NMR imaging of cell phone radiation absorption in brain tissue

NMR imaging of cell phone radiation absorption in brain tissue
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/12/10/1205598109

David H. Gultekina,b,1 and Lothar Moellerc,1

Edited* by William Happer, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, and approved October 26, 2012 (received for review April 5, 2012)

Abstract
A method is described for measuring absorbed electromagnetic energy radiated from cell phone antennae into ex vivo brain tissue. NMR images the 3D thermal dynamics inside ex vivo bovine brain tissue and equivalent gel under exposure to power and irradiation time-varying radio frequency (RF) fields. The absorbed RF energy in brain tissue converts into Joule heat and affects the nuclear magnetic shielding and the Larmor precession. The resultant temperature increase is measured by the resonance frequency shift of hydrogen protons in brain tissue. This proposed application of NMR thermometry offers sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to characterize the hot spots from absorbed cell phone radiation in aqueous media and biological tissues. Specific absorption rate measurements averaged over 1 mg and 10 s in the brain tissue cover the total absorption volume. Reference measurements with fiber optic temperature sensors confirm the accuracy of the NMR thermometry.

Purine metabolites in fibromyalgia syndrome.

Purine metabolites in fibromyalgia syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23000315

 

Fais A, Cacace E, Corda M, Era B, Peri M, Utzeri S, Ruggiero V.

Clin Biochem. 2012 Sep 18. pii: S0009-9120(12)00539-5. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2012.09.009. [Epub ahead of print]

Source
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate serum purine metabolite concentrations in patients affected by fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and the relationships between their levels and FM clinical parameters.

DESIGN AND METHODS:
Serum purine levels were quantified using LC/UV-vis in 22 fibromyalgic females (according to the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria) and 22 healthy females.

RESULTS:
Significantly higher serum inosine, hypoxanthine and xanthine levels (p<0.001) and significantly lower serum adenosine (p<0.05) were detected in the FMS patients vs healthy controls. Our data show a negative correlation between adenosine and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ).

CONCLUSIONS:
Study results suggest that purines, in particular adenosine and inosine, may be involved in pain transmission in fibromyalgia.

PMID: 23000315 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Men With Fibromyalgia Often Go Undiagnosed

Men With Fibromyalgia Often Go Undiagnosed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121219132733.htm

"Fibromyalgia is a complex illness to diagnose and to treat. There is not yet a diagnostic test to establish that someone has it, there is no cure and many fibromyalgia symptoms -- pain, fatigue, problems sleeping and memory and mood issues -- can overlap with or get mistaken for other conditions. A new Mayo Clinic study suggests that many people who have fibromyalgia, especially men, are going undiagnosed."

Researcher Theo Colborn Pleads with Obama to Help Stop Chemical Exposures

Researcher Theo Colborn Pleads with Obama to Help Stop Chemical Exposures 
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2012/12/20/researcher-theo-colborn-pleads-with-obama-to-help-stop-chemical-exposures/



"By drilling deep into the bowels of the earth for coal, oil and natural gas," says Colborn, "we have unwittingly and catastrophically altered the chemistry of the biosphere and the human womb." To hear more, watch the video below:

Tools and perspectives for assessing chemical mixtures and multiple stressors.

Tools and perspectives for assessing chemical mixtures and multiple stressors.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23238274

Løkke H, Ragas AM, Holmstrup M. 
Toxicology. 2012 Dec 10. pii: S0300-483X(12)00406-4. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2012.11.009. [Epub ahead of print]

Source
Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Vejlsøvej 25, P.O. Box 314, DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark. Electronic address: hans.lokke@c.dk.

Abstract
The present paper summarizes the most important insights and findings of the EU NoMiracle project with a focus on (1) risk assessment of chemical mixtures, (2) combinations of chemical and natural stressors, and (3) the receptor-oriented approach in cumulative risk assessment. The project aimed at integration of methods for human and ecological risk assessment. A mechanistically based model, considering uptake and toxicity as a processes in time, has demonstrated considerable potential for predicting mixture effects in ecotoxicology, but requires the measurement of toxicity endpoints at different moments in time. Within a novel framework for risk assessment of chemical mixtures, the importance of environmental factors on toxicokinetic processes is highlighted. A new paradigm for applying personal characteristics that determine individual exposure and sensitivity in human risk assessment is suggested. The results are discussed in the light of recent developments in risk assessment of mixtures and multiple stressors.

PMID:  23238274  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Safety Survey of Intranasal Glutathione.

Safety Survey of Intranasal Glutathione.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23240940

Mischley LK, Vespignani MF, Finnell JS. 
J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Dec 16. [Epub ahead of print]

Source
Bastyr University Research Institute , Kenmore, WA.

Abstract
Abstract Purpose: Glutathione depletion has been documented in several disease states, and exogenous administration has been hypothesized to have therapeutic potential for some conditions. In an effort to reach target tissues of the sinuses and central nervous system (CNS), glutathione is being prescribed as an intranasal spray, although no literature exists to support this mode of administration. The objective of this study was to describe patient-reported outcomes in a population of individuals who have been prescribed intranasal reduced glutathione, (in)GSH. Methods: A survey was designed to assess individuals' perception of tolerability, adverse events, and health benefits associated with (in)GSH use. Using a pharmacy database, 300 individuals were randomly selected to receive a survey; any individual who had received one or more prescriptions for (in)GSH between March 2009 and March 2011 was eligible for participation. Results: Seventy (70) individuals returned the survey (23.3% response rate) from 20 different states. Reported indications for (in)GSH prescriptions were multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) (n=29), allergies/sinusitis (n=25), Parkinson disease (PD) (n=7), Lyme disease (n=3), fatigue (n=2), and other (n=10). Of the respondents, 78.8% (n=52) reported an overall positive experience with (in)GSH, 12.1% (n=8) reported having experienced adverse effects, and 62.1% (n=41) reported having experienced health benefits attributable to (in)GSH use. Over 86% of respondents considered the nasal spray to be comfortable and easy to administer. Conclusions: This is the first study to evaluate patient-reported outcomes among individuals across the country who have been prescribed (in)GSH. The majority of survey respondents considered (in)GSH to be effective and without significant adverse effects. (in)GSH should be further evaluated as a method of treating respiratory and CNS diseases where free-radical burden is a suspected contributor to disease progression.

PMID:  23240940  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Mercury disposition in suckling rats: comparative assessment following parenteral exposure to thiomersal and mercuric chloride.

Mercury disposition in suckling rats: comparative assessment following parenteral exposure to thiomersal and mercuric chloride.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22899883

Blanuša M, Orct T, Vihnanek Lazarus M, Sekovanić A, Piasek M.  J Biomed Biotechnol. 2012;2012:256965. doi: 10.1155/2012/256965. Epub 2012 Jul 26.

Source
Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska Cesta 2, P.O. Box 291, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia.

Abstract
Due to the facts that thiomersal-containing vaccine is still in use in many developing countries, and all forms of mercury have recognised neurotoxic, nephrotoxic, and other toxic effects, studies on disposition of ethylmercury and other mercury forms are still justified, especially at young age. Our investigation aimed at comparing mercury distribution and rate of excretion in the early period of life following exposure to either thiomersal (TM) or mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) in suckling rats. Three experimental groups were studied: control, TM, and HgCl₂, with 12 to18 pups in each. Both forms of mercury were administered subcutaneously in equimolar quantities (0.81 μmol/kg b.w.) three times during the suckling period (on the days of birth 7, 9, and 11) to mimic the vaccination regimen in infants. After the last administration of TM or HgCl₂, total mercury retention and excretion was assessed during following six days. In TM-exposed group mercury retention was higher in the brain, enteral excretion was similar, and urinary excretion was much lower compared to HgCl₂-exposed sucklings. More research is still needed to elucidate all aspects of toxicokinetics and most harmful neurotoxic potential of various forms of mercury, especially in the earliest period of life.

PMID:  22899883  [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Study Finds Loss Of Normal Nighttime Parasympathetic Activity In Veterans Suffering From Gulf War Syndrome

Study Finds Loss Of Normal Nighttime Parasympathetic Activity In Veterans Suffering From Gulf War Syndrome
http://www.thestreet.com/story/11790285/1/study-finds-loss-of-normal-nighttime-parasympathetic-activity-in-veterans-suffering-from-gulf-war-syndrome.html

Paper Links Nerve Agents in '91 Gulf War and Ailments

Paper Links Nerve Agents in '91 Gulf War and Ailments
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/14/us/paper-links-nerve-agents-in-91-gulf-war-and-ailments.html?_r=0

"Reviving a 20-year debate over illnesses of veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, a new scientific paper presents evidence that nerve agents released by the bombing of Iraqi chemical weapons depots just before the ground war began could have carried downwind and fallen on American troops staged in Saudi Arabia.

The paper, published in the journal Neuroepidemiology, tries to rebut the longstanding Pentagon position, supported by many scientists, that neurotoxins, particularly sarin gas, could not have carried far enough to sicken American forces.

The authors are James J. Tuite and Dr. Robert Haley, who has written several papers asserting links between chemical exposures and gulf war illnesses. They assembled data from meteorological and intelligence reports to support their thesis that American bombs were powerful enough to propel sarin from depots in Muthanna and Falluja high into the atmosphere, where winds whisked it hundreds of miles south to the Saudi border."

Mom wants scents in schools axed

Mom wants scents in schools axed
http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/2012/12/13/mom-wants-scents-in-schools-axed

"Dufour was encouraged to keep pushing the school when she recently visited the pediatrician's and noticed a scent-free policy. "It's obviously enough of a concern in health care facilities for them to get rid of it, so why is it an unreasonable thing to ask the school?"'

Cleaner Air in U.S. Boosting Life Expectancy, Study Finds

Cleaner Air in U.S. Boosting Life Expectancy, Study Finds
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_132011.html

"Continuing to reduce fine particle air pollution prolongs survival, researchers say"

Plastics Chemical BPA Found in Fetal Livers

Plastics Chemical BPA Found in Fetal Livers
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_132010.html

"Fetuses less able to rid body of the worrisome chemical than adults, researchers say"

Chemical intolerance in primary care settings: prevalence, comorbidity, and outcomes.

Chemical intolerance in primary care settings: prevalence, comorbidity, and outcomes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22778124

Katerndahl DA, Bell IR, Palmer RF, Miller CS.  Ann Fam Med. 2012 Jul-Aug;10(4):357-65. doi: 10.1370/afm.1346.

Source
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. katerndahl@uthscsa.edu

Abstract

PURPOSE:
This study extends previous community-based studies on the prevalence and clinical characteristics of chemical intolerance in a sample of primary care clinic patients. We evaluated comorbid medical and psychiatric disorders, functional status, and rates of health care use.

METHODS:
A total of 400 patients were recruited from 2 family medicine clinic waiting rooms in San Antonio, Texas. Patients completed the validated Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI) to assess chemical intolerance; the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) screen for possible psychiatric disorders; the Dartmouth-Northern New England Primary Care Cooperative Information Project (Dartmouth COOP) charts for functional status; and the Healthcare Utilization Questionnaire.

RESULTS:
Overall, 20.3% of the sample met criteria for chemical intolerance. The chemically intolerant group reported significantly higher rates of comorbid allergies and more often met screening criteria for possible major depressive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol abuse disorder, as well as somatization disorder. The total number of possible mental disorders was correlated with chemical intolerance scores (P <.001). Controlling for demographics, patients with chemical intolerance were significantly more likely to have poorer functional status, with trends toward increased medical service use when compared with non-chemically intolerant patients. After controlling for comorbid psychiatric conditions, the groups differed significantly only regarding limitations of social activities.

CONCLUSIONS:
Chemical intolerance occurs in 1 of 5 primary care patients yet is rarely diagnosed by busy practitioners. Psychiatric comorbidities contribute to functional limitations and increased health care use. Chemical intolerance offers an etiologic explanation. Symptoms may resolve or improve with the avoidance of salient chemical, dietary (including caffeine and alcohol), and drug triggers. Given greater medication intolerances in chemical intolerance, primary care clinicians could use the QEESI to identify patients for appropriate triage to comprehensive nonpharmacologic care.

PMID:  22778124  [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Repressive authenticity in the quest for legitimacy: surveillance and the contested illness lawsuit.

Repressive authenticity in the quest for legitimacy: surveillance and the contested illness lawsuit.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22901667

Phillips T.  Soc Sci Med. 2012 Nov;75(10):1762-8. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.07.026. Epub 2012 Aug 5.

Source
Legal Studies Program, School of Social Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia. tarryn.phillips@latrobe.edu.au

Abstract

When seeking compensation for workplace injury, workers predictably face examination over the legitimacy of their condition from employers and medical and legal professionals. When the alleged injury is a contested environmental illness, the suspicion aroused and the scrutiny faced by workers is much more acute. In this paper, I analyse the medico-legal experiences of eight chemically sensitive claimants in Australia to reveal the nature and extent of the surveillance they are subjected to in their quest to prove the legitimacy of their disease. Four forms of surveillance are identified: medical scrutiny; legal surveillance, insurer investigation, and self-regulation. Advancing the Foucauldian concept of self-surveillance, I demonstrate that this latter form of regulation has the most deleterious impact on the claimants. The result of this scrutiny is a 'repressive authenticity' (Wolfe, 1999), where the chemically sensitive are expected to adhere to a particular normative ideal of sickness, which becomes therapeutically counterproductive.

PMID:  22901667  [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Tap-Water Chemical May Be Linked to Food Allergy: MedlinePlus

Tap-Water Chemical May Be Linked to Food Allergy: MedlinePlus
https://www.facebook.com/pages/MCS-America/95671789291?ref=hl#

"Certain chemicals used to purify tap water may play a role in the development of food allergies, a new study suggests.  Researchers from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) noted that the chemicals, known as dichlorophenols, are also used to make pesticides and may be found in treated fruits and vegetables."

CDC Features - Lead Hazards in Some Holiday Toys

CDC Features - Lead Hazards in Some Holiday Toys
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/LeadInToys/

"Parents should be aware of potential lead hazards associated with some holiday toys and toy jewelry. Review these important facts to keep your loved ones safe this holiday season."

In Utero Exposure to Arsenic Alters Lung Development and Genes Related to Immune and Mucociliary Function in Mice

In Utero Exposure to Arsenic Alters Lung Development and Genes Related to Immune and Mucociliary Function in Mice
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/2012/12/1205590/

Ramsey KA, Bosco A, McKenna KL, Carter KW, Elliot JG, Berry LJ, Sly PD, Larcombe AN, Zosky GR. In Utero Exposure to Arsenic Alters Lung Development and Genes Related to Immune and Mucociliary Function in Mice. Environ Health Perspect (): .doi:10.1289/ehp.1205590

Abstract

Background:  Exposure to arsenic via drinking water is a global environmental health problem. In utero exposure to arsenic via drinking water increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infections during infancy and mortality from bronchiectasis in early adulthood.

Objectives:  We aimed to investigate how arsenic exposure in early life alters lung development and pathways involved in innate immunity.

Methods:  Pregnant BALB/c, C57BL/6 and C3H/HeARC mice were exposed to 0 (control) or 100μg/L arsenic via drinking water from day 8 of gestation until the birth of their offspring. At two weeks post-natal age mice had somatic growth, lung volume and lung mechanics measured. Fixed lungs were utilised for structural analysis. Lung tissue was collected for gene expression analysis by microarray.

Results:  The response to arsenic was genetically determined and C57BL/6 mice were the most susceptible strain. Arsenic exposed C57BL/6 mice were smaller in size, had smaller lungs and impaired lung mechanics compared with controls. Exposure to arsenic in utero up-regulated the expression of genes in the lung involved in mucous production (Clca3, Muc5b, Scgb3a1), innate immunity (Reg3γ, Tff2, Dynlrb2, Lplunc1) and lung morphogenesis (Sox2). Arsenic exposure also induced mucous cell metaplasia and increased expression of CLCA3 protein in the large airways.

Conclusions:  Alterations in somatic growth, lung development and the expression of genes involved in mucociliary clearance and innate immunity in the lung are potential mechanisms through which early life arsenic exposure impacts respiratory health.

Kenya Bans Imports of GM Food

Kenya Bans Imports of GM Food

http://www.enn.com/health/article/45281

 

"Scientists fear that Kenya's recent banning of the import of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may be a significant blow to progress on biotechnology research and development in the country."

100 more Paulsboro homes evacuated

100 more Paulsboro homes evacuated
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20121205_100_more_Paulsboro_homes_evacuated.html

"Authorities evacuated about 100 more homes in Paulsboro on Tuesday in response to elevated levels of vinyl chloride in the area surrounding Friday's train derailment, which already had sent about 400 residents to seek shelter elsewhere."

Too much tuna can be bad for your brain, report warns.

Sushi kills your brain
Too much tuna can be bad for your brain, report warns.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/japan/121204/sushi-mercury-poisoning-seafood-tuna

Altered functional B-cell subset populations in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome compared to Healthy Controls

Altered functional B-cell subset populations in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome compared to Healthy Controls
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cei.12043/abstract 

A.S. Bradley,
B. Ford,
A.S. Bansal*
DOI: 10.1111/cei.12043

"Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a heterogeneous disorder of unknown aetiology characterised by disabling fatigue, headaches, sleep disturbance and several other symptoms. The onset of CFS may follow a viral infection or period of stress. Patients with CFS do no have hypogammaglobulinaemia, predisposition to recurrent bacterial infections or symptoms of autoimmunity. To date, defects in B-cell numbers or function have not been shown in the literature. However, treatment with anti-B-cell therapy using Rituximab has recently shown benefit to CFS patients. We therefore postulated that patients with CFS had a subtle humoral immune dysfunction, and performed extended B-cell immunophenotyping. We undertook a detailed characterisation of the proportions of the different B-cell subsets in 33 patients with CFS fulfilling the Canadian and Fukada criteria for CFS and compared these with 24 age and gender matched healthy controls (HC). CFS patients had greater numbers of naïve B-cells as a % lymphocytes - 6.3 % versus 3.9 % in HC (P=0.034), greater numbers of naïve B-cells as a % of B-cells - 65 % versus 47 % in controls (P=0.003), greater numbers of transitional B-cells - 1.8 % versus 0.8 % in controls (P=0.025) and reduced numbers of plasmablasts - 0.5 % versus 0.9 % in controls (P=0.013). While the cause of these changes is unclear, we speculate whether they may suggest a subtle tendency to autoimmunity."

Food Allergies Linked to Pesticides

Food Allergies Linked to Pesticides
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20121203/food-allergies-pesticides

"People exposed to higher levels of certain germ- and weed-killing chemicals may also be more likely to develop food allergies, a new study shows.  The chemicals are called dichlorophenols (DCPs). They are created by the breakdown of common pesticides, including chlorinated chemicals used to purify drinking water. They also turn up in moth balls, air fresheners, deodorizer cakes in urinals, and certain herbicides sprayed on crops."

Neurological Effects Of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation

Neurological Effects Of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation
http://www.mapcruzin.com/radiofrequency/henry_lai2.htm

"Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RFR), a form of energy between 10 KHz-300 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum, is used in wireless communication and emitted from antennae of mobile telephones (handys) and from cellular masts. RFR can penetrate into organic tissues and be absorbed and converted into heat. One familiar application of this energy is the microwave ovens used in cooking.
 
The close proximity of a mobile telephone antenna to the user's head leads to the deposition of a relatively large amount of radiofrequency energy in the head. The relatively fixed position of the antenna to the head causes a repeated irradiation of a more or less fixed amount of body tissue. Exposure to RFR from mobile telephones is of a short-term, repeated nature at a relatively high intensity, whereas exposure to RFR emitted from cell masts is of long duration but at a very low intensity. The biological and health consequences of these exposure conditions need further understanding.

Formal research on the biological effects of RFR began more than 30 years ago. In my opinion, the research has been of high quality, innovative, and intelligent. All of us who work in this field should be proud of it. However, knowledge of the possible health effects of RFR is still inadequate and inconclusive. I think the main barrier in understanding the biological effects of RFR is caused by the complex interaction of the different exposure parameters in causing an effect. An independent variable of such complexity is unprecedented in any other field of biological research.

In this paper, I have briefly summarized the results of experiments carried out in our laboratory on the effects of RFR exposure on the nervous system of the rat. But, before that, I will discuss and point out some of the general features and concerns in the study of the biological effects of RFR."

Toxic couches? Flame retardants on the rise in furniture, study finds.

Toxic couches? Flame retardants on the rise in furniture, study finds.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2012/toxic-couches

"Flame retardants in U.S. furniture are on the rise, with a new study finding them in nearly all couches tested. The findings, published today, confirm that household furniture remains a major source of a variety of flame retardants, some of which have been building up in people's bodies and in the environment. In the new tests, three out of every four couches purchased before 2005 contained the chemicals, with a now-banned compound in 39 percent. For newer couches, 94 percent contained flame retardants, nearly all next-generation compounds with little known about their potential health effects. "More furniture appears to be treated with flame retardants today than, say, 15 years ago," said Heather Stapleton, an environmental chemist at Duke University and lead author of the project."

Study provides more clues to Gulf War illness - and hope

Study provides more clues to Gulf War illness - and hope
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/26/gulf-war-report/1727655/

"A study finds that Gulf War Illness, or the series of symptoms that plagues 1 out of 4 veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, is due to damage to the autonomic nervous system."

Chemicals in the Environment Interfere With Pregnancy

Chemicals in the Environment Interfere With Pregnancy
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/27/chemicals-in-the-environment-interfere-with-pregnancy.html

"A new study uncovers more impediments to conception, but the chemicals to blame, including PCBs, aren't anything a couple can control."

Traffic-related air pollutants and exhaled markers of airway inflammation and oxidative stress in New York City adolescents

Traffic-related air pollutants and exhaled markers of airway inflammation and oxidative stress in New York City adolescents
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001393511200312X

Patel, M. et. al. 
Available online 23 November 2012.  In Press.

Abstract

Exposures to ambient diesel exhaust particles have been associated with respiratory symptoms and asthma exacerbations in children; however, epidemiologic evidence linking short-term exposure to ambient diesel exhaust particles with airway inflammation is limited. We conducted a panel study with asthmatic and nonasthmatic adolescents to characterize associations between ambient diesel exhaust particle exposures and exhaled biological markers of airway inflammation and oxidative stress.

Over four weeks, exhaled breath condensate was collected twice a week from 18 asthmatics and 18 nonasthmatics (ages 14–19 years) attending two New York City schools and analyzed for pH and 8-isoprostane as indicators of airway inflammation and oxidative stress, respectively. Air concentrations of black carbon, a diesel exhaust particle indicator, were measured outside schools. Air measurements of nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and fine particulate matter were obtained for the closest central monitoring sites. Relationships between ambient pollutants and exhaled biomarkers were characterized using mixed effects models.

Among all subjects, increases in 1- to 5-day averages of black carbon were associated with decreases in exhaled breath condensate pH, indicating increased airway inflammation, and increases in 8-isoprostane, indicating increased oxidative stress. Increases in 1- to 5-day averages of nitrogen dioxide were associated with increases in 8-isoprostane. Ozone and fine particulate matter were inconsistently associated with exhaled biomarkers. Associations did not differ between asthmatics and nonasthmatics. The findings indicate that short-term exposure to traffic-related air pollutants may increase airway inflammation and/or oxidative stress in urban youth and provide mechanistic support for associations documented between traffic-related pollutant exposures and respiratory morbidity.

Highlights
► We measured airway inflammation in urban youth with and without asthma for 4 weeks. ► We measured daily ambient air black carbon as an indicator of diesel air pollution. ► Black carbon was associated with airway inflammation and oxidative stress over time. ► Ambient air nitrogen dioxide was associated with airway oxidative stress over time. ► Traffic emissions may increase airway inflammation in youth with and without asthma.

Cell Phone Radiation May Alter Brain, DNA

Enviroblog: Cell Phone Radiation May Alter Brain, DNA

http://www.enviroblog.org/2012/11/cell-phone-radiation-may-alter-brain-dna.html

 

"New research by Russian scientist Igor Belyaev, Ph.D., and Turkish researcher Nesrin Seyhan, Ph.D., shows that radiation emitted from portable devices may damage DNA and disrupt the process of DNA repair."

Abnormal muscle membrane function in fibromyalgia patients and its relationship to the number of tender points.

Abnormal muscle membrane function in fibromyalgia patients and its relationship to the number of tender points.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23191983

 

Klaver-Król EG, Zwarts MJ, Ten Klooster PM, Rasker JJ.   Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2012 Nov 22. [Epub ahead of print]

Source
Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Functie Afdeling, Hospital Group Twente ZGT, Hengelo, The Netherlands. eklaver@planet.nl.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disorder characterised by chronic widespread pain in soft tissues, especially in muscles. Previous research has demonstrated a higher muscle fibre conduction velocity (CV) in painful muscles of FM patients. The primary goal of this study was to investigate whether there is also a difference in CV in non-painful, non-tender point (TP) related muscles between FM patients and controls. The secondary goal was to explore associations between the CV, the number of TPs and the complaints in FM.

METHODS:
Surface electromyography (sEMG) was performed on the biceps brachii muscle of female FM patients (13) and matched healthy controls (13). Short static contractions were applied with the arm unloaded and loaded at 5% and 10% of maximum voluntary force. The CV was derived by cross-correlation method (CV-cc) and inter-peak latency method (CV-ipl). TP score and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) were performed in all participants. Correlations were calculated between the CVs, TP score and items of the FIQ.

RESULTS:
In FM patients, the CV was higher than in the controls (CV-cc p=0.005; CV-ipl p=0.022). The CV was correlated with the number of TPs in FM patients (r=0.642 and 0.672 for CV-cc and CV-ipl, respectively). No correlations were found between the CV and any aspect of health status on the FIQ.

CONCLUSIONS:
The results demonstrate abnormally high muscle membrane conduction velocity in FM, even in non-TP muscles. In addition, a relationship has been found between the high membrane velocity and the number of TPs.

PMID:  23191983 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Nerve Deficits May Drive Gulf War Syndrome

Nerve Deficits May Drive Gulf War Syndrome
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/36113

"Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system may underlie the myriad symptoms experienced by veterans with Gulf War syndrome and its variant subtypes, a case-control study suggested."