*** News You Can Use! -- 31 August 1996 ***
Your tax dollars at work: George Inglett, a researcher with the Department of Agriculture, has developed Z-Trim, a no-calorie fat substitute that he says doesn't have any unpleasant side effects. Z-Trim is made of fiber from the hulls of oats, corn or soybeans, which are then washed to remove soluble impurities. The result: a substance that can replace fat in processed foods from cheese and meat to brownies and chocolate. Inglett promised that, in normal quantities, Z-Trim won't produce the cramps and diarrhea associated with the first fat substitute, Olestra. And since all of the ingredients are generally regarded as safe, it's not likely to require exhaustive testing to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The discovery was unveiled at the 26 August meeting of the American Chemical Society.
(Associated Press, 25 August 1996, 26 August; CNN, 25 August; USA Today, 26 August)
See the CNN story.
The Pentagon now admits that about 150 U-S troops could have exposed to chemical weapons when they blew up an Iraqi weapons depot after the Gulf War. According to a once-secret 1991 intelligence report, chemical weapons were found in shells and rockets at sites near An Nasiriyah, in southern Iraq, about eight months after the war. But according to the Pentagon, this was before reports began filtering in that soldiers were suffering from the so-called Gulf War Syndrome. And, they say, it wasn't until recently that officials who knew about those chemical weapons, also knew that American soldiers had blown up that depot. Those troops may have unknowingly sent up clouds of the nerve gas, sarin. Units including the Army's 37th Engineer Battalion destroyed parts of that depot. One chemical officer, Dan Tipulski, warned that he had detected sarin at the site. Despite that, troops were told *not* to don their full protective gear. Tipulski put his on anyway, and he is the only member of his unit who isn't ill. This year, a new law passed to let the Department of Veterans Affairs treat sick gulf war veterans as victims of nerve gas. (CBS' "60 Minutes," 25 August 1996; Associated Press, 28 August; USA Today, 29 August)
According to a study in the journal Science, major emotional upheaval could cause damage in the brain. Scientists have identified hormones called glucocorticords, and linked high levels of the hormone to conditions such as post-traumatic stress and severe depression. Using high-resolution scans, researchers discovered physical brain shrinkage in the presence of those hormones. Even more significantly, the shrinkage was present in the hippocampus, which is responsible for complex memory. While glucocorticords help people mobilize their bodies in a crisis situation, too many hormones can be a bad thing. (Associated Press, 21 August 1996)
See the CNN story.
New research finds that patients with osteoarthritis, the wearing down of cartilage in the joints, need their Vitamin D. Those afflicted who also have low levels of the vitamin are two to four times more likely to have worsening knee problems, than people who receive the recommended daily dose of Vitamin D or more. Drinking milk, eating eggs, taking fish liver oil, and spending some time in the sun are some ways to boost your levels of the vitamin. Osteoarthritis affects one in ten people older than 65. The findings are reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. (Associated Press, 31 August 1996)
A 59-year-old woman is the latest victim of the outbreak of E. coli bacteria in Japan. She died of respiratory failure, a condition which resulted from the E. coli infection, which still has about 300 people hospitalized. But there have been no new cases reported in the last three weeks in the epidemic's epicenter, Sakai, even though about 6500 people are still sick. There *are* new cases scattered throughout the nation, but fewer than ten per day, as opposed to several hundred per day in late July, and about 50 a day in early August. The government still suspects tainted radish sprouts for the spread of the bacteria, but the evidence is inconclusive.
Meanwhile, scientists report a possible positive use for the deadly E. coli bacteria. Researchers at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital say it can kill cancer cells in mice. The form of cancer: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the fifth-most common cancer in Canada. Testing on humans could begin within two years. (Associated Press, 23 August 1996, 29 August; Broadcast News, 28 August)
Inspectors from Health Canada have seized the sleep remedy melatonin from four health food stores, and the agency is deciding whether to recommend the prosecution of the store owners. The action comes almost a year after stores were warned that it's illegal to sell the synthetic hormone. The Canadian Natural Health Products Association plans to appeal to the government, by presenting new research numbers supporting melatonin's safety. They want melatonin in low dosages approved to treat minor sleep disturbances. But Association executive director Bill Reynolds admits that some people have adverse reactions to the hormone, including bad dreams, headaches and fever. (Vancouver Sun, 20 August 1996)
More good news about grapefruit and strawberries
A surprise discovery during research has scientists scrambling to understand an interesting finding about grapefruit juice. Researchers discovered that a number of drugs are absorbed into the body more easily, when taken with a glass of grapefruit juice. Drug developers are fascinated, because they envision a way to boost the effectiveness of their medicines. One serious concern -- increasing the drug's levels *too* high, which could cause a person to overdose inadvertently. The effect was first discovered five years ago, by David Bailey, of the London Health Sciences Center in Canada. The new findings were presented to a meeting of the American Chemical Society.
* See the CNN story.
And one other note from the fruit bowl -- "Prevention" magazine says strawberries are best for fighting antioxidants, which are believed to be linked to cancer and clogged arteries. (Associated Press, 28 August 1996; CNN, 29 August; CBS Radio, 30 August)
- A new study casts doubt on fears that cow's milk is linked to juvenile diabetes. Previous studies have suggested that infants genetically prone to the disease may face an increased risk by drinking milk. But a study in the 28 August issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association says that theory is based on weak research that relied too much on parents' descriptions of their childrens' diets. The doctor who first raised the issue stands by his assertion, saying the association between milk and diabetes is as strong as the association between smoking and cancer. (Associated Press, 28 August 1996)
- The Food and Drug Administration has approved Ivyblock, a lotion that protects against poison ivy, oak or sumac. It's being called the first FDA-approved drug to prevent a reaction to poisonous plants. In a test of 144 people known to be allergic to poison ivy, the lotion protected 68% from developing any rash, and those who did, had a less severe rash on the skin where they used the lotion. (Associated Press, 28 August 1996)
- How do business executives relieve stress? You might be surprised. The Wall Street Journal asked a few, and the answers included: throwing plates against the wall, singing opera when they're put on hold on the phone, stretching Silly Putty during meetings, or playing hockey in the company parking lot. (Wall Street Journal, 27 August 1996)
- The ad for the painkiller Orudis KT used to sound like this: "There are many prescription pain medicines, and a doctor can prescribe any of them. Yet 82% of doctors surveyed have prescribed Orudis." Johnson & Johnson, the comapny that makes rival painkiller Tylenol, complained to the Better Business Bureau that the ad doesn't mention how many doctors have prescribed Tylenol. The maker of Orudis KT, American Home Products, says the ads were truthful. Johnson & Johnson said they were misleading. Those ads have stopped running, and American Home Products will change the wording in future ads. (Associated Press, 30 August 1996)
- The Food and Drug Administration is alerting the public to an unapproved, dangerous drug called adrenal cortex extract. The drug is extracted from the adrenal glands of cattle, sheep and pigs, and it's being injected into people. It's being touted as a weight loss aid, but it's not FDA-approved for any use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 47 of 68 patients of a Denver physician developed abscesses. The preparation is distributed by Phyne Pharmaceuticals of Scottsdale, Arizona, and is labeled Hallmark Labs. Those who have the product are asked to contact the FDA. (Associated Press, 30 August 1996)
- You've heard of "mad cow disease?" Are you ready for "mad fish disease?" Doctors at the Grace Hospital in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, have identified a new disease that passes from fish to humans through cuts. Microbiologist Dr. Donald Low says the bacteria was once considered a threat only to fish, causing them to swim erratically and bulge their eyes out before death. Humans who have cut or scraped skin, and handle whole, freshwater fish, can be infected, causing a rapid skin inflammation, and even one case of meningitis. (Broadcast News, 28 August 1996)
- Scientists reporting in the journal Nature Medicine have discovered a sort of chemical "dimmer switch" that would allow them to actually adjust how hard a gene worked. If the researchers make steady progress, they may be able to alter the way we treat people who need regular doses of proteins. Diseases such as dwarfism, multiple sclerosis, anemia, and muscle wasting from AIDS, all require injections of proteins. But this "dimmer switch" might allow people who suffer from those diseases to switch from injections to pills in the future. (Associated Press, 28 August 1996)
STB's News You Can Use! edited and written by --
Tom Connolly, for Infant Moose Web Page Creations.
Past newsletters: 24 August 1996 | 17 August 1996 | 9 August 1996 | 2 August 1996 | 25 July 1996 | 18 July 1996 | 11 July 1996 | 3 July 1996 | 26 June 1996 | 20 June 1996 | 12 June 1996 | 6 June 1996 | 31 May 1996 | 25 May 1996 | 16 May 1996 | 9 May 1996
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