►February 3, 2004 - Scientists work on strategies to defeat ricin - Antidotes and vaccines for the poison could be on their way - MSNBC

►February 3, 2004 - Experts: Ricin Not As Dangerous As Anthrax - Ricin Not On 'A-List' Of Bioterrorism Threats - www.thelouisvillechannel.com

►February 5, 2004 - DTP vaccines: alum deemed to be safe - A new study has concluded that DTP vaccines containing aluminum are safe. - www.commentwire.com - "Safety fears have plagued the vaccine industry in recent years, with concerns related to individual product types and vaccine ingredients, including the adjuvant alum. A recent review, published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, has concluded that vaccines containing alum are not associated with increased adverse events. This study should help to alleviate patient concerns and maintain uptake."

►February 4, 2004 - Gene therapy technique could aid islet transplants for diabetes, says Pittsburgh study - Researchers also find current immunosuppression drug therapy may be harmful for transplanted Islets - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - via www.eurekalert.org 

►February 5, 2004 - Gene-Altered Mice Create Healthful Oils (requires registraion) - Omega-3 Advance Could Be Applied to Foods - Washington Post - "Scientists in Boston have created a line of genetically engineered mice that make their own omega-3 fatty acids -- healthful oils, typically found in fish, that mice, humans and other mammals cannot normally make on their own...They do, however, foresee a future in which cattle will be engineered to have the gene in their muscles so a slab of beef could have a fat profile similar to that of a piece of salmon -- and without worries about mercury or other ocean contaminants that have recently plagued the seafood industry."

►February 5, 2004 - A link between thimerosal and the brain: Can vaccines affect central nervous system function? - Molecular Psychiatry via www.eurekalert.org -

►January 27, 2004 - Activation of methionine synthase by insulin-like growth factor-1 and dopamine: a target for neurodevelopmental toxins and thimerosal - journal article (Molecular Psychiatry) - "The ethylmercury-containing preservative thimerosal inhibited both IGF-1- and dopamine-stimulated methylation with an IC₅₀ of 1 nM and eliminated MS activity. Our findings outline a novel growth factor signaling pathway that regulates MS activity and thereby modulates methylation reactions, including DNA methylation. The potent inhibition of this pathway by ethanol, lead, mercury, aluminum and thimerosal suggests that it may be an important target of neurodevelopmental toxins." (Click here for the full article.)

►February 3, 2004 - Disorder still largely a mystery - www.rockymountainnews.com - "They are children locked in a world of their own, victims of a mysterious brain disorder that steals their ability to relate to other people and their environment...And there are more of them all the time. The Autism Society of America reports that the incidence of autism is increasing 10 percent to 17 percent annually....'The numbers are really extraordinary,' Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, told a conference on autism convened in November by federal health agencies."

►February 3, 2004 - Vaccines Containing Aluminum Appear Safe - Lancet Infectious Diseases via Reuters Health

►January 31, 2004 - Brain barrier locks out both harm and help - Lebanon Daily News

►January 29, 2004 - Research: Uterine Bacteria May Cause Cerebral Palsy - Chicago-Area Doctor Conducts Study Of Pregnant Women - Internet Broadcasting Systems via www.nbc5.com

►January 28 - February 3, 2004 - A Violation of Rights (Reflections & Observations) - Santa Monica Mirror - "The thing about experts is that they often disagree with each other, and, on the fluoride question, there are experts who allege that fluoride is toxic, as well as experts who allege that it’s safe...We don’t know how many residents want fluoride in their water, and we don’t think it matters, because this is not a question that can or should be decided for all of the people by some of the people. Nor do we know whether fluoride is good or bad for people, and we’re not sure anyone does. But we believe that every one of us has the right to choose what he or she will ingest, and we also believe that the government — city, county, state or federal — does not have the right to force-feed anything to people."

►February 2004 - Gulf-war vaccination (requires registration) - In The News - Nature

►January 29, 2004 - Army won't review medication in suicides - UPI

►February 4, 2004 - Homocysteine Level Eyed In Stroke Study - AP via www.intelihealth.com

►February 3, 2004 - Study Suggests That Higher Doses Of Aspirin May Prevent Colorectal Cancer - American College of Physicians via www.intelihealth.com

►February 3, 2004 - Hormone therapy study halted over cancer concerns - Scandinavian scientists announced Tuesday that they have called off a study of the effects of hormone replacement therapy for women with a history of breast cancer because early results showed an "unacceptably high" risk of recurrence. - AP via CNN

►February 4, 2004 - European cancer deaths in decline - All Clear' campaign aims to boost awareness and research. - Nature

►February 4, 2004 - Probiotic bacteria health boon - Gut-friendly bugs don't have to be alive to boost immune system. - Nature

►January 30, 2004 - Caution over prion therapy - Study reveals antibodies can kill brain cells. - Nature - "Antibody therapies designed to treat the human form of mad cow disease could backfire, warn US scientists...Williamson urges caution for researchers working on antibody therapies targeted against prions, in case they cause brain damage, rather than prevent it."

►January 30, 2004 - Drug may give cells a fresh start - A chemical could switch adult cells from one type to another. - Nature

►January 30, 2004 - Cancer radiation risk estimated - Medical X-rays cause thousands of cases of cancer every year. - Nature

►January 28, 2004 - Do women clasp infants to their left to boost bonding? - Cuddling linked to how the brain processes emotion. - Nature

►January 27, 2004 - 'Test-tube' mice become bold adults - Assisted reproduction may affect behaviour. - Nature

►January 29, 2004 - Food Additive May Pave Way to New Antibiotics - HealthDayNews via The Atlanta Journal Constitution - "Scientists have replicated the internal machinery that creates a powerful type of antibiotic, potentially setting the stage for the development of new drugs to replace those that no longer work...The antibiotics, known as lantibiotics, are currently used as preservatives in the food industry. But the breakthrough could lead to their use in humans, University of Illinois researchers say."

►February 3, 2004 - Cause for concern - Parents of autistic children search for answers - Daily Camera via www.rockymountainnews.com - "Federal and private sources have begun to respond to the alarming numbers with funding, which has helped to build impressive research centers in Denver and Boulder. But desperate parents, well aware that early intervention is key to keeping an autistic child connected with the world, don't have time to wait...They're reading journals, searching the Internet and networking with professionals and other parents about therapies. They're placing their children on special diets and giving them nutritional supplements while spending tens of thousands of dollars on an array of behavioral and occupational therapies, most of which aren't covered by insurance."