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News - week 13 - 2008
Hospitality tops list of industries
with highest rates of alcohol problems
According to a new report by Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems at the George
Washington University Medical Center, alcohol-related problems are disproportionately
represented in American business, with employees in the hospitality, construction and
wholesale industries significantly more likely to be dependent on or abuse alcohol.
http://www.ensuringsolutions.org/media/media_show.htm?doc_id=674454&cat_id=966
Alcohol Cost Calculator Updated
with New Data from National Surveys
The Ensuring Solutions Alcohol Cost Calculator for Business is a free, online tool that
business leaders, researchers, and consumers can use to track the costly effects of
alcohol on U.S. businesses. The Calculator for Business, originally developed in 2003, has
been updated with new data to provide a current analysis of the effects of untreated
alcohol abuse and dependence on the workplace and employer-funded health care spending.
Using data from the 2004 and 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the calculator
estimates the cost of alcohol problems to individual businesses based on characteristics
specified by calculator users.
http://www.ensuringsolutions.org/media/media_show.htm?doc_id=674097&cat_id=1046
Children who bully also have
problems with other relationships
Children who bully were found to have conflict in relationships with their parents and
friends, and also to associate with others who bully. Researchers looked at 871 students
for seven years, beginning at age 10, and found that most children engage in bullying at
some point. The research underscores that bullying is a "relationship problem"
that calls for interventions targeting the aggressive behavior, social skills, and
problem-solving skills, and also on bullying children's strained relationships.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sfri-cwb031908.php
Mother-child attachment, children's
temperament play a role in terrible 2 conflicts
Attachment security was found to be related to the quality, but not frequency of conflict
between mothers and their 2-year-olds. Observations with 60 mothers and their children at
30 months and 36 months were used to examine whether their conflict contained compromise,
justification or aggravation. Those in secure relationships were seen to have constructive
conflict. The researchers also found that highly active children who had trouble
controlling their behavior had more conflict with mothers.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sfri-mac031908.php
Antisocial conduct and decision
making about aggressive behavior influence each other in teens
Antisocial behavior was previously thought to be unchangeable in the teenage years. New
findings suggest that social decision making and behavior reciprocally influence each
other throughout adolescence. The study of 522 boys and girls in 7th through 12th grades
utilized parent questionnaires and self-report measures to examine teenagers' judgments
and behavior. The relation between decision-making and aggressive behavior supports the
need for interventions that change thinking in antisocial adolescents to prevent
aggressive responses in behavior.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sfri-aca031908.php
Youth's social problems contribute
to anxiety and depression
A longitudinal study found that individuals with social problems in childhood and
adolescence were at increased risk for anxiety and depression in young adulthood.
Researchers followed 205 8- to 12-year olds for 20 years and conducted detailed interviews
to examine how anxiety and depression related to social competence over time. The
relationship between decreased social competence and "internalizing problems"
remained the same when explanations including intellectual functioning, quality of
parenting, social class, were accounted for. National Science Foundation, NIH/National
Institute of Mental Health
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sfri-ysp031908.php
Family wealth may explain
differences in test scores in school-age children
A new study using new methods to examine the dynamics of wealth found that family wealth
might partly explain differences in test scores of school-age children, and examined how
wealth affects children's cognitive achievement at different stages of childhood. Wealth
had a stronger effect on school aged children than on preschoolers, and had a stronger
association with math than reading skills. Family wealth also was positively associated
with parenting behavior, home environment, and children's self-esteem.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sfri-fwm031908.php
Radiologists use special MRI to
identify brain cancer early
A special type of magnetic resonance imaging can depict changes in blood volume in the
brain that often precede cancerous transformation of brain tumors, according to a new
study.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/rson-rus031808.php
Biosensing nanodevice to
revolutionize health screenings
One day soon a biosensing nanodevice developed by Arizona State University researcher
Wayne Frasch may eliminate long lines at airport security checkpoints and revolutionize
health screenings for diseases like anthrax, cancer and antibiotic resistant
Staphylococcus aureus. Even more incredible than the device itself, is that it is based on
the world's tiniest rotary motor: a biological engine measured on the order of molecules.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/asu-asf031208.php
Study finds certain liver disease
related to cardiovascular fitness
Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease have suboptimal levels of cardiovascular
fitness, muscle strength, body composition and physical fitness, according to a new study.
The findings appear in the April issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American
Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. The article is also available online at Wiley
Interscience.
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/press/pressitem.asp?ref=1653
FSU researcher's 'mutant' proteins
could lead to new treatment for heart disease
Heart damage due to blocked arteries remains the leading cause of disease and death in the
Western world, but a Florida State University College of Medicine researcher is helping to
open new pathways toward treating the problem.
http://www.fsu.edu/news/2008/03/24/mutant.proteins/
Study - Media perpetuates
unsubstantiated chemical imbalance theory of depression
The theory that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance is often presented in the
media as fact even though there is little scientific evidence to support it, according to
a new study co-authored by a Florida State University visiting lecturer. Jeffrey Lacasse,
an FSU doctoral candidate and visiting lecturer in the College of Social Work, and
Jonathan Leo, a neuroanatomy professor at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, found
that reporters who included statements in news articles about depression being caused by a
chemical imbalance, or a lack of serotonin in the brain, were unable to provide scientific
evidence to support those statements. Lacasse and Leo spent about a year in late 2006 and
2007 monitoring the daily news for articles that included statements about chemical
imbalances and contacting the authors to request evidence that supported their statements.
Several reporters, psychiatrists and a drug company responded to the researchers'
requests, but Lacasse and Leo said they did not provide documentation that supported the
chemical imbalance theory. Their findings were published in the journal Society.
http://www.fsu.edu/news/2008/03/03/depression.theory/
St. Jude study offers new hope for
children with kidney tumors deemed inoperable
Physicians at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have demonstrated that children with
bilateral Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidneys, can retain normal function in both kidneys
by undergoing a procedure called bilateral nephron-sparing surgery, even when preoperative
scans suggest that the tumors are inoperable.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sjcr-sjs032408.php
A discovery by St. Jude scientists
suggests a safer way to treat medulloblastoma
A discovery by St. Jude scientists suggests a safer way to treat medulloblastoma, a rare
but often fatal childhood brain tumor. The group found that one of the brain’s
signaling pathways inhibits the growth of the highly aggressive cancer cells.The
researchers discovered that three proteins, designated BMP2, BMP4 and BMP7, halted the
growth of medulloblastoma tumors and induced the malignant cells to develop into normal
neurons.“We think we have identified a pathway that can be used to prevent tumor
formation and a potential target for therapy,” said Martine Roussel, PhD, Genetics
and Tumor Cell Biology. A report on this work appears in the March 15 issue of Genes &
Development. Roussel is the paper’s senior author.
http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=00ef921b911e8110VgnVCM100000
1e0215acRCRD&vgnextchannel=002392d79e557110VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD
JAMA editor-in-chief comments on
Pfizer lawsuit
In an editorial published early online today, JAMA Editor-in-Chief Catherine D. DeAngelis,
M.D., M.P.H., and JAMA Editorial Counsel Joseph P. Thornton, J.D., write about a recent
court ruling regarding litigation involving JAMA and the Archives of Internal Medicine
(AIM) “that significantly threatened the integrity of our peer review
process.”Attorneys for the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Inc. had issued subpoenas
last year to obtain confidential information from the journals concerning studies
published on the pain relief medications called COX-2 inhibitors – (cyclooxygenase 2
inhibitors) celecoxib and valdecoxib. “… the subpoenas sought all documents
regarding the decision to accept or reject manuscripts, copies of rejected manuscripts,
the identities of peer reviewers and the manuscripts they reviewed, and the comments by
and among peer reviewers and editor regarding manuscripts, revisions, and publication
decisions. For months, JAMA and AIM consistently argued that the sanctity of the
confidential peer review process should not be violated.” “In a ruling issued
March 14, 2008, the Court agreed with JAMA and AIM that information kept confidential from
Pfizer, the general public, and the medical community at large was irrelevant to the
pending claims.” “… JAMA and our Archives journals have historically and
deliberately kept unpublished manuscripts and peer review comments confidential. This
promise to reviewers and authors allows the peer review process to work in an unrestrained
environment.” “The subpoenas attempted to invade the peer review process, and we
are delighted that Magistrate Judge Keys said so when he ruled they could not be enforced
against us.”
http://pubs.ama-assn.org/media/2008jer/0324.dtl
OHSU Cancer Institute researchers
identify new approach to help control drug resistance in leukemia
Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researchers have found that an
experimental drug known as SGX393 is effective against Gleevec-resistant chronic myeloid
leukemia. The results of their study will be published the week of March 24 in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/news_events/news/chronicmyeloidleukemia032408.cfm
Scientists uncover how superbug
Staph aureus resists our natural defenses
Researchers at the University of Washington have uncovered how the bacterium
Staphylococcus aureus, including the notorious MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus)
"superbug" strains, resists our body's natural defenses against infection. The
work, which was featured on the cover of the March 21 issue of Science, could lead to new
ways to fight the bacteria.
http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleID=40595
Department of Medicine researcher
mounts new attack on lupus
Dr. Keith B. Elkon, head of the Division of Rheumatology in the Department of Medicine and
a veteran lupus investigator, is taking a novel approach to this disease, which affects
approximately a half million Americans, mostly young women. He has received a $447,000
award from the Alliance for Lupus Research to develop a way of interrupting the progress
of lupus without suppressing the body's natural defenses. And he is building a team of
experts to pursue other assaults on this devastating disorder. Lupus--also known as
systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE--is an autoimmune disease that predominantly affects
young women, most commonly those of African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American
descent. Lupus often begins with a skin rash and joint pains, although it can affect
virtually any organ in the body and is, potentially, a life-threatening disease. In an
autoimmune disorder like lupus, the immune system produces antibodies that attack the
body's own cells and tissues as if they were foreign matter. These
"auto-antibodies" bind to proteins and nucleic acids in the blood, forming
"immune complexes" which cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts
of the body. Traditionally, lupus has been treated with anti-inflammatory drugs,
corticosteroids (steroids), and--in severe cases--cytotoxic drugs that suppress the entire
immune system. Steroids and cytotoxic drugs can have severe side effects. Newer
"biologic" drugs currently in clinical trials may be safer because they target
only one protein or pathway in the immune system. Dr. Elkon, professor of medicine, has
had a research interest in lupus for more than 20 years. His new grant will support a
project called "Lysis of Immunostimulatory Nucleoproteins in SLE." Its goal is
to degrade the nucleic acid component of the immune complexes, rendering them unable to
deposit in tissue or activate inflammatory receptors. "Although the biologic
therapies for SLE are more selective compared to current therapy, they still do block
natural defense mechanisms in the body," said Dr. Elkon. "Also, none of the
existing treatments target the actual immune complexes that induce the inflammatory
process. The new project therefore represents a novel approach to therapy and one
predicted not to suppress the body's natural defenses.
http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleID=40597
Some moms quit cigarettes,
marijuana, alcohol during pregnancy, but dads don't
Despite public health campaigns, a surprising number of women continue to use substances
such as tobacco, marijuana and alcohol during pregnancy and their usage rebounds to
pre-pregnancy levels within two years of having a baby, according to a new University of
Washington study. Men's patterns of substance use during their partners' pregnancies were
even bleaker. Men typically are not targeted by these campaigns, and their levels of binge
drinking, daily smoking and marijuana use remained fairly stable before, during and after
pregnancy, the study showed. This is important, according to the study's lead authors
Jennifer Bailey and Karl Hill, because men's substance use may make it harder for women to
stop using while they're pregnant and may make it more likely that mothers will resume
smoking or drinking after their child is born. Bailey and Hill are affiliated with the
Social Development Research Group in the UW's School of Social Work. "The months
after childbirth are critical for intervening with mothers," said Bailey, who is a UW
research scientist. "For example, many already have done the hard work of quitting
smoking and haven't smoked a cigarette in six months or more. We should support that
effort so that they can continue as nonsmokers. However, we know if dad is smoking or
drinking it is more likely that mom will resume smoking or drinking."
http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleID=40537
Birth of an enzyme
A team of scientists from the University of Washington, Seattle, and the Weizmann
Institute of Science, Israel, has succeeded in creating a new type of enzyme for a
reaction for which no naturally occurring enzyme has evolved, by using a combination of
novel computational methodologies and molecular in vitro evolution. This achievement opens
the door to the development of a variety of potential applications in medicine and
industry.
http://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/site/en/weizman.asp?pi=371&doc_id=5093
NYU dental researchers find
evidence of periodontal disease leading to gestational diabetes
A study by a New York University dental research team has discovered evidence that
pregnant women with periodontal disease are more likely to develop gestational diabetes
mellitus than pregnant women with healthy gums.
http://www.nyu.edu/public.affairs/releases/detail/2041
Baby boys are more likely to die
than baby girls
Male infants in developed nations are more likely to die than female infants, a fact that
is partially responsible for men's shorter lifespans, reveals a new study by researchers
from University of Pennsylvania and University of Southern California.
http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/stories/15008.html
Parents' high blood pressure
associated with increased risk of hypertension throughout life in men
Individuals who have one or two parents with hypertension appear to have a significantly
increased risk of developing elevated blood pressure throughout their adult lives,
according to a report in the March 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the
JAMA/Archives journals.
http://pubs.ama-assn.org/media/2008a/0324.dtl
Cancer treatments in phase 3 trials
successful up to half of the time
Benjamin Djulbegovic, M.D., Ph.D., of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research
Institute at the University of South Florida, Tampa, and colleagues extracted data from
all completed phase 3 randomized clinical trials conducted by the National Cancer
Institute cooperative groups since their inception in 1955. A total of 624 trials
involving 216,451 patients were analyzed.Overall, 30 percent of the trials had
statistically significant results; in 80 percent of those cases, new treatments were
superior to established protocols. The original researchers reported that the risk-benefit
ratio favored new treatments in 41 percent of comparisons, while standard treatments were
favored in 59 percent of comparisons. “The real effects of new treatments compared
with standard treatments in terms of patient outcomes such as survival is best measured by
quantitative pooling of data,” the authors write. “When done this way, new
treatments are, on average, found to be slightly superior to standard treatments, with a 5
percent relative reduction in the death rate. This, of course, should not be understood as
the average effects of new discoveries being equally spread among all patients.” In
15 percent of the trials, breakthrough therapies were discovered; in 2 percent of the
cases, these reduced the death rate by more than 50 percent.“In conclusion, society
has received a good return on its investment in the cooperative oncology group
system,” which funds the trials, the authors write. “The public can expect that
about 25 percent to 50 percent of new cancer treatments that reach the stage of assessment
in randomized clinical trials will prove to be successful. This pattern of successes has
become more consistent over time. However, our results also indicate that the absolute
number of discoveries might be improved if the proportion of inconclusive trials is
reduced.”
http://pubs.ama-assn.org/media/2008a/0324.dtl
MRI - window to genetic properties
of brain tumors
Researchers at UCSD School of Medicine have shown that Magnetic Resonance Imaging
technology has the potential to non-invasively characterize tumors and determine which of
them may be responsive to specific forms of treatment
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/uoc--maw031908.php
Strengthening the tumor-fighting
ability of T cells
Researchers may have found a new way to promote immune cell attack on tumors. The new
study, by a team of scientists in Milan, Italy, will be published online on March 24 in
the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/joem-stt031708.php
Yerkes researchers identify
language feature unique to human brain
Researchers have identified a language feature unique to the human brain that is shedding
light on how human language evolved. The study marks the first use of diffusion tensor
imaging, a noninvasive imaging technique, to compare human brain structures to those of
chimpanzees, our closest living relative.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/eu-yri032108.php
Black carbon pollution emerges as
major player in global warming
Black carbon, a form of particulate air pollution most often produced from biomass
burning, cooking with solid fuels and diesel exhaust, has a warming effect in the
atmosphere three to four times greater than prevailing estimates, according to scientists
in an upcoming review article in the journal Nature Geoscience.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/uoc--bcp032008.php
Promising new drug targets
identified for Huntington's disease
Research funded by the Wellcome Trust has provided a number of promising new drug targets
for Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disease. Scientists at the University of
Cambridge have identified a number of candidate drugs to investigate further which
encourage cells to "eat" the malformed proteins that lead to the disease.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/wt-pnd031908.php
UC San Diego Medical Center
ReportsUnited States’ First Oral Appendix Removal
Surgeons at UC San Diego Medical Center performed what is believed to be the
country’s first removal of a diseased appendix through the mouth. This clinical trial
procedure received approval for a limited number of patients by UC San Diego’s
Institutional Review Board (IRB) which oversees clinical research.
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/03-08OralAppendixRemoval.asp
Transparency -ll recipients of EU
farm aid to be published by April 2009
All recipients of European Union agricultural and rural development payments will be
published in detail under new rules adopted today by the European Commission. By 30 April,
2009, the full name, municipality and, where available, postal code of every recipient
will be published in a clear, harmonised manner on nationally-managed websites with a
search tool which enables the public to see how much money each person or company
received. Amounts will be broken down in direct payments to farmers and other support
measures. For rural development policy, which is co-financed between the EU and the
national government, the information will cover both EU and national money. This
information will be available by 30 April every year for the previous financial year and
must remain on the website for two years from the date of its original publication. In
addition, the European Commission will manage its own website which will have links to
each national site.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/463
&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Moderate consumption of fish can
reduce the risk of suffering mental disorders by 30%
The habitual consumption of fish as a principle source of omega-3 fatty acids can offer
protection against neuropsychiatric disorders, according to a study carried out at the
University of Navarra, with the framework of the SUN Project (the University of Navarra
Diet and Lifestyle Tracking Program). Specifically, the study revealed that persons who
consume fish on at least a moderate basis reduce their risk of suffering these disorders
by 30%. "Up to now, we knew the benefits of this nutrient for patients with coronary
pathologies or with high levels of triglycerides. Some recent research has evaluated its
role in the proper functioning of the nervous system, and in psychiatric pathologies such
as anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders and depression" stated Miguel Ángel
Martínez González, one of the directors of the research project, along with three other
professors of the School of Medicine: Francisca Lahortiga, Felipe Ortuño and Almudena
Sánchez-Villegas. The authors, who work in the departments of Psychiatry and of
Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the University of Navarra and the University of
Las Palmas, tracked the eating habits and health of 7,903 university graduates over the
course of two years. During this period, 173 new cases of depression were detected, along
with 335 medical diagnoses of anxiety disorders.
http://www.basqueresearch.com/berria_irakurri.asp?Berri_Kod=1676&hizk=I
University of the Basque Country
researcher proposes several methods for enhancing the functioning of defibrillators in
cases of heart attack
The PhD, defended by engineer Sofía Ruiz de Gauna Gutiérrez at the University of the
Basque Country (UPV/EHU) puts forward various methods for the elimination of interference
caused by compressions and ventilations of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the context of
cardiac defibrillation. A heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction or coronary
thrombosis, is the most dramatic manifestation of cardiovascular illness, the main cause
of death in developed countries. In more than 40% of heart attacks patients can have two
types of cardiac arrhythmias: ventricular or tachycardial ventricular fibrillation without
pulse. The optimum treatment in these cases is the immediate initiation of cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) to maintain artificial circulation by means of the application of
thoracic compressions and ventilations, followed by an electrical discharge on the
patient’s chest (defibrillation) when the cardiac rhythm is defibrillable. There is
evidence that the success of the defibrillation is directly related to the immediacy with
which the discharge is administered.
http://www.basqueresearch.com/berria_irakurri.asp?Berri_Kod=1678&hizk=I
Fear that freezes the blood in your
veins
Bonn study shows that people with anxiety disorders tend to suffer from increased blood
clotting. f you are "frightened stiff", not only does the intense fear seem to
paralyse the body, it may even retard the blood flow. A study by medical scientists at the
University of Bonn has shown that people with an acute anxiety disorder tend to suffer
from higher levels of blood clotting than the psychologically healthy population. This
finding may explain why patients with anxiety problems are at greater risk of dying from
heart disease ? by a factor of one to four times. "The blood froze in my veins"
or "My blood curdled" these common figures of speech can be taken literally,
according to the latest studies. Indeed, more literally than some of us would like. For it
turns out that intense fear and panic attacks can really make our blood clot and increase
the risk of thrombosis or heart attack. Earlier studies showed that stress and anxiety can
influence coagulation. However, they were based almost entirely on questionnaire surveys
of healthy subjects. In contrast, the Bonn-based research team around Franziska Geiser
(from the Clinic and Policlinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy) and Ursula
Harbrecht (from the Institute of Experimental Haematology and Transfusion Medicine) have
been the first to conduct a very careful examination of coagulation in patients with
anxiety disorders.
http://www.uni-bonn.de/en/News/110_2008.html
Dangerous Psych Drugs and Pregnancy
- help Stop the Mothers Act
The Senate is about to approve legislation Mothers Act – S.1375
(http://www.naturalnews.com/022853.html) which mandates the indoctrination of pregnant and
nursing mothers into the use of extremely dangerous psychiatric medication. We already
know this class of medication poses serious health risks to both mother and baby.
Consequences to the baby are now proven to cause nerve-related changes that can adversely
affect health for a lifetime.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022883.html
Soy Industry Promotes Health Myths
to Sell More Soy Products, Says Author
Author Kaayla T. Daniel is challenging what she calls the myth that soy prevents breast
cancer. "The truth is that soy protein contains dangerous levels of plant estrogens.
Although not identical to human estrogens, these have been proven to increase breast cell
proliferation, a widely accepted marker of breast cancer risk." said Daniel, author
of "The Whole Soy Story; The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food."
http://www.naturalnews.com/022882.html
Raise Your Immunity Frequency With
Essential Oils to Beat the Common Cold
Using Grade-A organic therapeutic essential oils may help your immune system to ward off
the attacks of the common cold as well as destroy other microbial invasions, such as
candida infections, viruses and parasites. As essential oils are very high frequency
molecules, ranging from 52MHz - 320MHz, they are able to raise our overall body frequency
(which is 62-78 Hz when in its healthy range) every time we use them. This way, essential
oils are the best ammunition against the common cold as well as destroying unwelcome
microbial invasions, along with the daily dose of genuine positive thinking.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022876.html
Diet, Specifically Zinc, Plays a
Key Role in Acne
There are subtle signs to zinc deficiency. Acne can be just one of them. Other signs can
be white spots on the fingernails, dry, brittle hair, slow wound healing and a decreased
sense of taste and smell. I had all of these. Zinc plays an important role in our overall
immune function and is important for our general health. In addition to adding zinc-rich
foods to my diet, I've also added purifying green tea (both the drink and a green tea
mask), vitamin A rich carrot juice (mixed with orange to make it taste better), lots of
delicious berries, foods rich in omega-3 and other great-for-the-skin goodies. A simple,
all-natural cleanser and oil-free moisturizer, both with tea tree oil, help keep blemishes
at bay.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022874.html
Study Links Chronic Illness to
Coal-mining Pollution
Pollution from coal mining may have a negative impact on public health in mining
communities, according to data analyzed in a West Virginia University research study. The
goal was to determine whether there is a relationship between coal production and chronic
disease in the state. A WVU researcher says this study shows residents are at an increased
risk of developing chronic heart, lung and kidney diseases.
http://health.wvu.edu/newsreleases/news-detail.asp?ID=844
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Issues
in Thyroid Disease Patients Focus of ATA Spring Meeting
“Both mild and overt derangements in thyroid gland function pose a set of issues
related to the cardiovascular system,” said John Baxter, MD, meeting program co-chair
and Senior Member of The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, Texas. “This
meeting is an excellent opportunity to understand the clinical picture when there are
these variations in thyroid gland dysfunction and what to do about them, and also to
provide a perspective of exciting possibilities of treatment modalities that may come in
the future.”
http://www.thyroid.org/professionals/publications/news/08_03_21_spring_symposium.html
Previously Unrecognized
Testosterone Deficiency Common in Men with Type 1 Diabetes
Testosterone deficiency, previously recognized as common in men with type 2 diabetes, is
also common in men with type 1 diabetes according to a new study accepted for publication
in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). These findings suggest
that there is a direct link between insulin resistance and reduced testosterone levels in
men.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/538890/
Vitamin D Deficiency May be to
Blame for Soft Bones in Baby’s Skull
Softening of the skull bones in normal-looking babies might reflect vitamin D deficiency
during pregnancy, according to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of
Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Furthermore, breast-feeding without
vitamin D supplementation could prolong the deficiency which might lead to a risk of
serious health problems later in life.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/538885/
Patients with Psoriasis at
Increased Risk for Developing Other Serious Medical Conditions
It has long been known that psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by thick,
red, scaly plaques that itch and bleed, can have a significant negative impact on a
patient’s overall quality of life. Now, dermatologists are finding that psoriasis,
especially severe psoriasis, is linked with a number of serious medical conditions –
including cardiovascular disease, depression and cancer.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/538912/
Researchers Link 11 Genetic
Variations to Type 2 Diabetes
Mathematicians at Michigan Technological University have developed powerful new tools for
winnowing out the genes behind some of umanity’s most intractable diseases. With one,
they can cast back through generations to pinpoint the genes behind inherited illness.
With another, they have isolated 11 variations within genes—called single nucleotide
polymorphisms, SNPs or "snips"—associated with type 2 diabetes. "With
chronic, complex diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes and ALS [Lou Gehrig's disease],
multiple genes are involved," said Qiuying Sha, an assistant professor of
mathematical sciences. "You need a powerful test." That test is the Ensemble
Learning Approach (ELA), software that can detect a set of SNPs that jointly have a
significant effect on a disease.
http://www.admin.mtu.edu/urel/news/media_relations/673/
One Darn Good Reason To Avoid
Cholesterol Lowering Drugs
The national average of those who suffer from ALS is a mere .0005 percent. But – sit
down for this one – among those who reported suffering from “drug induced
ALS,” nearly a third were using cholesterol lowering drugs! Apparently, this class of
drugs can “tangle” a protein known as “tau proteins.”
http://www.healthtruthrevealed.com/full-page.php?id=1002507203&&page=article
Cod liver oil 'can help arthritis
sufferers cut reliance on drugs'
SCIENTISTS have uncovered further evidence that cod liver oil can benefit people suffering
rheumatoid arthritis. A study published today in the journal Rheumatology showed that
people taking a cod liver oil supplement could cut their reliance on anti-inflammatory
drugs by more than 30 per cent.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Cod-liver-oil-39can-help.3909042.jp
Rare Tendon Complications Linked to
Statin Use
Catherine Noblet, University Hospital, Rouen Cedex, France, and colleagues identified 96
cases of tendon complications (eg, tendonitis, tendon rupture) that were attributed to
statin use between 1990 and 2005 from the French pharmacovigilance database.
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/852571020057CCF68525741600519C38
Acid Blockers for Mom During
Pregnancy Increase Baby's Risk of Asthma
Taking acid-blocking medications for heartburn associated with pregnancy increases the
baby's risk of developing asthma by more than 50%, according to findings presented here at
the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting.
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/852571020057CCF6852574160040B0AA
Green fuel may increase asthma
rates
Green fuels used in school buses may increase asthma rates, warn experts.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Green_fuel_may_increase_
asthma_rates/articleshow/2895232.cms
How lack of sleep may be bad for
the brain
Both night-shift work and chronic sleep deprivation are increasingly implicated in mental
and cognitive problems.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-sleepmental24mar24,1,2714902.story
Gut Bacteria Mix Predicts Obesity
The types of bacteria in a baby’s gut may determine their risk of being overweight or
obese later in life, according to Finnish researchers.
FDA Cites Discredited Industry
Science in Justifying High Levels of Contaminants in Infant Formula - Ignores Federally
Funded Research Showing Serious Health Risks
In response to a congressional inquiry, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitted
that it based its determination that current levels of BPA exposure pose no health risks
on two studies sponsored by the American Plastics Council (APC), the trade group that
represents BPA manufacturers. One of these studies has been found to be deeply flawed by
BPA experts and the other study has not been published nor has its results been made
public.
http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0321-01.htm
Iranian scientists produce droplets
for asthma, bronchitis control
Iranian pulmonologist Dr. Hamid Rouhi Boroujeni has been able to produce and market two
droplets for asthma and bronchitis using herbals.
http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/line-22/0803219139185346.htm
Uric Acid May Provide Early Clues
To Diabetic Kidney Disease
For patients with type 1 diabetes, increased levels of uric acid in the blood may be an
early sign of diabetic kidney disease--appearing before any significant change in urine
albumin level, the standard screening test.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318104217.htm
More Vitamin D in Childhood Cuts
Later Diabetes Risk
Children who take vitamin D supplements may be less likely to develop type 1 diabetes
later in life, according to researchers who analyzed the findings of five previously
published studies.
http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/healthday/080321/
more-vitamin-d-in-childhood-cuts-later-diabetes-risk.htm
FDA Relied on Industry Studies to
Judge Chemical Safety
Ignoring hundreds of government and academic studies showing a chemical commonly found in
plastic can be harmful to lab animals at low doses, the Food and Drug Administration
determined the chemical was safe based on just two industry-funded studies that didn't
find harm.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1307078/fda_
relied_on_industry_studies_to_judge_chemical_safety/
Is too much corn in our diet making
us fat (and sick)?
there’s growing evidence that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), now the most
ubiquitous sweetener in the American food supply, is directly linked to the
national’s twin epidemics of overweight and diabetes. HFCS’s role? This
sweetener seems to bypass the body’s “I feel full” mechanisms. In a study
of 93,000 women, Harvard School of Public Health researchers recently linked a 10 pound
weight gain and 83% high diabetes risk directly to the consumption of HFCS.”
http://www.douglasdispatch.com/articles/2008/03/21/news/doc47e41df60d589420000282.txt
The 10 Best Foods for Looking After
Your Liver
Foods rich in dietary fibre and plant foods are staples in a liver-centric diet. Next time
you go shopping, add these 10 must-haves to your list to ensure your liver will serve you
well for a long time to come.
http://www.alive.com/6578a13a2.php
Occult blood test reduces
colorectal cancer crises
A program of colorectal cancer screening using the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) appears
to reduce emergency episodes of colorectal cancer and improves 30-day mortality rates.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL47112120080324
A link between antidepressants and
type 2 diabetes
University of Alberta researcher Lauren Brown has found people with depression are at an
increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Brown's results discovered the risk of
diabetes almost doubled for those who were taking a combination of antidepressants.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/uoa-alb032508.php
Mounting evidence shows red wine
antioxidant kills cancer
Rochester researchers showed for the first time that a natural antioxidant found in grape
skins and red wine can help destroy pancreatic cancer cells by reaching to the cell's core
energy source, or mitochondria, and crippling its function. The study is published in the
March edition of the journal, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/uorm-mes032508.php
Exposure to low levels of radon
appears to reduce the risk of lung cancer, new study finds
Exposure to levels of radon gas typically found in 90 percent of American homes appears to
reduce the risk of developing lung cancer by as much as 60 percent, according to a study
in the March issue of Health Physics. The finding differs significantly from results of
previous case-control studies of the effects of low-level radon exposure, which have
detected a slightly elevated lung cancer risk (but without statistical significance) or no
risk at all.
http://www.wpi.edu/News/Releases/20078/radonstudy.html
Spit tests may soon replace many
blood tests
One day soon patients may spit in a cup, instead of bracing for a needle prick, when being
tested for cancer, heart disease or diabetes. A major step in that direction is the
cataloguing of the "complete" salivary proteome, a set of proteins in human
ductal saliva, identified by a consortium of three research teams, according to an article
published today in the Journal of Proteome Research.
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/pr/news/story.cfm?id=1932
Heart failure treated 'in the
brain'
Beta-blockers heal the heart via the brain when administered during heart failure,
according to a new study by UCL.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/Heartfailurebrain
Molecular science could further
improve leukemia survival, say St. Jude researchers
The dramatic increase that has occurred in the cure rate for children with acute
lymphoblastic leukemia will be difficult to replicate in older patients without
considerable additional research, according to an article by St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital authors that appears in the March 22 issue of the Lancet.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sjcr-msc032008.php
Scripps Florida scientists develop
a process to disrupt hepatitis C virion production
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute's Scripps Florida facilities have discovered
a method to disrupt the production of infectious virus particles that cause hepatitis C, a
blood-borne liver disease. This discovery might be a first step in developing new and more
effective therapies against the hepatitis C virus. Current anti-virals are ineffective for
the majority of patients infected with the viral strains most prevalent in the United
States.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/sri-sfs032008.php
Impaired sense of smell may be
early indicator of Parkinson's disease
Impaired sense of smell occurs in the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease and there is
mounting evidence that it may precede motor symptoms by several years.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/w-iso032008.php
Motor neuron disease and toxic
substances - Possible link?
University of Michigan scientists have found that people with a form of inherited motor
neuron disease have abnormalities in the same gene that appears to be affected in people
who suffer nerve damage after exposure to harmful amounts of organophosphates. The results
raise the possibility that healthy people may have gene variants that make them vulnerable
to nerve damage if exposed to the chemicals, which include common insecticides and have
been linked to Gulf War illness.
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2008/motorneuron.htm
Children with healthier diets do
better in school
A new study in the Journal of School Health reveals that children with healthy diets
perform better in school than children with unhealthy diets.
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/press/pressitem.asp?ref=1647
Spotting the next GM-like
controversy before it happens
Environmental scientists and policy makers have drawn up a list of the 25 new and most
pressing issues likely to affect biodiversity in the UK between now and 2050. As well as
highlighting areas where research effort should be focused, the exercise shows how
"horizon scanning" could help us foresee issues that have taken scientists and
policy makers by surprise in the past, such as the UK public's response to genetically
modified crops.
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/press/pressitem.asp?ref=1646
Stanford researchers unmask
proteins in telomerase, a substance that enables cancer
One of the more intriguing workhorses of the cell, a protein conglomerate called
telomerase, has in its short history been implicated in some critical areas of medicine
including cancer, aging and keeping stem cells healthy.
http://med.stanford.edu/news_releases/2008/march/telomerase.html
Smokers treated for brain aneurysm
with coils at higher risk of recurrence
Cigarette smokers who were treated for cerebral aneurysms with coil embolization (blocking
of a blood vessel) are at greater risk of developing another aneurysm, say neurological
surgeons at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Philadelphia in the first-known study
of its kind.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/tju-stf031808.php
A stronger heart with flavonoids
A polyphenols-rich diet keeps the heart younger. This finding comes out from a study by
the University of Grenoble in collaboration with the other centers participating to the
FLORA Project, a European Commission-funded research studying the effects of flavonoids, a
variety of polyphenols, on human health.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/cu-ash031808.php
UC San Diego chemists find
important contributor to smog
Chemists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that a chemical
reaction in the atmosphere above major cities long assumed to be unimportant in urban air
pollution is in fact a significant contributor to urban ozone -- the main component of
smog.
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/science/03-08Smog.asp
'Jumping gene' may contribute to a
premature aging syndrome
Scientists have identified a fusion protein that may contribute to Cockayne syndrome, a
devastating disease characterized by developmental defects, neurodegeneration, severe
wasting, and premature aging. The study is described in an article published March 21 in
the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/plos-gm031408.php
How humans make up for an 'inborn'
vitamin C deficiency
A new study appears to explain how humans, along with other higher primates, guinea pigs
and fruit bats, get by with what some have called an "inborn metabolic error":
an inability to produce vitamin C from glucose.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/cp-hhm031408.php
Joslin researchers discover new
effect for insulin
Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have shown that insulin has a previously unknown
effect that plays a role in aging and lifespan, a finding that could ultimately provide a
mechanism for gene manipulations that could help people live longer and healthier lives.
http://www.joslin.org/1083_4304.asp
Subterfuge, counter-surveillance
and assassination - scientists reveal the body’s fight with cervical cancer
The virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer has a serious weakness which may
provide hope for new treatments for the disease. Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a virus which
causes several types of cancer but is particularly associated with cervical cancer, has
developed clever ways of hiding in the body, but researchers at the University of Leeds
have found that its ability to trick the body’s first line of defence leaves it
vulnerable to attack from a second defence system. When viruses enter cells, they produce
proteins to assist their growth and replication, and the body’s immune system is
programmed to recognise and attack these non-native proteins.
http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=
readrelease&releaseid=528067&ez_search=1
Hyperactive girls face problems as
adults
Hyperactive young girls are more likely to have poor school-leaving qualifications, become
hooked on smoking and fall into mentally abusive relationships later in life, according to
a collaborative study led by UCL (University College London) and the University of
Montreal. Few studies have looked at the consequences of aggressive and hyperactive
behaviour in girls, but the latest study shows that hyperactivity combined with aggressive
behaviour in girls as young as six may lead to greater problems with abusive
relationships, a lack of job prospects and teenage pregnancies. The study, published in
the latest issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, followed the lives of
Canadian girls from the age of six until they reached 21, to understand the link between
hyperactive and aggressive behaviour in childhood and adjustment problems in early
adulthood. Of the 881 girls monitored, around one in 10 showed high levels of hyperactive
behaviour, while another one in ten showed both high levels of hyperactive and physically
aggressive behaviour.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/hyperactivity
Dietary Risk Factors Associated
with Incidence of Prostate Cancer
Nutrition and Prostate Cancer: June Chan from UCSF presented on Nutritional Epidemiology
of Prostate Cancer. In a population migration study, low-risk CaP populations moving to a
high-risk area shifted to a higher risk profile. Chinese men in China had a CaP risk of
3/100,000, but after moving to the US this increased to 100-120/100,000 by three
generations later. This supports the notion that epigenetic events contribute to CaP risk.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/538861/
Melatonin helps prevent secondary
infection in inflammatory bowel disease
The February 14, 2008 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology published a report by
researchers at the University of Erciyes in Kayseri, Turkey which described how the
hormone melatonin prevented bacterial translocation in an experimental model of
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
http://www.lef.org/whatshot/2008_03.htm
Omega-3 Fatty Acids for
Cardioprotection
Current data suggest that patients with known CAD should consume at least 1.0 g/d of
long-chain omega-3 fatty acids; people without disease, at least 250 to 500 mg/d. Both DHA
and EPA should be consumed. Regardless of statin use, patients with hypertriglyceridemia
benefit from treatment with 3.0 to 4.0 g/d of DHA and EPA.
http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/inside.asp?AID=4637&UID=
First study hints at insights to
come from genes unique to humans
Among the approximately 23,000 genes in human DNA, scientists estimate that there may be
as few as 50 to 100 that have no counterparts in other species. Little is known about the
distinctive contributions these genes likely make to our species. Now scientists have
produced the first detailed analysis of the cellular functions of a gene found only in
humans and primate relatives known as hominoids.
http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/11349.html
Monitoring device fails to lower
risk of anesthesia awareness
Anesthesiology researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have
found that a device to ensure that surgery patients have no memories of their operations
may not lower risk of the phenomenon known as anesthesia awareness.
http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/11282.html
FDA Quietly Acknowledges Medical
Benefits of Honey
In an Associated Press story dated December 27th 2007, it was revealed that the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration had quietly approved a line of honey-based wound dressings during
the fall of that year. Derma Sciences, Inc., a New Jersey manufacturer of medical wound
and skin care supplies, was then able to market their MEDIHONEY product.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022872.html
How food companies fool consumers
with food coloring ingredients made from petrochemicals
Have you ever wondered why companies use artificial colors? You might think it's because
they want to make their food look good, but there's another reason -- a far deeper reason
-- why companies use artificial colors to make their foods more appealing to consumers.
Keep reading to learn what that is.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022870.html
Eating Foods High in Plant Sterols
Reduces Cholesterol Naturally
When the human blood cholesterol level is higher than that which can be used by the human
body, the surplus cholesterol may eventually cause strokes, and or cardiovascular
distress. Medications, such as statins prescribed to lower the blood cholesterol, are
themselves known to affect our bodies negatively in the long term.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022869.html
Fluoride in Drinking Water
Most people associate fluoride with the practice of intentionally adding fluoride to
public drinking water supplies for the prevention of tooth decay. However, fluoride can
also enter public water systems from natural sources, including runoff from the weathering
of fluoride-containing rocks and soils and leaching from soil into groundwater. Fluoride
pollution from various industrial emissions can also contaminate water supplies. In a few
areas of the United States fluoride concentrations in water are much higher than normal,
mostly from natural sources. Fluoride is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because it can occur at these toxic
levels. In 1986, the EPA established a maximum allowable concentration for fluoride in
drinking water of 4 milligrams per liter, a guideline designed to prevent the public from
being exposed to harmful levels of fluoride. Fluoride in Drinking Water reviews research
on various health effects from exposure to fluoride, including studies conducted in the
last 10 years.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11571#toc
Prostate-Cancer Treatment
Questioned
Hormone therapy, an aggressive treatment for prostate cancer, may be overused, a new study
suggests. Treatment used to reduce the size of the prostate has been shown to improve
survival in advanced cancers, but doctors have increasingly been giving hormone therapy in
less-severe cases.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120597164990250361.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
ALS Aggregates Are Composed of Only
One Protein
Researchers have provided a big new clue to help combat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS), deciphering that the dense protein aggregates that contribute to the nerve decay of
ALS are composed of just one protein: superoxide dismutase (SOD1).
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/538908/
Study Indicates Metabolic Syndrome
Increases Risk of Other Health Issues for Men
Dr. Freedland discussed the metabolic syndrome that is a combination of medical disorders
that increases one’s risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease. It is defined by 3 of 5
criteria; waist circumference >102cm, high triglycerides or HDL, glucose intolerance or
high BP. The metabolic syndrome increases the CV risk of death in younger men by 5% over
10 years and at 12 years there is an increased overall risk of death of 20%.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/538865/
Multivitamins - The new spin that
claims they are killers
Medical researchers will tie themselves up in knots in order to get people off nutritional
solutions. The latest comes from Harvard, which claims that multi-vitamins may be bad for
us – and could even cause cancer.
http://www.wddty.com/03363800372692805181/multivitamins-
the-new-spin-that-claims-they-are-killers.html
The Food Industry's Greed - How
Misleading Labeling of Omega-3 Foods Undermines American Health
There's an Omega-3 travesty afoot and if American consumers don't t become aware of it
very soon, they'll unfortunately know first hand the day inflammation rears its ugly head
- and according to Harvard, for 3 out of 4 Americans, it already has.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/667761/the_
food_industrys_greed_how_misleading.html
Hormone Therapy Speeds Breast
Cancer
Postmenopausal women face increased risk of lobular breast cancer when they take combined
estrogen/progestin hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) for three years — not five years
or more as suggested by previous studies, say researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center in Seattle.
http://include.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20080321/ALL01/303210001/-1/frontpage
Hypofractionated Radiation in
Breast Cancer Has Fewer Adverse Effects
In early-stage breast cancer, delivery of a lower total radiation dose in fewer but larger
fractions reduces effects on normal tissue with no loss in tumor control, according to
results of two large randomized trials.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/BreastCancer/tb/8822
A MicroRNA Molecule Can Reduce Lung
Cancer Growth, Study Shows
A small RNA molecule, known as let-7 microRNA (miRNA), substantially reduced cancer growth
in multiple mouse models of lung cancer, according to work by researchers at Yale
University and Asuragen, Inc., published in the journal Cell Cycle.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150018.htm
U.S. government looks into whether
chemical in some plastics can cause harm
Bisphenol A is a manmade chemical used to make many hard plastic products: reusable food
containers, DVDs, helmets and goggles. It's also in the protective linings in food cans
and dental sealants.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gcAZejx8b7WgqsimBIAaLQ5Vn5Ig
'Cancer chemical' in soy sauce
AUSTRALIANS should try to limit their exposure to a "probably" cancer-causing
chemical found in many common foods including soy sauce, the food regulator has urged.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23392636-1702,00.html
Boston bans trans fats in foods
served in restaurants, groceries, joining other cities
Boston has joined others cities in banning artery-clogging trans fats from food served in
restaurants and grocery stores. Businesses, as well as schools and hospitals, will have to
stop using oils and spreads that contain trans fats. Prepackaged foods such as a bag of
chips or cookies won't be included.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/13/america/Trans-Fat-Ban.php
Sugar Intake Linked to Kids'
Asthma?
Sugar might do more than just plump up our children, it could also help give them asthma,
animal research suggests.
http://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20080317/sugar-intake-linked-to-kids-asthma
Gene for brain connections linked
with autism
A gene that helps the brain make connections may underlie a significant number of autism
cases, researchers in the United States reported on Tuesday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN1822054420080318
Bartonella Spp. in Pets and Effect
on Human Health
The number of zoonotic Bartonella species identified in the last 15 years has increased
considerably. Pets have been identified as a notable reservoir of Bartonella species
(i.e., cats and B. henselae or dogs and B. v. subsp. berkhoffii in the tropics) and may
play an important role as source for human infection. Furthermore, domestic dogs may
represent excellent sentinels for Bartonella infection because of the wide diversity of
the Bartonella spp. identified in canines, all of which are human pathogens. A better
understanding of the modes of transmission and vectors involved in dog bartonellosis is an
urgent priority to implement appropriate parasite control measures for pets.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no03/05-0931.htm
Arthritis Trust of America
You've been told that rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis are not curable.
That's false! I had "galloping" rheumatoid arthritis in the late 70's and early
80's. My doctor said I would soon be crippled. I recovered with the use of recommended
treatments and the grace of God and have been well since! Are you filled with pain day and
night, and want relief? Do you view the future as a cripple, suffering from constantly
decreasing abilities? Do you want to stop this crippling? Do you or your child live pain
free for but minutes each day and then only at the will of a drug, a doctor, or by
courtesy of a fat pocketbook? Especially are you a person who wants relief from this
centuries-long scourge?
http://www.arthritistrust.org/index2.html
The breakthrough of MMS
In mid 1996, deep within the mining jungles of South America, a United States scientist
named Jim Humble made an almost accidental discovery… a discovery that would change
the course of human health history forever. Out of one small mining team’s struggle
for survival, came a simple, yet all-prevailing cure for nearly every pathogen-borne
disease known to mankind.
http://altered-states.net/barry/update173/index.htm
Oil pulling
Dr. (med.) Karach said the OP heals totally “head-aches, bronchitis, tooth pain,
thrombosis, eczema, ulcers and diseases of stomach, intestines, heart, blood, kidney,
liver, lungs and women’s diseases. It heals diseases of nerves, paralysis, and
encephalitis. It prevents the growth of malignant tumors, cuts and heals them. Chronic
sleeplessness is cured.”
http://www.oilpulling.com/
Arthritis trust of America articles
Fighting Back Against Arthritis, useful articles.
http://www.arthritistrust.org/articclesmisc.htm
Ibuprofen Risks for Osteoarthritis
Patients
Cardiology researchers studied osteoarthritis patients who were at high risk for
cardiovascular problems like a stroke or heart attack. They found when taking common
ibuprofen medications such as Advil and Motrin along with aspirin, patients were
approximately nine-times as likely to have a stroke or heart attacks compared to patients
taking lumiracoxib (Prexige).
http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/news-36185-29.html
Italy's toxic waste crisis, the
Mafia – and the scandal of Europe's mozzarella
The topping on a billion pizzas, the magic ingredient in a million salads, is at the
centre of a major food scare involving pollution, corruption, the Mafia and southern
Italy's remarkable crisis in waste management.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/italys-toxic-waste-crisis-
the-mafia-ndash-and-the-scandal-of-europes-mozzarella-799289.html
Grain Farmer Percy Schmeiser Claims
Moral Victory in Seed Battle Against Monsanto
Percy Schmeiser's decade-long legal odyssey has finally come to an end - and he's got a
cheque for $660 to prove it. The 77-year-old Saskatchewan farmer and his wife, Louise,
became international folk heroes for their legal struggle with agribusiness giant Monsanto
Canada Inc., after the company sued them for violating its patent on genetically
engineered canola seeds in 1997.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11006.cfm
Study finds pitching mound height
affects throwing motion, injury risk
A study involving several Major League Baseball pitchers indicates that the height of the
pitcher's mound can affect the athlete's throwing arm motion, which may lead to potential
injuries because of stress on the shoulder and elbow.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/mcow-sfp032108.php
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