Health Highlights: Dec. 28, 2009
Dec. 29 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Beef Recalled Because of E. Coli Concerns
Concerns about contamination with a strain of E. coli bacteria have led an Oklahoma-based company to voluntarily recall about 248,000 pounds of beef.
On its Web site, National Steak and Poultry says the beef products "could potentially be implicated in an outbreak" of illnesses related to E. coli, the Associated Press reported. This is the first recall in the firm's 30-year history, it said.
The U.S. Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service noticed a link between non-intact steaks and a cluster of illnesses in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota and Washington, the AP said. Non-intact steaks include cuts that have been injected with flavoring or tenderized, processes that allow surface bacteria to get inside the beef.
The E. coli strain has caused large-scale outbreaks of potentially deadly illness.
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Brain Blood Flow Controlled by Inner Ear: Study
A Harvard Medical School team has determined that the inner ear does more than control balance. Tiny organs deep within the ear also appear to alter blood flow to the brain, the researchers say.
From their study of 24 people, they concluded that this connection may have enabled early man to stand upright and still get blood pumped to the brain, the BBC said.
Using NASA tests designed for astronauts, the researchers assessed the balance organs, which are located deep inside bony chambers of the ear, and monitored blood flow through the body while the participants were tilting and spinning.
They reported their findings in the journal BMC Neuroscience, according to the BBC.
Dr. Jorge Serrador, who led the team, said the findings could potentially lead to new treatments for related conditions. For example, people who suffer from postural hypotension -- meaning they faint or get dizzy spells when they stand up too quickly -- might have poor brain blood flow related to an underlying inner ear problem, he said.
