We conclude that for the low concentration used in this research, the herbicide shows potential genotoxic effects. Future research will be important in evaluating the effects of this substance, whose presence in the environment is ever-increasing.

• Apoptotic
• Aquacidal
• Aromatase Disruptor
• Bioaccumulator
• Carcinogenic
• Cell Cycle Inhibitor
• Clastogenic
• Cytotoxic
• Embryotoxic
• Endocrine Disrupter
• Endocrine Disruptor: Testes
• Genotoxic
• Hepatotoxic
• Mutagenic
• Necrotic
• Nephrotoxic
• Neurotoxic
• Oxidant
• Teratrogenic (Birth Defect Causing)

The grant, which was one of six awarded to the brightest of students by the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., is considered extremely prestigious. NIH is part of the Department of Health and Human Resources.

The agency awarded the stipend to Holmes and also paid his tuition to the highly competitive neuroscience program at the University of Colorado Denver. Five other students at the school were also given the stipend.

It wasn't clear if any of the funds were used by the suspected gunman to purchase the vast array of weapons, 6,000 rounds of ammunition and other gear – such as his bulletproof vest, shin, groin and neck protectors, as well as a gas mask and other items – he used in the attack and to booby trap his apartment.

No cooperation with police

Holmes, who dyed his hair bright reddish-orange and called himself "Joker" – a character in the Batman series – has reportedly refused to cooperate with police. He is likely to be formally charged next week.

He is currently being held on suspicion of many counts of first-degree murder, but will probably also face numerous accounts of aggravated assault and weapons violations. During the shooting spree, 12 people were killed and another 58 wounded, many seriously.

Weeks before the shootings, Holmes abruptly left a 35-student Ph.D program in neuroscience for reasons that still aren't clear.

He reportedly took an intense oral exam that marked the end of his first year but so far, university officials won't say whether or not he passed, due to privacy concerns.

At a news conference following the shootings, university officials would not go into much detail regarding Holmes.

"To the best of our knowledge at this point, we think we did everything that we should have done," Donald Elliman, the university chancellor, said earlier this week.

The judge in the case has issued an order banning attorneys in the case from commenting publicly on matters related to the trial, including evidence, whether or not a plea deal is in the offing, or results of any examination or test performed on anyone.

With a female guard close by his side, Holmes was completely silent in his first court appearance Monday.

Death penalty a consideration

Prosecutors in the case asked the judge, who readily agreed, to give them more time to file charges.

The judge also placed Holmes in a no-bond hold.

As the judge advised him of the charges against him, Holmes – dressed in a maroon prison jumpsuit – sat there motionless, his eyes appearing tired and droopy.

David Sanchez, whose son-in-law Caleb Medely was shot in the head and survived, was in court when Holmes appeared.

"He looks demonic. His eyes are just crazy," Sanchez told the New York Post. "There's something wrong with that man."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036574_James_Holmes_NIH_government_grants.html#ixzz21e0reNHP

Scientists at Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute are proposing an increase in the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C from the current level of 90 milligrams per day for men and 75 milligrams for women, to a modest intake of 200 milligrams. Writing in a recent issue of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Professor Balz Frei and colleagues observe that the current RDA is based on the amount necessary to prevent scurvy and that present methods of evaluating nutrients such as vitamin C have often failed to find further disease-preventive benefits due to faulty methodology. "Phase III randomized controlled trials—designed principally to test the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical drugs—are ill suited to assess the health benefits of essential nutrients; and the currently available scientific evidence is sufficient to determine the optimum intake of vitamin C in humans," they write.

 

Vitamin C

 "It's time to bring some common sense to this issue, look at the totality of the scientific evidence, and go beyond some clinical trials that are inherently flawed," commented Dr Frei, who is the director of the Linus Pauling Institute. "Significant numbers of people in the U.S. and around the world are deficient in vitamin C, and there's growing evidence that more of this vitamin could help prevent chronic disease. The way clinical researchers study micronutrients right now, with the same type of so-called 'phase three randomized placebo-controlled trials' used to test pharmaceutical drugs, almost ensures they will find no beneficial effect. We need to get past that."

Dr Frei and his coauthors argue that these trials do not always demonstrate the protective properties of compounds already present in the human body, whose benefits may be evident only after many years of optimal intake. They note that increased long-term intake of vitamin C will provide greater tissue saturation at a cost of only a penny per day if consumed as a supplement, resulting in a significant payoff of lowered risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer as well as a reduction in the conditions that contribute to these diseases, including inflammation.

"We believe solid research shows the RDA should be increased," Dr Frei concluded. "And the benefit-to-risk ratio is very high. A 200 milligram intake of vitamin C on a daily basis poses absolutely no risk, but there is strong evidence it would provide multiple, substantial health benefits."

In a review published online on April 4, 2012 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore report a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in associated with vitamin C supplementation.

For their analysis, Edgar R. Miller III and his colleagues selected 29 randomized clinical trials conducted between 1996 and 2011 that involved the oral administration of vitamin C for at least two weeks. Average pretreatment systolic blood pressure ranged from 117 to 175 mmHg, and diastolic from 73 to 97 mmHg. The dose of vitamin C used in the studies varied from 60 to 4000 milligrams per day, with a median dose of 500 milligrams daily.

In a pooled analysis of the trials' participants, vitamin C supplementation was associated with a 3.84 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure and a 1.48 mmHg reduction in diastolic pressure. When trials involving patients with hypertension were analyzed, reductions averaged 4.85 mmHg and 1.67 mmHg. Mechanisms posited for vitamin C in reducing blood pressure include an increase in a cofactor for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (which increases the production of nitric oxide), and improvement of endothelial function of brachial and coronary arteries.

"This meta-analysis is the first quantitative review of randomized trials evaluating the effect of vitamin C supplementation on blood pressure," the authors announce. "In short-term trials, vitamin C supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Long-term trials on the effects of vitamin C supplementation on blood pressure and clinical events are needed."

Dr. Suzanne M. Gilboa from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and her colleagues examined data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), a multi-site, case-control study that continues to evaluate both genetic and non-genetic risk factors for birth defects. Dr. Gilboa and her team specifically looked for a link between solvent exposure and the onset of congenital heart disease subtypes.

Dr. Gilboa and her team pulled figures on children born with congenital heart defects between 1997 and 2002, and compared them to figures on healthy children born during the same time. They then analyzed the data to see if there was any correlation between maternal exposure to solvent chemicals in the workplace, and birth defects in children exposed to such chemicals via their mothers who were exposed at some time before or during their pregnancies.

Using the expert consensus approach, the team found that five percent of mothers whose babies were born with birth defects, and four percent of those whose babies were born without birth defects, were exposed to an organic solvent chemical during the time they were trying to conceive, or after becoming pregnant. A published evidence approach to the data revealed that 10 percent of mothers whose babies were born without birth defects, and eight percent of those whose babies were born without birth defects, were exposed to an organic solvent chemical.

"Our results indicate that maternal occupational exposure during the period of one month before conception through the first trimester of pregnancy is a potential risk factor for some specific congenital heart disease phenotypes," wrote the authors in their study. "Some of these findings were consistent with those previously reported in the literature, and other findings were new, yet all warrant corroboration in other study populations."

Organic solvent chemicals are typically found in paints, glues, dyes, plastics, printing inks, degreasing and cleaning agents, polymers, synthetic textiles, and agricultural pesticides and herbicides. Solvent chemicals are highly toxic, and easily absorb through the skin, as well as through the lungs and mouth.

Currently, there are more overdose deaths from these prescribed drugs than heroin and cocaine combined. Furthermore, the consumption of these drugs are costing health insurers approximately $72.5 billion annually. As many people know, the problem also lies in the fact that the underlying causes are not being managed, but rather just the pain when it comes to pain killers like these.

Opiate-based drugs are by far the most addictive painkillers available, and sadly, people who take these medications to cope with legitimate pain can find themselves becoming addicted. Even the doctors who prescribe these medications are at risk – some studies show that as many as 10 percent of the doctors who are prescribing these painkillers can become addicted.

Why are these painkillers so addictive? The opiates themselves and the effect they have on the human brain are the reason. The opiates found in these prescription drugs create and release artificial endorphins in the brain, creating warm and good feelings. With regular use, the brain stops making these endorphins and the only way the user can experience the same feeling is to continue taking these drugs. After the body stops producing these endorphins, the user now must take these drugs to avoid feeling bad. It isn't used as a way to feel good anymore, but rather to avoid negative feelings.

It is unfortunate that these addictions are becoming common, and there are many factors that attribute to this epidemic. Part of the problem lies in doctors, where they may find it more efficient to prescribe medication to help the pain instead of spend more time on the underlying cause of the pain. Another problem are the patients, demanding immediate relief from pain rather than allowing doctors to follow steps in properly curing them. Government too could better police prescriptions to ensure that this problem isn't spiraling out of control.

If all these elements worked together, there would be a much greater chance to eliminate this unfortunate epidemic. The end result is tragic for patients, when there are so many options of alternative medicine or natural remedies without depending on prescribed medications.

 

Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases reports 18,000 nationwide cases of pertussis so far this year – twice as many cases as there were at this time in 2011 and matching the 1959 numbers reported by this time of the year.

Pertussis is a bacterial infection involving the respiratory tract that spreads by coughing and sneezing. It often starts out like the common cold, but can become a life-threatening infection, particularly for infants under the age of one. The vaccination for pertussis is included in the DTaP vaccine.

The pertussis vaccine in not solving the problem
CDC data shows 84 percent of children under the age of three have received at least four DTaP shots and yet, despite high vaccination rates, whooping cough still keeps circulating, largely among the fully vaccinated. This is because pertussis is a cyclical disease where natural increases in infection tend to occur every four to five years no matter how high the vaccination rates are.

81 percent of 2010 California pertussis cases under the age of 18 were fully vaccinated children. In a pertussis outbreak in Texas, the CDC statistics show that 81.5 percent of cases were fully vaccinated with four DTaP shots. Washington State health officials are saying this year's pertussis cases could top a 60 year old record in spite of approximately 84 percent vaccination coverage. Reuters recently reported that according to the CDC, the number of pertussis cases is growing – in the fully vaccinated population!

In a very recent DTaP vaccine study, researchers reported a dismal 24 percent vaccine effectiveness among those aged 8-12. With this ridiculously low rate of DTaP vaccine effectiveness, the public health brainiacs have come up with their best plan for everybody to have three primary shots and three follow-up booster shots.

DTaP is bad news for babies

A study at UCLA indicated that in the USA, approximately 1,000 babies die annually as a direct result of DTaP vaccination. One survey found a 7.3 percent risk of SIDS within three days after a DTaP inoculation.

Vaccine reaction symptoms within days of the DTaP shot include: high fever; sudden collapse; hours of persistent crying, high pitched screaming with arching of the back, signs of brain inflammation; severe and/or bloody diarrhea; redness, swelling and pain at the injection site and signs of seizures.

Raymond Obomsawin, M.D. said "Delay of DPT immunisation until two years of age in Japan has resulted in a dramatic decline in adverse side effects… an 85 to 90 percent reduction in severe cases of damage and death." Amazingly, pertussis during the first two years of babies' lives also dropped sharply. Instead of preventing pertussis, the DTaP actually promotes it as well as SIDS.

Many vaccines are implicated in causing Juvenile Diabetes, but the vaccine-virulent poison – pertussis toxin, is the worst. Pertussis toxin affects the pancreas in the insulin-secreting parts. As early as the 1970s, the pertussis shot was known to stimulate over-production of insulin by the pancreas followed by exhaustion and destruction of the islets of Langerhans, resulting in diabetes.

Vaccination is not immunization!
Recovering from whooping cough confers a naturally-acquired immunity that is much stronger and longer lasting than any artificial immunity induced by the toxic laden vaccine. Vaccination requires more and more booster doses to try to extend the artificial vaccine immunity.

Vaccines are medical procedures that always come with risks. Study up before you let them shoot your child!

83 percent of all children get at least one ear infection before the age of three, and with millions of new cases every year, otitis media (middle ear infections) now account for 35 percent of all visits to the pediatrician. The usual course of treatment is antibiotics. Where chronic infections occur, the child cycles in a viscous loop of infection/antibiotic/infection with no clear relief in sight. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2010 shows antibiotics having no significant effect on treating ear infections, while causing much harm to the body's intestinal flora. Stomped for answers, pediatricians often recommend tube surgery as the next step, which in many cases has to be repeated.

What is candida?
Candida albicans or yeast is a microorganism naturally present in the areas of the back of the mouth, throat and intestinal tract, and also in the female genital tract. The use of antibiotics indirectly supports candida overgrowth by eradicating the benign and good bacteria, an integral part of the immune system and the first line of defense against a candida overgrowth. With their natural predators diminished, candida flourishes in the intestinal tract and may then jeopardize the immune system over time by releasing dozens of toxins in the body, potentially causing an autoimmune response. Candida continues to thrive by feeding on sugary foods, and is further aided by pharmaceutical drugs, especially antibiotics and immuno-suppressants.

Candida has the potential to double its colonies in a very short time, thereby challenging the immune system's defenses. It also works with other harmful bacteria and viruses to foster a more toxic environment in the body. The result is often a continuous stream of infections in the area of the middle ear where candida is in close proximity.

How do you know your child exhibits symptoms of candida overgrowth?
In babies, candida overgrowth may exhibit itself as diaper rash, eczema, colic, interrupted sleep, white film on the tongue or thrush, excessive crying or even digestive disturbances where the child becomes intolerant of the formulas. In older children, crankiness, hyperactivity, sugar cravings, tantrums and high susceptibility to colds and flus are all strong indicators. In these cases, children begin developing sensitivities or allergies to foods and may even develop asthma. As the child gets more vaccinations, the increased mercury intake helps candida thrive further. The extended use of antibiotics for infections and steroids, such as cortisone for asthma, also suppress the immune system.

Treatment
Dr. Semon cites measurable improvements using an anti-yeast treatment in the cases studied. The treatment is comprised of eradicating the candida with anti-yeast medicine (synthetic or natural) while simultaneously eliminating all the foods that candida eats by following the candida diet. Only then can the body regain its balance and repopulate the intestinal tract with good bacteria that feeds off the candida. The treatment may take some time, but the benefits have a tremendous impact on the child's quality of life as well as on the parent's. Benefits include happy, healthy children with increased focus and better state of well being. Meanwhile, the mainstream medical research community continues to narrowly focus its research in this area on isolating the bacteria or viruses that cause ear infections and on developing the appropriate vaccines.

Jiali Han, author of the study and associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at both Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and the Harvard School of Public Health, evaluated data on 113,000 men and women, all of who drank three or more cups of coffee a day. She discovered that rates of basal cell carcinoma were 20 percent less among this group compared to those who drank no coffee at all, and that the active substance in question appears to be caffeine.

"Caffeine may help the body kill off damaged skin cells," claimed Dr. Josh Zeichner, an assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, in response to the study's findings. "If you get rid of these cells that are damaged, then they don't have the opportunity to grow and form cancers."

The findings seem to correlate with a 2011 study out of Rutgers University that identified a link between caffeine and skin cancer prevention. According to that research, caffeine appears to be an effective topical treatment for protecting skin against damage caused by excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. (http://www.tgdaily.com)

"Although it is known that coffee drinking is associated with a decreased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer, there now needs to be studies to determine whether topical caffeine inhibits sunlight-induced skin cancer," said Allan Conney, Director of the Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research about the Rutgers study.

Drinking coffee can exhaust your adrenal glands, lead to substance addiction
As promising as the new research on coffee drinking may initially appear for preventing skin cancer, it is important to remember that coffee consumption can be dangerous and damaging to health. There are many other ways to prevent skin cancer, including regular exposure to natural sunlight without burning and vitamin D supplementation, that do not cause other health problems.

Coffee consumption stimulates the production of adrenaline in the body, which can overspend the adrenal glands, leading to chronic fatigue, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), allergies, chronic infections, and other problems. (http://www.naturalnews.com/024985_cortisol_blood_fatigue.html)

Drinking coffee is also highly addictive, as many who regularly consume it suffer withdrawal symptoms such as headaches when they try to stop. While it may give its drinkers a buzz that helps them through their busy days, coffee ends up exhausting the body's energy reserves, which can lead to irritability, confusion, severe mood swings, and other problems. (http://www.naturalnews.com/012352.html)

Instead of coffee, why not try naturally exposing your skin to between 15 and 30 minutes a day of unfiltered sunlight, or supplementing with between 2,000 and 10,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 every day? This simple, inexpensive, and proven health regimen will not only help protect you against skin cancer, but will also improve your health in many other areas while preventing a myriad of chronic illnesses. (http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/)