SAL: This article has suprisingly good information about polyester and even mentions MCSers should not wear it, but rather use cotton washed in baking soda. I suppose that would not work for everyone, however it's nice to see nonetheless.
Man-made menace
http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=5&subLeft=7&chklogin=N&autono=316969&tab=r
But polyester is made from petroleum, and its manufacture is a chemical-intensive process.
...
The Environmental Health Center in Dallas, Texas, reported a few years ago that polyester clothing was after all not always safe to wear. Clothes are frequently treated with various chemicals, including water repellents and fabric dyes.
....
People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), or those with sensitive skin, prone to eczema and hives, cannot wear polyester. They should wear organic cotton if possible, washed in baking soda and water.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Greg Sellnow: Do we really need to outlaw fragrances?
Comment: I'm posting this only for awareness of how others think. If anything, it can help us to prepare for common objections and be ready with a reply.
Greg Sellnow: Do we really need to outlaw fragrances?
3/15/2008 6:55:38 AM
Here's a piece of proposed legislation that I think kind of stinks. Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, last week introduced a bill to create an awareness campaign about the harmful effects of colognes, perfumes and other fragrances in our schools.
But she later scaled back the proposal to a voluntary fragrance awareness campaign -- as opposed to an outright ban on perfume, cologne and God knows what else kids are wearing to school these days to help them smell right.
Clark wants students and parents to understand how harmful fragrances can be to people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
Apparently, teenage boys are the primary targets of this legislation. They're accused of dousing themselves in the popular Axe body spray and other aromatic substances because they either a) believe it attracts droves of girls who look like Victoria's Secret models, or b) are trying to cover up the odoriferous result of too many days without a shower.
As the father of a teenaged boy, and having once been one myself, I feel the need to stand up for young males in the foul fragrance fight.
Sure, some people -- especially teenagers -- tend to go a little overboard when it comes to fragrances. It takes a while to figure out that a tiny dab -- as opposed to a half-cup -- of cologne is all you need. The problem here, as one of my daughters has not so politely pointed out to her younger brother (who does shower daily, by the way), is that: "When you put that stuff on, after a while you can't smell yourself. But, believe me, everyone else can."
And, yes, I feel for those who are sensitive to strong fragrances. While I can't claim that perfumes and colognes make me sick or cause me to gasp for breath, I generally don't like being around people who are wearing them. These fragrances all smell the same to me -- like dryer exhaust.
But do we really need to outlaw body fragrances? I was talking to my wife about this the other night and she said it's almost as if we're headed toward a "hypoallergenic" society where everything we do might offend those around us or make them sick.
I thought she had a good point. We have to be careful about what colognes we wear because they might spark a respiratory fit. We have to establish rules about what sorts of foods we can eat in the workplace because the odor might cause a co-worker to upchuck. We have to be careful about what kind of hand sanitizer or lotion we use at our desks because they might cause someone in a nearby cubicle to call for an ambulance. We even have to watch what kind of fabric softener we use on our clothes because there might be someone within 200 feet of us whose olfactory senses just can't tolerate Snuggle.
I'm not disputing whether these sensitivities are genuine. People who have them aren't faking it. I've suffered from what used to be called "hay fever" for as long as I can remember, and I'm miserable every summer when the ragweed goes to seed. I'm also allergic to cats, which is probably why the one who lives in our house insists on sleeping in my lap when I'm reading or on our bed when I'm in it.
But that doesn't mean I lock myself in the house whenever the pollen's flying or lobby to have Phoebe put to sleep every time I start sneezing. And I realize that, unlike tobacco smoke, coal dust or asbestos, long-term exposure to these things probably isn't going to kill me. So, I put up with them.
That's why I don't think we need the Legislature telling us what kind of fragrances we can wear in school -- or, for that matter, what kind of food we can eat at our desk or what kind of hand lotion we can use.
Or even -- gasp! -- how often adolescent boys should shower.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Bioaccumulation of Pharmaceuticals and Other Anthropogenic Waste Indicators in Earthworms
Environ. Sci. Technol., 42 (6 ), 1863 –1870 , 2008 . 10.1021/es702304c
Web Release Date: February 20,2008 Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society
Bioaccumulation of Pharmaceuticals and Other Anthropogenic Waste Indicators in Earthworms from Agricultural Soil Amended With Biosolid or Swine Manure
Web Release Date: February 20,
Bioaccumulation of Pharmaceuticals and Other Anthropogenic Waste Indicators in Earthworms from Agricultural Soil Amended With Biosolid or Swine Manure
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag/2008/42/i06/abs/es702304c.html
Chad A. Kinney,*† Edward T. Furlong,‡ Dana W. Kolpin,§ Mark R. Burkhardt,‡ Steven D. Zaugg,‡ Stephen L. Werner,‡ Joseph P. Bossio,△ and Mark J. Benotti⊥
Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University at Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Blvd, Pueblo, Colorado 81001, National Water Quality Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 25046, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225-0046, U.S Geological Survey, 400 S. Clinton St. Suite 269, Iowa City, Iowa 52240-4105, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Washington 99004, and U.S. Geological Survey, 2045 Route 112, Building 4, Coram, New York 11727
Revised manuscript received December 21, 2007
Accepted January 7, 2008
Analysis of earthworms offers potential for assessing the transfer of organic anthropogenic waste indicators (AWIs) derived from land-applied biosolid or manure to biota. Earthworms and soil samples were collected from three Midwest agricultural fields to measure the presence and potential for transfer of 77 AWIs from land-applied biosolids and livestock manure to earthworms.
The sites consisted of a soybean field with no amendments of human or livestock waste (Site 1),
a soybean field amended with biosolids from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (Site 2),
and a cornfield amended with swine manure (Site 3).
The biosolid applied to Site 2 contained a diverse composition of 28 AWIs, reflecting the presence of human-use compounds. The swine manure contained 12 AWIs, and was dominated by biogenic sterols. Soil and earthworm samples were collected in the spring (about 30 days after soil amendment) and fall (140−155 days after soil amendment) at all field sites. Soils from Site 1 contained 21 AWIs and soil from Sites 2 and 3 contained 19 AWIs. The AWI profiles at Sites 2 and 3 generally reflected the relative composition of AWIs present in waste material applied. There were 20 AWIs detected in earthworms from Site 1 (three compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 µg/kg), 25 AWIs in earthworms from Site 2 (seven compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 µg/kg), and 21 AWIs in earthworms from Site 3 (five compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 µg/kg). A number of compounds that were present in the earthworm tissue were at concentrations less than reporting levels in the corresponding soil samples.
The AWIs detected in earthworm tissue from the three field sites included pharmaceuticals, synthetic fragrances, detergent metabolites, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), biogenic sterols, disinfectants, and pesticides, reflecting a wide range of physicochemical properties. For those contaminants detected in earthworm tissue and soil, bioaccumulation factors (BAF) ranged from 0.05 (galaxolide) to 27 (triclosan). This study documents that when AWIs are present in source materials that are land applied, such as biosolids and swine manure, AWIs can be transferred to earthworms.
Revised manuscript received December 21, 2007
Accepted January 7, 2008
Analysis of earthworms offers potential for assessing the transfer of organic anthropogenic waste indicators (AWIs) derived from land-applied biosolid or manure to biota. Earthworms and soil samples were collected from three Midwest agricultural fields to measure the presence and potential for transfer of 77 AWIs from land-applied biosolids and livestock manure to earthworms.
The sites consisted of a soybean field with no amendments of human or livestock waste (Site 1),
a soybean field amended with biosolids from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (Site 2),
and a cornfield amended with swine manure (Site 3).
The biosolid applied to Site 2 contained a diverse composition of 28 AWIs, reflecting the presence of human-use compounds. The swine manure contained 12 AWIs, and was dominated by biogenic sterols. Soil and earthworm samples were collected in the spring (about 30 days after soil amendment) and fall (140−155 days after soil amendment) at all field sites. Soils from Site 1 contained 21 AWIs and soil from Sites 2 and 3 contained 19 AWIs. The AWI profiles at Sites 2 and 3 generally reflected the relative composition of AWIs present in waste material applied. There were 20 AWIs detected in earthworms from Site 1 (three compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 µg/kg), 25 AWIs in earthworms from Site 2 (seven compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 µg/kg), and 21 AWIs in earthworms from Site 3 (five compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 µg/kg). A number of compounds that were present in the earthworm tissue were at concentrations less than reporting levels in the corresponding soil samples.
The AWIs detected in earthworm tissue from the three field sites included pharmaceuticals, synthetic fragrances, detergent metabolites, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), biogenic sterols, disinfectants, and pesticides, reflecting a wide range of physicochemical properties. For those contaminants detected in earthworm tissue and soil, bioaccumulation factors (BAF) ranged from 0.05 (galaxolide) to 27 (triclosan). This study documents that when AWIs are present in source materials that are land applied, such as biosolids and swine manure, AWIs can be transferred to earthworms.
Supposedly "Green" Products Could Be Toxic
"MEDS" should have read "MSDS" as in material safety data sheets. My apologies for the typographical error.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 7:41 PM
Subject: [MCS America ©] Supposedly "Green" Products Could Be Toxic
Comment: This is so important for us to remember. I find myself frequently repeating that "green" is not necessarily synonymous with "MCS safe". The key is to examine the full-disclosure ingredients and not rely on the "labels" a product has, as most labels are unregulated. I'm sure many have tried supposedly "organic" or "natural" products only to find money was wasted on something that triggers a reaction. Worse, some may be using products they believe are safe and don't noticeably react to that are truly adding to body burden. Learning how to read labels and look up the MEDS sheets for ingredients can come in handy.
Supposedly "Green" Products Could Be Toxic: Carcinogenic Compound Found in Half of Brands Tested
Nearly half the supposedly "natural" or "green" soaps shampoos and other consumer products tested by the Organic Consumers Association have an ingredient that could cause cancer, according to a new report.
<snip>
The terms "green," "natural," and even "organic" (if not accompanied by the USDA-certified seal) are unregulated, so manufacturers and marketers have free rein in using them by their own definition.
Supposedly "Green" Products Could Be Toxic
Comment: This is so important for us to remember. I find myself frequently repeating that "green" is not necessarily synonymous with "MCS safe". The key is to examine the full-disclosure ingredients and not rely on the "labels" a product has, as most labels are unregulated. I'm sure many have tried supposedly "organic" or "natural" products only to find money was wasted on something that triggers a reaction. Worse, some may be using products they believe are safe and don't noticeably react to that are truly adding to body burden. Learning how to read labels and look up the MEDS sheets for ingredients can come in handy.
Supposedly "Green" Products Could Be Toxic: Carcinogenic Compound Found in Half of Brands Tested
Nearly half the supposedly "natural" or "green" soaps shampoos and other consumer products tested by the Organic Consumers Association have an ingredient that could cause cancer, according to a new report.
<snip>
The terms "green," "natural," and even "organic" (if not accompanied by the USDA-certified seal) are unregulated, so manufacturers and marketers have free rein in using them by their own definition.
The Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference 2008
Comment: This might be worth attending and contributing to if anyone is in the area.
The Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference 2008
http://www.miaqc.org/2008%20Conference%20Summary.htm#Overview
March 26, 2008
Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine
The Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference is the largest IAQ conference in northern New England. March 26, 2008
Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine
Diverse professionals throughout the region come together to share new and proven concepts for achieving safe and healthy indoor environments. If you design, build, operate or maintain buildings, if you work in residential, educational, commercial or industrial environments, if you provide consulting and professional services, or if you manage policy or public health infrastructure for Maine citizens--this conference is for you.
This year's conference features more than a dozen workshops on current topics in indoor air quality. Additional details will be posted as they become available.
Possible role for early-life immune insult including developmental immunotoxicity in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
Toxicology. 2008 Feb 8 [Epub ahead of print]
Possible role for early-life immune insult including developmental immunotoxicity in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18336982?dopt=AbstractPlus
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, C5-135 VMC, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Tower Road, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in some countries, is a debilitating disease with a constellation of multi-system dysfunctions primarily involving the neurological, endocrine and immune systems. While substantial information is available concerning the complex dysfunction-associated symptoms of CFS, environmental origins of the disease have yet to be determined. Part of the dilemma in identifying the cause(s) has been the focus on biomarkers (hormones, neurotransmitters, cytokines, infectious agents) that are contemporary with later-life CFS episodes. Yet, recent investigations on the origins of environmental diseases of the neurological, endocrine, reproductive, respiratory and immune systems suggest that early life toxicologic and other insults are pivotal in producing later-life onset of symptoms. As with autism and childhood asthma, CFS can also occur in children where the causes are certainly early-life events. Immune dysfunction is recognized as part of the CFS phenotype but has received comparatively less attention than aberrant neurological or endocrine function. However, recent research results suggest that early life immune insults (ELII) including developmental immunotoxicity (DIT), which is induced by xenobiotics, may offer an important clue to the origin(s) of CFS. The developing immune system is a sensitive and novel target for environmental insult (xenobiotic, infectious agents, stress) with major ramifications for postnatal health risks. Additionally, many prenatal and early postnatal neurological lesions associated with postnatal neurobehavioral diseases are now recognized as linked to prenatal immune insult and inflammatory dysregulation. This review considers the potential role of ELII including DIT as an early-life component of later-life CFS.
PMID: 18336982 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Oaone, ultra-fine particle, VOCS's, & emitted terpenes from a car air freshener.
J Hazard Mater. 2008 Feb 7 [Epub ahead of print]
Influence of ozone concentration and temperature on ultra-fine particle and gaseous volatile organic compound formations generated during the ozone-initiated reactions with emitted terpenes from a car air freshener.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18336999?dopt=AbstractPlus
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 373-1 Daejon, Republic of Korea.
Experiments were conducted to identify the emissions from the car air freshener and to identify the formation of ultra-fine particles and secondary gaseous compounds during the ozone-initiated oxidations with emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The identified primary constituents emitted from the car air freshener in this study were alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, p-cymene, and limonene. Formation of ultra-fine particles (4.4-160nm) was observed when ozone was injected into the chamber containing emitted monoterpenes from the air freshener. Particle number concentrations, particle mass concentrations, and surface concentrations were measured in time dependent experiments to describe the particle formation and growth within the chamber. The irritating secondary gaseous products formed during the ozone-initiated reactions include formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, and propionaldehyde. Ozone concentration (50 and 100ppb) and temperature (30 and 40 degrees C) significantly affect the formation of particles and gaseous products during the ozone-initiated reactions. The results obtained in this study provided an insight on the potential exposure of particles and irritating secondary products formed during the ozone-initiated reaction to passengers in confined spaces.
PMID: 18336999 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
[Fibromyalgia syndrome from the perspective of neuropathic pain.]
Agri. 2008 Jan;20(1):8-12.
[Fibromyalgia syndrome from the perspective of neuropathic pain.]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18338273?dopt=AbstractPlus
[Article in Turkish]
Ege University Medical Faculty, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, İzmir, Turkey. eyigor@hotmail.com.
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is one of the several chronic pain syndromes and have been proposed to reflect some primary abnormality of the nervous system. Patients with FMS display common clinical features with neuropathic pain. The responsible mechanisms for symptoms and signs are still unknown. Mounting evidence was shown for central pain processing abnormalities in almost all FMS patients. These anomalies including hyperalgesia, allodynia, abnormal activation of pain-related brain regions and abnormal temporal summation of second pain in FMS patients strongly indicate a neuropathic pain syndrome. This new information led to the proposal that FMS may be a neuropathic pain syndrome maintained by central nervous system sensitization and sympathetic hyperactivity. This different perspective on FMS opens new avenues for research and treatment. In this review, a synthesis of the information about how FMS is related to neuropathic pain syndromes is provided.
PMID: 18338273 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Sweating the small stuff
Comment: It is frightening that companies are even dreaming this stuff up, let alone trying it! As always... beware of anything trendy on the market. Good old fashioned simple foods in simple packages are usually better... albeit getting harder and harder to find. Umm... no offense, but my nose can tell when milk goes bad!
Sweating the small stuff
IT SEEMS like a Willy Wonka fantasy, but right now food companies are using nanotechnology to create all sorts of bizarre products. Milk cartons that glow when their contents turn sour. A sinful-tasting, non-fat ice-cream with loads of fibre, protein and nutrients. Programmable soft drinks, even (simply select the flavour and pull the tab). Such wonders are still being developed, yet engineered nanoparticles are already used across the globe in everything from antibacterial sponges to iron-fortified baby formula.
Sweating the small stuff
Comment: It is frightening that companies are even dreaming this stuff up, let alone trying it! As always... beware of anything trendy on the market. Good old fashioned simple foods in simple packages are usually better... albeit getting harder and harder to find. Umm... no offense, but my nose can tell when milk goes bad!
Sweating the small stuff
IT SEEMS like a Willy Wonka fantasy, but right now food companies are using nanotechnology to create all sorts of bizarre products. Milk cartons that glow when their contents turn sour. A sinful-tasting, non-fat ice-cream with loads of fibre, protein and nutrients. Programmable soft drinks, even (simply select the flavour and pull the tab). Such wonders are still being developed, yet engineered nanoparticles are already used across the globe in everything from antibacterial sponges to iron-fortified baby formula.
Smog rule tightened in the United States
Comment: Progress in small steps. Now more than just ozone needs to be addressed. Smog and pollution counts should encompass all contaminants as they likely have a cumulative effect in addition to individual effects. They listed the best (All of Florida and Oklahoma) and worst areas (Los Angeles County and a large swatch of southern California, for example, and a long stretch from Washington up to New England on the East Coast)
Smog rule tightened in the United States
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080313/smog_US_080313/20080313?hub=SciTech
The Environmental Protection Agency announced it was tightening the amount of ozone, commonly known as smog, that will be allowed in the air. But the lower standard still falls short of what most health experts say is needed to significantly reduce heart and asthma attacks from breathing smog-clogged air.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced it was tightening the amount of ozone, commonly known as smog, that will be allowed in the air. But the lower standard still falls short of what most health experts say is needed to significantly reduce heart and asthma attacks from breathing smog-clogged air.
A perfumed hospital
Comment: They must be joking!!!! Thank goodness this is not in the US. Let's just hope the US does not follow suit. Better cancel that trip to Spain, just in case. :-|
A perfumed hospital
The good news is that the USP Hospital in Marbella has decided to use fragrance as a means of welcoming people in and making them feel more comfortable. This prestigious private clinic is now using the fragrance of talcum powder, which is, of course, reminiscent of childhood, in its paediatric rooms, while the fragrance chosen for the rest of the hospital is that of fresh wood with touches of peach. These fragrances have been chosen as a means of reducing stress among patients, employees and visitors, while at the same time camouflaging any remnants of the clinical smells of sterilising and cleaning materials that are necessary in any hospital.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Dangerous Toxins Lurking
Comment: Here's another good one chock full of information about everyday product dangers that can be used to help support requests for accomodations.
My chemical romance: Are dangerous toxins lurking in your everyday products?
http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/red-031108-chemical-main,0,2244086.story
The health-conscious among us take care to avoid notorious risks such as mercury-laden fish, lead paint and cigarette smoke—all of which contain chemicals proven to do a body bad.
But do you ever think twice about the lotion you smear on your face, the can of soda you gulp down or the furniture you nap on? Countless products we use every day are chock full of chemicals, and research suggests they might hurt us more than we realize.
My chemical romance: Are dangerous toxins lurking in your everyday products?
http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/red-031108-chemical-main,0,2244086.story
The health-conscious among us take care to avoid notorious risks such as mercury-laden fish, lead paint and cigarette smoke—all of which contain chemicals proven to do a body bad.
But do you ever think twice about the lotion you smear on your face, the can of soda you gulp down or the furniture you nap on? Countless products we use every day are chock full of chemicals, and research suggests they might hurt us more than we realize.
Top 10 Uses of Vinegar In the Home
SIMPLE SOLUTION: Vinegar is now right up there with baking soda as indispensable:
1. Killer of Bacteria, Mold & Germs
2. Grease Cutter
3. Floor Cleaner
4. For Windows
5. Toilet Bowl Deodorizer
6. Remover of Mineral (scale) Buildup
7. Fabric Softener
8. Furniture Cleaner
9. Drain Clearer
10. Brass Cleaner
<snip>
1. Killer of Bacteria, Mold & Germs
2. Grease Cutter
3. Floor Cleaner
4. For Windows
5. Toilet Bowl Deodorizer
6. Remover of Mineral (scale) Buildup
7. Fabric Softener
8. Furniture Cleaner
9. Drain Clearer
10. Brass Cleaner
<snip>
Go to http://www.care2.com/greenliving/annies-top-10-vinegar-uses.html for information on how to use vinegar for the above.
Chemicals found in household cleaning products cause asthma in children, finds study
Comment: It's nice to see this study getting more and more publicity. It gives those who react to these products a basis for requesting their use be limited, replaced, discontinued, or applied when others are not present. I hope this will come in handy if anyone needs support for a request for accomodation at work, school, or church..
Chemicals found in household cleaning products cause asthma in children, finds study
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=531269&in_page_id=1770
Expectant mothers who use a lot of household cleaning products may increase the risk of their child developing asthma, claim researchers. They found a link between high exposure to everyday products such as bleach and air freshener in women during pregnancy, or shortly after birth, and wheezing and asthma in their young children. Children exposed to these products had up to a 41 per cent increase in the risk of persistent wheezing by the age of seven, and had slightly lower than normal lung function.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=531269&in_page_id=1770
Expectant mothers who use a lot of household cleaning products may increase the risk of their child developing asthma, claim researchers. They found a link between high exposure to everyday products such as bleach and air freshener in women during pregnancy, or shortly after birth, and wheezing and asthma in their young children. Children exposed to these products had up to a 41 per cent increase in the risk of persistent wheezing by the age of seven, and had slightly lower than normal lung function.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Childhood leukemia development and correlation with traffic air pollution
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(7):434-8.
Childhood leukemia development and correlation with traffic air pollution in Taiwan using nitrogen dioxide as an air pollutant marker.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18306090?dopt=AbstractPlus
Graduate Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
To investigate the relationship between traffic air pollution and development of childhood leukemia (14 yr of age or younger), studies were conducted on a matched cancer case-control cohort using childhood deaths that occurred in Taiwan from 1995 through 2005. Data on all eligible childhood leukemia deaths were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. The control group consisted of children who died from causes other than neoplasms or from diseases that were not associated with respiratory complications. The controls were pair matched to the cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each case. Air quality data for recorded concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from study municipalities for 1995-2005 were obtained as an indicator of a subject's exposure to air emissions from motor vehicles. The subjects were divided into tertiles according to the levels of NO2 in their residential municipality. The results showed that there was a significant exposure-response relationship between exposure to traffic exhaust pollutants and the risk of leukemia among young children after controlling for possible confounders. The findings of this study warrant further investigation of the role of traffic air pollution in the etiology of childhood leukemia.
PMID: 18306090 [PubMed - in process]
ALERT: Toyota Unveils New Vehicles and Talks About the Environment
Comment: Wonderful! Now they're putting built in air fresheners in cars while proclaiming it an environmentally friendly vehicle. <eyes rolling> I'm preaching to the choir, but how does pumping toxic petrochemicals into the environment qualify as environmental preservation? The bottom line, beware when buying new cars.
Toyota Unveils New Vehicles and Talks About the Environment
"In addition, the interior is equipped with a unique array of displays, LED lighting, voice-guided navigation system, and an air freshener. This vehicle was designed to create a pleasant driving space while helping to preserve the environment."
Monday, March 10, 2008
Minn. lawmaker wants scent-free schools
Comment: It's very nice to see this finally happening in the US. This bill deserves our support!
Minn. lawmaker wants scent-free schools
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080310/ap_on_re_us/fragrance_free_schools&printer=1
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080310/ap_on_re_us/fragrance_free_schools&printer=1
Those all-over body sprays that promise to turn teenage boys into babe magnets? Instead of attracting girls, they could be making them sick. A Minnesota lawmaker proposed a bill Monday urging a fragrance-free educational campaign to discourage students from dousing themselves in scents that aggravate classmates with asthma and other health problems.
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and Gulf War illnesses
Published online on March 10, 2008
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 10.1073/pnas.0711986105
Footnotes
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 10.1073/pnas.0711986105
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and Gulf War illnesses
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0711986105v1
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0995
Communicated by Stephen F. Heinemann, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, CA, January 15, 2008 (received for review December 5, 2006)
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests excess illness in Persian Gulf War veterans (GWV) can be explained in part by exposure of GWV to organophosphate and carbamate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEis), including pyridostigmine bromide (PB), pesticides, and nerve agents. Evidence germane to the relation of AChEis to illness in GWV was assessed. Many epidemiological studies reported a link between AChEi exposure and chronic symptoms in GWV. The link is buttressed by a dose–response relation of PB pill number to chronic symptoms in GWV and by a relation between avidity of AChEi clearance and illness, based on genotypes, concentrations, and activity levels of enzymes that detoxify AChEis. Triangulating evidence derives from studies linking occupational exposure to AChEis to chronic health symptoms that mirror those of ill GWV. Illness is again linked to lower activity of AChEi detoxifying enzymes and genotypes conferring less-avid AChEi detoxification. AChEi exposure satisfies Hill's presumptive criteria for causality, suggesting this exposure may be causally linked to excess health problems in GWV.
Gulf War veteran | pyridostigmine | pesticide | sarin | organophosphate
Footnotes
Author contributions: B.A.G. designed research, performed research, analyzed data, and wrote the paper.
The author declares no conflict of interest.
*E-mail: bgolomb@ucsd.edu
© 2008 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Fighting on a Battlefield the Size of a Milk Label
Comment: It's difficult to know who to trust anymore. I was actually surprised to find this article in the NY Times. No beating around the bush, which I appreciate as honest journalism. I find the counter to untreated cows quite humorous. It seems that Monsanto has an obvious major profit motive to sell Posilac, yet this organizastion claims those who push for untreated cows have a profit motive in generating fear? It's Monsanto selling the Posilac. What financial gain could someone against Posilac have? Note they don't disclose this. The intent being to cast doubt and thereby discredit. It's a shame if anyone would fall for such a scheme. I'd love to chat with this Mr. Miller and ask a few questions.
"Afact believes that the push for milk from untreated cows is being driven by advocates like Consumers Union and PETA, "who make a profit, living and business by striking fear in citizens," Mr. Miller said in an e-mail message."
Fighting on a Battlefield the Size of a Milk Label
Posilac is the brand name of a Monsanto synthetic hormone used to increase milk production in cows. A new advocacy group closely tied to Monsanto has started a counteroffensive to stop the proliferation of milk that comes from cows that aren't treated with synthetic bovine growth hormone. The group, called American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, or Afact, says it is a grass-roots organization that came together to defend members' right to use recombinant bovine somatotropin, also known as rBST or rBGH, an artificial hormone that stimulates milk production. It is sold by Monsanto under the brand name Posilac. Dairy farmers are indeed part of the organization. But Afact was organized in part by Monsanto and a Colorado consultant who lists Monsanto as a client. <snip>
Saturday, March 8, 2008
[Magnesium homeostasis: mechanisms and inherited disorders]
Biomed Khim. 2007 Nov-Dec;53(6):683-704.
[Magnesium homeostasis: mechanisms and inherited disorders]
[Article in Russian]
[No authors listed]
[No authors listed]
Magnesium is one of the major cations of biological systems. It plays an essential role in many cell processes. The importance of magnesium underlines its maintenance under the steady conditions according to the metabolic state of the cell. In the present review mechanisms of magnesium homeostasis, that have been intensively investigated during last decades using both pathophysiological and molecular genetic approaches, are considered. Disorders of magnesium homeostasis resulted in development of magnesium-deficient conditions, which are commonly found in various diseases (diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, chronic fatigue, alcoholism, psychiatric and neurologic diseases, etc.), stress condition and therapy with some kind of drugs. Special attention is paid to familial hypomagnesemias caused by genetic defects of magnesium transport systems. Overview of clinical and biochemical characteristics of twelve familial disorders is given and mechanisms of inherited magnesium homeostasis disorders as well as nine identified and mapped genes responsible for their development are considered. These genes encode subunits of ionic channels, co-transporters, modulators of transport systems and receptors controlling either intestinal absorption or renal reabsorption of magnesium. Recent advances in mechanisms of magnesium homeostasis will lead to insights in diagnostics, preventive medicine and treatment of magnesium-deficient conditions.
PMID: 18323153 [PubMed - in process]
Cracked mercury dental amalgam as a possible cause of fever of unknown origin: a case report.
J Med Case Reports. 2008 Mar 6;2(1):72 [Epub ahead of print]
Cracked mercury dental amalgam as a possible cause of fever of unknown origin: a case report.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18325096&itool=iconabstr&itool=pubmed_DocSum
ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Sudden fever of unknown origin is quite a common emergency and may lead to hospitalization. A rise in body temperature can be caused by infectious diseases and by other types of medical condition. This case report is of a woman who had fever at night for several days and other clinical signs which were likely related to cracked dental mercury amalgam. CASE PRESENTATION: A healthy women developed fever many days after had cracked a mercury dental amalgam filling. Blood tests evidenced increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia and elevated white cell count; symptoms were headache and palpitations. Blood tests and symptoms normalized within three weeks of removal of the dental amalgam. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the possible link between mercury vapor exposure from cracked dental amalgam and early activation of the immune system leading to fever of unknown origin.
PMID: 18325096 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Genotoxicity of thimerosal in cultured human lymphocytes
Toxicol In Vitro. 2008 Feb 1 [Epub ahead of print]
Genotoxicity of thimerosal in cultured human lymphocytes with and without metabolic activation sister chromatid exchange analysis proliferation index and mitotic index.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18321677?dopt=AbstractPlus
Mersin University, Faculty of Science and Letters, Department of Biology, 33343 Mersin, Turkey.
Thimerosal is an antiseptic containing 49.5% of ethyl mercury that has been used for years as a preservative in many infant vaccines and in flu vaccines. Thimerosal is an organic mercurial compound used as a preservative in biomedical preparations. In this study, we evaluated the genotoxic effect of thimerosal in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes using sister chromatid exchange analysis in culture conditions with and without S9 metabolic activation. This study is the first report investigating the genotoxic effects of thimerosal in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocyte cells using sister chromatid exchange analysis. An analysis of variance test (ANOVA) was performed to evaluate the results. Significant induction of sister chromatid exchanges was seen at concentrations between 0.2 and 0.6mug/ml of thimerosal compared with negative control. A significant decrease (p<0.001) in mitotic index (MI) and proliferation index (PRI) as well as an increase in SCE frequency (p<0.001) was observed compared with control cultures. Our results indicate the genotoxic and cytotoxic effect of TH in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes at tested doses in cultures with/without S9 fraction.
PMID: 18321677 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
EI News, Science, & Links Summary for the W/E 3/7/2008
March 7, 2008
State 'toxic toys' bill hits opposition
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/302701.html
Turf Toxicity Bill Advances in (CT) State Legislature
http://www.westport-news.com/ci_8491002
Mercury declared a major health concern
http://www.southasianpost.com/portal2/c1ee8c441886655f01188ae383aa00e4_Mercury_declared_a_major_health_concern.do.html4
March 6, 2008
New Device for Germophobes Runs Into Old Law
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/business/smallbusiness/06sbiz.html?_r=1&ei=5087&em=&en=2d26da9be22cce03&ex=1204952400&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
Gov't: Girl's Autism-Like Symptoms Linked to Vaccines
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20080306/vaccine-autism-debate-heats-up?page=2
MOTHERS Act Seeks to Drug Expectant Mothers with Antidepressants to "Treat"
Postpartum Depression
http://www.naturalnews.com/z022789.html
Vaccine Contributed to Girl's Autism Symptoms
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Vaccine_Contributed_to_Girls_Autism_Symptoms_14866.html
New diesel pollution rules will save lives
http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/763613.html
Toxicity Testing Takes Stock
http://foodconsumer.org/7777/8888/M_edicare_54/030601262008_Toxicity_Testing_Takes_Stock.shtml
Scent allergy limits lives
http://www.themuse.ca/view.php?aid=40997
Groups demand action against pollutants
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080306.POLLUTIONS06//TPStory/National
Major health groups want more info on toxic chemicals
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/03/06/health-enviro-health-canada.html
U.S. government concedes vaccines may have injured Georgia girl
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/health/080306/x030604A.html
Parents worry about post-vaccination deaths
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/2008/03/772057/
US to award vaccine damage payment
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2086683.0.us_to_award_vaccine_damage_payment.php
Ga. girl helps link autism to childhood vaccines
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/health/stories/2008/03/06/autism_0306.html
March 5, 2008
Carolina Center for Integrative Medicine Hires Huana Williams as
Medical Assistant
http://healthcare.dbusinessnews.com/shownews.php?type_news=latest&newsid=153037
Out of place; City should have power to keep towers out of neighbourhoods
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=929350
Study: Death rate up for 3M workers exposed to PFOA
http://www.startribune.com/local/east/16321036.html
Chemicals and quarantines
http://www.sfbg.com/printable_entry.php?entry_id=5827
Ottawa lacks will to ban toxic chemicals: Senate
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080305/toxic_chemicals_080305/20080305?hub=Health
Chemicals in Baby Products Linked to Reproductive Problems in Children
http://www.naturalnews.com/z022777.html
Environmental Attorney: Duke Energy's Air Permit Illegal
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/2528437/
Government Concedes Vaccine Injury Case
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jPIMulfcbi1seZqbdrRmkoVP20IgD8V7I5FO0
March 4, 2008
Neuroprotective Agents: Eighth International Neuroprotection Society Meeting
http://www.centredaily.com/business/technology/story/442860.html
Art display shows woman's disturbing allergy nightmare
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/life/story/4136291p-4728324c.html
Mercury warnings posted
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/mar/04/mercury_warnings_posted32565/
Environmental Speaker Sheds Light On Toxins
http://www.ewg.org/node/26094
Bill Would Ban 'Teflon Chemicals' In Food Packaging
http://www.ewg.org/node/26100
Online Safety Guide to Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
http://www.ewg.org/node/26104
Immune Systems Increasingly On Attack
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/03/AR2008030303200_pf.html
Carbon Dioxide Tied To Air Pollution Mortality
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080226135421.htm
Aromatherapy May Make You Feel Good, But It Won't Make You Well, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303093553.htm
March 3, 2008
CDC: Toxic Katrina trailers made in Indiana
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303/LOCAL/80303053/0/ARCHIVE
That cute new toy Fido plays with might have lead, tests show
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/03/03/Business/That_cute_new_toy_Fid.shtml
Blood lead levels in Alaska raise concern
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/333066.html
We love our mobiles... but are we being told all the facts about how safe
they are?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=525268&in_page_id=1774
$74.5 Million Set for the Spraying of Toxic Chemicals Over San Francisco
http://www.naturalnews.com/z022763.html
Bad Apple slammed over toxic components - again
http://www.vnunet.com/business-green/news/2210928/bad-apple-slammed-toxic
Toxic Vegetables for Sale
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200803030876.html
Colorado Governor Declares May 2008 as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and
Toxic Injury Awareness Month
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/54046
Florida Governor Declares May 2008 as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Awareness Month
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/54044
Washington Governor Declares May 2008 as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Awareness and Education Month
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/54039
Israeli Study Finds Heavy Cell Phone Use Linked to Cancer
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125433
March 2, 2008
Organic food getting popular as toxic chemicals pose danger
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=25655
Some want personal vaccine exemption restored
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/6B1F6136D15D8F1F862573FF00201C8D?OpenDocument
Big bucks on baby? Yes, to be toxic-free
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/NEWS15/803020365/1026/NEWS15
More Families Are Shunning Inoculations
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/02Rvaccine.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
March 1, 2008
"Killer Couches" Report Assists Those Opposing Chemical Fire Retardant
Use In Furniture
http://www.furninfo.com/absolutenm/templates/NewsFeed.asp?articleid=8638
Non-Toxic Tots: Parents Pay Dearly for Safety
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/29/AR2008022903658_pf.html
March 2008
Chemical Reaction: The U.S. Response to REACH
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-3/spheres.html
Synthetic Turf: Health Debate Takes Root
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-3/focus.html
Clean up That Moldy Mess
http://www.ivanhoe.com/science/story/2008/03/406a.html
February 29, 2008
From pollution to food, US hopes for best, plans for anything at Beijing
Olympics
http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=10559845
February 27, 2008
Colloidal Silver Has Mainstream Medicine Singing the Blues
http://www.naturalnews.com/z022728.html
February 25, 2008
Negative Antidepressant Studies Routinely Buried, Research Shows
http://www.naturalnews.com/z022710.html
Links
Slow and Steady Wins the Race - A Kid's Guide to Surviving and Succeeding in
School With CFS & FMS
http://www.offerutah.org/media/YOUTH%20BIG%20GUIDE%202.pdf
Vaccination - The Hidden Truth
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6696666502913965744&q=vaccination+the+hidden+truth&total=7&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
Videos
Whistle blowers on Monsanto and Fox News Misrepresenting rBGH.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trWcqxrQgcc&feature=related
Announcements
ACT NOW! Write the Presidential Candidates about MCS!
http://mcs-america.org/index_files/presidentialhopefulscampaign.htm
Daily News Feeds and Research Studies Delivered via Email:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mcsafeeds
MCS Safer Salvage and Share (a "safer" freecycle type group)
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSA-safer-salvage-and-share
MCS Public - Support, Information, and Resources
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSA-Public /
Scientific Studies
McKeown, D. Environmental Threats to Children: Understanding the Risks,
Enableing Prevention. Toronto Public Health. 2005.
http://www.toronto.ca/health/hphe/pdf/tr_environmental_threats_all.pdf
Delayed-onset encephalopathy and coma in acute organophosphate poisoning in
humans.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18304642?dopt=AbstractPlus
Unexplained and underpowered: the relationship between psychosomatic
disorders and interpersonal abuse - a critical review.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/18306098
Antigen Sensitization Influences Organophosphorus Pesticide-Induced Airway
Hyperreactivity
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/10694/10694.html
Methods for the prediction of low-molecular-weight occupational respiratory
sensitizers
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18317016?dopt=AbstractPlus
The role of CYP2D6*4 variant in bladder cancer susceptibility in
Tunisian patients
http://www.john-libbey-eurotext.fr/fr/revues/medecine/bdc/e-docs/00/04/3A/06/article.md?type=text.html
Mechanisms of increased airway sensitivity to occupational chemicals and
odors.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18317021?dopt=AbstractPlus
The treatment of pulmonary diseases and respiratory-related conditions with
inhaled (nebulized or aerosolized) glutathione.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18317545?dopt=AbstractPlus
A subset of fibromyalgia patients have findings suggestive of chronic
inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and appear to respond to IVIg.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18208823?dopt=AbstractPlus
Thermoregulatory responses to environmental toxicants: The interaction of
thermal stress and toxicant exposure.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18313713?dopt=AbstractPlus
Health economic consequences related to the diagnosis of fibromyalgia
syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18311794?dopt=AbstractPlus
Dynamic levels of glutamate within the insula are associated with
improvements in multiple pain domains in fibromyalgia.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18311814?dopt=AbstractPlus
Lourdes "Sal" Salvador
www.mcs-america.org
Disclaimer:
Articles and links are not necessarily the opinion of MCSA or Lourdes
Salvador and neither will be responsible for misuse of this information.
Posting does not constitute endorsement. We have no financial interest in
anything posted . This post is provided free of charge via volunteer effort.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Nanoparticles and Nanotechnology
Comment: Nanoparticles showing up in more and more products, including clothing and washing machines which contain silver nanoparticles. Little is known about the health effects, so it was nice to see these two stories today. I was particularly interested in the second one and the potential for silver nanoparticles to be classified as pesticides.
(Nanowerk News) Other organic (carbon-based) chemicals are known to have an effect on the toxicity of pollutants to plant and animal life. But nanoparticles like C60 have unique and altered properties compared to larger particles, and so they may have a very different effect on the toxicity and availability of pollutant molecules. The nanoparticles themselves may also be inherently toxic.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/business/smallbusiness/06sbiz.html?_r=1&ei=5087&em=&en=2d26da9be22cce03&ex=1204952400&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
With so many people worried about getting sick — whether from the common cold and flu or exotic new strains of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria — Paul and Jeffrey Metzger had every reason to hope that the germ-fighting key fob they invented would be a runaway hit.
Their device, known as the Handler, began selling last year online and in stores like Duane Reade pharmacies for about $11. It features a pop-out hook so germophobes can avoid touching A.T.M. keypads, door handles and other public surfaces where undesirable microbes may lurk. As added protection, the Handler's rubber and plastic surfaces are impregnated with tiny particles of silver to kill germs that land on the device itself.
But those little silver particles have run Maker Enterprises, the Metzger brothers' partnership in Los Angeles, into a big regulatory thicket. The Metzgers belatedly realized that the Environmental Protection Agency might decide that a 1947-era law that regulates pesticides would apply to antimicrobial products like theirs. <snip>
WebMD: Girl's "Autism-Like" Symptoms Linked to Vaccines
Comment: Here's more from WebMD about the GA girl's case. Seems they are now saying she did not have autism, but "autism like" symptoms. The denial is amazing and laid out so convincingly.
Gov't: Girl's Autism-Like Symptoms Linked to Vaccines
March 6, 2008 -- Federal officials say a Georgia girl is entitled to compensation from a federal vaccine injury fund because she developed autism-like symptoms after receiving childhood vaccines in 2000.
***
The government has not said that childhood vaccines cause autism; rather, officials conclude that the vaccines given to the girl in 2000 aggravated a pre-existing condition -- a mitochondrial disorder -- that then manifested as a regressive neurological disease with some symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.
***
"Nothing of this situation should be generalized to the risk of vaccines for normal children," CDC Director Julie Gerberding, MD, said at a news conference. "None of this is going to change any of our recommendations stating the importance of vaccination for every child."
MOTHERS Act Seeks to Drug Expectant Mothers with Antidepressants to "Treat" Postpartum Depression
Sal's Comment: There is a petition to stop the Mothers Act here if you are interested:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-t...
I find this quite disturbing, much like Teen Screen. More and more the pharmacuetical companies are seeking out new buyers for their drugs, teens, then babies at the hospital being diagnosed as "depressed", now mothers and their fetus... any target that is vulnerable. I think these targets are unconscionable. The use of antidepressants for "prevention" constitute altering brain chemistry from what is normal. Then I'm sure there will be a drug to treat the mania that results from improper use of antidepressant drugs. Slowly we lost touch with what is normal. What disturbs me most about this is the difficulty people have getting back off some of these drugs... the addictive potential and/or semi-permanent and permanent brian chemistry changes.
MOTHERS Act Seeks to Drug Expectant Mothers with Antidepressants to "Treat" Postpartum Depression
http://www.naturalnews.com/z022789.html
by Mike Adams
(NaturalNews) A new law being considered in the U.S. Congress would attempt to prevent postpartum depression in new moms by drugging them with SSRI antidepressant drugs while they're still pregnant. This legislation is being aggressively pushed by pro-pharma front groups in an effort to expand the customer base for SSRI drugs by targeting pregnant women as new "customers" for the chemicals. It's an example of the latest insanity from Big Pharma, whose drugs are already killing over 100,000 Americans each year while inciting violence and suicides in teens. Every single shooting massacre we've seen in the last ten years has been carried out by a person taking SSRI antidepressant drugs. The mainstream media pays no attention to this link, and the FDA ignores the reports in order to keep these drugs on the market.
SSRI drugs have never been approved for use on newborns, yet this new MOTHERS Act will effectively drug unborn babies and newborns with drugs like Prozac. This will certainly have an impact on their developing brains, and the bulk of the research available today shows that the impact will be negative. Will these children be more prone to violent thoughts and behavior? Will they contemplate suicide at younger ages? And what will be the impact of the drugs on the mother?
For one mother who was drugged with antidepressants -- Amy Philo -- the drugs caused her to experience thoughts of violence against her own newborn babies. After taking antidepressants prescribed by her doctor, she had visions of killing them (and herself). Upon returning to her doctor, Amy was told to increase the dosage! Eventually, Amy realized the drugs were wrecking her own brain chemistry, and she stopped taking the pills entirely, causing the thoughts of violence and suicide to subside.<snip>
I find this quite disturbing, much like Teen Screen. More and more the pharmacuetical companies are seeking out new buyers for their drugs, teens, then babies at the hospital being diagnosed as "depressed", now mothers and their fetus... any target that is vulnerable. I think these targets are unconscionable. The use of antidepressants for "prevention" constitute altering brain chemistry from what is normal. Then I'm sure there will be a drug to treat the mania that results from improper use of antidepressant drugs. Slowly we lost touch with what is normal. What disturbs me most about this is the difficulty people have getting back off some of these drugs... the addictive potential and/or semi-permanent and permanent brian chemistry changes.
MOTHERS Act Seeks to Drug Expectant Mothers with Antidepressants to "Treat" Postpartum Depression
http://www.naturalnews.com/z022789.html
by Mike Adams
(NaturalNews) A new law being considered in the U.S. Congress would attempt to prevent postpartum depression in new moms by drugging them with SSRI antidepressant drugs while they're still pregnant. This legislation is being aggressively pushed by pro-pharma front groups in an effort to expand the customer base for SSRI drugs by targeting pregnant women as new "customers" for the chemicals. It's an example of the latest insanity from Big Pharma, whose drugs are already killing over 100,000 Americans each year while inciting violence and suicides in teens. Every single shooting massacre we've seen in the last ten years has been carried out by a person taking SSRI antidepressant drugs. The mainstream media pays no attention to this link, and the FDA ignores the reports in order to keep these drugs on the market.
SSRI drugs have never been approved for use on newborns, yet this new MOTHERS Act will effectively drug unborn babies and newborns with drugs like Prozac. This will certainly have an impact on their developing brains, and the bulk of the research available today shows that the impact will be negative. Will these children be more prone to violent thoughts and behavior? Will they contemplate suicide at younger ages? And what will be the impact of the drugs on the mother?
For one mother who was drugged with antidepressants -- Amy Philo -- the drugs caused her to experience thoughts of violence against her own newborn babies. After taking antidepressants prescribed by her doctor, she had visions of killing them (and herself). Upon returning to her doctor, Amy was told to increase the dosage! Eventually, Amy realized the drugs were wrecking her own brain chemistry, and she stopped taking the pills entirely, causing the thoughts of violence and suicide to subside.<snip>
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The hygiene hypothesis and psychiatric disorders
Opinion
The hygiene hypothesis and psychiatric disorders
Graham A.W. Rook1, 
1Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health, Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, 46 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JF, UK
2Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
Available online 6 March 2008.
The hygiene hypothesis proposes that several chronic inflammatory disorders (allergies, autoimmunity, inflammatory bowel disease) are increasing in prevalence in developed countries because a changing microbial environment has perturbed immunoregulatory circuits which normally terminate inflammatory responses. Some stress-related psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, are associated with markers of ongoing inflammation, even without any accompanying inflammatory disorder. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokines can induce depression, which is commonly seen in patients treated with interleukin-2 or interferon-α. Therefore, some psychiatric disorders in developed countries might be attributable to failure of immunoregulatory circuits to terminate ongoing inflammatory responses. This is discussed in relation to the effects of the immune system on a specific group of brain serotonergic neurons involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders.
Trends in Immunology
Article in Press, Corrected Proof
Comment on: "Can some of the detrimental neurodevelopmental effects attributed to lead be due to pesticides?
Sci Total Environ. 2008 Mar 1 [Epub ahead of print]
The conundrum of unmeasured confounding: Comment on: "Can some of the detrimental neurodevelopmental effects attributed to lead be due to pesticides? by Brian Gulson"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18316114?dopt=AbstractPlus
Cincinnati Children's Environmental Health Center, Department of Pediatrics and of Environmental Health, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, The University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
The problem described by Dr. Brian Gulson - confounding by unmeasured exposures to pesticides - is only the most recent in a series of potential confounders cited to explain the observed effect of lead on children's intellectual abilities or behavioral problems. Despite the persistent problem of unmeasured confounders, there are several lines of evidence implicating lead as a toxicant at blood lead levels <10 mug/dL. First, in striking contrast with pesticides, there is considerable evidence from numerous studies linking low-level lead exposure with cognitive deficits and behavioral problems, even after controlling for a variety of potential confounders. Second, the consistency of evidence from diverse cohorts and distinct, if not always directly measured potential confounders - enhances our confidence that the lead effect observed at blood lead levels <10 mug/dL is not attributable to unmeasured confounders. Third, in our reanalysis of the Rochester Lead Study, the inclusion of parent-reported mouthing behaviors and breastfeeding status did not attenuate the effect of lead exposure on children's intellectual function. Finally, although we can never entirely dismiss unmeasured confounding in observational studies, we can rely on experimental studies of lead-exposed animals to confirm that lead is a toxicant. Thus, while we must remain vigilant for unmeasured or poorly measured confounders, it is crucial to balance the endless search for confounders with the evidence of toxicity and the need to take action to protect public health. The alternative, to perpetually permit children to be exposed to lead and other emerging toxicants, is both absurd and unacceptable.
PMID: 18316114 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)