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Waste incinerator spewing chemical waste: Says worried Brisbane Lord Mayor

A council commissioned study into the Ace Waste incinerator at Willawong showed that the residents and businesses around the facility were at potential risk of exposure to chemical emissions. The incinerator at Willawong is used to dispose of medical and chemical pollutants that can cause cancer when people are exposed to high concentrations. Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman revealed this last night. Premier Anna Bligh however denies that there is such a risk. She has assured that the incinerator is safe and there have been no problems for the past twenty year.

8 Jun 2010

Health Impact Project announces six grants to conduct HIAs at state and local levels

The Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, today announced more than $1 million in grants to six projects that will conduct health impact assessments at the state and local levels.

8 Jun 2010

CSTE 2010 Annual Conference to focus on public health challenges

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 2010 Annual Conference will be held June 6-10 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. An array of experts representing federal, state, and local health departments will discuss issues ranging from last year's flu pandemic, obesity, food safety, health care reform, information technology, and the global response to disasters such as the Haiti earthquake.

5 Jun 2010

Traffic-related air pollution also increases risk of type 2 diabetes in women

Traffic-related air pollution, known to raise the risk for cardiovascular disease, may also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women. Low-grade inflammation may contribute to the higher incidence of type 2 diabetes in women exposed to air pollution, according to German researchers.

27 May 2010

Experts to discuss impacts of air pollution on life expectancy, cardiovascular disease

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring a seminar called "Breathe Cleaner, Live Longer: Understanding Air Pollution after 40 Years." The event is co-sponsored by the American Heart Association and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology.

21 May 2010

PurGenesis completes development of novel anti-aging cosmeceutical products

PurGenesis Technologies, Inc. today announced the successful completion of the development of a unique line of anti-aging cosmeceutical products. The product line consists of three unique, anti-aging formulations: Day Cream, Night Cream and Eye Cream.

20 May 2010

Ectoin shows positive effect on nanoparticle-induced lung inflammation: Study

bitop AG, which specializes in the development and marketing of Ectoin-containing medical devices, announces that Ectoin significantly reduces nanoparticle-induced inflammatory reaction in rat lungs, one of the animal models for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is the first time that Ectoin has been shown to have such an effect on nanoparticle-induced lung inflammation.

20 May 2010

Air pollution associated with cardiopulmonary mortality, morbidity: Researchers

Breathing polluted air increases stress on the heart's regulation capacity, up to six hours after inhalation of combustion-related small particles called PM2.5, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

20 May 2010

Report released on pharmaceutical mail-back pilot program funded by EPA

Through a grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the University of Maine’s Center on Aging has completed the first statewide mail-back pilot program for managing pharmaceutical waste from consumers.

18 May 2010

High fat diet linked to exacerbation of asthma

In a new study researchers have found a connection between exacerbation of bronchial asthma and high calorie burgers and fries. Diet and lifestyle have been linked to asthma for some time now but this is the first real evidence. With the advent of unhealthy diets the incidence and prevalence of asthma is on the rise. In 2007, about 34.1 million Americans had asthma, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. From 1980 through 1994, the prevalence of asthma increased by 75 percent.

17 May 2010

People who live in urban areas tend to have higher blood pressure: Researchers

People who live in urban areas where particulate air pollution is high tend to have higher blood pressure than those who live in less polluted areas, according to researchers from the University of Dusiburg-Essen in Germany.

17 May 2010

Stanford researchers make hair-cell-like cells in a petri dish

Deep inside the ear, specialized cells called hair cells detect vibrations in the air and translate them into sound. Ten years ago, Stefan Heller, PhD, professor of otolaryngology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, came up with the idea that if you could create these cells in the laboratory from stem cells, it would go a long way toward helping scientists understand the molecular basis of hearing in order to develop better treatments for deafness.

14 May 2010

Researchers discover molecular mechanism behind smoking cessation effect

The tobacco addiction epidemic is a major public health problem worldwide. Professor Zhao Baolu and his group from the State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences set out to tackle this problem. After 20 years of innovative research, they have developed a novel tea filter to treat cigarette addiction and have discovered the molecular mechanism behind the smoking cessation effect.

12 May 2010

Exposure to fine particulate matter can trigger cardiovascular deaths, heart attacks

The scientific evidence linking air pollution to heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death has "substantially strengthened," and people, particularly those at high cardiovascular risk, should limit their exposure, according to an updated American Heart Association scientific statement.

11 May 2010

CrystalGenomics completes European Phase I SAD study of CG400549 antibiotic candidate

CrystalGenomics, Inc., a novel drug R&D company announced today that the Phase I SAD (Single Ascending Dose) study for its novel antibiotic candidate, CG400549, has been successfully completed in Europe.

11 May 2010

Americans facing grievous harm from chemicals in the air, food and water

The U.S. President's Cancer Panel has come out with a new report on cancer risks and preventive measures, but policy makers don't seem interested. While the report is being praised by cancer awareness activists the majority of the government seems strangely unaffected by the new report. The President's Cancer Panel usually has three members appointed by the President but as of now there are only two people on the panel, namely Dr. Leffall and Dr. Margaret L. Kripke.

9 May 2010

President's cancer panel focuses on environmental chemicals

An expert panel that advises the president on cancer said Thursday that Americans are facing 'grievous harm' from chemicals in the air, food and water that have largely gone unregulated and ignored. The President's Cancer Panel called for a new national strategy that focuses on such threats in the environment and workplaces.

7 May 2010

GEI reminds communities to minimize exposure to airborne chemicals, other indoor air pollutants

In light of Asthma Awareness Month, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute reminds families and communities to be proactive about minimizing their exposure to airborne chemicals and other indoor air pollutants.

4 May 2010

Study indicates a strong link between socio-economic status and asthma

New research shows Inuit populations in the Canadian Arctic have asthma rates far below Aboriginal people in other parts of Canada, especially those in urban centres.

4 May 2010

Despite FDA black box warning, prescription of Reglan for premature infants continue

Recently, researchers have observed a disturbing trend in neonatal units across the country: doctors prescribing Reglan -- also known by its generic name, metoclopramide -- to treat premature infants. This alarming development has raised serious concerns from many consumer safety advocates, particularly because the drug was never approved for use in infants.

4 May 2010