Tuesday, 30 May 2017

nih-researchers-reveal-link-between-powerful-gene-regulatory-elements-autoimmune-diseases

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks its own cells, causing inflammation. Different tissues are affected in different diseases, for example, the joints become swollen and inflamed in rheumatoid arthritis, and the brain and spinal cord are damaged in multiple sclerosis. The causes of these diseases are not well understood, but scientists believe that they have a genetic component because they often run in families.

“We now know more about the genetics of autoimmune diseases,” said NIAMS Director Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D. “Knowledge of the genetic risk factors helps us assess a person’s susceptibility to disease. With further research on the associated biological mechanisms, it could eventually enable physicians to tailor treatments to each individual.”

Identifying autoimmune disease susceptibility genes can be a challenge because in most cases a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors is involved. Genetic studies have shown that people with autoimmune diseases possess unique genetic variants, but most of the alterations are found in regions of the DNA that do not carry genes. Scientists have suspected that the variants are in DNA elements called enhancers, which act like switches to control gene activities.

Dr. O’Shea’s team wondered if the alterations might lie in a newly discovered type of enhancer called a super-enhancer (SE). Earlier work in the laboratory of Dr. Collins and others had shown that SEs are especially powerful switches, and that they control genes important for the function and identity of each individual cell type. In addition, a large number of disease-associated genetic alterations were found to fall within SEs, suggesting that disease occurs when these switches malfunction.https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-researchers-reveal-link-between-powerful-gene-regulatory-elements-autoimmune-diseases

Saturday, 12 July 2014

RIP Tommy Ramone, who has died aged 62Ramones - Needles & Pins

Monday, 17 March 2014

HRB Review Promised after Sinn Fein Bill to Ban Fluorides failed

Posted on Nov 9 2013 - 4:54pm by Shan Kelly for www.the Journalist.ie

Health Minister James Reilly ordered the Health Service Executive to ask a Government agency to review whether compulsory water fluoridation should be ended, after a Sinn Féin bill to outlaw water fluoridation in Ireland attracted cross party support from TDs on the left.

With a vote on the Sinn Fein bill due on 12th November, the Government announced a U Turn after independent TDs and some from his own party, backed the Sinn Fein Bill in the Dail.
Ireland is now one of just two countries in the world which still has a national policy compelling water fluoridation, so ending the mandatory policy would not be a radical move.

Most European countries have banned it (like the Netherlands), or abandoned it, after scientific studies identified it as a high risk activity which can affect the brain and bone development of young children.

One political party that has no doubt about the effects of fluorides is Sinn Féin. The party’s Environmental Spokesman is Louth TD Brian Stanley, whose mother died from a thyroid illness. Stanley knows that Fluorides in water impair the thyroid gland’s ability to absorb the iodine it needs to make thyroid hormones, a fact reported by the US National Research Council in 2006, which caused it to label fluorides as "endocrine disrupters". Campaigners link rising rates of thyroid illness across the world to water fluoridation.

Stanley‘s bill would have made water fluoridation in the Republic a criminal offence.

Forced water Fluoridation began in Ireland in 1964, after Gladys Ryan, a Dublin Mother-of-five, lost a six-week Supreme Court battle to prevent it. Gladys was represented in court by Civil Rights lawyer Sean McBride and by former Fine Gael Minister Richie Ryan.

Campaigners believe the health benefits of ending fluoridation here would be enormous. Banning fluoridation would also save us money -a minimum of 4.5M Euro per annum. This could be used to upgrade Ireland’s creaking Victorian water supply system. Problems with Dublin’s water recently resulted in a million people being cut off and unable to flush the loo or brush their teeth between 8pm and 8am for almost a week.

The brave women from across Ireland who posed for The Naked Fluoride Calendar 2014 did so to end Ireland’s 50-year-old policy of mandatory water fluoridation, which studies have linked to higher rates of bone cancer, osteoporosis and thyroid illness. The Calendar Girls joined their ringleader, nutritionist Aisling Fitzgibbon, 27, from Kerry, at the White Lady art gallery on Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Quay, to launch the 2014 Calendar and party with DJs and journalists from Hot Press, the music magazine which has supported the campaign.

Fine Gael’s Ivan Yates promised the party would end water fluoridation if it was re-elected, way back in 2001.

The www.HRB.ie Review of the health impacts of water fluoridation at current levels is expected in December 2014.

The Naked Fluoride Calendar 2014 is on sale for 9.99 euro from www.thegirlagainstfluoriode.com

Minister ordered HRB Review after Sinn Fein brought Dail bill to ban fluorides

Minister ordered HRB Fluoride Review after Sinn Fein Bill won Cross Party Support

Posted on Nov 9 2013 - 4:54pm by Shan Kelly

for www.thejournalist.ie

Health Minister James Reilly told the Dail on Wednesday, November 8th that he asked the Health Service Executive to order a full scientific review of whether compulsory water fluoridation should be ended, after a Sinn Féin bill to outlaw water fluoridation in Ireland drew cross-party support from parties on the Left.

Studies have linked fluorides in water to higher rates of bone cancer, asthma, osteoporosis and to thyroid illness.

With a vote to take place on Tuesday, 12th November, the Government announced a U Turn on its previous water policy.The HRB review is now due to report in December this year. It has been told to look at how fluorides affects many vulnerable groups who have not previously been the subject of fluoride impact studies.

Ireland is one of only three countries in the world which still has a national policy compelling water fluoridation. Most European countries have banned it (like the Netherlands), or abandoned it after scientific studies identified it as a high risk activity which can affect the brain and bone development of young children.

One political party that has no doubt about the health impacts of fluorides is Sinn Féin. The party’s Environmental Spokesman is Louth TD Brian Stanley, whose mother died from thyroid illness. Fluorides in water impair the thyroid gland’s ability to absorb the iodine it needs to make thyroid hormones.
Stanley‘s bill sought to make water fluoridation in the Republic a criminal offence.

Meanwhile a group of brave men and women from across Ireland have posed for a nude calendar to fund a Supreme Court case to make the Government end its archaic and risky mandatory fluoride policy. The Naked Fluoride Calendar 2014 being sold by @fluoridegirl Aisling Fitzgibbon will fund a court case to make the Government end Ireland’s 50-year-old policy of mandatory water fluoridation in 2014.

Forced Fluoridation of Irish water began in Ireland in 1964, after Gladys Ryan, a Dublin Mother-of-five, lost a six-week Supreme Court battle to prevent it. Gladys was represented in court by Amnesty Founder Sean McBride and by former Fine Gael Minister Richie Ryan.

Campaigners believe the health benefits of ending fluoridation here would be enormous. Banning fluoridation would also save us money - a minimum of 4.5M Euro per annum. This could be used to upgrade Ireland’s creaking Victorian water supply system. Problems with Dublin’s water recently resulted in a million people being cut off and unable to flush the loo or brush their teeth between 8pm and 8am for almost a week.

The Calendar Boys and Girls joined their ringleader, nutritionist Aisling Fitzgibbon, 27, from Kerry, at the White Lady art gallery on Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Quay, to launch the 2014 Calendar and party with DJs and journalists from Hot Press, the music magazine which has supported the 50- year battle.

The Naked Fluoride Calendar 2014 is on sale for 9.99 euro from www.thegirlagainstfluoride.com.

Ivan Yates promised his party would end water fluoridation if it was re-elected, way back in 2001, but Fine Gael did not put this promise into its programme for Government when it was elected.