Hint: Don't drink the hand sanitizer
Hey kids, take note: Alcohol hand scrubs are designed to clean your hands—not to drink. Physicians in the U.K. report in the British Medical Journal that the number of incidents of poisoning from alcohol hand rubs reported to London poison centers climbed in the 16 months surrounding widespread introduction of the sanitizers. They say little kids and elderly adults drank it by mistake but unlike those whose ignorance could be excused, adults tended to deliberately down them. Who knew?(British Medical Journal)
Over-the-counter drug slows lung damage in cystic fibrosis
Researchers report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine that ibuprofen can slow the loss of lung function in children and teens suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). The reason: lung damage is caused by inflammation and ibuprofen is an effective anti-inflammatory. In a study of more than 10,000[OR: 10,325] patients (1,365 who took the anti-inflammatory drug and 8,960 who did not), those who took high doses of ibuprofen twice daily over a period of two to seven years had a 29 percent less decline in lung function than those who did not use it. Each dose ranged from 20 to 30 milligrams per kilogram of the patient's weight; some took up to 1,600 milligrams per dose (generally over-the-counter preparations advise a maximum daily dose of 1,200 milligrams for adults and children over age 12). Researchers said the benefits outweigh the slight risk of gastrointestinal bleeding from ibuprofen. "There is still some concern about the safety of ibuprofen," said lead researcher Michael Konstan, director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, and a professor of pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. "We continue to search for even safer approaches to anti-inflammatory treatment for CF. In the meantime, we think that CF patients, especially children and adolescents with early lung disease, should be treated with ibuprofen." Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that causes mucus to be thick and sticky. It clogs the lungs, causing breathing problems and repeated bacterial infections that lead to lung-damaging chronic inflammation that is almost always fatal. (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine)
Toll from pet food contamination
A new Michigan State University (M.S.U.) survey shows that 348 dogs and cats apparently died this year from eating tainted pet food. The survey, based on data from veterinarians, veterinary technicians and pathologists, also determined that the deaths may have been caused by a potentially deadly combination of two food contaminants—melamine and cyanuric acid. "Separately, those two compounds are pretty harmless, but when combined they form crystals which can block the kidneys," said Wilson Rumbeiha, an associate professor in M.S.U.'s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. "And, unfortunately, these crystals don't dissolve easily. They go away slowly, if at all, so there is the potential for chronic toxicity." The chemicals were found in pet grub imported from China and had reportedly been added to try to artificially inflate the protein levels. Reports of dying pooches and kitties led to a massive recall of affected pet foods and treats. According to the survey, 236 cats and 112 pups were among the victims. Rumbeiha speculated that more cats got sick because they are smaller; tiny breed dogs were also found to be more vulnerable. Among other findings: nearly 98 percent of the cases were in the U.S. and the remaining 2 percent in Canada; Texas suffered the most cases, followed by Illinois and Michigan; the animals affected ranged in age from two months to 18 years of age; and, about 25 percent of the affected animals had preexisting kidney or cardiovascular conditions that made them more susceptible. (Michigan State University)
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4 Comments
Add CommentSomebody in the PDA got something. This is obviously not a good public relations move so the only reason a sane person would do it is some sort of payoff from the people that sell milk tainted with harmones.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisUnfortunately the government acting against the public good in favor of some "friend" is all to common.
I can't wait to see the response of GOP presidential wannabes to the offer made by the MPP. Their responses will be very revealing, in my opinion, as to how much (BS) is involved in these wannabes campaigns.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCT Scans increase cancer risk. Messers Hall and Brenner have made a serious mistake corrrelating the one time effect of radiation dose from the bomb with low dose rates over extended periods of time. We are constantly bombarded by radiation, and our body's imunne system deals with the dammage, but a one off significant dose can damage not only cells, but the imunne systems ability to respond. Also, the bomb put large doses of other carcinogenic compounds in the air. Also, today we are exposed to different, more complex chemicals in our enviroment (who used teflon frying pans 40-60 years ago)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI suggest they read W. Allen Wallis and Harry V. Roberts book, The Nature of Statistics. Particularly the excellent chapter 3 on medical statistics comparring phycossis between the late 1800 and 1950's in New England. It should be required reading for all medical statiticians.
I thought that the Japanese nuclear bomb survivors were recently shown to have remarkably low radiation-induced cancer rate?
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