Month: July 2013

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California corrections officials said Tuesday they will comply with a federal court order to move thousands of inmates out of two Central Valley prisons where an airborne fungus has led to widespread illnesses.

By Lisa Baertlein (Reuters) – Calories: 1,320. Trans fats: 33 grams. Sodium: 3,700 milligrams. All that pushed Long John Silver’s “Big Catch” limited-time only fish platter to win the “Worst Restaurant Meal in America” distinction Tuesday by a U.S. nutrition advocacy group. The artery-clogging trans fat tally alone is “astonishing” in the limited-time only dish of fried fish, cornmeal hush puppies and onion rings, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. …

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – Couples who have certain types of fertility treatment have a higher chance of having a child with autism or learning difficulties – although the overall risk is still extremely small, scientists said on Tuesday. The experts said couples should not consider abandoning or avoiding in-vitro-fertilization (IVF) on the basis of their research findings. …

By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – People with high blood pressure who used an at-home monitor and had regular phone calls with their pharmacist kept their numbers in check better than those receiving standard care, in a new study. One in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure, according to the National Institutes of Health. Only about half of them have successfully used medication and lifestyle changes to get their numbers into the recommended range to prevent heart problems – less than 140/90 or less than 130/80 for those with diabetes or kidney disease. …

By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – People who eat a diet high in fiber-rich whole grains are less likely to develop diabetes or heart disease, according to a review of past studies. The analysis was conducted for the American Society for Nutrition. In a position statement, the group said evidence suggests foods with cereal fiber or mixtures of whole grains and bran are “modestly associated” with a reduced disease risk. The strongest evidence for benefit came from cereal fiber, researchers said. …

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Having sales representatives from medical device companies at hospitals may influence which products doctors use and ultimately drive up costs, according to a new study from Canada. Researchers found that doctors were more likely to use a company’s drug-coated heart stent when one of its sales representatives visited their hospital, which resulted in about a $250 higher bill per case. “We need to evaluate carefully any interactions with medical industry to ensure that we minimize an effect on our decision making process,” wrote Dr. …

DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland appeared on course to legalize abortion in limited circumstances as lawmakers voted Tuesday to support a bill that would permit a pregnancy to be terminated when deemed necessary to save a woman's life.

By Kathryn Doyle NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Warm weather is not linked to birth defects of the heart, though unseasonably hot winter days may be associated with the rarest heart defects and requires more study, according to a new study from Israel. Women should be aware of the possibility of an effect, though small, said lead author Keren Agay-Shay of the University of Haifa. “This is also important to decision makers, to understand all possible effects of climate change on” health, she told Reuters Health. …

ATLANTA (AP) — Overdose deaths in the U.S. are rising fastest among middle-aged women, and their drug of choice is usually prescription painkillers, the government reported Tuesday.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A 10-year-old girl who had two adult-lung transplants after her parents sued to change national rules regarding organ donations was scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday to repair her diaphragm.