Tests Uncover Hidden Halloween Hazards

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21482937/detail.html

 

"Lead, Heavy Metals Found In Face Paint"

EPA Proceeds with Revoking Regulations Allowing Carbofuran Pesticide Residues on Food

EPA Proceeds with Revoking Regulations Allowing Carbofuran Pesticide Residues on Food
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/carbofuran/carbofuran_noic.htm

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward to implement the agency's May 2009 final rule revoking tolerances, or residue limits, for the pesticide carbofuran. EPA continues to find that dietary exposures to carbofuran from all sources combined are not safe.  "The evidence is clear that carbofuran does not meet today's rigorous food-safety standards," said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. "EPA has carefully evaluated the scientific issues and has provided more than 500 days of public comment on this decision. It is now important to move forward with the needed public health protections, especially for children.""

Chronic Fatigue Patients: No Longer Fakes?

Chronic Fatigue Patients: No Longer Fakes?
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainManagement/retrovirus-found-chronic-fatigue-sufferers-yield-biomarker-therapies/story?id=8950867

"Virus Found in CFS Patients Might Explain Bone-Aching, Unrelenting Symptoms, Help Find Therapies"

What You Need to Know about Managing PCBs in Construction Materials - An Emerging Environmental Issue

What You Need to Know about Managing PCBs in Construction Materials – An Emerging Environmental Issue
http://www.imakenews.com/bfoster/e_article001571453.cfm?x=bgcRPFG,bgc6spVG

"One hundred million dollars: that's the estimated average potential environmental clean-up liability for a typical large academic research institution1 – all from a single emerging environmental issue – polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly known as PCBs. PCB-containing building products, commonly in use during the 1960's and early 1970's, now pose a potential expensive problem for owners of buildings constructed during that period."

Lupus and other Autoimmune Diseases Linked to Insecticide Use

Lupus and other Autoimmune Diseases Linked to Insecticide Use
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=2615

"A recent study shows that women who use insecticides are at elevated risk for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The results of the yet unpublished study were presented on October 17, 2009 at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in Philadelphia, PA."

Epidemic of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Disease Caused b...

Epidemic of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
A Disease Caused by Toxic Chemical Exposure
Featured in Toxicology Reference Book
PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg1314.pdf
Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Epidemic_of_Multiple

 

"Professor Martin L. Pall's research on multiple chemical sensitivity has been featured and published as a 52 page chapter in a prestigious reference work for professional toxicologists, "General and Applied Toxicology, 3rd Edition" (John Wiley & Sons).  Pall's paper, entitled Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Toxicological Questions and Mechanisms, establishes five important facts about  MCS:"

NEWSLETTER: MCS America News - November 2009

MCSA NEWS
November 2009, Volume 4, Issue 11

 

Entire PDF Edition: http://mcs-america.org/november2009.pdf  (View, Download, and Print)
NEW!  Entire Online Edition: http://mcs-america.org/mcsanewsnovember2009.htm   (View as a Webpage)

 

Direct Links to Articles Inside This Issue:

 

Wi-Fi Safety Questioned

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg2345678910.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Wi-Fi_Safety_Questioned

 

Social Security Disability

Reopening Denied Claims and SSI

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg1112.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Walkup_Talks_Disability_

 

Epidemic of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

A Disease Caused by Toxic Chemical Exposure

Featured in Toxicology Reference Book

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg1314.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Epidemic_of_Multiple

 

Healthy and Sacred Spaces

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg15161718.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Healthy_and_Sacred

 

A Warm Thanksgiving

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg192021.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_A_Warm_Thanksgiving

 

Thimerosal in Vaccines Linked to Slowed Neurological Response

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg22.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Thimerosal_in_Vaccines

 

Chemical Induced Brain Dysfunction Shown in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg23.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Chemical_Induced_Brain

 

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Greatly Impacts Life and Function

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg24.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Multiple_Chemical_Sensitivity

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Linked to Retrovirus

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg25.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome

 

Social Security Disability Awarded for Mold Toxicity

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg26.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Social_Security_Disability

 

Aluminum Hydroxide in Vaccines Linked to Neurological Damage

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg27.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Aluminum_Hydroxide_in

 

Patient Support and Resources

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg2829303132333435.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Resources_and_Support_

 

Community News

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg36.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Community_News_7

 

Featured Research Studies

PDF Version:      http://mcs-america.org/November2009pg373839.pdf

Online Version:  http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSAnewsNovember2009.htm#_Featured_Research_Studies_6

 

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Tips for safer (face) painting this Halloween... and beyond

Tips for safer (face) painting this Halloween... and beyond
http://www.enviroblog.org/2009/10/tips-for-safer-face-painting-this-halloween-and-beyond.html

"It's the Thursday before Halloween and my kids haven't quite decided what to be. Top runners at this point (it changes daily) are pretty standard: witch and princess.  And no, I'm not sewing their costumes from scratch (far from it, actually: I'm midnight emailing friends whose kids have cool costumes to borrow).  So when I read this week's report about lead in face paints, I was (for once!) glad to be behind. Now I can praise the beauty of plain faces under pointy hats and crowns BEFORE promising to paint them."

A case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome following H1N1 influenza (swine influenza).

A case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome following H1N1 influenza (swine influenza).

Vallings R.

J Clin Pathol. 2009 Oct 26. [Epub ahead of print]
Howick Health and Medical Clinic, New Zealand.

Case report of an adolescent boy who was diagnosed as suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 5 months after infection with H1N1 influenza.

PMID: 19858526 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Neonatal administration of a vaccine preservative, thimerosal, produces lasting impairment of nociception and apparent activation of opioid system in rats

Neonatal administration of a vaccine preservative, thimerosal, produces lasting impairment of nociception and apparent activation of opioid system in rats
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19747466

Mieszko Olczaka et al.
Brain Research, in press, 2009

Thimerosal (THIM), an organomercury preservative added to many child vaccines is a suspected factor in pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. We examined the pharmacokinetics of Hg in the brain, liver and kidneys after i.m. THIM injection in suckling rats and we tested THIM effect on nociception. THIM solutions were injected to Wistar and Lewis rats in a vaccination-like mode on PN days 7, 9, 11 and 15 in four equal doses. For Wistar rats these were: 12, 48, 240, 720, 1440, 2160, 3000 μg Hg/kg and for Lewis: 54, 216, 540 and 1080 μg Hg/kg. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that Hg from THIM injections accumulates in the rat brain in significant amounts and remains there longer than 30 days after the injection. At the 6th week of age animals were examined for pain sensitivity using the hot plate test. THIM treated rats of both strains and sexes manifested statistically significantly elevated pain threshold (latency for paw licking, jumping) on a hot plate (56 °C). Wistar rats were more sensitive to this effect than Lewis rats. Protracted THIM-induced hypoalgesia was reversed by naloxone (5 mg/kg, i.p.) injected before the hot plate test, indicative of involvement of endogenous opioids. This was confirmed by augmented catalepsy after morphine (2.5 mg/kg, s.c.) injection. Acute THIM injection to 6-week-old rats also produced hypoalgesia, but this effect was transient and was gone within 14 days. Present findings show that THIM administration to suckling or adult rats impairs sensitivity to pain, apparently due to activation the endogenous opioid system.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) monitoring in environmental diseases.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) monitoring in environmental diseases.

Mićović V, Vojniković B, Bulog A, Coklo M, Malatestinić D, Mrakovcić-Sutić I.

Coll Antropol. 2009 Sep;33(3):743-6.

Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia.

The prevalence of environmental diseases is increasing worldwide and these diseases are an onerous burden both to the individual and to the public health. Urban air pollution is a grave problem in majority of metropolises, which contain high levels of traffic congestion generating great amounts of genotoxic substances. The contribution of such environmental exposure to increase prevalence of many allergic, environmental diseases and multiple chemical sensitivity or other related syndromes, as a result of an abnormal immune response based on environmental damage of lymphocyte subsets, is marked. Benzene is one of the most important air pollutants that are emitted by oil industry, since they are involved in almost every refinery process. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a major group of air pollutants and play a crucial role in ecological damages, disturbing the ecosystem and human health. The variability of pollutants is an important factor in determining human exposure to these chemicals. The immune system possess a capacity to distinguish between innocuous and harmful foreign antigens and controls this action by mechanisms of central and peripheral tolerance, where crucial role play regulatory T cells (Tregs). We analyzed the characteristics of human Tregs of inhabitants living near gasoline industry which have assessed moderate spyrometric tests and compared them with those situated in rural areas. Our data demonstrate that the chronic inhalation exposure increases the percentage of Tregs cells, but contrary those of inhabitants with decreased spirometry values have shown diminished number of Tregs, which may contribute to the new therapeutic approach of environmental diseases.

PMID: 19860098 [PubMed - in process]

Chinese Drywall Found to Differ Chemically

Chinese Drywall Found to Differ Chemically

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/business/30drywall.html?_r=1

 

"Federal investigators reported Thursday that imported Chinese drywall that homeowners have linked to health problems and odors had higher levels of some chemicals than its domestic counterparts.

The investigators, however, were unable to link the chemicals, sulfur and strontium, to the health problems and smells in thousands of homes built during the recent housing boom, and said further testing was under way to determine any possible connection."

Florida Golf Course Discontinues Use of Arsenic Weed Killer

Florida Golf Course Discontinues Use of Arsenic Weed Killer

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=2609

"Concerns from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) about groundwater contamination in a golf course have temporarily halted the use of an herbicide by the Tampa Sports Authority. Recent soil and groundwater testing in Tampa has revealed higher than acceptable levels of arsenic that may be attributed to the use of the arsenical herbicide monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) on the golf course, Rogers Park. "

Burning home fires will be a crime on bad-air nights in Bay Area

Burning home fires will be a crime on bad-air nights in Bay Area
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_13660943?source=most_emailed#at

"Light a fire at home, pay a $400 fine.

Burning wood fires in home fireplaces and stoves on bad air nights in the Bay Area becomes illegal again as of Sunday, when the region enters its second cold-weather season with lighting up banned during Spare the Air alerts."

Idling school buses spew black carbon, fine particles

Idling school buses spew black carbon, fine particles
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/idling-school-buses

"Idling school buses spew tons of exhaust into the air, putting children at risk when they leave school at the end of each day. In New York City alone, idling vehicles emit as much pollution as nine million diesel trucks driving from the Bronx to Staten Island. But the city's laws requiring them to shut down their engines in school zones are poorly enforced."

Knocking nanoparticles off the socks

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/acs-kno102809.php
 
 
"Scientists in Switzerland are reporting results of one of the first studies on the release of silver nanoparticles from laundering those anti-odor, anti-bacterial socks now on the market. Their findings, scheduled for the Nov. 1 issue of ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology, may suggest ways that manufacturers and consumers can minimize the release of these particles to the environment, where they could harm fish and other wildlife.
 
In the study, Bernd Nowack and colleagues note that widespread use of silver nanoparticles in consumer products, especially textiles, likely results in the distribution of nanoparticles in lakes and streams. Manufacturers favor silver nanoparticles because of their antibacterial action, which slows the growth of odor-causing bacteria. The scientists studied release of nanoparticles in laundry water from nine different textiles, including different brands of commercially available anti-odor socks."
 

ACR: Bug Sprays Linked to RA

ACR: Bug Sprays Linked to RA
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/EnvironmentalHealth/16572?pfc=101&spc=235 
 
"Women who frequently sprayed their homes with insecticides over a period of years may have put themselves at risk for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, a researcher said here."

Mercury exposure, nutritional deficiencies and metabolic disruptions may affect learning in children

Mercury exposure, nutritional deficiencies and metabolic disruptions may affect learning in children  
 
Abstract http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/5/1/44/abstract
Provisional PDF http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/pdf/1744-9081-5-44.pdf

Dufault R, Schnoll R, Lukiw WJ, LeBlanc B, Cornett C, Patrick L, Wallinga D, Gilbert SG, Crider R
Behavioral and Brain Functions 2009, 5:44 (27 October 2009)

Abstract (provisional)

Among dietary factors, learning and behavior are influenced not only by nutrients, but also by exposure to toxic food contaminants such as mercury that can disrupt metabolic processes and alter neuronal plasticity. Neurons lacking in plasticity are a factor in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and mental retardation. Essential nutrients help maintain normal neuronal plasticity. Nutritional deficiencies, including deficiencies in the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the amino acid methionine, and the trace minerals zinc and selenium, have been shown to influence neuronal function and produce defects in neuronal plasticity, as well as impact behavior in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Nutritional deficiencies and mercury exposure have been shown to alter neuronal function and increase oxidative stress among children with autism. These dietary factors may be directly related to the development of behavior disorders and learning disabilities. Mercury, either individually or in concert with other factors, may be harmful if ingested in above average amounts or by sensitive individuals. High fructose corn syrup has been shown to contain trace amounts of mercury as a result of some manufacturing processes, and its consumption can also lead to zinc loss. Consumption of certain artificial food color additives has also been shown to lead to zinc deficiency. Dietary zinc is essential for maintaining the metabolic processes required for mercury elimination. Since high fructose corn syrup and artificial food color additives are common ingredients in many foodstuffs, their consumption should be considered in those individuals with nutritional deficits such as zinc deficiency or who are allergic or sensitive to the effects of mercury or unable to effectively metabolize and eliminate it from the body.

Toxins Make Halloween Face Paints Scary

Toxins Make Halloween Face Paints Scary
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/10/27/toxins-make-halloween-face-paints-scary_print.htm

"Report finds all products tested contained lead and some had known skin allergens
If your little goblin or vampire is set to paint his or her face this Halloween to look all the more believable, you may want to think twice, according to a new report released just in time for the holiday.  The report, issued by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, is titled: Pretty Scary: Could Halloween Face Paint Cause Lifelong Health Problems? Researchers tested 10 face paint products, the types widely available via the Internet or in craft or Halloween stores."

OMB Role in EPA Chemical Program Questioned

OMB Role in EPA Chemical Program Questioned
http://www.ombwatch.org/node/10511/

"The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has repeatedly inserted itself in the development of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program designed to study the effects of chemicals on human and animal endocrine systems."

Brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo warns against mobiles, home appliances

Brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo warns against mobiles, home appliances
http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,26271082-5014239,00.html

"BRAIN cancer surgeon Charlie Teo has urged people to put mobile phones on loudspeaker, move clock radios to the foot of the bed and wait until microwaves have finished beeping before opening them. The controversial Sydney specialist told a Melbourne fundraiser that although the jury was still out on mobile phones and other forms of electromagnetic radiation, we should not take risks. "Even though the jury's not in, just to err on the side of safety I would try and limit the amount of electromagnetic radiation that you're exposed to," he said."

Without Vaccine, Australia Shrugs Off Swine Flu.

Without Vaccine, Australia Shrugs Off Swine Flu.
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/10/without-vaccine-australia-shrugs-off-swine-flu.html

"With no vaccine available for H1N1 flu, Australia recently ended its 2009 "Flu Season" (their Winter in our Summer), with 186 flu-associated fatalities of 36,991 Aussies confirmed having H1N1. The Australia 2009 stats for regular 'seasonal flu' are not final yet, but their Health Dept literature cites annual flu-associated mortality historically has been between 2,500 and 3,000  in spite of universal  vaccination programs for regular flu long being established.  A logical review of these results strongly suggests next year Australia should initiate a "flu vaccination holiday," promote vitamin D supplements, long known to be effective for preventing Wintertime flu disease, and then compare the outcomes."

 

Tweens challenged by grown-up malady: Breast cancer

Tweens challenged by grown-up malady: Breast cancer
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/26/tweens.breast.cancer/index.html

"Hannah Powell-Auslam of La Mirada, California, had surgery this month to check her lymph nodes, just in case the breast cancer had spread.

Taylor Thompson of Little Rock, Arkansas, also had an aggressive form of breast cancer, one that has a 98 percent chance of returning. It required surgery in June.

They're two young women fighting breast cancer. Or rather, two girls: Hannah is 11. Taylor is 13."

'Poisoning attempt' charges filed against French H1N1 campaign

'Poisoning attempt' charges filed against French H1N1 campaign
http://www.fleshandstone.net/healthandsciencenews/1662.html

"In what is being seen as the first of many such actions to come, nine individuals have filed formal charges claiming that the H1N1 campaign is a deliberate attempt to poison the French population."

Veterans seek coverage related to Agent Orange exposure

Veterans seek coverage related to Agent Orange exposure
http://www.stargazette.com/article/20091025/NEWS01/910250370/1113/Veterans-seek-coverage-related-to-Agent-Orange-exposure

New bill would give treatment to all who served in Vietnam

"When Wayne Rademaker underwent prostate cancer surgery in 2007, the Department of Veterans Affairs denied him coverage, even though he'd been exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam in 1969.

The water that the 60-year-old Oakfield, N.Y., resident drank and showered with aboard the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany in the Tonkin Gulf contained traces of the toxic defoliant.

But to save money, the VA years ago stopped covering Vietnam veterans who didn't serve on the ground."

Mobile phone users face new cancer alert

Mobile phone users face new cancer alert
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/health/Mobile-phone-users-face-new.5764186.jp

"THE long-term use of mobile phones may be linked to some forms of cancer, according to a landmark international study.  A decade-long investigation by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is expected to publish evidence showing that heavy users are at greater risk of developing brain tumours later in life."

The HPV Vaccine: Lifesaver or Russian Roulette?

The HPV Vaccine: Lifesaver or Russian Roulette?
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/cover-story/Shot-Through-the-Heart.html

"Is a new vaccine sending users to GardaHell?  Jodi Speakman believes her daughter Victoria (pictured) was poisoned by Gardasil, the "HPV vaccine" manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. just 40 miles away in West Point, Pa. 
Sitting at the living room table in her Northeast Philadelphia house—adorned with a curbside American flag and red-barn mailbox—Speakman's eyes tear up when she talks about the seizures that have shaken her 18-year-old's body to the ground for the last two years. Speakman's anxious and Victoria's exhausted: It's 6 p.m. and the teenager just got out of bed."

Vaccines: Health Professionals Speak Out

http://thetruthaboutmcs.blogspot.com/2009/10/vaccines-health-professionals-speak-out.html

Are vaccines today more dangerous than the diseases? Are vaccines even effective? It is possible that something has gone terribly wrong with our system and the companies making vaccines? Filmed at the 4th International Public Conference on Vaccinations (sponsored by the National Vaccine Information Center) in October, 2009, listen to what these health professionals have to say!



Key Words: multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivities, MCS, EI, environmental illness, sick building syndrome, idiopathic environmental intolerance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatiuge, FM, CFS, mold illness, clinical ecology, alternative medicine, environmental medicine, neuropathy, encephalopathy, toxic, chemical

Boys with urogenital birth defects are 33 percent more common in villages sprayed with DDT

Boys with urogenital birth defects are 33 percent more common in villages sprayed with DDT
Babies born 5-9 years after official records showed mothers exposed to DDT spraying
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/w-bwu102309.php 
 
"Women who lived in villages sprayed with DDT to reduce malaria gave birth to 33 per cent more baby boys with urogenital birth defects (UGBD) between 2004 and 2006 than women in unsprayed villages, according to research published online by the UK-based urology journal BJUI."

Why boys are turning into girls

Why boys are turning into girls
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/geoffrey-lean/6418553/Why-boys-are-turning-into-girls.html

"Gender-bending chemicals are largely exempt from new EU regulations, warns Geoffrey Lean. Here's something rather rotten from the State of Denmark. Its government yesterday unveiled official research showing that two-year-old children are at risk from a bewildering array of gender-bending chemicals in such everyday items as waterproof clothes, rubber boots, bed linen, food, nappies, sunscreen lotion and moisturising cream."

H1N1 Vaccine Packages' Inserts Ingredients and Warnings

H1N1 Vaccine Packages' Inserts Ingredients and Warnings
http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092109_H1N1_package_inserts_warnings.shtml

EPA Proposes Withdrawal of Bush-Era Air Toxics Assessment

EPA Proposes Withdrawal of Bush-Era Air Toxics Assessment
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/21/21greenwire-epa-proposes-withdrawal-of-bush-era-air-toxics-11883.html?pagewanted=print

"U.S. EPA has proposed withdrawing part of a George W. Bush-era air toxics regulation, saying the rule may not accurately characterize the risk posed by petroleum refinery emissions."

Traffic pollution may be to blame for miscarriages, say researchers

Traffic pollution may be to blame for miscarriages, say researchers

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6885902.ece

"Traffic pollution may be to blame for miscarriages, researchers believe.  A study of 400 women having IVF treatment in Brazil found that those who became pregnant in winter, when pollution levels are particularly high, were twice as likely to miscarry in the first eight weeks as those who conceived at other times of the year."

Pesticide Endosulfan Ruled "Highly Toxic"

Pesticide Endosulfan Ruled "Highly Toxic"
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6299

"A former endosulfan production facility in Baltimore, Maryland. An international scientific review committee ruled last week that endosulfan, a widely used pesticide, is highly toxic to humans and wildlife."

Safety and Efficacy of Oral DMSA Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Part B - Behavioral Results

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6904/9/17

 

James B Adams , Matthew Baral , Elizabeth Geis , Jessica Mitchell , Julie Ingram , Andrea Hensley , Irene Zappia , Sanford Newmark , Eva Gehn , Robert A Rubin , Ken Mitchell , Jeff Bradstreet and Jane El-Dahr

BMC Clinical Pharmacology 2009, 9:17doi:10.1186/1472-6904-9-17

 

Published:	23 October 2009

Abstract (provisional)

 

Background

This study investigated the effects of oral dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA) therapy on the behavioural symptoms of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) ages 3-8 years.

 

Methods

Phase 1 involved 65 children with ASD who received one round of DMSA (3 days). Participants who had high urinary excretion of toxic metals were selected to continue on to phase 2. In phase 2, 49 participants were randomly assigned in a double-blind design to receive an additional 6 rounds of either DMSA or placebo.

 

Results

The groups receiving one round and seven rounds of DMSA had significant improvements on all the assessment measures. The degree of improvement on the assessment measures could be partially explained by a regression analysis based on excretion of toxic metals and changes in glutathione (adjusted R2 of 0.28-0.75, p<0.02 in all cases). One round of DMSA had nearly the same benefit as seven rounds. The assessment measures correlated reasonably with one another at the beginning of the study (r=0.60-0.87) and even better at the end of the study (r=0.63-0.94).

 

Conclusions

Overall, both one and seven rounds of DMSA therapy seems to be reasonably safe in children with ASD who have high urinary excretion of toxic metals, and possibly helpful in reducing some of the symptoms of autism in those children.

Safety and Efficacy of Oral DMSA Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Part A - Medical Results

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6904/9/16

 

James B. Adams , Matthew Baral , Elizabeth Geis , Jessica Mitchell , Julie Ingram , Andrea Hensley , Irene Zappia , Sanford Newmark , Eva Gehn , Robert A Rubin , Ken Mitchell , Jeff Bradstreet and Jane El-Dahr

 

BMC Clinical Pharmacology 2009, 9:16doi:10.1186/1472-6904-9-16

 

Published:	23 October 2009

Abstract (provisional)

 

Background

This study investigated the effect of oral dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA) therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders ages 3-8 years.

 

Methods

Phase 1 involved 65 children who received one round of DMSA (3 days). Participants who had high urinary excretion of toxic metals were selected to continue on to phase 2. In phase 2, 49 participants were randomly assigned in a double-blind design to receive an additional 6 rounds of either DMSA or placebo.

 

Results

DMSA greatly increased the excretion of lead, substantially increased excretion of tin and bismuth, and somewhat increased the excretion of thallium, mercury, antimony, and tungsten. There was some increase in urinary excretion of essential minerals, especially potassium and chromium. The Phase 1 single round of DMSA led to a dramatic normalization of RBC glutathione in almost all cases, and greatly improved abnormal platelet counts, suggesting a significant decrease in inflammation.

 

Conclusions

Overall, DMSA therapy seems to be reasonably safe, effective in removing several toxic metals (especially lead), dramatically effective in normalizing RBC glutathione, and effective in normalizing platelet counts. Only 1 round (3 days) was sufficient to improve glutathione and platelets. Additional rounds increased excretion of toxic metals.

Pesticides exposure linked to suicidal thoughts

Pesticides exposure linked to suicidal thoughts
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/kcl-pel102209.php    
 
"A new study in China has found that people with higher levels of pesticide exposure are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. The study was carried out by Dr Robert Stewart from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London together with scientists from Tongde Hospital Zhejiang Province."

Something is amiss with our children

Something is amiss with our children
http://www.enviroblog.org/2009/10/something-is-amiss-with-our-children.html

"As we watched each of our five grandchildren and their friends enter this world and begin their life's journey, it became more and more clear that something is amiss with this generation. How are your children and your friends' children doing? Most likely, one in three of the children you know in this generation suffers from a chronic illness. Perhaps it's cancer, or birth defects, perhaps asthma, or a problem that affects the child's mind and behavior, such as Downs Syndrome, learning disorders, ADHD or autism. Though one in three may sound exaggerated, unbelievable, the figures are there amidst various government files. "

A Shot of Fear: Flu Death Risk Often Exaggerated; So Is Benefit of Vaccine

A Shot of Fear:  Flu Death Risk Often Exaggerated; So Is Benefit of Vaccine
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/22/AR2005102200042.html?referrer=facebook

 
"Medical research often becomes news. But sometimes the news is made to appear more definitive and dramatic than the research warrants. This series dissects health news to highlight some common study interpretation problems we see as physician-researchers and show how the research community, medical journals and the media can do better. For years, the public health community has used fear as one strategy to promote the flu vaccine. A vaccination poster distributed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for example, emphasizes that "36,000 Americans die of flu-related illnesses each year," implying that the vaccine could prevent many of these deaths. When it became aware of the vaccine shortage last October, the federal government changed course and tried to reassure Americans that going without a shot was no big deal. "We all need to take a deep breath. This is not an emergency," CDC director Julie Gerberding advised the public."

Supermarket Janitors Demand Green Cleaning Standards

Supermarket Janitors Demand Green Cleaning Standards
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=d100fe0c0624d4541fca7c48d998f3e8

"SAN FRANCISCO -- When supermarket janitors in Local 1877 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) rallied last month at Safeway and Lucky stores in San Jose, Calif., they weren't only demanding improved wages and health benefits. They were calling for the adoption of green cleaning standards to make their jobs safer."

Pesticide Storage Endangers Tens of Millions in Europe, Central Asia and the former Soviet Union

Pesticide Storage Endangers Tens of Millions in Europe, Central Asia and the former Soviet Union

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=2583

"At least seven million inhabitants of Moldavia and Ukraine are endangered by 10,000 tons of old pesticides. This has been reported by the International HCH and Pesticides Association (IHPA). According to the organization the EU must act as fast as possible to disarm this 'biggest chemical time bomb of Europe.'"

BOISE IDAHO MOM CALLS COMMUNITY INTO ACTION: Multiple Chemical Sensitive Families Need Aid

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mary Argenbright - unegem@gmail.com

BOISE IDAHO MOM CALLS COMMUNITY INTO ACTION
Multiple Chemical Sensitive Families Need Aid

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a medical condition characterized by debilitating chemical sensitivities.  MCS is a serious and growing health problem that affects people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds.  The symptoms experienced by people with MCS range from mild to life-threatening.

What causes MCS?  Just one-third of the 267 chemicals on the EU's watch list have ever been tested by the EPA, and only two are regulated under federal law.  Meanwhile, researchers at University of California Berkeley estimate that 42 billion pounds of chemicals enter American commerce daily, and only a fraction of them have ever undergone risk assessments.

Physicians diagnose MCS by taking a history, performing a physical examination, and determining whether a persons symptoms come and go in response to chemical exposure.

A Community Volunteer Effort is being started by Mary Argenbright to set up a distribution center.  "My intentions are to motivate others to do likewise in their community.  At present, there is no practical assistance in America for families with MCS."

###

Community Volunteer Effort
http://sites.google.com/site/mcsaidnow

Study surprise yields new target for assessing genes linked to autism

Study surprise yields new target for assessing genes linked to autism
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/dumc-ssy102009.php#

"Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have uncovered a new genetic signature that correlates strongly with autism and which doesn't involve changes to the DNA sequence itself. Rather, the changes are in the way the genes are turned on and off. The finding may suggest new approaches to diagnosis and treatment of autism.  The researchers found higher-than-usual numbers of gene-regulating molecules called methyl groups in a region of the genome that regulates oxytocin receptor expression in people with autism."

Polluted air may give you a headache

Polluted air may give you a headache
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE59J57720091020 
 
"Have a headache and don't know why? It could be high levels of air pollution."

Air pollution linked to early form of dementia

Air pollution linked to early form of dementia
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6386775/Air-pollution-linked-to-early-form-of-dementia.html

"Living next to a busy road could increase the risk of memory problems in the elderly, new research has suggested."

St. Louis baby teeth yield new findings on nuclear fallout

St. Louis baby teeth yield new findings on nuclear fallout

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/D5C41193530E802C862576560006C36D?OpenDocument

"Joan Ketterer still recalls the button her son Edward got for donating his baby teeth to what was then a groundbreaking study looking at the effect of nuclear fallout on children born in the St. Louis-area in the 1960s."

1 In 5 Chicago Kids Has Elevated Lead In Blood

1 In 5 Chicago Kids Has Elevated Lead In Blood
http://cbs2chicago.com/health/lead.poisoning.abatement.2.1260583.html

"A Chicago couple says their two young boys are sick, and their own home and landlord are to blame. The problem? Lead paint. And as CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports, it's even worse now because of the foreclosure crisis."

A Case of Chronic Denial

A Case of Chronic Denial
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/opinion/21johnson.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1256112444-%20aD1bbe5Ymf9aVDzjkF4RQ&pagewanted=all

"EARLIER this month, a study published in the journal Science answered a question that medical scientists had been asking since 2006, when they learned of a novel virus found in prostate tumors called xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus, or XMRV: Was it a human infection?"

SB 117 CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY MONTH

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Legislative schedule for the House of Representatives and Senate for the week of Oct. 19.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/legislative-schedule-355518.html

 

SB 117 CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY MONTH (Miller, D., Coughlin) — 4th Hearing-All testimony -Possible amendments/substitute&vote.

Dr. Donnica Moore about the link between the XMRV and ME/CFS

Good Morning America ABC
An interview with Dr. Donnica Moore about the link between the XMRV and ME/CFS
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8864348

Michigan limits mercury emissions from coal-fired plants, requires 90 percent cutback by 2015

Michigan limits mercury emissions from coal-fired plants, requires 90 percent cutback by 2015
http://www.latimes.com/business/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-us-michigan-mercury,0,6318472.story 

"Michigan's coal-fired power plants will be required to make drastic cuts in mercury emissions under regulations announced Monday.  The rules developed by the Department of Environmental Quality are designed to implement a policy Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced three years ago to slash the generators' mercury output 90 percent by 2015. Coal-fired plants produce 60 percent of Michigan's electricity."

New Jersey Town Adopts Policy to Significantly Reduce Pesticide Use

New Jersey Town Adopts Policy to Significantly Reduce Pesticide Use
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=2570

"The "green" movement continues to sprout throughout New Jersey, as Hamilton Township joins other municipalities in the state that have made their parks pesticide-free zones and have adopted an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for managing town property. Responding to the request of local members of the New Jersey Environmental Federation, Hamilton Township recently passed a resolution adopting the Federation's model pesticide reduction policy."

Halloween face paint can have a scary side

Halloween face paint can have a scary side
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-10-18-face-paint_N.htm

"Any goblin or ghoulie worth its salt knows Halloween isn't Halloween without a bright green face or a few artful drops of blood somewhere or other.  That makes safety experts happy: They've long encouraged parents to favor face paints over masks because masks can make it hard for children to see while trick-or-treating.  But a recall of a face paint in May that gave some Girl Scouts rashes is one of the reasons the Food and Drug Administration is warning parents to be careful that the paints don't cause problems of their own this Halloween."

Board of Health to consider ban on toxic dry cleaning solvent

Board of Health to consider ban on toxic dry cleaning solvent
http://www.rgj.com/article/20091018/NEWS/91018016/1321

"A toxic solvent still widely used by dry cleaners across Washoe County could be banned within 14 years under plans proposed by health officials.  On Thursday, the county's Board of Health will consider rules that would prohibit use of perchloroethylene, also known as PCE or PERC, by area cleaners by 2023. Any new cleaning equipment purchased before then and after the rule's potential adoption Thursday would have to use alternative technology."

Mission residents to face Hayes-Sammons plant in court

Mission residents to face Hayes-Sammons plant in court
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/plant-31678-sammons-hayes.html

"Over time, Ramiro Barrera and the others who grew up in the shadow of the Hayes-Sammons Chemical Co. have had to master the art of persuasion.  They convinced a federal judge in 1983 to order the cleanup of the pesticide mixing plant that once stood at the center of their downtown Mission neighborhood, nearly a quarter-century after it began spewing remnants of undiluted, industrial-grade toxins over their community.  In 2006, they coaxed a U.S. congressman into re-examining the poison in their backyards, only to discover the contamination was far worse than originally understood and still causing cases of heart, lung and liver disease as well as cancer, chronic migraines and miscarriages.  And they induced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to devote $6 million to tear down the old plant and remove acres of toxic soil from the area — a process that was only just completed."

EPA Releases OMB Comments on Chemical Studies

EPA Releases OMB Comments on Chemical Studies
http://ombwatch.org/node/10476

"As promised, the Environmental Protection Agency is releasing White House comments on EPA assessments of potentially toxic chemicals. Yesterday, EPA released the first batch of comments on four ongoing risk assessments."

Petition takes aim at chemical drift

Petition takes aim at chemical drift

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x795735041/Petition-takes-aim-at-chemical-drift

"Amid concerns about children, EPA urged to enforce buffer strip for applications near homes, schools and day-care facilites Mary Granneman used to call her children inside the house when farm fields surrounding her Bartonville home were sprayed with chemicals. These days she calls her grandchildren inside when chemicals are applied to the fields."

 

"It's a promise that might become enforceable by law. Several days ago a petition was filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asking for an immediate ban on most farm chemical applications in a 60-foot buffer strip for ground applications and a 300-foot buffer strip for aerial applications around homes, schools and day care facilities."

 

Everyday chemicals gather in most people

Everyday chemicals gather in most people
http://www.adn.com/life/health/story/977595.html

"As a volunteer for Alaska Community Action on Toxics and one who cares deeply about public health issues, Roxanne Chan didn't hesitate taking part in a project that would inventory the foreign chemicals lurking in her body. But she has to admit, the results were unnerving."

Canada quietly asks EPA to weaken anti-pollution measures

Canada quietly asks EPA to weaken anti-pollution measures   
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-quietly-asks-epa-to-weaken-anti-pollution-measures/article1327805/

 
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed tough new measures to reduce the health toll from air pollution around the Great Lakes by forcing lake freighters to stop burning dirty bunker fuel.  But the plan has an unusual opponent: The Canadian embassy in Washington has quietly asked the EPA to weaken the measures, arguing that they could harm trade."
 

How to Avoid PVC in Plastic Food Wrap

How to Avoid PVC in Plastic Food Wrap
http://thesoftlandingbaby.com/2009/10/16/how-to-avoid-pvc-in-plastic-food-wrap/    

"Have you ever wondered about the safety of the plastic wrap used by grocery stores for cheese and meats?   It looks like the same type of plastic wrap that most of us use at home, right?  And we've learned that the major plastic wrap brands (Saran, Glad, etc.) are made from low density polyethylene (LDPE, #4) which is considered a safer plastic.  But with a little digging, you'll quickly find that most of the plastic wrap used by supermarkets is made from a PVC based plastic (#3), not to mention the styrofoam tray (#6) its sitting in!  This type of plastic wrap is often referred to as "cling wrap" or "food wrap film" and is more durable, airtight and moisture resistant."
 

Tests on Pesticides Criticized

Tests on Pesticides Criticized
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-dc-pesticides-omb,0,5782714,print.story

"A program to test pesticides to make sure they do not affect human hormone systems will be compromised by an Office of Management and Budget order allowing data from studies by pesticide companies to susbstitute for new studies, according to some scientists involved in developing the new program."

U.N. Panel Finds Environmental Assessments of Biofuels Lacking

U.N. Panel Finds Environmental Assessments of Biofuels Lacking
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/16/16greenwire-un-panel-finds-environmental-assessments-of-bi-19687.html

"A U.N. panel said today that biofuels' effects on air and water have not been sufficiently explored despite growing global production.  The U.N. Environment Programme's report (pdf) concludes that so-called lifecycle assessments must go beyond calculating greenhouse gas emissions and consider how agricultural production of feedstocks affects the acidification and nutrient loading of waterways."

Judge Halts Flu Vaccine Mandate For Health Workers

Judge Halts Flu Vaccine Mandate For Health Workers
http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/mandatory.h1n1.vaccine.2.1252672.html

"Health care workers in New York will no longer be forced to get the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, CBS 2 has learned.  A state Supreme Court judge issued a restraining order Friday against the state from enforcing the controversial mandatory vaccination."

Momentum builds for tighter regulation of industrial chemicals

Momentum builds for tighter regulation of industrial chemicals
http://michiganmessenger.com/27861/momentum-builds-for-tighter-regulation-of-industrial-chemicals

"Health care providers: Reform of chemical regulation is key to creating public health system.  Amid growing concerns about the health effects of chemical exposure, the Obama administration has laid out a plan to strengthen federal regulation of the chemical industry."

Olive oil may lead to Alzheimer's vaccine

Olive oil may lead to Alzheimer's vaccine

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=142463

 

"Don't skimp on the olive oil in those Greek salad dressings and Italian pasta sauces. Oleocanthal gives olive oil its unique flavor, but it's also a curative that goes back to ancient times.  Now, however, researchers know that olive oil targets and blocks toxic proteins that damage brain cells accounting for memory loss in Alzheimer's disease."

 

Comment:  This is not advocating for vaccines, however, a bit of olive oil in the diet may be useful.

A One-in-a-Million Shot

A One-in-a-Million Shot
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/One-in-a-Million-Shot-64189142.html

"Flu shot suspected in Redskins cheerleading hopeful's neurological condition"

Brookline scientist looking for cause of breast cancer in household objects

Brookline scientist looking for cause of breast cancer in household objects
http://www.wickedlocal.com/brookline/news/x1128412234/Brookline-scientist-looking-for-cause-of-breast-cancer-in-household-objects

"Since she started a new job as medical researcher six years ago, Doctor Perinaaz Wadia has started to view all the plastics in her house with suspicion. She's stopped microwaving leftovers in plastic containers and eats out of glass dishes whenever possible.  That's because many of the plastics in our homes contain a chemical called Bisphenol A, a new-age material that's great for sealing the inside of tin cans and making sturdy plastic bottles, but it could also be responsible for many otherwise-unexplained cases of breast cancer in the United States."

Goodbye, Burn Barrels!

Goodbye, Burn Barrels!

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1566471/WAMC.New.York.News/Goodbye..Burn.Barrels!

"It's an effort by the Department of Environmental Conservation to prevent air pollution and wildfires::: Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports on New York's New Burn Ban."

Toxic Hawaiian Volcano Poses Health Risks to Residents, Crops

Toxic Hawaiian Volcano Poses Health Risks to Residents, Crops
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,566381,00.html

"It's one of the most active volcanoes in the world, but now Kilauea — on the big island of Hawaii — is making headlines for something else.  It's called vog, it's a mix of sulfur dioxide and other chemicals, which when combined with sunlight and dust, forms a thick soupy haze similar to smog."

Common Herbicides Block Important Nutrient Sensor in Humans

Common Herbicides Block Important Nutrient Sensor in Humans
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=2559

"New research from the Monell Center and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine reveals that phenoxy herbicides block T1R3, a nutrient-sensing taste receptor found in the pancreas and intestines of humans. These commonly used herbicides were not previously known to act on the T1R3 receptor, nor has any animal testing revealed any indication of this. The specific effects are unique to humans; thus, phenoxy herbicides may have adverse metabolic effects in humans that would have gone undetected in studies on rodents."

Highlights from The Future of U.S. Chemicals Policy

Highlights from The Future of U.S. Chemicals Policy
http://thetruthaboutmcs.blogspot.com/2009/10/highlights-from-future-of-us-chemicals.html


Key Words: multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivities, MCS, EI, environmental illness, sick building syndrome, idiopathic environmental intolerance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatiuge, FM, CFS, mold illness, clinical ecology, alternative medicine, environmental medicine, neuropathy, encephalopathy, toxic, chemical

Momentum builds for tighter regulation of industrial chemicals

Momentum builds for tighter regulation of industrial chemicals
Health care providers: Reform of chemical regulation is key to creating public health system
http://michiganmessenger.com/27861/momentum-builds-for-tighter-regulation-of-industrial-chemicals 
 
"Amid growing concerns about the health effects of chemical exposure, the Obama administration has laid out a plan to strengthen federal regulation of the chemical industry."

Public Health Emergency Law FAQs

Public Health Emergency Law FAQs

http://www2d.cdc.gov/phlp/fphelfaq1.asp

 

"The new report "Frequently Asked Questions about Public Health Emergency Law" provides clear and authoritative information on 37 issues often posed regarding key federal laws that shape response to all-hazards public health emergencies.  The content of the report is derived from the April 28, 2009, teleconference "Federal Public Health Emergency Law: Implications for State and Local Preparedness and Response."  The report does not represent CDC policy and does not constitute legal advice, but may provide helpful information.  To read the report, please visit http://www2d.cdc.gov/phlp/fphelfaq1.asp."

Common air pollutants react and make more pollution.

Common air pollutants react and make more pollution.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/common-air-pollutants-react-to-create-more/ 
 
Raff, JD, B Njegic, WL Chang, MS Gordon, D Dabdub, RB Gerber and BJ Finlayson-Pitts. 2009.
 
Chlorine activation indoors and outdoors via surface-mediated reactions of nitrogen oxides with hydrogen chloride.
 
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences doi:10.1073/pnas.0904195106.

Synopsis by David Buchwalter, Ph.D. 

Scientists explore how common air pollutants can combine to cause worse air problems that carry severe health risks.

Common air pollutants can react with one another to form highly reactive and toxic chlorine gasses, reports a study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The pollutants – gaseous hydrochloric acid (HCl) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) – can be abundant in both indoor and outdoor air.
 
The authors warn that these reactions may contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Gaseous HCl is produced both naturally and by human activities such as combustion (including burning garbage, medical wastes, coal) and some industrial processes. Gaseous nitrogen oxides are also ubiquitous as a result of combustion.
 
Nitrogen oxides can attach to surfaces in a process called adsorption. Lead author JD Raff and colleagues found that adsorped nitroge oxides can react with gaseous HCl to form nitrosyl chloride (ClNO) and nitryl chloride (ClNO2) – two intermediates that can react with light to create highly responsive chlorine atoms. Chlorine gas was among the first gases used in wartime in WWII, and it is a strong lung irritant and oxidant.
 
However, the extent of the problem remains unknown because analytical techniques to measure ClNO at low levels – parts per thousand – have not been developed. Furthermore, it is possible that similar chemical reactions may also occur with other compounds that contain bromine.
 
The findings are important for at least two reasons. First, the adsorption of NOx to surfaces is generally regarded positively, as it is thought to permanently remove it from air. This study shows that NOx on surfaces can, instead, be a first step in a process that creates more air pollution.
 
Secondly, in areas where both NOx and HCl concentrations are generally high (such as urban coastal areas – because HCl can be generated from sea salt), these chemical reactions can increase ozone pollution. Ozone is a greenhouse gas and a strong pollutant. It can affect health by irritating the respiratory system, permanently damaging lungs and aggravagting asthma.

Study charts links between mobile phones, tumors

Study charts links between mobile phones, tumors

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N1376626.htm

"Myung and colleagues at Ewha Womans University and Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul and the University of California, Berkeley, examined 23 published studies of more than 37,000 people in what is called a meta-analysis.  They found results often depended on who conducted the study and how well they controlled for bias and other errors.  "We found a large discrepancy in the association between mobile phone use and tumor risk by research group, which is confounded with the methodological quality of the research," they wrote in the Journal of Clinical Oncology."

Analysis of cellphone studies finds tumor risk

Analysis of cellphone studies finds tumor risk
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-cell-phones14-2009oct14,0,3949576.story

 

"Scientists looking at 23 studies involving almost 38,000 people initially see no connection. But a closer look at the highest-quality studies tells another story."

Organic farms catering to area residents, restaurants

Organic farms catering to area residents, restaurants
http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2009/10/12/r_9iljpqzvqs2vzgcacvxjhw/index.xml

"A veritable cornucopia of McHenry County's bounty is picked up each week in boxes at Michael Walkup's small Crystal Lake farm on the street that bears his family's name.  His family goes back six generations on the land, so the tomatoes are not the only heirloom that he has on his farm across from Veterans Acres Park.  For the past five years, Walkup has been feeding a small, but steadily growing, population in McHenry County – locavores, people who buy and consume produce that is grown locally."

Scientists chastise government for drawing out BPA study

Scientists chastise government for drawing out BPA study
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/64057592.html

"Warning: Chemicals in the packaging, surfaces or contents of many products may cause long-term health effects, including cancers of the breast, brain and testicles; lowered sperm counts, early puberty and other reproductive system defects; diabetes; attention deficit disorder, asthma and autism. A decade ago, the government promised to test these chemicals. It still hasn't."

Proteinopathy Induced Neuronal Senescence: A Hypothesis for Brain Failure in Alzheimer's and other Neurodegenerative Diseases

Proteinopathy Induced Neuronal Senescence: A Hypothesis for Brain Failure in Alzheimer's and other Neurodegenerative Diseases
http://7thspace.com/headlines/322611/proteinopathy_induced_neuronal_senescence_a_hypothesis_for_brain_failure_in_alzheimers_and_other_neurodegenerative_diseases.html

"Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a host of other neurodegenerative central nervous system (CNS) proteinopathies are characterized by the accumulation of misfolded protein aggregates. Simplistically, these aggregates can be divided into smaller, soluble, oligomeric and larger, less-soluble or insoluble, fibrillar forms.  Perhaps the major ongoing debate in the neurodegenerative disease field is whether the smaller oligomeric or larger fibrillar aggregates are the primary neurotoxin. Herein, we propose an integrative hypothesis that provides new insights into how a variety of misfolded protein aggregates can result in neurodegeneration."