Bulletin Board May 12, 2006

Janet’s Corner - Not Too Seriously!
Great Writer

There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to

become a great writer.

When asked to define “great” he said, “I want to write stuff that the whole

world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff

that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!”

He now works for Microsoft, writing error messages.
E-mail Commandments

Thou shalt include a clear and specific subject line.

Thou shalt edit any quoted text down to the minimum thou needest.

Thou shalt read thine own message thrice before sendest it.

Thou shalt ponder how thy recipient might react to thy message.

Thou shalt check thy spelling and thy grammar.

Thou shalt not curse, flame, spam or USE all CAPS.

Thou shalt not forward any chain letter.

Thou shalt not rely on the privacy of email, especially from work.

When in doubt, save thy message overnight and reread it in the light of the dawn.

And, the Golden Rule of email:

That which thou findest hateful to receive, sendest thou not unto others.

Please note: articles for Janet’s Corner are not original, and come from various

sources. Author’s credits are supplied when available.

Gossip
Fatal Disease From Flavoring Raises Flags

2006-04-29

A potentially fatal lung disease linked to chemicals used in food flavorings

poses a growing health risk, according to government scientists who are

questioning the food industry’s willingness to protect its workers. Bronchiolitis

obliterans first emerged as a threat within the food industry in 2000, when

the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was called

to a southwest Missouri popcorn plant to investigate lung illnesses among

workers. Investigators subsequently found the disease among popcorn

workers throughout the Midwest. They linked it to diacetyl, a substance that

is found naturally in many foods but which also is artificially produced and

widely used as a less expensive way to enhance flavor or impart the taste

of butter. NIOSH has linked exposure to diacetyl and butter flavoring to lung

disease that sickened nearly 200 workers at popcorn plants and killed at

least three.

Dr Kathleen Kreiss, chief of field studies branch of NIOSH’s division

of respiratory disease study said that there have been recent reports of

bronchiolitis obliterans among workers in other plants that use flavorings

and in plants that make the flavorings. Bronchiolitis obliterans causes

inflammation and obstruction of the small airways in the lung by rapid

thickening or scarring. The irreversible condition is progressive and often

fatal without a lung transplant. Kreiss believe that inspections at some

plants are required to determine how widespread the exposure is. But while

scientists at NIOSH and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

want to intensify investigations, agency leaders say they don’t plan to act

because they believe enough is being done now. Meanwhile, the Food and

Drug Administration has allowed flavoring producers and sellers to decide

which chemicals are safe, and California’s occupational safety agency has

delegated health examinations of flavoring workers to an industry-paid

doctor.

News Day New, 24 April 2006

http://www.newsday.com/news/health
Ground Zero Workers Die From Respiratory Illness

2006-04-29

The government’s point man on September 11 health programs said he is

worried that an autopsy linking a retired detective’s death to recovery work at

ground zero may be a warning sign of other life-threatening cases. Dr. John

Howard also said it will take time to determine whether there is a scientific

link between deaths and exposure to toxic dust. Some epidemiologists have

said it will take 20 years or more to prove such a link. Howard, who is to meet

in New York this week with congressional leaders about ground zero health

issues, was tapped by the Bush administration in February to coordinate

the federal response to ongoing Sept. 11 health programs. That role took on

greater urgency with the April release of retired Detective James Zadroga’s

autopsy, which concluded “with a reasonable degree of medical certainty

that the cause of death in this case was directly related to the 9/11 incident.”

The autopsy said Zadroga died in January of respiratory failure caused by

exposure to toxic dust. Doctors and government officials worry Zadroga’s

death may be a so-called sentinel case, an early harbinger of future deaths

from such exposure. Howard said his primary goal is to find out how many

ground zero workers are suffering ill effects and the first issue is treatment

for them.

Fox News, 25 April 2006

http://www.foxnews.com/health/index
‘Meth’ Production Poses Risks to Many, Including EHS

Professionals

2006-04-29

The dangers of toxic exposure to clandestine methamphetamine or “meth”

laboratories extend far beyond the user and the “cook” who manufactures

the drug. They also put industrial hygienists - who test meth laboratory

sites for contamination and recommend cleanup procedures - as well as

first responders, law enforcement personnel and potentially many others

in harm’s way, according to the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

AIHA believes that the public should be informed of the dangers posed when

occupying or visiting dwellings that previously contained meth labs. Many

other occupations are potentially at risk, according to AIHA, including real

estate agents, landlords, property managers, prospective renters and home

buyers, garbage collectors, utility workers, plumbers and social service

agents. Children living in the vicinity of a meth lab can be at risk; in fact,

thousands of clandestine laboratory seizures each year involve children.

Visitors or neighbors can be harmed by the poisonous vapors that vent from

meth labs or from the toxic “cooking” debris that is sometimes buried outside

or flushed into septic systems. Household production of the drug creates

chemical dust and vapors that can seep into adjacent spaces, including

homes, apartments and hotel rooms. Walls, toys, furniture, plumbing

fixtures, septic systems and surrounding soil can be contaminated and may

require professional decontamination. AIHA suggests prospective renters

or homebuyers with concerns ask local law enforcement to run a criminal

check on the property and request documentation that the property was

decontaminated professionally.

Occupational Hazards News, 14 April 2006

http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news
Back-Door Cigarette Marketing

2006-04-29

At a time when marketing restrictions make it harder for tobacco

manufacturers to reach the youth market, a number of new candy-and

liqueur-flavored tobacco products are hitting the market. A review of internal

tobacco industry documents published in the November/December 2005

issue of Health Affairs showed that the industry has long sought to target

youth through new flavors, with one document stating that young people’s

interest in unusual flavors “may indicate new opportunities for enhanced-

flavor tobacco products that could leverage [brand’s] current strength among

young adult smokers”. The authors write that flavored cigarettes can promote

youth smoking initiation and help young occasional smokers become daily

smokers by reducing or masking the unpleasant taste of tobacco smoke.

The authors added there is little information on the potential health effects of

the flavorings themselves.

Environmental Health Perspectives Magazine - Volume 114/Number 2,

February 2006
In My Skin

2006-04-29

Rates of Melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, continue to climb. More than

tripling in Caucasians between 1980 and 2002, according to the America

Cancer Society. Researchers at University of Newcastle upon Tyne have

now developed a novel test that uses a small skin sample and responses to

a questionnaire to produce a personalized assessment of the risk individuals

face from their sun exposure to date. Patients also receive personalized

skin protection advice and can re-take the test to see how changes they

have made have affected their skin cancer risk. The “skinphysical” test was

launched at British clinics in the autumn of 2005.

Environmental Health Perspectives Magazine - Volume 114/Number 2,

February 2006
Decreased Melatonin Production Linked to Light

Exposure

2006-04-29

The incidence of breast cancer is up to five times higher in women living

in industrialized nations compared to those living in the developing

countries, and female night shift workers have particularly high rates of the

disease. One hypothesis for this is that night time exposure to artificial light

suppresses the nocturnal production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone

produced by the pineal gland and helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm

and immune function; it also suppresses tumor growth. A study by David E

Blask and George C Brainard from the National Institute of Environmental

Health Sciences (NIEHS) and their colleagues have confirmed that ocular

exposure to bright artificial light at night inhibits the production of melatonin,

which in turn may lead to increased risk of developing breast cancer. The

study involved implanting human breast cancer cells into female laboratory

mice, then transferring the malignant tumors that formed to female rats for

continued development. Blood samples were then collected from several

health premenopausal volunteers under 3 different conditions: during the

day, during the night followed by 2 hours of complete darkness, and during

the night followed by 90 minutes of exposure to bright fluorescent light. The

blood collected was then fused through the developing tumors.

The results showed a slowing of the growth of the tumor with the melatonin

rich blood collected following total darkness. The melatonin depleted blood,

collected to both daylight and bright fluorescent light showed stimulated tumor

growth. The tumor bearing rats were also exposed to varying intensities

of light during the darkness phase of an alternating 12 hour light/12 hour

dark cycle. These results showed that the degree to which the melatonin

production was suppressed depended on the magnitude of the light intensity

that the rats were exposed to during the dark phase. The authors said these

results established a role for the natural, nocturnal production of melatonin

as a preventative for human disease. They also emphasized the risks of

extensive exposure to bright artificial light at night, and point to the possibility

of preserving the integrity of circadian melatonin signals could help prevent

breast cancer.

Environmental Health Perspectives Magazine - Volume 114/Number 2,

February 2006
Study Points Toward Alternatives for Vioxx and Celebrex

2006-04-29

Researchers at Queen’s University and the University of Pennsylvania have

identified one reason why drugs like Celebrex and Vioxx - once popular for the

treatment of pain and inflammation - cause heart problems. Co-author Colin

Funk, a professor of Biochemistry and Physiology at Queen’s, and Canada

Research Chair in Molecular, Cellular and Physiological Medicine said since

the association of selective inhibitors of COX-2 such as Vioxx, Bextra and

Celebrex with an increased incidence of heart attack and stroke, there has

been intense interest in understanding the mechanism involved. The study

involved comparing genetically manipulated mice that mimic the impact of

either COX-2 inhibitors or low-dose aspirin with healthy mice treated with or

without COX-2 inhibitors, such as Celebrex. “The trials showed that COX-2

inhibitors confer a small, but absolute cardiovascular risk using the same

mechanism by which they relieve pain and inflammation,” Dr. Funk reports.

With these mice they were able to show that the likely outcome of aspirin is

to diminish the hazardous effects of the COX-2 inhibitors. The investigators

were surprised to find that not only the clotting response, but also the rise in

blood pressure caused by drugs like Celebrex, was reduced. Although these

studies indicate that aspirin would limit the cardiovascular risk, however,

it would also be expected to add to the risk of stomach problems. A more

promising finding came from a drug target that might substitute for COX-2:

an enzyme called microsomal prostaglandin E synthase (mPGES)-1. The

researchers showed that blocking this enzyme in mice did not predispose

the animals to thrombosis or elevate blood pressure.

Bio.com News, 18 April 2006

http://www.bio.com
Interactions with macrolides

2006-04-29

The macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin, roxithromycin, clarithromycin and

azithromycin) are well-known to interact with other medicines. In 10 years

from 1995 to 2004, Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee (ADRAC)

received 31 reports of a suspected interaction out of the 597 reports

involving erythromycin. The most commonly reported interacting drugs have

been warfarin, statins, cisapride, anticonvulsants and ergot derivatives.

The basis for these interactions is considered to be cytochrome P4503A,

particularly 3A4, and also p-glycoprotein, particularly for digoxin.1 It is

also possible that the interactions with warfarin have a mechanism which

does not involve CYP3A4. Roxithromycin is often considered to have less

potential for interactions than erythromycin due to its much lower affinity

for CYP3A4, but reports to ADRAC suggest otherwise. Of the 737 reports

for roxithromycin in the past ten years, 80 have described interactions. The

majority of these have described interactions with warfarin but there are also

reports of interactions with anticonvulsants, statins, digoxin and cyclosporin.

It is probable that the interaction with warfarin has a mechanism not involving

CYP3A4. Clarithromycin, a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4, has a similar level of

reported interactions, with 18 out of 193 reports. Warfarin is again the most

commonly suspected interacting medicine, and statins and anticonvulsants

are also represented. Azithromycin is considered to have little potential

for interactions but of the 111 reports received for this medicine, 6 have

described interactions with either warfarin or tacrolimus. Prescribers should

be aware of the potential for interactions with all of the macrolides, especially

with those medicines known to be subject to interactions such as warfarin,

digoxin, anticonvulsants, statins and immunosuppressants, many of which

also have a low therapeutic index.

Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin Volume 25, Number 2, April

2006,

http:// www.tga.gov.au
Triple-Drug Therapy Reduces Stroke Severity

2006-04-29

When ischemic strokes occur, patients who happen to be taking ACE

inhibitors, antiplatelet agents, and statins may have reduced the severity. In

a record review of 210 patients who arrived at the hospital within 24 hours of

stroke onset, those who had been on the triple therapy had lower National

Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores and smaller lesions on imaging than

patients who were on either two of the three agents, antiplatelet therapy

alone, or no therapy. Patients on triple therapy were also more likely to

have a shorter length of stay and better functional status on discharge.

Magdy Selim, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Beth Israel Deaconess

Medical Center here reported “Our results suggest that pre-stroke use of

antiplatelets in combination with statins and angiotensin-converting enzyme

inhibitors results in additive reduction in ischemic stroke severity and volume

of penumbral brain tissue at risk for infarction,” they wrote. Stroke severity

was determined by looking at both clinical and radiologic measures and

the results showed that patients on the triple therapy had a lower mean

NIH stroke scale score both at baseline and at discharge compared with

patients in the other treatment combinations, antiplatelet therapy alone, or

no treatment groups.

The differences among the groups remained statistically significant after the

authors controlled for confounding variables such as history of hypertension,

hyperlipidemia, stroke mechanism, and time from stroke onset to evaluation.

In addition, 65% of patients who took all three prophylactic agents showed

neurologic improvement as measured by a drop in stroke scale scores from

admission to discharge. In contrast, neurologic improvement occurred in

45% of patients in the antiplatelet plus ACE inhibitor group, 43% of those

on antiplatelets plus statin, 38% in those on antiplatelets alone, and in 33%

of those in the no-therapy group. Patients in the triple therapy group on

average spent less time in hospital when compared with the other groups.

When the investigators looked at functional status on discharge, they found

that 35% of those in the triple-drug group had a modified Rankin Scale score

< 2 on discharge. There was a trend toward smaller mean lesion volume

among patients on the triple therapy. The authors suggested that the benefits

of antiplatelets, statins, and ACE inhibitors go beyond their respective

antithrombotic, cholesterol-modifying, and antihypertensive effects, and

may include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as effects

of the drugs on vascular endothelial function. They cautioned that the study

results are limited by the small sample size and lack of randomization in

treatment allocation.

Google News, 24 April

http://news.google.com/news/gnhealthleftnav.html
Drug Conclusion

2006-04-29

It wasn’t contamination, it wasn’t a dosing error and there was nothing wrong

with the way the drugs were given. What actually caused the “unprecedented”

reaction that left six healthy volunteers fighting for their lives during a drug

safety trial in London last month was an unexpected biological effect of the

drug itself. That’s the conclusion of the UK government agency charged

with investigating the idcident. The drug TGN1412, triggered widespread

inflammation when it was injected into six men at Northwick Park Hospital

on 13 March, according to Parexel, the company running the trial. The

reaction was not seen in animals. “It is therefore unexpected that with 500-

fold dilution the effects were as great as they were in the human subjects”,

says Kent Woods, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products

Regulaiton Agency. An expert group has been set up to review the evidence

and assess how tests involving novel biological molecules should be run.

New Scientist Magazine, 15 April 2006
Beach bummer

2006-04-29

Bather’s health may be at risk in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,

Germany, Greece, Netherlands,Italy, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. The

11 Countries have removed some 7000 beaches from their official lists of

bathing sites in the past few years, and the European Commission suspects

this is because they may be polluted.

New Scientist Magazine, 15 April 2006
Antiviral coating is on the button

2006-04-29

Research at Queen Mary, University of London, has discovered a raft of metal,

metal oxide and ceramic nanoparticles that have strong antiviral properties.

Materials researcher Guagang Ren hopes to develop a face mask with

these particles which will destroy airborne viruses before they are breathed

in. This research is a joint venture between Ren and Qinetiq Nanoparticles a

London based research firm. Qinetiq’s technology chief Paul Reip says that

applying coatings to the buttons on vending machines, photocopiers and fax

machines in workplaces could limit the spread of viruses.

New Scientist Magazine, 15 April 2006
Hepatotoxicity with black cohosh

2006-04-29

Preparations of black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) are used commonly for

the relief of symptoms of menopause. Recently, reports have been received

in Australia and overseas of serious hepatic reactions occurring in association

with black cohosh use, and in four cases the patient experienced hepatic

failure requiring liver transplantation. Currently, Adverse Drug Reaction

Advisory Committee (ADRAC) is aware of 49 cases of hepatotoxicity with

black cohosh worldwide, including 11 Australian reports. The details of five

cases have been published. Many of the reports are confounded by use of

other medication and by the range of ingredients in the herbal formulation

being used. However, the lack of other identifiable causal substance/s and

exclusion of viral infection in the serious cases suggests that there may be

a causal association between black cohosh and serious hepatitis. There are

currently about 200 listed medicines containing black cohosh available in

Australia. Considering the widespread use of black cohosh in Australia and

around the world, the number of known cases of hepatotoxicity with this

substance is very low. Because of the perceived safety of herbal products,

it is possible that there have been cases for which the causal link has not

been suspected. The proportion of cases reported may be considerably less

than would be expected for a conventional medicine. Patients presenting

with hepatic dysfunction should be questioned about their use of alternative

medicines, including herbal and other complementary medicines, as well as

alcohol and conventional medicines. ADRAC asks that any cases suspected

of being caused by black cohosh (or any other medicine) are reported.

Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin Volume 25, Number 2, April

2006

http:// www.tga.gov.au
FDA Approves First Generic Pravastatin

2006-04-29

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic version

of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Pravachol (Pravastatin Sodium Tablets), an

important step in the agency’s effort to increase the availability of lower-cost

generic medications. Pravastatin is indicated for the treatment of individuals

with high cholesterol levels (hyperlipidemia) or who are at increased risk for

atherosclerosis-related cardiac and cardiovascular events, such as heart

attack and stroke in which high cholesterol levels are a factor. “This approval

is another example of our agency’s endeavor to counter rising health care

costs by approving safe and effective generic alternatives as soon as the

law permits,” said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Deputy Commissioner for Medical

and Scientific Affairs. “Pravastatin is a widely-used cholesterol-lowering

agent, and its generic version can bring significant savings to the millions of

Americans with this disease.”

Food & Drug Authority News, 24 April 2006

http://www.fda.gov/
Fishermen warn of suit over dioxin

2006-04-30

A group of commercial fishermen who operate in Sydney Harbour are

considering legal action against the NSW Government after they were found

to have above-average levels of dioxin in their blood. Commercial fishing in

the harbour was banned on January 24 after tests found bream and prawns

with unacceptable levels of dioxin. A test commissioned by the ABC’s 7.30

Report revealed that a 74 year-old fisherman had 10 times the average level

of dioxin in his bloodstream.

Turner Freeman lawyer, David Taylor, who is representing one of the

fishermen, said six more would see him next week to discuss legal action

over exposure to dioxins. “The key question is whether professional and

recreational fishermen were sufficiently warned or warned at all about

the risks associated with this contamination,” he said. Graeme Hillyard, a

fisherman on the industry advisory group, said the Government had not

tested fish until recently, despite a ban on fishing west of the Gladesville

Bridge since 1991 because dioxin levels near the old industrial area of

Homebush were too high. Exposure to massive levels of dioxins causing

skin lesions called chloracne are rare. But gradual exposure to dioxins

contained in food has been blamed for a series of illnesses, including cancer

and altered development rates in children. Recreational anglers in Sydney

have been told to release their catch or not eat more than 150g of fish a

month or 300g of prawns caught in the harbour. A tolerable daily intake of

dioxins was less than a picogram per kilogram of body weight.

The Australian News, 21 April 2006

http://www.theaustralian.com.au
Scientist engineer a powerful inhibitor of anthrax toxin

2006-04-30

In a study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectius Disease

(NIAID), Scientist have engineered a powerful inhibitor of the anthrax toxin.

Led by NIAID grantees Ravi S. Kane, Ph.D and Jeremy Mogridge, Ph.D., the

investigators built a fatty bubble studded with small proteins that can cling

tightly to the cell membrane receptor-binding protein used by anthrax toxin to

gain entry into a host cell. The protein-spiked fatty bubble, or “functionalized

liposome,” hampers a critical early step in the assembly process that

anthrax toxin must undergo to become fully active. The results from the

test tube experiments showed that the multiple short peptides were 10,000

times more potent than the unattached peptides. NIAID Director Anthony S

Fauci, M.D said that if further testing proved the effectiveness of the anthrax

inhibitor, then this technique may be an important additional treatment for

inhalation anthrax with the standard antibiotic therapy. Anthrax toxin has

three parts: protective antigen (PA), a protein that binds to a receptor on the

target cell surface; and two enzymes that must be transported into the cell to

cause damage. The enzymatic portions of the toxin enter the cell through a

pore created for them by PA after it binds to the cell’s outer surface. PA can

be seen as a bundle of seven cigar-shaped parts, a molecular arrangement

referred to as “polyvalent,” meaning it displays multiple binding sites. The

inhibitor designed by Dr. Kane and his colleagues is also polyvalent and

binds the toxin at multiple sites and is orders of magnitude more potent

than an inhibitor that binds at a single site. The multiple peptides on the

functionalized liposome are arranged with the same average spacing as

the binding sites of the PA molecule, which permits a firmer bond between

the two, explains Dr. Kane. When the inhibitor is bound tightly to PA, the

subsequent steps of enzyme entry cannot occur and the toxin is effectively

neutralized.

The anthrax inhibitor was tested in rats. The results showed when given in

relatively small doses, injection of the inhibitor at the same time as anthrax

toxin prevented five out of nine rats from becoming ill. Slightly higher doses

of the inhibitor prevented eight out of nine rats from being sickened by

anthrax toxin. Nine additional rats were injected with anthrax toxin only.

Of these, eight became gravely ill. Dr. Kane says the recent experiments

demonstrate a proof of principle and suggest that polyvalent inhibitors could

be used along with antibiotics in a clinical setting. Aside from its inherent

toxicity, anthrax toxin also accelerates the disease process. Thus, combining

antibiotics with a toxin inhibitor might act synergistically to lessen or halt

anthrax symptoms, notes Dr. Kane. Using the same technique of placing

multiple peptides on a liposome, the researchers also created a polyvalent

inhibitor of cholera toxin that functioned well in test-tube experiments. In the

next phase of their research, Drs. Kane and Mogridge and their colleagues

plan to test the action of their inhibitor in animals after infecting them with B.

anthracis and allowing the disease process to begin. They also will evaluate

the inhibitor with and without adjunct antibiotic therapy.

Science Daily, 24 April 2006

http://www.sciencedaily.com
Study finds link between metals and cancer

2006-04-30

Researchers studying the effects of arsenic and tungsten on pregnant mice

may have found a clue to the development of leukemia in 17 children in

Fallon, Nevada. University of Arizona research professor of pediatrics

and study co-author said the mouse “pups” exhibited the gene changes

associated with leukemia and brain cancer, but it’s unknown whether the

mice eventually would have developed either or both diseases. Previous

testing has shown Fallon has large amounts of tungsten and arsenic in its

groundwater and tungsten particles in its air. The town’s new treatment plant

has filtered arsenic from the municipal water supply since 2004. Tungsten is

naturally occurring in Nevada, so scientists couldn’t tell if the source of the

metal in Fallon was natural or industrial. The pattern of airborne tungsten

and cobalt in the town suggests a single source for the two metals, with the

“hard metals plant” the Kennametal manufacturing plant in Fallon -a likely

source.” It’s obvious to my mind that there’s a lot more study that has to be

done,” said Gary Peterson, the Kennametal plant manager. “We need to

learn, we need to go forward but we also need people to understand that it’s

a good place to live.”

Science Daily, 27 April 2006

http://www.sciencedaily.com
Arsenic-eating plant could save lives

2006-04-30

Arsenic poisoning could be responsible for one in ten deaths in northern

Bangladesh and India, the World Health Organization reports. But simply

introducing a new breed of arsenic-eating plants could help clean up

thousands of sites where the pollutant poses serious dangers to human

health. Researchers at the University of Georgia actually created the plant

years ago. But even though the plant could successfully isolate arsenic from

soil, the toxin remained in the plant’s roots, making safe disposal nearly

impossible. Now, a team lead by University of Georgia geneticist Richard

Meagher, has improved on this concept and discovered a way to move

the arsenic from the roots of the plant to the shoots on the Arabidopsis

plant (a member of the mustard family). The scientists call the strategy

phytoremediation - which cleans polluted soils through plants that draw out

poisons, makes them less harmful, and then allows them to be harvested.

It also has the potential to be used on millions of acres of arsenic-polluted

lands worldwide. This new breed of plant could pull six times more arsenic

into shoots than in the natural wild type of Arabidopsis. The technique could

also one day be applied to create arsenic-eaters among trees, shrubs, and

even grass species.

Discovery Channel News, 11 April 2006

http://reports.discoverychannel.ca
Germany: Use of the PIMEX system for the visualisation

of exposure

2006-04-30

Employees in plants are exposed to a range of health hazards, which occur

with varying intensity at different times. The PIMEX system (Picture Mixed

Exposure) was developed, initially, for the measurement and assessment

of exposure to hazardous substances and has been installed in the BGIA

(Berufsgenossenschaftliches Institut Arbeitsschutz). It can be used to

analyse and, where appropriate, correct the plant procedures and the

behaviour of employees immediately as exposure arises. An extension to

the system to permit its use for further areas such as those of atmospheric

conditions, hot workplaces, etc. is in preparation. When the PIMEX system

is used, data on the exposure arising during the work process are recorded

and displayed instantaneously together with the video recording. Exposure

peaks can be identified and traced back to their origins; the reasons for them

can be identified visually. A further advantage of the PIMEX system is that

affected employees can be informed immediately of incorrect behaviour,

and exposure can thus be avoided or reduced whilst the studies are still

in progress. The effectiveness of the measures can thus be documented

immediately afterwards, and further behavioural prevention measures

launched right away if necessary. The same applies to technical or

organizational processes. All study results (video recordings and records of

exposure data) can be stored on data media and used at a later stage for

training and instruction purposes.

JSP Update, April 2006
Mercury emissions from power plants increasing

2006-04-30

Mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants is increasing in America, even

as the Bush administration touts an overall decline in toxic chemicals that

industry has released into the environment. Though total mercury emissions

decreased less than 2 percent from 2003 to 2004, the amount blown into the

air by power plants increased 4 percent, federal data shows. Coal plants in

28 states, including Illinois, put more mercury into the air during 2004 than

the year before, offsetting lower amounts of the hazardous metal from plants

elsewhere. Utilities in Texas, churned out the largest increase in mercury

pollution. The increase is of particular concern in states like Illinois that rely

heavily on coal to generate electricity, environmental groups say, because

mercury tends to fall back to earth close to its source, and it takes only a

small amount to contaminate waterways. Mercury becomes more dangerous

as it moves up the food chain from fish to people.

A recent federal study estimated that 410,000 babies are born each year at

risk for mercury poisoning because of high levels in their mothers’ bodies.

Levels of the pollutant are high enough across the nation that 44 states

advise people-especially women of childbearing age and young children-to

avoid or limit eating certain types of fish. There are several explanations

for why mercury emissions went up or down in various states. In Illinois,

where about half the state’s electricity comes from coal plants, most utilities

have switched from coal mined within the state to sources in Wyoming and

other Western states. Western coal is less expensive and contains lower

amounts of sulfur, which is important for utilities facing federal requirements

to reduce sulfur dioxide pollution. But the coal generally contains more

mercury and generates less heat, meaning power plants have to burn more

of it to produce the same amount of electricity. As a result, airborne mercury

levels in Illinois jumped 28 percent from 1999 to 2002, the period when state

power plants began to switch aggressively to Western coal, according to an

analysis by the Illinois EPA.

Environmental Health News, 29 April 2006

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Preventing Toxic Terrorism

2006-04-30

The Department of Homeland Security and numerous security experts

have warned that terrorists could turn hazardous chemical facilities into

improvised weapons of mass destruction. There are 14,000 chemical

plants, manufacturers, water utilities and other facilities stores across

America, using extremely hazardous substances that can injure or kill

employees or residents in nearby communities if suddenly released. Some

of these facilities have replaced acutely hazardous chemicals with safer,

readily available alternatives-making themselves less appealing terrorist

targets, while also removing the ever-present danger of a serious accident.

The Center for American Progress, with assistance from the National

Association of State PIRGs and National Environmental Trust, conducted a

survey to identify such facilities and spotlight successful practices that have

removed unnecessary chemical dangers from our communities. This survey

(which covered facilities that no longer report using extremely hazardous

substances under the federal Risk Management Planning program) found

that facilities across the country, representing a range of industries, have

switched to safer alternatives from a variety of hazardous chemicals,

producing dramatic security and safety benefits at a reasonable cost.

Key findings from the survey showed 284 facilities have dramatically reduced

the danger of a chemical release into nearby communities by switching to

less acutely hazardous processes or chemicals or moving to safer locations.

Eleven of these facilities formerly threatened more than one million people;

another 33 facilities threatened more than 100,000; and an additional 100

threatened more than 10,000. Of respondents that provided cost estimates,

roughly half reported spending less than $100,000 to switch to safer

alternatives, and few spent over $1 million. Facilities reported replacing

gaseous chlorine, ammonia and sulfur dioxide, among other chemicals.

The most common reasons cited for making changes included the security

and safety of employees and nearby communities, as well as regulatory

incentives and business opportunities. Facilities cut a variety of costs and

regulatory burdens by switching to less hazardous chemicals or processes.

These facilities need fewer physical security and safety measures and can

better focus on producing valuable products and services. Despite the

progress made there are still thousands of facilities that have not switch to

safer alternatives.

Environmental Health News, 29 April 2006

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Study Links Cancer Rate to Massachusetts Dye Plant

2006-04-30

A disturbingly high number of cancer cases have been linked to a former

textile dye-making plant and its waste ponds, where several people now

battling cancer swam when they were children, state health officials say. A

seven-year study found that people who grew up in Ashland between the late

1960s and early ‘80s and swam in contaminated ponds were two to three

times more likely to develop cancer than those who had no contact with the

water. The cancer rate was nearly four times greater among people with a

family history of cancer and who also swam or waded in waste lagoons and

contaminated wetlands near the Nyanza Inc. dye plant, the Department of

Public Health said. Investigators interviewed 1,387 people who were aged

10 to 18 years old during the period 1965 to 1985 and lived in Ashland.

The study found 73 cases of cancer and eight cancer-related deaths.

About two-thirds of the cancers were diagnosed before age 35, and many

involved rare forms. Although the contamination was well-known, some

residents didn’t consider it a risk. The study was launched after Ashland

resident Kevin Kane, who played sports near the site as a child and once

fell in a lagoon, developed a rare cancer as a young man, along with four

childhood friends, in the 1990s. He died in 1998 at age 26. The Nyanza site

was added to the federal Superfund cleanup list in 1983. The 35-acre site

is near Ashland Junior & Senior High School and is surrounded by homes.

Nyanza’s successor companies agreed to pay $13 million of the total $46

million the government has spent on cleanup, said Jim Murphy of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency.

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, 26 April 2006

http://www.cieh.org
In US, chicken comes with side order of arsenic

2006-04-30

Arsenic may be called the king of poisons, but it is everywhere: in the

environment, in the water we drink and sometimes in the food we eat.

The amount is not enough to kill anyone in one fell swoop, but arsenic is a

recognized cancer-causing agent and many experts say that no level should

be considered safe. Arsenic may also contribute to other life-threatening

illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes, and to a decline in mental

functioning. Yet it is deliberately being added to chicken in the US, with

many scientists saying it is unnecessary. Until recently there was a very high

chance that if you ate chicken some arsenic would be present because it

has been a government-approved additive in poultry feed for decades. It is

used to kill parasites and to promote growth.

The chicken industry’s largest trade group says that arsenic levels in its birds

are safe. Spokesman for the National Chicken Council, Richard Lobb said

that they were not aware of any studies showing harm to human health as a

result of the use of these products. Chickens are not the only environmental

source of arsenic. In addition to drinking water, for which the Environmental

Protection Agency now sets a level of 10 parts per billion (ppb), other

poultry, rice, fish and a number of foods also contain the poison. Soils are

contaminated with arsenical pesticides from chicken manure; chicken litter

containing arsenic is fed to other animals; and until 2003, arsenic was used

in pressure-treated wood for decks and playground equipment.

Human exposure to it has been compounded because the consumption

of chicken has exploded from 12.7Kg per year in 1960 to about 39.46kg

per person in 2005. In spite of this threefold rise, the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) tolerance level for arsenic in chicken of 500ppb, set

decades ago, has not been revised.

A 2004 Department of Agriculture study on arsenic concluded that “the higher

than previously recognized concentrations of arsenic in chicken combined

with increasing levels of chicken consumption may indicate a need to review

assumptions regarding overall ingested arsenic intake.” Those at greatest

risk from arsenic are small children and people who consume chicken at a

higher rate than what is considered average. Arsenic-free chicken is now

more readily available than it has been in the past. Tyson Foods, the US’

largest chicken producer, has stopped using arsenic in its chicken feed. Bell

& Evans and Eberly chickens are arsenic-free. There is a growing market in

organic chicken and birds labeled “antibiotic-free”: neither contains arsenic.

Environmental Health News, 29 April 2006

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Farms still affected by Chernobyl

2006-04-30

Ten farms in Scotland are still under restrictions because of radioactive

contamination from the Chernobyl disaster exactly 20 years ago. The

Food Standards Agency said it may be several years before the farms in

Stirlingshire and East Ayrshire can be given the all-clear to sell stock. About

3,500 sheep are currently being monitored but farmers’ leaders have called

for a new risk assessment. A plume of radioactivity blew across Europe

after the accident in 1986. Heavy rain soon afterwards washed some of

the contamination onto parts of upland Scotland. Radioactivity clung to the

peaty soil and was taken up by grazing sheep. The movement and sales

restrictions were lifted on almost 3000 farms by the end of 1986 but were

reimposed on 73 farms when contamination returned in the next crop of

lambs. It has been a slow process clearing the entire Scottish flock, as

some contamination remained. Stuart Purdie, an agricultural officer with the

Scottish Executive’s rural affairs department, carries out testing on lambs.

“Background reading using the monitor against one of ourselves, find the

background reading for the day, there’s a factor then added onto that for

a pass limit so that we know whether the animals are above or below the

accepted level.” The FSA monitors all sheep-meat leaving restricted farms

to ensure it is well below the safety limit. The process involves gathering

sheep once a year for testing and getting subsequent tests before animals

can be sent for slaughter. The FSA said it reviewed the situation regularly,

but there were too many factors involved to determine accurately when the

restrictions would be lifted. So far, more than £3m in compensation has

been paid to farmers in Scotland.

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, 26 April 2006

http://www.cieh.org
Millions of workers’ health to be protected by Europe’s

first multisector agreement

2006-04-30

More than 2 million workers in many different sectors across Europe will

be covered by the first European multisector agreement. It will protect

workers exposed to crystalline silica dust, which can lead to silicosis, a

potentially fatal lung condition. Silicosis is also linked to other dangerous

lung conditions, such as emphysema and lung cancer. The agreement aims

to reduce workers’ exposure to crystalline silica dust through good practice

in the workplace. Crystalline silica is a mineral which accounts for around

12% of the Earth’s crust and is widely used in activities such as blasting,

bagging and mixing materials, grinding and spray glazing. Inhaling respirable

crystalline silica can lead to silicosis. Workers in most sectors involved in

use of silica crystalline will be covered by the agreement. These include

aggregates, extractive industries, cement, foundries, glass industry, ceramic

industry, industrial minerals, mineral wool, natural stone industry, mortar,

pre-cast concrete and metalliferous minerals. Ancillary activities related to

these sectors, such as handling of materials, storage and transport are also

covered by the agreement.

Some 13 European employers’ organisations will join the EMCEF (European

Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers’ Federation) and EMF (European

Metalworkers’ Federation), IMA Europe (European Industrial Minerals

Association), Euromines (European Association of Mining Industries) to sign

the agreement. According to the agreement, ‘the employers and employees

and the workers’ representatives will jointly make their best endeavours

to implement the good practices at site level in as far as applicable’. This

‘good practice’ list will be subject to a permanent adaptation and updating

procedure. A monitoring committee with equal numbers of employee and

employer representatives will settle questions on the application and

interpretation of the agreement. It will also write a sector-by-sector report

on the application of the text, which will be forwarded to their members, the

European Commission and the national authorities responsible for workers’

safety. Six months after being signed, the agreement will come into force

for four years and will then be renewed automatically for consecutive two-

year periods. If, in future, EU legislation in relation to silica crystalline were

proposed, the signatories of the agreement would meet to consider the

consequences for the agreement.

Environmental Hazards, 28 April 2006

http://www.hazards.org.uk/
Radon Gas, A Leading Cause Of Lung Cancer In Non-

Smokers

2006-04-30

Smoking, including exposure to second-hand smoke, and radon exposure

are the leading causes of lung cancer, and radon is the primary cause of

lung cancer diagnosed in non-smokers. Cigarette smoking and exposure to

second-hand smoke cause an estimated 163,000 lung cancer deaths in the

U.S. every year. Radon is the cause of another 21,000 lung cancer deaths

annually in the United States, according to U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency estimates. Radon, a colorless, odorless tasteless gas, is produced

as part of the natural decay process of uranium. Highly mineralized areas,

such as those in Colorado and its mountains, have a bounty of metals,

including uranium. As a result, the risk to Coloradans from exposure to

radon gas indoors is higher than the national average. Radon risk comes

from long-term exposure to radon in indoor air.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment News, 9 March

2006

http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/release/press/
In Chemical Genetics, A New Strategy Could Speed Drug

Discovery

2006-04-30

Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have developed a new technique

to speed discovery of drug targets in chemical genetics. Jeffrey R. Peterson,

Ph.D., and his colleagues describe a new way to swiftly find the proteins

targeted by small molecule inhibitors during high-throughput screening (HTS)

experiments. The new work offers a critical solution to a common stumbling

block in this booming field of drug discovery. HTS allows researchers to

test thousands of small drug-like molecules at once for a specific biological

activity, such as inhibiting the cell movements that allow cancer cells to

spread in the body. Screening for potential new drug compounds in complex

systems differs from the traditional drug discovery approach, which begins

with one particular protein of interest and tries to find inhibitors for that

specific target. By starting with many small molecules and screening for

a certain biological effect, researchers rapidly pinpoint drug candidates.

But that’s where chemical genetics hits a wall. Once researchers find an

inhibitor, or potential drug, they want to know how it works, by identifying the

protein on which the inhibitor acts. In this case, Peterson and his colleagues

identified an inhibitor called pirl1, which, when added to cell extracts, blocks

the assembly of actin fibers used for cell motility. Pirl1, however, like many

small molecule inhibitors, binds to its target only weakly.

Peterson and his colleagues adapted a technique called genetic suppression

screening, which is used to identify an unknown gene that causes a certain

biological effect; to create a technique called biochemical suppression. The

team tested batches of separated cell extract proteins to see if they could

add back the one protein being inhibited, and therefore restore actin fiber

assembly. When a batch of proteins restored the activity, that batch was

separated into even smaller batches, until finally, the researchers narrowed

the search down to two possible target protein complexes, Cdc42/RhoGDI

and Arp2/3. In the test tube, pirl1 did not directly inhibit Arp2/3, but it did inhibit

Cdc42/RhoGDI. It turns out that Arp2/3 acts downstream of Cdc42/RhoGDI

in the pathway that assembles the actin fibers. This shows an advantage

of the biochemical suppression method--discovering other proteins in the

same biological pathway. Also, biochemical suppression allows researchers

to identify the target even if it is composed of a more than one protein. In fact

with pirl1, the target turned out to be a complex of two proteins, Cdc42 and

RhoGDI. These advantages make this technique a powerful way to identify

multiple components of a complex biological system, such as the spread of

cancer cells.

Bio.com, 21 April 2006

http://www.bio.com