Fibromyalgia group busy: Monday, May 12 is National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Fibromyalgia group busy
Monday, May 12 is National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/fibromyalgia-group-busy-1.1026342

INTERVIEW: Margaret Humphries - Chemical sensitivity

INTERVIEW:  Margaret Humphries - Chemical sensitivity
http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2014/05/margaret-humphries-chemical-sensitivity-.html

Picnic to raise fibromyalgia awareness

Picnic to raise fibromyalgia awareness
http://www.wlky.com/news/picnic-to-raise-fibromyalgia-awareness/25923064

"Monday is National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, and next weekend, a local support group is hosting an event to help raise awareness.  The fifth-annual Fibromyalgia Awareness Picnic will be held on May 18 at the Brown-Foreman Amphitheater at Waterfront Park.  The event starts at 2 p.m. and is hosted by the Kentuckiana Fibromyalgia Support Group."

Local woman continues fight to raise awareness of fibromyalgia

Local woman continues fight to raise awareness of fibromyalgia
http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmckeesport/yourmckeesportmore/6086458-74/fibromyalgia-pain-diagnosed#axzz31Rl4uC4B

"More than 35 years ago, Ellen Williams was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Since then her four siblings have been diagnosed with the same life-altering disorder.  Monday is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, when those with the condition and others do their part to educate people about this chronic pain disorder that affects an estimated 10 million Americans.  Locally, proclamations were presented to Williams by White Oak Mayor Ina Jean Marton, East McKeesport Mayor Robert Howard and McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko. Mayors from Pittsburgh, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Pompano Beach, Fla., have thrown their support behind those with the disorder."

The charity set up by a trailblazing Limavady man for sufferers of ME and fybromyalgia has almost quadrupled in size in just over four months.

Charity to light up Limavady
http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/community-news/charity-to-light-up-limavady-1-6045702

"The charity set up by a trailblazing Limavady man for sufferers of ME and fybromyalgia has almost quadrupled in size in just over four months."

Metabolic and genetic screening of electromagnetic hypersensitive subjects as a feasible tool for diagnostics and intervention.

Metabolic and genetic screening of electromagnetic hypersensitive subjects as a feasible tool for diagnostics and intervention.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24812443

De Luca C1, Chung Sheun Thai J2, Raskovic D3, Cesareo E3, Caccamo D4, Trukhanov A5, Korkina L1.

Mediators Inflamm. 2014;2014:924184. doi: 10.1155/2014/924184. Epub 2014 Apr 9.

Abstract
Growing numbers of "electromagnetic hypersensitive" (EHS) people worldwide self-report severely disabling, multiorgan, non-specific symptoms when exposed to low-dose electromagnetic radiations, often associated with symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and/or other environmental "sensitivity-related illnesses" (SRI). This cluster of chronic inflammatory disorders still lacks validated pathogenetic mechanism, diagnostic biomarkers, and management guidelines. We hypothesized that SRI, not being merely psychogenic, may share organic determinants of impaired detoxification of common physic-chemical stressors. Based on our previous MCS studies, we tested a panel of 12 metabolic blood redox-related parameters and of selected drug-metabolizing-enzyme gene polymorphisms, on 153 EHS, 147 MCS, and 132 control Italians, confirming MCS altered (P < 0.05-0.0001) glutathione-(GSH), GSH-peroxidase/S-transferase, and catalase erythrocyte activities. We first described comparable-though milder-metabolic pro-oxidant/proinflammatory alterations in EHS with distinctively increased plasma coenzyme-Q10 oxidation ratio. Severe depletion of erythrocyte membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids with increased ω 6/ ω 3 ratio was confirmed in MCS, but not in EHS. We also identified significantly (P = 0.003) altered distribution-versus-control of the CYP2C19∗1/∗2 SNP variants in EHS, and a 9.7-fold increased risk (OR: 95% C.I. = 1.3-74.5) of developing EHS for the haplotype (null)GSTT1 + (null)GSTM1 variants. Altogether, results on MCS and EHS strengthen our proposal to adopt this blood metabolic/genetic biomarkers' panel as suitable diagnostic tool for SRI.

PMID: 24812443 [PubMed - in process]

EMR Awareness Month 2014

RE:  EMR Awareness Month 
  

Dear Readers and Partners;

Sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation affects 9.8 million men, women, and children of all races in America (Levallois, 2002).  Even though sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation is of widespread epidemic prevalence, public awareness of the disabling health effects of common electromagnetic exposures and ways to manage and accommodate sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation remains limited. Electromagnetic Radiation Awareness Month, May 2014, bestows upon us a great opportunity to work towards increased public awareness of sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation.
 
Organizations around the world have put forth great effort to establish May of each year as Electromagnetic Radiation Awareness Month. Many are working to improve awareness and appropriate healthcare around the world.  Activities are organized around the month of May and continue throughout the year.  MCS America plays a special role during this time and is committed to promoting awareness of electromagnetic fields which may cause sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation and trigger reactions in those with sensitivity.
 
This entire month of May is dedicated to planning for individuals and organizations in the U.S. to hold local events during Sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation Awareness Month and beyond. You will find numerous ideas for promoting awareness, educating others, increasing recognition, and planning community events. There are many editable sample materials which may be downloaded and used locally.
 
Electromagnetic radiation awareness events are expected to take place across the United States this May.  MCS America provides an Electromagnetic Radiation Event Planning Kit to help you plan both small and large awareness events.  MCS America can help publicize your event on news feeds, blogs, newspapers, our newsletter, and other venues. Submit your event to admin@mcs-america.org. We value your feedback on the usefulness of the sample materials and welcome suggestions for future materials.
 
We would like to thank you for any and all efforts towards increased awareness in your locality. We look forward to assisting you in any way we can. Working together, we can help America to take control of electromagnetic exposures and eradicate sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation.
 
Sincerely,
 
MCS America
 

 
 

News Release -MCS Awareness Month

From Ohio Network for the Chemically Injured, please find attached the 2014 Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) Awareness Month News Release and related article will help you better understand those who have this devastating disability and show you how easy it is to provide required disability accommodations.

 

Please feel free to make copies to post and distribute, forward to others and your local media.

Comparing non-specific physical symptoms in environmentally sensitive patients: Prevalence, duration, functional status and illness behavior.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24745783

 

Baliatsas C¹, van Kamp I², Hooiveld M³, Yzermans J³, Lebret E⁴.

Author information

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Little is known about the potential clinical relevance of non-specific physical symptoms (NSPS) reported by patients with self-reported environmental sensitivities. This study aimed to assess NSPS in people with general environmental sensitivity (GES) and idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) and to determine differences in functional status and illness behavior.

METHODS:

An epidemiological study was conducted in the Netherlands, combining self-administered questionnaires with the electronic medical records of the respondents as registered by general practitioners. Analyses included n=5789 registered adult (≥18years) patients, comprising 5073 non-sensitive (NS) individuals, 514 in the GES group and 202 in the IEI-EMF group.

RESULTS:

Participants with GES were about twice as likely to consult alternative therapy compared to non-sensitive individuals; those with IEI-EMF were more than three times as likely. Moreover, there was a higher prevalence of symptoms and medication prescriptions and longer symptom duration among people with sensitivities. Increasing number and duration of self-reported NSPS were associated with functional impairment, illness behavior, negative symptom perceptions and prevalence of GP-registered NSPS in the examined groups.

CONCLUSION:

Even after adjustment for medical and psychiatric morbidity, environmentally sensitive individuals experience poorer health, increased illness behavior and more severe NSPS. The number and duration of self-reported NSPS are important components of symptom severity and are associated with characteristics similar to those of NSPS in primary care. The substantial overlap between the sensitive groups strengthens the notion that different types of sensitivities might be part of one, broader environmental illness.

Training Physicians in Environmental Health: A Strategy to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Healthcare Costs

Training Physicians in Environmental Health: A Strategy to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Healthcare Costs

By Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH

http://www.psr.org/environment-and-health/environmental-health-policy-institute/responses/training-physicians-in-environmental-health.html

The lack of environmental health education in medicine contributes to lost opportunities for physicians to prevent or intervene early in environmentally-related diseases. Despite the importance of environmental exposures on disease morbidity (the WHO estimates that 13% of total disease burden in the United States is related to the environmental risk factors), medical students receive very little training on how to recognize and manage environmentally-related diseases.^[1] On average, medical students receive seven hours of environmental health training in 4 years of medical school; approximately one-third of graduating medical students believe that their EH training was "inadequate."^{[2], [3]}


Integrating environmental health into medical school


Although the typical medical school curriculum is very full, there are ample opportunities for seamless integration of environmental health into both pre-clinical courses and clinical rotations. Many medical schools have adapted an "organ system-based" approach to pre-clinical courses, and environmental etiologies and mechanisms of action can be incorporated into this structure. For example, the neurotoxic effects of pesticides and heavy metals can be incorporated into a neurology course. Environmental medicine can also be incorporated in medical schools that still use the traditional "basic sciences" approach to pre-clinical courses. For example, the neurotoxic effects of pesticides can be incorporated into neuro-anatomy and toxicology or biochemistry courses.


In the clinical rotations, the skills of taking an environmental and occupational history during a patient interview can be emphasized, environmental disease management strategies can be highlighted (i.e. reducing environmental asthma triggers in a patient's home), and patient referrals to relevant resources to address environmental exposures can be integrated into disease management skills. For example, patients can be referred to a lead poisoning program at the Department of Health, or to legal aid services to assist with housing quality issues.


Many medical schools have also incorporated "doctoring" courses into the pre-clinical years; these provide a great venue for teaching the importance of addressing environmental and social determinants of health. The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which provides accreditation for medical schools, has recently modified curriculum requirements to include "public health sciences," and environmental health is a subset of this topic. Educational and clinical competencies on environmental health have been developed.^[4] Hopefully this requirement will push medical schools to better integrate environmental medicine into a student's experience over four years of training.


Opportunities for physicians to learn


After medical school is complete, there are still abundant opportunities to incorporate environmental health into a physician's training including lectures during residency programs, rotations with environmental specialists during residency, and continuing medical education (CME) lectures on environmental health for practicing physicians.


Given the large variety of possible environmental exposures in our industrial society, from air pollution to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and given the increased media attention and general public awareness on these issues, physicians today are likely to frequently encounter environmentally-related diseases and also receive questions from patients about environmental health concerns. It would be unrealistic to expect every graduating medical student and practicing physician to be an expert in environmental medicine. However, introducing the topic of environmental health in a more substantial way during pre-clinical and clinical years (and beyond) will better equip future physicians to counsel on preventing exposures, promptly identify exposures, and make the appropriate referrals for further management when required. One such referral would be to Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units-PEHSUs- or to Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinics.


To illustrate the importance of integrating environmental health into medical training and practice, consider the example of a 5-year-old child, Annie, with persistent asthma, who has had multiple emergency room visits and hospitalizations for asthma attacks in the past two years. These visits to the hospital are expensive, cause Annie to miss school, and affect her quality of life and that of her family. By taking a thorough environmental health history at clinic visit, Annie's new pediatrician, who received integrated environmental health training in medical school, quickly identified both cockroaches and bathroom mold as her two major triggers. In addition to providing refills for her controller and rescue medications, Annie's doctor referred the family to local Department of Health for mold remediation resources, provided information on integrated pest management techniques to safely eliminate cockroaches, and also referred her to the local PEHSU for further guidance about making her home environment healthier. This more comprehensive approach to asthma management, which includes environmental medicine, will likely reduce the number of emergency visits and hospitalizations for asthma, since Annie's triggers have been eliminated from her home. It will improve Annie's quality of life, lead to a healthier home environment for her and her family, and also decrease healthcare spending on hospital visits and admissions. This approach makes sense.


Importance of pediatricians, family physicians


As an environmental pediatrician, I would be remiss not to emphasize the incredible importance of increasing environmental health awareness among pediatricians and family physicians. Children are more susceptible to the effects of toxic environmental exposures.^[5] Preventing exposures at an early age can lead to a lifetime of health benefits. It can also lead to substantial healthcare cost savings; a recent study estimated that the annual cost of environmentally attributable pediatric disease in the United States (such as asthma, lead poisoning, some cancers, etc) is an astounding $76 billion.^[6] Imagine if these environmentally attributable diseases were prevented through a more coordinated and substantial effort about medical professionals, allied health professionals, and public health departments! A first step to achieving this big goal is improving training in environmental health in medical school and continuing medical education.


For physicians or allied healthcare providers that would like to learn more about the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU), please click here.


The PEHSU system provides quality environmental medicine consultations for health professionals, parents, caregivers, and patients. The PEHSU are also dedicated to increasing environmental medicine knowledge among healthcare professionals around children's environmental health by providing consultation and training. Finally, the PEHSU provide information and resources to school and community groups to help increase the public's understanding of children's environmental health.

---

^[1] World Health Organization (WHO). Quantifying Environmental Health Impacts. Accessed April 11, 2014.

^[2] Shenk M, Popp SM, Neale AV, Demers RY. Environmental medicine content in medical school curricula. Acad Med 1996; 71(5): 499-501.

^[3] AAMC Medical Student Graduation Questionnaire: 2013 All Schools Summary Report. Accessed April 11, 2014.

^[4] Gehle KS, Crawford JL, Hatcher MT. Integrating environmental health into medical education. Am J Prev Med 2011; 41 (4S3): S296-S301.

^[5] Etzel R, Balk S, eds. Pediatric Environmental Health: 3^rd Edition. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2012.

^[6] Trasande L, Liu Y. Reducing the Staggering Costs Of Environmental Disease In Children, Estimated At $76.6 Billion In 2008. Health Aff 2011; 30 (5): 863-870.

BPA-free plastics may be less safe than those with chemical

BPA-free plastics may be less safe than those with chemical
http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/BPA-free-plastics-may-be-less-safe-than-those-5302319.php

"BPA, a chemical that mimics the hormone estrogen, has been used to harden plastics for more than 40 years but has been banned from baby bottles and children's products because of growing concerns that it may be linked to a host of health issues.  Now comes news from Oakland's Center for Environmental Health that some cups labeled BPA-free contain other chemicals that appear to pose an equal if not greater health hazard.  Those chemicals, acting a lot like BPA, have a disruptive effect on the body's naturally produced hormones, raising the same concerns for the health risks associated with BPA - that exposure to them may lead to cancer, diabetes, reproductive problems, early development and obesity, especially in young children. The research isn't definitive, but a growing number of studies, mostly done on animals, have raised those suspicions."

Pro-Vaccine Messages Actually Backfire, Study Finds

Pro-Vaccine Messages Actually Backfire, Study Finds
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/pro-vaccine-messages-actually-backfire-study-finds-n41611

"Public health messages aimed at boosting childhood vaccination rates may be backfiring, a new report finds.  Current efforts that use scientific studies, vaccine facts and images and stories of disease-sickened kids actually increased fears about vaccine side effects among some parents. Even when they successfully refuted claims about a link between vaccines and autism, they made parents who were the most wary less inclined to inoculate their children."

"But anti-vaccination advocates say the study correctly spotlights the suspicion that some parents have for public health claims about vaccines — and their resentment of efforts to spin the message.  "It is a big mistake for public health officials to assume that those resisting public health messaging about vaccines and diseases are ignorant, uneducated, 'anti-science' and that they lack social conscience," said Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center and a frequent critic of vaccines."

2014 Stanford Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symposium: Advances in Clinical Care and Translational Research

2014 Stanford Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symposium: Advances in Clinical Care and Translational Research

http://stanfordhospital.org/forPhysiciansOthers/cme/documents/2014-0319_chronic_fatigue_brochure.pdf

Fukushima's children at centre of debate over rates of thyroid cancer

Fukushima's children at centre of debate over rates of thyroid cancer
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/09/fukushima-children-debate-thyroid-cancer-japan-disaster-nuclear-radiation

"Three years after the worst nuclear accident in a generation, the Japanese prefecture is reporting a rise in the number of children showing cancer symptoms. But is this directly related to the disaster, or is the testing more rigorous?"

QEESI Study Draws Connection between Chronic Illness and Chemical Sensitivity

QEESI Study Draws Connection between Chronic Illness and Chemical Sensitivity
http://tpr.org/post/qeesi-study-draws-connection-between-chronic-illness-and-chemical-sensitivity

"Sensitivity to household chemicals, perfumes, and air pollution often go undetected, but now there's a way for patients, especially those with mysterious medical symptoms, to discover if they are sensitive to certain chemicals.  The QEESI, or Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory, is now available online. This 15-minute questionnaire developed by San Antonio researcher Dr. Claudia Miller, allows individuals to rate their reactions to things like car exhaust, nail polish, paints, and pesticides.  Dr. Claudia Miller developed the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory to help doctors and patients pinpoint chemical sensitivities that may be causing health problems.  Dr. Miller, a researcher at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and professor at the University of Texas School of Medicine, developed the test because chemical sensitivities are common in an estimated 20 percent of chronically-ill patients, but are rarely diagnosed by physicians.  The QEESI delivers an evaluation that can help doctors determine if their patients' illnesses stem from chemical intolerances."

Windsor Public Library Goes Scent Free

Windsor Public Library Goes Scent Free

http://blackburnnews.com/windsor/windsor-news/2014/02/03/wpl-goes-scent-free/

 

 

Is The Central Valley's Air Pollution Affecting Our Cells And Genes?

Is The Central Valley's Air Pollution Affecting Our Cells And Genes?
http://kvpr.org/post/central-valleys-air-pollution-affecting-our-cells-and-genes

"Here in the Central Valley – in one of the most polluted air basins in the country – we know that poor air is bad for our health. We feel it in our eyes and throat, and when we struggle to breathe.  But what if air pollution is affecting us at a deeper, cellular level?  That's exactly what Dr. Kari Nadeau discovered a few years ago. She's a Stanford School of Medicine professor with an expertise in asthma and allergies."

Worcester ZBA calls for experts, puts smart grid on hold

Worcester ZBA calls for experts, puts smart grid on hold
http://www.telegram.com/article/20140113/NEWS/301139631/1116

 

"Plans to erect a specialized communications tower in the Tatnuck Square area as part of National Grid's "smart grid" pilot program remain on hold."

Study - Major pesticides are more toxic to human cells than their declared active principles

Study - Major pesticides are more toxic to human cells than their declared active principles

http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/aip/179691.pdf

Study - Major pesticides are more toxic to human cells than their declared active principles

Study - Major pesticides are more toxic to human cells than their declared active principles

http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/aip/179691.pdf

Multiple chemical sensitivity caused by exposure to ignition coal fumes: a case report.

Multiple chemical sensitivity caused by exposure to ignition coal fumes: a case report.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24472417

 

Yun MJ, Kang DM, Lee KH, Kim YK, Kim JE.
Ann Occup Environ Med. 2013 Nov 1;25(1):32. doi: 10.1186/2052-4374-25-32.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Although multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a well-known disorder caused by environmental exposures, MCS caused by occupational exposure has been reported in Korea. Therefore, we report a MCS case caused by environmental exposure to ignition coal after a differential diagnosis to exclude other diseases.

CASE REPORT:
Since 2011, a 55-year-old woman had experienced edema, myalgia, and other symptoms when she smelled ignition coal near her workplace. She had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome(FMS) and was treated, with no improvement of symptoms. Since then, she showed the same symptoms after exposure to city gas, the smell of burning, and exhaust gas. To avoid triggering substances, she moved to a new house and used an air purifier. She quit her job in November 2012. After visiting our hospital, she underwent a differential diagnosis for FMS, chronic fatigue syndrome, and somatization disorder. She was diagnosed with MCS by the Korean version of the Quick Environment Exposure Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI). She was educated about the disease and to avoid triggering substances. She received ongoing treatment for her symptoms.

CONCLUSION:
This case showed that symptoms began after smelling ignition coal. After that, her triggers was increased such as the smell of city gas, burning, and exhaust gas. This case is the first reported in Korea of MCS due to environmental exposure after ruling out other diseases.

PMID: 24472417 [PubMed]

Pesticide Exposure Linked to Alzheimer's Risk

Pesticide Exposure Linked to Alzheimer's Risk
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819818?nlid=46463_1882&src=wnl_edit_dail

"A new study finds that serum levels of a pesticide metabolite are associated with increased risk for a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Researchers are reporting that high levels of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), a metabolite of the notorious pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), were associated with a greater than 4-fold increase in AD risk vs lowest levels."

The Camping Cure for Environmentla Illness

The Camping Cure for Environmental Illness
Living outside changes you. When environmental illness left me too sick to stay in my high-rise, I turned to nature to heal
http://aeon.co/magazine/being-human/environmental-illness-cured-by-camping/

New research sheds light on mysterious fibromyalgia pain

New research sheds light on mysterious fibromyalgia pain
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/15/fibromyalgia-research-breakthrough/3991063/

"This new understanding of fibromyalgia will hopefully lead to better treatments, doctors and researchers say."

FDA Wants Proof of Anti-Bacterial Soap Claims

FDA Wants Proof of Anti-Bacterial Soap Claims
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Washington-Watch/FDAGeneral/43453

Cytotoxic effects of air freshener biocides in lung epithelial cells.

Cytotoxic effects of air freshener biocides in lung epithelial cells.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24273871

Kwon JT, Lee M, Seo GB, Kim HM, Shim I, Lee DH, Kim T, Seo JK, Kim P, Choi K.

Nat Prod Commun. 2013 Sep;8(9):1301-4.

Abstract

This study evaluated the cytotoxicity of mixtures of citral (CTR) and either benzisothiazolinone (BIT, Mix-CTR-BIT) or triclosan (TCS, Mix-CTR-TCS) in human A549 lung epithelial cells. We investigated the effects of various mix ratios of these common air freshener ingredients on cell viability, cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and DNA damage. Mix-CTR-BIT and Mix-CTR-TCS significantly decreased the viability of lung epithelial cells and inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, both mixtures increased ROS generation, compared to that observed in control cells. In particular, cell viability, growth, and morphology were affected upon increase in the proportion of BIT or TCS in the mixture. However, comet analysis showed that treatment of cells with Mix-CTR-BIT or Mix-CTR-TCS did not increase DNA damage. Taken together, these data suggested that increasing the content of biocides in air fresheners might induce cytotoxicity, and that screening these compounds using lung epithelial cells may contribute to hazard assessment.

PMID: 24273871 [PubMed - in process]

Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow during Olfactory Stimulation in Patients with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Multi-Channel Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Study.

Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow during Olfactory Stimulation in Patients with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Multi-Channel Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Study.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24278291

Azuma K, Uchiyama I, Takano H, Tanigawa M, Azuma M, Bamba I, Yoshikawa T.
PLoS One. 2013 Nov 21;8(11):e80567. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080567.

Author information

Abstract

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is characterized by somatic distress upon exposure to odors. Patients with MCS process odors differently from controls. This odor-processing may be associated with activation in the prefrontal area connecting to the anterior cingulate cortex, which has been suggested as an area of odorant-related activation in MCS patients. In this study, activation was defined as a significant increase in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) because of odorant stimulation. Using the well-designed card-type olfactory test kit, changes in rCBF in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) were investigated after olfactory stimulation with several different odorants. Near-infrared spectroscopic (NIRS) imaging was performed in 12 MCS patients and 11 controls. The olfactory stimulation test was continuously repeated 10 times. The study also included subjective assessment of physical and psychological status and the perception of irritating and hedonic odors. Significant changes in rCBF were observed in the PFC of MCS patients on both the right and left sides, as distinct from the center of the PFC, compared with controls. MCS patients adequately distinguished the non-odorant in 10 odor repetitions during the early stage of the olfactory stimulation test, but not in the late stage. In comparison to controls, autonomic perception and negative affectivity were poorer in MCS patients. These results suggest that prefrontal information processing associated with odor-processing neuronal circuits and memory and cognition processes from past experience of chemical exposure play significant roles in the pathology of this disorder.

PMID: 24278291 [PubMed - in process]

EU Commission Reviews Fragrance Allergens Program

EU Commission Reviews Fragrance Allergens Program
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/16/6004003/eu-commission-reviews-fragrance.html

"The IDEA project, endorsed by the EU Commissioner for Health, Tonio Borg, is a multi-stakeholder process designed to provide a broadly agreed and transparent framework for assessing fragrance sensitizers globally.  It is an opportunity to build partnerships between the international fragrance industry and its stakeholders to improve the risk assessment of those fragrance ingredients identified as allergens, leading to better consumer protection.:

AT&T drops cell tower proposal in Olympia's Northeast Neighborhood

AT&T drops cell tower proposal in Olympia's Northeast Neighborhood

http://www.theolympian.com/2013/12/16/2887428/att-drops-cell-tower-proposal.html

A town hall meeting to discuss the Toxic Free Kids and Family Act

A town hall meeting to discuss the Toxic Free Kids and Family Act

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20131216/NEWS/312179999/toxic-free-kids-town-hall-ferry-meeting-set-and-other