Portrait on the Mantel

According to an article published in the journal Physical Review Letters, Arizona State University physicists say they have developed a method to calculate the exact frequency that it would take to shake a virus to death.

Researchers have discovered that when viruses are bombarded with laser pulses of the right frequency, they shake apart.  This arises from an inherent characteristic of all objects called a “resonant frequency,” which is the frequency at which an object naturally vibrates.

Resonant frequencies are they key to stringed instruments, in which a string of a certain material, thickness and length has a resonant frequency that produces a specific musical note.  But resonant frequencies can also cause objects to shake so uncontrollably that their stability is undermined, as when a wind shook the Tacoma Narrows Bridge at its resonant frequency in 1940, causing it to collapse.

Because the shell of a single virus can contain millions of atoms, it is difficult to calculate a given virus’ resonant frequency except by trial and error.  But in the current study, researchers successfully calculated the resonant frequency of a simple satellite tobacco necrosis virus.  The next step for the researchers is to determine if the same technique will work for other, more complex viruses.

Although practical applications are probably a long way off, vibrational antiviral treatments have a number of benefits over chemical approaches.  First, while many antiviral drugs are very harsh on the body and have dangerous or debilitating side effects, the frequencies used to disrupt the viruses should have no effect on human or even bacterial cells, which are much larger and consequently have significantly lower resonant frequencies.

In addition, because a resonant frequency is an inherent characteristic of a virus makeup, researchers say it is unlikely that resistance to it could develop.

Among the obstacles toward creating vibrational antiviral therapy is the fact that lasers have trouble penetrating the skin.  Researchers have suggested that ultrasound could be used instead or perhaps a dialysis type machine that cycles of blood out of the body irradiates it then cycles it back in.

by D Gutierrez

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The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip.  You don’t have to actually answer the questions.  Just read straight through, and you’ll get the point.

I promise it’s worth it:

1. Name the 5 wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last 5 Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last 5 winners of the Miss America pageant.
4. Name 10 people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last 1/2 dozen Academy Award winners for best actor & Actress.
6. Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

Not so great, right?

Me neither.

The point is none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.  These are no 2nd rate achievers.  They are the best in their fields.  But the applause dies.  Awards tarnish.  Achievements are forgotten.  Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here’s another quiz.  See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name 3 friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name 5 people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of 5 people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards.

They simply are the ones who care the most.

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According to a report written by economist from the U.S. Government Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and published in the Journal Health Affairs, medical care spending in the U.S. is expected to double by 2017 to $4.3 trillion.

Currently accounting for 16.3% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2007, medical care spending is expected to rise to 19.5% over the next 10 years.  Medical care spending in the U.S. in 2007 was $2.2 trillion.

The increase in medical care contribution of the GDP arises from the projected growth of the GDP of 2.4% between now and 2017; medical care spending is anticipated to grow by 4.7% a year.

While those numbers account for both private and public medical care spending, government medical care costs are expected to bear a large part of this growth, as the 1st of the baby boom generation become eligible for Medicare benefits in 2011.

The CMS report estimates that Medicare spending will rise from the 2007 level of $427 billion to $884 billion in 2017, accounting for more than 20% of the national total.  Total spending on Medicaid, a federal state Medical care partnership for low income people, is expected to hit $717 billion, accounting for approximately 17% of the national total.

Kerry Weems, Acting Administrator of CMS, states “the cost of Medical care continues to be a real and pressing concern”.  “Making sure we are paying for high quality Medical care services not just the number of services provided is just one of the most critical issues facing the American public and the federal government now and in the future.”

Over 47 million American lack any type of medical insurance.

by D. Gutierrez

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Emerging research suggest that a small protein called glutathione plays a significant role in protecting the eyes.  Scientist have been aware of glutathione and its important ocular antioxidant properties for some time, but they did not know until recently how to raise glutathione levels.

Ocular nutrition and raising your glutathione level can be instrumental in preventing or resolving visual degeneration due to Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma and Cataracts.  Low levels of glutathione are often seen in patients with these diseases.  Raising glutathione with improved ocular nutrition can halt progress and often reverse these conditions.

Macular degeneration is defined as a progressive loss of vision because of breakdown of the macular.  The macula is the portion of the retina that is responsible for close vision.  Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a top reason for sight loss in seniors over age 65.

Smoking and atherosclerosis are contributing factors that can make ARMD worse, although genetics is the predominant factor.  ARMD is probably a result of cumulative damage of free radicals released because of exposure to ultraviolent sunlight.  Other sources of oxidative stress may also play a role in its onset.  The elderly often have low glutathione levels and this predisposes them to ARMD.

Glaucoma is a serious condition that involves fluid pressure rising within the eye.  Some pressure is necessary to maintain the shape of the eyeball, however too much pressure will compress and obstruct the small blood vessels of the eye.  This will damage the optic nerve.  Glaucoma is one of the top causes of vision loss.

Glaucoma become more common with aging, is genetic and is many times connected to diabetes, hypertension and nearsightedness.  Glaucoma patients generally have very low glutathione levels.

Research shows that the onset of cataracts could be delayed or prevented by raising glutathione levels.

Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have been shown to be effective in protecting the retina against oxidative damage because these foods contain a compound called Sulphoraphane.  Sulphoraphane boosts the body’s defense system and enable it to fight free radicals.

Glutathione and Sulphoraphane have important advantages over regular antioxidants.  Not only are they effective protection for the eyes, but they also protect every other part of the body.  They also last between 4 to 5 days in cells after being ingested.

Lutein supplements can protect your eyes. However increasing the amount of leafy green vegetables in your diet is a much better way to fight eye diseases and macular degeneration.  Not only are you helping your vision by raising your glutathione levels, you are helping your entire body.

by Jo hartley

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Based on records obtained under a May 2007 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, Judicial Watch has summarized the approval process, side effects, safety concerns, and marketing practices related to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil.  It calls these a “large scale public health experiment.”

One of the most startling findings is 78 cases of outbreaks of warts following the vaccine in women already infected without knowing it.  Besides genital warts, some patients experienced massive outbreaks on the face, hands, or feet, sometimes caused by strains not included in the vaccine.

Additionally, the vaccine could increase the incidence of CIN 2/3 (cervical endothelial neoplasia in moderate stage) in women who had persistent infection with “vaccine relevant” HPV strains at baseline.  A chart in a report of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) showed an efficacy rate of -44% in subjects already exposed to “relevant HPV types.”

On June 25, 2008, the FDA denied Merck’s application to expand marketing of Gardasil to women aged 27 through 45.  The FDA refused Judicial Watch’s request for a copy of the letter to Merck, stating that it may be available under FOIA.

Merck also failed to win approval to expand the vaccine to more strains and has reportedly dropped plans to do so.

Most tests with Gardasil were done against an adjuvant containing “placebo,” rather than a nonreactive saline base, possibly making the vaccine seem safer than it actually is.

In its report to the FDA, Merck noted that “it is not known whether Gardasil can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant women.”  It reported that 27% of pregnant women experienced an adverse reaction upon receiving the vaccine, and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) contains 45 cases of spontaneous abortion following Gardasil.

A pre condition for fast tracking Gardasil was a requirement for a safety surveillance study, which will not be complete until June 2009.  Nonetheless, intensive marketing continues.

A total of 8,864 VAERS reports have been filed, including 38 of Guillain Barre Syndrome and 18 deaths, 11 occurring within one week of receiving the vaccine.  Association, of course does not prove causality.

The entire Judicial Report is available.

Mandating HPV vaccine is a matter of the public good vs. private rights, states Alexandra M. Stewart, J.D., who worked under contract from Merck with the George Washington University Medical Center to study Medicaid coverage for HPV vaccine.  The intimate mode of transmission is “a distinction without a meaningful difference”; therefore, legal precedents justifying mandates should apply to Gardasil, she writes (N Engl J Med 2007;356:1998-1999).

In an article that appeared in MedScape on July 26, and was quickly taken off the website, Diane Harper, M.D., a principal chief investigator in clinical HPV trials, was quoted as saying, “The side effects that have been reported are real and they cannot be brushed aside.”  She suggested that physicians not vaccinate patients with personal or family histories of the more serious complications, which have included neurologic disorders, thromboembolism, and autoimmune conditions.

“The cause of recent complications remains a mystery and it is difficult to know whether they are linked to vaccines,” the article stated.

Two physicians, a cardiologist and a rheumatologist, say they regret their decision to immunize their 17 year old daughter and will not encourage his younger daughters to receive the vaccine.  After being vaccinated their eldest went from being a healthy athlete to a chronically ill patient.  he worries that other girls may be struggling with immune damage, feeling achy and unwell, but going undiagnosed and unreported.

Gynecologist Christiane Northrup, M.D., appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show, told viewers that she wouldn’t advocate vaccinating her daughters, and that medical dollars were better spent elsewhere.

The FDA and CDC issued a joint statement reassuring the public and physicians of the vaccine’s safety.  MedScape was accused of “germ theory denialism” (apparently for suggesting that it might be fruitful to investigate how most patients successfully fight off HPV) and “antivaccination myths.”  It was also criticized for having the “chutzpah” to run a poll on how physicians were reacting to the reports about adverse events and the FDA/CDC advisory, and the poll has apparently been pulled also.

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Fasting for one day each month may reduce the risk of clogged arteries by 40%, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Intermountain Medical Center and the University of Utah and presented at a conference of the American Heart Association.

Researchers first began to study fasting when an analysis of a health registry indicated that significantly fewer Mormons than non-Mormons in Utah suffered from the clogged arteries indicative of heart disease even after different smoking rates were taken into account.

Of the 5 religious practices only observance of the monthly fast showed any correlation with heart disease rates with 59% of regular fasters developing heart disease compared with 67% of those who did not fast.  The difference between fasters and non fasters remained even after the researchers adjusted for age, weight and health status including high cholesterol diabetes or high blood pressure.

Researcher Benjamin Horne said it was not clear why fasting might lead to a benefit for the heart.  He speculated that fasting might simply be associated with other characteristics such as good self control of diet.  When the body is deprived of food and sugar in particular it stops producing insulin.  This can prevent against the development of the insulin sensitivity associated with Type 2 diabetes a risk factor for heart disease.

Horne strongly recommends that diabetes should not fast, because it can be dangerous for them.

Additionally, fasting is not helpful for those wanting to lose weight because it causes the body to start storing fat as soon as it has access to food again.

by D. Gutierrez

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According to a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published by the Journal Pediatrics, more than 7,000 children under the age of 12 visit hospital emergency rooms in the U.S. every year due to over the counter cough and cold meds.

Approximately 2/3 of the cases studied involved children who had overdosed on medication after taking it without an adult present, more than a 1/4, involved children who took a recommended dose but then developed allergic reactions or alarming drowsiness.

Even though the FDA recommends not giving cold meds to young children, the CDC said parents still appear set on doing so.  The researchers cited a national survey, which found that 64% of parents believe cold meds to be safe and 20% plan to disregard an FDA warning and keep giving them to children under the age of two.

“However, if these medications are removed from the market, caregivers may be tempted to substitute products that are labeled for use by older children and adults,” they wrote.

Instead, the study authors recommended changes to packaging to make it harder for children to overdose.

The researchers also noted that artificial colors and flavors could be removed from medications since they increase the risk that unsupervised children will try to swallow them.

The researchers warned parents against telling children that medications are candy, or taking adult medications while young children are watching.

by D. Gutierrez

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The media headlines proclaim Tony Snow died from colon cancer; however in 2005 Snow had is colon removed and underwent 6 months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with colon cancer.  Apparently, the malignant cancer returned and spread to the liver and elsewhere in his body.  Fact is the colon surgery severely restricted his normal eliminative functions, thereby overburdening the liver and tissue fluids with toxic waste.  The previous series of chemo treatments inflamed and irreversibly damaged a large number of cells in his body and also impaired his immune system; a perfect recipe for growing new cancer.  Now unable to heal the causes of the original cancer (in addition to the newly created ones), Snow’s body developed new cancers in the liver and other parts of the body.

Mainstream media; still insist Snow died of colon cancer thus perpetuating the myth that it is only the cancer that kills people, not the treatment.  Nobody seems to raise the important point that it is extremely difficult for a cancer patient to heal from cancer while being subjected to systemic poisons of chemotherapy and deadly radiation. 

Where are the stories that show the overwhelming scientific evidence that shows chemotherapy has zero benefits in the 5 year survival rate of colon cancer patients?  Or how many oncologists stand up for their cancer patients and protect them against chemotherapy treatment which they very well know can cause them to die far more quickly than if they received no treatment at all?  Can you trustingly place your life into their hands when you know that most of them would not even consider chemotherapy for themselves if they were diagnosed with cancer?  What do they know that you don’t?  The news is spreading fast that in the U.S. physician caused fatalities now exceed 750,000 each year.  Perhaps many physicians no longer trust in what they practice for good reasons.

“Most cancer patients in this country die of chemotherapy… Chemotherapy does not eliminate breast, colon or lung cancers.  This fact has been documented for over a decade.  Yet physicians still use chemotherapy for these tumors.. Women with breast cancer are likely to die faster with chemo than without it.” Alan Levin, M.D.

by Andreas Moritz

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