"Rich vs. Poor" Health
The following timeline was created to help illustrate how potential and/or cumulative influence and/or events can impact [for good or for bad] upon individual human health. In some places, bold type highlights were added for quick summary review. [- E.M.]
January 2010
2010 - Antidepressants & Mild Depression - January 6th, 2010: "Antidepressants not much help for mild depression / Study finds ['published today in the Journal of the American medical Association.'] any improvement likely results from just seeing a doctor, not from taking pill." [Based on: Title for Los Angeles Times article, p. A1, S.L.P.D., 01/06/10]
2010 - FDA now questions safety of BPA - January 16th, 2010: "In a shift of position, the Food and Drug Administration is expressing concerns about possible health risks from bisphenol-A, or BPA, a widely used component of plastic bottles and food packaging that it declared safe in 2008. [NP] The agency said Friday [01/15/10] that it had 'some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children,' and would join other federal health agencies in studying the chemical in both animals and humans." [Based on: News Services article (FDA now questions safety of BPA), p. A15, S.L.P.D., 01/16/10]
2010 - Evolution of Adaptive Behaviour in Robots by Means of Darwinian Selection - January 26th, 2010: http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1000292
2010 - Nanoprinter could have cells lining up to be tested - January 31st, 2010: "BORROWING a trick from the office photocopier may make it possible for a nanoscale printer to precisely manipulate biological cells for use in artificial tissue. [NP] In 2007, John Rogers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and colleagues produced a printer small enough to print electronic circuits from conductive ink on the nanoscale. By modifying the technique, they think it should be possible to manipulate biological cells or biomolecules such as DNA, says Rogers. [....] Once a pattern of charge is printed onto a substrate, the static could attract charged molecules and cells, marshalling them into shape in the same way toner inside a photocopier is forced into the required design. [....]"
[Based on: NewScientist article (Nanoprinter could have cells lining up to be tested), 31 January 2010 by Colin Barras]
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527455.700-nanoprinter-could-have-cells-lining-up-to-be-tested.html
February 2010
2010 - Plants ease farm drug risk - February 15th, 2010: "Scientists worry that the routine use - some say overuse - of antibiotics in livestock could lead to strains of antibiotic resistant disease in humans. [NP] Researchers at the University of Missouri's Center for Agroforestry believe they've found a way to mitigate the potential risk. [NP] The researchers performed three different studies, looking at whether buffer strips - of grasses or other plants - grown strategically in farm fields can capture and dilute antibiotics that livestock eliminate and farmers distribute as fertilizer. They found, in one study, that such buffers could reduce up to 80 percent of the total mass of antibiotics in an animal's manure. In the others, they determined that buffers improved soil's ability to improve the uptake of pollutants, and that certain plants are especially effective in dissipating the drug compounds. [NP] 'We're hoping with these buffers that we can prevent these antibiotics from making their way into water resources and then find a process by which the compounds are degraded more quickly,' said Keith Goyne, an assistant professor of soil chemistry. [NP] Goyne estimates that 30 to 80 percent of any given dose of antibiotics ends up as waste rather than absorbed by the animal. One study, by the Washington-based Union of Concerned Scientists, said that 70 percent of all the antibiotics sold in the United States, or roughly 50 million pounds, are given to food animals for nontherapeutic uses. Though the concentrations are generally quite low, a body of research says that these antibiotics are making their ways into streams, rivers and lakes. [NP] Some farmers already grow these buffers to capture and dillute herbicides or insecticides, or control erosion. Goyne and his colleagues hope their newest findings will encourage more farmers to plant them. [NP] 'That's one of the nice things about the buffers,' Goyne said. 'People have been using them for other reasons. This is just an additional incentive.' " [Based on: article (Plants ease farm drug risk / Grassy buffers help protect soil, water and humans from animal antibiotics.) by Georgina Gustin, p. A9 , S.L.P.D., 02/15/10]
2010 - Chronic Health Problems / 1 in 4 U.S. Children? - February 17th, 2010: "1 in 4 children [U.S.A.] have health problems ['according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association']" [Based on: Title for News Services article, p. A8, S.L.P.D., 02/17/10]
2010 - $1 trillion Shortfall? / Public Sector Retirement Benefits, U.S.A. - February 19th, 2010: "States may be forced to reduce benefits, raise taxes or slash government services to address a $1 trillion funding shortfall in public sector retirement benefits, according to a new study ['The Pew Center on the states released a survey Thursday of state-administered pension plans, ....'] that warns of even more debilitating costs if immediate action isn't taken. [....]" [Based on: Staff & Wire Reports article (States warned of gap in pensions), p. A10, S.L.P.D., 02/19/10]
2010 - Punitive Damages / Wyeth - February 23rd, 2010: "Pfizer Inc's Wyeth unit was ordered to pay $6 million in punitive damages to an Alabama woman who developed breast cancer after taking the company's menopause drugs, bringing the total award in the case to $9.45 million. [....]" [Based on: Bloomberg News article (Wyeth ordered to pay / Award in suit amounts to $9.45 million.), p. A5, S.L.P.D., 02/23/10]
2010 - 67 percent of people have cell phones - February 24th, 2010: "Some 4.6 billion people are now cell phone subscribers, according to a report by the United Nations, meaning 67 percent of all the people in the world are covered. [....] The report tallied cell phone, landline telephone and Internet usage in 159 countries. The report found that 1.7 billion people, or 26 percent of the world's population, were online last year, up from 11 percent in 2002, but four out of five people living in poor countries had no access to the Internet." [Based on: News Services article (67 percent of people have cell phones), p. A8, S.L.P.D., 02/24/10]
March 2010
2010 - Aspirin & Hearing Loss? - March 3rd, 2010: "[....] New research [American Journal of Medicine] suggests that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and other analgesics can substantially increase the risk of hearing loss, especially in men younger than 50 . [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Headache gone? Your hearing may be next), p. A7, S.L.P.D., 03/03/10]
2010 - Medicine at molecular level going collaborative - March 15th, 2010: "[....] It sounds a bit futuristic, but St. Louis-area scientists are manipulating individual atoms and molecules to create structures and materials so small that a thousand could fit in the dot above an 'i' [NP] And many of them believe that thinking small - very small - could help treat big-name diseases. In fact, one newly formed St. Louis research consortium is fostering new research that relies on nanotechnology to combat illnesses like cancer and kidney and heart disease. [....]" [Based on: Article (Medicine at molecular level going collaborative / One research project in area involves siccing particles laced with protein from bee venom on cancer.), p. A1, S.L.P.D., 03/15/10]
2010 - EPA Scrutiny / Flea & Tick Treatments - March 18th, 2010: "EPA says [03/17/10] flea, tick treatments can kill pets, vows action" [Based on: Title for A.P. article by Matthew Daly, p. A11, S.L.P.D., 03/18/10]
April 2010
2010 - Vitamin E helps - April 29th, 2010: "New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that people with an obesity-related liver disease got a surprising benefit from vitamin E pills. It's believed to be the first time a vitamin supplement has been shown to help treat a major ailment not caused by a nutrient deficiency." [Based on: News Services article (Vitamin E helps), p. A12, S.L.P.D., 04/29/10]
2010 - Living Right / Icelandic Men & Cypriot Women - April 30th, 2010: "Icelandic men, Cypriot women are living right ['lowest risk of dying worldwide' - 'The study was published Friday in the medical journal, Lancet.']" [Based on: Title for News Services article, p. A11, S.L.P.D., 04/30/10]
May 2010
2010 - Another school attack keeps China on edge - May 1st, 2010: "[....] The extra security has been added in the aftermath of a string of attacks against school-children, some as young as 4, who have been stabbed, slashed, bludgeoned and most recently set on fire. [NP] Five attacks have taken place in five provinces in little more than a month, three in the last three days alone. The latest came Friday morning [04/30/10] when a 45-year-old farmer crashed through the front gate of an elementary school in Weifang, Shandong province, armed with an iron hammer and a jug of gasoline. [NP] The man, identified as Wang Yonglai, attacked children with the hammer, then tried to immolate himself while clutching two children. Teachers pulled the children away from Wang, who set himself on fire and died of his injuries. Five injured children were reported in stable condition. [NP] Few Chinese have guns, so the attacks have all involved knifes, cleavers and other common household tools. Many people believe the assailants, mostly unemployed men, have been venting their frustration against social inequity, attacking the most defenseless element of society, young children. [....] A businessman in southern China was reported to have hired a well-known kung fu master to protect his 6-year-old daughter. [NP] In the recent attacks, 10 people have been killed, dozens injured and millions more terrorized, although the Chinese news media have offered scant reporting on the attacks, trying to avoid public hysteria and to discourage copycats. [....] Luke Liu, 28, was part of a crowd milling about at a hospital in Taixing, Jiangsu province, where 32 people were being treated for stab wounds after an attack at a kindergarten Thursday. [....] The Taixing case involved the youngest victims to date, children as young as 4, some of whom had their throats slashed, and ears and hands nearly severed. None of the children were reported to have died, although five children were in critical condition." [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Another school attack keeps China on edge) by Barbara Demick, p. A17, S.L.P.D., 05/01/10]
2010 - Cancer Costs / U.S.A. - May 10th, 2010: "[....] The total cost of cancer treatments [in the U.S.A.] rose from nearly $25 billion in 1987 to more than $48 billion by the end of 2005. The study is being published in Cancer, a medical journal of the American Cancer Society." [Based on: Title for News Services article (Cancer costs have doubled in 20 years), p. A7, S.L.P.D., 05/10/10]
2010 - Acid fighters can bring on bone breaks - May 11th, 2010: "The widely used family of acid-reducing drugs that includes Prilosec, Nexium and Protonix increases the risk of bone fractures by about 25 percent and can more than double the risk of contracting the troublesome bacterium Clostridium difficle, new studies released confirm. [NP] The increased risk is not thought to be caused by the drugs themselves, but by the sharply reduced levels of acid in the stomach and intestinal tract, which make the organs a more hospitable environment for infectious agents like C. difficile and which can impair the uptake of the calcium required for strong bones. [NP] The drugs have also been shown to increase the risk of pneumonia. [NP] The risks are relatively small, but the drugs are so widely used that large numbers of people are affected by them, wrote Dr. Mitchell H. Katz of the San Francisco Department of Public Health in an editorial accompanying the reports, which were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. [NP] Katz noted that 113.4 million prescriptions for the drugs, known as proton pump inhibitors, are written each year and that large numbers are sold without prescriptions. [NP] The family of drugs, which also includes Losec, Zegerid, Prevacid and omeprazole, also are widely used to treat simple heartburn, and that is the condition for which they are most widely overused, experts said." [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Acid fighters can bring on bone breaks) by Thomas H. Maugh II, p. A15, S.L.P.D., 05/11/10]
2010 - ADHD in kids to pesticides in food - May 17th, 2010: "New analysis links ADHD in kids to pesticides in food ['The studies were published Monday in Pediatrics.']" [Based on: Title for A.P. article by Carla K. Johnson, p. A13, S.L.P.D., 05/17/10]
2010 - Drug-resistant staph increasing in kids - May 17th, 2010: "Drug-resistant staph increasing in kids, study says ['The results were published today in the journal pediatrics.]" [Based on: Title for A.P. article by Lindsey Tanner, p. A13, S.L.P.D., 05/17/10]
2010 - Cancer, cell phone link appears inconclusive - May 17th, 2010: "Cancer, cell phone link appears inconclusive / Most cell phone use does not increase risk, but jury is still out, researchers acknowledge ['... report to be published in a medical journal Tuesday' .... The study's lead authors are presenting their findings to the media in Geneva today.']." [Based on: Title for A.P. article by Frank Jordans, p. A9, S.L.P.D., 05/17/10]
2010 - Functioning Semi-Synthetic Microorganism - May 21st, 2010: "In a major step toward the creation of artificial life, researchers announced Thursday [05/20/10] that they had inserted DNA synthesized in a laboratory into the nucleus of a living cell that had been stripped of its own DNA, obtaining a functioning semi-synthetic microorganism. [NP] The artificially created cell - a bacterium - did not have any unusual characteristics, because the inserted DNA was a chemical copy of an existing genone. But the feat showed that synthesizing a genome and having it control a cell can be done, paving the way for the creation of microbes with specialized properties that could be of great value to industry. [....] Calling the accomplishment a 'benchmark,' molecular geneticist Paul Kelm of Northern Arizona University, added: 'It points toward a future in genetic engineering where, instead of doing single gene-engineering events, we will have the ability to do very complex genetic engineering feats that will involve the combination of many complex biological functions.' [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Artificial-life discovery is announced) by Thomas H. Maugh II & Shari Roan, p. A17, S.L.P.D., 05/21/10]
2010 - Tanning beds unsafe? - May 27th, 2010: "Risk of melanoma is up to four times higher among people using them, new study finds. But the tanning bed industry disputes the findings." [Based on: Article (Tanning beds unsafe?), p. A1, S.L.P.D., 05/27/10]
June 2010
2010 - American cigarettes deadlier - June 2nd, 2010: " [....] American cigarettes are typically made from 'American blend' tobacco, a specific blend that, because of growing and curing practices, contains higher levels of cancer-causing tobacco-specific nitrosamines [the CDC reported Tuesday]. [....]" [Based on: Title for News Services article (American cigarettes deadlier), p. A8, 06/02/10]
2010 - Cell phone law / San Francisco, California - June 16th, 2010: "San Francisco passed a law Tuesday [06/15/10] that requires retailers to display the amount of radiation each cell phone emits." [Based on: News Services article (Cell phone law), p. A18, S.L.P.D., 06/16/10]
2010 - Drinking Coffee may help prevent diabetes - June 17th, 2010: "Drinking coffee ['according to a new study published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.'] may help prevent diabetes [It's the caffeine, say scientists from Nagoya University in Japan.']" [Based on: Title for Baltimore Sun article, p. B7, S.L.P.D., 06/17/10]
2010 - $30 million a year sought over Agent Orange - June 17th, 2010: "A joint panel of U.S. and Vietnamese policymakers, citizens and scientists released an action plan, urging the U.S. government and other donors to provide an estimated $30 million annually over 10 years to clean up sites still contaminated by dioxin, a toxic chemical used in Agent Orange." [Based on: News Services article ($30 million a year sought over Agent Orange), p. A23, S.L.P.D., 06/17/10]
2010 - Eyesight restored - June 24th, 2010: "People who were blinded or suffered severe eye damage when they were splashed with caustic chemicals had their sight restored with transplants of their own stem cells - a stunning success for the burgeoning cell-therapy field, Italian researchers reported. The treatment worked completely in 82 of 107 eyes and partially in 14 others, with benefits lasting up to a decade so far." [Based on: News Services article (Eyesight restored), p. A19, S.L.P.D., 06/24/10]
2010 - Too much salt - June 25th, 2010: "Most U.S. adults should eat less than a teaspoon of salt each day, but a new government report says just 1 in 18 meet that goal. 'This is not good news,' said Janelle Peralez Gunn of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead author of a new study released." [Based on: News Services article (Too much salt), p. A13, S.L.P.D., 06/25/10]
2010 - Regrown lungs work in rats - June 25th, 2010: "It's an early step toward one day building new lungs: Yale University researchers took apart and regrew a rat's lung, and then transplanted it and watched it breathe. The lung stayed in place only for an hour or two, as the scientists measured it exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide much like a regular lung - but also spotted some problems that will take more research to fix." [Based on: News Services article (Regrown lungs work in rats), p. A13, S.L.P.D., 06/25/10]
2010 - FDA wants to limit antibiotics in animals - June 29th, 2010: "The Food and Drug Administration is urging meat producers to limit the amount of antibiotics they give animals. The FDA said the use of antibiotics in meat poses a 'serious threat' because they create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect humans who eat the meat." [Based on: News Services article (FDA wants to limit antibiotics in animals), p. A5, S.L.P.D., 06/29/10]
July 2010
2010 - Glucosamine Study - July 7th, 2010: "Study [released 07/06/10 in the Journal of the American Medical Association] says glucosamine is no relief for back [lower back] pain" [Based on: Title for News Services article, p. A8, S.L.P.D., 07/07/10]
2010 - Trivia / HIV Vaccine? - July 9th, 2010: "[....] Federal researchers have identified a pair of naturally occurring antibodies [see online edition of journal Science for 07/08/10] that are able to kill more than 90 percent of all strains of the AIDS virus, a finding they say could lead to the development of new treatments for HIV infections and to the production of the first successful vaccine against the virus. [....]." [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Finding is another step to HIV vaccine / Researchers ID antibodies that kill most strains of AIDS-causing virus) by Thomas H. Maugh II, p. A19, S.L.P.D., 07/09/10]
2010 - Rise in U.S. Poverty? - July 12th, 2010: "New data expected to show rise in U.S. poverty / Numbers due in September may illustrate the biggest year-to-year increase in recorded history." [Based on: Title for Stateline.org article by Christine Vestal, p. A10, S.L.P.D., 07/12/10]
2010 - Genetically-Modified Salmon? / U.S.A. - July 12th, 2010: "Mixed-gene salmon takes leap toward U.S. tables / Current of opinion about crops may float fish's OK from FDA." [Based on: Title for McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS article by Les Blumenthal, p. A12, S.L.P.D., 07/12/10]
2010 - No Testing for Dispersants? / Gulf Seafood - July 14th, 2010: "Inspectors from the Food and Drug Administration pull seafood right from the dock or from the distributor floor and subject it to lab tests to rule out the presence of harmful chemicals found in oil spewing from the BP spill. However, no one is testing saefood to tell whether it has absorbed the dispersants being used to break up oil." [Based on: Title for News Services article (No testing for dispersants), p. A6, S.L.P.D., 07/14/10]
2010 - Heart Attack Risk / Avandia - July 15th, 2010: "Diabetes drug is called heart attack risk [07/14/10] / Avandia should be withdrawn or severly restricted, medical advisers say in unusual split recommendation." [Based on: Title for New York Times article, p. A5, S.L.P.D., 07/15/10]
2010 - AIDS Gel - July 20th, 2010: "Gel shows promise in blocking AIDS / Microbicide cuts risk when used by women, study finds, but likely not enough to win approval in U.S." [Based on: Title for A.P. article, p. A17, S.L.P.D., 07/20/10]
2010 - Medical Marijuana / V.A., U.S.A. - July 24th, 2010: "VA will now allow medical marijuana ['in states where it is legal']." [Based on: Title News Services article, p. A6, S.L.P.D., 07/24/10]
2010 - Japanese women live longest - July 27th, 2010: "Japanese women are expected to live almost 86 1/2 years, topping the world longevity ratings for the 25th straight year, the government reported. [....]" [Based on: News Services article (Japanese women live longest), p. A15, S.L.P.D., 07/27/10]
August 2010
2010 - Flu Vaccine Trivia - August 5th, 2010: "Forecast for flu: one shot covers it / Vaccine for H!N! strain will be included, so most people will need only a single treatment; shipments arriving soon." [Based on: Title for Article, p. B1, S.L.P.D., 08/05/10]
2010 - Over / Swine Flu Pandemic - August 11th, 2010: "The World Health Organization acknowledged that the swine flu pandemic is over. The official death toll, once predicted to be in the millions, reached 18,449." [Based on: News Services article (Swine flu pandemic over), p. A15, S.L.P.D., 08/11/10]
2010 - Dementia vs. Alzheimer's: learning the differences - August 12th, 2010: "For those people 55 and older, researchers have some grim news: One in six will develop some form of dementia. [NP] The dementia could include Alzheimer's, which impacts nearly half of those 85 plus, or it could manifest as a different dementia, including Lewy body, vascular, Parkinson's disease or frontal lobe dementia. [NP] 'All these dementia's are characterized by a collection of proteins, specific to the dementia, that clump together - proteinopathie,' says Frank LaFeria, head of the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders in Irvine, Calif. [....] Q. This growing number of Alzheimer's patients sounds expensive. A. We estimate by 2050 the United States will spend $1 trillion dealing with Alzheimer's patients. And another 40 percent caring for those with other forms of dementia. If that comes to fruition, it's going to bankrupt us. [....]" [Based on: Article (Dementia vs. Alzheimer's: learning the differences / Not all dementia is the same.) by Jane Glenn Haas, pp. B1 & B4, S.L.P.D., 08/12/10]
2010 - Biotech beets must get impact review - August 17th, 2010: "[....] Additional planting won't be allowed until the U.S. Department of Agriculture submits an environmental impact statement. That sort of extensive examination can take two or three years. [....] The genetically altered sugar beets provide about one-half of the U.S. sugar supply, and some farmers have warned that there aren't enough conventional seeds and herbicide to fill the void. The scientific seeds account for about 95 percent of the current sugar beet crop in the U.S. [....]" [Based on: A.P. article (Biotech beets must get impact review / Judge revokes earlier OK but won't issue permanent ban on genetically altered crop.), p. A4, S.L.P.D., 08/17/10]
2010 - China defends baby formula tied to puberty - August 17th, 2010: "BEIJING - In an attempt to head off a mounting public relations crisis, the government said Chinese-made milk formula was not what caused early puberty in baby girls as young as 4 months old. [NP] China's Ministry of health said Sunday [08/16/10] that there was no link between the infant formula made by the Qingdao-based company Synutra International and cases reported by families using the product that their infant daughters had grown breasts. [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (China defends baby formula tied to puberty / Hormone levels in milk powder are at normal levels, officials declare; parents are skeptical.) by Lily Kuo, p. A13, S.L.P.D., 08/17/10]
2010 - Chocolate as medicine? - August 19th, 2010: "[....] Scientists credit the flavanols in dark chocolate: They are thought to stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which helps relax the arteries so that blood can flow smoothly. [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Chocolate as medicine? / Yuck, say some in study / In blood pressure research, most participants preferred tomato extract pill.) by Karen Kaplan, p. A7, S.L.P.D., 08/19/10]
2010 - Ancient remedy has modern application - August 19th, 2010: "[....] The medicine, called PHY906, would relieve the gastrointestinal side effects of a common chemotherapy drug known as CPT-11 but not the drug's effectiveness in fighting cancer cells. Lead researcher Yung-Chi Cheng, a professor of pharmacology at Yale, calls the medication 'a marriage of Western and eastern approaches to the treatment of cancer.' [....] 'Herbal medicines, composed of multiple biologically active compounds, are widely claimed to help a variety of diseases,' the researchers write in the paper, which was published Wednesaday [08/18/10] in the journal Science Translational Medicine. 'However, they have not been fully accepted by mainstream medicine because of the complex nature of the formulae, as well as a lack of stringent quality control.' [NP] It is derived from a recipe of four plants called Huang Qin Tang, which was first described in Chinese medical literature about 1,800 years [< ago?]. Still used today, it is given to treat such gastrointestinal symptoms as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The researchers say the method they've developed allows for the formula to be prepared to exact standards. [....] A paper published in the June issue of Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine noted that there has been an increased effort to find new medications based on Chinese herbal remedies to counteract the side effects of synthetic drugs. [NP] Cheng developed the drug for PhytoCeutica, a pharmaceutical developer based in New Haven, Conn., that he co-founded." [Based on: The Hartford Courant article (Ancient remedy has modern application / 1,800-year-old recipe counters chemo side effects.) by William Weir, p. A7, S.L.P.D., 08/19/10]
2010 - Drug failure casts doubt on Alzheimer's cause - August 19th, 2010: "[....] It was not just that the drug [semagacestat], made by Eli Lilly, did not work - maybe that could be explained by saying the patients' illness was too far advanced when they received it. It was that the drug actually made them worse, the company said. And the larger the dose they took, the worse were patient's symptoms of memory loss and inability to care for themselves. Not only that, the drug also increased the risk of skin cancer. [....] Beyond the setback for Lilly, the study raises questions about a leading hypothesis of the cause of Alzheimer's and how to treat it. The idea, known as the amyloid hypothesis, says the disease occurs when a toxic protein, beta anyloid, accumulates in the brain. The idea is that if beta amyloid levels are reduced, the disease might be slowed, halted or even prevented if treatment starts early enough. [....] Some, like Dr. Lon Schneider, an Alzheimer's researcher at the University of Southern California, say the drug's failure may mean the field is rushing off a cliff in its near single-minded focus on blocking the production of amyloid. Schneider, like most leading Alzheimer's researchers, consults for a number of drug companies, including Lilly. [....] 'We don't know what the drug targets for Alzheimer's disease are,' Schneider said. 'We don't know because we don't know the causes of Alzheimer's.' [....] Doraiswamy [Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, an Alzheimer's researcher at Duke University] said he was not abandoning the amyloid hypothesis. But, he said, 'this is a time of major soul-searching in the field. [NP] 'What worries me is that we don't know if this was a toxicity unique to Lilly's drug and this late-stage population or whether it also applies to similar anti-amyloid therapies given at earlier stages of the disease,' Doraiswamy said. [NP] The bad news came on the heels of what researchers see as a resurgence of hope in this challenging field. With new cooperation in research, they have made advances in diagnosing Alzheimer's, a disease that used to be uncertain until autopsy." [Based on: New York Times article (Drug failure casts doubt on Alzheimer's cause / Amyloid production was reduced as intended, but that didn't ease symptoms.) by Gina Kolata, p. A7, S.L.P.D., 08/19/10] - [My brackets. NP = New Paragraph. - E.M.]
2010 - Dead gene is tied to form of disease - August 20th, 2010: "[....] This is the first time, geneticists say ['... paper published online Thursday in Science by a group of researchers ....'], that they have seen a dead gene ['part of what has been called junk DNA'] come back to life and cause a disease [faciosapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, known as FSHD]" [Based on: New York Times article (Dead gene is tied to form of disease) by Gina Kolata, p. A17, S.L.P.D., 08/20/10]
2010 - Tai chi may help with fibromyalgia - August 20th, 2010: "Tai chi may help with fibromyalgia ['... according to a study published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine.']" [Based on: Title for New York Times article by Pam Belluck, p. A17, S.L.P.D., 08/20/10]
2010 - Another study links pesticides to ADHD - August 20th, 2010: "[....] Forty organophosphate pesticides are registered in the United States, with at least 73 million pounds each year used in agricultural and residential settings. [....] The newest study, reported Thursday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, examines the effects of both prenatal and childhood exposure to the pesticides, which are widely used in the United States to control insects on food crops. [....] The study comes only three months after a Harvard study, looking at much lower levels of malathion in urine, found that a tenfold increase in pesticide levels was associated with a 55 percent increase in ADHD. The researchers believe that most of the children in the study were exposed to the malathion through food. [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Another study links pesticides to ADHD / At least 73 million pounds of organophosphates are used each year in agriculturalal, residential settings.) by Thomas H. Maugh II, p. A17, S.L.P.D., 08/20/10]
2010 - Alzheimer's-arthritis link gains support - August 23rd, 2010: "[....] The researchers found that a protein released into the bloodstream of people with rheumatoid arhritis provided protection against Alzheimer's in mice. Their study appears online today in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease." [Based on: News Services article (Alzheimer's-arthritis link gains support), p. A15, S.L.P.D., 08/23/10]
2010 - FDA posts calorie rules - August 25th, 2010: "Consumers will be aware of the number of calories in food from many chain restaurants and vending machines under draft guidelines released Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration. The menu labeling guidelines require the calorie information be posted in the same size type as the menu item or price, whichever is larger. Vending machines must include the information in a 'clear and conspicious' manner." [Based on: News Services article (FDA posts calorie rules), p. A8, S.L.P.D., 08/25/10]
2010 - Drugs Avandia, Actos carry similar risk - August 26th, 2010: "Drugs Avandia [rosiglitazone], Actos [pioglitazone] carry similar risk [cardiovascular risks], study ['reported Monday in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes'] finds" [Based on: Title for Los Angeles Times article, p. A18, S.L.P.D., 08/26/10]
2010* - Rectal cancer in younger adults mystifies researchers - August 29th, 2010: "Rates of rectal cancer in people younger than 40, although low, have been rising steadily for the last 20 years for reasons that are mystifying scientists, researchers said Sunday. [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Rectal cancer in younger adults mystifies researchers), p. A7, S.L.P.D., 08/29/10]
September 2010
2010 - $75,000 buys happiness - September 7th, 2010: "They say money can't buy happiness, but people's emotional well-being - happiness - increases along with their income up to about $75,000, according to surveys of 450,000 Americans conducted in 2008 and 2009 for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index that included questions on people's day-to-day happiness and their overall life satisfaction." [Based on: News Services article ($75,000 buys happiness), p. A6, S.L.P.D., 09/07/10]
2010 - Flu shots urged for nearly all - September 7th, 2010: "Even before Labor Day could signal the traditional end of summer, the seasonal flu vaccine is available [U.S.A.], and health officials are urging nearly everybody to roll up their sleeves. [....] In the past, the vaccine was recommended for about 85 percent of Americans. Now, for the first time, the CDC is urging near-universal vaccination. Except those allergic to eggs, the growing medium for the flu vaccine, nearly all people older than 6 months should get the annual shot, the agency said. [....]" [Based on: St. Petersburg Times article (Flu shots urged for nearly all) by Letitia Stein, p. A6, S.L.P.D., 09/07/10]
2010 - Consumer Borrowing / U.S.A. - September 9th, 2010: "[....] Borrowing dropped at an annual rate of $3.6 billion in July, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday. That marked the 17th drop in credit in the past 18 months. [....] Borrowing on credit cards fell by 6.3 percent in July after a bigger 7.5 percent June decline [2010]. This category has now fallen for a record 23 consecutive months as Americans have struggled to repair household finances after the worst recession since the 1930s. [....]"[Based on A.P. article (Consumers cut back on credit card use again / July marked 23rd month in a row that borrowing has declined, putting a drag on the economy.), p. A11, S.L.P.D., 09/09/10]
2010 - Japanese Longevity? - September 11th, 2010: "Japanese records list 234,000 people as 100 years or older, but chagrined officials said almost all of them are probably people who died without government being notified." [Based on: News Services article (List questioned), p. A19, S.L.P.D., 09/11/10]
2010 - Iowa producer targeted before recall - September 15th, 2010: "An Iowa egg producer involved in the biggest egg recall in U.S. history received a positive test result for Salmonella enteritidis on Aug 4, more than a week before the Food and Drug Administration confirmed the bacteria's presence and pressed the company to launch the recall, according to records released Tuesday [09/14/10] by congressional investigators. [NP] The records also indicate that testing at Wright County Egg found more than 400 positive tests for salmonella, including 73 samples that were potentially positive for Salmonella enteritidis - the strain responsible for the current outbreak - in the two years leading up to the recall. [....]" [Based on: Tribune Washington Bureau article (Iowa producer targeted before recall), p. A6, S.L.P.D., 09/15/10]
2010 - K2 Bans Ineffective - September 16th, 2010: "Bans on fake pot prove ineffective / Slight changes made to K2's chemical formula create legal knockoffs, keeping purveyors in business." [Based on: Title for A.P. article by Alan Scherzagier, p. A5, S.L.P.D., 09/16/10]
2010 - No link seen - September 17th, 2010: "A Veterans Affairs official told Congress on Thursday [09/16/10] that despite the evidence of widespread contamination of drinking water at Camp Lejeune, the agency doesn't think that the science yet exists to link exposure to the water to a host of cancers and other diseases suffered by former base residents." [Based on: News Services article (No link seen), p. A21, S.L.P.D., 09/17/10]
2010 - U.S. poverty levels are spiraling upward - September 17th, 2010: "[....] The Census Bureau said 43.6 million people, or 14.3 percent of American residents, lived below the poverty line last year, compared with 13.2 percent in 2008 and 11.3 percent in 2000. [....] The increase would have been greater without growth in Social Security payments and unemployment insurance benefits, which kept several million more Americans from falling below the line. With the economy faltering, more elderly people also began collecting the federal retirement benefit, adding to the financial pressures on the program. [NP] The poverty threshold in 2009 was $10,956 for one person and $21.954 for a family of four. [....]" [Based on: Tribune Washington Bureau article (U.S. poverty levels are spiraling upward / Some economists say Recovery Act tempered effects, but they worry that the situation could get worse.) by Don Lee, p. A9, S.L.P.D., 09/17/10]
2010 - 10 pct. increase in those lacking health insurance - September 17th, 2010: "The Census Bureau released on Thursday the latest figures on how many Americans were without health insurance in 2009: 50.7 million people, an increase of almost 10 percent from the 46.3 million people without coverage in 2008. [....]" [Based on: News Services article (10 pct. increase in those lacking health insurance), p. A9, S.L.P.D., 09/17/10]
2010 - Cost of dementia put at $604 billion - September 21st, 2010: "The global cost of dementia will likely exceed $604 billion this year, or 1 percent of the world's gross domestic product, a new report says. In a study to be issued today, European researchers estimate about 35 million people worldwide have dementia. They said that figure is likely to double every 20 years, to nearly 66 million in 2030 and 115 million in 2050." [Based on: News Services article (Cost of dementia put at $604 billion), p. A5, S.L.P.D., 09/21/10]
October 2010
2010 - U.S. admits it infected Guatemalans with syphilis - October 2nd, 2010: "U.S. admits [10/01/10] it infected Guatemalans with syphilis / Experiments in 1946-48 exposed; U.S. calls them 'appalling violations.' " [Based on: Title for McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS article, p. A1, S.L.P.D., 10/02/10]
2010 - Project will map human brain circuits - October 8th, 2010: "[....] A consortium led by scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine [St. Louis, Mo.] and the University of Minnesota has launched a project, dubbed the Human Connectome, that will diagram all the major circuits in a healthy human brain. The effort, which includes researchers from St. Louis University, is the first of its kind and will lay the groundwork for understanding how the human brain functions - and eventually, how it doesn't. [....] The task is staggering. The brain consists of 90 billion neurons, connected by 150 trillion synapses - the connections that transmit signals from neuron to neuron. These connections make up the pathways that allow one part of the brain to 'talk' to another. It is these circuits that the Connectome project will try to map. The Human Genome Project, by comparison, mapped the 3 billion base pair sequences that make up human DNA. [....]" [Based on: Article (Project will map human brain circuits / WU scientists are leading team in ambitious 5-year research; effort called significant boon to area) by Georgina Gustin, p. A1, S.L.P.D., 10/08/10]
2010 - Flu shots urged for all in U.S. - October 9th, 2010: "Flu shots urged for all in U.S. / Ages 18-49 now included - The reason? H1Ni virus is expected to be back. / Free for many - Reforms require new policies to cover the vaccines." [Based on: Title for article, p. A1, S.L.P.D., 10/09/10]
2010 - Keep working, keep memory - October 12, 2010: "[....] Data from the United States, England and 11 other European countries suggest that the earlier people retire, the more quickly their memories decline. [....] Although not everyone is convinced by the new analysis, published recently in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, a number of leading researchers say the study is, at least, a tantalizing bit of evidence for a hypothesis that is widely believed but surprisingly difficult to demonstrate. [....]" [Based on New York Times article (Keep working, keep memory / Early retirement may lead to quicker cognitive decline, study suggests.), p. A8, S.L.P.D., 10/12/10]
2010 - Disturbing side-effects / Bisphosphonates - October 17th, 2010: "Disturbing side-effects pop up ['rare fractures of the thigh bone ... degeneration of the jaw'] after long-term use of medicine ['bisphosphonates ... such as Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva']" [Based on: Title for New York Times article, p. A7, S.L.P.D.,10/17/10]
2010 - CPR guidelines change - October 18th, 2010: "CPR guidelines change / Mouth-to-mouth breathing isn't so important as compressing chest to keep blood flowing. American Heart Association says [new guidelines being released today by the A.H.A.]." [Based on: Title for San Francisco Chronicle article, p. A8, S.L.P.D.,10/18/10]
November 2010
2010 - Pills don't help with Alzheimer's - November 3rd, 2010: "Omega-3 fatty acid pills did not slow mental and physical decline in older patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease, researchers found. Those results are in a multimillion-dollar, government-funded study released in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association." [Based on: News Services article (Pills don't help with Alzheimer's), p. A21, S.L.P.D., 11/03/10]
2010 - Alcohol a more lethal drug, study says - November 3rd, 2010: "Alcohol is more dangerous than illegal drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, according to a new study. [NP] British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole. [NP] Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, or crystal meth, were the most lethal to individuals. When considering their wider social effects, alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the deadliest. But overall, alcohol outranked all other substances, followed by heroin and crack cocaine. Marijuana, Ecstasy and LSD scored far lower. [NP] The study was paid for by Britain's Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and was published online Monday in the medical journal, Lancet. [NP] Experts said alcohol scored so high because it was so widely used and has devestating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them." [Based on: A.P. article (Alcohol a more lethal drug, study says.) by Maria Cheng, p. A22, S.L.P.D., 11/03/10]
2010 - Skin cells are changed into blood cells - November 8th, 2010: "Canadian scientists have turned human skin cells directly into blood cells, the first time one kind of mature human cell has been converted into another, according to a study published Sunday in the journal Nature." [Based on: News Services article (Skin cells are changed into blood cells), p. A10, S.L.P.D., 11/08/10]
2010 - Polio outbreak in Congo - November 10th, 2010: "An outbreak of polio is raging in the Congo Republic, with 201 cases of paralysis found in two weeks and 104 deaths, the World Health Organization said." [Based on: News Services article (Polio outbreak in Congo), p. A17, S.L.P.D., 11/10/10]
2010* - Cholera spreads in Haiti - November 10th, 2010: "At least 73 cases of cholera have been confirmed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, authorities said." [Based on: News Services article (Cholera spreads in Haiti), p. A17, S.L.P.D., 11/10/10]
2010 - Why Chocolate Protects Against Heart Disease - November 10th, 2010: "[....] 'Our findings indicate that changes in lifestyle with the help of foods that contain large concentrations of catechins and procyaninides prevent cardiovascular diseases,' she [Ingrid Persson] says. [NP] Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment." [Based on ScienceDaily article (Why Chocolate Protects Against Heart Disease)
*Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101110141247.htm
2010 - ADHD / U.S.A. - November 11th, 2010: "Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. children has ADHD, a sizable increase from a few years earlier that government scientists think might be explained by growing awareness and better screening. ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, makes it hard for kids to pay attention and control impulsive behavior. It's often treated with drugs, behavioral therapy, or both." [Based on: Title for News Services article (Increase in ADHD), p. A10, S.L.P.D., 11/11/10]
2010 - Cholera Toll / Haiti - November 15th, 2010: "Cholera toll in Haiti passes 900; 14,600 hospitalized" [Based on: Title for News Services article , p. A23, S.L.P.D., 11/15/10]
2010 - Hunger in the U.S. persists - November 16th, 2010: "About 15 percent of U.S. households - 17.4 million families - lacked the money to feed themselves at some point last year, according to a Department of Agriculture report. [....]" [Based on: Article (Hunger in the U.S. persists), p. A17, S.L.P.D., 11/16/10]
2010 - Mental Illness / U.S.A. - November 18th, 2010: "[....] A survey being released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 45 million [Americans] experienced some form of mental illness in 2009, from major depression to more serious problems such as suicide attempts. Fewer than 4 in 10 received treatment for their mental health condition." [Based on: News Services article (1 in 5 suffer from mental illness), p. A8, S.L.P.D., 11/18/10]
2010 - Hypertension / High Blood Pressure Trivia - November 18th, 2010: "[....] Researchers have known for decades that the sympathetic nervous system, which plays a role in the body's 'flight or fight' response, helps regulate blood pressure. Early attempts to control it with surgery produced severe side effects, and the efforts were abandoned when the first good anti-hypertensive drugs became available. [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (War on high blood pressure / Tests show destroying certain nerves in kidney can reduce hypertension.), p. A20, S.L.P.D., 11/18/10]
2010 - Antimatter atoms trapped - November 18th, 2010: "Researchers at the European Organization for Nuclear Research reported that they've trapped antihydrogen for the first time. Storing and studying these simple antimatter atoms may allow scientists to test fundamental theories in particle physics." [Based on: News Services article (Antimatter atoms trapped), p. A25, S.L.P.D., 11/18/10]
2010 - Pope doesn't retreat on condom use - November 24th, 2010: "Pope doesn't retreat on condom use [11/23/10] / Says using one is less evil - for man or woman - than spreading HIV." [Based on: Title for New York Times article, p. A1, S.L.P.D., 11/24/10]
2010 - Pill appears to reduce risk of HIV infection - November 24th, 2010: "Pill appears to reduce risk of HIV infection / It was more than 90 pct. effective in men when taken daily in study. ['published Tuesday by the New England Journal of Medicine']" [Based on: Title for Los Angeles Times article, p. A1, S.L.P.D., 11/24/10]
2010 - HIV spread 'frightening' - November 25th, 2010: "A near tripling of new HIV infections in Eastern Europe and Central Asia over the past nine years is frightening, the U.N.'s top AIDS official said. Some 76,000 people perished from AIDS-related causes in the region last year, compared to 18,000 in 2001, said Michael Sidibe, head of UNAIDS." [Based on: News Services article (HIV spread 'frightening'), p. A13, S.L.P.D., 11/25/10]
2010 - DEA joins K2 crackdown - November 25th, 2010: "DEA joins K2 crackdown" [Based on: Title for News Services article, p. A15, S.L.P.D., 11/25/10]
2010 - Trivia / AIDS Prevention - November 25th, 2010: "New lines of attack in AIDS prevention / Partial success is reported for gel that woman put into vaginas; pills taken by infected people will be tried as a prophylactic." [Based on: Title for New York Times article, p. A33, S.L.P.D., 11/25/10]
December 2010
2010* - Trivia / Calcium & Vitamin D - December 1st, 2010: "[....] The panel concluded that 'with few exceptions, all North Americans are receiving enough calcium and vitamin D' from the foods they eat - many of which have been fortified with both nutrients. [....]" [Based on: Los Angeles Times article (Medical panel plays down value of calcium, vitamin D) by Melissa Healy, p. A19, S.L.P.D., 12/01/10]
2010 - Origin of Cells Associated With Nerve Repair Discovered - December 1st, 2010: "Scientists have discovered the origin of a unique type of cell known for its ability to support regeneration in the central nervous system. Their findings, published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS), raise the possibility of obtaining a more reliable source of these cells for use in cell transplantation therapy for spinal cord injuries. [....] For the last 25 years, OECs have been thought to be formed by the nasal lining itself. The new research, however, reveals a different origin for OECs that may enable scientists in the future to produce them in large quantities from adult stem cells. [NP] The researchers, funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Isaac Newton Trust, have discovered that, like all other cells ensheathing peripheral nerve fibres, OECs are actually derived from a group of embryonic stem cells called "neural crest cells." Neural crest stem cells persist in adult skin and hair follicles, and other researchers have already shown that it is possible to isolate these stem cells and grow them in the lab. [....]" Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
[Based on: ScienceDaily article (Origin of Cells Associated With Nerve Repair Discovered), 12/01/10]
*Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101115161150.htm
2010 - Doctor's use of stents questioned - December 7th, 2010: "A Senate investigation found that Medicare spent $3.8 million for stents implanted by Maryland doctor Mark Midei, who is accused of putting them in patients who didn't need them, according to a report released Monday. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the committee's chairman, said the case could be a sign of a larger national trend of wasteful medical device use." [Based on: News Services article (Doctor's use of stents questioned), p. A15, S.L.P.D., 12/07/10]
2010 - New study links cancer, A-bomb fallout - December 15th, 2010: "A study that used a rediscovered stash of St. Louis baby teeth to research the health impact of atom bomb testing in the 1950s got a boost this month [December 2010] when it was published in an international science journal. [NP] The study by Janette Sherman and Joseph Mangano in The International Journal of Health Services suggests the link between atom bomb fallout residue found in baby teeth and the incidence of cancer in those same donors about 40 to 50 years later. The authors found that the level of strontium 90 was 122 percent higher in teeth of 50-year-old men who had cancer than those without. Strontium 90 is not naturally occurring on Earth and is produced in atomic explosions. It is readily absorbed into calcium-rich teeth and bones. [NP] The study got its start in 2001 when Washington University rediscovered 85,000 baby teeth stored in its Tyson Research Center since the 1970s Those teeth were originally part of the St. Louis Baby Tooth Survey, in which nearly 300,000 area children sent their teeth to local researchers who then determined that children were absorbing radioactive fallout from nuclear bomb tests. [NP] Mangano, executive director of the radiation and Public Health Project in New York, said it took nine years to get funding for the newer study to track down about 1,000 male donors, analyze the teeth and make the comparisons. The researchers first shatred their results publicly about 14 months ago. [NP] 'Discovering high fallout levels in U.S. baby boomers exposed as infants during the Cold War who died of cancer at an early age is an important step in the effort to understand damage from bomb testing,' Mangano said. [....]" [Based on: Title for article (New study links cancer, A-bomb fallout / Researchers analyzed baby teeth from an earlier, WU study to connect now-adult donors, incidence of cancer.) by Nancy Cambria, p. A4, S.L.P.D., 12/15/10] - [My brackets. NP = New paragraph. - D.R.D.]
*Trivia: "[....] The new research was spurred by the 2001 reappearance of 85,000 teeth that had been donated for the 1960s study, which was conducted by Washington University [Mo.] scientists. The teeth were found in an old bunker at the university's Tyson Research Center, where they had been stuffed into envelopes that included information about the donors, one of whom was Edward Ketterer ['he passed away in 2006 at the age of 47'] [....] Washington University scientists analyzed most of the teeth for strontium-90, which was created by the bomb blasts and absorbed by the teeth and bones of infants. [NP] They suspected that the children were exposed by drinking milk from cows and goats that grazed on grass contanimated by fallout. They called it the 'milk pathway.' [NP] The study concluded that St. Louis children born in 1964 had about 50 times more strontium-90 in their baby teeth than those born in 1950, before the start of atomic testing in Nevada. [....] Of the healthy donors, levels of strontium-90 were insignificant, the research shows. But the donors who died of cancer had about 122 percent more of the isotope in their teeth than the healthy donors. [....]" [Based on: Article (WU baby teeth study's findings are confirmed in new research / Men who got cancer had high level of radioactive isotope) by Kim McGuire, pp. A1 & A4, S.L.P.D., 10/21/09]
2010 - HIV patient believed cured - December 15th, 2010: "Doctors in Berlin, working with an American patient with both HIV and leukemia, have declared in a peer-reviewed journal that they believe they have cured both illnesses. It would be the first time an HIV patient has been cured. [NP] The patient received a stem cell transplant from a donor who had an inherited gene mutation that left his body without the gene receptors involved in contracting HIV, making him naturally resistant to the virus." [Based on: News Services article (HIV patient believed cured), p. A15, S.L.P.D., 12/15/10]
2010* - London becomes TB capital - December 17th, 2010: "London becomes TB capital ['jumped by 50 percent ... in the last last decade.']" [Based on: News Services article, p. A20, S.L.P.D., 12/17/10]
2010 - Herbal cold remedy found ineffective - December 21st, 2010: "The largest study of the popular herbal remedy echinacea finds it won't help you get better any sooner. The study, conducted under government funding by Bruce Barrett and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin, suggested the tiniest possible benefit - about a half-day shaved off a weeklong cold and slightly milder symptoms. But that could have occurred by chance." [Based on: News Services article (Herbal cold remedy found ineffective), p. A6, S.L.P.D., 12/21/10]
2010 - Food Safety Bill / U.S.A. - December 22nd, 2010: "The food safety bill passed a final, clinching vote in the House of Representatives. The law gives the Food and Drug Administration greater authority over food products, whether they come from this country or are imported. The bill is meant to change the mission of the FDA, allowing it to focus on preventing food-borne outbreaks, rather than reacting after an outbreak occurs." [Based on: News Services article (Food safety bill passes), p. A7, S.L.P.D., 12/22/10]
2010 - Chromium 6 targeted - December 23rd, 2010: "The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will likely tighten drinking water standards to address potential health risks of a carcinogen recently found in the tap water of 31 cities across the country [U.S.A.]. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson issued a statement saying she is concerned about the prevalence of the chemical hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium 6." [Based on: News Services article (Chromium 6 targeted), p. A21, S.L.P.D., 12/23/10]
2010 - 1 in 3 American families 'working poor' - December 24th, 2010: "It turns out that the fallout from the Great recession is far greater than a lingering employment crisis. [NP] In a report issued Tuesday [12/21/10], the Working Poor Families Project says last year nearly one in three American families fell into the category of 'working poor.' The working poor, defined, are individuals residing in households where the income level falls 200 percent below the poverty line. [NP] Over the two years of the recession, 2007-09, the percentage of working poor Americans jumped from 28 to 30 percent, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by project researchers. [NP] In 2009, the report said, the number of low-income American families increased by 250,000, pushing the total above 10 million. [NP] All told, the project now classifies 45 million Americans - a total that includes 22 million children - as low-income. [NP] The project, a nonprofit, advocates for the economic rights of low-income families in 25 states, including Illinois. [NP] Its work is funded by the Annie E. Casey, Charles Stewart Mott and Joyce foundations. (12.21.10)" [Based on: Article (1 in 3 American families 'working poor'), p. B5, S.L.P.D., 12/24/10]
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