Posted: August 12, 2013
(http://www.foxnews.com)Scientists from the Duke University Medical Center have made a breakthrough discovery in the field of childhood epilepsy research. Using new technology called exome sequencing, the researchers identified two genes linked to severe forms of the seizure-causing condition.
Exome sequencing is a form of genome sequencing that gives researchers the ability to selectively sequence important sections of the genome, rather than analyzing all of a person's genes. Using this new technology, the scientists detected mutations in the DNA sequences of 643 children with two forms of childhood epilepsy.
The exome sequences of the children were compared to those of their parents, none of whom had the same condition as their children.
The researchers were then able to reveal six disease-causing genetic mutations using statistical analysis tools. Four of the genes had already been associated with epilepsy, but the other two genetic variations had never been linked to the disease.
"It appears that the time for using this approach to understand complex neurological disorders has arrived," study author David Goldstein, director of the Human Genome Variation Center at Duke University Medical Center, said. "This moderately-sized study identified an unusually large number of disease-causing mutations and provides a wealth of new information for the epilepsy research community to explore."
Goldstein and his team noted that epilepsy-causing genetic mutations were found in genes that are "highly sensitive to changes in their DNA sequence," meaning that the smallest change to the DNA sequence could have drastic effects including death or severe illness.
"We anticipate that further studies will identify many new disease-causing genes and we intend to develop a watch list of the genes which summarizes their clinical characteristics in way [sic] that will be helpful for doctors, patients, and researchers," Goldstein said.
Posted: August 12, 2013
(http://www.foxnews.com)The inspector general's office at the Department of Health and Human Services says it recently began a review of antipsychotic drug use by Medicaid recipients under the age of 18. Various agencies within the HHS are also requiring officials in all 50 states to tighten oversight of prescriptions of antipsychotics to Medicaid-eligible young people.
This move applies to a new class of antipsychotic drugs called "atypicals," including Abilify, Risperdal, Seroquel, and Zyprexa, which were developed to replace medications like Haldol and Thorazine, which date back to the 1950s and cause severe side effects such as uncontrollable twitching.
The drugs were originally developed to treat conditions like schizophrenia, but some have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment in children with conditions such as bipolar disorder and irritability associated with autism.
Medicaid spent $3.6 billion on antipsychotic medications in 2008, more than any other type of drug. Abilify is the number one selling prescription drug in America.
The number of people under age 20 receiving Medicaid-funded prescriptions for antipsychotic drugs tripled between 1999 and 2008, according to an analysis by Mathematica.
Dr. Stephen Cha, a chief medical officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says the government wants to reduce "the unnecessarily high utilization of antipsychotics." He also urges doctors to consider alternatives to doping up children, including actually making an effort with therapy, which might help children and families cope with the underlying issues that could be the root of behavioral problems.
The FDA's approval of some of the new drugs to treat certain pediatric conditions, coupled with concern about possible side effects on young people and growing off-label use by doctors to treat various forms of violent or aggressive behavior, has sparked debate about whether they are being dispensed too freely to troubled children.
Posted: August 12, 2013
(http://www.wltx.com)The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a nationwide voluntary recall of sterile products from the Texas Specialty Compounding pharmacy in Cedar Park, Texas.
The announcement came after fifteen patients developed bacterial infections in the bloodstream after receiving injections from the facility.
The patients had been given infusions of calcium gluconate, which is a mineral supplement injection used for cardiac arrest, to help with a deficiency in calcium or to treat high levels of potassium.
The bacterial infection in the patients' bloodstream was caused by Rhodococcus equi.
The FDA has increased inspections of compounding pharmacies since September of last year. Last year, injections from the Compounding Center in Massachusetts caused a meningitis outbreak, killing 63 people and sickening another 750.
In March, FDA investigators visited the Cedar Park facility and found questionable testing practices and a lack of some procedures in place to establish drug sterility, according to an FDA "483" document detailing the investigation. For example, investigators found improper clothing for people processing drugs and inadequate testing of drugs to make sure the product is free of objectionable microorganisms.
A big problem with the safety of compounding facilities is that there are few laws stating who is actually supposed to regulate these facilities, because of that, there is a serious gap in oversight and inspections. Before the recent deaths, the FDA did not inspect the compounding facilities unless it got complaints or reports of adverse events.
This could change with the Pharmaceutical Compounding Quality and Accountability Act which is currently under consideration in Congress.
Posted: August 12, 2013
(http://www.sourcenewspapers.com)Dr. Farid Fata, a 48-year-old Michigan oncologist, was arrested last week and accused of stealing millions of dollars from the federal government through fraudulent Medicare claims. Fata is accused of submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare, as well as falsifying documents and directing others to do the same. In one incident, Fata is accused of forcing a patient who fell and hit his head to undergo chemotherapy before receiving medical treatment for his head injury. The patient later died from the head injury.
Fata owns and operates Michigan Hematology Oncology Centers, which billed Medicare for approximately $35 million over a two-year period.
According to a release from the office of U.S. District Attorney Barbara McQuade, authorities believe that Fata issued the fraudulent claims for unnecessary services "including chemotherapy treatments, Positron Emission Tomograph scans and a variety of cancer and hematology treatments for patients who did not need them."
"The complaint further alleges that Dr. Fata directed the administration of unnecessary chemotherapy to patients in remission; deliberate misdiagnosis of patients as having cancer to justify unnecessary cancer treatment; administration of chemotherapy to end-of-life patients who will not benefit from the treatment; deliberate misdiagnosis of patients without cancer to justify unnecessary hematology treatments; fabrication of other diagnoses such as anemia and fatigue to justify unnecessary hematology treatments; and distribution of controlled substances to patients without medical necessity."
In another instance, a patient came to Fata's care center with extremely low sodium levels. Dr. Fata again forced the patient to receive unnecessary chemotherapy before taking the patient to the emergency room to be hospitalized.
"I was disgusted and I was still sitting in the car in the parking lot and I was truly in tears just because of what I saw and how patients were getting chemotherapy," said Angela Swantek, an oncology nurse who filed the complaint.
Fata's attorney says his client is innocent. He also claims that federal agents have been duped by disgruntled employees.
A magistrate judge said Fata could be released from jail under strict conditions, but the U.S. attorney's office is appealing, claiming he may attempt to flee the country. Prosecutors say they want the current $170,000 bond to be increased to $9 million and for it to come from a "legitimate" source.
Posted: August 12, 2013
(http://www.thepetitionsite.com)A petition has been started online to denounce the authority of The World Health Organization (WHO) to mandate general forced vaccinations. Those signing the petition agree that the human body is one's own sovereign territory, subject to exclusive self-determination. The petition states that any attempted violation of this trust must be construed as a breach of basic rights and holds elected Governments accountable in the defense of this basic human right by issuing a notice for a preemptive Class Action Lawsuit to be served in the event that the inalienable right to choose be forsaken.
The petition gives examples of The World Health Organization or other groups participating in unethical activity or setting up their own regulations in such a way as to give it power over individual liberty.
According to the petition, there is no forensic evidence showing the H1N1 virus as the direct cause of death in those who have died after contracting the virus and, in fact, most deaths are caused by pre-existing complications and auto-immune deficiencies. Based on the Center for Disease Control's own guidelines, H1N1 symptoms are virtually indistinguishable from those of the common flu and severity is comparable to mild seasonal flu.
The petition goes on to mention the financial interests of pharmaceutical companies and how they are rarely in the best interest of our health. It further notes the inefficiency of vaccines, saying that the vaccine administered for H5N1 produces little antibody response and requires 12 times the normal dose in order to be "effective," making it a hugely unnecessary risk.
During the 1976 Swine scare, the Swine Flu vaccine itself killed hundreds and sickened countless others, despite only one person having actually died from the virus.
It further condemns the United Nations, which oversees the WHO, stating that it has been implicated in the promotion of live viruses and eugenics-type sterilization programs throughout the past. The signers of the petition state that they will no longer be guinea-pigs for the UN and declare that it is up to the WHO to prove its own safety record.
They hold the WHO and their own Governments accountable for ensuring the safety of all vaccines before being distributed and call for independent research of vaccines to verify their safety. The petition states that if the WHO or their distributors are discovered to be willfully spreading a toxic product, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The goals of the petition can thus be summed up: "This petition is a rally cry to all those in favor of exercising our inherent right to self-determination. Please join our brave campaign which will ultimately enable us to challenge our elected Governments to defend our inherent right to choose."
Posted: August 12, 2013
(http://www.thegrower.com)A new kind of genetically modified organism might make its debut soon in Florida. The new plant is a type of Hamlin orange tree that has been genetically engineered to produce a natural insecticide to ward off Asian citrus psyllids.
The trees were developed by scientists from Cornell University over the course of three years.
The Asian citrus psyllids carry a bacteria that causes citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing. This disease, although not harmful to humans, causes citrus fruit to stay green and makes it have an off taste, as well as stunting the growth of or even killing citrus trees.
The scientists observed that some plants naturally repel psyllids due to a pesticide that they produce. The researchers then isolated the gene responsible for the natural pesticide production and inserted it into Hamlin orange trees.
Field trials are expected to commence as soon as the scientists are able to gain the required permits.
The researchers are working with Southern Gardens Inc. of Clewiston. Herbert Aldwinckle, a professor of plant pathology and one of the researchers involved in the project, says he hopes to have at least preliminary trial results within a year.
Posted: August 9, 2013
(http://www.reuters.com)According to a recently published study, infants who consume fresh fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop allergy problems compared to infants who eat processed baby food.
Researchers estimate that as much as 8 percent of children have a food allergy.
In order to prevent food allergies from developing, some parents are recommended to avoid feeding their children certain foods. Kate Grimshaw, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Southampton in the UK, expressed concern that parents could be reducing their child's nutritional intake without evidence to support the supposed benefits.
As part of the study, Grimshaw and her team of researchers collected food diaries from 1,140 baby's parents.
The parents typically maintained the diet log for the first year of life, during which, 41 children were diagnosed with a food allergy. The researchers compared the allergic babies to 82 similar infants without an allergy. They then scored the babies' diets based on the combination of foods they ate.
They found that babies without food allergies scored higher than babies with allergies. The babies without allergies were more likely to have been on a diet that was rich in healthy foods including fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish, and homemade foods without much processed foods like pre-made meals and potato chips.
"The analysis showed that the infants who were having more fruits and vegetables and less commercially produced baby foods and also less adult foods were the ones who were less likely to develop an allergy by the time they were two," Grimshaw said.
"It's not that they didn't have commercially-made baby foods, it's just that they did not have them predominantly in their diet," she added.
Research on food allergies is often very difficult due to the large amount of factors that could be involved. Because of this, researchers are still unsure as to why a fresh diet reduces the likelihood of allergies from developing.
Dr. Magnus Wickman, a professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, said that there is no evidence that avoiding allergenic foods, such as nuts, fish and eggs is beneficial in preventing food allergies.
She added, there is very little risk in recommending that parents focus on fresh fruits and vegetables.
"Healthy food has so many good things, and maybe it also can reduce the risk of food allergy in the child," Wickman told Reuters Health.
It has long been common knowledge that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoiding junk food provides good nutrition and leads to good health. Now, parents have another reason to ensure that their children eat healthy.
Posted: August 9, 2013
(http://abcnews.go.com)Tyson Foods Inc. says it will suspend purchases of cattle that have been fed supplements to increase growth before slaughter. This decision was based on the fact that many of the animals that arrive at their processing plants have difficulty walking or moving.
According to experts, the cause of the cattle's debilitation likely stems from the use of Merck Animal Health feed supplement Zilmax, or zipaterol.
Merck denies the claims, saying that Zilmax hasn't caused any problems.
Suspension of Zilmax-fed cattle purchases will effectively begin September 6.
Some analysts expect beef prices to experience a slight increase in the next few months.
Tyson says that the issue is about the well-being of the animals, not food safety.
Posted: August 9, 2013
(http://www.bendbulletin.com)A mother from Lake Worth, Florida, filed a lawsuit last month against Pepperidge Farms over the contents of their Cheddar Goldfish snacks.
The mother, Lisa Leo, accused the food manufacturing company of mislabeling its popular Goldfish cracker products as being "natural," which she says is false as they contain genetically modified soybeans.
Her lawsuit, filed June 11 in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, seeks class-action status, new labels and at least $5 million in damages to reimburse Florida consumers who purchased the snack since June 2009, claiming the product violates Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
"Consumers have a right to know what they're putting in their bodies," said Joshua Eggnatz, Leo's Weston-based attorney. "You may not think GMOs are bad for you, but others may, and the consumer has a right to know and to choose."
Genetically modified organisms have proliferated in America's foods in recent decades, being often found in processed foods like crackers and cereals.
The FDA currently does not have an official definition of "natural" for food labels, but its website states that the agency "has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances."
Though Leo's complaint only targets one product, the implications of this lawsuit could be far-reaching. The outcome could help to define the usage of the term "natural" for food labeling. Recent studies have suggested that modified foods can create new unintended toxins and increase the risk of allergies.
Amid the uproar is a national outcry for mandatory food labels in the United States. Congress is considering a bill that would direct the Food and Drug Administration to "clearly label" genetically modified foods. Florida and 14 other states are seeking to require the labels at the state level.
Posted: August 9, 2013
(http://www.cornucopia.org)Goat grazing as a form of weed control has become a growing movement across America. They offer an all natural, poison free way to maintain yards and control weeds. That is why the Association for the Preservation of The Historic Congressional Cemetery partnered with Eco-Goats to bring over 100 goats to the Congressional Cemetery this week to control invasive species that threaten large mature trees, which can fall and damage headstones.
Goats also provide free fertilizer and aerate soil with their hooves. In addition to the eco-friendly benefits of using goats, they are very cost-effective. They require no electricity, gas, chemicals or even food. Just let them go and they sustain themselves while safely doing the work for you.
Goats eat practically everything, including poisonous plants like poison ivy and oak that harm humans but have little to no effect on goats. They also prefer to eat weeds over the grasses that humans favor for yards, this selective eating behavior is a great alternative to pesticide based lawn care.
Communities across the nation, from California to Colorado to Chicago, have discovered that grazing goats is a great option for land that suffers from unwanted plants, low organic matter and soil compaction. Though this is the first time goats have been used in Washington, D.C., perhaps it is a sign that this growing movement is taking hold and hopefully we will see more goats tending lawns in the future.
Posted: August 9, 2013
(http://www.sacbee.com)According to the Fluoride Action Network (FAN), an Israeli Supreme Court ruling on July 29 requires Israel to discontinue fluoridation of its public water supplies in one year.
In November 2012, Yaacov Gurman, head of the Izun Hozer Association for Dissemination of Health Education, petitioned Israel's highest court, demanding that the Ministry of Health cease water fluoridation because it presents dangers to health and its benefits are no longer widely accepted.
Fluoridation began in Israel in 1974, after a regulation mandated it. That mandate was removed when a new regulation was introduced in 2003 by the Minister of Health, Yael German.
"It must be known to you that fluoridation can cause harm to the health of the chronically ill," including "people who suffer from thyroid problems," German wrote in a letter addressed to doctors opposed to ending fluoridation.
The new court ruling will not only end Israel's mandatory fluoridation by 2014 but will prohibit voluntary fluoridation as well.
FAN Executive Director Paul Connett, PhD, says, "Zealous fluoridation promoters try to convince the American public that 'everyone drinks fluoridated water.' But the opposite is true. An overwhelming number of countries do not fluoridate, including 97% of the European population. In fact, over half the people in the world drinking fluoridated water live in the US. We are the odd ones out."
"Fluoridation is an outdated, unscientific, failed public health blunder," says Connett. "What I find remarkable here is that Health Minister German has been able to escape the unscientific belief system on fluoridation that traps so many public health bureaucracies in fluoridated countries."
In recent years, communities around the world have abandoned the practice of water fluoridation. In the U.S., Wichita, Kansas, and Portland, Oregon have each rejected fluoridation. Hamilton, New Zealand, and Windsor, Ontario have both voted to stop fluoridation. Regional councils in Queensland have halted or rejected fluoridation since its mandatory requirement was removed in November 2012. Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. is currently working to halt fluoridation in New York City.
Research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals indicates that fluoride ingestion is ineffective at reducing tooth decay and harmful to health.
Posted: August 9, 2013
(http://www.journalgazette.net)The Fort Wayne-Allen Department of Health has begun offering free school supplies as a kickback for parents who get their kids vaccinated .
For the remainder of this and next week, the Department of Health will be providing supplies such as crayons, pencils, highlighters, and jumpdrives to children who receive a vaccination.
"Getting children all of the vaccines recommended by CDC's immunization schedule is one of the most important things parents can do to protect their children's health - and that of classmates and the community," claimed Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Deborah McMahan. "If you haven't done so already, now is the time to check with your doctor to find out what vaccines your child needs."
In Indiana, school-aged children are required to be up-to-date on their vaccination schedule before enrolling in school.
In addition to the DTap, MMR, polio, Tdap, MCV, flu and HPV vaccines that children are required to receive, starting this year, all Indiana students will need two doses of chickenpox vaccine.
Side effects of the chickenpox vaccine include:
• Soreness, redness, or swelling
• Fever
• Mild rash or several small bumps
• Seizure
Side effects may also include severe brain reactions and low blood count.
All vaccines carry side effects. You should always know the risks involved before letting someone inject you or your children with chemicals. More side effect information on the vaccines listed above may be found here:
http://www.cdc.gov
Posted: August 8, 2013
(http://english.pravda.ru)According to a new ruling by the Government of India, dolphins are "non-human persons" who have their own rights, making it immoral to keep them in captivity. This decision is based on evidence of the animals being highly intelligent and sensitive. As a result of this landmark ruling, dolphin shows across the country will be banned.
The decision was made by India's Minister of the Environment and Forests. All Indian states have been warned by the Government to reject all public and private proposals to hold dolphin shows or open dolphinariums.
The Central Animal Authority issued the following statement: "Cetaceans...should be seen as 'non-human persons' and as such should have their own specific rights."
This move has made it illegal to capture or confine cetacean species, as such, dolphin parks which have recently opened across the country will be shut down.
Some animal rights activists see this as an important first step in establishing a universal code of animal ethics and rights. Costa Rica, Hungary and Chile have also banned the use of cetaceans for entertainment.
Marine scientist Lori Marino's work on cetaceans has revealed that they possess large brains, complex behavior patterns, and advanced systems of communication and cognition.
Posted: August 8, 2013
(http://www.theguardian.com)Last week, settlement documents from 2011 were unveiled, showing how a leading gas and oil company had imposed a gag order on a family and their children who were harmed by industrial practices.
The gag order was imposed under a $750,000 settlement between the Hallowich family and Range Resources Corp, a leader in oil and gas drilling. The order provoked outrage on Monday among environmental campaigners and free speech advocates.
The settlement barred the Hallowich's son and daughter, who were 10 and 7 years old at the time, from ever discussing hydraulic fracturing or the Marcellus Shale, a leading producer in America's shale gas boom. Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as "fracking," is the process of injecting high pressure fluid into the ground to fracture rocks and release natural gas. Fracking fluid can contain up to 600 chemicals including lead, uranium, mercury, ethylene glycol, radium, methanol, hydrochloric acid and formaldehyde. During the fracking process, methane gas and toxic chemicals can leach out of the system and contaminate nearby groundwater. Drinking water wells near fracking sites have methane concentrations that are 1700% greater than those in normal drinking water wells.
The Hallowich family had previously alleged that oil and gas companies were responsible for the destruction of their 10-acre farm in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and endangering the health of their children. Their property was adjacent to a major industrial site that contained four gas wells, gas compressor stations, and a waste water pond, which the Hallowich family says contaminated their water supply, leading to burning eyes, sore throats and headaches.
Gag orders placed on adults are typical in settlements reached between oil and gas companies and residents living in Pennsylvania's shale gas boom region, but according to court documents, even the judge hesitated when the company's lawyer insisted the lifetime gag order be extended to the children.
The couple told the court they agreed because they wanted to move to a new home away from the gas fields, and to raise their children in a safer environment. "We need to get the children out of there for their health and safety," the children's mother, Stephanie Hallowich, told the court.
She was still troubled by the gag order, however. "My concern is that they're minors. I'm not quite sure I fully understand. We know we're signing for silence forever but how is this taking away our children's rights being minors now? I mean my daughter is turning seven today, my son is 10."
Campaigners say that the industry imposed policy of secrecy has harmed the environment and public health by allowing companies to hide evidence of water contamination and other issues.
Jame Swetz, the attorney representing Range Resources, confirmed that the company pursued a gag order on the children. "I guess our position is it does apply to the whole family. We would certainly enforce it," he told the court.
However, after two years, the gag order has come to light, and presumably in an effort to avoid criticism, Range Resources told reporters that it doesn't agree with Swetz's comments. "We don't believe the settlement applies to children," a Range Resources spokesman told the Gazette. He went on to claim that there was no evidence that the Hallowich family was affected by exposure to their operations.
Posted: August 8, 2013
(http://www.greenmedinfo.com)Researchers from Austria's Innsbruck Medical University have linked tooth decay to atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries, a major factor of many heart cardiovascular conditions.
The study involved analyzing 292 patients made up of 137 women and 155 men averaging at 54 years old.
The researchers counted the number of cavities and decaying tooth surfaces among the patients. They also measured their progression of gingivitis and periodontal (gum) disease in addition to measuring the amount of jaw bone loss. Jaw bone loss is linked to periodontal disease as the bacteria that infects the gums also destroy bone material including the roots of teeth and bone material.
Using a calculation method called logistical regression, it was determined that those patients with less than one tooth cavity had significantly less incidence of atherosclerosis compared to those patients with multiple dental caries.
The data also shows that subjects with greater levels of periodontitis generally also have a greater incidence of atherosclerosis.
Furthermore, the factors were found to be amplified with increased age.
The researchers concluded: "Dental caries, pulpal caries, and chronic apical periodontitis are associated positively, while restorations are associated inversely, with aortic atherosclerotic burden."
Bacterial infections, including tooth caries and periodontitis, cause toxic waste to be leaked into the bloodstream. This waste damages the walls of blood vessels, forming plaque and leading to atherosclerosis. The plaque that builds up can then break off, causing a lethal heart attack or stroke.
Posted: August 8, 2013
(http://www.businessmirror.com.ph)In an effort to protect the health of their people and their environment, farmers in Camarines Sur protested Thursday and destroyed experiment fields of genetically modified Golden Rice.
The 30 or so policemen involved were no match for the nearly 400 farmers who stormed the fields, uprooting the strain of rice to protest the ongoing experiment.
The farmers represented two Philippine anti-GMO groups: the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bikol (KMB) and the Sararong Inisyatiba nin Kahinwanmaan sa Wasakon ang Agrokemikals na Lasong-GMO (Sikwal-GMO).
Bert Autor, the coordinator of Sikwal-GMO and secretary-general of the KMB, said that it only took the farmers 15 minutes to finish the job.
"They [farmers] were not able to control their emotional outburst," Autor said in a statement, adding that the farmers were fired up by warnings from "concerned scientists and peasant leaders" about the "dangers" of the Golden Rice or GM rice to health and its threat to biodiversity.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) say that development of Golden Rice will continue. They have said that the purpose of these experiments is to fight malnutrition and to reduce vitamin A deficiency.
The IRRI stated on their website that their field trials are part of the IRRI's work to see if Golden Rice can be a safe and effective way to reduce vitamin A deficiency in the Philippines. Dr. Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general of communications and partnerships for the IRRI, said, "Vitamin A deficiency is horrible and unnecessary, and we want to do our part to help to reduce it. Our Golden Rice research is part of our humanitarian work to reduce Vitamin A deficiency that mostly affects women and children."
"Earlier today one of our Golden Rice field trials located in the Bicol region of the Philippines was vandalized. We are really disappointed that our Golden Rice field trial was vandalized, but it is just one trial and we will continue our Golden Rice research to improve human nutrition," he added.
Posted: August 7, 2013
(http://covvha.net)Recently, 22 barrels containing traces of lethal herbicides were discovered on former U.S. military land in the Japanese city of Okinawa. According to two leading Agent Orange specialists, the barrels could pose the same level of risks as dioxin hot spots in Vietnam where the American military stored toxic defoliants during the 1960s and 1970s.
Richard Clapp, professor emeritus at Boston University School of Public Health, and Wayne Dwernychuk, the scientist previously in charge of identifying defoliant contamination in southeast Asia, have warned Okinawa residents of the associated risks and recommended an immediate cleanup of the land to limit the threat to human health.
The discovery of the barrels seemingly contradicts the Pentagon's previous statements that military defoliants were never present on Okinawa Island. The scientist's comments came in response to release of independent tests on July 31, revealing that all 22 barrels found beneath the city's soccer pitch contained traces of the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the most lethal form of dioxin. Both 2,4,5-T and TCDD are found in Agent Orange.
One barrel contained dioxin levels 840 percent above the safe standard and samples taken from water near the site showed levels 280 times higher than the legal limit.
At least three barrels were labeled with markings from Dow Chemical Co., one of the major manufacturers of Agent Orange. "The Okinawa data, if accurate, are comparable to recent hot spot data collected in Vietnam. About half of the dioxin levels are above what (scientists) consider significant contamination," Clapp told The Japan Times.
Dwernychuk, who has pinpointed more than 20 potential dioxin hot spots in Vietnam, said, "If some of the levels seen in the Okinawa sample data sheet for TCDD were found in the environment of Vietnam, recommendations would be presented for immediate remediation, with attention being paid to potential exposure pathways to local populations."
Medical experts say that the hot spots in Vietnam are responsible for many serious illnesses among the local people, including cancer and birth defects. Estimates by the Vietnamese Red Cross place dioxin poisoning as affecting 3 million people, many of whom are exposed to the deadly chemical through the food chain, which it has entered through the local environment.
Soon after the barrels were unearthed in Okinawa, a Dow Chemical representative said that the type and markings used on the containers are inconsistent with the way it ships defoliants. There has been fierce debate regarding the contents and origin of the barrels since their discovery.
The Okinawa Defense Bureau did not announce the discovery of TCDD during a news conference July 24 until questioned by reporters; this has led to suspicions among many that authorities may be trying to downplay the significance of the situation.
Despite reports by the bureau minimizing the possibility that the barrels contained Agent Orange, Ehime University concluded that they "did not only contain herbicides, there is a possibility that defoliants were included, too."
Earlier this year, The Japan Times revealed that a 1971 U.S. Army report on Agent Orange cited the presence of an "herbicide stockpile" at the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
The Pentagon continues to deny that Agent Orange was ever used or stored in Okinawa, despite over 150 U.S. service members testifying otherwise.
Dwernychuck urged local authorities to try to control and reduce the risk posed to people living in the area. "Removal of the barrels and contaminated soils should be a priority. Groundwater studies should be undertaken to determine if there has been any transport of TCDD to other areas - facilitating human exposure," he said.
The soccer field where the barrels were found is directly adjacent to a primary school and an intermediate school owned by the U.S. Department of Defense. The municipality of Okinawa says that further testing will be conducted in the area.
Posted: August 7, 2013
(http://www.reuters.com)Scientists will soon begin work on creating mutant forms of the H7N9 virus that has emerged in China. They plan on manipulating the genetic structure of the avian flu virus in order to determine what mutations it would have to undergo in order to be transmissible between humans.
The genetic modification work will result in highly contagious and lethal forms of H7N9 being made in several high security laboratories around the world, but the scientists claim it is vital to prepare for the threat of an emerging pandemic.
According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) data, the new bird flu virus, which was only discovered last February, has already infected at least 133 people in China and Taiwan and caused 43 fatalities.
Leading virologists Ron Fouchier and Yoshihiro Kawaoka said H7N9's pandemic risk would rise "exponentially" if it gained the ability to spread easily among people. According to them, the only way to find out the chances of that happening and how many genetic changes need to occur before it does is to engineer the mutations themselves. Once they create the new virus, they plan on testing its potential using animal models.
"It's clear this H7N9 virus has some hallmarks of pandemic viruses, and it's also clear it is still missing at least one or two of the hallmarks we've seen in the pandemic viruses of the last century," Fouchier told Reuters in a telephone interview.
"So the most logical step forward is to put in those (missing) mutations first."
In 2011, after Fouchier announced that the H5N1 virus had been engineered in a lab to spread between mammals, the U.S. National Science Advisory Board was understandably alarmed. They attempted to censor the publication of the study's results in an effort to protect the public from the threat of bioterrorism. This was followed by a year long moratorium on such research, as several organizations sought ways to improve security and ensure safety controls.
To perform work on mutating the H7N9 virus, Fouchier will be working in a Bio-Safety Level 3 Enhanced lab at the highest level of biosecurity.
"Nature is the biggest threat to us, not what we do in the lab. What we do in the lab is under very intense biosecurity measures," he said. "There are layers upon layers of layers of biosafety measures such that if one layer might break there are additional layers to prevent this virus ever coming out."
Fouchier and colleagues said they hope to unravel the molecular processes behind H7N9 by manipulating its genetic material to increase virulence or induce drug resistance.
Posted: August 7, 2013
(http://www.theaustralian.com.au)A new research study has shown that eating a big breakfast helps contribute to weight loss.
Scientists performed the study on 93 obese women showing symptoms of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to diabetes, who were split into two groups and given carefully structured meals.
Both groups ate 1400 calories a day for 12 weeks. One group ate 200 calories for breakfast, 500 for lunch and 700 for dinner, while the other group ate 700 calories for breakfast, 500 for lunch and 700 for dinner.
After 12 weeks, the researchers found that women in the "big breakfast" group lost an average of 8.07 kg, whereas in the other group, women's weight loss averaged at just 3.31 kg.
The big breakfast group also experienced significant reductions in blood levels of insulin, glucose and triglyceride fats. Triglycerides, which contribute to heart disease, fell by more than a third in the big breakfast group but increased by 14.6 per cent in the "big dinner" group.
The researchers, led by Daniela Jakubowicz of the Tel Aviv University in Israel, wrote in the journal, Obesity, "Our results demonstrate that high-calorie breakfast shows increased compliance and is more beneficial than high-calorie dinner for weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and hunger suppression."
"Our study indicates that avoidance of large meals in the evening may be particularly beneficial in improving glucose and lipid (fat) profiles and may lead to reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases."
Posted: August 7, 2013
(http://www.anh-usa.org)Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has introduced a piece of legislation identical to the last disastrous one, the Dietary Supplement Labeling Act.
Senator Durbin says that the bill is designed to stop companies from "mislabeling products and making health claims that have no scientific basis" and "marketing supplements with impure or incorrectly identified ingredients." The funny thing is, is that these things are already against the law to do. In fact, nearly all of the provisions introduced in the bill are part of existing law. The few parts of the bill that aren't currently covered by the law are so vague that the FDA could interpret them any way they want.
The bill would require the FDA and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to compile a list of dietary supplement ingredients that could possibly lead to adverse effects on health or are otherwise deemed risky, at the FDA's discretion. Based off of their apparent preference to pharmaceutical drugs and downplaying of dietary supplements and the health benefits associated with good nutrition, the FDA and IOM hardly seem like reliable sources of information on the safety of these substances.
The bill makes no attempt to clearly define the powers granted to the FDA and includes no process to challenge their arbitrary determinations. If passed, it would give the FDA overwhelming power to add whatever substance it wants to the "bad list," ban it from use, and control what is available to consumers, thus controlling what they "choose" to put into their bodies. This bill is another step to a full FDA pre-approval system for supplements. Many supplement producers would not be able to afford the immense FDA approval costs (the average new drug costs $1 billion to get approved), consequently, most health foods and supplements would either become very expensive or no longer be marketed at all.
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