to make surprising discoveries. An international team of gastroenterologists, pediatricians, natural products chemists, and veterinarians, working with zebrafish models and mouse cell cultures have discovered that a chemical found in Australian plants provides insights into the cause of a rare and debilitating disorder affecting newborns called biliary atresia, is the most common indication for a liver transplant in children.

2/28/15 Health News: Secret Treaty Leads to Food Safety Labeling Concerns ♦ NC Salmonella Outbreak ♦ Oat breakfast cereals may contain mold-related toxin ♦ Plus More

Trans-Pacific Partnership could prevent clearer food – health advocates Australia’s Pacific free-trade deal could stand in the way of clear country-of-origin labelling being considered by the Abbott government in the wake of the hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported frozen berries Continue Reading

NC SALMONELLA OUTBREAK LINKED TO RE-COOKED PULLED PORK  A Salmonella outbreak in North Carolina this past fall that sickened dozens of people has been linked to re-cooked pulled pork served at a church conference. According to news reports published Friday, the problem was probably smoked Boston butt prepared overnight by a member of the Living Word Tabernacle Church in Bessemer City, NC, and then re-cooked the... Continue Reading

Oat breakfast cereals may contain a common mold-related toxin  Oats are often touted for boosting heart health, but scientists warn that the grain and its products might need closer monitoring for potential mold contamination. They report that some oat-based breakfast cereals in the US contain a mold-related toxin called ochratoxin A that's been linked to kidney cancer in animal studies Continue Reading

Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D may control brain serotonin, affecting behavior and psychiatric disorders  Although essential marine omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D have been shown to improve cognitive function and behavior in the context of certain brain disorders, the underlying mechanism has been unclear. In a new paper, serotonin is explained as the possible missing link tying together why vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acids might ameliorate the symptoms associated with a broad array of brain disorders.Continue Reading

Adults with disabilities screened for cancer less often  Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are much less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer, research shows. "As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live longer, their risk of developing chronic conditions like cancer increases. Suboptimal screening may contribute to a greater cancer burden," Continue Reading

1/28/15 Health News: TOXIN FEARS GROW ♦ Repair damage caused by osteoarthritis ♦ New Anti-microbial coatings ♦ Fatty acids shield brain from mercury damage

AS TOXIN FEARS GROW, MORE CHINESE ARE BUYING IMPORTED RICE

Despite being the number-one producer and consumer of rice in the world, more Chinese citizens are buying rice imported from Japan and elsewhere due to fears about heavy metals and other toxins, according to Reuters. While the amount of rice imported to China from Japan in 2014 is still extremely small, it was triple the .. Continue Reading

New 'microcapsules' have potential to repair damage caused by osteoarthritis

A new ‘microcapsule’ treatment delivery method could reduce inflammation in cartilage affected by osteoarthritis and reverse damage to tissue, scientists report. Continue Reading

Anti-microbial coatings with a long-term effect for surfaces

Hygienic conditions and sterile procedures are particularly important in hospitals, kitchens and sanitary facilities, air conditioning and ventilation systems, in food preparation and in the manufacture of packaging material. In these areas, bacteria and fungus  Continue Reading

Fatty acids in fish may shield brain from mercury damage

The benefits of fish consumption on prenatal development may offset the risks associated with mercury exposure.The new study suggests that the nutrients found in fish have properties that protect the brain from the potential toxic effects of the chemical. Continue Reading

Blood vessels in older brains break down, possibly leading to Alzheimer's

Researchers used high-resolution imaging of the living human brain to show for the first time that the brain's protective blood barrier becomes leaky with age, starting at the hippocampus, a critical learning and memory center that is damaged by Alzheimer's disease.Continue Reading

12/20/14 Health News: CAMPYLOBACTER OUTBREAK BLAMED ON RAW MILK ♦ Listeria Outbreak Linked to Caramel Apples♦ Paralytic shellfish poision toxin

CAMPYLOBACTER OUTBREAK IN WI BLAMED ON RAW MILK

A state and local investigation into last September’s Campylobacter jejuni outbreak in Wisconsin ended where it began — at the Durand High School football team dinner, where raw milk from a local farm was served. After a three-month epidemiological, laboratory and environmental investigation by the Pepin County Health Department and the Wisconsin Division of Public... Continue Reading

CDC: 5 Deaths, 28 Illnesses in Multi-State Listeria Outbreak Linked to Caramel Apples

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s outbreak report posted Friday, a total of 28 people infected with the outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes and five deaths have been reported in connection with commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples. The 28 ill people included in this outbreak investigation have been reported from 10 states: Arizona (4 … continue reading

Hong Kong: Canadian live geoduck clams detected with paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 19) urged the public not to consume four consignments of live geoduck clams imported from Canada which had been detected with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin. The trade should also stop selling the product concerned. The CFS today received notification from the Canadian …continue reading

Food ingredient created that will make you feel fuller

Scientists have developed an ingredient that can be added to foods to make them more filling. In its first tests in humans, researchers found that the ingredient is effective at preventing weight gain in overweight volunteers.Continue reading

Canada:L'Alpette cheese recalled due to a toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria

Ferme Floralpe Inc. is recalling L'Alpette cheese from the marketplace because it may contain the toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name	Common Name	Size	Code(s) on Product
L'Alpette	Soft ripened sheep cheese	160 g	Lot 333 Best before: 14 10 31

This cheese was distributed in Ontario, Quebec

Check to see if you have recalled product in your home. Recalled product should be thrown out or returned to the store where it was purchased.

Food contaminated with Staphylococcus toxin may not look or smell spoiled. The toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria is not easily destroyed at normal cooking temperatures. Common symptoms of Staphylococcus poisoning are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping and fever. In severe cases of illness, headache, muscle cramping and changes in blood pressure and pulse rate may occur.

Raw Goat Milk Mild Cheddar Cheese recalled

SW Wisc Dairy Goat Products Coop of Mt Sterling, Wisc is recalling Raw Milk Mild Cheddar Cheese Lot Code 103-114 because it may be contaminated with Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O111:H8 bacteria. 

This is one of the 6 STEC strains that have been deemed to be of serious health concern as it can cause diarrheal illness, often with bloody stools, and may lead to more severe complications like Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals and can lead to severe kidney damage and even death.

This product was distributed in the Midwest and Southwest regions of the US. This product was sent through distributorship in Wisconsin and Georgia. From these two states this product was then sent to retail stores in the Midwest and Southwest.

This product was packed as an 8oz cryovac retail size piece with the code 103-114 on a sticker attached to the side of the cheese. This product is all white in appearance and has a front and back separate label. The back label is a black and white nutrition and ingredient label and the front label is a yellow and blue colored label with the Mt Sterling Coop Creamery brand name. "No illnesses have been reported to date."

The recall was initiated after a case of two five pound loafs in the original packaging was collected on 7-8—14 from an offsite warehouse. The product sample tested positive for Shiga toxin 1and was contaminated with E. coli O111:H8.

Consumers who may have purchased this product with the code date listed are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-608-734-3151.

4/26/14 Health News: Myths About Food Safety That Can Cost Your Life ♦ Who's Protecting Whom From Deadly Toxin? ♦ Sniffing Out Infection: Smell Test Speedier Than Urinalysis

Shocking Myths About Food Safety That Can Cost Your Life

There are 48 million new cases of foodborne illnesses every year in the United States. What's going on? Why are there so many cases of food poisoning each year? One cause is that people believe 'myths' about food poisoning that in reality hold no value Continue Reading

Who's Protecting Whom From Deadly Toxin?

Questions are swirling around a science journal's decision last year to publish a description of a newly discovered botulinum toxin while omitting key genetic details that researchers would normally disclose. The unusual case highlights important unresolved issues in how to balance scientific openness with the worry that biological information could potentially be misused. Continue Reading

Sniffing Out Infection: Smell Test Speedier Than Urinalysis

An "electronic nose" can sniff the difference between healthy urine specimens and those infected with Escherichia coli, according to a pilot study. "The electronic nose can identify not just the organism but the particular strain of organism. It has a specificity of almost 100%, which is very encouraging," said Emmanuel Johnson, MD, from the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust in the United Kingdom.

"We started with E coli because 80% of urinary tract infections in the community and 50% in hospitals are from E coli, but the potential is limitless," Dr. Johnson told Medscape Medical News. The results of the pilot study were presented here at the European Association of Urology (EAU) 29th Annual Congress. Continue Reading

Anchovy or Sardines, or Crab taken from Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties California May Contain Toxins

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat commercially or recreationally caught anchovy or sardines, or the internal organs of commercially or recreationally caught crab taken from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been detected in some of these species and could be present in other species. Anchovy and sardines are of concern because the toxin resides in their digestive tracks. These fish are not usually gutted before they are eaten. CDPH is working with commercial fishermen in the area to ensure that recently caught sardines, anchovies and crab were not distributed into the human food supply.

This health advisory is in addition to the April 4 warning not to eat recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, clams or whole scallops) from Monterey or Santa Cruz counties due to dangerous levels of domoic acid in mussel samples.

That warning does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

CDPH continues to collect bivalve shellfish, fin fish and crab samples from the area to monitor the level of domoic acid in seafood. There have no reported illnesses associated with this event.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma or death.

To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH’s toll-free “Shellfish Information Line” at (800) 553-4133. For additional information visit CDPH’s Natural Marine Toxins: PSP and Domoic Acid Web page.or Contact: Anita Gore, Heather Bourbeau (916) 440-7259

Mussels,Cams or Scallops from Monterey or Santa Cruz Counties Contain Toxin

CDPH Warns Consumers Not to Eat Sport-Harvested Bivalve Shellfish from Monterey or Santa Cruz Counties

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning consumers not to eat recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, clams or whole scallops) from Monterey or Santa Cruz counties due to dangerous levels of a naturally occurring toxin that can cause illness or death.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been detected in mussels from this region. This toxin, also known as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP), can cause illness or death in humans. No cases of human poisoning from domoic acid are known to have occurred in California.

This warning does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short term memory, coma or death.

To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH’s toll-free “Shellfish Information Line” at (800) 553-4133. For additional information visit CDPH’s Natural Marine Toxins: PSP and Domoic Acid Web page  or Contact: Anita Gore, Heather Bourbeau (916) 440-7259

4/5/14 health News: Transfusion Linked to Infection Risk ♦ SHELLFISH CONTAIN DANGEROUS TOXIN LEVELS ♦ Official Food Poisoning Numbers are Dramatically Below Estimates

RECREATIONALLY HARVESTED SHELLFISH FROM TWO CA COUNTIES CONTAIN DANGEROUS TOXIN LEVELS

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning consumers not to eat recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, clams or whole scallops) from Monterey or Santa Cruz counties due to dangerous levels of a naturally occurring toxin that can cause illness or death. Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been detected in mussels... Continue Reading

CASE COUNTS: WHY OFFICIAL NUMBERS FALL FAR BELOW ESTIMATES

When news broke this past fall of two separate Salmonella outbreaks tied to Foster Farms chicken, one of the most noteworthy aspects of each outbreak was the number of patients sickened. To date, the outbreaks have been connected to 615 reported Salmonella infections altogether, making Foster Farms chicken the largest known source of foodborne Salmonella... Continue Reading

Transfusion Strategy Linked to Infection Risk

A restrictive approach to red blood cell transfusion is safer for many patients than a more liberal strategy, researchers reported. In a meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials, the risk of serious nosocomial infection was cut 18% among patients whose doctors ordered a transfusion at a lower hemoglobin level, compared with those whose caregivers used a higher cutoff,  Widespread use of more restrictive transfusion strategies might help reduce the rate of healthcare-associated infections in hospitals, Continue Reading