MCS America ©

at 8:43 PM

Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Jul 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Characteristics and patterns of healthcare utilization of patients with fibromyalgia in general practitioner settings in Germany.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18664319?dopt=AbstractPlus

Berger A, Sadosky A, Dukes E, Martin S, Edelsberg J, Oster G.

OBJECTIVE: To examine characteristics and patterns of healthcare utilization of patients with fibromyalgia (FM) under the care of general practitioners (GPs) in Germany.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study, using a large electronic database with information on GP encounters in Germany (IMS MediPlus). We identified all patients, aged >/= 18 years, with any encounters for FM (ICD-10 diagnosis code M79.7) between February 1, 2004 and January 31, 2007. We also constituted a comparison group consisting of randomly selected patients with one or more GP encounters - but none for FM - during this period, who we matched to FM patients based on age and sex. Characteristics and healthcare utilization of patients in the FM and comparison groups were then examined over the 1-year period, February 1, 2006-January 31, 2007.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of co-morbidities; use of pain-related pharmacotherapy; number of GP office visits; number of specialist referrals; and number of sick notes (physician-excused absences from work). RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 4983 FM patients and an identical number in the comparison group. Mean age was 58 years; 87% were women. The prevalence of various co-morbidities was greater among FM patients, including painful neuropathies (33% vs. 18% for comparison group) and depression (20% vs. 5%) (both p < 0.01); more FM patients also received pain-related pharmacotherapy (67% vs. 28%; p < 0.01). Compared with patients in the comparison group, FM patients averaged approximately twice as many GP visits (11.4 [SD = 10.1] vs. 5.8 [7.5]), referrals (4.5 [5.2] vs. 2.2 [3.6]), and sick notes (0.6 [1.8] vs. 0.3 [1.1]) (all p < 0.01).LIMITATIONS: Information in the study database is limited to GP encounters, and the sensitivity and specificity of our case-finding methods are unknown.CONCLUSIONS: Patients with FM under the care of GPs in Germany have comparatively more co-morbidities and higher levels of healthcare utilization.

PMID: 18664319 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

at 8:42 PM

Hepatology. 2008 Apr 16;48(2):588-596. [Epub ahead of print]

Glutathione S-transferase m1 and t1 null genotypes increase susceptibility to idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18666253?dopt=AbstractPlus

Lucena MI, Andrade RJ, Martínez C, Ulzurrun E, García-Martín E, Borraz Y, Fernández MC, Romero-Gomez M, Castiella A, Planas R, Costa J, Anzola S, Agúndez JA; Spanish Group for the Study of Drug‐Induced Liver Disease.

Servicio de Farmacología Clínica (Clinical Pharmacology Service), (Liver Unit University Hospital School of Medicine) Málaga Spain.

Individual vulnerability to drug-induced liver injury (DILI) might result from deficiencies in the detoxification process, which determines the level of exposure to the reactive metabolite. We evaluated whether a genetically determined reduction in the ability to detoxify electrophilic compounds, such as that expected among individuals with glutathione S-transferase (GST) null genotypes, might play a role in determining the risk for DILI and its clinical expression. Genomic DNA from 154 patients (74 men, 80 women; mean age, 53 years) with a diagnosis of DILI as assessed with the Council for International Organizations of Medical Science scale and 250 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were analyzed. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based method was used to detect GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene deletions. Carriers of double GSTT1-M1 null genotypes had a 2.70-fold increased risk of developing DILI compared with noncarriers (odds ratio 2.70, 95% confidence interval 1.45-5.03; P = 0.003). The odds ratio for DILI patients receiving antibacterials, and NSAIDs were 3.52 (P = 0.002), and 5.61 (P = 0.001), respectively. Patients with amoxicillin-clavulanate hepatotoxicity (n = 32) had a 2.81-fold increased risk (P = 0.037). Patients classified by the combined GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes did not differ with regard to the type of injury, clinical presentation, or outcome, except for the predominance of women in the combined null genotype (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The double-null genotype for GSTT1 and GSTM1 might play a role in determining the susceptibility to develop DILI, as a general mechanism that occurs regardless of the type of drug involved, and predominantly in women. (HEPATOLOGY 2008;48:588-596.).

PMID: 18666253 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

at 8:29 PM

Comment: Some progress here with kids products in the US. It's a "baby step" (no pun intended) in the direction of banning these toxic chemiclas from all products. Let's hope Bush signs it. Sal

Congress sends Bush bill banning lead in children's products

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-lead-in-toys,1,5533109.story

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Senate on Thursday passed and sent to the White House legislation that bans lead from children's toys and seeks to ensure that chemicals posing possible health problems will not end up on toys and articles that kids chew on and play with.

<snip>

The bill also:

—Provides whistle-blower protections to employees who report consumer product hazards. The provision was championed by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.

—Requires the CPSC to set up a user-friendly database where consumers, government agencies, child care providers or doctors could report incidents of injury, illness, death or risk related to products.

—Makes more products now covered by voluntary industry standards subject to mandatory standards. With that, more toy hazards, including goods containing small magnets that were included in products recalled last year, would be subject to third-party testing requirements.

<snip>

The bill is H.R. 4040
On the Net:
Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov

at 9:51 PM

Toxicol In Vitro. 2008 Jun;22(4):927-34. Epub 2008 Feb 1.

Links

Genotoxicity of thimerosal in cultured human lymphocytes with and without metabolic activation sister chromatid exchange analysis proliferation index and mitotic index.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18321677?dopt=AbstractPlus

Eke D, Celik A.

Mersin University, Faculty of Science and Letters, Department of Biology, 33343 Mersin, Turkey.

Thimerosal is an antiseptic containing 49.5% of ethyl mercury that has been used for years as a preservative in many infant vaccines and in flu vaccines. Thimerosal is an organic mercurial compound used as a preservative in biomedical preparations. In this study, we evaluated the genotoxic effect of thimerosal in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes using sister chromatid exchange analysis in culture conditions with and without S9 metabolic activation. This study is the first report investigating the genotoxic effects of thimerosal in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocyte cells using sister chromatid exchange analysis. An analysis of variance test (ANOVA) was performed to evaluate the results. Significant induction of sister chromatid exchanges was seen at concentrations between 0.2 and 0.6 microg/ml of thimerosal compared with negative control. A significant decrease (p<0.001) in mitotic index (MI) and proliferation index (PRI) as well as an increase in SCE frequency (p<0.001) was observed compared with control cultures. Our results indicate the genotoxic and cytotoxic effect of TH in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes at tested doses in cultures with/without S9 fraction.

PMID: 18321677 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

at 11:43 AM

MCSA NEWS
August 2008, Volume 3, Issue 8

Entire PDF Edition: http://mcs-america.org/august2008.pdf (View, Download, and Print)
NEW! Entire Online Edition: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm (View as a Webpage)

Direct Links to Articles Inside This Issue:

Compact Fluorescent Lamps What You Need to Know About Low Energy Lighting

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg12345678.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Compact_Fluorescent_Lamps

Opinion Fragrances Carcinogenic Culprits

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg9.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Fragrances

Scientific Study Teaching Medical Students About Unexplained Illnesses

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg1011.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Reconstructive_Screws_Cause

Scientific Study Science Lacking Integrity

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg1213114.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Health_and_Environment

Scientific Review Children in Danger

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg1516.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Scientific_Studies_

Scientific Review Money-Spinning Fungi

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg17.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Scientific_Study

Scientific Study When Violence is not a Behavioral Problem

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg18.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Scientific_Review_1

Scientific Study Fragranced Products Proven Toxic by Scientist

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg19.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Scientific_Study_Fragranced

Hospital Accessibility Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (for MCS)

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg2021222324.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Hospital_Accessibility_Under

Scientific Study Scientists Find Disturbed ATP Metabolism in Fibromyalgia

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg25.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Scientists_Find_Disturbed

Sal's Place Disability Is it a Free Ride?

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg2627.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Disability

Patient Support and Resources

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg282930313233.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Inside_MCS_America

Community News

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg34.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_MCS_Community_News

Featured Research Studies

PDF Version: http://mcs-america.org/August2008pg353637.pdf

Online Version: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsaugust2008.htm#_Featured_MCS_Research

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities America
http://www.mcs-america.org

admin@mcs-america.org

at 5:10 PM

Steinemann AC. Fragranced consumer products and undisclosed ingredients. Environ Impact Asses Rev (2008), doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2008.05.002.

http://www.ce.washington.edu/people/faculty/bios/documents/Steinemann2008.pdf

at 1:46 PM

Environmental Illness & MCS Support and Referrals Resource List

Updated July 26, 2008

http://mcs-america.org/EnvironmentalIllnessMCSSupportandReosurces.htm

Index

MCS America Forums
Support Forums Outside the MCS America Network
Referral Lists (Doctors and Dentists)
Air Quality Reports
Brochures
Signs
Activist Materials
Public Service Announcements
Clothing and Novelties for Activism and Awareness

MCS America Forums

MCSA Public

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcsa-public/

Open to the general public to discuss MCS in general as well as support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or to share personal activism. This is in contrast to the MCS America Members group were discussion of collaborative activist efforts and internal MCS America efforts will remain. No application is required.

MCS America Members Activist and Support

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-america-members-support

This group also fulfills the function of discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal activism like the MCSA-Pubic group, only with a closed membership that requires a membership application. This group also has the added benefit of being a place where individuals and other organizations and activists can engage in collaborative efforts with MCS America and being recipient to all the news feeds (see MCSA Feeds below). Members of this group are considered associate members of MCS America. Members do not operate MCS America in any way, but rather collaborate with the organization and are privy to some internal operations, activities, and events.

MCSA Feeds

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcsafeeds

The purpose of this public access group is to receive daily distribution of news and research studies on multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical injury, environmental concerns, and other related environmental illnesses and disorders. Anyone can join without an application. Only the moderator posts to this group. This is not a discussion group. This group distributes about 15 articles on average each day.

MCS Salvage and Share

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSA-safer-salvage-and-share

A public access group similar to Freecycle, except it's a free recycling program for safer reusable's geared towards individuals with MCS, CFS, FM, and other related disabilities correlated with the environment. The purpose of this program is to find, give, and recycle needed "safe" or "safer" items. All items are exchanged for free. Shipping cost are arranged between donor and recipient. Anyone can join without an application.

MCS Hawaii

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-hawaii

Open to the general public residing in Hawaii to discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal activism. No application is required. This group is currently recipient to all the news feeds (see MCSA Feeds above). This list is operated in part by a state subsidiary volunteer who resides in the state.

MCS Nebraska

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Nebraska

Open to the general public residing in Nebraska to discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal activism. No application is required. This list is operated in part by a state subsidiary volunteer who resides in the state.

or subscribe at:

MCS Michigan

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-michigan

Open to the general public residing in Michigan to discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal activism. No application is required. This list is operated in part by a state subsidiary volunteer who resides in the state.

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Support Forums Outside the MCS America Network

4Mom

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4MOM/

According to Mt. Sinai Medical School, there are many illness' caused by toxic substances such as pesticides. They are studying the role other toxins play on the new childhood diseases triggered by environmental factors. They call this the new epidemic. Mothers of Many is for all parents with children who are ill and are affected by toxic chemicals such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Asthma, Cancer, Autism, Tourettes Syndrome, Multiple Chemicals Sensitivities (MCS), Parkinson's, and any other condition affected.

Bay Area MCS

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/bayareamcslist/

Classified ads and notices for people with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in the San Francisco Bay Area.

CFS CFIDS ME

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CFS_CFIDS_ME/

This Group is to promote friendly discussion about places where people have gone and feel more or less recovered from CFS/ME/CFIDS.

Chemical Disability Australasian NETwork

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CDANET/

A Discussion/Chat/Mutual help list run by and for the chemically disabled.

CMCS-EI Christian MCS, CFS, FM, and EI Group

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CMCS-EI/

We are a Christian group who have invisible illnesses like MCS (multiple chemical sensativity) or Environmental Illnesses like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ( CFS ), Fibromyalgia ( FM ), GWS, Lupus, Anxiety, etc.

Creative Canaries Community

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CreativeCanariesCommunity

This group is an online meeting place for creative artists with Chemical Sensitivities. We offer connections between - and information for - artists whose (artistic) life is affected by Chemical Sensitivities and the consequences they have.

Detox

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-america-members-support

"Detox" is a group to serve chemically injured, environmentally ill, multiple chemical sensitivity, and related illness such as chronic fatigue, candidiasis, hypoglycemia, lupus, and others.

Disinissues

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disinissues/

The purpose of Disinissues is to share experience and advice about the processes of obtaining and maintaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and long-term disability insurance. The group is targeted mainly towards those with invisible disabilities, such as CFIDS and other conditions not on Social Security's Listing of Impairments.

EMF Refugee

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/emfrefugee/

This ML has been created with the intent of bringing refugees together in countries around the world to form their own EMF-free communities in natural environments where they can heal and create healing environments for the Earth and others.

Environmental Illness 001

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/environmental_illness001/

This group is dedicated to curing / resolving all issues related to Environmental Illness, including but not limited to: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Multiple Food Allergy, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Candida, Epstein Barr Virus, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Heavy Metal Poisoning, Porphyria, endocrine system dysregulation, etc.

Gasslist-L (Glutaraldehyde, Aldehyde, and Solvent Sensitivity)

http://www.ncchem.com/snftaas/gasslist.htm

This list has been established to serve persons interested in Glutaraldehyde, Aldehyde, and Solvent Sensitivity, especially darkroom personnel, radiographers, and diagnostic medical sonographers. The purpose of the list is to promote internet-wide exchange of research and information.

Green Canary

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GreenCanary

This list is dedicated to a life free from toxic chemicals, and the health problems that they can cause. Here we can come together and share the information and experiences that have taught each of us a piece of the knowledge necessary to survive and thrive, eliminating unnecessary toxic chemicals from our lives, and replacing them with the elements of health and the alternatives offered by the natural world around us.

Immune

http://immuneweb.org/lists/immune.html

This is the list for support and information about multiple chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis, porphyria, allergies, asthma, and other immune-related ailments.

Immune Parenting

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/immune-parenting/

This list is for both men and women who have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, or other immune system medical issues--or their partners--who are parents, pregnant, trying to conceive, or who are thinking about parenthood.

Live Chat at the Health and Environment Resource Center (HERC)

http://www.herc.org/chat

This chatroom is not associated with any group. It is unmoderated and no password is required. Chat Times: Saturday - 7 pm ET, 6 pm CT, 5 pm Mtn, 4 pm Pac; Monday - 9 pm ET, 8 pm CT, 7 pm Mtn, 6 pm Pac; Wednesday - 8 pm ET, 7 pm CT, 6 pm Mtn, 5 pm Pac.

MCS Canada

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Canada/

This group was formed to assist patients and concerned parties from all nationalities learn to cope with environmental injury, including disorders such as MCS,ME, CFS, FM, Lyme, Lupus, GWS, PPS, as well as related and associated illnesses.

MCS Canadian Sources

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-CanadianSources

MCS Canadian Sources is a support, information and resource exchange for those living and coping with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Environmental Illness (EI), or Chemical Injury (CI).

MCS Photography

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSphotography/

MCS Photography is a group for those with multiple chemical sensitivity who capture amd share the world and their life through photography.

MCS Recycle

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSRecycle/

The objective of this group is to be able to share with each other items that are chemical free and have been used in a non-toxic environment. This group is planet-wide.

MCS Safe Shelter USA

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcssafeshelterusa/

Short-term and long-term housing for people with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity). Check our database for listings by state. (Please use the two-digit code.) Find rentals, hotels, and housing to purchase.

MCS Toxic Injuries

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Toxic-Injuries/

MCS-Toxic-Injuries is a self-moderated, secular, apolitical newsgroup for toxically-injured environmentally sensitive people to support one another and exchange coping methods, treatments and experiences.

MCS Village

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSVillage/

The purpose of this group is to discuss the feasibility of building a village(s)or community in which MCS/EI patients can live safely, and to provide a forum in which the legal, medical, geographic, architectural, social and funding issues relating to building such a community(ies) or village(s) may be discussed and resolved.

MCS Writers Group

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcswritersgroup/

A place for writers who have chemical sensitivities (or chemical injury) to share their stories and articles, work on and develop public writing skills, exchange editing skills and perspective, and develop ideas in order to bring awareness and education to the published world about what it is like to live with MCS/ES/CI/EI.

Midwest Oasis MCS E-mail Support

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MO-MCS/

Midwest Oasis MCS E-mail Support is the e-mail arm of the Midwest Oasis MCS Support Group. Although people from all geographical areas are welcome to join, a partial focus of this list will be discussion of regional issues affecting MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in Missouri and other Midwestern states.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (Chemical Sensitivity, Porphyrin & CO)

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MultipleChemicalSensitivity/

Discussion group where people afflicted with Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Carbon Monoxide Poisoning &/or Disorders of Porphyrin Metabolism can talk about their illness, inquire with others on avoidance, methods of cleaning & products one can use for necessary hygiene.

Old Dominion MCS-FMS_CFIDS Support Group · A Virginia Fibro MCS CFIDS Group

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/OldDominionMCS-FMS_CFIDSsupportgroup/

Too many people in Va. have Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, CFIDS, Gulf War Syndrome (GWS), ES, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. The group owner wanted to create an informative, supportive group for Virginians, and others.

Planet Thrive

http://www.planetthrive.com/

A dynamic online community for those activity seeking answers and support for a variety of health concerns. A place where people around the world help each other get well and stay well.

Sick Buildings

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/sickbuildings/

Toxic molds are running rampant in our homes, offices and schools. Exposure to mycotoxins has been linked to the death of infants, as well as immune-compromised adults. Despite increasing reports of mold-induced illness and health problems associated with mold exposure, our public health agencies offer little, if any support or funding for research into this growing problem.

Sprayno

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sprayno/

This is a list to exchange information regarding environmental issues in the northern suburbs and NY metro area focusing especially on encouraging activism in this area and educating the public about toxic effects of pesticide/herbicide usage.

Tenth Paradigm Society

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TenthParadigmSociety/

The Tenth Paradigm Society mailing list is for the dissemination and discussion of information concerning the NO/ONOO- cycle mechanism, a new paradigm of human disease, proposed by Martin L. Pall, Ph.D. Dr. Pall adopted the term "Multisystem Illness" to describe those diseases that fall under the tenth paradigm. They include: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/CFIDS/M.E.), Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Fibromyalgia (FM/FMS), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Gulf War Syndrome (GWS).

The Sanctuary

http://www.mcs-international.org/phpBB3/

MCS-International.Org's Holistic Support Forums For sufferers of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and all other forms of Chemical Injury and Environmental Illness.

WSMCSN (Washington State MCS Network)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WSMCSN

WSMCSN is a decentralized network of groups and individuals in Washington State who share information about the issues of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Additional Forum ListingsWebpage

http://ww.mcs-america.org/forums

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Referral Lists

Physican Refferal List by State

http://mcs-america.org/doctorlist.pdf

Proper medical care is most crucial to recovery for individuals with MCS. Some of the physicians on this list specialize in MCS, others in FM and CFS. It is recommended that patients and doctors consult with one another prior to beginning any treatment to ensure understanding of the patient's needs and compatibility of patient and physician.

Dentist Referral List by State

http://mcs-america.org/dentistlist.pdf

Dental care is often challenging for individuals with MCS. Dental materials may cause reactions and should be tested for biocompatibility prior to use. A holistic dentist Is generally more familiar with the needs of individuals with MCS. Some of the dentists on this list are specifically familiar with MCS, others are not. It is recommended that patients and dentists consult with one another prior to beginning any treatment to ensure understanding of the patient's needs and compatibility of patient and dentist.

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Air Quality Reports

Air Now Air Quality Reports

http://www.airnow.gov/

EPA State and Regional Indoor Environments Contact Information

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html

The National Association of Clean Air Agencies 4 Cleaner Air

http://www.4cleanair.org/

American Lung Association: State of the Air

http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2007.htm

Current Local & National Allergy Levels

http://pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp

Scorecard: Pollution Index by Area

http://www.scorecard.org/

Toxmap Hazardous Waste Site Locations

http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/main/index.jsp

USA Smoke/Fire Pollution Map

http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm

Antenna Search (USA)

http://mcs-america.org/index_files/www.AntennaSearch.com

EPA Safe Drinking Water Information by State

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/

EPA Radon Zone Map

http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html

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Brochures

Air Fresheners & Plug-Ins

http://mcs-america.org/airfresh.pdf

Chemical in Air Fresheners Reduces Lung Function

http://mcs-america.org/lung.pdf

Consequences of Childhood Chemical Injury Poster By Margaret S. O'Nan

http://mcs-america.org/onan.pdf

Electrosensitivity Brochure by Kato Yasuko

http://mcs-america.org/KatoYasukoElectrosensitivityBrochure.doc

Fabric Softener

http://mcs-america.org/fabricsoftener.pdf

Fragrances

http://mcs-america.org/fragrances.pdf

Grandma's Cupboard: General Cleaning Solutions

http://www.mcs-america.org/general.pdf

Grandma's Cupboard: Kitchen Cleaning

http://www.mcs-america.org/kitchen.pdf

Grandma's Cupboard: Personal Care

http://www.mcs-america.org/personal.pdf

Grandma's Cupboard: Laundry

http://www.mcs-america.org/laundry.pdf

Household Mold brochure from Quebec government

http://publications.msss.gouv.qc.ca/acrobat/f/documentation/2002/02-214-01A.pdf

ILRU: Understanding & Accommodating People with MCS in Everyday Living

http://mcs-america.org/ilru.pdf

Indoor Air Chemistry

http://mcs-america.org/indoorair.pdf

Interior Design and MCS

http://mcs-america.org/interior.pdf

Jill Mellum: Breathe Easier, Hold the Fragrances Brochure

http://mcs-america.org/fragrancefacts.pdf

MCS Task Force of New Mexico Brochure

http://mcs-america.org/newmexico.pdf

MCS Public Accommodations

http://www.nettally.com/prusty/PUBLIC%20ACCOMMODATIONS.pdf

MCS Statistics

http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSStatistics.pdf

No Scents Makes Sense Brochure

http://www.nb.lung.ca/pdf/NoScentsMakeSense.pdf

Theory on the Cause of MCS: Peroxynitrite and Nitric Oxide

http://www.mcs-america.org/cause.pdf

Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

http://www.mcs-america.org/understanding.pdf

Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide

http://mcs-america.org/fungicide.pdf

Vaccine Poster - Are We Poisoning Our Children?

http://www.generationrescue.org/pdf/080212.pdf

Visiting a Person with MCS

http://mcs-america.org/visiting.pdf

What you should know before visiting a person who has NRLA and/or MCS

http://mcs-america.org/VisitingNRLA-MCS.pdf

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Signs

Acute Toxic Effects of Fragrances Business Card

http://mcs-america.org/acutetoxiceffectsoffragrancescard.pdf

Chemical Awareness Ribbon

http://mcs-america.org/ribbon.gif

Electrosensitivity Sign - Please Turn Off Your Cell Phone

http://mcs-america.org/KatoYasukoElectrosensitivtySignTurnOffYourCellPhone.pdf

Facemask on Tweety

http://mcs-america.org/tweety.jpg

Fragrance Free Sign: Brooks University

http://www.brocku.ca/oehs/graphics/Fragrance_Free_Sign.pdf

No Scents Makes Sense Sign

http://mcs-america.org/scentssign.pdf

No Latex Sign by Jane Sagmoe

http://mcs-america.org/nolatex.JPG

You Could Be Next Sign

http://mcs-america.org/nextsign.pdf

Want to Put Your Friends and Family in Jail?

http://mcs-america.org/jail.pdf

Wood Smoke Trespass Flyer 8 1/2 x 11

http://mcs-america.org/woodsmokeflyer.pdf

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Activist Materials

Fragrances on Mail and/or Catalogs

http://mcs-america.org/FragrancedMailCatalogBillsLetterforActivists.doc

Air Freshener Use

http://www.mcs-america.org/customairfreshenerletter.doc

Use of Fragrance, Cologne, and Perfume

http://mcs-america.org/UseofFragranceLetterforActivists.doc

Fabric Softener Emissions
http://www.mcs-america.org/LetterAboutFabricSoftener.doc

Letter to State Representatives to Ban Woodsmoke

http://mcs-america.org/woodsmoke.doc

Letter to Doctors and Medical Boards Supporting MCS as a biological Illness (fully cited and scientifically supported)

Website: http://mcs-america.org/MCSPositionStatement.htm

PDF: http://mcs-america.org/MCSPositionStatement.pdf

*This work is copyrighted. Permission granted for personal use in activism provided that original copyright and authorship are maintained. For permission to reprint, mail admin@mcs-america.org.

Request for Accommodations Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

http://www.mcs-america.org/RequestforAccomodation.doc

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Public Service Announcements

Public Service Announcement #1
Air fresheners have been pulled off thousands of shelves nation-wide!
http://www.mcs-america.org/AirFreshenerPSA1.pdf

Public Service Announcement #2
When you use fragranced products, did you know you are wearing toxic chemicals!?
http://www.mcs-america.org/WhenYouUseFragrancedProductsPSA2.pdf

Public Service Announcement #3
Secondhand Fragrances are Like Secondhand Smoke!
http://www.mcs-america.org/SecondHandFragrancesPSA3.pdf

Public Service Announcement #4
Scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners pollute indoor and outdoor air!
http://www.mcs-america.org/ScentedLaundryDetergentsPSA4.pdf

Public Service Announcement #4 (SPANISH)
Scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners pollute indoor and outdoor air!
http://mcs-america.org/mcsamerica/ScentedLaundryDetergentsPSA4Spanish.pdf

Public Service Announcement #5
Wood Smoke... The Other Secondhand Smoke!
http://www.mcs-america.org/WoodSmokePSA5BurningIssues.pdf

Public Service Announcement #6
Fragrances undermine public health!
http://www.mcs-america.org/FragrancesPSA6.pdf

Public Service Announcement #7

Fragranced Laundry Products Pollute Our Air
http://mcs-america.org/PSA7FragrancedLaundry.pdf

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Clothing and Novelties for Activism and Awareness

MCS America Store for the Environment

http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSstore..htm

Zona's T-Shirts and Stuff Zone

http://members.shaw.ca/zonaszone/shop/tshirts.html

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Disclaimer

This data is for informational purposes and is not intended to replace the examination, diagnosis and treatment of a licensed physician and no such claims are inferred. MCS America will not be responsible for misuse of this information or the misuse of any information provided by it's member organizations. Articles, citations, links and information are not necessarily the opinion of MCS America and printing does not constitute MCS America's endorsement.

at 10:20 AM

New Car Smell

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080726/LIFE12/80725026/1005/LIFE

There's more than meets the nose when it comes to the scent inside a new car. Here's how to breathe easier while on the road.

at 12:47 PM

July 25, 2008

Possible Geographical Ties To ALS Cases Among 1991 Gulf War Vets
http://www.accessibility.com.au/news/possible-geographical-ties-to-als-cases-among-1991-gulf-war-vets

U.S. state wages fight against toxic chemicals
http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSN1726155520080725?sp=tru

Toxic job ruined my life
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/toxic-job-ruined-my-life/2008/07/25/1216492705325.html

Triclosan: Lurking where you least expect it
http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/07/triclosan-lurking-where-you-le.htm

Radio station dropping Michael Savage after controversial remarks about
autism
http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1216974668106870.xml&coll=2

In Surprise Move, EPA Bans Carbofuran Residue on Food
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/24/AR2008072403495.html

Cellphone signal concerns raised again
http://www.businessday.co.za:80/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A808079

July 24, 2008

FEATURE-US state wages fight against toxic chemicals
http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/07/24/2008-07-25T000308Z_01_N17261555_RTRIDST_0_ENVIRONMENT-CHEMICALS-MAINE-GENERAL-FEATURE-PIX.html

Eating right for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
http://www.nwcn.com/health/stories/NW_072408HEN_fibromyalgia_LJ.885c3a1f.html

US cancer boss in mobiles warning
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7523109.stm

Cemetery workers walk out
http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/466626

'Fresh Scent' Detergents and Air Fresheners Could be Toxic, Study Says
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,390053,00.html

Study reveals toxicity of air fresheners
http://www.tcetoday.com/tcetoday/NewsDetail.aspx?nid=10686

Mother: vaccine caused death
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20080724/NEWS03/23945130/Mother++vaccine+caused+death

Area mold miseries continue
http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/FON0101/807240344/1985/FONnews

The Most Toxic Cars and Car Seats
How to Find Safe Alternatives to Keep Your Kid Safe in the Car
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/baby-car-seats-55072301

What's Lurking in Your Countertop?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

July 23, 2008

FEMA seeks immunity from suits over toxic trailer fumes
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5903602.html

Pittsburgh cancer center warns of cell phone risks
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/23/AR2008072302881_pf.html

The Toxic Mold Rush: California Mom Helps Fuel an Obsession
http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/the-toxic-mold-rush-california-mom-helps-fuel-an-obsession/19301/

Washington Post Examines Efforts By Physicians, Hospitals To Be More
Environmentally Friendly
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071802755.html?nav=rss_health

U.S. Rushes to Change Workplace Toxin Rules
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072202838.html

Breathing Freely: Six months after neighbours stopped burning plastics in a
roadside barrel, Julie Inwood is beginning to get her health and her life
back
http://www.mindentimes.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1125421

Alternatives to scented detergents
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/environment/archives/144171.asp?from=blog_last3

Fresh scent may hide toxic secret
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371779_toxicfragrance23.html

Some scented household products contain chemicals classified as toxic, UW
study finds
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008067309_toxicsmell23m0.html
10 Tips: Cell Phones & Limiting Radiation Exposure
http://kdka.com/health/cell.phones.tips.2.777727.html

Chip-seal debate: Finding a healthier alternative
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008066586_weblets23.html

U.S. Rushes to Change Workplace Toxin Rules
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072202838_pf.html

TIMES: Toxic chemicals found in scented products
http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_072308HEB_TIMES_uw_toxic_air_study_LJ.82dbc4b9.html

Toxic chemicals found in common scented laundry products, air fresheners
http://www.physorg.com/news136035644.html

July 22, 2008

Sunscreen Safety Is Called Into Question
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/health/22well.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=science&pagewanted=

Medicine Gears Up for a Code Green
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071802755_pf.html

Deadly denial: For sick nuclear workers, shifting rules form quagmire of
despair
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/22/sick-nuclear-workers-shifting-rules-form-quagmire-/

Mystery Molds
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/health/nutrition/22qna.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=science&adxnnlx=1216749958-tFeqPTqFcCE/oSAaDiL62g

Feds apparently disregarded toxic links to illnesses
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/22/feds-apparently-disregarded-toxic-links-illnesses/

July 21, 2008

Olympics: Beijing's clean air claim challenged by scientists
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/2437833/Olympics-Beijings-clean-air-claim-challenged-by-scientists.html

Medics in Panama see side effects of pesticide use
http://www.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123107402

Researchers probe geographical ties to ALS cases among 1991 Gulf War
veterans
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/du-rpg072108.php

Family Faces Huge Costs to Fix Mold Contaminated Home
http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0708/537432.html

Thousands injured by 'toxic gas from Chinese sofas'
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/consumer_goods/article4374669.ece

Is The Air Inside Your Home Worse Than The Air Outside?
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_24940.aspx

Olympic Athletes Wearing Masks Could Cause China to Lose Face
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121659379072468809.html

July 20, 2008

Class action over lead in lipstick
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40114

July 19, 2008

School construction crews don't take vacation
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20080719/NEWS/20815050/1070&ParentProfile=1058

Cosmic Markdown: EPA Says Life Is Worth Less
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071803235_pf.html

July 18, 2008

Pesticides: Use wisely or not at all
http://www.mercurynews.com/lifeandstyleheadlines/ci_9923943?nclick_check=1

Protecting Government Science: Scientific Freedom and the Public Good
http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/restoring/scientificfreedom.html

Home Radon May Have Tie To Childhood Leukemia
http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=12452

July 17, 2008

NTP brief on BPA receives mixed peer review
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/esthag/asap/html/es801811y.html

Contact 13 Investigation: Mold Inside The Health District
http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8695699

Autism-vaccine link should not be dismissed
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/news/editorialcommentary/story/82d67791e09c6d838625748a007c4969?OpenDocument

Companion planting: A chemical-free way to repel pests with plants
http://weblogs.newsday.com/features/home/gardendetective_blog/2008/07/companion_planting_a_chemicalf.html

July 14, 2008

Environment Becomes Heredity
http://www.miller-mccune.com/article/489

July 11, 2008

Is China's Pollution Poisoning Its Children?
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=chinas-children-of-smoke&print=true

July 7, 2008

Can Green Designs Solve A Housing Crisis?
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5816

July/August

Pesticide Drift: Immigrants in California's Central Valley are sick of
breathing poisoned air
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/3045

Links

The Greenwash Guide
http://www.futerra.co.uk/downloads/Greenwash_Guide.pdf

Scientific Studies

A 10-year time-series analysis of respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity
in Nicosia, Cyprus: the effect of short-term changes in air pollution and
dust storms.
http://www.ehjournal.net/content/7/1/39

Speed of Mental Operations in Fibromyalgia: A Selective Naming Speed
Deficit.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18636019?dopt=AbstractPlus

[Observation on therapeutic effect of multiple cupping at back-shu points on
chronic fatigue syndrome]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18630535?dopt=AbstractPlus

[Interest of toxicological analysis for poisonings]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18630820?dopt=AbstractPlus

Indoor Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Homes with or without
Wood Burning for Heating
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag/2008/42/i14/abs/es800304y.html

Chronic fatigue syndrome: implications for women and their health care
providers during the childbearing years.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/15269523

Patient perspectives on the impact of fibromyalgia.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18640807?dopt=AbstractPlus

Chronic fatigue: an evolutionary concept analysis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18638162?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Global health impacts and costs due to mercury emissions.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18643818?dopt=AbstractPlus

Depletion of liver glutathione levels in rats: a potential confound of
nose-only inhalation.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18645729?dopt=AbstractPlus

Conceptualizing and measuring illness self-concept: A comparison with
self-esteem and optimism in predicting fibromyalgia adjustment.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18646034?dopt=AbstractPlus

Lourdes Salvador
www.mcs-america.org

Disclaimer:
Articles and links are not necessarily the opinion of MCS America, Lourdes
Salvador, and/or the volunteers who assemble this information. We will be
not responsible for misuse of this information. Posting does not constitute
endorsement. We have no financial interest in anything posted . This post is
provided free of charge via volunteer effort.

at 7:52 PM

Inhal Toxicol. 2008 Jul;20(9):885-90.

Links

Depletion of liver glutathione levels in rats: a potential confound of nose-only inhalation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18645729?dopt=AbstractPlus

Fechter LD, Nelson-Miller A, Gearhart C.

Loma Linda VA Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, USA. Larry.fechter@va.gov

Nose-only inhalation exposure chambers offer key advantages to whole-body systems, particularly when aerosol or mixed aerosol-vapor exposures are used. Specifically, nose-only chambers provide enhanced control over the route of exposure and dose by minimizing the deposition of particles either on the subjects skin/fur or on surfaces of a whole-body exposure system. In the current series of experiments, liver, brain, and lung total glutathione (GSH) levels were assessed following either nose-only or whole-body exposures to either jet fuel or to clean, filtered air. The data were compared to untreated control subjects. Acute nose-only inhalation exposures of rats resulted in a significant depletion of liver GSH levels both in subjects that were exposed to clean, filtered air as well as those exposed to JP-8 jet fuel and to a synthetic jet fuel. Glutathione levels were not altered in lung or brain tissue. Whole-body inhalation exposure had no effect on GSH levels in any tissue for any of the treatment groups. A second experiment demonstrated that the loss of GSH did not occur if rats were anaesthetized prior to and during nose-only exposure to clean, filtered air or to mixed hydrocarbons. These data appear to be consistent with studies demonstrating depletion in liver GSH levels among rats subjected to restraint stress. Finally, the depletion of GSH that was observed in liver following a single acute exposure was reduced following five daily exposures to clean, filtered air, suggesting the possibility of habituation to restraint in the nose-only exposure chamber. The finding that placement in a nose-only exposure chamber per se yields liver GSH depletion raises the possibility of an interaction between this mode of toxicant exposure and the toxicological effects of certain inhaled test substances.

PMID: 18645729 [PubMed - in process]

at 7:45 PM

Risk Anal. 2008 Jun;28(3):603-13.

Links

Global health impacts and costs due to mercury emissions.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18643818?dopt=AbstractPlus

Spadaro JV, Rabl A.

Ecoles des Mines de Paris, Paris, France.

Since much of the emission is in the form of metallic Hg whose atmospheric residence time is long enough to cause nearly uniform mixing in the hemisphere, much of the impact is global. This article presents a first estimate of global average neurotoxic impacts and costs by defining a comprehensive transfer factor for ingestion of methyl-Hg as ratio of global average dose rate and global emission rate. For the dose-response function (DRF) we use recent estimates of IQ decrement as function of Hg concentration in blood, as well as correlations between blood concentration and Hg ingestion. The cost of an IQ point is taken as $18,000 in the United States and applied in other countries in proportion to per capita GDP, adjusted for purchase power parity. The mean estimate of the global average of the marginal damage cost per emitted kg of Hg is about $1,500/kg, if one assumes a dose threshold of 6.7 mug/day of methyl-Hg per person, and $3,400/kg without threshold. The average global lifetime impact and cost per person at current emission levels are 0.02 IQ points lost and $78 with and 0.087 IQ points and $344 without threshold. These results are global averages; for any particular source and emission site the impacts can be quite different. An assessment of the overall uncertainties indicates that the damage cost could be a factor 4 smaller or larger than the median estimate (the uncertainty distribution is approximately log normal and the ratio median/mean is approximately 0.4).

PMID: 18643818 [PubMed - in process]

at 8:08 AM

A 10-year time-series analysis of respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity in Nicosia, Cyprus: the effect of short-term changes in air pollution and dust storms.

http://www.ehjournal.net/content/7/1/39

Nicos Middleton , Panayiotis Yiallouros , Savvas Kleanthous , Ourania Kolokotroni , Joel Schwartz , Douglas W Dockery , Phil Demokritou and Petros Koutrakis

Environmental Health 2008, 7:39doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-39


Published:	22 July 2008

Abstract (provisional)

Background

To date, a substantial body of research has shown adverse health effects of short-term changes in levels of air pollution. Such associations have not been investigated in smaller size cities in the Eastern Mediterranean. A particular feature in the region is dust blown from the Sahara a few times a year resulting in extreme PM10 concentrations. It is not entirely clear whether such natural phenomena pose the same risks.

Methods

The effect of changes in daily levels of particulate matter (PM10) and ozone (O3) on hospitalization for all, cardiovascular and respiratory causes in the two hospitals in Nicosia during 1 January 1995 and 30 December 2004 was investigated using generalized additive Poisson models after controlling for long- and short-term patterns as well as for the effect of weather. Meteorological records were reviewed to identify dust-storm days and analyses were repeated to quantify their effect on cardio-respiratory morbidity.

Results

For every 10 mug/m3 increase in daily average PM10 concentrations, there was a 0.9% 95%CI (0.6%, 1.2%) increase in all-cause and 1.2% (-0.0%, 2.4%) increase in cardiovascular admissions. With respect to respiratory causes, an effect was observed only in the warm months. No lagged effects with levels of PM10 were observed. In contrast, positive associations with levels of ozone were only observed the two days prior to admission. These appeared stronger for cardiovascular causes and independent of the effect of PM. All-cause and cardiovascular admissions were 4.8% (0.7%, 9.0%) and 10.4% (-4.7%, 27.9%) higher on dust storm days respectively. In both cases the magnitude of effect was comparable to that seen on the quartile of non-storm days with the highest levels of PM10.

Conclusions

We observed an increased risk of hospitalization at elevated levels of particulate matter and ozone generally consistent with the magnitude seen across several European cities. We also observed an increased risk of hospitalization on dust storm days, particularly for cardiovascular causes. While inference from these associations is limited due to the small number of dust storm days in the study period, it would appear imperative to issue health warnings for these natural events, particularly directed towards vulnerable population groups.

at 8:00 AM

Comment: This study was published in a peer review journal. Of interest is that it appears the products were merely placed in a sterile room one at a time and the ambient air was tested, showing toxic levels of carcinogens and VOC's. This is the typical exposure of walking into a grocery store where these products are sold or a room where someone else who used the products is present.

Toxic chemicals found in common scented laundry products, air fresheners

http://www.physorg.com/news136035644.html

A University of Washington study of top-selling laundry products and air fresheners found the products emitted dozens of different chemicals. All six products tested gave off at least one chemical regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, but none of those chemicals was listed on the product labels.

"I first got interested in this topic because people were telling me that the air fresheners in public restrooms and the scent from laundry products vented outdoors were making them sick," said Anne Steinemann, a UW professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs. "And I wanted to know, 'What's in these products that is causing these effects?'"

at 7:59 AM

Fresh scent may hide toxic secret

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371779_toxicfragrance23.html

Innocuous-sounding 'perfume' in detergents, air fresheners made with dangerous chemicals

By LISA STIFFLER
P-I REPORTER

The scented fabric sheet makes your shirts and socks smell flowery fresh and clean. That plug-in air freshener fills your home with inviting fragrances of apple and cinnamon or a country garden.

But those common household items are potentially exposing your family and friends to dangerous chemicals, a University of Washington study has found.

<snip>

at 7:41 AM

Comment: This study was published in a peer review journal. Of interest is that it appears the products were merely placed in a sterile room one at a time and the ambient air was tested, showing toxic levels of carcinogens and VOC's. This is the typical exposure of walking into a grocery store where these products are sold or a room where someone else who uses the products is present. This is an awsome study!

Toxic chemicals found in common scented laundry products, air fresheners

http://www.physorg.com/news136035644.html

A University of Washington study of top-selling laundry products and air fresheners found the products emitted dozens of different chemicals. All six products tested gave off at least one chemical regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, but none of those chemicals was listed on the product labels.

"I first got interested in this topic because people were telling me that the air fresheners in public restrooms and the scent from laundry products vented outdoors were making them sick," said Anne Steinemann, a UW professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs. "And I wanted to know, 'What's in these products that is causing these effects?'"

at 8:27 AM

J Midwifery Womens Health. 2008 Jul-Aug;53(4):289-301; quiz 399.

Links

Chronic fatigue syndrome: implications for women and their health care providers during the childbearing years.

Allen PR.

University of Utah College of Nursing, 10 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5880, USA. Peggy.Allen@hsc.utah.edu

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex debilitating medical disorder that affects approximately 4 million persons in the United States, predominantly women. There has been little scientific exploration about the experience of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period for women with this disorder. A review of the literature and current research findings addressing the epidemiology, diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome are presented, as well as the currently available data regarding the experience of women with chronic fatigue syndrome anticipating or experiencing pregnancy and the postpartum period. Expert opinion is presented along with current evidence to provide guidelines for the care of women with chronic fatigue syndrome during pregnancy, labor and birth, lactation, and the postpartum period.

PMID: 18586181 [PubMed - in process]

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/15269523

at 8:10 AM

Feds apparently disregarded toxic links to illnesses

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/22/feds-apparently-disregarded-toxic-links-illnesses/

The U.S. Department of Labor says it can find "no known" link between toxic exposure and at least 77 medical conditions. Sick workers have come to call this the "no pay" list. But the Rocky Mountain News found that at least seven of those listed diseases actually have "good" or "strong" evidence linking them to toxic substances. <snip>

Breast Cancer: Strong evidence of a link to radiation, PCBs, solvents;

Diabetes: Strong evidence of link to arsenic; good evidence of a link to dioxins;

Gallbladder cancer: Good evidence of link to thorium dioxide; limited evidence of a link to benzene, PCBs;

Pancreatic cancer: Good evidence of a link to radiation, solvents, PCBs;

Prostate cancer: Good evidence of a link to solvents, aromatic amines, methyl bromide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons;

Rheumatoid arthritis: Strong evidence of silica; Limited evidence of solvents;

Salivary gland cancer: Strong evidence of a link to radiation.

at 9:42 PM

Indoor Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Homes with or without Wood Burning for Heating
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag/2008/42/i14/abs/es800304y.html

Environ. Sci. Technol., 42 (14), 5074–5080, 2008. 10.1021/es800304y

Pernilla Gustafson,*† Conny Östman,‡ and Gerd Sällsten†
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, and Department of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of domestic wood burning on indoor levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Indoor and outdoor concentrations of 27 PAHs were measured during wintertime in homes with (n = 13) or without (n = 10) wood-burning appliances and at an ambient site in a Swedish residential area where wood burning for space heating is common. Twenty-four hour indoor levels of anthracene, benzo(ghi)fluoranthene, cyclopenta(cd)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, chrysene/triphenylene, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, benzo(ghi)perylene, and coronene were significantly (about 3- to 5-fold) higher in homes with, compared with homes without, wood-burning appliances. The outdoor levels of PAHs were generally higher than the indoor levels for all PAHs except for the methylated phenanthrenes. The total PAH cancer potency (sum of BaP equivalents) was significantly higher (about 4 times) in the wood-burning homes compared with the reference homes, with BaP being the largest contributor, while phenanthrene made the largest contribution to the total PAH concentration in indoor and outdoor air. The median indoor BaP level in the wood-burning homes (0.52 ng/m3) was 5 times higher than the Swedish health-based guideline of 0.1 ng/m3, which was also exceeded outdoors on all days (median 0.37 ng/m3).

Download the full text: PDF | HTML

Received for review January 31, 2008
Revised manuscript received April 16, 2008
Accepted April 21, 2008
Web Release Date: June 7, 2008
Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society

__._,_.___

This post is for information purposes only. It is not intended to replace the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of a licensed physician and no such claims are inferred. Articles are not necessarily the opinion of MCS America or the poster. There is no financial interest in this post. Posting does not constitute endorsement. Neither MCS America nor the poster will be responsible for misuse of this information. This service is provided free of charge by volunteer efforts. The mission of MCS America (MCSA) is to gain medical, legal, and social recognition for multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) as a disorder of organic biological origin induced by toxic environmental insults. Secondarily, MCSA seeks to ensure that environmental toxicants are identified, reduced, regulated, and enforced through lobbying for effective legislation.

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at 8:15 AM

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2008 Jun;28(6):405-7. Links

[Observation on therapeutic effect of multiple cupping at back-shu points on chronic fatigue syndrome]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18630535?dopt=AbstractPlus

[Article in Chinese]

Chen GL, Xiao GM, Zheng XL.

Rehabilitation Treatment Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital of TCM, Lanzhou 730050, China. chenguolian1234@163.com

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic effect of multiple cupping at back-shu points of zang-and fu-organs on chronic fatigue syndrome. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-one cases were randomly divided into 2 groups. The multiple cupping group (n = 142) were treated with multiple cupping along both sides of the spinal cord, and the acupuncture group (n = 49) were treated with acupuncture at acupoints selected according to TCM syndrome differentiation. Their therapeutic effects were assessed by clinical symptoms and Fatigue Assessment Indexes (FAI). RESULTS: The total effective rate was 97.9% in the multiple cupping group and 79.6% in the acupuncture group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01), and after treatment, there was a very significant difference between the two groups in FAI score (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Multiple cupping at back-shu points of zang-and fu-organs is an effective method for chronic fatigue syndrome.

PMID: 18630535 [PubMed - in process]

at 8:12 AM

Rev Prat. 2008 Apr 30;58(8):838-43. Links

[Interest of toxicological analysis for poisonings]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18630820?dopt=AbstractPlus

[Article in French]

Mégarbane B, Baud FJ.

bruno.megarbane@lrb.aphp.fr

The clinical approach of the poisoned patients is mainly based on the analysis of the circumstances of intoxication and the search for toxidromes. Toxicological analysis aims to detect the toxicants or measure their concentrations, in order to confirm the hypothesis of poisoning, to evaluate its severity and to help the follow-up regarding the treatment efficiency. Emergent toxicological analysis appears only useful if the method is specific and the results rapidly obtained. Therefore, systematic screening using immunochesmistry-based tests is not recommended in the situation of emergency. Measurement of blood concentrations of the toxicants is only indicated if it may influence the patient management. However, in the perspective of research, the study of toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic relationships, i.e. the relationships between the toxicant effects and its blood concentrations, may be helpful to understand the inter-individual variability of the response to a toxicant.

PMID: 18630820 [PubMed - in process]

at 12:11 PM

Proclamations

Idaho 2008 Toxic Injury Proclamation
http://mcs-america.org/idaho2008ti.pdf

Indiana 2008 Toxic Injury Proclamation
http://mcs-america.org/Indiana2008TI.pdf

Michigan 2008 Toxic Injury Proclamation
http://mcs-america.org/Michigan2008TI.pdf

Massachusetts 2008 Toxic Injury Proclamation
http://mcs-america.org/Massachusetts2008TI.pdf

West Virginia 2008 Toxic Injury Proclamation
http://mcs-america.org/WestVirginia2008TI.pdf

July 18, 2008

Science on sale: I'll take three
http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/07/science-on-sale-ill-take-three.htm

Defining Complications From Organophosphate Poisoning From Pesticides
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714202512.htm

July 17, 2008

Acetaminophen Use Can Lead to Serious Liver Toxicity
http://honolulu.injuryboard.com/medical-malpractice/acetaminophen-use-can-lead-to-serious-liver-toxicity.aspx?googleid=243964

Moldy Building Making People Sick
http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/25598244.html

Taming, naming and reclaiming yourself from a mysterious disorder
http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2008/07/17/your_health_matters/health_news/health0000000000000000000000001.txt

Antibacterial Agent No Better Than Soap & Water and It's Toxic
http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0717-03.htm

Ecology Center To Release Latest Guide to Toxic Chemicals Inside Cars
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=129306

Suspicion Surrounds Firing of EPA Panel Chair
http://www.washingtonindependent.com/view/suspicion-surrounds

Exposure To Traffic-related Air Pollution Linked To Onset Of Allergic
Diseases In Children
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080712144742.htm

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) - What you need to know about low energy
lighting
http://www.mastsanity.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=233&Itemid=1

Pesticides Found In Soap, Toothpaste And Toys
http://www.wpxi.com/consumer/16910474/detail.html

Cellphones and kids
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/461786

July 16, 2008

Fire Station Shuts Down Again
http://www.kveo.com/home/ticker/25523554.html

Cell tower complaints are loud and clear
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_celltowers_0716jul16,0,6926256.story

Sisters share debilitating disease: Doctors believe genetic link involved
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080716/LIFESTYLE/807160302

Woman receives diagnosis for allergy to electricity
http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=153192&sc=25

July 15, 2008

Dow to clean homes of dioxins
http://www.weyi.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=159607

California Bisphenol A ban moves forward
http://www.gentlenurturing.com/gentle_nurturing_newsroom/bisphenol_a_science_and_policy/california_bpa_ban_moves_forward/

Helpful Herbs for Detoxification
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/helpful-herbs-for-detoxification.html
Some fragrances are too strong: What's that smell?
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/071508/xtr_465701.shtml

RESEARCH UNCOVERS LITTLE-KNOWN IMPACTS OF SMELL AND TASTE ON HEALTH
NIDCD-Supported Science to be Presented at International Chemical Senses
Symposium in San Francisco
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jul2008/nidcd-15.htm

Lawn chemical ban?
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=a9393768-f4c0-4ea8-b4a8-e38a34846793

Teen vaccine houses unhealthy side effects
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=177018

July 14, 2008

Can air quality damage athletes?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7501756.stm

Fibromyalgia: Little understood, often frustrating
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/07/14/hm.fibromyalgia/

Autism study panned by critics
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080714/full/454259a.html

July 13, 2008

Pennsylvania Governor Signs Autism Insurance Coverage Bill
http://www.emaxhealth.com/132/23189.html

Warning: Habits May Be Good for You
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/business/13habit.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

Vaccination casualty
http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/07/13/national/national_30077967.php

It Might Be Time to Shut Your Mouth to Mercury
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/10/AR2008071002601.html

July 12, 2008

Hazardous flame retardant found in household objects
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=771917

Anti-Bacterial Personal Hygiene Products Triclosan And Triclocarban May Not
Be Worth Potential Risks
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114795.php

'Boys grew breasts after crop spraying'
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20080712083756254C972685

Dial back cellphone use, city officials tell parents
http://healthzone.ca/health/article/459099

'Last ghost' of the Vietnam War
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080711.worange1107/BNStory/Front/home/?pageRequested=all

July 11, 2008

Patches arrested, police say her scent made men pass out
http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=8660915&nav=menu57_1

Disparities in Secondhand Smoke Exposure --- United States, 1988--1994
and 1999--2004
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5727a3.htm?s_cid=mm5727a3_e

Toxic gym blamed in man's death
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/07/11/2008-07-11_toxic_gym_blamed_in_mans_death-2.html

New CDC Report Demonstrates Urgency For All States And Cities To Become
Smokefree
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114743.php

Environment Canada places partial ban on flame retardant
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080711.wretardant12/BNStory/National/home

Monsanto patent fight ensnares Missouri farm town
http://www.kansascity.com/382/v-print/story/699820.html

July 10, 2008

EPA releases fumigation safety measures
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/07/10/EPA_releases_fumigation_safety_measures/UPI-49291215743113/

Gardasil -- doctor's story is 'no side-effects'
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/janak/080710

Natural Cleaning with Ingredients from Your Kitchen
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=8656026&nav=menu227_3

Dangerous cosmetics: what you're really putting on your body
http://www.live5news.com/Global/story.asp?S=8657201

The Truth About Plastic
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1821664,00.html

Vog's Effect On Plants Prompts Call For Natural Disaster
http://www.kitv.com/money/16850573/detail.html?treets=hon&tml=hon_12pm&ts=T&tmi=hon_12pm_1_05000307112008

July 9, 2008

Officials: Pesticides May Have Caused Family's Mystery Illness
http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=6943738&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Gardasil's Safety Questioned
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Gardasils_Safety_Questioned_20100.html

July 8, 2008

Gardasil - 18 Dead, Thousands Suffer Complications
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jul/08070809.html

June 24, 2008

Artificial turf target of legal action
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9677643?source=most_emailed

Scientific Studies

Metabolic biomarkers of increased oxidative stress and impaired methylation
capacity in children with autism
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/80/6/1611

Medication-induced mitochondrial damage and disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18626887?dopt=AbstractPlus

Diffuse noxious inhibitory control is delayed in chronic fatigue syndrome:
An experimental study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18617327?dopt=AbstractPlus

Toxic causes of mental illness are overlooked.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18621076?dopt=AbstractPlus

The Odor Awareness Scale: A New Scale for Measuring Positive and Negative
Odor Awareness.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18622009?dopt=AbstractPlus

Efficacy of fibromyalgia treatment according to level of care: a
meta-analysis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18627602?dopt=AbstractPlus

Lourdes Salvador
www.mcs-america.org

Disclaimer:
Articles and links are not necessarily the opinion of MCS America, Lourdes
Salvador, and/or the volunteers who assemble this information. We will be
not responsible for misuse of this information. Posting does not constitute
endorsement. We have no financial interest in anything posted . This post is
provided free of charge via volunteer effort.

at 4:02 PM

Chem Senses. 2008 Jul 11. [Epub ahead of print]

The Odor Awareness Scale: A New Scale for Measuring Positive and Negative Odor Awareness.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18622009?dopt=AbstractPlus

Smeets MA, Schifferstein HN, Boelema SR, Lensvelt-Mulders G.

1Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 35&4 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands.

The Odor Awareness Scale (OAS) is a questionnaire designed to assess individual differences in awareness of odors in the environment. The theory that odor awareness can be distinguished in awareness of negative (to be avoided) odors and positive (to be approached) odors was tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the 34-item questionnaire after completion by 525 respondents. CFA (after deletion of 2 items) showed good fit of the 2-factor theory, resulting in a positive awareness subscale (11 items, Cronbach's alpha = .77) and a negative awareness subscale (21 items, Cronbach's alpha = .80). Furthermore, reports of sickness from environmental odors were correlated with the negative odor awareness factor, not the positive odor awareness factor. Respondents scoring high on the overall sum score of the OAS showed significantly better olfactory performance on an odor perception test battery than respondents with a low score. These results suggest a causal relation between awareness of potentially negative odors, olfactory performance and experiencing health effects from environmental odor exposure, that warrants further investigation.

PMID: 18622009 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

at 8:18 AM

Research

A cohort study of in utero polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposures in relation to secondary sex ratio

Free Full Text: http://www.ehjournal.net/content/pdf/1476-069x-7-37.pdf

Irva Hertz-Picciotto , Todd A Jusko , Eric J Willman , Rebecca J Baker , Jean A Keller , Stuart W Teplin and M Judith Charles

Environmental Health 2008, 7:37doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-37


Published:	15 July 2008

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous industrial chemicals that persist in the environment and in human fatty tissue. PCBs are related to a class of compounds known as dioxins, specifically 2,3,7,8-TCDD (tetrachloro-dibenzodioxin), which has been implicated as a cause of altered sex ratio, especially in relation to paternal exposures.

Methods

In the 1960's, serum specimens were collected from pregnant women participating in the Child Health and Development Study in the San Francisco Bay Area. The women were interviewed and their serum samples stored at -20 degrees C. For this study, samples were thawed and a total of eleven PCBs were determined in 399 specimens. Secondary sex ratio, or sex ratio at birth, was evaluated as a function of maternal serum concentrations using log-binomial and logistic regression, controlling for hormonally active medications taken during pregnancy.

Results

The relative risk of a male birth decreased by 33% comparing women at the 90th percentile of total PCBs with women at the 10th percentile (RR=0.67; 95% CI, 0.48-0.94; p=0.02), or by approximately 7% for each 1 microgram/L increase in total PCB concentration. Although some congener-specific associations with sex ratio were only marginally statistically significant, all nine PCB congeners with < 30% of samples below the LOQ showed the same direction of association, an improbable finding under the null hypothesis.

Conclusions

Maternal exposure to PCBs may be detrimental to the success of male sperm or to the survival of male embryos. Findings could be due to contaminants, metabolites or PCBs themselves.

at 9:07 PM

This years US proclamation count is:

30 total proclamations

5 MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity)

24 TI (toxic inijury)

1 MCS/TI (combined)

2008

Alabama – TI

Broward County, FL - MCS

View all known proclamations here:

http://mcs-america.org/index_files/proclamations.htm

at 6:16 PM

Article Outline

• Copyright

RATIONALE: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a phenomenon observed in patients who reported sensitivities involving any and every organ system, following exposure to environmental agents including pesticides, solvents, and others. A 39-year-old white man was accidentally exposed to an extremely high concentration of petroleum aromatic hydrocarbons (AH) vapors at his job. Since that time he developed voice disorder attacks every time he smelt gasoline or other HC vapors. These episodes delayed about one hour, and occurred at the work environment, at home or at the gas station. He had no previous history of allergy or vocal cord dysfunction. Investigational procedures for gastro-esophageal reflux and a video-laryngoscopy did not show abnormalities.

METHODS: Double blind challenge tests were performed with 5 different chemical compounds supplied by the employer. He was exposed to inhalation for one minute and the results were evaluated for the occurrence of voice disorder and accompanied by video-laryngoscopy.

RESULTS: Voice disorder associated with vocal cord edema was observed immediately after provocation with samples 1, 2 and 4. They were composed by a mixture of nafta derivates (ND) and at least 15% of AH. Samples 3 and 5 did not produce voice disorder or anatomic modifications on the vocal cords. They were composed by NH4OH plus Na2S, and ND plus 10% of AH, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: These results showed evidences that AH could be involved in the observed events. The voice disorders were well correlated with video-laryngoscopy findings. AH could be listed as a potential agent involved in MCS.

Allergic Center Diseases, Salvador - Bahia, BRAZIL

PII: S0091-6749(06)02498-5

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2006.11.101

at 6:01 PM

Natural Cleaning with Ingredients from Your Kitchen
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=8656026&nav=menu227_3

Store bought cleaners can irritate eyes and skin and are one of the leading
causes of toxic exposure reported to the U.S. poison control center.
Detergents, chemical fragrances, and cleaning products are often made of
non-biodegradable materials, use non-renewable resources such as petroleum,
contain substances known to cause cancer, and harm wildlife. You can give
natural cleaning a try without a lot of effort; most of the ingredients are
probably lying around your house already. There is a natural solution to
most any cleaning challenge that you wish to tackle. Here are some basics
to get you started.

See link for natural cleaning tips.

at 5:30 PM

Perfume spraying incident leads to arrest

http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20080711/HURBLOG/164347976/1224&title=Perfume_spraying_incident_leads_to_arrest

HOUMA – The cologne-wafting woman local police believe caused at least two men to feel ill and light-headed was arrested Thursday, after being pulled over near the Hollywood Video parking lot on Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Patches Wegmann, 22, of 1449 Spanish Oaks Drive in Harvey, was charged with simple battery and unlawful solicitation after she sprayed perfume on a 26-year-old man's arm outside a store in a Martin Luther King Boulevard shopping center, said Maj. Malcolm Wolfe, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman. She was with three other men who were released and not charged.

<snip>

Sheriff's Office is still investigating the incident. At this time, it is unknown what, if any, noxious fumes are in the perfume mixtures. If anyone has any information concerning similar activities, they are encouraged to call the Sheriff's Office at 876-2500.

at 9:50 AM

July 11, 2008

Unum: If at first you don't Succeed.Keep Trying
http://www.blurtit.com/q656000.html

Class suit planned over endosulfan use
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080711-147708/Class-suit-planned-over-endosulfan-use

July 10, 2008

Findings on Katrina Trailers Went Undisclosed, Maker Says
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070802315.html

Treat The Pain Of Fibromyalgia Through Effective Alternative Therapies
http://www.themedguru.com/articles/treat_the_pain_of_fibromyalgia_through_effective_alternative_therapies-8615928.html

Man Says Mold In Home Is Making Him Ill
http://www.wfsb.com/news/16847911/detail.html

EPA Drops Value of an American Life
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/epa-drops-value-of-an-american-life/20080710201309990001

Tips to Avoid Mold from Record Floods
http://www.kimt.com/news/local/24278279.html

Micro materials that could pose major health risks
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080710.wnano10/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home

July 9, 2008

Dunes program focuses on helping environment
http://www.post-trib.com/news/neighbors/1044353,greening.article

Wilson: Some Vaccines Still Contain Mercury
http://www.wxyz.com/content/news/investigators/story.aspx?content_id=599da2da-f75e-4844-952e-1241f33b57fd

Some disabled drivers don't look it
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/along-for-the-ride/uncategorized/2008/07/some-disabled-drivers-dont-look-it/

X-ray mum: I was on NHS blacklist
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1057389_xray_mum_i_was_on_nhs_blacklist

July 8, 2008

Trailer Graveyards Haunt FEMA, Neighbors
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92183909

Cipro joins the 'black box' club
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/07/cipro-joins-the.html

Dental Industry Gets an Earful on Mercury
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=5335155

Fringe autism treatment could get federal study
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j71A7ZN9GaxtikP7Mo0ZmINil4aQD91PT3382

Did Trailer Makers Know About Toxic Fumes?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/08/cbsnews_investigates/printable4243041.shtml

California suing cement company over toxic emissions
http://www.kget.com/news/state/story.aspx?content_id=74b236dc-3dc0-4a4c-88dc-f109713ebd86

Dental industry gets an earful on mercury
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gpYiyxyvwc3gI5hyTaHwqZA4BBFQD91PUUQ00

Panel Hears Testimony on Toxic Mold
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/panel-hears-testimony-on-toxic-mold/

Back to school: A painful experience saw Sue Collins change the course of
her life
http://education.guardian.co.uk/further/voices/story/0,,2289639,00.html

A Cloth to Cut the Mercury Risk From Light Bulbs
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/science/08obcfl.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin

July 7, 2008

The Toxic Consequences of the Green Revolution
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/world/2008/07/07/the-toxic-consequences-of-the-green-revolution_print.htm

Lawmakers call for probe of chemical plant
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/07/MNQB11L5DD.DTL

CDC reports on adverse reactions to Gardasil vaccine
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/07/07/adversereactions-gardasil.html

The Hazards of Flooding - Parts I and II
http://www.mountainstatesman.com/V2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=&story_id=1205

Canada Takes More Action To Protect Human Health And The Environment Under
World Leading Chemicals Management Plan
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114122.php

Crusader against plant receives alarming news
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/06/MN3JVU4O8.DTL

Asthma on the rise
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080707/LIFESTYLE/736118811/1350&title=Asthma_on_the_rise

July 6, 2008

Give mosquitos the brush off with herbals
http://www.thecanaryreport.org/give-mosquitos-the-brush-off-with-herbals.html

Baseline Maneuvers
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/opinion/06sun3.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

Mold drives family from 'dream' home
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/06/mold_drives_family_from_dream_home46673/

Fear of the needle: State agencies try to dispel immunization concerns
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/07/06/news/top_story/139909.txt

Scientists still baffled at bee losses
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/070608/uganews_20080706053.shtml

How to Have Perfect Health in a Polluted World
http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/content/view/438/27/

Government identifies chemicals 'toxic' to humans and the environment
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iC5NXZlLcrne7UE6OcFMTHp6Dmxg

Feds to investigate Livermore Lab's handling of toxic metal beryllium
http://www.contracostatimes.com/bayandstate/ci_9799154?nclick_check=1

Are you being green washed?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/jul/06/green.ethicalholidays/print

Cancer vaccine linked to illness in women
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23974632-2,00.html

Ex-worker on crusade against chemical plant
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/05/MN3JVU4N2.DTL

July 5, 2008

Calls to ban poison found in beef
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4608075a3600.html

If we're banning harmful chemicals, we have lots of work to do
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=5e2da90d-555b-409d-be08-95d2973d27b4

Unum's appeal backfires in Nev.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20080704/NEWS/807040318/1002/BUSINESS_

Chemical-free Lawn and Garden Care
http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Environment_380/Chemical-free_Lawn_and_Garden_Care.shtml

July 3, 2008

Bush administration to replace health czar for World Trade Center
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/03/america/NA-US-Attacks-Health.php

Household Antibacterial Product Use May Promote Microbial Resistance
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/577055

July 2, 2008

Childhood vaccinations suspended at Genesis pediatric clinics
http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=8613656&nav=1sW7

July 2008

Time for a Change: From Exposure Assessment to Exposure Science
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/116-7/editorial.html

June 30,2008

FDA Rejects Gardasil for Older Women
http://medheadlines.com/2008/06/30/fda-rejects-gardasil-for-older-women/

June 29, 2008

Rift delays release of study on safety of cellphones
http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=14067234

Links

Indoor Air Quality in Office Buildings: A Technical Guide
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/air/office_building-immeubles_bureaux/organic-organiques-eng.php

Scientific Studies

Assessment of acute injuries, exposure to environmental toxins, and
five-year health surveillance of New York Police Department working dogs
following the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center terrorist attack.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18593312?dopt=AbstractPlus

Pathology and toxicology findings for search-and-rescue dogs deployed to the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attack sites: initial five-year surveillance.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18599853?dopt=AbstractPlus

Thalassotherapy for fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial comparing
aquatic exercises in sea water and water pool.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18600327?dopt=AbstractPlus

Irreversible color vision losses in patients with chronic mercury vapor
intoxication
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18598423?dopt=AbstractPlus

Lourdes Salvador
www.mcs-america.org

Disclaimer:
Articles and links are not necessarily the opinion of MCS America, Lourdes
Salvador, and/or the volunteers who assemble this information. We will be
not responsible for misuse of this information. Posting does not constitute
endorsement. We have no financial interest in anything posted . This post is
provided free of charge via volunteer effort.

at 9:34 AM

Removing fragrance

http://askville.amazon.com/perfume-scent-cotton-clothing-Removing-fragrance/AnswerDetails.do?requestId=8585954&responseId=8591625

Baking Soda. Add a half cup of vinegar and a half cup of baking soda to your regular unscented detergent, let it agitate in the washer, and then stop it so it soaks for a while. (Dissolve the baking soda in the water before adding the vinegar or the clothes or you could end up with pasty clothes.) We use it in our refrigerators for this very purpose - it's great at neutralizing odors.
Coffee. (I know what you're thinking...and I don't mean for you to soak your clothes in it! ) Get a cardboard shirt box or shoe box, sprinkle in some dry fresh coffee grounds, put several layers of tissue paper on top (so that the oils from the coffee grounds don't stain your clothes) and put a lid on it. If you're allergic, you may not have seen this before, but a lot of perfume counters have little dishes of coffee grounds sitting out so that shoppers can "cleanse the palate." (You could also try this same technique with dry baking soda, making the shoe box into a tiny little refrigerator.) I have no idea why coffee works, but it really does seem to!
Sunshine. I know, it's March and sunshine is at a premium right now, but if you have a sunny day sometime soon, hang the clothing out in the sun. You can try the baking soda & vinegar thing first and then use the sun to dry it, or just try it without. If there's an organic component to the fragrance, sunlight might help break the fragrance molecules down faster. The essential oils that go into a natural fragrance are fairly volatile, and when you buy them they're usually sold in amber or cobalt glass to keep the light out.
If the source of the fragrance is oil-based (like a body oil rather than an alcohol-based perfume), try a tiny bit of Dawn dish soap dissolved in water. Dawn really does cut grease better than just about everything else, so if the reason the fragrance is lingering is that the soaps you're using can't pry the oil away from the fabric, Dawn might just have that extra bit of "oomph" you need.

<snip>

at 9:44 PM

Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 27: 135–146, 2008

Dirty Electricity Elevates Blood Sugar Among Electrically Sensitive Diabetics and May Explain Brittle Diabetes

MAGDA HAVAS

Environmental & Resource Studies, Trent University, Peterborough,
Ontario, Canada, mhavas@trentu.ca

Abstract

Transient electromagnetic fields (dirty electricity), in the kilohertz range on electrical wiring, may be contributing to elevated blood sugar levels among diabetics and prediabetics. By closely following plasma glucose levels in four Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics, we find that they responded directly to the amount of dirty electricity in their environment. In an electromagnetically clean environment, Type 1 diabetics require less insulin and Type 2 diabetics have lower levels of plasma glucose. Dirty electricity, generated by electronic equipment and wireless devices, is ubiquitous in the environment. Exercise on a treadmill, which produces dirty electricity, increases plasma glucose. These findings may explain why brittle diabetics have difficulty regulating blood sugar. Based on estimates of people who suffer from symptoms of electrical hypersensitivity (3–35%), as many as 5–60 million diabetics worldwide may be affected. Exposure to electromagnetic pollution in its various forms may account for higher plasma glucose levels and may contribute to the misdiagnosis of diabetes. Reducing exposure to electromagnetic pollution by avoidance or with specially designed GS filters may enable some diabetics to better regulate their blood sugar with less medication and borderline or pre-diabetics to remain non diabetic longer.

Conclusions

In addition to lifestyle and genetics, the environment appears to be another factor contributing to high levels of blood sugar. This concept presents a possible paradigm shift in the way we think about diabetes and the consequences may be far reaching. As a result, we have labeled environmental diabetes as Type 3 diabetes.

We recognize that there is, as yet, no accepted definition of Type 3 diabetes and that our definition may be in conflict with others that have been suggested including a combination of Type 1 and Type 2, gestational diabetes, and that Alzheimer's Disease is a form of diabetes (Steen et al., 2005; de la Monte et al., 2006).

What we describe here is a totally different type in the sense it has an environmental trigger. Doctors have long suspected an environmental component but it has not been until now that one has been found.

The increasing exposure and ubiquitous nature of electromagnetic pollution may be contributing to the increasing incidence of this disease and the escalating cost of medical care. Diagnosis of diabetes needs to be done in an electromagnetically clean environment to prevent misdiagnosis, and to properly assess the severity of this disorder. Most medical centers have electronic equipment and use fluorescent lights that produce dirty electricity, which is likely to cause abnormally high blood sugar readings for those with a combination of diabetes and electrohypersensitivity (Type 3 diabetes). Dirty electricity may also explain why brittle diabetics have difficulty controlling their blood sugar levels.

Type 3 diabetes, as described in this study, is an emerging disease. Unlike true Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics whose blood sugar is not affected by dirty electricity, Type 3 diabetics may be better able to regulate their blood sugar with less medication, and those diagnosed as borderline or pre-diabetic may remain non diabetic longer by reducing their exposure to electromagnetic energy. The GS filters and the microsurge meter provide the tools needed for scientific investigation of dirty electricity and may help diabetics regulate their blood sugar by improving power quality in their home, school, and work environment. Minimizing exposure to radio frequencies (kHz to GHz), flowing along the ground or through the air, also needs to be addressed. Large-scale studies are needed in controlled settings to determine the percentage of the population with Type 3 diabetes.

These results are dramatic and warrant further investigation. If they are representative of what is happening worldwide, then electromagnetic pollution is adversely affecting the lives of millions of people.

at 9:34 PM

Pathophysiologic mechanisms of fibromyalgia and its related disorders.

J Clin Psychiatry. 2008;69 Suppl 2:6-13.

Bradley LA.

Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, and Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics of Musculoskeletal Disorders, University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA. larry.bradley@ccc.uab.edu

PMID: 18537457

This article reviews current findings regarding the pathophysiologic abnormalities that contribute to the enhanced pain responses of individuals with fibromyalgia as well as the relationships between fibromyalgia and commonly co-occurring disorders. Risk factors for fibromyalgia or enhanced pain responses include genetic and family influences, environmental triggers, and abnormal neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous system function.

These risk factors also are associated with several disorders that frequently co-occur with fibromyalgia, such as major depressive disorder, migraine, and irritable bowel syndrome. Indeed, fibromyalgia and these co-occurring conditions may be part of a group of affective spectrum disorders that share important common, and perhaps heritable, causal factors.

Recent research strongly suggests that alterations in central processing of sensory input also contribute to the cardinal symptoms of fibromyalgia, persistent widespread pain and enhanced pain sensitivity. Exposure to psychosocial and environmental stressors, as well as altered autonomic nervous system and neuroendocrine responses, also may contribute to alterations in pain perception or pain inhibition.

Understanding the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia and co-occurring disorders may help clinicians provide the most appropriate treatment to their patients.

at 8:52 AM

J Vet Diagn Invest. 2008 Jul;20(4):477-484.

Links

Pathology and toxicology findings for search-and-rescue dogs deployed to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack sites: initial five-year surveillance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18599853?dopt=AbstractPlus

Fitzgerald SD, Rumbeiha WK, Emmett Braselton W, Downend AB, Otto CM.

Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, Michigan State University, 4125 Beaumont Road, Lansing, MI 48910-8104. fitzgerald@dcpah.msu.edu.

A long-term surveillance study was conducted on 95 search-and-rescue (S&R) dogs deployed to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack sites; an additional 55 nondeployed S&R dogs served as controls. After 5 years of surveillance, 32% of the deployed dogs have died and 24% of the nondeployed dogs. The mean age at the time of death in these 2 groups of dogs is not significantly different. Causes of death in both groups of dogs include inflammatory, degenerative, and proliferative conditions. No primary pulmonary tumors have been identified to date nor has any significant level of toxicant been found in the tissues from these dogs using assays for general organic compounds and metals or, specifically, for polychlorinated biphenyls. However, significant numbers of both deployed and nondeployed dogs have evidence of inhaled matter as demonstrated by the presence of anthracotic pigments or refractile particulate matter in pulmonary tissue. Although S&R activities in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks exposed dogs to a wide variety of potentially toxic compounds, to date, these dogs do not appear to suffer from higher mortality or increased pulmonary disease compared with nondeployed dogs. To the authors' knowledge, the current survey represents the first long-term and large-scale survey of the pathology and toxicology of S&R dogs deployed to a major disaster site.

PMID: 18599853 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

at 9:56 PM

Self-reported neurological symptoms in relation to CO emissions due to problem gas appliance installations in London: a cross-sectional survey.

Ben Croxford , Giovanni S Leonardi and Irene Kreis

Environmental Health 2008, 7:34doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-34


Published:	1 July 2008

http://www.ehjournal.net/content/7/1/34/abstract

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Previous research by the authors found evidence that up to 10% of particular household categories may be exposed to elevated carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations from poor quality gas appliance installations. The literature suggests several neurological symptoms are linked to exposure to low levels of CO. This paper addresses the hypothesis that selected self-reported neurological symptoms experienced by a householder are linked to an estimate of their CO exposure.

Methods

Between 27 April and 27 June 2006, 597 homes with a mains supply of natural gas were surveyed, mainly in old, urban areas of London. Qualified gas engineers tested all gas appliances (cooker, boiler, gas fire, and water heater) and reported, according to the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure, appliances considered At Risk (AR), Immediately Dangerous (ID) or Not to Current Standards (NCS). Five graded exposure risk categories were defined based on measurement of CO emitted by the appliance, its features and its use, with "high or very high" exposure category where occupants were considered likely to be exposed to levels greater than 26ppm for one hour. The prevalence of symptoms at each level of exposure was compared with that at lowest level of exposure.

Results

Of the households, 6% were assessed as having a "high or very high" risk of exposure to CO. Of the individuals, 9% reported at least one neurological symptom. There was a statistically significant association between "high or very high" exposure risk to CO and self-reported symptoms compared to "no exposure" likelihood, for households not in receipt of benefit, controlling for "number of residents" and presence of pensioners, OR = 3.23, (95%CI: 1.28, 8.15). Risk ratios across all categories of exposure likelihood indicate a dose-response pattern. Those households in receipt of benefit showed no dose-response pattern.

Conclusions

This study found an association between risk of CO exposure at low concentration, and prevalence of self-reported neurological symptoms in the community. As health status was self-reported, this association requires further investigation.

The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.

at 10:58 AM

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

July/August, 2008

Toxic Smoke and Mirrors
http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2008/07/witness-smoke-and-mirrors.html

July 4, 2008

Residents need C8 screens, judge told
http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/200807030682

Along with beauty, fireworks create a beastly mix of pollutants
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fireworks4-2008jul04,0,4886525.story

Zeroing in on brain chemical's link to SIDS: scientists
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/07/04/cribdeath.html

Autism insurance coverage bill to become law
http://www.pocononews.net/news/July08/04/04Jul08-2.html

City calls attention to safety before mosquito spraying
http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/516688.html?nav=5010

July 3, 2008

Scotts corrects insecticide labels
http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/07/03/scotts.html?sid=101

New study points to agriculture in frog sexual abnormalities
http://www.physorg.com/news134322281.html

The dark side of dust: Particles can contain flame retardant PBDE and may
be dangerous
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainment.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-03-0004.html

A skin-deep dilemma: Sunscreen
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_9746754?source=pop_section_news&_requestid=7058400

Fighting Tooth and Nail: After years of debate, federal officials have
agreed to investigate mercury-based fillings
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-to.hs.fillings03jul03,0,2696589,print.story

Sunscreen Companies Regulate Themselves
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=8613287&nav=menu484_11_3

Dangers In Your Backyard: Toxic Sandbox
http://www.wptv.com/content/health/mb/story.aspx?content_id=08c4d0c5-bc66-4df7-82c6-1c87408493c8

July 2, 2009

Sen. Majority Leader says 'coal makes us sick, oil makes us sick;' Comments
go viral; Truth telling praised by environmentalists
http://action.foe.org/pressRelease.jsp?press_release_KEY=390

The antennas are coming
http://www.wickedlocal.com:80/marblehead/news/lifestyle/columnists/x1713654197/COLUMN-The-antennas-are-coming

Three Senate bodies set hearings on endosulfan
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/july/02/yehey/metro/20080702met1.html

July 1, 2008

Lessons learned from Katrina can help you protect your health
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS/894865948/1006/news

Mold allergies aggravated by flooding
http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2008/07/01/news/local_news/news07.txt

Safe for kids
http://deliciouslivingmag.com/kidsfamily/0701-safe-kids-bath-products/

Alarm at flood of bogus pesticides
http://www.ftd.de/karriere_management/business_english/:Business%20English%20Alarm/377663.html

Black and green mold: A problem child for Louisiana
http://www.lsureveille.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=3a7a361f-6694-41cc-9bfb-26dccdccab14

June 30, 2008

EPA, DoD Concerned Over Toxic Chemicals Inside Three Military Bases
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011458259

Chemical Or Organic? Choose Your Sunscreen
http://www.themedguru.com/articles/chemical_or_organic_choose_your_sunscreen-7325302.html

Natural Medicine: Reducing Pesticide Exposure
http://www.ewg.org/node/26768

Volcano 'Pollution' Solves Mercury Mystery
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080629081932.htm

June 29, 2008

Complex deemed safe after test for chemical
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1047515.html

Vaccination suspended after children show side effects
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080629/News/timesnews0011.html

County right to stop use of herbicides
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=119385&sid=5&fid=1

Home-grown veg ruined by toxic fertiliser
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/29/food.agriculture/print

The Dark Side of Sunscreens
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/26/AR2008062603224.html

June 28, 2008

Playing it Safe
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=118365&sid=4&fid=1

Multiple chemical sensitivity and zeolite
http://www.miamiherald.com/actionline/story/585851.html

Experts to Discuss One Puzzling Autism Case, as a Second Case Has Arisen
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/28/health/28vaccine.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=us&adxnnlx=1214679999-Arqx6QthWTb3tO9E3yUjgA&pagewanted=print

Seven Helpful Tips For Dealing With The Pain Of Fibromyalgia
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113146.php

Sweetener can lead to sickness
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080628/A_LIFE/806280301

June 27, 2008

Our strict, chemical-laden diet
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_9723329

Little yellow flags? Not in Connecticut
http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/06/little-yellow-flags-not-in-con.htm

No such thing as "safe" levels of contamination
http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/20080627/n1

Supreme Court erases punitive damages in dismissal case
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080627.wscochonda0627/BNStory/National/home

June 25, 2008

Misunderstood illness often stymies doctors, patients
http://www.communitytimes.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=65&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=6228&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1049&hn=communitytimes&he=.com

Raw deal: Buying green
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/26/pf/going_green/

Calgary committee votes to phase out pesticide use
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/06/25/pesticides-debate.html

June 23, 2008

Nonotech: The Unknown Risks
http://www.precaution.org/lib/08/prn_nano_unknown_risks.080623.htm

June 20, 2008

Catching your breath: The amounts of certain molecules in exhaled breath
could be markers for disease.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/33377/title/Catching_your_breath

June 15, 2008

That Buzz in Your Ear May Be Green Noise
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/fashion/15green.html?_r=2&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

June 11, 2008

Organic Infant Formula Ingredients Processed with Toxic Chemical
http://www.nourishinghope.com/nourishing_hope_blog/2008/06/organic-infant.html

Links

Vaccine Testing
http://www.hapihealth.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=27

CDC FEMA Trailer Study
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/trailerstudy/residents.htm#final

FEB - The Swedish Association for the ElectroSensitive
http://www.feb.se/index_int.htm

Scientific Studies

An IgM-mediated immune response directed against nitro-bovine serum albumin
(nitro-BSA) in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and major depression
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/18580855

Fetal effects of environmental exposure of pregnant women to
organophosphorus compounds in a rural farming community in Sri Lanka.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18584359?dopt=AbstractPlus

Potential human health risks from metals (Hg, Cd, and Pb) and
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) via seafood consumption: Estimation of
target hazard quotients (THQs) and toxic equivalents (TEQs).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18584931?dopt=AbstractPlus

Reduced violent behavior following biochemical therapy.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/15451647

Lourdes Salvador
www.mcs-america.org

Disclaimer:
Articles and links are not necessarily the opinion of MCS America, Lourdes
Salvador, and/or the volunteers who assemble this information. We will be
not responsible for misuse of this information. Posting does not constitute
endorsement. We have no financial interest in anything posted . This post is
provided free of charge via volunteer effort.

at 10:44 PM

Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 May 17. [Epub ahead of print]

Potential human health risks from metals (Hg, Cd, and Pb) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) via seafood consumption: Estimation of target hazard quotients (THQs) and toxic equivalents (TEQs).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18584931?dopt=AbstractPlus

Storelli MM.

Pharmacological-Biological Department, Chemistry and Biochemistry Section, Medicine Veterinary Faculty, University of Bari, Strada Prov.le per Casamassima, km 3, 70010 Valenzano, BA, Italy.

Edible marine species (fish, cephalopod molluscs, crustaceans) from the Adriatic Sea were analyzed for content in heavy metals (Hg, Cd and Pb) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Health risks to human via dietary intake of seafood were assessed by the target hazard quotients (THQs) and the toxic equivalent factors (TEFs). Mercury maximum concentrations corresponded to fish (0.07-1.56mugg(-1)w.w.), followed by cephalopod molluscs (0.10-0.55mugg(-1)w.w.), and crustaceans (0.27-0.33mugg(-1)w.w.). Cadmium levels in cephalopods (0.18-0.59mugg(-1)w.w.) were higher than those in fish (0.01-0.05mugg(-1)w.w.) and crustaceans (0.02-0.04mugg(-1)w.w.), while for Pb the concentrations were generally low (fish: ND-1.18mugg(-1)w.w., cephalopods: ND-0.17mugg(-1)w.w., crustaceans: ND-0.03mugg(-1)w.w.). For PCBs, concentrations in fish, cephalopods and crustaceans ranged between 141 and 3406ngg(-1)l.w., 190 and 542ngg(-1)l.w., and 202 and 429ngg(-1)l.w., respectively. Cd and Pb THQ values as well as estimates of PCB TEQ exposure indicated the absence of health risks through consumption of the various seafood. In contrast, mercury TEQs values due to consumption of certain fish species (albacore, rosefish and thornback ray) indicated that human health risk might be of concern.

PMID: 18584931 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Subscribe To

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Characteristics and patterns of healthcare utilization of patients with fibromyalgia in general practitioner settings in Germany.

Glutathione S-transferase m1 and t1 null genotypes increase susceptibility to idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury.

Comment: Some progress here with kids products in the US. It's a "baby step" (no pun intended) in the direction of banning these toxic chemiclas from all products. Let's hope Bush signs it. Sal

Congress sends Bush bill banning lead in children's products

Monday, July 28, 2008

Genotoxicity of thimerosal in cultured human lymphocytes with and without metabolic activation sister chromatid exchange analysis proliferation index and mitotic index.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

MCSA NEWSAugust 2008, Volume 3, Issue 8

Compact Fluorescent Lamps What You Need to Know About Low Energy Lighting

Opinion Fragrances Carcinogenic Culprits

Scientific Study Teaching Medical Students About Unexplained Illnesses

Scientific Study Science Lacking Integrity

Scientific Review Children in Danger

Scientific Review Money-Spinning Fungi

Scientific Study When Violence is not a Behavioral Problem

Scientific Study Fragranced Products Proven Toxic by Scientist

Hospital Accessibility Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (for MCS)

Scientific Study Scientists Find Disturbed ATP Metabolism in Fibromyalgia

Sal's Place Disability Is it a Free Ride?

Patient Support and Resources

Community News

Featured Research Studies

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Environmental Illness & MCS Support and Referrals Resource List

Updated July 26, 2008

Index

MCS America Forums

Support Forums Outside the MCS America Network

MCS-International.Org's Holistic Support Forums For sufferers of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and all other forms of Chemical Injury and Environmental Illness.

Referral Lists

Physican Refferal List by State

Dentist Referral List by State

Air Quality Reports

Brochures

Chemical in Air Fresheners Reduces Lung Function

Consequences of Childhood Chemical Injury Poster By Margaret S. O'Nan

Electrosensitivity Brochure by Kato Yasuko

Fabric Softener

Fragrances

Grandma's Cupboard: General Cleaning Solutions

Grandma's Cupboard: Kitchen Cleaning

Grandma's Cupboard: Personal Care

Grandma's Cupboard: Laundry

Household Mold brochure from Quebec government

ILRU: Understanding & Accommodating People with MCS in Everyday Living

Indoor Air Chemistry

Interior Design and MCS

Jill Mellum: Breathe Easier, Hold the Fragrances Brochure

MCS Task Force of New Mexico Brochure

MCS Public Accommodations

MCS Statistics

No Scents Makes Sense Brochure

Theory on the Cause of MCS: Peroxynitrite and Nitric Oxide

Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide

Vaccine Poster - Are We Poisoning Our Children?

Visiting a Person with MCS

What you should know before visiting a person who has NRLA and/or MCS

Signs

Activist Materials

Public Service Announcements

Clothing and Novelties for Activism and Awareness

New Car Smell

There's more than meets the nose when it comes to the scent inside a new car. Here's how to breathe easier while on the road.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Depletion of liver glutathione levels in rats: a potential confound of nose-only inhalation.

Global health impacts and costs due to mercury emissions.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

A 10-year time-series analysis of respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity in Nicosia, Cyprus: the effect of short-term changes in air pollution and dust storms.

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Toxic chemicals found in common scented laundry products, air fresheners

Fresh scent may hide toxic secret

Innocuous-sounding 'perfume' in detergents, air fresheners made with dangerous chemicals

MCSA NEWS
August 2008, Volume 3, Issue 8