7/4

Shampoo Preservative Concerns Dec. 6, 2004 CBS New research is raising concerns about the safety of a preservative that is commonly found in shampoos and other commercially available cosmetics. But cosmetics industry officials say the additive has been proven safe over years of use. In laboratory studies, the bacteria-killing agent methylisothiazolinone (MIT) was shown to restrict the growth of immature rat nerve cells. Studies in live animals are needed to confirm the findings. But researchers say the early test tube evidence suggests that prolonged exposure to MIT, or exposure to the chemical at high concentrations, could damage the nervous system. The research was presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in Washington D.C. Fetal Development A Concern The biggest potential concern, says lead researcher Elias Aizenman, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, is for the fetuses of pregnant women exposed to high doses of MIT on the job. The agent is widely used in industrial settings. "If the data that I am seeing does translate into some sort of neurodevelopmental problem in people, then the risk to the developing fetus of a woman who is exposed to this agent in [its concentrated form] may be significant," Aizenman tells WebMD. Another concern is that occupational exposure or routine use of commercial products that contain MIT could trigger nerve-damaging diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. Again, Aizenman is quick to point out that there is no direct evidence linking MIT to these disorders. But he adds that live animal studies are needed to clarify the risk. "It is very difficult to find shampoos and conditioners that do not contain MIT, and it is in many other cosmetics, as well," he says. "I can't tell you that using shampoo is unsafe, but I can't tell you it is safe, either." Cosmetics Industry Responds A statement issued Friday by the nation's largest cosmetics industry trade group called the University of Pittsburgh research "meaningless for safety evaluation purposes." A Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association spokesperson pointed out that the level of MIT in shampoos and other commercial products is extremely low. "The experiments conducted with (MIT) on extracted rat nerve cells in laboratory containers do not remotely resemble the possible consumer exposure to this preservative," the CTFA statement says. Aizenman says he became aware of MIT while researching the mechanisms associated with the death of brain cells. He found that the agent activated a novel pathway that promoted cell death in the laboratory setting, and showed in earlier work that adult rat brain cells died when exposed for short periods to MIT at high concentrations. In their latest work, Aizenman and colleagues exposed immature, developing rat brain cells to very low concentrations of MIT — roughly 1/100 of the dose used in the previous study. Low-level exposure for 18 hours was found to slow down cell growth. The higher the dose the brain cells were exposed to, the more effect there was. Aizenman acknowledges that it is "a big leap" to suggest that MIT exposure in the womb could play a role in the rise of developmental disabilities in children. But he adds that the questions raised by his research need to be answered. "I would caution that based on our data, there very well could be neurodevelopmental consequences from MIT," he notes. "Clearly, more study is needed, with both scientists and government regulators equally engaged." Sources: American Society for Cell Biology 44th Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., Dec. 4-8, 2004. Elias Aizenman, PhD, professor of neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. News release, Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association.

Antimicrobial May Harm Developing Nervous System By Megan Rauscher NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Prolonged exposure to a germ killer widely used in industry and in household and personal care products, stunts the growth of developing nerves in the brains of rats, according to new research. The finding was described by Dr. Elias Aizenman on Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cell Biology in Washington, DC. There haven't been many studies of the toxic effects of this compound, methyl-isothiazolinone or MIT, the researcher noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health. "There are many documented instances of people being exposed to MIT in the workplace -- most of what one sees is contact burns or dermatitis or allergic sensitization," he said. "I would be concerned that a pregnant woman working in such an environment could potentially be exposed to high enough concentrations of MIT to have some effects on the developing embryo, but we just don't know yet," he added. In a previous study, Aizenman and his colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that exposing mature rat neurons to a high concentration of MIT causes a high proportion of the cells to die within 10 minutes. In their latest experiments, the researchers saw that prolonged exposure (roughly 18 hours) to a much lower, sub-lethal concentration of MIT caused embryonic rat neurons to stop developing in the way they should. Aizenman said he plans to conduct further studies of the toxic effects of MIT on nerves to better understand the "molecular mechanisms and the potential neurodevelopmental consequences."

I thought so too. B-)

Any other reviews?

Post count or age? Age! The post count doesn't look too bad either...

You're getting up there deus!

December 6, 2004 Scientists Reverse Paralysis in Dogs By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 12:01 p.m. ET INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Dogs with paralyzed hind legs regained the ability to walk after getting a shot of a chemical cousin of antifreeze that helped repair nerve cells in their damaged spinal cords, scientists reported. Purdue University researchers who led the project hope the approach can soon be tried in people, but caution that there are significant differences between human and canine spinal cords. The treatment only worked on dogs given the injections within about three days of their injury. Some dogs not given the injections eventually walked again, but those getting the new treatment had a dramatically higher recovery rate. In one case, a dachshund named Oscar was initially sent home with a wheel cart and little hope of recovery after a serious injury. Soon after the dog got the chemical treatment, he began walking, although his back legs work in unison, giving him an unusual gait. ``I used to make fun of him, saying he walks like a drunken sailor,'' said Oscar's owner, Dan Paulin of Boonville, Ind. ``I don't think he'll ever be normal, but at least he's not confined to the wheel cart.'' In the study, 19 paraplegic dogs were injected with polyethylene glycol, or PEG -- a nontoxic liquid polymer composed of long strings of the same type of molecules found in antifreeze. Within eight weeks, 13 of the 19 canines, about 68 percent, regained the use of their hind legs and were able to walk, some almost as well as before their injury. The dogs were injected twice with PEG, first soon after their owners brought them to the researchers' labs and then after standard surgery and steroids to reduce inflammation. Among a group of 24 dogs that received just the standard surgery and rehabilitation therapies, only about 25 percent regained the same level of mobility, feeling and bodily functions, with about 62 percent remaining paraplegic. The study's findings appear in the December issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma. Scientists at Purdue, Indiana University's Indianapolis campus and Texas A&M University took part in the research on dogs ages 2 to 8 between 2001-03. Richard Borgens, the Purdue professor of neuroscience who oversaw the study, said his West Lafayette, Ind., lab had previously used PEG to repair damaged spinal cords in guinea pigs with about a 90 percent success rate. His team has even fused severed guinea pig spinal cords using PEG, although the dogs in the study had spinal disc ruptures that crushed, but did not sever, their spinal cords. Although exactly how PEG works remains unclear, Borgens said it appears to act as a sort of ``molecular Band-Aid'' that forms a temporary seal over breaches in nerve cells in the spinal cord, aiding their healing process. ``This stuff is kind of like a radiator stop-leak for the nervous system. The polymer spreads out and forms a seal over the damaged areas in the nerve cells and allows the membrane below to reconstruct itself,'' said Borgens, director of Purdue's Center for Paralysis Research. He said PEG also appears to prevent secondary tissue death that often causes more damage than the original injury. Borgens said the agent only covers damaged cells and tissues when injected into the blood stream. Purdue has enlisted a yet-to-be-announced corporate sponsor that will make PEG in a form suitable for human clinical trials. Pending federal approval, Borgens hopes those trials can begin within about 18 months on people with hours-old or days-old spinal injuries. W. Dalton Dietrich, the scientific director of The Miami Project To Cure Paralysis, said the rapid improvements in the dogs are intriguing, but point to the need for follow-up work to learn more about how PEG works and evaluate its safety. ``Although the results are very provocative, additional studies are required,'' he said. Karen Kline, an associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames, Iowa, called the findings promising. She said PEG, which she plans to test on dogs at her lab, appears to stabilize damaged tissue to allow more rapid healing than typically occurs naturally. ``It has such promise, but I think we need to look at more animals and make sure that we're getting a positive outcome,'' Kline said.

I knew there had to be more out there!

Queen?

I've never seen the un-photoshopped image! Are you sure that there is one? The shot I saw had quite a bit more shadow under the kilt.

I've never seen the un-photoshopped image!

A little bit later, an electron and a proton walk in together, order some drinks, and sit down in a booth. The electron whines, "The table is sticky." The proton says, "Well, let's sit over there." The electron whines, "The music's too loud over there." The proton says, "Well, let's sit near the door." The electron whines, "It's too cold over there." The proton, in exasperation, says, "Arrrghh! Why are you so negative!"

Later, a neutron walks in to the same bar. He sits down and says to the bartender, "Hey, how much for a beer?" The bar tender looks at him, smiles, and says, "Just for you, bud ... no charge."

A hydrogen atom walks into a bar and plops down on a stool. The bartender says, "You look pretty upset there buddy, what's up?". The hydrogen atom frowns, and says, "I've lost one of my electrons." The bartender asks, "Just calm down now, bud ... you absolutely sure you've lost it?" The hydrogen atom replies, "Yeah, yeah, I'm positive."

Three statisticians go bow hunting. Late in the afternoon, they spot a deer. The first statistician notches his arrow, pulls back, and shoots. He misses the animal by ten feet to the left. The second statistician lets loose, and and his arrow misses ten feet to the right. The third statistician jumps up and yells, "Bullseye!"

I picked this up at DMG yesterday. I'm in the middle of disk 1. I'm a happy customer.

Cecil Taylor - One Too Many Salty Swift and Not Goodbye

Wooden tuning pegs slip!

North Mississippi Allstars & the Black Keys.

wow.

look here. I haven't downloaded it yet.

Aw shucks!!! Ain't Google grand??!!