Public Health

The little-understood protein osteocalcin plays a significant role in the strength of our bones, says a new paper,  and the findings could lead to new strategies for fighting osteoporosis and lowering the risk of bone fracture. Who came up with that? Biologists?  Doctors? No, engineers. Their study details how fractures in healthy bones begin with the creation of incredibly tiny holes, each measuring only about 500 atoms in diameter within the bone's mineral structure. In the case of a slip, trip, or fall, the force of the impact on a bone physically deforms a pair of joined…

 A report based on in vitro tests comparing the digestion of fresh human breast milk and nine different infant formulas found that free fatty acids created during the digestion of infant formula cause cellular death that may contribute to necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe intestinal condition that is often fatal and occurs most commonly in premature infants. Premature infants fed formula are more likely to develop necrotizing enterocolitis than those fed breast milk and it is the leading cause of death from gastrointestinal diseases in premature infants, but the underlying mechanism…

Are there really less pesticide residues on organic crops?  The answer might not be as simple as you think. A few weeks ago it was announced that for the first time in the history of USDA-Organic, there will be mandatory pesticide residue testing starting in 2013.  This was always a theoretical possibility, but a government audit of certifiers showed that it essentially never happened.   Now it will, at least to some extent (something like 5% of operations). I wrote to the contact person at USDA to ask this question:  "will this new testing program look for any…

Economics messes everything up.  Just about the time we figure out a new way to make all boats rise, the boats don't play along. So it goes with the Mediterranean diet, which went from food fad to inclusion in the UNESCO Olympus of the World heritage list and saw lots and lots of research grant money dumped into extolling its virtues, as kind of a cure-all for obesity.  And people listened. Now the actual food in the Mediterranean diet, which was once eaten by healthy poor people, has been priced far out of their reach. The diet has become yet another fad for rich people and even…

Drinking three to four cups of delicious coffee each day may help prevent type 2 diabetes, according to research published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC). Really, that is an actual organization dedicated to promoting the health benefits of coffee.  Some skepticism might ordinarily be warranted but since this is about coffee, it is okay to just accept the science. New evidence linking moderate coffee consumption with a possible reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes was presented during a session at the 2012 World Congress on Prevention of Diabetes and…

Organophosphate pesticides were once commonly used in roach control and other applications but organiphosphates were originally developed as nerve-gas agents for chemical warfare. The human body converts organophosphate pesticides into altered forms called metabolites, and  organophosphates are toxic to the nervous system, known to cause memory and vision problems. Organophosphates are also vital biochemicals that include DNA and RNA. However, there are safer ways to get rid of household pests and the EPA bans organophosphate pesticides for home use, but when studies showed health…

A long-term sufferer of Crohn’s disease makes yet another visit to his doctor, desperate to alleviate the symptoms he has been plagued by for so long. The patient has already undergone several surgeries to remove the portions of his intestine which were extensively damaged as a result of the disease, and can no longer work as the painful disease-related flare-ups have been increasing in frequency and intensity. The patient tells his doctor that he is desperate for relief and willing to try anything. After hearing this, the doctor considers the patient’s plea for a moment before handing him a…

At the Excellence in Paediatrics Conference, Madrid, academics from the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH),  a not‐for profit, non‐governmental organization which works to develop and promote home hygiene practice based on sound scientific principles, call for a radical change in how we think about cleanliness and hygiene in the home.  The report tackles the long-held 'Hygiene Hypothesis', which suggests that keeping our children 'too clean' may lead to an increase in allergies and a decreased immune system and instead suggests we change it to an 'Old Friends…

Chelation, the controversial treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is not only ineffective but may be harmful, according to a study conducted by Baylor University researchers. Chelation attempts to eliminate metals such as mercury from the body. In one example mentioned in the research, "a 5-year-old with ASD died from cardiac arrest caused by hypocalcemia while receiving intravenous chelation." And, a 2008 clinical study of chelation treatment for autism was suspended due to potential safety risks associated with chelation. The authors reviewed the research findings of five…

If you are obese, it is reasonably well-established that you are not going to exercise and vibration machines that sound like they might be less work, like the kind developed by the Soviets for astronauts, actually can burn through 400 calories in 15 minutes, so they are not for the casual - but a recent study found that low-intensity vibrations led to improvements in the immune function of obese mice. If the same effect can be found in people, it would have clinical benefits for obese people suffering from a wide range of immune problems related to obesity. To make this discovery,…