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International Workshop: Infant Formula Adulteration With Melamine Underscores Need For Better Detection Methods
Following the recent adulteration of infant formula and other milk products with the industrial chemical melamine, the U. S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention is holding an international workshop this week to explore better ways to detect deliberately falsified protein content in food ingredients. The presence of false protein can lead to illness and death, as with thousands of Chinese children in the tragic melamine adulteration of infant formula this year and with pets in the United States in 2007. Vulnerabilities in global supply chains for food and drug ingredients allow such adulteration to affect people worldwide, which is what happened in similar instances where toxic diethylene glycol was substituted for the sweetener glycerin in toothpaste and cough syrup. USP is a scientific nonprofit organization that sets official standards for the identity, quality, purity, and strength of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. USP also sets widely recognized standards for the quality and purity of food ingredients and dietary supplements.
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Addictive 'Spice Gold' Causes Withdrawal Syndrome
A clinical report from Dresden supports the impression that "Spice Gold" is strongly addictive. In the current edition of Deutsches Arzteblatt International (Dtsch Arzteblatt Int 2009: 106[27]: 464-7), Ulrich S. Zimmermann, from Dresden Technical University, and his colleagues describe a young man who developed physical withdrawal symptoms after regular consumption of this designer drug, accompanied by a dependence syndrome.
News of the day
No Known Connection Between Childhood Abuse And Lupus
In recent news reports, there was a statement made that abuse experienced as a child can later lead to the development of autoimmune diseases, including lupus. There is no scientific evidence to support this statement, either in humans or animal models of lupus. Stress is sometimes listed as a "trigger" for a lupus flare in a patient that has lupus. Even this hypothesis is only supported by anecdotal data and not a well defined clinical study. There is clearly a connection between the immune system and the nervous system. Stress can induce a number of physiologic changes that can last for varying periods of time. To suggest, however, that child abuse is an accepted cause of lupus is inaccurate and unsupportable until there is clear data linking childhood abuse with later development of lupus.
Mental Health

Soaring Summer Temperatures Spell Danger: What To Do To Protect Yourself

From the west to east coast, Americans are experiencing record-breaking temperatures. Some states are reporting triple-digit numbers and the heat has been the cause of several reported deaths. "Children and the elderly are considered the most vulnerable population. It is harder for their bodies to respond to these high temperatures," said Richard N. Bradley, M.D., associate professor of emergency medicine and chief of EMS and disaster medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. "The key is not to push it too hard. Stay inside a building with air conditioning when you can. If your home does not have a/c, go to a shopping center or library. Some cities are even offering "cooling stations" to help those at-risk, especially the homeless," Bradley said. Those with pre-existing conditions like heart disease, lung disease or mental illness should also try and stay indoors. The hottest part of the day tends to be between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., so it is best to get your outdoor activities done early in the morning or late in the evening. If you can get inside where it is cool for at least three to four hours a day, that also will help your body. Bradley offers the following tips if you have to be outside: -- Drink plenty of water -- Drink water throughout the day, even if you aren"t thirsty -- Stay away from alcoholic beverages -- If you are unable to drink sufficient fluids because you have nausea or are vomiting, contact your physician -- If someone you are with becomes confused or disoriented, call 911 for help immediately Bradley also suggests you be alert to the symptoms of heat-related illnesses such as cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat cramps are painful, brief muscle cramps that occur during exercise or work in a hot environment. The cramps are usually felt in the calves, thighs, abdomen or shoulders. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body is not able to maintain normal functions because of the excessive loss of body fluids and salts. In effect, the body is trying to protect itself from a greater rise in body temperature. The symptoms include: heavy sweating, intense thirst, dizziness, nausea and a weak or rapid pulse. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency. It is the result of the body"s inability to regulate its core temperature. As the body"s water and salt supplies dwindle, its temperature rises to extreme levels. The symptoms include: a very high body temperature above 104 degrees (although heat stroke can occur at lower body temperatures), disorientation, confusion or coma. The skin may be hot and dry or sweaty. "If you suspect someone may be experiencing any of those symptoms, it"s very important to get medical help right away," Bradley said. "It could mean the difference in someone surviving the heat or not." University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston


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