THE GREAT HEALTH DEBATE NEEDS COOLING

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THE GREAT HEALTH DEBATE

The White House has the best communications professionals and modern campaign consultants ever assembled. However they didn’t watch the details of Congressional health care policy-making.

The initial financial stimulus was only two pages long. The details came out as the plan progressed. Unfortunately, the reverse is true with this healthcare program. With all the details on the table, it will be very hard to please anyone.

TOWN HALL MEETINGS

Town hall meetings are set up by politicians to orchestrate their events as much as protesters do to disrupt them. It may not be right, but that is democracy.

Everyone has a right to go to a town hall meeting and express their views on issues that affects them. All of us should have the same right to talk, argue, or even shout about issues. It's too bad we are doing it in an unruly way.

THE GREAT DEBATE

There is a vicious debate over how to change health care in America. The debate is hurting Obama’s high approval rating as this debate drags on. The intensity is seeing in congressional town hall meetings throughout the country. This debate is quickly consuming the country. There are various interpretations of the proposed legislative plan, and there is certainly is much to debate: the cost to taxpayers, how private insurance companies will be affected, the cost to businesses, how seniors will be effecting etc.

A lot of the debate is not helping anyone on both sides of the arguments. There is some hysteria among opponents and some exaggerations among proponents. In America, people always question what the government proposes, rather than swallowing it blindly. That is democracy in action. All this shouting and viscious confrontations are not pretty, and better manners should exist. However silence would be much worse.

CONCERNS MAGNIFIED

Pres. Obama has yet to convince skeptics that reform will lower healthcare spending. There is also concern that people will not be able to keep their same health coverage. People worry about the government dictating the levels of minimum coverage, cost containment, end of life dictates, reduced Medicare coverage, and the government’s intent to create its own public plan that might remove people from private insurance coverage.

There is a fear that government will decide what level of treatment you may get at the end of life. Advanced care planning consultations are planned where doctors would talk to their elderly people about end-of-life care, living wills, and wishes for terminating care in some circumstances--this is not resonating well with seniors. There are numerous interpretations, some are extreme, and everyone is trying to educate everyone else.

CAN’T SIMPLIFY THE ISSUES

The real issues of health care coverage cannot be overly simplified and generalized. Yet both sides rely on bitter slogans and exaggeration to create shock value. It is not been a good debate, not even a serious one. Complex health care answers cannot be conveyed in a nine second commercial.

The healthcare issue is bigger than anyone ever thought. It has resulted in falling congressional personal polls and angry town hall meetings. This great recession has changed the mood of our nation. All of Congress seems to be shell- shocked. They had not really known how people feel about their health care.

IS THE PASSION AUTHENTIC?

The public is passionate and is scared. Both sides claim the passion isn't authentic, was set up by insurance companies, lobbyists, and especially the Republican national committee. Accusations are made that people are carrying swastikas, are two well dressed in jackets and ties, and must represent an organized planned protest engineered to hurt the president.

The Republicans, on the other hand, criticize the White House about creating a new White Hous e-mail address to encourage citizens to report any “fishy’ information they may see on an e-mail or anything on the web that looks suspicious and then send it to flag@Whitehouse.gov. This is an attempt to “fight intentionally misleading information” says the white house.

The Republicans accuse the White House of compiling an enemy list with this website, creating a dissident database. If this were so, why would the White House make it so public?

COMMENTARY

With a government health care plan so complex, confusing, and undercooked, can anyone really say what it will or will not allow, what it will or will not pay for? What is being sold, is not accepted by the public. No matter how good the communications may be now, bad policy must be changed.

It seems concerned citizens are being mocked, called stupid, extremists, right-wing, and can not see light, but in reality they are merely concerned citizens that deserve respect.

Americans question our government whose members take our tax money while taking bribes, shout for morality, and then get caught with their pants down, or lecture business people about private planes, and then turn around and order a bunch of them for themselves.

This health care plan should be argued on its merits. The bill submitted is over 1000 pages long, and many different bills are being submitted with the same length. What the final bill will be, is unknown.

Congress needs to act responsibly, deliberate, and with wisdom. Every day the town meetings seem to be a little angrier, and people are more afraid. With President Obama himself having three town meetings this week, the rhetoric may change.

Since, we have a peace initiative in the Middle East, why not have a peace initiative on health care reform? Perhaps the timing is wrong, and it should take a little longer for Americans, to have the health care details clairified.

As we face uncharted territory, with all the details of the plan on the table, it certainly will be hard to please anyone.

What do you think? Visit www.drneedles.com for more information on medical controversial subjects.

KIDNEY DONOR BLACK MARKET

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KIDNEY DONOR BLACK MARKET TRADE

More than 80,000 Americans now wait for a kidney, thirteen die daily--the rest are on dialysis. The number of donors decreases each year.

A Brooklyn broker, Rosenbaum, conspired the sale of a human kidney for a transplant. The cost to the recipient was $160,000 and the donor got only $10,000. Rosenbaum brokered such sales many times over the past 10 years.

In the 1970s, pharmaceutical companies developed drugs that could prevent organ rejection. Kidney transplants became common about 13 years ago when the anti- rejection drug ,cyclosporine, became available. With a lack of medical regulation, the organ black-market developed.

The dramatic success rates of operations also fueled kidney transplant growth. Lack of regulations and loose medical ethics followed . Desperate people depend on dialysis machines and the demand for kidneys has not kept up with the demand. The poor sell their kidneys to pay for a daughter’s dowry, to build a small house, or feed their families.

THE PROBLEM

Every year, more than 1 million people worldwide develop end-stage kidney failure. Because of the long waiting list, patients who have enough money resort to other options. It may be unethical and immoral, but it exists.

Since one kidney is sufficient for a good quality of life, people are willing to trade the other one for cash. When there is a shortage of deceased kidney donors, and donations are restricted, and one desperately needs an organ, people are willing to buy organs.

Thanks to the Internet, anyone on the globe can sell one of his or her kidneys without any difficulties. Potential recipients might get lucky and find a transplant that matches. There are literally hundreds of offers to sell a kidney, like shopping on eBay. Donors are desperate, but the poor and vulnerable people suffer.

THE KIDNEY ORGAN TRADE

There are many trafficking networks in India, Turkey, Ukraine, China, and Israel. If you have approximately $70,000 you can travel abroad and get yourself a kidney in these countries.

Out of desperation young people in parts of Eastern Europe sell one of their kidneys for sums up $3000, while the recipients pay between 100,000 and US$200,000 for each transplant. The donor's health generally worsens due to absence of any medical follow-up, their hard physical work, and their unhealthy lifestyle, complicated by inadequate nutrition and high alcohol consumption. In time, most of these illegal donors may themselves need dialysis treatments.

WHO ARE THE DONORS?

90% of organs from China come from deceased prisoners. They sign agreements before execution. A leprosy colony near Madras, India, freely donated kidneys for money offered by agents. Prominent doctors removed the kidneys of nearly 1000 people in a leading city hospital. The donors were offered jobs: they were told blood was being removed, rather than kidneys. The kidneys went to patients from the Middle and Far East.

SOLUTIONS

The strategy to crack down on trafficking in organs and body parts is doomed, since it ignores the fact that efforts to stamp out the underground markets either drive corruption further underground, or causes it to erupt elsewhere. The critical shortage of organs for transplants can only disappear by giving legitimate incentives (like money) to people who might be willing to donate their organs.

IRAN MAY HAVE THE ANSWER

Iran has no waiting list for kidney transplants, since the practice of selling one's kidney for profit is legal and regulated. The government supports such programs. Organizations match donors to recipients, setting up tests to ensure compatibility. The donor gets approximately $6000 for kidney donation. There is a strict regulation of the allocation of organs only to local citizens (no foreigners allowed), restricting international trade.

LEGISLATIVE LOOPHOLES

Most countries still have legislative loopholes since criminal responsibility in organ trade is rarely established in international criminal codes. Congress will probably raise the penalties for underground organ sales, as in Mr. Rosenbuam’s case. Al Gore tried to push a voucher system or a tax credit to a donor's estate to improve voluntary donation. Democratic Senators aren't talking about governmental entities offering donor benefits but they are raising penalties for brokering. The proposed bill allows states to offer health and life insurance to living donors, or funeral benefits to families of posthumous donors. Donors could be offered a tax credit, or perhaps a very generous contribution to a charity of their choice (not to themselves). Organs would be distributed according to formulas already in place, and not be available just to the wealthy. The rewards would go to approved charities or state governments, but not to individuals. Congress might allow donors to accept third-party benefits for saving the life of a stranger. Otherwise, desperate patients and donors will continue to be reluctant co-conspirators in crime, as they seek organs.

COMMENTARY

The illegal organ trade is booming across the globe. It will only disappear when the critical shortage of organs for transplants disappears. If legal incentives, (like dollars), could be given to people who might be willing to donate, the shortage might disappear.

Most countries require living donors to be either family members, or organs removed from cadavers, usually accident victims. It is illegal and unethical to remove kidneys from live donor especially for money. Donating a kidney isn't particularly risky, and does not impair one's health. They are easily available. With any illegal kidney black market that caters to buyers around the world, many countries have benefited from the kidney trade.

Must a person who sells one of his kidneys, be treated as a felon? This has encouraged the black market with middlemen who can benefit, like Mr. Rosenbaum, from Brooklyn. We could lower the cost of medical dialysis treatment by finding a solution to kidney donations. But does the government really want a solution? You might live too long.

What do you think? Your comments are always appreciated. Visit www.drneedles.com for more commentaries on controversial medical subjects.

SOURCES Cherry MJ. Kidney for sale by owner: human organs, transplantation, and the market. Washington: Georgetown University Press; 2005./ Doctors banned from brokering transplants. China Post. 2006 Aug 17. /The Guardian. 2005 Feb 10. /McLaughlin A, What is a kidney worth? Christian Science Monitor. 2004 Jun 9 /Hogg C. Why not allow organ trading? BBC News. 2002 Aug 30

SWINE FLU PANDEMIC

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LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE SWINE FLU PANDEMIC

A new influenza H1 and one virus was declared a pandemic by Dr. Chan, director of the World Health Organization, WHO, on June 11, 2009. She labeled it a pandemic alert level VI, which is its maximum level. Pandemic means global and worldwide, it does not mean an epidemic.

National public health authorities are preparing for the influenza season this fall to be more complex than usual. The assumption is that there will be an increase in the number of infections taking place when autumn arrives during the normal influenza season.

The FDA has recently approved vaccines for the coming 2009 influenza season. They campaign for vaccination is aimed at school age children.

VACCINATIONS FOR CHILDREN

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children receive 28 doses of vaccine (for 14 diseases) by the age of two...more than double the number required in the 1970s. Seventy seven per cent of kindergartners have completed their immunization.

Children between the ages of birth and seven will receive 47 doses of vaccines -- and 67 or more by the age of 18 – if the current vaccination schedule of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC is followed."

Why would you want your child to get a new virus in his system that is seasonal?

We have developed a herd-like immunity mind set. It conveys the belief that a highly immunized population is more likely to resist penetration by serious pathogens. The magnitude of the issue is reflected by the estimated 5,000 families with autistic children seeking damages from a federal program to compensate for alleged harm caused by vaccines."

THE DYNAMICS OF SWINE FLU VIRUS

Swine flu viruses come in through pig populations worldwide. It is not common that it is transmitted to humans, and does not always lead to human influenza. People with regular exposure to pigs, as farmers, are at increased risk of swine flu infection. Infected animals pose no risk of infection when properly cooked.

Symptoms of abnormal swine flu in humans are similar to influenza in general, namely: chills, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, severe headache, coughing, weakness, and general discomfort. Seasonal virus typically infects only cells in the upper respiratory system. In contrast, that this H1 virus exhibits an ability to infect cells deep in the lungs, and can cause pneumonia and in severe cases death. Swine have become a reservoir for viruses that potentially can cause major respiratory outbreaks and even a possible pandemic attack in humans.

In April 2009, influenza a virus, labeled H1, was isolated from humans in Mexico and the United States. This virus was previously undecided. There were as of May 18, 2009, 8800 laboratory confirmed cases in 40 countries resulting in only 74 deaths.

THE NEW VIRUS

This current virus has a lot less anti-genetic variation in it then that which is seen during a typical influenza season in humans. Seasonal flu virus reacts with the 2009 H1 virus.

If a boost of a swine flu vaccination will be at all protective against the 2009 H1 virus still remains to be determined.

The virus appears readily transmit some will between humans, and this is the reason for alarm by health agencies. There is worldwide monitoring of the genetic properties of this virus, looking for any changes that may result in antiviral recommendations.

This new virus contains a combination of gene segments previously unreported. This 2009 H1 virus does not have molecular markers to predict any adaptation to humans or to pinpoint a possibility of it being a pandemic virus as in 1918.

All known human influenza viruses have a LYS at position 627 and the DB2 protein. This virus has a GL at that position, which is typically only present in bird influenza viruses.

There is no similarity between this 2009 H1 virus and all the other swine flu viruses that have been circulating undetected for a long time. It has a low genetic diversity, and this virus is distinct from the ones we normally have seen from North American swine flu viruses.

PROBLEMS WITH SWINE FLU VACCINATIONS

Clinical trials still have not been conducted to be sure that this vaccine is safe and even effective. These trials will start in early August and some results will trickle in by early October. The vast majority of cases have been very mild.

This virus has shown very little evidence yet of becoming virulent. There is a good chance many of these cases will be mild.

Antiviral medication, as Tami flu, will be available to reduce the symptoms of a person already infected with the flu. The vaccines however are used to only prevent the infection.

The vaccine will not protect you against the one influenza strain that was declared as a pandemic by the world organization in June. Even though it is not effective against a pandemic event, health officials are pushing that Americans receive a seasonal flu vaccine, because the pandemic virus will circulate with the seasonal flu vaccine.

Normally, 20% of Americans develop influenza each year. 200,000 are hospitalized for this tool, and about 36,000 people died. Those who die have other associated health problems as well.

This seasonal flu vaccine manufacture was started in April, before the H1 virus was even discovered. After being infected with the swine flu virus, and the H1 virus, 17 Britons died out of 7500 confirmed cases.

VIRUSES LIKE DRY WEATHER

Flu spreads better in dry air. The key is the absolute humidity, measuring the amount of water in the air regardless of temperature. Absolute humidity does not depend on air temperature. When absolute humidity is low, viruses survive longer, and their transmission rates go up. Adding humidity to your air reduces your chance of getting viruses.

BRITAIN

A large-scale vaccination is planned in Britain to vaccinate the entire country. Private contractors will help doctors carry out this massive vaccination job. The extra work of answering phone calls and office visits are overwhelming doctors who are then prevented from doing their routine care. Each doctor or nurse plans to vaccinate between 30 to 40 people every hour.

Britain has been hit hard with several times a greater number of cases than other countries because they were traveling to Mexico and the United States when the viruses were first a peer. All the 60 million residents will be vaccinated. Everyone will be offered free shots as soon as they become available. They expect enough vaccinations for half the population, 30 million vaccinations.

VACCINATING OUR ELDERLY

The aluminum and the mercury used in vaccines are significant neurotoxins, which play a major role in all neurological disorders. It is also important to remember that both of these metals accumulate in the brain and spinal cord. This makes them much more dangerous than rapidly excreted toxins.

Numerous studies have shown harmful effects when aluminum accumulates in the brain, including Alzheimer's disease and possibly Parkinson's disease and ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease). This may also explain the ten-fold increase in Alzheimer's disease in those receiving the flu vaccine five years in a row.

COMMENTARY

This H1 virus is also known as swine flu. The swine influenza a virus can spread from people was infected to others through coughs and sneezes. The germs are spread through the air or onto surfaces that other people may touch. It is not transmitted from pigs to humans nor from eating any pork products.

Big drug companies are controlling what laws and policies are made to guarantee their profits. It is going to be made a law that everyone is vaccinated involuntarily. The top healthcare experts in the field have all been ignored on this subject.

Some of you may remember the swine flu campaign of 1976 was a fiasco, causing death and permanent disability. The vaccine program was stopped in its tracks after three weeks of injury. This campaign may be a repeat performance.

Canada is planning to vaccinate its entire population. You can be sure America is going to be next. It's not if, but when. Mass vaccinations will be administered in Norway this November, 2009

Six drug companies that are making the vaccine are not manufacturing the vaccine that may prevent a pandemic attack. No manufacturer will be held liable for the harm caused by this untested vaccine. No one knows how many doses will be needed, but two vaccinations are scheduled per person.

We should all be more concerned about the 100 MILLION doses of LIVE-VIRUS vaccine that BIG PHARMA is making, BECAUSE it will give ALL who are inoculated with it, a "case" of the "swine flu". Through shedding, the live virus in many instances, will cause a secondary infection, and infect the non vaccinated since the live-virus recipients are not required to self-quarantine.

Unfortunately there is a lot more hype to this swine flu story then reality.

What do you think? Your comments are always appreciated. Visit www.drneedles.com for more information on controversial medical subjects.

Sources; Science July 10, 2009 /World news, July 15, 2009 /National Academy of Sciences 2.8.2009

SENIORS BIG LOSERS IN NEW HEALTH PLAN

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MEDICAL PLAN RIPS OFF SENIORS

Seniors will be the big losers if this plan is accepted as submitted. Since Medicare was formed 54 years ago, older Americans have been able to avoid disability, live by themselves, and travel. The new health plan will reduce this access to care for seniors, and pressure them to end their lives prematurely, and doomed them to painful years in nursing homes.

The stimulus package passed in February gave considerable funding for comparative effectiveness research. This is the codename for limiting care based on the patient's age. This formula is used in Britain now to deny treatment for older patients who have few years to benefit from the care. Treatment for the elderly will be denied on the basis of age. This should result in denying seniors lifesaving care and keeping them disabled.

It is folly to think that one can eliminate sickness by preventative care. Cancer and heart disease, the two most common diseases of aging, are caused by genetics and increase with age.

Because specialty care costs a lot of money, this care will be shifted to primary care providers. General practitioners will treat your heart disease instead of a specialist. Readmission to hospitals will be more frequent, and death will come sooner.

Since there will be less access to medical care and to specialists, our seniors will be counseled on end-of-life options. Starvation will be included as an option in states where laws allow it. Physician suicide will be offered to patients who are denied care that could extend their lives.

There is a misconception that living longer burdens society. If your father dies at 67 E. spends three times as much on his health care at the end of his life as your mother lives to be 90. The problem is when seniors become disabled, they cost the government seven times as much as a non-disabled senior.

Why on earth is Medicare running out of money? The ratio of seniors compared to fewer workers paying Social Security into the system, has resulted in a deficit in the Medicare budget. Because of this, it has been suggested to push the Medicare eligibility rates to age 70.

COMMENTARY

We have recently seen many articles suggesting that many medical treatments are being performed that are not equal to old treatments. Back surgery is not superior to rehabilitation, prostate tests are not necessary over the age of 70, clinical trials of drugs have not absolutely proven their worth, bypass surgery and stent operations could be replaced with good diet and drugl treatment, hip and knee surgeries are often not necessary and are over done-- and the list goes on and on.

Reducing access to medical treatment as hip replacements, knee replacements and bypass surgery, will cut our seniors lives to be shorter as that of living to a ripe old age. This is not a reasonable solution to the health care problem.

What do you think? Your comments are always appreciated.

Visit www.drneedles.com for more discussion of controversial medical subjects.

LIMIT HEALTH CARE BY INTENSE REGULATION

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LIMIT HEALTH CARE BY INTENSE REGULATION

At a prime-time news conference, July 22, President Obama said: “Health-care legislation is a strong key to economic recovery. If we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit. The time is right for health-care overhaul. The stars are aligned."

You may have noted recently numerous articles about how various procedures have not been proven to be necessary. Laparoscopic joint surgery is ineffective, closing patent ductus arterial defects resulted in increased number of strokes, the PSA tests is of no value in diagnosing prostate cancer, and back surgery is no better then physical therapy. Clinical trials under intense scrutiny are worthless. The list goes on and on. The aim is to cut medical costs by limiting the amount of medical care you will get, thus saving huge dollars for the new health reform package.

OUTPATIENT SURGERY

Outpatient surgery accounts for more than 65% of all surgeries, this is up about 20% from 20 years ago. There are approximately 35,000 outpatient centers in the U.S, that perform surgical procedures. This represents about 17% of all patient procedures.

Outpatient surgery eliminates the need for a hospital stay, is generally considered safe, especially when performed at accredited hospital outpatient departments or ambulatory surgery centers.

Because of minimal invasive surgical techniques, and advances in anesthesia, outpatient surgery offers lower costs, more convenient scheduling, and faster recovery and healing times then does hospital inpatient procedures. Ironically, the hospitals today receive more money for your surgical procedure done as an outpatient, than if you were admitted.

About 45% of these procedures are done in hospital outpatient departments and an additional 38% are done in more than 5000 surgical centers that are certified by Medicare and Medicaid.

To become accredited, strict standards for equipment, operating room safety, personal personnel training, and surgical credentials are needed. If there are no required regulations, doctors may perform surgery under his medical license, despite not having any formal licensing or accreditation requirements for the procedure (e.g. tummy tucks by dermatologists). .

To become voluntarily accredited by one of three agencies that perform inspections can be costly, often exceeding several thousand dollars. To become accredited for every minor procedure limits the procedures being done.

To qualify for a mandatory surgery center, the facility can't do any other business operations or share their waiting room space for non-surgical patients. This means the doctor can’t see you postoperatively in the facility. Again, limiting procedures.

Medicare is pushing for defined plans on how to transfer patients to a hospital if it becomes necessary, the kind of training office staff have, the kind of cardiac life support, and whether the nurse a nest assists are working without the supervision of an anesthesiologist in the doctor's offices. To remove a mole, the doctor would need a huge staff. This also eliminates the volume of procedures, and raise the cost of doing procedures.

Medicare rulings now require surgery centers to report information on quality and safety measures like hospitals do. These new Medicare guidelines are recently in effect.

The accreditation Board for ambulatory surgery found 23 deaths among 1.1 million procedures. Most of them were from tummy tucks and facelift surgery. There certainly occur more than 23 deaths for every million procedures in a hospital.

Of these 23 deaths, the leading cause of death was pulmonary embolism in which a blood clot forms in the lung, heart attacks after surgery, breathing problems related to anesthesia, and abuse of pain medication given after surgery.

COMMENTARY

With these strict new Medicare guidelines, many centers will be put out of business, since the amount of outpatient surgery will be reduced tremendously. This may be a good cost-saving measure. By eliminating a site for surgery can be done, less procedures will be performed and Medicare will pay less money for them.

By performing surgery in a hospital situations, the number of procedures can be well regulated. There'll be an increased weight in these procedures being performed. It is another step in limiting your ability to have outpatient surgery.

Outpatient surgery is very safe for healthy patients and accredited facilitie, and are run by competent professionals. It is also up to the patient to fully disclose any conditions that might put him at risk during surgery and to make sure his medical records have been reviewed before the surgery. Doctors are smart enough not to perform outpatient surgery on compromised or chronically ill patients.

23 deaths among 1.1 million procedures are far less than would occur in a hospital setting. Read between the lines, and see that all medical treatments and procedures are being scrutinized and are listed as not necessary or inefficient, unless absolutely proven according to Medicare's standards.

What do you think? Your comments are always appreciated. Visit www.drneedles.com for more discussion of medical controversial topics.

Sources: American accreditation of ambulatory surgery facilities/ Joint commission/ Accreditation Association for health care/

AIRLINES FLY ON THIN AIR

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STALE AIR ON AIRLINE FLIGHTS

It seems that airline customer service isn't the only thing lacking improvement in the airline industry today. Despite industry recommendations for: onboard air circulation, lower ozone exposure, monitoring of contaminated air from oil and hydraulic leaks, and limits on pesticides, no action has been taken. This has resulted in, you, the passenger breathing stagnant, poor quality air on your airline flight.

Newer planes circulate up to 50% of their air to save fuel, in contrast with older planes, which use all fresh outside air ventilation. This has resulted in more passengers complaining about headaches caused by stale air. It costs an increase of 2 to 4% fuel cost per year if airlines don't recirculate cabin air.

Today, more passengers are complaining about headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, mental confusion, and even numbness. The symptoms can be caused by the release of toxic gases or lack of oxygen.

A study by the ATA several years ago was designed to compare the use of hundred percent outside air on planes versus a combination of outside air and recirculated air passing through filters. When 100% outside air was used, the study found the cabins were relatively free of dust and other particles, micro organisms were well below OSHA levels, and no bacterial or fungal respiratory pathogens were isolated. Airborne diseases spread in airplane cabins because there is less fresh air and thus less available oxygen, then on a crowded train.

Airlines reduce the passenger of fresh air to save money. Pilots reduce the fresh air to the passenger cabin so fresher air could be diverted to the pilot cabin. The pilot's cockpit must of course have adequate oxygen-rich fresh air to keep the pilots clearheaded and insure a safe flight. The low oxygen recirculated air that you breathe, makes you vulnerable to catching contagious diseases as -- pneumonia, SARS, TBC, swine flu, and yes, the common cold.

The source of fresh air in airplanes is the atmosphere outside the plane. Turbine engines compress the outside air, and the air is diverted by way of a pneumatic system to air cycle machines that cool the cabin air.

Air drawn from the outside of the plane contains high ozone levels, because it comes from the upper atmosphere. Aircraft on long trips have ozone converters that decompose the ozone before it spreads into the cabins. Planes that fly short hops still fly without ozone converters.

Sensors were recommended to ensure that fresh air drawn from the outside and compressed inside the engine is not contaminated by any oil or hydraulic fluid leaks. Air is drawn from engine compressors to pressurize the cabin, and carry contaminated air. Despite the FAA recommendations, and Congress having passed legislation for the development of air sensors, no sensors are yet in existence.

The air quality is at its worst, when the plane is on the ground. When you are sitting in a plane because of a long ground delay, the cabin has inadequate air conditioning. Contaminants build within an airplane within five minutes of sitting on the ground. If it is a hot day and you are sweltering, the problem becomes more severe.

The FAA recommended that passengers be removed from planes within 30 minutes after air circulation equipment is shut down. These limits however are voluntary. They also recommended that air circulation should never be shut down on a plane with people aboard, except for operational reasons like de-icing when toxic fumes could be sucked in.

The problem is that cabin air has a very low humidity (15 to 25%), because very dry air is brought in from the outside at high altitudes. The air outside the plane is very cold, and has a very low absolute humidity, which when warmed translates also into a very low humidity level.

LAWSUITS

A lawsuit filed against Southwest Airlines because of oxygen deprivation was settled this month. Two sisters became sick as the pilot dropped to a lower altitude and landed at Albuquerque. Once the sisters landed. they experienced tremors, motor skill loss, loss of balance, and impaired vision. They claimed that the problem came from an additive (TCP) in the engine oil. Passenger cabin air comes from a collecting tube near the engines, and can find fuel additives like TCP, is toxic, and can find their way cabin air.

Another lawsuit against Alaska airlines by 26 flight attendants was settled this year for $725,000. They claimed they were sickened neurologically, by toxic leaks from chemicals and fluids used on their jets.

STALE AIR

More and more passengers are complaining about headaches caused by stale air. If the airplane air smells stuffy or bad, it is a sign of stale air. Complain to the flight attendant. The pilot can control the mix of fresh air available to the passenger ventilation system. The pilot’s cockpit is not affected by stale air, because the cockpit has a separate ventilation system.

A recent study found that 25% of flights had stale air at some point in the flight. The Boeing 757 planes were among the worst, up to five times higher than normal outside air. If you suffer from sore throat, dry eyes, headaches, itchy nose, allergies, or general fatigue it might be due to the dry air.

To combat these symptoms, remove contact lenses when you fly. Drink plenty of liquids and avoid alcohol and caffeine to prevent dehydration. Drink before and during the flight to hydrate yourself. Don't take any decongestant before you fly because this dries your nose.

COMMENTARY

The amount of air provided per cubic foot per minute is erroneously compared to that of outside buildings by the airlines. The exchanges per hour are not directly comparable. If you have asthma, lung problems, severe allergies, or impaired immunity, you soon might have to carry your own oxygen with you.

One year ago, aviation experts recommended voluntary standards for onboard air circulation, monitoring of contaminated air from oil or fluid leaks, limits on pesticides used on planes, and lower ozone exposure. The airlines have yet not acted on these recommendations. The airlines are waiting for the results of other research before taking action on air quality. And with the recession, we might wait a long time for these recommended standards.

When the passenger next to you coughs, he potentially infects you and nearby passengers. Fortunately, viruses and bacteria are not spread through the entire plane, because air circulation rates are high, and the pathogens in the cabin air gets flushed out rather quickly. But sick passengers do move up and down the aisles, potentially increasing your exposure.

Our airlines may be transporters of disease carrying sick people from one continent to another. With all airline recommendations being voluntary, the airlines have failed to improve the air quality and regulatory standards.

Flying seems to be getting very dangerous for one's health.

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ROLE OF BREGS & TREGS IN AUTOIMMUNITY

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ROLE OF TREGS AND BREGS IN AUTOIMMUNITY

For years, the roles of lymphocytes in the immune system have concentrated on T cell specialization. Regulatory T cells, commonly known as Tregs, dial down immune attacks and fight autoimmune diseases. They are used to treat everything from allergies, organ rejection, to cancer.

Recently other lymphatic cells, B cells, appear to share with Tregs, the responsibility for keeping the immune system under control. These lymphocytic regulatory T cells, have been named Bregs, and release anti-inflammatory molecules that can forestall autoimmunity. Researchers are wondering which B cells are regulators, what triggers them to assume that role, and how these beta B cells can influence the immune system.

There is debate over the origin of regulatory T cells--whether they are different from the start or change because of environmental conditions. There is no consensus on what role Bregs plays in autoimmune disorders and cancer. These cells, however, may help strengthen immunity to attacks on diseases, as lupus and multiple sclerosis.

Most people think of B cells as antibodies. After a bacteria infiltrates the body, mature B. cells recognize the bacteria, and turns itself into plasma cells. Over their two-week lifespan, they produce bacterial fighting proteins. These Beta cells now have been found to also serve as antigens presenting cells, showing molecular bits of the attacking bacteria to other immune cells. Thus, the B cells help initiate a counterattack on these microbes.

In the past, scientists were convinced that cytokines, chemical messengers for the immune system, released by B. cells had little impact on other cells. These B. cells however determine whether help comes from specialized T cells that fight bacteria and viruses. Their B. cell cytokines arouse the immune system.

These cells come in multiple varieties sporting a unique combination of protein markers on its surface. One set of B. cells produce IL-10, which alleviates auto immune conditions. Other B. cells that can't manufacture IL--10 had no effect on autoimmunity.

Beta-10 cells have been isolated from lymphocytes and are found in one to 3% of the beta cells in the spleen. These B-10 cells, which are regulatory beta cells, account for almost all of the IL--10 released by beta cells. Injecting the B10 cells into inflamed joints reduced joint damage, and when injected into healthy cartilage, blocked autoimmune responses.

The question is: Which antigens if any, are necessary to put Bregs into action? Mature B. cells mobilize in response to particular antigens. When you have the flu, only matured B. cells with surface bound antibody receptors that match the flu virus’s protein will attack the virus. The Beta cell then transforms into a plasma cell that then secrete large quantities of antibodies.

What drives a B. cell to become regulatory, instead of becoming merely a plasma cell? It's possible that any B. cell could become a regulatory T cell. The decisive signal for the cell to change, comes through Toll like receptors (TLRs). TLRs are proteins on the surface of some body's cells that detect pathogen molecules. TLR activation is necessary if a beta cell is going become regulatory. Stimulation of certain TLR proteins turn a B. cell into a regulatory B cell.

Some spleen cells started becoming B-10 cells, but become functional IL--10 releasers, only after being prodded by molecules from other immune cells or pathogens.

COMMENTARY

Researchers are looking for different ways to put B. cells into action. They are now using doses of the antibody rituximab to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

The therapy knocks out ALL beta cells in the body. But, since they remove all the bad cells and good cells together, failure has resulted. They are now looking for cell surface markers on the beta cells not found on other T cells, to target only the bad B. cells. Evidence suggests that beta cells can abet cancer. B. cells often infiltrate tumors and are drawn into tumors by chemicals secreted by the cancer cells as they try to fight off immune attacks.

The most famous beta cell product, antibodies, has a role in immunity. Important questions still must be answered on the role of Bregs and Tregs in producing autoimmunity in humans.

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Sources: Science, July 10,2009 /Science, Nov. 23, 2007/ Science, Aug 6,2004