NEWSLETTER: MCSA NEWS - January/February 2013

MCSA NEWS
January-February 2013, Volume 8, Issue 1 

 

Entire PDF Edition: http://mcs-america.org/JanuaryFebruary2013.pdf (View, Download, and Print)

 

 

Inside This Issue:

• Op-Ed:  Restructuring Disability Programs Would Save Taxpayers Money and Benefit Claimants
• Research:  First Safety Survey of Intranasal Glutathione 
• Op-Ed:  Governor Proclamations Have Value Beyond Measure
• Patient Support & Resources
• Featured Research Studies

 

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities America

http://www.mcs-america.org

admin@mcs-america.org

 

Copyrighted © 2012-2013 MCS America

 

You have received this newsletter because you subscribed to it.

If you wish to unsubscribe, please send a message to unsubscribe@mcs-america.org.

 

This newsletter may be forwarded provided it is forwarded in it's entirety.

Some individuals may receive this newsletter through forwarded posts from independent listserves/groups.

If you no longer wish to receive mail, contact your administrator or unsubscribe from your listserv/group.

Read More

Latent viral immune inflammatory response model for chronic multisymptom illness.

Latent viral immune inflammatory response model for chronic multisymptom illness.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23265363

Maloney CS, Jensen S, Gil-Rivas V, Goolkasian P.

Med Hypotheses. 2012 Dec 19. pii: S0306-9877(12)00505-1. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.11.024. [Epub ahead of print]

Source
Deployment Processing Command-EAST, PCS Box 20086, Building 309, Camp Lejeune, NC 28542, United States; W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center, 1601 Brenner Avenue, Salisbury, NC 28144, United States.

Abstract
A latent viral immune inflammatory response (LVIIR) model is presented which integrates factors that contribute to chronic multisymptom illness (CMI) in both the veteran and civilian populations. The LVIIR model for CMI results from an integration of clinical experience with a review of the literature in four distinct areas: (1) studies of idiopathic multisymptom illness in the veteran population including two decades of research on Gulf War I veterans with CMI, (2) new evidence supporting the existence of chronic inflammatory responses to latent viral antigens and the effect these responses may have on the nervous system, (3) recent discoveries concerning the role of vitamin D in maintaining normal innate and adaptive immunity including suppression of latent viruses and regulation of the immune inflammatory response, and (4) the detrimental effects of extreme chronic repetitive stress (ECRS) on the immune and nervous systems. The LVIIR model describes the pathophysiology of a pathway to CMI and presents a new direction for the clinical assessment of CMI that includes the use of neurological signs from a physical exam, objective laboratory data, and a new proposed latent viral antigen-antibody imaging technique for the peripheral and central nervous system. The LVIIR model predicts that CMI can be treated by a focus on reversal of immune system impairment, suppression of latent viruses and their antigens, and healing of nervous system tissue damaged by chronic inflammation associated with latent viral antigens and by ECRS. In addition, the LVIIR model suggests that maintaining optimal serum 25 OH vitamin D levels will maximize immune system suppression of latent viruses and their antigens and will minimize immune system inflammation. This model also emphasizes the importance of decreasing ECRS to improve immune system function and to minimize nervous system injury from excess serum glucocorticoid levels. The proposed model supports growing evidence that increasing omega 3 essential fatty acid levels in nervous system tissues may decrease inflammation in the nervous system and improve neural plasticity and recovery from neuronal injury.

Read More

Quantitative analysis of organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, pyrethroid transformation products, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and bisphenol A in residential surface wipe samples.

Quantitative analysis of organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, pyrethroid transformation products, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and bisphenol A in residential surface wipe samples.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967312016822

J Chromatogr A. 2012 Dec 4. pii: S0021-9673(12)01682-2. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2012.11.003. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

Surface wipe sampling is a frequently used technique for measuring persistent pollutants in residential environments. One characteristic of this form of sampling is the need to extract the entire wipe sample to achieve adequate sensitivity and to ensure representativeness. Most surface wipe methods require collection of multiple samples for related chemicals or chemical classes having similar physiochemical properties. In an effort to analyze a broad suite of pollutants collected from a single surface wipe sample, we developed a new method for the analysis of selected organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, pyrethroid transformation products (TPs), bisphenol A (BPA) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). This is the first time this suite of compounds has been analyzed from a single indoor wipe sample because of the issues uniquely related to these sample types, namely high levels of interfering compounds such as phthalate esters and other residues found in the indoor environment. This new method uses extraction via sonication followed by solvent exchange into hexane, clean-up and liquid/liquid extraction. The extract portion containing insecticides and PBDEs is further purified using solid phase extraction prior to concentration and analysis. The portion containing BPA and TPs is solvent exchanged into ethyl acetate before concentration and derivatization with 99:1 trimethylsilyl 2,2,2-trifluoro-N-(trimethylsilyl)acetimidate:chlorotrimethylsilane. Wipe extract sub-classes were then analyzed by GC/MS in electron impact mode for insecticides, BPA and TPs while negative chemical ionization mode was employed for PBDEs. Method detection limits were <16.4 pg/cm2 for all compounds with most being <5 pg/cm2. Over 400 samples, including QA/QC samples, were analyzed with mean surrogate recoveries ranging from 76 to 95%. The most frequently detected chemicals from our suite were chlorpyrifos, permethrin, bisphenol A, BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-100. Permethrin (107 pg/cm2 on floors and 18 pg/cm2 on windows) and bisphenol A (110 pg/cm2 on floors and 6.8 pg/cm2 on windows) had the highest concentrations measured in the wipe samples. Results from the method evaluation and routine sample analysis are presented.

Read More

Small, Portable Sensors Allow Users to Monitor Exposure to Pollution on Their Smart Phones

Small, Portable Sensors Allow Users to Monitor Exposure to Pollution on Their Smart Phones
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/small_portable_sensors_allow_users_to_monitor_exposure_to_pollution_on_thei

"Computer scientists at the University of California, San Diego have built a small fleet of portable pollution sensors that allow users to monitor air quality in real time on their smart phones. The sensors could be particularly useful to people suffering from chronic conditions, such as asthma, who need to avoid exposure to pollutants."

Read More

Gulf War Nerve Agents And Veteran Ailments Linked In Scientific Paper

Gulf War Nerve Agents And Veteran Ailments Linked In Scientific Paper
http://www.healthaim.com/gulf-war-nerve-agents-and-veteran-ailments-linked-in-scientific-paper/

"A new scientific paper has revived the debate on veteran's illnesses from the 1991 Persian Gulf war.  The paper was published in the journal Neuroepidemiology and was authored by James J. Tuite and Dr. Robert Haley.  Dr. Haley has written previous papers asserting links between gulf war illnesses and chemical exposures."

Read More

Too much cell phone usage could affect your health

Too much cell phone usage could affect your health
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20121227147265

"In today's world having a cell phone has become an urgent necessity and not just an added luxury. In Saudi Arabia, everyone has a cell phone, starting from nine year olds. Some people even have two; one for work and one for social purposes. Although the trend has been increasing worldwide, it has been increasing exponentially here in the Kingdom.

A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development shows that there are 4 billion cell phone users across the globe, with Saudi Arabia coming in first as the country with the largest number of cell phone users worldwide.

The report revealed that there are 180 cell phones for every 100 residents in the Kingdom; a number which speaks for itself. Cell phone usage is also on the rise among teenagers and children.

How may excessive cell phone usage affect our health as a nation? What is considered safe or moderate usage of cell phones? How many of us are guilty of chatting away on the cell phone for half an hour, even though we were at home and could have easily used the landline?"

Read More

Association between methylmercury and cardiovascular risk factors in a native population of Quebec (Canada): A retrospective evaluation

Association between methylmercury and cardiovascular risk factors in a native population of Quebec (Canada): A retrospective evaluation
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935112002332

Beatriz Valeraa, Éric Dewaillya, Paul Poirierc.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2012.08.002, How to Cite or Link Using DOI

Abstract

Background
Epidemiological evidence suggests a negative impact of methylmercury (MeHg) on cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). This issue is of concern in Arctic populations such as in the Inuit of Nunavik since this contaminant is accumulated in fish and marine mammals, which still represent the subsistence diet of this population.

Objective
We examined the associations between MeHg and BP and resting HR among Inuit adults.

Methods
The "Santé Quebec" health survey was conducted in 1992 in the 14 villages of Nunavik and a complete set of data was obtained for 313 Inuit adults≥18 years. Blood samples were collected in order to determine total mercury, lead, total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), fasting glucose and lipid profile while socio-demographic variables were obtained through questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements as well as BP and resting HR were obtained using standardised protocols. Pulse pressure (PP: systolic BP minus diastolic BP) was also calculated. Multiple linear regression was used in order to determine the change in the dependent variables associated with the quartiles of MeHg concentration, taking the quartile 1 as reference.

Results
The mean age of the participants was 38±14 years and the sample was composed of 132 men (42.2%) and 181 women (57.8%). MeHg geometric mean was 15.4 μg/L (95%CI: 13.9–17.0) and levels ranged from 0.8 to 112.0 μg/L. Resting HR increased linearly across quartiles of blood MeHg concentration after adjusting for confounders (p for trend=0.02). An increase of 6.9 beats per minute (bpm) between the 4th and 1st quartile was observed after adjusting for confounders. No significant association was observed between blood MeHg and systolic BP, diastolic BP or PP.

Conclusions
MeHg was associated with increasing resting HR after considering traditional risk factors as well as other contaminants (lead and total PCBs) and n−3 PUFAs. In contrast, no significant association with blood pressure was observed in this study.

Read More