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Fatty Fish-oil May Help Reduce Tumour

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An omega 3 fatty acid found in fish oils reduced the size of tumours in mice and made a chemotherapy drug more potent while limiting its  harmful effects, Egyptian researchers reported.

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The findings, published in publisher BioMed Central‘s peer-reviewed Cell Division journal, add to evidence showing a range of health benefits from eating the fatty acids found in foods such as salmon. A.M. El-Mowafy and colleagues from Mansoura University in Egypt looked at how an omega 3 fatty acid called docosahexanoic acid, or DHA, affected solid tumours growing in mice and how well it interacted with the chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

“Our results suggest a new, fruitful drug regimen in the management of solid tumours based on combining cisplatin and possibly other chemotherapeutics with DHA,” El-Mowafy said in a statement. “DHA elicited prominent chemo-preventative effects on its own, and appreciably augmented those of cisplatin as well.” In March, U.S. researchers showed that a diet high in omega 3 fatty acids– the kind found in fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines- protected against advanced prostate cancer even in men more at risk of the disease.

The fatty acids, also found in foods such as walnuts and leafy greens, have been shown to provide an anti-inflammatory effect and have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. In their study, El-Mowafy’s team found that, at the molecular level, DHA reduces the accumulation of white blood cells, systemic inflammation, and a harmful condition marked by decreased antioxidant levels- all of which have been linked to tumour growth. Their experiment also showed that the fatty acid reduced toxicity and injury to kidney tissue caused by the chemotherapy drug, the researchers said.

Sources:The Times Of India

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Sunny Side Down

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SUNSCREEN  CREAM MAY CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO SKIN CELLS:- 

Do people get more than what they ask for when they apply the new generation sunscreens to protect their skin from the blistering sun? The question that has echoed several times in the past one decade may not have a clear answer as yet with the pendulum swinging in both directions. But a recent study, by a team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), in Lucknow, has some disturbing accounts to reveal.

The scientists from IITR (formerly Industrial Toxicology Research Centre), led by Alok Dhawan, found that a material, used in the nanoparticle form in some of the sunscreens hitting the market in the recent past can actually interfere with DNA present in the skin cells. Such changes can even lead to cancer. “The material — zinc oxide — otherwise a benign substance, seems to trigger some changes in the genetic material present in skin cells when it is in nanoparticle form,” said Dhawan. He was quick to add that the tests have been conducted only on laboratory human skin cells and that his team has not yet studied its effects on a living person.

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Sunscreens use either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the principal ingredient as both the substances possess the ability to scatter visible light — the primary objective of the cream, quite commonly used by sports personnel such as cricketers. In the conventional form, both the materials have a serious drawback: they remain as white patches on the skin. This disadvantage can be tackled by reducing the particle size. When they are smaller than 100 nanometres (one nanometre is one billionth of a metre), they don’t leave any mark on the skin and yet retain the sun-blocking property. “Such nanoparticles are 10 to 12 times smaller than a human skin cell and can easily penetrate,” explained Dhawan.

Nanoparticles — a million times smaller than a pinhead — are being hailed as the promise of the future. They are expected to revolutionise a number of fields, ranging from agriculture to health care to industry. They can find applications in drug delivery, cosmetics, electronics, textiles and many others. Many of these applications have progressed beyond the research stage.

However, there are conflicting reports about the adverse effects. Regulatory agencies, including those in the 21 countries that have cleared manufacturing and selling nanoparticle-based consumer products, are not absolutely clear about the toxic potential of these nanoparticles. For instance, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) periodically reviews new studies available on nanotechnology materials to assess their safety with regard to human health as well as the environment.

“There are unanswered questions about the impacts of nanomaterials and nanoproducts on human health and the environment,” EPA said in its last Nanotechnology White Paper released in 2007.

On the other hand, in a 2006 review specifically on zinc oxide nanoparticles-based sunscreens, Therapeutic Goods Administration (the Australian regulator) concluded, “There is evidence from isolated cell experiments that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can induce free radical formation in the presence of light and that this may damage these (skin) cells. However, this would only be of concern in people using sunscreens if the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide penetrated into viable skin cells. The weight of current evidence is that they remain on the surface of the skin and in the outer dead layer of the skin.”

The IITR study, however, has shown that even at low concentration zinc oxide nanoparticles can penetrate the outer layer of the skin.

According to Dhawan, the problem with current toxicology studies of nanoparticles is that most research groups test the materials on rat or mice skin. “These rodent skins are 10 times denser than the human skin, and hence the chances are lesser that the tiny particles could pass through,” he told KnowHow.

Besides, many studies have used the sun block creams in much higher concentration. As a result the pasted cream itself created a barrier to skin entry.

Dhawan said he, as a scientist, is not against using nanoparticles. “All I would say is, proper clinical trials should be conducted before they are allowed to enter the market.”

For him, caution is the key word when it comes to the use of nanoparticles in consumer products.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

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10 Dangerous Everyday Things in Your Home

toxins, toxic, danger, poisons, pesticides, mattress, bra, clothing, formaldehyde, fluoride, DBP, chlorine, dioxinHousehold consumer products injure 33.1 million people in the United States every year. These incidents cost $800 billion in related expenses from death, injury or property damages. And many scientists are starting to believe that, in particular, the chemicals found in a wide variety of the goods you use every day may be more toxic than previously thought. Here are 10 of the most common products that may be hazardous to your health:

10. Mothballs

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Since moths chew holes through clothing and other textiles, people pack away these stinky repellents to kill them. But studies on one active ingredient in some repellents, paradichlorobenzene, found that it can cause cancer in animals. Other types of moth balls use naphthalene, which after prolonged exposure can damage or destroy red blood cells, and which can also stimulate nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

9. Pesticides.

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Ninety percent of households in the United States use some form of pesticide, a broad term that encompasses a variety of chemical formulas that kill everything from tiny microorganisms up to rodents. In 2006, the American Association of Poison Control Centers received nearly 46,000 calls regarding children under 5 years old who had been exposed to potentially toxic levels of pesticides.

8. Pressed Wood Products

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This faux wood takes bits and pieces of logs and wood leftovers and combines them together. Pressed wood products include paneling, particle board, fiberboard and insulation, all of which were particularly popular for home construction in the 1970’s. However, the glue that holds the wood particles in place may use urea-formaldehyde as a resin. The U.S. EPA estimates that this is the largest source of formaldehyde emissions indoors. Formaldehyde exposure can set off watery eyes, burning eyes and throat, difficulty breathing and asthma attacks. Scientists also know that it can cause cancer in animals. The risk is greater with older pressed wood products, since newer ones are better regulated.

7. Chemicals in Carpets.

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­Indoor carpeting has recently come under greater scrutiny because of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with new carpet installation. The glue and dyes used with carpeting are known to emit VOCs, which can be harmful to your health in high concentrations. However, the initial VOC emissions will often subside after the first few days following.

6. Laser Printers Chemicals.

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­­A 2007 study found that some laser printers give off ultra fine particles that can cause serious health problems. Another study confirmed that laser and ink-jet printers can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone particulates. All of these have been linked with heart and lung disease.

5. Lead Paint.

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­In 1991, the U.S. government declared lead to be the greatest environmental threat to children. Even low concentrations can cause problems with your central nervous system, brain, blood cells and kidneys. It’s particularly threatening for fetuses, babies and children, because of potential developmental disorders. Many houses built before 1978 contain lead paint. Once the paint begins to peel away will, it release the harmful lead particles that you can inhale.

4. Air Fresheners and Cleaning Solutions

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­Air fresheners and cleaning solutions, when used excessively or in a small, unventilated area, can release toxic levels of pollutants. This comes from two main chemicals called ethylene-based glycol ethers and terpenes. While the EPA regards the ethers as toxic by themselves, the non-toxic terpenes can react with ozone in the air to form a poisonous combination. Air fresheners in particular are linked to many volatile organic compounds, such as nitrogen dioxide, and some fresheners also contain paradichlorobenzene, the same chemical emitted by mothballs.

3. Baby Bottles and BPA.

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Canada has taken the first steps to outlaw the sale of baby bottles made from polycarbonate plastics, which are the most common type on the market. It has done so because the plastics are made with a chemical called bisphenol-a (BPA). BPA has a structure very similar to estrogen and for that reason is referred to as a “hormone disruptor.” Hormone disruptors can interfere with the natural human hormones, especially for young children.

2. Flame Retardants

Commonly used in mattresses, upholstery, television and computer casings and circuit boards, flame retardants use polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs for short. Two forms of PBDEs were phased out of use in manufacturing in the United States in 2004 because of related health threats, but the products containing them linger on. Studies have linked PBDEs to learning and memory problems, lowered sperm counts and poor thyroid functioning in rats and mice. Other animal studies have indicated that PBDEs could be carcinogenic in humans, although that has not yet been confirmed.

1. Cosmetic Phthalates

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Phthalates, also called plasticizers, go into many products including hair spray, shampoos, fragrances, and deodorants. Phthalates bind the color and fragrance in cosmetic products, and are also used to increase the durability and flexibility of plastics. Like BPA, these hormone-like chemicals are linked to reproductive and developmental problems in animals. Because of these findings, California and Washington state have banned the use of phthalates in toys for younger children.

Sources:
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Your Granite Countertops Could Be Killing You

Demand for granite countertops has increased tenfold over the past decade. As their popularity has grown, so have the types of granite available. And along with increased sales volume and variety, there have been more reports of “hot” or potentially hazardous countertops, particularly among the more exotic varieties from Brazil and Namibia.

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Allegations that granite countertops may emit dangerous levels of radon and radiation have been raised periodically over the past decade. Health physicists and radiation experts agree that most granite countertops emit radiation and radon at extremely low levels.

But with increasing regularity in recent months, the EPA has been receiving calls from radon inspectors and concerned homeowners about granite countertops with radiation measurements several times above background levels.

Sources: New York Times July 24, 2008

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FDA Forced to Admit That Mercury Fillings are Hazardous

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If you’re like most people, you probably have cavities that have been filled with metal or a silver-mercury amalgam. While you probably recognize that such fillings are unattractive in your smile, you might not realize that they’re hazardous to your teeth.

Silver-mercury fillings react to temperature changes, expanding and contracting within your delicate tooth. This movement can weaken the tooth, causing it to break. It can also create a space between the tooth surface and filling that allows bacteria to enter, causing decay.

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Old, broken mercury fillings were replaced with beautiful, strong Porcelain onlays.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally admitted that metal dental fillings containing mercury can cause health problems in pregnant women, children and fetuses.
As part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by several consumer advocacy groups, the FDA agreed to alert consumers about the potential risks on its Web site and to issue a more specific rule next year for fillings that contain mercury.

The FDA’s Web site now states that: “Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses.”

Charles Brown, a lawyer for advocacy group Consumers for Dental Choice, said the agency’s move represented an about-face. According to Brown, “Gone, gone, gone are all of FDA’s claims that no science exists that amalgam is unsafe … The impact of the re-writing of its position on amalgam can hardly be understated. FDA’s website will no longer be cited by the American Dental Association in public hearings.”

You may click to see:->Mercury in your brain from amalgam fillings in your mouth.

>Amalgam Fillings: They are Hazardous to Your Health

Sources:

* eMax Health

* Reuters June 4, 2008

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