Lab Notes - Today's Essential Health News from CalorieLab

Recall of Bagged Salad Expands Nationwide

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:15:52 -0700

River Ranch Fresh Foods, CA, expanded its recent voluntary recall of bagged salads to the entire country after Listeria bacteria had been detected in a routine sampling. The recall initially included lettuce shipped to CA and CO. The salads are sold under the names Cross Valley, Farm Stand, The Farmer’s Market, Fresh n Easy, Hy-Vee, Marketside, Promark, River Ranch, Shurfresh and Sysco. The recalled bags have “best by” dates between 5/12 and 5/29 or Julian dates of 118 and 125. Listeria, which was found in cantaloupes last year, killed 30 people. Symptoms include fever, headache, diarrhea and convulsions. Listeria is not killed by refrigeration and symptoms may appear weeks after the contaminated food has been eaten. Consumers should contact River Ranch at 1-800-762-7708 with questions. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Teen Invents Game-Changing Cancer Test

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:49:49 -0700

If the recent Lab Notes post about Mallory Kievman, the 13-year-old inventor of hiccup-quelling Hiccupops, left you unimpressed, say hello to Jack Andraka of Maryland. His invention of a dip-stick sensor chemically derived from the test paper used to diagnose diabetes has proven to be a breakthrough event in the detection of early-stage pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms. Its accuracy rate is better than 90 percent, and it's 28 times as fast, 28 times cheaper, and literally a hundred times more sensitive than the diagnostic tests used at present. He's already received the $75,000 first-place award at this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Jack Andraka is 15 years old. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

The Pill and HRT Tied to GI Diseases

Mon, 21 May 2012 21:03:07 -0700

Results from two studies found that younger women on the pill tripled their risk of Crohn’s disease and post-menopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy were 1.7 times more likely to develop ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease results when the lining of the small and/or large intestines becomes inflamed to the point of bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is inflammation of the colon or rectum can lead to diarrhea, abdominal cramps and bleeding of the rectum. Researchers stressed that these studies did not show a cause-and-effect relationship, but the strong association of Crohn’s and the pill do concern them, especially in young women with a family history of the disease. Previous animal studies have demonstrated that estrogen makes the colon more susceptible to inflammation. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

CDC Says Boomers Should Be Tested for Hep C

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:52:19 -0700

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that baby boomers, those born 1945-1965, be tested for hepatitis C, saying that this could save 120,000+ lives. "The CDC views hepatitis C as an unrecognized health crisis for the country and we believe the time is now for a bold response," says Dr. John W. Ward, CDC. The CDC’s push for wider testing is due in part to a 50% increase in the number of Americans dying from hepatitis C-related diseases. In addition, two new drugs were introduced in the past year that show promise in curing many cases that were previously thought incurable. Each year there are about 17000 new infections of the disease which is commonly spread through sharing needles used to inject drugs. The new recommendation is due to become final later in the year. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Moderate Weight Loss Lowers Sex Hormones

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:01:28 -0700

Overweight or obese postmenopausal women who aren't taking hormone-replacement therapy may be able to reduce their risk for common, estrogen-sensitive breast cancers by 25 to 50 percent if they lose 5 percent or more of their body weight, suggest researchers. Experts think that a relationship between body fat and estrogen production contributes to the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Women who received dietary weight loss intervention had significant reductions in hormone levels, but women who dieted and exercised had the best reduction in hormone levels. This is the first randomized, controlled clinical trial to examine the effects of weight loss on sex hormones in overweight or obese postmenopausal women. The findings are published in Journal of Clinical Oncology. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Half of Overweight Teens Face Heart Risk

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:34:23 -0700

Half of the overweight teenagers and 60 percent of obese teenagers in the U.S. have at least one risk factor for future heart disease, including high cholesterol, blood sugar or blood pressure levels, says the CDC. The findings, published today in Pediatrics, reveal that the percentage of adolescents diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes rose from 9 to 21 percent, but other risk factors for heart disease were steady. The ongoing study involves 3,382 adolescents ages 12 to 19. Researchers say that people can keep their heart risk low if they reach age 45 to 50 with normal blood pressure, weight and cholesterol, and no diabetes. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

How to Avoid Scalding-Hot Coffee Burns

Mon, 21 May 2012 11:50:32 -0700

Noting the number of people burned or scalded by hot coffee which spills as they walk with it, fluid scientists at the University of California at Santa Barbara, led by mechanical engineer Rouslan Krechetnikov, studied the dynamics involved and found that people naturally accelerate while carrying coffee and usually spill it between their seventh and tenth steps. Spills are particularly likely when the carrier is looking ahead and not at the coffee. The researchers' recommendations: Maintain a slower and steadier pace; keep your eyes on your cup while walking; and the distance between the surface of the coffee and the cup's rim should equal at least one-eighth of the cup's diameter. Their report doesn’t mention it, but sticking to decaf might also help avoid sloshing. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Organic Food Can Make You Act Like a Jerk

Sat, 19 May 2012 23:30:16 -0700

Organic food exposure can bring along with it a judgmental attitude, find researchers from Loyola University in New Orleans. Published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, the research found that organic food may actually make people act a bit like jerks. The experiments showed that not only did people in the organic food group act more judgmental, but they were also more selfish when it came to helping a needy stranger compared to the control and comfort food groups. Researchers believe that being exposed to organic food can make some people feel better about themselves for their moral behavior, possibly causing them to become self-righteous. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Diced Red Onions Recalled for Listeria

Sat, 19 May 2012 23:14:21 -0700

Gills Onions recalled their diced red onions due to potential listeria contamination. The recall involved 2,360 pounds of diced red onions with use-by dates of May 14, 15 and 17, reports CNN. The onions were distributed in Arizona, Idaho, California, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, Arkansas, Michigan, Washington, Tennessee, Georgia, New Jersey, Florida and Ohio, as well as Canada. While no illnesses have been reported, consumers should toss the recalled onions. Listeria can sometimes cause fatal infections, particularly for those with poor immune systems. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Biomarker Catches Pancreatic Cancer Early

Sat, 19 May 2012 13:34:21 -0700

Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center have discovered that elevated levels of an enzyme in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is present early on and required for tumor growth and metastasis. PEAK1 belongs to a group of enzymes known as tyrosine kinases that make chemical reactions go faster and modulate signals telling cells to grow and divide which go awry in cancer. PEAK1 could be used to diagnose PDAC early but could also be a target of treatment. Knocking out PDAC in tumor cells put into mice led to smaller tumors and impaired metastasis. Finding inhibitors of overexpressed proteins in cancers has been difficult but it may be possible to inhibit its ability to send signals to cancer cells, increasing their sensitivity to standard chemotherapy. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Hiccupops: Lollipops That Stop the Hiccups

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:53:23 -0700

Soon to appear commercially on the market are Hiccupops, which are lollipops that claim to cure hiccups. Hiccupops were invented two years ago by hiccup sufferer Mallory Kievman of Connecticut, who had tried every cure she'd heard of or could imagine, until finally hitting on a winning, hiccup-stifling recipe -- which involves sugar and apple cider vinegar -- and an effective delivery system -- the lollipop. "It triggers a set of nerves in your throat and mouth that are responsible for the hiccup reflex arc. It basically over-stimulates those nerves and cancels out the message to hiccup," is how she explains it. She has investors lined up, a patent application filed, and is ready to go. Hiccupops, Inc. founder, creator and CEO Mallory Kievman is, by the way, thirteen years old. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Z-Pak Antibiotic Linked with Heart Deaths

Sat, 19 May 2012 01:24:39 -0700

People taking the antibiotic azithromycin, known as Z-Pak or Zithromax, may be at increased risk of sudden heart death. Researchers from Vanderbilt University and the Nashville Veterans Administration Medical Center studied Tennessee Medicaid patient records from 1992 to 2006, and found a clear increase in heart death among users of the Z-Pak in comparison to people on amoxicillin or no antibiotic. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that those taking the Z-Pak faced a 2.5 times greater heart death risk during the five-day treatment period. Researchers found 47 additional cardiovascular deaths for each million courses of Z-Pak treatment. Among people at greater risk for heart problems, there were 245 additional heart deaths per million. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Trash Old Drugs, Say Researchers

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:48:10 -0700

You may just as well trash unused drugs, say researchers who estimated the environmental impact of flushing, trashing or incinerating old medications. The research, published in Environmental Science & Technology, used a comparative life cycle assessment to determine that there's little environmental difference between burning drugs over having them end up in the landfill. Researchers from the University of Michigan say that take-back initiatives for unwanted drugs may actually be worse for the environment because they involve greenhouse gases created from transporting and burning the medicine. However, dangerous drugs such as Percocet and OxyContin should be flushed to avoid the potential that a child or pet will find them, advises the FDA. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Artist Cooked Own Genitals for Tokyo Diners

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:18:45 -0700

[Update: Full story with photos is here] More information has emerged about the Tokyo genital cannibalism banquet story that we reported on earlier. It turns out the the source of the genitals was the artist HC himself. On April 8 HC tweeted an offer to sell his own genitals for use as a meal, to be prepared by HC, to any interested buyer for the sum of about $1,250. The tweet indicated that the organs were removed at age 22, and that HC was free of venereal disease and had not been receiving female hormone therapy (as part of a sex change, perhaps). HC asked potential buyers to contact him by Twitter DM or e-mail, first come, first served. At some later point this apparently morphed into the public banquet that occurred in Suginami Ward last Sunday. Full story and more details here. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)

Tokyo Banqueters Savor Human Genitals

Thu, 17 May 2012 20:35:26 -0700

[Update: It was real. Full story with photos is here] Was it a performance art hoax or modern urban canibalism? The Tokyo police aren't sure, but they say even if Sunday's "Ham Cybele" human genital banquet was the real deal, they can't do much about it because cannibalism itself is not illegal in Japan. Revelers in the Suginami Ward of Tokyo were entertained by a pianist and a panel discussion before tucking into their dinner. Most attendees were served conventional beef dishes, with an alligator dish thrown in for variety, but six Tokyoites who paid an additional $250 shared a grilled human penis, scrotum, and testicles. The blogger at Another Tokyo was among the privileged six, and he seemed to be really stoked about ending his cannibalism virginity. And yes, there are photos. (From the CalorieLab Lab Notes news feed)