anime

THE MEANING OF ANIME

Okay, so many people have pointed to anime as the cute, fun stuff with wild and zany characters, big boobs, and weird sex things going on. Most of my friends are not Otakus and say that they get a creeped out feeling watching cartoons doing adult things instead of little kid things (of course, these are the same people that watch the Simpsons and South Park, but hey, what're you going to do). I, on the other hand, find the anime I watch to be thought provoking. Here's some of the stuff I've seen so far:

Mainly, for one, the show all guys seem to steer clear of, aimed primarily at young teenage girls but increase in maturity as the series progresses: His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 1) . This is cuteness to the extreme. Yukino meets Arima, hates him at first, then falls desperatly in love with him. The deeper meaning behind it all is -- be true to yourself. People may think that this reads like a soap opera, but that's just because with each succeeding episode you delve deeper and deeper into the characters soul, and it gets a little Melodramatic after a while. Unfortunetally the series stops before it ends, probably because the creators realized that the characters wants and desires were becoming too mature for the audiance it was aiming for.

Next, also cute to the extreme, you got Fruits Basket, Volume 1: A Great Transformation? (Episodes 1-6) . When Toru Honda discovers the Sohma family's secrets, any viewer can laugh at it. Trust me, both my little sister and my boyfriend (generally into blood spillage) sat down and watched it together.The message for this show? Be true to yourself and help bring out the good in other people.

Both falling into the same category are Rurouni Kenshin - Legendary Swordsman, Vol. 1 and Irresponsible Captain Tylor - Collection 1 . Though one is about a wandering Samuri and the other about a complete ditz of a captain, they both carry the important message throughout the series that peace is always more important than war. As far as I can tell, these series are a great favorite with teenage guys, but are great for the girls as well. Cuteness factor? Tylor and Kenshin are adorable!!

Even the knockout (literally, for Keitaro) comedy series Love Hina, Volume 1: Moving In (Episodes 1-4)
has a message, that perserverance pays off. As Keitaro, Naru, and Mitsune study hard together, they learn that doing so eventually pays off. That's not to mention Keitaro's pursuing of Naru. This is one of the so called Harem animes, with lots of fanservice, but it's so cute and hilarious that girls will like it to. Outlaw Star (Collection 1) has a similar theme.

Even the hyperactive Steel Angel Kurumi - Angel on My Shoulder (Vol. 1) is good for a deeper meaning. Kurumi is a robot that is supposed to be the savior of the human race, but her creator has one problem -- he doesn't know how she works. When she is seperated from her master, Kurumi goes haywire, causing chaos. The message? Make sure weapons of mass destruction (ie nuclear weapons) are controllable. The effect of this series on the viewer is made stronger by the thought that the Japanese had front row seats to effects a weapon of mass destruction has on society in World War Two.

Please Teacher - Hot for Teacher (Vol. 1) , a show that many people would find weird because of the idea of a 15 year old student falling in love with a 21 year old teacher actually, he's REALLY 18) has a fantastic message. Accelerate your life. Even if things are going rough and you don't think you can go on, push forward. If you do not, you cannot acheive happiness.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/1KODMSAQOQLCS


Attack of the Otakus
What is “anime”? I asked myself this as I came across this subject as my research project. “Anime is an English name for the style of art and animation developed by (but no longer exclusively produced by) the Japanese. The word "Anime" is just the Japanese word for animation (of any kind), and it is pronounced "Annie-May"(Marc Marshall). Anime, in a simple sense, is Japanese cartoons. In a more complex and true meaning to anime, its Japanese animation that ranges from children shows to more adult themes. There is a sub-culture to this culture. That sub-culture is something called being an Otaku. Otaku is something like being a comic book nerd or a star wars nerd but not quite. This culture of people hold much love and information for this form of art, Anime.. Anime has a rich history, different meanings on the word Otaku, people that dress up as anime characters, and even people willing to answer surveys on anime!
To understand why Otakus like anime so much, you must go back in time and take a brief look at the founding father and his most famous creation. In a paragraph from The History of Anime and Manga, it says,
"Back in Japan, after World War II, a young aspiring artist named Osamu Tezuka became a cartoonist and released his first work Shintakarajima (known in English as "New Treasure Island"). As a child, Tezuka was a fanatical fan of Walt Disney's early animations. Many were impressed by Tezuka's original style. However, it was not until Tezuka released his ultimate work Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy) that he achieved success; he was pronounced "the Father of Manga and Anime".(Zagzoug)."
Osamu Tezuka led the way for many other anime titles to become big and successful. One famous anime is known in the US is called Sailor Moon. It was released in the early 90’s and became very popular. “Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon is a story about a klutzy, crybaby, 14 year old underachiever named Tsukino Usagi who was given some transformation items and super powers.”(Doi). One more famous one and most recent anime to hit America by storm is called Naruto. It is a story about kid that wants to be a great ninja. “In a concealed village, a young man hides within a bunch of leaves. His name is Uzumaki Naruto, a mischievous boy attending Ninja Academy.”(Kaworu S.). He is also accredited with creating one of anime’s most famous staples, characters with big, round eyes. Animeworld.com states, “…he said he was emulating Betty Boop, who was popular in Japan at the time. Other early US-produced animated characters that predate the anime style also have very large eyes (if you look, Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse have huge eyes).”(Marc Marshall). All of these things mentioned were huge successes in Japan and America.
Now that we know some famous anime titles, we will get into what Otaku truly means. In the United States, the meaning of Otaku is very different from what it means in Japan. In the US, it means a big anime fan. Urban Dictionary writes, “In America, the term is used to denote a zealous fan, usually of anime and/or manga ...otaku" tends to have a much less dire definition overseas”(Cobweb) This means that the US audience mistook the true meaning of this word. It is less brutal than what it means in Japan. If you are talking about this word in Japan, it means something completely bad. Urban dictionary has a good definition for Otaku in Japan, “Otaku is the honorific word of Taku (home). Otaku is extremely negative in meaning as it is used to refer to someone who stays at home all the time and doesn't have a life (no social life, no love life, etc)”(death_to_all). This basically means the person that is named an Otaku stays at home. It is more than that, it also means that that person stays at home and only leaves home for food or some other necessity in Japan. Also, if it is a child or teenager, than this would mean he or she would never leave their room. In the Anime world of Japan, it also means that a person is so caught up with anime related things, that that person has no life or loved one. Another way they look at it is being called a nerd with nothing better else to do than watch anime. This is an extremely negative thing to say to a Japanese person and can even cause fights if the person is not correctly educated. So if you ever see a Japanese boy or girl, do not ever call them an Otaku with a smile on your face, you can get in trouble like that.
Now you know the ins and outs of what an Otaku is, let me explain the ultimate fan’s homage to an anime character, Cosplaying. Teenspace.com puts it well by stating, “Cosplay is a term that originated in Japan but is based on the English words “Costume Play,” essentially play-acting in costumes.”( Brehm-Heeger). Anime fans actually craft costumes or buy them online of their favorite anime character and wear them to anime conventions. Anime conventions are conventions were fans from all around gather to talk about anime, buy anime merchandise, show off their costume, and just have fun. Everyone can cosplay. Young people, old people, boys and girls all dress up as characters. Some people even cross dress. For example, in Sailor Moon, they are an all girl team. It is not uncommon for a man to dress up as a sailor scout, which would mean they would wear a girl school uniform. These people proudly wear it with no shame. I personally think that fans that Cosplay are respectable because of their wanting to show off their devotion to a particular anime. I have two examples of cosplayers on page seven of this paper. There are two types of cosplayers, basic cosplay and Masquerade. According to Paula Brehm-Heeger:
"CosPlaying can be divided into two categories: basic cosplay and Masquerade. While basic cosplay only involves an attempt to look like a particular character, either in the halls of a convention or on stage, Masquerade is much more involved. When masquerading, CosPlayers attempt to act as the character would. They often have prepared skits with memorized lines, and the more advanced masqueraders can easily ad-lib their character’s personality. (What is Cosplay?)."
In conclusion, what is anime? Anime is a lot to many types of people. None are wrong or right. Anime is a subculture that has a subculture too it as well. People watch it and dress up as characters from what they watched. Anime is a fascinating hobby to take up because of the vast genres and age groups that can enjoy something that belongs to anime. Being an Otaku is being a fan. It is a subject that has many levels to explore but it all ends the same way in the end, it’s just plain fun!
http://hubpages.com/hub/An-Essay-on-Anime-and-Otakus


So. YOU want to be an otaku. But your friends shun you, eh? Well, here's a few relieving factors for you:

1)Your friends are bogus slime and they weren't your friends in the first place.
-Most people really don't have a problem with you watching anime. Everybody does it. TONS of people have seen Princess Mononoke, and they thought it was hardcore. Some have seen Akira or Ninja Scroll, and they thought it was hardcore. When Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust came out, people talked about it at my school for weeks, and trips were made to the only theater it was playing at in our area, which was all the way in San Francisco. And just wait until the Cowboy Bebop movie is theatrically released in April. People are going to flock to that, since there is a television audience for Bebop in the states thanks to Cartoon Network.

2)More people watch anime than you think.
-If you go around asking, you'll discover that every other person at your school habitually watches Cartoon Network's Toonami and Adult Swim. The majority of this programming is anime, except for Sunday nights. So people do watch it. They're just undereducated fans. Sure, some of them saw Cowboy Bebop and Mobile Suit Gundam. But none of them saw Escaflowne. None of them saw Eva (unless you live in the San Jose area and saw it subbed on PBS-KTEH), hardly anyone saw Ninja Scroll or Tenchi. If you're subtle about it, you can become a respected source for anime knowledge. No fooling. I live in one of the most shallow and ridiculously wealthy counties in the country (I'm not too fond of it, either), and so far, I'm not persecuted for watching anime. No one really even bothers to mention it, unless they have an anime problem.

3)Chicks dig the music.
-Guys. If you can find non-lyric or English versions of anime songs, you will soon discover that you've become one of the sweetest guys around. Cowboy Bebop, Bubblegum Crisis (the OVA, not Tokyo 2040), and Robotech/Macross. Most of those songs are either really good jazz tunes or love songs. And they're all really good. Also, the classical is really good. 08th MS Team, The Vision of Escaflowne, Princess Mononoke-- all good. My girlfriend plays strings, and for New Years, I burnt a CD that had straight anime strings on it. She thought it was one of the most beautiful CDs she owned (this was like our third date or so, so it was early in the relationship).

4)Carefully choose your merchandise. Avoid it, if possible.
-Okay. Models and wallscrolls are okay, if you keep them in moderation. Don't go with posters, unless they're theatrical posters or you've framed them. Wallscrolls have a certain refinement to them. Posters don't. And if you do go with the wallscrolls, try to keep it as artsy as possible. The two wallscrolls I have are Bebop ones. One is Faye sitting at the bar looking at Gren's tenor sax. The other is Spike relaxing in a bar, reading; a bottle of tequila and an overflowing ashtray on the table. A wallscroll with the Love Hina girls or the Gundam W boys in their little poses may not do the trick. Try and get something moody. As for models--this was my mistake. I'm a hardcore Gundam fan. I had models from every series on TV to date. Like the entire collection. It was ridiculous. The moral of the story is to be very selective in what merchandise you choose to buy. The downside is that if you go with the all-out merchandise, you become your worst fear-- the anime dork, which can be closely affiliated with Trekkies. So avoid tattoos of the RDF logo or a Gundam head and stuff, okay? I've seen 'em. They don't go over well with age.

5)Avoid impulse DVDs.
-Now, I know that there are some other channels that broadcast anime. Cartoon Network, Encore's Action Channel, and eventually, the Anime Network. Most of the Action Channel's broadcasts are centered around ADV Films and Manga Ent., although they've started broadcasting other anime, including those from small-time studios. Now sometimes, I know it's hard to resist buying things because they're funny. I bought Gunsmith Cats after watching one episode; I didn't bother seeing the rest. It was one of the worst purchases I've ever made. The Tenchi movies? Bad, although Tenchi Forever isn't disastrous. Dirty Pair Flash? I saw it on San Jose's PBS subbed. It was cute and funny. Once. But man, what a bad show! Avoid buying that type of anime. Since anime is expensive, the best thing to do wait on it. Tape it, if you see it on TV. It's cheaper. The moral of the story is to just be cool about it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/W2376TP69FV3

Teflon likely to cause cancer
In a new report scientists say that a chemical compound used to make Teflon, possibly causes cancer.
The report, which is still in draft, is written by the scientific advisory panel of the Environmental Protection Agency, and has identified perfluorooctanoic acid as a "likely carcinogen".
The EPA has until now classified PFOA as a "suggested" carcinogen, and this demands fewer health precautions.
This latest information is significant because it will probably prompt agency officials for the first time to regulate the processing agent, PFOA.
A major investigation is presently underway by the EPA into how the compound, which is used to make stain and stick resistant surfaces and materials for products including Gore-Tex fabrics and pizza boxes, gets into consumers' blood and if it affects their health.
The EPA is also demanding millions of dollars in fines from DuPont, the producers of PFOA, on the grounds that the chemical giant has neglected for two decades to report possible health and environmental problems associated with the compound.
The panel's 17 members will discuss the draft assessment on July 6 prior to forwarding it to the agency, but does not draw conclusions on whether using products made with PFOA, such as nonstick pans, poses a cancer risk.
However it does say that the fact that animal studies have identified four different kinds of tumors in both male and female rats and mice that had been exposed to the compound, is convincing enough evidence for the majority of its members to believe it to be a likely carcinogen.
Senior Vice President Richard Wiles, of the Environmental Working Group, whose advocacy organization has urged the EPA to regulate the compound, says the panel's findings are "huge", and officials will now be required to conduct a cancer-risk assessment of PFOA.
Eryn Witcher, an EPA spokeswoman, said she could not comment in detail on how the panel's report would affect the agency's risk-assessment process, but EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson will take its conclusions into account.
Chemical company DuPont, which last year settled a lawsuit brought by residents living near its Parkersburg plant for $300 million, has consistently maintained that it has met all federal reporting requirements and denies that PFOA poses a serious health threat.
Company spokesman R. Clifton Webb, said DuPont's studies on its workers do not suggest that there is a connection between the compound and cancer, and no human health effects are known to be caused by PFOA, even in workers who have significantly higher exposure levels than the general population.
The report will be submitted to the agency next month.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=11441

Newly Discovered Compound Blocks Known Cancer-Causing Protein
By Duke Medicine News and Communications
About This Article
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Published: Mar. 21, 2005
Updated: Mar. 25, 2005
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DURHAM, N.C. – Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists have discovered a potential new drug that inhibits destructive cell signals that drive the growth of one-third of all cancers. The scientists showed they could block the growth of cultured colon cancer cells using this new compound, called cysmethynil.
Their finding, reported in the March 22, 2005, issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first step toward developing a new class of anti-cancer drugs that block the Icmt protein from activating uncontrolled cell growth, a hallmark of cancer, according to Patrick Casey, Ph.D. Casey is the study's senior investigator and Duke pharmacologist and cancer biologist.
Moreover, said Casey, their discovery is the first to emerge from the Duke Small Molecule Screening Facility, which houses a library of more than 13,000 compounds available for screening promising drugs with potential to fight cancer and other diseases. Using automated robotics, the facility provides the kind of drug discovery capability usually available only to pharmaceutical company scientists.
Duke's new facility is a finalist for one of six $9 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that will create a national network of publicly accessible small molecule facilities and make them available to researchers nationwide.
Duke University has filed a patent application for cysmethynil, Casey said, and intends to shepherd it through the first steps of drug development by testing the compound in animal models of cancer.
The research was supported by grant from the NIH and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute predoctoral fellowship to Casey graduate student Ann M. Winter-Vann, the first author of the study.
"This is the first selective small molecule inhibitor of Icmt, a protein that has been shown to be an important player in keeping a cancer-causing gene called 'Ras' turned on inside cells," said Casey.
Ras is a normal genetic component of the cell, but mutations in the gene can cause it to become stuck in an "on" position, promoting uncontrolled cell growth. Mutations in Ras that permanently activate it have been found in half of all colon cancer and 90 percent of pancreatic cancers, among other cancers.
Casey and his colleagues in Duke's Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology have already discovered and developed another class of cancer drugs aimed at inhibiting the processing pathway --the prenylation pathway – that regulates Ras.
Several years ago, Casey's laboratory was one of a handful to unravel how the prenylation pathway works. This accomplishment led pharmaceutical companies to test compounds that block another key player in the pathway, a protein called farnesyltransferase. Blocking this protein inhibits Ras' ability to send growth-promoting signals inside cells. Several such compounds have shown promise in treating leukemias and lymphomas and are now under consideration for final approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Since that time, Casey and his colleagues have been studying another key player in the pathway, the Icmt enzyme. Icmt adds a chemical tag called a "methyl group" to Ras. This methyl tag enables Ras to be directed to its final destination in the cell, from where it can send signals for unchecked growth.
"Ras needs to be at the plasma membrane in order to function," he said. "By preventing Icmt from adding a methyl group, we can effectively shut down Ras' ability to function, stopping it from sending signals for uncontrolled growth."
Initial experiments showed that knocking out the Icmt protein using genetic targeting also inhibited Ras, so the scientists decided to search for an effective and specific molecule that could inhibit Icmt function.
"We were looking for a small molecule that inhibited this enzyme specifically, without interfering with the normal regulation of the cell," said Casey. "What we found was a series of 30 structurally related molecules, and we selected the one with the highest potency – that is cysmethynil."
Once the scientists had identified cysmethynil, they worked with Duke chemist Eric Toone and chemistry graduate student David Gooden to synthesize the molecule and verify its chemical structure. A search of the chemical literature turned up no previous description of the chemical, leading the scientists to believe they had discovered a new chemical compound with a unique biological function.
When the scientists tested the compound's ability to inhibit Ras function in living cells, they found it blocked the ability of colon cancer cells to grow independently in soft agar, a typical test of the cancerous
potential of cells.
"The next step is to test cysmethynil in animal models," said Casey. "We don't know how the compound will be metabolized in living animals, but we are encouraged by our initial results."
Other Duke scientists contributing to the research are Rudi A. Baron, Waihay Wong, June dela Cruz, and John D. York.
http://www.dukehealth.org/HealthLibrary/News/8457

Tiny Worm is Newest Weapon to Discover Cancer-Causing Compounds in Household Products
Helps detect virtually any potential cancer-causing chemical
June 21, 2006 – A little worm has enabled scientist to detect action that blocks "cell suicide," and causes chemical compounds in household products, like mothballs and air fresheners, to become possible cancer-causing agents. It is the first systematic way to screen virtually any potential cancer-causing chemical that may affect humans, according to the study spearheaded by the University of Colorado at Boulder.


Naphthalene in mothballs and para-dichlorobenzene, or PDCB, found in some air fresheners, were shown to block enzymes that initiate programmed cell death, or apoptosis, said Associate Professor Ding Xue of CU-Boulder's molecular, cellular and developmental biology department. Apoptosis is a normal function of certain cell groups that acts as a "brake" to prevent unchecked cellular proliferation similar to the process that triggers the formation of cancerous tumors, said Xue.
While naphthalene and PDCB have been shown to cause cancer in rodents and are classified by the National Toxicology Program and the International Association for Research on Carcinogens as potential human carcinogens, their biochemistry has not been well understood, said Xue.


But using a common, eyelash-sized worm known as C. elegans, the research team has shown that naphthalene can cause the inactivation of a group of enzymes known as caspases -- which control cell suicide -- by oxidizing them.
The study appears in the June issue of Nature Chemical Biology. It was authored by Xue and David Kokel of CU-Boulder's MCD biology department and Yehua Li and Jun Qin of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
"This study shows why mothballs and some air freshener products may be harmful to humans," said Xue. "And, for the first time, we have developed a systematic way to screen virtually any potential cancer-causing chemical that may affect humans using these nematodes as animal models."
In the study, caspase enzymes from both nematodes and from humans were blocked after exposure to naphthalene, indicating a "comparable pharmacology" between worms and humans, said Xue.
Understanding how carcinogenic compounds can trigger tumor growth is important for federal regulatory agencies that deal with human exposure to hazardous chemicals, said Xue. More than 1 million pounds of naphthalene and PDCB are used by consumers annually, according to the study.
The nematodes were grown on a culture medium coated with a soybean-based oil that is harmless to the worms but which can dissolve naphthalene and PDCBs, said Xue. When the chemicals were added to the culture, they deactivated the caspases, resulting in the survival of "extra" cells in the tiny worms that normally would have been eliminated by apoptosis, said Xue.
Apoptosis is an essential process in animal development and occurs in many tissues, said Xue. In amphibians it rids frogs of tails as they develop from larvae to adults, and in humans it removes cells that make up "webbing" tissue between the fingers and toes of embryos during development, he said.
"Apoptosis serves as a checking mechanism to ensure that the right amount of cells are generated in the body," Xue said. In Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, too much apoptosis is occurring, while in cancer and autoimmune disorders, too little apoptosis is occurring, he said.
Popular with scientists in research labs around the world, C. elegans worms have essentially the same basic biological processes as humans even though their average lifespan is less than three days, he said. Xue's team currently is using C. elegans as an animal model "bioassay" to test common industrial chemicals like biphenyl, toluene and benzene that are suspected to be carcinogens.
"The power of C. elegans' molecular genetics, in combination with the possibility of carrying out large-scale chemical screens in this organism, makes C. elegans an attractive and economical animal model for both toxicological studies and drug screens," the researchers wrote in Nature Chemical Biology.
"Bioassays involving lab rats can take two years to complete," he said. "But we can do the same kind of bioassays with nematodes in two weeks, and we can do them at our lab benches instead of animal care facilities."
http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Health/6-06-21-TinyWorm.htm
Dioxin Causes Cancer: EPA Draft

(CBS) The U.S. government is poised to declare firmly that dioxin, a toxin found throughout the food supply and in Agent Orange which U.S. troops sprayed over Vietnam, causes cancer in people, officials said Wednesday.

Made notorious when it was fingered as the toxic component in Agent Orange -- used to clear forests in the Vietnam War -- dioxin caused the evacuation of the town of Times Beach, Missouri, in 1983. The town was later bulldozed because it was found to be contaminated with the chemical.

The report, described by EPA officials familiar with it, concludes that the cancer risk from dioxins among individuals who eat large amounts of fatty meats and dairy products may as high as 1 in 100, or 10 times as great as previously projected.

The National Toxicology Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) also tried to declare dioxin a known human carcinogen in its report on cancer-causing substances released this week. But a lawsuit by New York restaurant owners, who claim the link to cancer will scare customers away from their food, has blocked the publication.

The health effects of dioxins, a group of toxic compounds produced through a number of chemical processes including combustion, have been the focus of research for more than 20 years. Despite the extensive literature, the health effects remain in some cases uncertain.

The EPA, which began reviewing the literature in 1991, is to make public its findings in a report to be released next month. The draft report has not yet been scientifically peer reviewed and EPA officials acknowledged in interviews it is likely to generate sharp debate.

Greenpeace says it has sent a letter to the EPA calling on the agency to immediately release the dioxin report and implement a plan to prevent and eliminate new dioxins.

According to agency officials, who discussed the report on condition of not being identified by name, said it concludes that at least one form of dioxin --the most potent form known as TCDD -- should be classified as a definite human carcinogen. Other dioxin-like compounds were considered by the EPA reviewers as "likely" carcinogens.

The report also links exposure to dioxin to a variety of other health problems, including diabetes, developmental problems and irregularities in the immune system, they said. It also concludes that children's intake of dioxin is greater than adult's, because the chemical is often found in dairy products and even breast milk.

EPA officials emphasized, however, that the draft report's conclusions should not discourage people from eating a well balanced diet, including dairy products, certain meats and vegetables, because their benefits outweigh any dangers posed from dioxin. And officials said the benefits of breast feeding also continue to outweigh the risks from dioxin.

Dioxin, a chlorine byproduct, can be dangerous even at very low levels because it is believed to be idespread in the food chain and can accumulate in the body over a lifetime. A product of combustion as well as the pulp- and paper-making processes, it is released into the air and into water and finds its way onto pastures and into fish and animals and in turn into humans.

In recent years, the EPA has imposed tougher regulations on many dioxin emitters including municipal, medical and hazardous waste incinerators and the pulp and paper companies. As a result, dioxin emissions have been reduced by about 80 percent since the 1980s, according to the agency.

The EPA's findings are expected to be used by the agency as evidence for additional actions to curtail dioxin. "The findings validate the policies that have been taken," said one agency official, speaking on condition of not being further identified.

According to the report, as described by these officials, the risks of getting cancer from dioxin may be zero or extremely slight for most of the population.

The report said its new projections were based on new evidence developed in recent years on cancer risk, officials said.

Although studied for more than 20 years with hundreds of articles in the scientific literature, the health effects of dioxin on humans remains somewhat uncertain. For example, dioxins have been found to cause birth defects in mice, but no such causation has been established in humans.

EPA officials acknowledged that its findings likely will prompt extensive debate. Industry groups as well as some scientists over the years have accused the EPA of exaggerating the dangers of dioxins.

The findings in the draft report were first reported in Wednesday's Washington Post, which said it had obtained a copy of the document.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/17/tech/main196416.shtml


Chemical compounds present in diet increase risk of contracting colon cancer 31.03.2005 Research - A team of researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, the Catalan Institute of Oncology and the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) have published a study indicating that exposure to organochlorine compounds, which we consume in our food, increases the risk of suffering colorectal cancer.
The authors have identified two types of compounds for which the quantities found in the bloodstream of cancer patients were twice as high as in other patients involved in the study. In addition, the researchers studied the mechanism that triggers the disease. They have been able to deduce that these compounds cause genetic alterations in genes such as the K-Ras and the p53, which are related to other cancers such as breast cancer or cancer of the pancreas.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in humans and in industrialised countries has the second highest mortality rate of all forms of cancer. Its causes are not fully understood, but diet is believed to play an important role. It is thought that vegetables, fruit and fibre-rich foods protect against it; whereas fats, red meat, as well as excessive consumption of calories and obesity increase the risk of developing it.
In order to gain a better understanding of the causes of colorectal cancer, a team of researchers led by Victor Moreno, a researcher at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and The Catalan Institute of Oncology, working in collaboration with the CSIC's Environmental Chemistry Group, have published the first study to establish a link between organochlorine compounds and colorectal cancer. The article has been published in the specialist journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
The researchers measured the concentration of organochlorines in the blood serum of 208 patients at Bellvitge Hospital. Of these patients, 132 had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 76 had been admitted for other reasons. The tests identified two specific organochlorines, PCB 28 and PCB 118, for which the levels found in patients with colorectal cancer was twice as high as in the other patients. These substances are part of the group of polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs. They are toxic compounds coming from industrial processes and are absorbed into the body through what we eat.
At the same time, in patients with colon cancer the team studied two genes that cause the cancer to develop: the K-Ras oncogene and the P53 tumour suppressing gene. The study of the mutations indicated a link between exposure to PCBs and the presence of transversion type mutations in both genes, reinforcing the evidence that PCBs 28 and 118 are probable causes of the carcinogenic processes in the population studied.
The authors believe that the ability of the two compounds to produce mutations lies in their unique shape. They have a flat conformation similar to that of dioxins, allowing them to initiate a chain of chemical processes that can end in a carcinogenic process. An example of this would be when compounds, due to their shape, bond with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor causing the activation of cellular enzymes that produce reactive oxygen species. It is these species that damage the DNA and initiate the carcinogenic process.
The researchers also studied other variables, such as food intake, to discover whether other factors were involved in increasing the risk. Nevertheless, the results were negative for all groups of foods, and only alcohol was seen to be an important risk factor for the population being studied.
According to the authors, future studies will be needed to confirm the results. These would benefit from the inclusion of additional organochlorines, which were not analysed this time, as well as other compounds associated with cancer, such as dioxins and furans.
Organochlorines and colorectal cancer
The organochlorine compounds come from industrial and agricultural uses and are widespread in the environment. Over the past few decades, their use has begun to be restricted and safety measures have been tightened because of their toxic effects to the body. Some of these compounds have even been made illegal, including DDT, which was formerly used as an insecticide. However, organochlorines are persistent contaminants that remain in the environment for long periods of time because they degrade slowly. Their main way into the body is through food. Once they have entered, the body has difficulty metabolising them, and they usually attach themselves to the adipose tissue. As a result, their average lifespan within the body is a matter of years, or even decades.
Organochlorines are released from the body through the intestine, either by recently ingested compounds or by others released from the adipose tissue. Faeces remain in the large intestine for one to two days. This time is sufficient for an exchange of compounds with the epithelium of the large intestine, which is greater than with any other part of the intestinal tract. These factors enhance the activity of the organochlorines and explains their possible implication in the appearance of colorectal cancer.
http://www.uab.es/servlet/Satellite?cid=1096476786473&pagename=UAB%2FPage%2FTemplatePlanaNoticiasDetall&c=Page¬iciaid=1096477267014
Carcinogen
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The hazard symbol for carcinogenic chemicals in the Globally Harmonized System.
The term carcinogen refers to any substance, radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of cancer or in the increase of its propagation. This may be due to ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substances are considered carcinogens, but their carcinogenic activity is attributed to the radiation, for example gamma rays and alpha particles, which they emit. Common examples of carcinogens are inhaled asbestos, certain dioxins, and tobacco smoke.
Cancer is a disease where damaged cells of the patient's body do not undergo programmed cell death, but their growth is no longer controlled and their metabolism is altered. Carcinogens may increase the risk of getting cancer by altering cellular metabolism or damaging DNA directly in cells, which interferes with biological processes, and induces the uncontrolled, malignant division, ultimately leading to the formation of tumors. Usually DNA damage, if too severe to repair, leads to programmed cell death, but if the programmed cell death pathway is damaged, then the cell cannot prevent itself from becoming a cancer cell.
There are many natural carcinogens. Aflatoxin B1, which is produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus growing on stored grains, nuts and peanut butter, is an example of a potent, naturally-occurring microbial carcinogen. Certain viruses such as Hepatitis B and human papilloma viruses have been found to cause cancer in humans. The first one shown to cause cancer in animals is Rous sarcoma virus, discovered in 1910 by Peyton Rous.
Benzene, kepone, EDB, asbestos, and the waste rock of oil shale mining have all been classified as carcinogenic.[citation needed] As far back as the 1930s, industrial smoke and tobacco smoke were identified as sources of dozens of carcinogens, including benzopyrene, tobacco-specific nitrosamines such as nitrosonornicotine, and reactive aldehydes such as formaldehyde — which is also a hazard in embalming and making plastics. Vinyl chloride, from which PVC is manufactured, is a carcinogen and thus a hazard in PVC production.
Co-carcinogens are chemicals that do not separately cause cancer, but do so in specific combinations.
After the carcinogen enters the body, the body makes an attempt to eliminate it through a process called biotransformation. The purpose of these reactions is to make the carcinogen more water-soluble so that it can be removed from the body. But these reactions can also convert a less toxic carcinogen into a more toxic one.
DNA is nucleophilic, therefore soluble carbon electrophiles are carcinogenic, because DNA attacks them. For example, some alkenes are toxicated by human enzymes to produce an electrophilic epoxide. DNA attacks the epoxide, and is bound permanently to it. This is the mechanism behind the carcinogenity of benzopyrene in tobacco smoke, other aromatics, aflatoxin and mustard gas.
Radiation

CERCLA identifies all radionuclides as carcinogens, although the nature of the emitted radiation (alpha, beta, gamma, or neutron and the radioactive strength), its consequent capacity to cause ionization in tissues, and the magnitude of radiation exposure, determine the potential hazard. Carcinogenity of radiation depends of the type of radiation, type of exposure and penetration. For example, alpha radiation has low penetration and is not a hazard outside the body, but are carcinogenic when inhaled or ingested.
For example, Thorotrast, a (incidentally-radioactive) suspension previously used as a contrast medium in x-ray diagnostics, is a potent human carcinogen known because of its retention within various organs and persistent emission of alpha particles. Marie Curie, one of the pioneers of radioactivity, died of cancer caused by radiation exposure during her experiments.
Not all types of electromagnetic radiation are in fact carcinogenic. Low-energy waves on the electromagnetic spectrum are generally not, including radio waves, microwave radiation, infrared radiation and visible light. Higher-energy radiation, including ultraviolet radiation (present in sunlight), x-rays, and gamma radiation, generally is carcinogenic, if received in sufficient doses.
Substances or foods irradiated with electrons or electromagnetic radiation (such as microwave, X-ray or gamma) are not carcinogenic. No "radiation" remains, just like no light remains in room after you turn out the light. (In contrast, non-electromagnetic neutron radiation produced inside nuclear reactors can produce secondary radiation by making bombarded substances radioactive.)
In other words, there is no possibility of getting cancer if the food is consumed.
[edit] Carcinogens in prepared food
See also: Cooking#Potential harmful health effects and Raw foodism
Cooking food at high temperatures, for example grilling or barbecuing meats, can lead to the formation of minute quantities of many potent carcinogens that are comparable to those found in cigarette smoke (i.e., benzopyrene).[1] Charring of food resembles coking and tobacco pyrolysis, and produces similar carcinogens. There are several carcinogenic pyrolysis products, such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, which are converted by human enzymes into epoxides, which attach permanently to DNA. Pre-cooking meats in a microwave oven for 2-3 minutes before grilling shortens the time on the hot pan, and removes heterocyclic amine (HCA) precursors, which can help minimize the formation of these carcinogens.[2]
Reports from the Food Standards Agency have found that the known animal carcinogen acrylamide is generated in fried or overheated carbohydrate foods (such as french fries and potato chips).[3] Studies are underway at the FDA and European regulatory agencies to assess its potential risk to humans. The charred residue on barbecued meats has been identified as a carcinogen, along with many other tars.
Casein, a milk protein, may also be a carcinogen as it is linked to the promotion of cancer and other diseases which was discovered in the 1980s by nutrition and health researcher, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study.[citation needed] Casein is often listed as sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate or milk protein. These are often found in energy bars, drinks as well as packaged goods.
Nevertheless, the fact that the food contains minute quantities does not necessarily mean that there is a significant hazard, although eliminating exposure may improve ones odds of getting cancer, the gastrointestinal tract sheds its outer layer continuously to protect itself from carcinomas, and has a high activity of detoxifying enzymes.[citation needed]
[edit] Carcinogens in cigarettes
Main article: Tobacco and health
Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemical compounds, many of which are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic.[4]
[edit] Circadian Disruption
"Shiftwork that involves circadian disruption" was listed, in 2007, as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer. (IARC Press release No. 180).[5] Multiple studies have documented a link between night shift work and the increased incidence of breast cancer.[6][7][8][9] Circadian disruption by exposure to light at night suppresses the production of the hormone melatonin which leads to reduction in cellular immune defense and surveillance necessary for protection from development of cancers. Melatonin also seems to have a direct protective effect against cancer possibly in part because of its strong anti oxidant properties.[10]
[edit] Classification of carcinogens
Carcinogens can be classified as genotoxic or nongenotoxic. Genotoxins cause irreversible genetic damage or mutations by binding to DNA. Genotoxins include chemical agents like N-Nitroso-N-Methylurea (MNU) or non-chemical agents such as ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation. Certain viruses can also act as carcinogens by interacting with DNA.
Nongenotoxins do not directly affect DNA but act in other ways to promote growth. These include hormones and some organic compounds.[11] [[File:Link title]]
[edit] IARC classification of carcinogens
Group 1: the agent (mixture) is definitely carcinogenic to humans. The exposure circumstance entails exposures that are carcinogenic to humans.
Group 2A: the agent (mixture) is probably carcinogenic to humans. The exposure circumstance entails exposures that are probably carcinogenic to humans.
Group 2B: the agent (mixture) is possibly carcinogenic to humans. The exposure circumstance entails exposures that are possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Group 3: the agent (mixture or exposure circumstance) is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.
Group 4: the agent (mixture) is probably not carcinogenic to humans.
Further details can be found in the IARC Monographs.
[edit] Procarcinogen
A procarcinogen is a precursor to a carcinogen. One example is nitrites, for example when taken in by the diet. They are not carcinogenic themselves, but turn into nitrosamines in the body, which are carcinogenic.[12]
[edit] Common carcinogens
Smoke
Certain dusts, when inhaled
Asbestos
Gasoline (contains aromatics)
Lead and its compounds
Alkylating antineoplastic agents (chemotherapy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcinogen

Popular ‘green’ products test positive for toxicant
March 14, 2008 in print edition C-2
New tests of 100 “natural” and “organic” soaps, shampoos and other consumer products show that nearly half of them contained a cancer-causing chemical that is a byproduct of petrochemicals used in manufacturing.
Many items that tested positive for the carcinogen are well-known brands, including Kiss My Face, Alba, Seventh Generation and Nature’s Gate products, sold in retail stores across the nation.
The findings of the Organic Consumers Assn., a consumer advocacy group, are sending a jolt through the natural products industry. Gathering today in Anaheim for a national trade show, many leaders worry that the test results will taint the industry in the eyes of the public.
Of the 100 products tested, 47 had detectable levels of 1,4-dioxane, which the Environmental Protection Agency has declared a probable human carcinogen because it causes cancer in lab animals.
Most traditional soaps and shampoos contain 1,4-dioxane. But the discovery that the chemical is present in many housecleaning and personal care products, including some for babies, that are advertised as being natural, organic or “green” comes as somewhat of a surprise.
“For companies to knowingly or even carelessly put a carcinogen into commerce in this day and age is barbaric, I think, particularly products that have the moniker of natural or self-proclaimed ‘organic,’ ” said consumer advocate and author David Steinberg, who directed the study.
“We need standards,” he said. “Consumers walk into a health-food store or natural-product supermarket with the expectation that the product they purchase will be natural or safer than what they could purchase at the drugstore or supermarket.”
The compound is not intentionally added to products; it is a byproduct of a process used to soften harsh detergents. It is formed when foaming agents, or surfactants, are processed with ethylene oxide or similar petrochemicals.
Said Martin Wolf, Seventh Generation Inc.’s director of product and environmental technology, “The natural world is filled with things that can harm… . All we can do is work as hard as we can to keep the levels as low as possible and keep our products as safe as possible.”
Hain Celestial Group, the Boulder, Colo.-based owner of four of the tested companies – Alba, Jason, Avalon Organics and Zia Natural Skincare– said Thursday that it would reevaluate all of its products. Two Alba and three Jason products contained 1,4-dioxane, but the chemical was not detected in tested Avalon and Zia products.
“We are committed to selling products without detectable levels of 1,4-dioxane … and will review all formulations accordingly,” said Lisa Lehndorff, Hain Celestial’s director of corporate consumer relations.
No one knows exactly what amount of the compound may be unsafe. In scientific studies, lab animals that had been fed 1,4-dioxane for many weeks developed nasal, liver and gall bladder cancers. But scientists do not now know what, if any, cancer risk humans face from years-long use of products containing the chemical.
The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates cosmetics, has set no standards for 1,4-dioxane. The agency has occasionally tested products for the compound since the late 1970s and says levels of it have substantially declined since then. The FDA says the current levels “do not present a hazard to consumers,” although it has advised the industry to reduce amounts in cosmetics as much as possible.
Many companies in the “natural” business have been striving for years to eliminate 1,4-dioxane. They use coconut or other plant oils as surfactants, and they have reformulated products and added a process called vacuum-stripping. But traces still remain, in the parts-per-million range.
Josef Koester of Cognis Corp., a Cincinnati-based chemical company that caters to manufacturers seeking “green” compounds, said most companies can avoid 1,4-dioxane but that it “typically requires a higher price point and sometimes performance restrictions for the product. How green the formulators want to go – it is their choice.”
Some organic company owners said it is deceptive for many products to be called natural when the carcinogenic compound indicates that petrochemicals are used in their manufacture.
No standards govern the words natural or organic for personal care products. But a few companies, including TerrEssentials, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps and Sensibility Soaps Inc., which makes the Nourish brand, have certified their products as organic under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food standards.
“It makes it really difficult for us to communicate real organic when our little voice gets lost in this sea of products that are all claiming to meet the [USDA organic] standard when, in fact, they don’t,” said Diana Kaye, co-founder of TerrEssentials, a small Maryland company. All six TerrEssentials soaps and other products tested were free of 1,4-dioxane.
Other brands, including Burt’s Bees, Desert Essence and EO, are not certified to meet organic food standards but still contained no 1,4-dioxane in the tests.
But because the vast majority of shampoos, soaps and other consumer goods do not carry the USDA organic seal, it’s nearly impossible for buyers to know whether the ones they use contain 1,4-dioxane because the chemical is not listed on ingredient labels. Products most likely to contain the compound usually list polyethylene glycol or compounds with the syllables PEG, short for polyethylene glycol, -eth or -oxynol-,according to the FDA.Method, a San Francisco-based company whose products are sold at Target, intentionally does not call its products “natural,” said co-founder Adam Lowry. Instead, the labels say “naturally derived” because the plant oils have been processed with ethylene oxide to make them better cleansers.
Three of its products were tested, and two – its ultra-concentrated dish soap and a hand soap – contained 1,4-dioxane.
“For us there are no alternatives that are still effective,” Lowry said. “Unless you can have a high-performance product, if you have a green product or a natural product, then what’s the point of having one that doesn’t work?”
Method’s creamy hand soap, which had 7 parts per million of 1,4-dioxane in the tests, has been reformulated and now contains none, Lowry said.
“We 100% believe that our products are completely safe and there’s zero risk,” he said.
Whole Foods on Thursday declined to say whether the test results would prompt any changes in products sold at its stores. Three of four products tested in Whole Foods’ own product line, 365 Everyday Value, contained 1,4-dioxane.
Dishwashing liquids are particularly hard to keep free of 1,4-dioxane because they require surfactants that are powerful grease cutters.
Seventh Generation uses coconut oil in its dish soaps, which although it is processed with a petrochemical and vacuum-stripped, still contains almost 2 parts per million of 1,4-dioxane. Wolf said the only way to remove all traces would be to use another surfactant that irritates skin, which the Burlington, Vt.-based company considers unacceptable.
Seventh Generation is “working with several surfactant manufacturers to look for alternatives to this process to modify coconut oil,” Wolf said. “We’re not there yet. We have more work to do.”
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/14/business/fi-natural14
Cancer: Does Food Increase or Decrease The Risk?
________________________________________

Food Insight
March/April 2004

With so many food "rules" and alarming media reports about food and food ingredients, you may be overwhelmed and confused about what to eat. Health experts agree that certain dietary behaviors—such as consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables—can reduce the risk of cancer. However, even with such easy to follow and well-publicized advice, consumers tend to perceive a risk of cancer from individual food ingredients with very little evidence to support that concern.
When food is related to cancer risk, the problem is not necessarily about good versus bad food, but about poor eating habits. Nevertheless, consumers worry about what’s in their food—including suspected carcinogens, additives, or contaminants. That concern, however, may be out of proportion with the real risk.
In 1996 a prestigious scientific panel concluded that the real cancer risk in our diets comes not from the miniscule amounts of specific chemicals in our food but from how we eat. Americans trying to avoid potential cancer-causing substances in foods would benefit most from a diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables and one that’s not too rich in calories, fats, and alcohol.
The National Research Council report, Carcinogens and Anticarcinogens in the Human Diet, states that about one-third of all cancer deaths in the nation each year could be attributed to diet (excess caloric intake and excess alcohol consumption), but probably not, in significant numbers, to natural or synthetic chemicals.
Furthermore, the 1996 Harvard Report on Cancer Prevention (Volume I: Human Causes of Cancer) concluded that 65 percent of cancer deaths in the United States can be linked to tobacco use, diet, obesity, and a lack of exercise. Just one percent could be attributed to food additives and contaminants.
Despite these credible reports, the concern about suspected carcinogens in our food is still a hot topic today. Are these chemical compounds true risk factors?
Unfamiliar Compounds in Food
The following are a few of the chemical compounds making headlines and information about their potential cancer-causing potential.
Acrylamide
In April 2002, a group of Swedish scientists presented research that detected trace levels of a probable human carcinogen and neurotoxicant—acrylamide—in some baked and fried foods. Acrylamide is not added to food, but has recently been found to be a natural by-product of certain foods when they are processed or cooked.
New technologies and analytical methods have made it easier to detect acrylamide in foods. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), acrylamide appears to be a result of baking, frying, or roasting at high temperatures and is believed to have been present in cooked foods for thousands of years. Acrylamide in food is not the result of contamination from environmental sources.
Scientists know that high doses of acrylamide cause cancer in laboratory rats. What is still unclear is whether the minute amounts of acrylamide in cooked foods may cause cancer or have any other harmful effects when people ingest it.
Foods found to contain varying amounts of acrylamide include coffee, fruits, vegetables, cereals, meats, and breads. According to FDA scientist Donna Robie, however, "No one food is contributing to the majority of the acrylamide (found in U.S. diets)."
FDA released exploratory data on acrylamide in late 2002 and early 2003. The agency has developed an action plan and continues to investigate how acrylamide is formed in food, identify ways to reduce acrylamide levels, and to study the human health risk of consuming acrylamide in foods.
Dr. Carl Winter, toxicologist and director of the FoodSafe Program at the University of California, Davis, notes that some animals can develop cancer when they are exposed to high doses of certain chemicals, but it is quite a leap to use the findings from those studies to project the cancer risk to humans, who are exposed to significantly lower doses of the chemical.
"We have a saying in toxicology, ‘The dose makes the poison,’" said Winter. "It’s the amount of a chemical—not its presence or absence—that determines the potential for harm. What’s much less clear is the health significance, if any, of our much lower levels of exposure to acrylamide in foods."
What should consumers do about acrylamide in food?
The FDA says consumers should not overreact or be alarmed and, until more is known, the agency continues to recommend that consumers eat a balanced diet, choosing a variety of foods that are low in trans fat and saturated fat, and rich in high-fiber grains, fruits and vegetables.
Semicarbazide
In October 2003, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) released a risk assessment regarding semicarbazide (SEM) in food. SEM belongs to a family of chemicals called hydrazines, which are known to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The agency reported that small quantities of SEM were found in a number of foods packaged in glass jars and bottles with metal lids with the typical plastic gaskets used to ensure an airtight seal. This seal protects the food from contamination by microbiological hazards, dust, insects, or other foreign objects. Such metal lids are used for products such as fruit juices, jams, honey, baby food, vegetables, sauces, and condiments.
Currently, FDA is examining foods and is continuing to assess the potential toxicity of SEM in food. Additionally, the food industry is working actively to reduce and, if possible, eliminate SEM from food packaging.
What should consumers do about SEM in food?
FDA said consumers should not avoid food packaged in glass jars. "At this time, FDA’s preliminary conclusion is that the levels of semicarbazide reported in foods in Europe are very low and present no risk to the public health."
The risk, if any, is very small for adults and for infants, according to EFSA. With current information, there is no reason for consumers—including infants—to change their dietary habits because of the possible presence of SEM in certain foods. Sealing gaskets for food containers have been used for many years and have helped protect the quality, wholesomeness, and overall safety of food products. An airtight seal offers product security and has helped provide packaging that maximizes product shelf life. Switching to alternative containers might not offer the same level of food safety and product quality.
Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic products such as reusable plastic food and drink containers, baby bottles, coatings of cans for food products, compact disks, sports safety equipment, and many common household products.
FDA regulates the use of BPA in food packaging. BPA has been extensively tested and proven to be safe by FDA and other regulatory agencies worldwide. It has been used in consumer products for more than 40 years.
What should consumers do about BPA in food?
BPA has been detected in some foods at extremely low levels (parts per billion). At these low levels, consumers would have to ingest hundreds of pounds of food and beverages (which have been in contact with polycarbonate) every day for an entire lifetime to exceed the safe level of BPA set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Therefore, consumers are not at significant risk from limited exposure to BPA from foods packaged in plastic containers or cans. On the basis of current research, there is no reason for consumers to change their choice of food items because of the possible presence of BPA in food.
Putting Cancer into Perspective
The possible link between cancer and unfamiliar compounds in food will continue to draw attention, but a report published in 2003 focuses instead on more healthful lifestyles and early-detection tests as a way to dramatically reduce cancer rates. Fulfilling the Potential of Cancer Prevention and Early Detection—from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, jointly presented with the American Cancer Society and other leading health groups—reports an estimated 60,000 deaths and 100,000 new cases of cancer could be prevented each year by 2015 if more Americans used the cancer prevention and early detection recommendations currently available.
The report says that smoking, poor diets, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and failure to get early cancer detection tests all contribute to the excess burden of cancer. "Many of the behaviors placing people at increased risk for cancer are well recognized, and calls for change are not new," said Dr. John R. Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society. "What is new, however, is the growing body of evidence confirming the effectiveness of interventions helping people improve their health-related behaviors."
Cancer rates are declining. Consumers who are worried about chemicals in food being potential causes of cancer should also be aware that death rates from the most common cancers (lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal) are declining, and the number of new cases is leveling off.
According to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer: 1975-2000, cancer death rates overall were stable from 1998 through 2000—that is, rates were neither increasing nor decreasing. The report, released in September 2003, said that the incidence rates for all types of cancers combined increased from the mid-1970s through 1992, declined from 1992 to 1995, and then stabilized from 1995 to 2000.
Additionally, U.S. life expectancy reached an all-time high of 77.4 years in 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reducing the Risk; Colorful Foods to Help Combat Cancer
A popular old phrase was "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." These days, it should be "five to nine a day may help keep cancer away."
For many years, government agencies and organizations that focus on health and cancer have been touting the powerful benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), scientific findings continue to support the importance of eating more colorful fruits and vegetables because they may reduce the risk for certain types of cancer—as well as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and other diseases. "Colorful fruits and vegetables—provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and several hundred unique disease-fighting phytochemicals that work together," said Lorelei DiSogra, EdD, RD, director of the 5 A Day Program at NCI. "Only fruits and vegetables, not pills or supplements, can provide all of these health benefits."
Although eating more fruits and vegetables could have a profound positive impact on the nation’s health, approximately 70 percent of American adults and children are not eating enough.
Many phytochemicals—natural plant substances—act as antioxidants to help reduce the risk of cancer. "Antioxidants are believed to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals which can damage cell DNA and theoretically lead to cancer cells," said DiSogra. "Free radicals are produced as a normal part of metabolism, but antioxidants counteract free radicals and block them from doing any harm.
"A diet rich in fruits and vegetables will also be rich in antioxidants," said DiSogra. "Some examples of antioxidants are vitamin C (found in citrus fruits), vitamin A (found in sweet potatoes and carrots), lycopene (found in tomato sauce), flavonoids (found in berries), sulforophane (found in broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts), and lutein (found in dark leafy greens)."
DiSogra said that it’s easy to eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day because servings are much smaller than people think. One serving is one medium-sized fruit, 1/2 cup of vegetables or fruit (raw, cooked, canned or frozen), 1/4 cup of dried fruit, 3/4 cup of 100 percent juice, or one cup of leafy greens.
Resources for Cancer Prevention and Nutrition
www.cancer.gov
www.5aday.com
www.usda.gov
http://www.ific.org/foodinsight/2004/ma/cancerfi204.cfm
Particular Vulnerability Of Fetuses And Cancer-Causing Compounds
12-8-08
Fetal Exposure to Carcinogens May Lead to Cancer Decades Later
By David Stauth, 541-737-0787
Contact: David Williams, 541-737-3277
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A new study suggests that exposure of a fetus to common carcinogens during the late stages of pregnancy may be even more harmful than exposure after birth, causing long-lasting genetic damage that could lead to cancer in childhood, young adulthood or even middle age.
The findings, done in experiments with laboratory mice exposed to high levels of a class of carcinogen that’s commonly found in the environment, are consistent with other studies that also point to the particular vulnerability of fetuses to cancer-causing compounds, especially in late stages of gestation.
The results were just published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, a professional journal, by researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The studies were supported by the National Institutes of Health.
“The study of epigenetics and imprinting has shown that exposure to agents during early stages of development can program gene expression, such that susceptibility to disease in later life is impacted,” the authors wrote in the report. “Studies in human populations find high exposures to environmental chemicals associated with . . . birth weight, behavioral endpoints and cancer.” That toxic chemical is . . .
The toxic environmental chemical used in these experiments was one kind of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, or PAH, a group of chemicals that scientists believe represent a “re-emerging” environmental concern.
PAHs are associated with the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum, and are increasingly common air pollutants, especially in some places such as China where use of coal for power production is soaring. But they can also get into soils, be taken up by plants and make their way into the human food chain. And cancer is the number one cause of disease-related death in children, with lymphomas and leukemias – some of the types of cancer produced in these animal experiments – at the top of the list.
“What was surprising about our findings is that PAHs appeared to be even more carcinogenic when the exposure was in late-stage pregnancy, instead of nursing,” said David Williams, professor and director of the Marine/Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center at OSU. “Significantly more damage was done in two days of in-utero exposure than by three weeks of exposure through breast milk. This suggests the fetus in late gestation is very susceptible to carcinogens.”
An alternative explanation, Williams said, would be that little of the PAH partitions into the milk, although this PAH is very fat soluble, as are other environmental chemicals of concern in breast milk, such as DDT, PCBs and dioxin. The researchers are investigating these possibilities, as well as performing studies with actual environmental PAH mixtures collected in Beijing by Staci Simonich, an associate professor in the OSU Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology.
The idea that exposure to carcinogens during early development can set the stage for cancer years later is gaining more credence as the science of “epigenetics” reveals how genes can undergo permanent changes, based on toxic insults, nutrition or other factors, Williams said. Other laboratory studies have shown nutritional interventions that can help prevent some of the damage from carcinogens.
And research of this type may help explain why some people exposed to carcinogens during adulthood get cancer, and others with similar exposure do not.
While the risk of birth defects through genetic damage is often observed in the very early stages of pregnancy, Williams said, the risk of carcinogens and cancer appears to be linked more to the late stages, and to infancy, when detoxification systems are not yet fully developed.
“Carcinogens have to be metabolized in order to affect the fetus, and the enzymes necessary to do that are not really developed until later stages of pregnancy,” Williams said. “If nothing else, this suggests that avoidance of toxic chemicals and a healthy diet is very important throughout a pregnancy, not just at first.”
The diet that might provide some protection against toxins, Williams said, is essentially the same as that usually recommended anyway – lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and kale that have high levels of indole-3-carbinol, which appears to have cancer chemopreventive properties. More research is needed before it can be determined if dietary supplements would be appropriate, Williams said.
More than 800,000 Americans have leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma, the researchers noted in their report. There are an estimated 135,000 new cases of these cancers and 50,000 deaths every year.
“In order to devise the most efficacious approaches to chemoprevention, we need to know when the greatest period of sensitivity is,” the scientists wrote in this study. “We now show that, in this model, in- utero exposure carries the greatest risk.”
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About the Linus Pauling Institute: The Linus Pauling Institute at OSU is a world leader in the study of micronutrients and their role in promoting optimum health or preventing and treating disease. Major areas of research include heart disease, cancer, aging and neurodegenerative disease.

http://aboutnutritionnews.com/environment/particular-vulnerability-of-fetuses-and-cancer-causing-compounds/

The Anti Cancer Nutrients and Food Compounds that can cause Cancer
Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases. There have been great strides in cancer research regarding treatment options available, but not everybody can afford the proper cancer treatment.

The best defense is prevention for the general population, for those in remission, maintaining a healthy and strong immune system is vital.

Some experts have identified the compounds in processed foods that can cause cancer. These are:
Trans fatty acids - imitation fats in shortenings, margarines and most commercial baked goods and snack foods. This is strongly associated with cancer of the lungs and reproductive organs.
Rancid fats - industrial processing creates rancidity in commercial vegetable oils.
Omega-6 fatty acids - although needed in small amounts, an excess can contribute to cancer. Dangerously high levels of omega-6 fatty acids are due to the overuse of vegetable oils in modern diets.
MSG - YES you're right, popularly known as vetsin or monosodium glutamate is associated with brain cancer. It's found in almost all processed foods, even when "MSG" does not appear on the label.
Aspartame - this imitation sweetener in diet foods and beverages is associated with brain cancer.
Pesticides - found in most common commercial vegetable oils, fruit juices, vegetables and fruits, pesticides are associaed with many types of cancer.
Hormones - found in animals raised in confinement on soy and grains. Plant-based hormones are plentiful in soy foods.
Artificial Flavorings and Colors - associated with various types of cancers, especially when consumed in large amounts in a diet of junk food.
Refined Carbohydrates - sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and white flour are devoid of nutrients. The body uses up nutrients from other foods to process refined carbohydrates. Tumor growth is associated with sugar consumption.
So, those are the cancer causing food compounds. Below are the anti cancer nutrients that can protect us from cancer according to Weston Price Foundation:
Vitamin A - strengthens the immune system. It is essential for mineral metabolism and endocrine function, it helps detoxify. True Vitamin A is found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, fish and shellfish, and liver, butter, and egg yolks from pasture-fed animals. Traditional diets contain 10 times more vitamin A than the typical modern American diet.
Vitamin C - an important antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals. It is found in many fruits and vegetables but also in certain organ meats valued by primitive peoples.
Vitamin B6 - Deficiencies are associated with cancer. It contributes to the function of over 100 enzymes and is mostly available from animal foods.
Vitamin B12 - Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Found only in animal foods.
Vitamin B17 - Found in a variety of organically grown grains, legumes, nuts and berries.
Vitamin D - required for mineral absorption, it is strongly protective against breast and colon cancres. Found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, lard, shellfish and butterfat, organ meats and egg yolks from grass-fed animals.
Vitamin E - works as an antioxidant at the cellular level. Found in unprocessed oils as well as in animal fats like butter and egg yolks.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) - strongly protective against breast cancer. Found in the butterfat and meat fat of grass-fed ruminant animals.
Cholesterol - a potent antioxidant that protect against free radicals in cell membranes. Found only in animal foods.
Minerals - the body needs generous amounts of a wide variety of minerals to protect itself against cancer. Minerals like zinc, magnesium, and selenium are vital components of enzymes that help the body fight carcinogens. Minerals are more easily absorbed from animal foods.
Lactic Acid and Friendly Bacteria - contribute to the health of the digestive tract. Found in old-fashioned lacto fermented foods.
Saturated Fats - strengthens the immune system. Needed for the proper use of the essential fatty acids. The lungs can not function without saturated fats. Found mostly in animal foods.
Long-chain fatty acids - Arachidonic Acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help fight cancer on the cellular level. They are found mostly in animal foods such as butter, organ meats, cod liver oil and seafoods.
Co-enzyme Q10 - highly protective against cancer, it is found only in animal food
http://healthproblemfacts.blogspot.com/2007/11/anti-cancer-nutrients-and-food.html

Cancer-causing compounds in cooked meat, new findings
09-Apr-2004
Related topics: Science & Nutrition, Food safety and labelling, Meat, fish and savoury ingredients
New data from the US suggests that carcinogens such as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formed when meat is cooked may be responsible for the risk of rectal cancer and not the consumption of the meat itself.
Meat consumption, particularly of red and processed meat, is one of the most thoroughly studied dietary factors in relation to colon cancer.
Scientists led by Maureen Murtaugh at the University of Utah set out to decipher whether meat, red meat, HCAs or PAHs are associated with the risk for rectal cancer. Their findings suggest that 'mutagens' such as HCA that form when meat is cooked may be the risk factor in rectal cancer, not red meat itself.
PAHs and HCAs are known carcinogens which can form as a by-product of reactions occurring during the cooking of meat, particularly if it is fried, broiled, baked or barbecued.
The team at Utah studied 952 subjects with rectal cancer and 1,205 controls, from Utah and California in a population-based case-control study from 1997-2002. Medical history and dietary habits and other exposure data were recorded. Blood was taken from the participants, DNA extracted and variants of NAT2 were recorded.
Their findings revealed a slight non-significant increase in risk of rectal cancer among men and women with the highest consumption of processed meat or 'well done meat. Men who had the rapid or intermediate acetylator phenotype and consumed well done meat had a greater increase in the risk for rectal cancer than men with the slow acetylator-imputed phenotype. In women, the use of red meat drippings was associated with a decreased risk of rectal cancers. This decrease was greater among women with the slow NAT2 imputed phenotype and the GSTM-1 absent genotype.
According to the World Heath Organisation, colorectal cancer is among the five most common cancers in the world for both men and women. More than 10 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year and WHO estimates that there will be 15 million new cases every year by 2020. Cancer causes 6 million deaths every year - or 12 per cent of deaths worldwide.
Despite recent food safety scares, notably BSE and avian flu, meat consumption remains steady. Even the recent BSE scare in the US has not affected the popularity of meat as a meal choice. Consumption has been boosted by the popularity of the low-carb Atkins diet, which encourages the consumption of protein. An estimated 59 million adults in the US are currently on the diet, according to figures from the Valen Group, and are turning to meat, a relatively cheap and easibly available source of protein.
Full findings of the Utahstudy are published in the The American Society for Nutritional Sciences, J. Nutr. 134:776-784, April 2004.
http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Cancer-causing-compounds-in-cooked-meat-new-findings
Protective effects of organosulfur compounds towards N-nitrosamine-induced DNA damage in the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE)/HepG2 assay
N. Arranza, A.I. Hazaa, A. Garcíaa, L. Möllerb, J. Rafterb and P. Moralesa, ,
aDepartamento de Nutrición, Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
bDepartment of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, NOVUM, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden

Received 2 March 2006;
accepted 23 February 2007.
Available online 12 March 2007.

Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of organosulfur compounds towards N-nitrosamine-induced DNA damage in the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE)/HepG2 assay. N-Nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) incubated with formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg), caused a significant increase in oxidative DNA damage in comparison to the solvent control, the lowest effective concentrations, being 5 and 27 mM, respectively. NPYR exerted greater genotoxic effects than NDMA. None of the organosulfur compounds (OSCs) concentrations tested in presence or absence of Fpg enzyme, caused DNA damage per se. OSCs (diallyl sulfide, DAS and dipropyl sulfide, DPS, 1–50 μM; diallyl disulfide, DADS and dipropyl disulfide, DPDS, 1–5 μM) reduced the genotoxic effects of the N-nitrosamines in a dose-dependent manner when HepG2 cells were simultaneously treated with OSCs and N-nitrosamines. The effect of NPYR was attenuated by about 61–67%, respectively, with the highest concentration of DAS (50 μM) and DADS (5 μM). The protective effect of DADS (5 μM, 66%) was higher than DAS (50 μM, 53%) towards NDMA-induced oxidative DNA damage. A concentration of 50 μM DPS and 5 μM DPDS led to a 65–63% and 59–65% reduction in NPYR/NDMA-induced oxidative DNA damage, respectively. Our results indicate that OSCs protect human-derived cells against the oxidative DNA damaging effect of NPYR and NDMA, two carcinogenic compounds which occur in the environment.
Keywords: Organosulfur compounds; N-Nitrosamines; Comet assay
Abbreviations: DADS, diallyl disulfide; DAS, diallyl sulfide; DPDS, dipropyl disulfide; DPS, dipropyl sulfide; Fpg, formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase; NDMA, N-nitrosodimethylamine; NPYR, N-nitrosopyrrolidine; OSCs, organosulfur compounds
Article Outline
1. Introduction
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Chemicals
2.2. HepG2 cells
2.3. Analysis of DNA damage induced by N-nitrosamines or OSCs by alkaline comet assay
2.4. Analysis of DNA damage induced by a simultaneous treatment of N-nitrosamines and OSCs by alkaline comet assay
2.5. Statistical analyses
3. Results
3.1. DNA strand break induction by N-nitrosamines or OSCs
3.2. DNA strand break induction by a simultaneous treatment of N-nitrosamines and OSCs by alkaline comet assay
4. Discussion

Safety
Acknowledgements
References
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6P-4N7RWCB-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=0f7606f8265af5f30511d4d133d9f6d8

JUNCTURE

Juncture
One entry found.
Main Entry:
junc•ture
Pronunciation:
\ˈjəŋ(k)-chər\
Function:
noun
Date:
14th century
1 a: joint , connection b: the manner of transition or mode of relationship between two consecutive sounds in speech2: an instance of joining : junction3: a point of time ; especially : one made critical by a concurrence of circumstances
synonyms juncture , exigency , emergency , contingency , pinch , straits , crisis mean a critical or crucial time or state of affairs. juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events . exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation . emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster . contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence . pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency . straits applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult . crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference .

junc•ture (j ngk ch r)
n.
1. The act of joining or the condition of being joined.
2. A place where two things are joined; a junction or joint.
3. A point in time, especially a critical point. See Synonyms at crisis.
4. The transition or mode of transition from one sound to another in speech.
Noun1.juncture - an event that occurs at a critical time; "at such junctures he always had an impulse to leave"; "it was needed only on special occasions"
occasion
happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent - an event that happens
climax, flood tide - the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding; "the climax of the artist's career"; "in the flood tide of his success"
conjuncture - a critical combination of events or circumstances
crisis - a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something; "after the crisis the patient either dies or gets better"
turning point, landmark, watershed - an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend; "the agreement was a watershed in the history of both nations"
milestone - a significant event in your life (or in a project)
straits, pass, head - a difficult juncture; "a pretty pass"; "matters came to a head yesterday"
reality check - an occasion on which one is reminded of the nature of things in the real world; "this program is intended as a reality check for CEOs"; "after all those elaborate productions, I felt in need of a reality check"
2.juncture - a crisis situation or point in time when a critical decision must be made; "at that juncture he had no idea what to do"; "he must be made to realize that the company stands at a critical point"
critical point, crossroads
crisis - an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty; "they went bankrupt during the economic crisis"
criticality - a critical state; especially the point at which a nuclear reaction is self-sustaining
3.juncture - the shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made
join, articulation, joint, junction
esophagogastric junction, oesophagogastric junction - the junction between the esophagus and the stomach epithelium
connexion, link, connection - a connecting shape