Environmental Health

"CDC: Autism Diagnoses Growing By 10 To 17 Percent Annually"

"The figure is so astounding it appears to be a misprint at first glance. One in 110. That's the number of American children living with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), based on the most recently published estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

Source: Scranton Times-Tribune, 10/24/2011

"Girls Exposed in Womb to BPA Have Risk of Behavior Problems"

"The research showed that hyperactive, anxious, aggressive and depressed behavior was more common in 3-year-old girls who were exposed in the womb to bisphenol-A than in boys of the same age. No association was seen between bisphenol-A levels during later childhood and behavior for either gender, according to the study released today by the journal Pediatrics."

Source: Bloomberg, 10/24/2011

Calif. Central Valley Study Links ER Visits With Bad Air Days

"Children's asthma-related emergency room visits rise in the San Joaquin Valley at a similar rate as fine particulate levels do -- even on days where air quality is considered in the moderate range.

That's a key finding of a yearlong study by the Central Valley Health Policy Institute at Fresno State, which examined the short-term impacts of air quality changes in Bakersfield, Fresno and Modesto.

Although nationwide studies have found similar connections between heightened pollution and hospital visits, the report is the first of its kind using valley-specific data.

Source: Bakersfield Californian, 10/19/2011

"FCC Test to Measure Cellphone Radiation Flawed, Group Says"

"A government test used to measure the radiation people absorb from their cellphones might underestimate the levels to which most adults and children are exposed, according to a group of doctors and researchers whose stated mission is to promote awareness of environmental health risks they believe may be linked to cancer."

Source: ABC News, 10/18/2011

Industry Deploys Donations, Lobbying as Coal Issues Gain Prominence

"As legislation to limit U.S. EPA's power to regulate coal ash hits the House floor this week, environmental advocates see industry footprints all over the bill's language. They say millions of dollars spent in lobbying and campaign contributions have yielded another congressional proposal to block Obama administration environmental oversight -- and have allowed the industry to frame the debate."

Source: Greenwire, 10/14/2011

"Scientists Crack Black Death's Genetic Code"

"Scientists have mapped out the entire genetic map of the Black Death, a 14th century bubonic plague that killed 50 million Europeans in one of the most devastating epidemics in history.

The work, which involved extracting and purifying DNA from the remains of Black death victims buried in London's "plague pits," is the first time scientists have been able to draft a reconstructed genome of any ancient pathogen.

Source: Reuters, 10/13/2011

Before Obama Retreat on Ozone, EPA Chief Feared Illnesses and Deaths

"When President Obama retreated from a tougher stance on smog last month, his Environmental Protection Agency chief had formally concluded that the existing standard endangered thousands of Americans, including children and people with respiratory ailments."

Source: iWatch News, 10/13/2011

Microbes May Play Crucial Role in Human Health: Researchers

"Consider this: The average person’s body contains about 100 trillion cells, but only maybe one in 10 is human. ... The human cells that form our skin, eyes, ears, brain and every other part of our bodies are far outnumbered by those from microbes, primarily bacteria but also viruses, fungi and a panoply of other microorganisms. ... A growing body of evidence indicates that the microbial ecosystems that have long populated our guts, mouths, noses and every other nook and cranny play crucial roles in keeping us healthy."

Source: Wash Post, 10/10/2011

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