Umbilical Cord Blood Bank

Will state help pay for PRIVATE cord blood storage? I live in Mass, will the state help pay for private cord blood storage for low income families?

i am 37wks pregnant and have applied for cord blood storage with cryobanks international india.? i am 37 wks pregnant and have applied for cord blood storage with cryobanks international india. i have already received the storage kit with the instructions. can anybody tell me at what temperaature to store the gel packs provided along with it. its not specified clearly in the instruction manual. please reply soon.

What do you know or have you heard about cord blood storage? Cord blood is where stem cells come from.

Blood Cord Storage - Best value? We are having a baby in June and want to do blood cord storage because our 10 year old has diabetes. Here's the thing.... It seems that there is a huge difference in prices out there and I'm looking for the best value. Right now we are looking at Neocell but we are not sure. I am not comfortable donating because I want to make sure it will be there for my son if needed. Has anyone done the research to determine best value for blood cord storage?

Stem Cell/Cord Blood storage? Has anyone had their newborns stem cells or cord blood stored for the future? If so what did you do? Which company did you choose? Any other useful info or tips?

Do your ob/gyn tell you about umbilical cord blood storage? IF not, should they? When I was pregnant two prior times, I was never told about saving my babies umbilical cord for future use for them or family. Should you be more informed so you can make an educated decision and not feel like you missed the boat? I pray everyday that both my children stay healthy but I also feel like not informing me was a disservice to me and my family. What do you think? Should we request to be better informed? Should we be fighting for that right?

During my wife's first delivery, we had got stored the CORD BLOOD of our baby. Now my wife is pregnant with se? Now my wife is pregnant with second child. I have read that there is 99% genetic homology between siblings. I wan to know , is there a need to go cord blood storage again? or the cord blood stored from the elder sibling are sufficient , if ever a need arises?

I am wondering about Cord Blood America (CBAI) stocks? I know cord blood storage is kind of a gamble, as applications for cord blood are extremely limited right now. However, Obama lifted the ban on stem cell research and they claim this could change things. At 1 cent per share, I am wondering if you think its worth it to drop a $100 or so with the gamble that the value will go up significantly, or if its just a waste of money? I guess I am really wondering what you think the odds the stocks going up in any significant value.

Do you think the storage of the umbilical cord blood cells of your child can be useful in the future? How seriously can I take this kind of "help" in case someone gets a severe disease in my family? Some doctors say it is just a waste of money because nobody has recovered due to this while some doctors say it can be beneficial in the future and these blood cells can be used in more and more cases as technology and medical research develops. It is uncertain who can use the cells besides the child/donor so it may happen that even though you have had the cells stored, your sick family member can't recover. In spite of the fact that there are so many questionable details about the storage of cord blood, do you think it is worth it because we don't know what developments are ahead of us or you wouldn't recommend it? I already signed a contract with a cell bank company, I just want to know the opinion of other people. I agree that it is not very likely that I would need to use these cells (it is good if I don't need to) but who knows what might happen...I hope there will be more and more diseases that can be cured with the help of these cells. The company I signed up with said in case they go bankrupt or go out of business, they will take full responsibility to take the cells to another storage place. This is included in the contract. This is something that I am also afraid of since this is a long-term agreement but it seems like they have to take responsibility and I have their promise in writing so if this does not happen, I could even sue them.

What do you think about storing the cord blood cells (stem cells)? I met a reliance stem cell marketing person who explained me ablout the storage of cord blood cells but I still dont understand whether it is really worth to store at a price of 74,900 for 21 years.

About baby cord blood.? I know this is going to sound like I am being funny, but I am really curious. My wife is 9 months pregnant, and we keep getting these brochures and sales pitches about cord blood storage (something above out financial means and insurance doesn't cover it). My question is, if I poured cord blood on a wound, or drank it, would it heal stuff in my body? Like if the tip of my finger got cut off, could I just soak it in a bowl of cord blood and grow a new finger? I know this sounds sarcastic or humurous, but I am really not trying to be. Yes, I understand what the cord blood banks are, and why. I am just asking what would be the result if I drank the cord blood or something?

i want to know about stem cell storage for my baby's cord blood from cryobanks international-gurgaon.? i came to know that cord blood stem cells can help to treat 75 disorders.

how many of you use cord blood banking? I can see the benefits of cord blood banking, im just concerned about the price. How does the billing work... I know there is a collection cost. How much do you have to pay after that for storage? Is it monthly, yearly???? Have any of you had to use it? If so was it easy to collect from. Did you feel it was worth it?

What is the difference from Embryonic Stem Cells and Cord Blood Stem Cells? My husband and I currently have 4 children. At each of their births, we chose to have their cord blood collected and their stem cells stored at the Cord Blood Registry facility in Tucson, Arizona. When our first child was born in 1999, many people still did not know about cord blood and stem cells. Our youngest is 12 months old and it seems that more people are aware and interested in stem cell storage/usage. I have wondered a lot about the difference in ESC and the cord blood stem cells collected at birth. There are literally thousands of baby's born daily, why aren't mother's advised and/or given the option to donate their baby's cord blood? It may depend on morals or beliefs of the mother. Even if ESC's are better, shouldn't we still be concerned about saving the stem cells that are in cord blood? Is it a funding issue? I just couldn't waste my kids' cord blood, but #3 did have a small collection of only 29cc's (<1oz.).

Should I donate my baby's cord blood? I tend to think donation makes more sense than storage because researchers are still in the process of studying the whole concept of cord blood and stem cells. Also, storage is expensive. What does anybody think?

Can you donate cord blood to a public bank that is currently privately stored? I'm am looking to privately store the cord blood from my child. I understand that the likelihood of actually utilizing this cord blood is small. I also have evaluated the cost of private storage. My one hesitation, however, is that by privately storing, and possibly never using this cord blood, I am potentially denying it's use by someone who might have used it (via public storage). So my question is, can I at some point in the future 'transfer' or donate my privately stored cord blood to a public cord blood bank? I am not speaking about storing the cord blood myself at home. What I mean by 'private storage' is storing the blood at a private for-profit bank for my exclusive use. Sorry for not making that more clear.

Does anyone know about...? Cord Blood storage.. I have seen a couple of commercials on TV about it, but I was wondering if anyone has done it or is looking in to it....

Storing Cord Stem Cells...? We have been looking into banking our baby's cord blood. It costs around $3000 if you pay upfront - or you can pay $1000 up front and then $150 a year storage fee (cheaper to pay up front). I keep thinking that if something were to happen and we did not spend the $3000 I would not forgive myself but in all likelihood, we will never use it. I am paying close to $6000 to have my baby in a private hospital with my own OB, so if I think it is worth spending this money, $3000 doesn't seem that much, does it? Would you do it/have you done it? We definitely have the money for it without it causing a burden or going without anything - but it is still alot of money to spend on something that you will probably never use.

Stem cell storage- would you pay for this?? I am tempted to do this? I am just wondering if any other expectant mums out there have heard of this....the blood taken from your babies umbilical cord before being thrown away, I have looked on the cells4life website and it sounds really interesting and a brilliant idea as the blood they collect and store for your baby, the cells can be used to replace damaged or abnormal blood cells as part of the treatment of some malignant blood disorders, such as leukaemia, as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation. The potential benefits of stem cell transplantation are that the cells are immediately available. Also help regenerate skin through burns and things like multiple sclerosis, stroke and alzheimers. It is expensive to do as the premium package costs £1500 and they store the cells for 25 yrs, thereafter you pay a yearly fee. Or £995 for a years storage and collection and after the year it is £50 per year. What do you think about this? Serious answers only plz

Your take on frozen embryo's/stem cell research? I had no idea where to post this,lol. I am curious where people stand on stem cell research, for those who are not aware of how's it done, a simple explanation is they create an embryo (usually from donated fertilized eggs from fertility clinics) they grow to be no more then 5 days old and they are able to extract the cells from it. http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics3.asp it's been debated often since some feel it's a form of abortion in a way, you create a life to take it, but others feel at only 5 days old and just a mass of cells, it no different then a plant for example. Michael J. Fox, who is a strong advocate for stem cell research, brought up a good point, while alot of people have issues with stem cell research not many protest IVF, in a lot of cases there are unused embryos left over, alot of times they are disposed of, some donate but most discard, alot of couples dont want someone else to have their 'baby'. To be honest im not sure where I stand, I see the benefits of the testing, I am however pro life to an extent, I feel that one thing the government should do is make it mandatory for hospitals to collect cord blood, free of charge, and have a national storage, those who need it, get it based on conditions. Cord blood has stems cells, and no embryos get destroyed. Where do you stand on stem cell research and IVF/frozen embryos? The stem cell controversy is the ethical debate centered only on research involving the creation, usage and destruction of human embryos; namely, embryonic stem cells. Not all stem cell research involves the creating, using and destroying human embryos. Stem cell research, for example adult stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, which do not involve creating, using or destroying human embryos is not controversial. not as much debate as I thought, maybe the media is making mountains out of molehills

Something all mothers should know... Hurler's Syndrome? Affecting one in 100,000 people, Hurler's syndrome is a rare genetic disorder where the enzyme (alpha-L-iduronidase), which normally breaks down the mucopolysaccharides dermatan and heparin sulphate, is missing. These mucopolysaccharides build up in all tissues in the body causing progressive deterioration and eventual death. The disease was first described in 1919 in Germany by Dr. Gertrud Hurler. Hurler's syndrome babies often develop normally during the first year, but as the storage material (mucopolysaccharides) start to build up, the symptoms begin to appear. Early symptoms include frequent colds and ear infections. Hurler's children will, without therapy, experience profound mental retardation, coarse facial features and excessive hair growth, vision problems (due to clouded cornea), and severe heart problems (as the coronary arteries narrow and the heart valves thicken). Other symptoms may include carpal tunnel syndrome, curvature of the spine, frequent runny nose, hernias, and hearing loss. Most patients die of heart failure between the ages of 5 and 10. Because Hurler's syndrome is genetic, it is difficult to cure. Current approaches to Hurler's syndrome include genetic counseling for parents who are carriers of the disease, and improvements in early detection of the disease in unborn children (Hurler's can be detected with amniocentesis early in the second trimester). For Hurler's syndrome patients, a variety of treatments have been tried. The goal of treatment is to get the missing enzyme into the body. While the enzyme is now FDA-approved and available, studies have shown this doesn’t move into the brain well enough to prevent the neurologic aspects of the disease. To introduce alpha-L-iduronidase into the body, both gene therapy and blood, marrow or cord blood transplants are being explored. In gene therapy, researchers use a virus to place the gene that produces alpha-L-iduronindase into the patient’s cells. Transplants are performed to provide cells producing enzyme through the growth of normal, healthy blood cells. These blood cells appear to provide enzyme to other cells of the brain, preserving neurologic function. However, the enzyme does not appear to penetrate into the brain. Following successful transplant, patients do not suffer cardiac deterioration, and the accumulated mucopolysaccharides in the liver, lungs, and marrow slowly disappear. Vision and hearing generally improve post transplant, as well. Though the mental retardation does not progress, the patient’s IQ will typically stabilize. Thus the most successful transplants are those that are performed as soon as possible after diagnosis. Transplants performed after age 2 have disappointment results, because a BMT cannot repair the considerable amount of damage already done. Because older patients and those with prior lung problems do particularly poorly with transplant, the use of enzyme therapy prior to transplantation may be advantageous. The University of Minnesota has pioneered a study to test the use of enzyme prior to transplant, which is currently enrolling patients.

Anatomy And Physiology? 3.) Which of the following is NOT a function of fat connective tissue (FCT)? energy storage covering for bones at joints insulation from heat and cold packing material for organs, nerves, and vessels 10.) All of the following are bones of the lower member of the appendicular skeleton EXCEPT carpals illium fibia metatarsals 21.) The exchange of gases between blood and cells is called pulmonary ventilation. internal respiration. x external respiration. cellular respiration. 25.) Fluid in the nephron is called Urine Filtrate Blood/plasma None of the above x Fluid in the glomerulus is called Urine x Filtrate Blood/plasma None of the above 31. Which of the following are functions of the blood? transportation regulation protection all of the above 33.) A person with blood type A has B antigens on the red blood cells. A antibodies in the plasma. A antigens on the red blood cells. Rh antigen on the red blood cells. x 40.) The gland secretes insulin thyroid thymus pancreatic islets x pituitary 41.) Neurons that conduct nerve impulses from the receptors to the central nervous system are motor neurons. efferent neurons. interneurons. sensory neurons. x 42.) What part of the CNS is the primary coordinating center for muscle actions? cerebrum cerebellum x brainstem spinal cord 45.) The portion of the nervous system that is considered involuntary is the somatic nervous system. sensory nervous system. autonomic nervous system. x motor nervous system. 46.) A difference between general and special senses is that special sense receptors are located in the head; general senses are all over the body. general senses are short range; special senses are long range. special sense stimulus information goes through specific cranial nerves; general sense stimuli are routed through at least three neurons. all of the above. 47.) The autonomic nervous system is mainly responsible for maintaining homeostasis. controlling glands. controlling the heart. all of the above. x

This scene was really hard to write. Can anyone offer me some critiques? Parker whistled an old show tune as he walked through the cargo hold to reach the stairs to the top deck. Aluminum storage boxes towered over him on every side, blocking out most of the light from the bulbs on the walls. The glowing circle of light cast by his flashlight bobbed with his every step, ricocheting off the walls, crates, and ceiling. He heard a crash ahead of him and broke into a run, flashlight swinging from a cord around his wrist. “Who’s there?” he called, panting. He reached the end of the row and paused to listen, but the cavernous room had fallen into a dead silence. He craned his head to the left and right, but saw nothing and no one. After a moment of indecision, he dashed to the right, footsteps echoing loudly on the metal floor. He heard another crash behind him, and spun around, sprinting in the opposite direction. He arrived at the end of the aisle, where he was positive he had heard the noise, but no one was there. Another crash sounded from across the room, and Parker called out again. “Who’s there?” No answer. He backed into the corner, readjusting the flashlight in his grip. It would be a more weapon, but if necessary he would be able to use it as a club. “I know there’s someone there!” Parker’s voice trembled with fright and the words came out with a squeak. “Hello? Oliver? Is that you?” Another crash, closer this time. “Come on, you’re not funny Oliver! Oliver?” A heavy boot scuffed the floor down the aisle from Parker. He turned, straining his eyes to see who was there. A heavy object landed a hard blow on the back of his head, knocking him to the floor. His consciousness flickered. He moaned. Another blow, on his hip. The hard-soled boot he had heard collided with his stomach. More blows, again and again and again. His head was damp with blood, and every part of him that was not numb from shock throbbed, pain coursing through his body. He coughed, and blood dripped down his chin. The metallic taste was acrid on his tongue. Was that his mother he could hear? I’m so disappointed in you Parker. His father? Where did we go wrong? You’re a failure. He groaned. Another blow, a kick to his face. Something crunched. His nose? Blood dripped down his cheek to the floor, joining the already present pool, slowly growing in size. His college roommate Anthony’s voice joined his parents’. Why’d you have to go and get all doped up man? I had my whole life. His old girlfriend, Bethany. I said no. Why didn’t you understand? Were you too high. The college dean. You cheated. I had no choice. You were a bright boy… I told them to check for weapons. The chorus of voices was overwhelming. Soon he could no longer differentiate between words and the throbbing of his head. Make it stop. The sole of a boot pressed down on his neck, pushing¸ choking A snap. He hadn’t realized he’d spoken out loud. This scene literally had me almost in tears. How is it? I've never really written a violent scene like this before. Also some parts are supposed to be in italics, where he is thinking something or where he is imagining other people saying something to him.

Anatomical Descriptions of the Human reproductive system? 1) organ that delivers semen to the female reproductive tract 2) site of sperm and testosterone production 3) passageway for conveying sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct 4) conveys both sperm and urine down the length of the penis 5) organs that contribute to the formation of semen [there are 4 answeres] 6) external skin sac that houses the testes 7) tubular storage site for sperm; hugs the lateral aspect of the testes 8) cuff of skin encircling the glans penis 9) surrounds the urethra at the base of the bladder; produces a milky slightly acid fluid 10) produces over half of the seminal fluid 11) empties a lubricating mucus into the urethra 12) connective tissue sheath enclosing the ductus deferens, blood vessels, and nerves A) bulbourethral glands B) epididymis C) ductus deferens D) glans penis E) penis F) prepuce G) prostate H) seminal vesicles I) scrotum J) spermatic cord K) testes L) urethra

Homework over the male reproductive system? I've figured out the majority of this homework but I still have a few left that I'm unable to find. The choices for the questions are Bulbourethral glands, Epididymis, Ductus deferens, glans penis Penis, Prepuce, Prostate gland, Seminal vesciles Scrotum, Spermatic cord, Testes, and Urethra The four organs that contribute to the formation of semen. (I already have Bulbourethral glands, seminal vesciles, and prostate gland. I'm unable to find the fourth) The tubular storage site for sperm; hungs the lateral aspect of the testes (Penis?) Connective tissue sheath enclosing the dictus deferens, blood vessels, and nerves Thank you in advance :)

Read my intro? Does it keeped you hooked? **please just read as much as you want, you DONT havta read it all, i just wanted to give enough info for people to critique!!** The rain drips off each gray roof top, the sky is filled with supple words. Though, empty of the whispery flaps and caws, of the black and red birds. I sit on the steps where I once knew you, looking for those pretty blue eyes, But all that comes is the splattering drops and the starry night skies. Wishful thinking only goes so far, when the damage is already done. But I’ll sit and wait for my dearest darling, even though this battle will never be won. I sit and wait, just for my dearest Marie, I sit and wait for my sadness to flee. I kept staring at the poem, whispering the words into reality. I ran my fingers across each line lightly before tearing out the page and putting it into my pocket. For some reason, just being back in a library, any library, made me feel like everything was back to normal, or at least, none of the problems outside could ever reach me in this here. I walked down the aisle slowly, reading each book title, some too old to even decipher. Most of the books I passed though were at other libraries, and I had already read them, but sometimes I was lucky enough to find a new book to scavenge through. As I came to the end of the first shelf of poetry, I realized it was probably already getting pretty late and I had to get a move on things tomorrow morning, so I grabbed my backpack, lugging it over my shoulder, and made my way to the back storage room I had found a few days ago. I had moved around the boxes, which were only filled with ruined books, light bulbs, and those little stickers that marked books, and made room for my sleeping bag and belongings. I locked the door behind me before plopping down into the sleeping bag and pulling open my backpack. There wasn’t any light in the room, but in a second I had found my Gameboy and had turned it on. Its light illuminated the room just enough for me to go through the rest of my bag. A few towns back, I had stayed in a small house when I was still trying to find the town’s library, and I found this old black Gameboy. Of course by now, it would normally be dead and need new batteries (which were extremely hard to find), but I had rewired the power into a couple of now dismantled calculator’s solar panels. The solar panels were taped to the back, the cords all flowing into the place where the batteries should have been. I held the Gameboy up as I pulled out the poem from my pocket and unfolded it carefully. I set the Gameboy down and pulled out an old binder from my backpack, and tucked the page into the inside folder, which was already overflowing from other poems I had found in other libraries along the way. I put it all back, along with my Gameboy and tucked myself deeply into my sleeping bag, trying to not to think about the world outside, the things that surrounded me. I just wanted to stay inside this quiet room, a safe haven, from the world’s problems. I just wanted to forget it all. Too bad I couldn’t… I was back in my bed, back home in my room, staring out my window, I could feel the quake rumbled beneath me, and I heard these blood curdling screams in the roads as I saw a red hot gleam spout up far in the distance. It shot high above the buildings, lighting up the night sky, and I sat there watching it. It was so… so beautiful, like melted gold spouting from a fountain. And it wasn’t until I heard David yelling and little Noah start to wail that I got up and began to reel myself back into reality. Instinctively, I reached for the door, but then realized whatever was going on out there was probably worse than it looked, or maybe the exact opposite. I just had a feeling churning inside me that I might not ever be back in this room again. In a second I had my backpack open in my hand and was stuffing it full of shirts and jeans and the other inhabitance of my dresser drawers. Just as I got to my bookcase, the quake stopped and David burst into my room, yelling at me to get mom and Noah. Or maybe he told me to get Noah and he would get mom… but as he ran down the hall towards mom’s bedroom, I figured I would go get Noah. Dropping my backpack, I ran into Noah’s closet of a room, cradling him in my arms. Even though Mom always nagged me about it since he was getting to old for that. After a moment I had gotten his screams down to a whimper as tears rolled down his hot red cheeks. I stuffed diapers and shirts and pants and little toys into his baby bag, along with his small blanket and the two boxes of animal crackers Mom kept in his top dresser drawer. As I lifted the two up I could hear David bounding down the hall way to the room, he swung the door open swiftly and hugged me hard. “What’s happenin’?” Noah whispered his voice all two-year-old like and wobbly from crying. Neither of us answered him, but after just a second, David pulled back and looked at my hard and serious. “No m

Do you think the storage of the umbilical cord blood cells of your child can be useful in the future? I have posted this question in the medical section but I would like to know what you, moms and soon-to-be-moms think. How seriously can I take this kind of "help" in case someone gets a severe disease in my family? Some doctors say it is just a waste of money because nobody has recovered due to this while some doctors say it can be beneficial in the future and these blood cells can be used in more and more cases as technology and medical research develops. It is uncertain who can use the cells besides the child/donor so it may happen that even though you have had the cells stored, your sick family member can't recover. In spite of the fact that there are so many questionable details about the storage of cord blood, do you think it is worth it because we don't know what developments are ahead of us or you wouldn't recommend it? I already signed a contract with a cell bank company, I just want to know the opinion of other people. It seems like it divides people very much. The company I signed up with said in case they go bankrupt or go out of business, they will take full responsibility to take the cells to another storage place. This is included in the contract. This is something that I am also afraid of since this is a long-term agreement but it seems like they have to take responsibility and I have their promise in writing so if this does not happen, I could even sue them. I agree that it is not very likely that we would need to use these cells (it is good if we don't need to) but who knows what might happen...I hope there will be more and more diseases that can be cured with the help of these cells.

Is it good to drink milk? The text is too long but worthwhile read....? "MILK" Just the word itself sounds comforting! "How about a nice cup of hot milk?" The last time you heard that question it was from someone who cared for you--and you appreciated their effort. The entire matter of food and especially that of milk is surrounded with emotional and cultural importance. Milk was our very first food. If we were fortunate it was our mother's milk. A loving link, given and taken. It was the only path to survival. If not mother's milk it was cow's milk or soy milk "formula"--rarely it was goat, camel or water buffalo milk. Now, we are a nation of milk drinkers. Nearly all of us. Infants, the young, adolescents, adults and even the aged. We drink dozens or even several hundred gallons a year and add to that many pounds of "dairy products" such as cheese, butter, and yogurt. Can there be anything wrong with this? We see reassuring images of healthy, beautiful people on our television screens and hear messages that assure us that, "Milk is good for your body." Our dieticians insist that: "You've got to have milk, or where will you get your calcium?" School lunches always include milk and nearly every hospital meal will have milk added. And if that isn't enough, our nutritionists told us for years that dairy products make up an "essential food group." Industry spokesmen made sure that colourful charts proclaiming the necessity of milk and other essential nutrients were made available at no cost for schools. Cow's milk became "normal." You may be surprised to learn that most of the human beings that live on planet Earth today do not drink or use cow's milk. Further, most of them can't drink milk because it makes them ill. There are students of human nutrition who are not supportive of milk use for adults. Here is a quotation from the March/April 1991 Utne Reader: If you really want to play it safe, you may decide to join the growing number of Americans who are eliminating dairy products from their diets altogether. Although this sounds radical to those of us weaned on milk and the five basic food groups, it is eminently viable. Indeed, of all the mammals, only humans--and then only a minority, principally Caucasians--continue to drink milk beyond babyhood. Who is right? Why the confusion? Where best to get our answers? Can we trust milk industry spokesmen? Can you trust any industry spokesmen? Are nutritionists up to date or are they simply repeating what their professors learned years ago? What about the new voices urging caution? I believe that there are three reliable sources of information. The first, and probably the best, is a study of nature. The second is to study the history of our own species. Finally we need to look at the world's scientific literature on the subject of milk. Let's look at the scientific literature first. From 1988 to 1993 there were over 2,700 articles dealing with milk recorded in the 'Medicine' archives. Fifteen hundred of theses had milk as the main focus of the article. There is no lack of scientific information on this subject. I reviewed over 500 of the 1,500 articles, discarding articles that dealt exclusively with animals, esoteric research and inconclusive studies. How would I summarize the articles? They were only slightly less than horrifying. First of all, none of the authors spoke of cow's milk as an excellent food, free of side effects and the 'perfect food' as we have been led to believe by the industry. The main focus of the published reports seems to be on intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, intestinal bleeding, anemia, allergic reactions in infants and children as well as infections such as salmonella. More ominous is the fear of viral infection with bovine leukemia virus or an AIDS-like virus as well as concern for childhood diabetes. Contamination of milk by blood and white (pus) cells as well as a variety of chemicals and insecticides was also discussed. Among children the problems were allergy, ear and tonsillar infections, bedwetting, asthma, intestinal bleeding, colic and childhood diabetes. In adults the problems seemed centered more around heart disease and arthritis, allergy, sinusitis, and the more serious questions of leukemia, lymphoma and cancer. I think that an answer can also be found in a consideration of what occurs in nature & what happens with free living mammals and what happens with human groups living in close to a natural state as 'hunter-gatherers'. Our paleolithic ancestors are another crucial and interesting group to study. Here we are limited to speculation and indirect evidences, but the bony remains available for our study are remarkable. There is no doubt whatever that these skeletal remains reflect great strength, muscularity (the size of the muscular insertions show this), and total absence of advanced osteoporosis. And if you feel that these people are not important for us to study, consider that today our genes are programming our bodies in almost exactly the same way as our ancestors of 50,000 to 100,000 years ago. WHAT IS MILK? Milk is a maternal lactating secretion, a short term nutrient for new-borns. Nothing more, nothing less. Invariably, the mother of any mammal will provide her milk for a short period of time immediately after birth. When the time comes for 'weaning', the young offspring is introduced to the proper food for that species of mammal. A familiar example is that of a puppy. The mother nurses the pup for just a few weeks and then rejects the young animal and teaches it to eat solid food. Nursing is provided by nature only for the very youngest of mammals. Of course, it is not possible for animals living in a natural state to continue with the drinking of milk after weaning. IS ALL MILK THE SAME? Then there is the matter of where we get our milk. We have settled on the cow because of its docile nature, its size, and its abundant milk supply. Somehow this choice seems 'normal' and blessed by nature, our culture, and our customs. But is it natural? Is it wise to drink the milk of another species of mammal? Consider for a moment, if it was possible, to drink the milk of a mammal other than a cow, let's say a rat. Or perhaps the milk of a dog would be more to your liking. Possibly some horse milk or cat milk. Do you get the idea? Well, I'm not serious about this, except to suggest that human milk is for human infants, dogs' milk is for pups, cows' milk is for calves, cats' milk is for kittens, and so forth. Clearly, this is the way nature intends it. Just use your own good judgement on this one. Milk is not just milk. The milk of every species of mammal is unique and specifically tailored to the requirements of that animal. For example, cows' milk is very much richer in protein than human milk. Three to four times as much. It has five to seven times the mineral content. However, it is markedly deficient in essential fatty acids when compared to human mothers' milk. Mothers' milk has six to ten times as much of the essential fatty acids, especially linoleic acid. (Incidentally, skimmed cow's milk has no linoleic acid). It simply is not designed for humans. Food is not just food, and milk is not just milk. It is not only the proper amount of food but the proper qualitative composition that is critical for the very best in health and growth. Biochemists and physiologists -and rarely medical doctors - are gradually learning that foods contain the crucial elements that allow a particular species to develop its unique specializations. Clearly, our specialization is for advanced neurological development and delicate neuromuscular control. We do not have much need of massive skeletal growth or huge muscle groups as does a calf. Think of the difference between the demands make on the human hand and the demands on a cow's hoof. Human new-borns specifically need critical material for their brains, spinal cord and nerves. Can mother's milk increase intelligence? It seems that it can. In a remarkable study published in Lancet during 1992 (Vol. 339, p. 261-4), a group of British workers randomly placed premature infants into two groups. One group received a proper formula, the other group received human breast milk. Both fluids were given by stomach tube. These children were followed up for over 10 years. In intelligence testing, the human milk children averaged 10 IQ points higher! Well, why not? Why wouldn't the correct building blocks for the rapidly maturing and growing brain have a positive effect? In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1982) Ralph Holman described an infant who developed profound neurological disease while being nourished by intravenous fluids only. The fluids used contained only linoleic acid - just one of the essential fatty acids. When the other, alpha linoleic acid, was added to the intravenous fluids the neurological disorders cleared. In the same journal five years later Bjerve, Mostad and Thoresen, working in Norway found exactly the same problem in adult patients on long term gastric tube feeding. In 1930 Dr. G.O. Burr in Minnesota working with rats found that linoleic acid deficiencies created a deficiency syndrome. Why is this mentioned? In the early 1960s pediatricians found skin lesions in children fed formulas without the same linoleic acid. Remembering the research, the addition of the acid to the formula cured the problem. Essential fatty acids are just that and cows' milk is markedly deficient in these when compared to human milk. WELL, AT LEAST COW'S MILK IS PURE Or is it? Fifty years ago an average cow produced 2,000 pounds of milk per year. Today the top producers give 50,000 pounds! How was this accomplished? Drugs, antibiotics, hormones, forced feeding plans and specialized breeding; that's how. The latest high-tech onslaught on the poor cow is bovine growth hormone or BGH. This genetically engineered drug is supposed to stimulate milk production but, according to Monsanto, the hormone's manufacturer, does not affect the milk or meat. There are three other manufacturers: Upjohn, Eli Lilly, and American Cyanamid Company. Obviously, there have been no long-term studies on the hormone's effect on the humans drinking the milk. Other countries have banned BGH because of safety concerns. One of the problems with adding molecules to a milk cows' body is that the molecules usually come out in the milk. I don't know how you feel, but I don't want to experiment with the ingestion of a growth hormone. A related problem is that it causes a marked increase (50 to 70 per cent) in mastitis. This, then, requires antibiotic therapy, and the residues of the antibiotics appear in the milk. It seems that the public is uneasy about this product and in one survey 43 per cent felt that growth hormone treated milk represented a health risk. A vice president for public policy at Monsanto was opposed to labelling for that reason, and because the labelling would create an 'artificial distinction'. The country is awash with milk as it is, we produce more milk than we can consume. Let's not create storage costs and further taxpayer burdens, because the law requires the USDA to buy any surplus of butter, cheese, or non-fat dry milk at a support price set by Congress! In fiscal 1991, the USDA spent $757 million on surplus butter, and one billion dollars a year on average for price supports during the 1980s (Consumer Reports, May 1992: 330-32). Any lactating mammal excretes toxins through her milk. This includes antibiotics, pesticides, chemicals and hormones. Also, all cows' milk contains blood! The inspectors are simply asked to keep it under certain limits. You may be horrified to learn that the USDA allows milk to contain from one to one and a half million white blood cells per millilitre. (That's only 1/30 of an ounce). If you don't already know this, I'm sorry to tell you that another way to describe white cells where they don't belong would be to call them pus cells. To get to the point, is milk pure or is it a chemical, biological, and bacterial cocktail? Finally, will the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protect you? The United States General Accounting Office (GAO) tells us that the FDA and the individual States are failing to protect the public from drug residues in milk. Authorities test for only 4 of the 82 drugs in dairy cows. As you can imagine, the Milk Industry Foundation's spokesman claims it's perfectly safe. Jerome Kozak says, "I still think that milk is the safest product we have." Other, perhaps less biased observers, have found the following: 38% of milk samples in 10 cities were contaminated with sulfa drugs or other antibiotics. (This from the Centre for Science in the Public Interest and The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 29, 1989).. A similar study in Washington, DC found a 20 percent contamination rate (Nutrition Action Healthletter, April 1990). What's going on here? When the FDA tested milk, they found few problems. However, they used very lax standards. When they used the same criteria, the FDA data showed 51 percent of the milk samples showed drug traces. Let's focus in on this because it’s critical to our understanding of the apparent discrepancies. The FDA uses a disk-assay method that can detect only 2 of the 30 or so drugs found in milk. Also, the test detects only at the relatively high level. A more powerful test called the 'Charm II test' can detect drugs down to 5 parts per billion. One nasty subject must be discussed. It seems that cows are forever getting infections around the udder that require ointments and antibiotics. An article from France tells us that when a cow receives penicillin, that penicillin appears in the milk for from 4 to 7 milkings. Another study from the University of Nevada, Reno tells of cells in 'mastic milk', milk from cows with infected udders. An elaborate analysis of the cell fragments, employing cell cultures, flow cytometric analysis , and a great deal of high tech stuff. Do you know what the conclusion was? If the cow has mastitis, there is pus in the milk. Sorry, it’s in the study, all concealed with language such as "macrophages containing many vacuoles and phagocytosed particles," etc. IT GETS WORSE Well, at least human mothers' milk is pure! Sorry. A huge study showed that human breast milk in over 14,000 women had contamination by pesticides! Further, it seems that the sources of the pesticides are meat and--you guessed it-- dairy products. Well, why not? These pesticides are concentrated in fat and that's what's in these products. (Of interest, a subgroup of lactating vegetarian mothers had only half the levels of contamination). A recent report showed an increased concentration of pesticides in the breast tissue of women with breast cancer when compared to the tissue of women with fibrocystic disease. Other articles in the standard medical literature describe problems. Just scan these titles: 1.Cow's Milk as a Cause of Infantile Colic Breast-Fed Infants. Lancet 2 (1978): 437 2.Dietary Protein-Induced Colitis in Breast- Fed Infants, J. Pediatr. I01 (1982): 906 3.The Question of the Elimination of Foreign Protein in Women's Milk, J. Immunology 19 (1930): 15 There are many others. There are dozens of studies describing the prompt appearance of cows' milk allergy in children being exclusively breast-fed! The cows' milk allergens simply appear in the mother's milk and are transmitted to the infant. A committee on nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics reported on the use of whole cows' milk in infancy (Pediatrics 1983: 72-253). They were unable to provide any cogent reason why bovine milk should be used before the first birthday yet continued to recommend its use! Doctor Frank Oski from the Upstate Medical Centre Department of Pediatrics, commenting on the recommendation, cited the problems of acute gastrointestinal blood loss in infants, the lack of iron, recurrent abdominal pain, milk- borne infections and contaminants, and said: Why give it at all - then or ever? In the face of uncertainty about many of the potential dangers of whole bovine milk, it would seem prudent to recommend that whole milk not be started until the answers are available. Isn't it time for these uncontrolled experiments on human nutrition to come to an end? In the same issue of Pediatrics he further commented: It is my thesis that whole milk should not be fed to the infant in the first year of life because of its association with iron deficiency anemia (milk is so deficient in iron that an infant would have to drink an impossible 31 quarts a day to get the RDA of 15 mg), acute gastrointiestinal bleeding, and various manifestations of food allergy. I suggest that unmodified whole bovine milk should not be consumed after infancy because of the problems of lactose intolerance, its contribution to the genesis of atherosclerosis, and its possible link to other diseases. In late 1992 Dr. Benjamin Spock, possibly the best known pediatrician in history, shocked the country when he articulated the same thoughts and specified avoidance for the first two years of life. Here is his quotation: I want to pass on the word to parents that cows' milk from the carton has definite faults for some babies. Human milk is the right one for babies. A study comparing the incidence of allergy and colic in the breast-fed infants of omnivorous and vegan mothers would be important. I haven't found such a study; it would be both important and inexpensive. And it will probably never be done. There is simply no academic or economic profit involved. OTHER PROBLEMS Let's just mention the problems of bacterial contamination. Salmonella, E. coli, and staphylococcal infections can be traced to milk. In the old days tuberculosis was a major problem and some folks want to go back to those times by insisting on raw milk on the basis that it's "natural." This is insanity! A study from UCLA showed that over a third of all cases of salmonella infection in California, 1980-1983 were traced to raw milk. That'll be a way to revive good old brucellosis again and I would fear leukemia, too. (More about that later). In England, and Wales where raw milk is still consumed there have been outbreaks of milk-borne diseases. The Journal of the American Medical Association (251: 483, 1984) reported a multi-state series of infections caused by Yersinia enterocolitica in pasteurised whole milk. This is despite safety precautions. All parents dread juvenile diabetes for their children. A Canadian study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Mar. 1990, describes a "...significant positive correlation between consumption of unfermented milk protein and incidence of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in data from various countries. Conversely a possible negative relationship is observed between breast-feeding at age 3 months and diabetes risk.". Another study from Finland found that diabetic children had higher levels of serum antibodies to cows’ milk (Diabetes Research 7(3): 137-140 March 1988). Here is a quotation from this study: We infer that either the pattern of cows' milk consumption is altered in children who will have insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or, their immunological reactivity to proteins in cows' milk is enhanced, or the permeability of their intestines to cows' milk protein is higher than normal. The April 18, 1992 British Medical Journal has a fascinating study contrasting the difference in incidence of juvenile insulin dependent diabetes in Pakistani children who have migrated to England. The incidence is roughly 10 times greater in the English group compared to children remaining in Pakistan! What caused this highly significant increase? The authors said that "the diet was unchanged in Great Britain." Do you believe that? Do you think that the availability of milk, sugar and fat is the same in Pakistan as it is in England? That a grocery store in England has the same products as food sources in Pakistan? I don't believe that for a minute. Remember, we're not talking here about adult onset, type II diabetes which all workers agree is strongly linked to diet as well as to a genetic predisposition. This study is a major blow to the "it's all in your genes" crowd. Type I diabetes was always considered to be genetic or possibly viral, but now this? So resistant are we to consider diet as causation that the authors of the last article concluded that the cooler climate in England altered viruses and caused the very real increase in diabetes! The first two authors had the same reluctance top admit the obvious. The milk just may have had something to do with the disease. The latest in this remarkable list of reports, a New England Journal of Medicine article (July 30, 1992), also reported in the Los Angeles Times. This study comes from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and from Finnish researchers. In Finland there is "...the world's highest rate of dairy product consumption and the world's highest rate of insulin dependent diabetes. The disease strikes about 40 children out of every 1,000 there contrasted with six to eight per 1,000 in the United States.... Antibodies produced against the milk protein during the first year of life, the researchers speculate, also attack and destroy the pancreas in a so-called auto-immune reaction, producing diabetes in people whose genetic makeup leaves them vulnerable." "...142 Finnish children with newly diagnosed diabetes. They found that every one had at least eight times as many antibodies against the milk protein as did healthy children, clear evidence that the children had a raging auto immune disorder." The team has now expanded the study to 400 children and is starting a trial where 3,000 children will receive no dairy products during the first nine months of life. "The study may take 10 years, but we'll get a definitive answer one way or the other," according to one of the researchers. I would caution them to be certain that the breast feeding mothers use on cows' milk in their diets or the results will be confounded by the transmission of the cows' milk protein in the mother's breast milk.... Now what was the reaction from the diabetes association? This is very interesting! Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, the president of the association says: "It does not mean that children should stop drinking milk or that parents of diabetics should withdraw dairy products. These are rich sources of good protein." (Emphasis added) My God, it's the "good protein" that causes the problem! Do you suspect that the dairy industry may have helped the American Diabetes Association in the past? LEUKEMIA? LYMPHOMA? THIS MAY BE THE WORST--BRACE YOURSELF! I hate to tell you this, but the bovine leukemia virus is found in more than three of five dairy cows in the United States! This involves about 80% of dairy herds. Unfortunately, when the milk is pooled, a very large percentage of all milk produced is contaminated (90 to 95 per cent). Of course the virus is killed in pasteurisation-- if the pasteurisation was done correctly. What if the milk is raw? In a study of randomly collected raw milk samples the bovine leukemia virus was recovered from two-thirds. I sincerely hope that the raw milk dairy herds are carefully monitored when compared to the regular herds. (Science 1981; 213:1014). This is a world-wide problem. One lengthy study from Germany deplored the problem and admitted the impossibility of keeping the virus from infected cows' milk from the rest of the milk. Several European countries, including Germany and Switzerland, have attempted to "cull" the infected cows from their herds. Certainly the United States must be the leader in the fight against leukemic dairy cows, right? Wrong! We are the worst in the world with the former exception of Venezuela according to Virgil Hulse MD, a milk specialist who also has a B.S. in Dairy Manufacturing as well as a Master's degree in Public Health. As mentioned, the leukemia virus is rendered inactive by pasteurisation. Of course. However, there can be Chernobyl like accidents. One of these occurred in the Chicago area in April, 1985. At a modern, large, milk processing plant an accidental "cross connection" between raw and pasteurized milk occurred. A violent salmonella outbreak followed, killing 4 and making an estimated 150,000 ill. Now the question I would pose to the dairy industry people is this: "How can you assure the people who drank this milk that they were not exposed to the ingestion of raw, unkilled, bully active bovine leukemia viruses?" Further, it would be fascinating to know if a "cluster" of leukemia cases blossoms in that area in 1 to 3 decades. There are reports of "leukemia clusters" elsewhere, one of them mentioned in the June 10, 1990 San Francisco Chronicle involving Northern California. What happens to other species of mammals when they are exposed to the bovine leukemia virus? It's a fair question and the answer is not reassuring. Virtually all animals exposed to the virus develop leukemia. This includes sheep, goats, and even primates such as rhesus monkeys and chimpanzees. The route of transmission includes ingestion (both intravenous and intramuscular) and cells present in milk. There are obviously no instances of transfer attempts to human beings, but we know that the virus can infect human cells in vitro. There is evidence of human antibody formation to the bovine leukemia virus; this is disturbing. How did the bovine leukemia virus particles gain access to humans and become antigens? Was it as small, denatured particles? If the bovine leukemia viruses causes human leukemia, we could expect the dairy states with known leukemic herds to have a higher incidence of human leukemia. Is this so? Unfortunately, it seems to be the case! Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin have statistically higher incidence of leukemia than the national average. In Russia and in Sweden, areas with uncontrolled bovine leukemia virus have been linked with increases in human leukemia. I am also told that veterinarians have higher rates of leukemia than the general public. Dairy farmers have significantly elevated leukemia rates. Recent research shows lymphocytes from milk fed to neonatal mammals gains access to bodily tissues by passing directly through the intestinal wall. An optimistic note from the University of Illinois, Ubana from the Department of Animal Sciences shows the importance of one's perspective. Since they are concerned with the economics of milk and not primarily the health aspects, they noted that the production of milk was greater in the cows with the bovine leukemia virus. However when the leukemia produced a persistent and significant lymphocytosis (increased white blood cell count), the production fell off. They suggested "a need to re-evaluate the economic impact of bovine leukemia virus infection on the dairy industry". Does this mean that leukemia is good for profits only if we can keep it under control? You can get the details on this business concern from Proc. Nat. Acad. Sciences, U.S. Feb. 1989. I added emphasis and am insulted that a university department feels that this is an economic and not a human health issue. Do not expect help from the Department of Agriculture or the universities. The money stakes and the political pressures are too great. You're on you own. What does this all mean? We know that virus is capable of producing leukemia in other animals. Is it proven that it can contribute to human leukemia (or lymphoma, a related cancer)? Several articles tackle this one: 1.Epidemiologic Relationships of the Bovine Population and Human Leukemia in Iowa. Am Journal of Epidemiology 112 (1980):80 2.Milk of Dairy Cows Frequently Contains a Leukemogenic Virus. Science 213 (1981): 1014 3.Beware of the Cow. (Editorial) Lancet 2 (1974):30 4.Is Bovine Milk A Health Hazard?. Pediatrics; Suppl. Feeding the Normal Infant. 75:182-186; 1985 In Norway, 1422 individuals were followed for 11 and a half years. Those drinking 2 or more glasses of milk per day had 3.5 times the incidence of cancer of the lymphatic organs. British Med. Journal 61:456-9, March 1990. One of the more thoughtful articles on this subject is from Allan S. Cunningham of Cooperstown, New York. Writing in the Lancet, November 27, 1976 (page 1184), his article is entitled, "Lymphomas and Animal-Protein Consumption". Many people think of milk as “liquid meat” and Dr. Cunningham agrees with this. He tracked the beef and dairy consumption in terms of grams per day for a one year period, 1955-1956., in 15 countries . New Zealand, United States and Canada were highest in that order. The lowest was Japan followed by Yugoslavia and France. The difference between the highest and lowest was quite pronounced: 43.8 grams/day for New Zealanders versus 1.5 for Japan. Nearly a 30-fold difference! (Parenthetically, the last 36 years have seen a startling increase in the amount of beef and milk used in Japan and their disease patterns are reflecting this, confirming the lack of 'genetic protection' seen in migration studies. Formerly the increase in frequency of lymphomas in Japanese people was only in those who moved to the USA)! An interesting bit of trivia is to note the memorial built at the Gyokusenji Temple in Shimoda, Japan. This marked the spot where the first cow was killed in Japan for human consumption! The chains around this memorial were a gift from the US Navy. Where do you suppose the Japanese got the idea to eat beef? The year? 1930. Cunningham found a highly significant positive correlation between deaths from lymphomas and beef and dairy ingestion in the 15 countries analysed. A few quotations from his article follow: The average intake of protein in many countries is far in excess of the recommended requirements. Excessive consumption of animal protein may be one co-factor in the causation of lymphomas by acting in the following manner. Ingestion of certain proteins results in the adsorption of antigenic fragments through the gastrointestinal mucous membrane. This results in chronic stimulation of lymphoid tissue to which these fragments gain access "Chronic immunological stimulation causes lymphomas in laboratory animals and is believed to cause lymphoid cancers in men." The gastrointestinal mucous membrane is only a partial barrier to the absorption of food antigens, and circulating antibodies to food protein is commonplace especially potent lymphoid stimulants. Ingestion of cows' milk can produce generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and profound adenoid hypertrophy. It has been conservatively estimated that more than 100 distinct antigens are released by the normal digestion of cows' milk which evoke production of all antibody classes [This may explain why pasteurized, killed viruses are still antigenic and can still cause disease. Here's more. A large prospective study from Norway was reported in the British Journal of Cancer 61 (3):456-9, March 1990. (Almost 16,000 individuals were followed for 11 and a half years). For most cancers there was no association between the tumour and milk ingestion. However, in lymphoma, there was a strong positive association. If one drank two glasses or more daily (or the equivalent in dairy products), the odds were 3.4 times greater than in persons drinking less than one glass of developing a lymphoma. There are two other cow-related diseases that you should be aware of. At this time they are not known to be spread by the use of dairy products and are not known to involve man. The first is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and the second is the bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV). The first of these diseases, we hope, is confined to England and causes cavities in the animal's brain. Sheep have long been known to suffer from a disease called scrapie. It seems to have been started by the feeding of contaminated sheep parts, especially brains, to the British cows. Now, use your good sense. Do cows seem like carnivores? Should they eat meat? This profit-motivated practice backfired and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease, swept Britain. The disease literally causes dementia in the unfortunate animal and is 100 per cent incurable. To date, over 100,000 cows have been incinerated in England in keeping with British law. Four hundred to 500 cows are reported as infected each month. The British public is concerned and has dropped its beef consumption by 25 per cent, while some 2,000 schools have stopped serving beef to children. Several farmers have developed a fatal disease syndrome that resembles both BSE and CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob- Disease). But the British Veterinary Association says that transmission of BSE to humans is "remote." The USDA agrees that the British epidemic was due to the feeding of cattle with bonemeal or animal protein produced at rendering plants from the carcasses of scrapie-infected sheep. The have prohibited the importation of live cattle and zoo ruminants from Great Britain and claim that the disease does not exist in the United States. However, there may be a problem. "Downer cows" are animals who arrive at auction yards or slaughter houses dead, trampled, lacerated, dehydrated, or too ill from viral or bacterial diseases to walk. Thus they are "down." If they cannot respond to electrical shocks by walking, they are dragged by chains to dumpsters and transported to rendering plants where, if they are not already dead, they are killed. Even a "humane" death is usually denied them. They are then turned into protein food for animals as well as other preparations. Minks that have been fed this protein have developed a fatal encephalopathy that has some resemblance to BSE. Entire colonies of minks have been lost in this manner, particularly in Wisconsin. It is feared that the infective agent is a prion or slow virus possible obtained from the ill "downer cows." The British Medical Journal in an editorial whimsically entitled "How Now Mad Cow?" (BMJ vol. 304, 11 Apr. 1992:929- 30) describes cases of BSE in species not previously known to be affected, such as cats. They admit that produce contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy entered the human food chain in England between 1986 and 1989. They say. "The result of this experiment is awaited." As the incubation period can be up to three decades, wait we must. The immunodeficency virus is seen in cattle in the United States and is more worrisome. Its structure is closely related to that of the human AIDS virus. At this time we do not know if exposure to the raw BIV proteins can cause the sera of humans to become positive for HIV. The extent of the virus among American herds is said to be "widespread". (The USDA refuses to inspect the meat and milk to see if antibodies to this retrovirus is present). It also has no plans to quarantine the infected animals. As in the case of humans with AIDS, there is no cure for BIV in cows. Each day we consume beef and diary products from cows infected with these viruses and no scientific assurance exists that the products are safe. Eating raw beef (as in steak Tartare) strikes me as being very risky, especially after the Seattle E. coli deaths of 1993. A report in the Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research, October 1992, Vol. 56 pp.353-359 and another from the Russian literature, tell of a horrifying development. They report the first detection in human serum of the antibody to a bovine immunodeficiency virus protein. In addition to this disturbing report, is another from Russia telling us of the presence of virus proteins related to the bovine leukemia virus in 5 of 89 women with breast disease (Acta Virologica Feb. 1990 34(1): 19-26). The implications of these developments are unknown at present. However, it is safe to assume that these animal viruses are unlikely to "stay" in the animal kingdom. OTHER CANCERS--DOES IT GET WORSE? Unfortunately it does. Ovarian cancer--a particularly nasty tumour--was associated with milk consumption by workers at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo, New York. Drinking more than one glass of whole milk or equivalent daily gave a woman a 3.1 times risk over non-milk users. They felt that the reduced fat milk products helped reduce the risk. This association has been made repeatedly by numerous investigators. Another important study, this from the Harvard Medical School, analyzed data from 27 countries mainly from the 1970s. Again a significant positive correlation is revealed between ovarian cancer and per capita milk consumption. These investigators feel that the lactose component of milk is the responsible fraction, and the digestion of this is facilitated by the persistence of the ability to digest the lactose (lactose persistence) - a little different emphasis, but the same conclusion. This study was reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology 130 (5): 904-10 Nov. 1989. These articles come from two of the country's leading institutions, not the Rodale Press or Prevention Magazine. Even lung cancer has been associated with milk ingestion? The beverage habits of 569 lung cancer patients and 569 controls again at Roswell Park were studied in the International Journal of Cancer, April 15, 1989. Persons drinking whole milk 3 or more times daily had a 2-fold increase in lung cancer risk when compared to those never drinking whole milk. For many years we have been watching the lung cancer rates for Japanese men who smoke far more than American or European men but who develop fewer lung cancers. Workers in this research area feel that the total fat intake is the difference. There are not many reports studying an association between milk ingestion and prostate cancer. One such report though was of great interest. This is from the Roswell Park Memorial Institute and is found in Cancer 64 (3): 605-12, 1989. They analyzed the diets of 371 prostate cancer patients and comparable control subjects: Men who reported drinking three or more glasses of whole milk daily had a relative risk of 2.49 compared with men who reported never drinking whole milk the weight of the evidence appears to favour the hypothesis that animal fat is related to increased risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer diagnosed in US men and is the second leading cause of cancer mortality. WELL, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? Is there any health reason at all for an adult human to drink cows' milk? It's hard for me to come up with even one good reason other than simple preference. But if you try hard, in my opinion, these would be the best two: milk is a source of calcium and it's a source of amino acids (proteins). Let's look at the calcium first. Why are we concerned at all about calcium? Obviously, we intend it to build strong bones and protect us against osteoporosis. And no doubt about it, milk is loaded with calcium. But is it a good calcium source for humans? I think not. These are the reasons. Excessive amounts of dairy products actually interfere with calcium absorption. Secondly, the excess of protein that the milk provides is a major cause of the osteoporosis problem. Dr. H egsted in England has been writing for years about the geographical distribution of osteoporosis. It seems that the countries with the highest intake of dairy products are invariably the countries with the most osteoporosis. He feels that milk is a cause of osteoporosis. Reasons to be given below. Numerous studies have shown that the level of calcium ingestion and especially calcium supplementation has no effect whatever on the development of osteoporosis. The most important such article appeared recently in the British Journal of Medicine where the long arm of our dairy industry can't reach. Another study in the United States actually showed a worsening in calcium balance in post-menopausal women given three 8-ounce glasses of cows' milk per day. (Am. Journal of Clin. Nutrition, 1985). The effects of hormone, gender, weight bearing on the axial bones, and in particular protein intake, are critically important. Another observation that may be helpful to our analysis is to note the absence of any recorded dietary deficiencies of calcium among people living on a natural diet without milk. For the key to the osteoporosis riddle, don’t look at calcium, look at protein. Consider these two contrasting groups. Eskimos have an exceptionally high protein intake estimated at 25 percent of total calories. They also have a high calcium intake at 2,500 mg/day. Their osteoporosis is among the worst in the world. The other instructive group are the Bantus of South Africa. They have a 12 percent protein diet, mostly p lant protein, and only 200 to 350 mg/day of calcium, about half our women's intake. The women have virtually no osteoporosis despite bearing six or more children and nursing them for prolonged periods! When African women immigrate to the United States, do they develop osteoporosis? The answer is yes, but not quite are much as Caucasian or Asian women. Thus, there is a genetic difference that is modified by diet. To answer the obvious question, "Well, where do you get your calcium?" The answer is: "From exactly the same place the cow gets the calcium, from green things that grow in the ground," mainly from leafy vegetables. After all, elephants and rhinos develop their huge bones (after being weaned) by eating green leafy plants, so do horses. Carnivorous animals also do quite nicely without leafy plants. It seems that all of earth's mammals do well if they live in harmony with their genetic programming and natural food. Only humans living an affluent life style have rampant osteoporosis. If animal references do not convince you, think of the several billion humans on this earth who have never seen cows' milk. Wouldn't you think osteoporosis would be prevalent in this huge group? The dairy people would suggest this but the truth is exactly the opposite. They have far less than that seen in the countries where dairy products are commonly consumed. It is the subject of another paper, but the truly significant determinants of osteoporosis are grossly excessive protein intakes and lack of weight bearing on long bones, both taking place over decades. Hormones play a secondary, but not trivial role in women. Milk is a deterrent to good bone health. THE PROTEIN MYTH Remember when you were a kid and the adults all told you to "make sure you get plenty of good protein". Protein was the nutritional "good guy”" when I was young. And of course milk is fitted right in. As regards protein, milk is indeed a rich source of protein- -"liquid meat," remember? However that isn't necessarily what we need. In actual fact it is a source of difficulty. Nearly all Americans eat too much protein. For this information we rely on the most authoritative source that I am aware of. This is the latest edition (1oth, 1989: 4th printing, Jan. 1992) of the Recommended Dietary Allowances produced by the National Research Council. Of interest, the current editor of this important work is Dr. Richard Havel of the University of California in San Francisco. First to be noted is that the recommended protein has been steadily revised downward in successive editions. The current recommendation is 0.75 g/kilo/day for adults 19 through 51 years. This, of course, is only 45 grams per day for the mythical 60 kilogram adult. You should also know that the WHO estimated the need for protein in adults to by .6g/kilo per day. (All RDA's are calculated with large safety allowances in case you're the type that wants to add some more to "be sure.") You can "get by" on 28 to 30 grams a day if necessary! Now 45 grams a day is a tiny amount of protein. That's an ounce and a half! Consider too, that the protein does not have to be animal protein. Vegetable protein is identical for all practical purposes and has no cholesterol and vastly less saturated fat. (Do not be misled by the antiquated belief that plant proteins must be carefully balanced to avoid deficiencies. This is not a realistic concern.) Therefore virtually all Americans, Canadians, British and European people are in a protein overloaded state. This has serious consequences when maintained over decades. The problems are the already mentioned osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and kidney damage. There is good evidence that certain malignancies, chiefly colon and rectal, are related to excessive meat intake. Barry Brenner, an eminent renal physiologist was the first to fully point out the dangers of excess protein for the kidney tubule. The dangers of the fat and cholesterol are known to all. Finally, you should know that the protein content of human milk is amount the lowest (0.9%) in mammals. IS THAT ALL OF THE TROUBLE? Sorry, there's more. Remember lactose? This is the principal carbohydrate of milk. It seems that nature provides new- borns with the enzymatic equipment to metabolize lactose, but this ability often extinguishes by age 4 or 5 years. What is the problem with lactose or milk sugar? It seems that it is a disaccharide which is too large to be absorbed into the blood stream without first being broken down into monosaccharides, namely galactose and glucose. This requires the presence of an enzyme, lactase plus additional enzymes to break down the galactose into glucose. Let's think about his for a moment. Nature gives us the ability to metabolize lactose for a few years and then shuts off the mechanism. Is Mother Nature trying to tell us something? Clearly all infants must drink milk. The fact that so many adults cannot seems to be related to the tendency for nature to abandon mechanisms that are not needed. At least half of the adult humans on this earth are lactose intolerant. It was not until the relatively recent introduction of dairy herding and the ability to "borrow" milk from another group of mammals that the survival advantage of preserving lactase (the enzyme that allows us to digest lactose) became evident. But why would it be advantageous to drink cows' milk? After all, most of the human beings in the history of the world did. And further, why was it just the white or light skinned humans who retained this knack while the pigmented people tended to lose it? Some students of evolution feel that white skin is a fairly recent innovation, perhaps not more than 20,000 or 30,000 years old. It clearly has to do with the Northward migration of early man to cold and relatively sunless areas when skins and clothing became available. Fair skin allows the production of Vitamin D from sunlight more readily than does dark skin. However, when only the face was exposed to sunlight that area of fair skin was insufficient to provide the vitamin D from sunlight. If dietary and sunlight sources were poorly available, the ability to use the abundant calcium in cows' milk would give a survival advantage to humans who could digest that milk. This seems to be the only logical explanation for fair skinned humans having a high degree of lactose tolerance when compared to dark skinned people. How does this break down? Certain racial groups, namely blacks are up to 90% lactose intolerant as adults. Caucasians are 20 to 40% lactose intolerant. Orientals are midway between the above two groups. Diarrhea, gas and abdominal cramps are the results of substantial milk intake in such persons. Most American Indians cannot tolerate milk. The milk industry admits that lactose intolerance plays intestinal havoc with as many as 50 million Americans. A lactose-intolerance industry has sprung up and had sales of $117 million in 1992 (Time May 17, 1993.) What if you are lactose-intolerant and lust after dairy products? Is all lost? Not at all. It seems that lactose is largely digested by bacteria and you will be able to enjoy your cheese despite lactose intolerance. Yogurt is similar in this respect. Finally, and I could never have dreamed this up, geneticists want to splice genes to alter the composition of milk (Am J Clin Nutr 1993 Suppl 302s). One could quibble and say that milk is totally devoid of fiber content and that its habitual use will predispose to constipation and bowel disorders. The association with anemia and occult intestinal bleeding in infants is known to all physicians. This is chiefly from its lack of iron and its irritating qualities for the intestinal mucosa. The pediatric literature abounds with articles describing irritated intestinal lining, bleeding, increased permeability as well as colic, diarrhea and vomiting in cows'milk-sensitive babies. The anemia gets a double push by loss of blood and iron as well as deficiency of iron in the cows' milk. Milk is also the leading cause of childhood allergy. LOW FAT One additional topic: the matter of "low fat" milk. A common and sincere question is: "Well, low fat milk is OK, isn't it?" The answer to this question is that low fat milk isn't low fat. The term "low fat" is a marketing term used to gull the public. Low fat milk contains from 24 to 33% fat as calories! The 2% figure is also misleading. This refers to weight. They don't tell you that, by weight, the milk is 87% water! "Well, then, kill-joy surely you must approve of non-fat milk!" I hear this quite a bit. (Another constant concern is: "What do you put on your cereal?") True, there is little or no fat, but now you have a relative overburden of protein and lactose. It there is something that we do not need more of it is another simple sugar-lactose, composed of galactose and glucose. Millions of Americans are lactose intolerant to boot, as noted. As for protein, as stated earlier, we live in a society that routinely ingests far more protein than we need. It is a burden for our bodies, especially the kidneys, and a prominent cause of osteoporosis. Concerning the dry cereal issue, I would suggest soy milk, rice milk or almond milk as a healthy substitute. If you're still concerned about calcium, "Westsoy" is formulated to have the same calcium concentration as milk. SUMMARY To my thinking, there is only one valid reason to drink milk or use milk products. That is just because we simply want to. Because we like it and because it has become a part of our culture. Because we have become accustomed to its taste and texture. Because we like the way it slides down our throat. Because our parents did the very best they could for us and provided milk in our earliest training and conditioning. They taught us to like it. And then probably the very best reason is ice cream! I've heard it described "to die for". I had one patient who did exactly that. He had no obvious vices. He didn't smoke or drink, he didn’t eat meat, his diet and lifestyle was nearly a perfectly health promoting one; but he had a passion. You guessed it, he loved rich ice cream. A pint of the richest would be a lean day's ration for him. On many occasions he would eat an entire quart - and yes there were some cookies and other pastries. Good ice cream deserves this after all. He seemed to be in good health despite some expected "middle age spread" when he had a devastating stroke which left him paralyzed, miserable and helpless, and he had additional strokes and d ied several years later never having left a hospital or rehabilitation unit. Was he old? I don't think so. He was in his 50s. So don't drink milk for health. I am convinced on the weight of the scientific evidence that it does not "do a body good." Inclusion of milk will only reduce your diet's nutritional value and safety. Most of the people on this planet live very healthfully without cows' milk. You can too. It will be difficult to change; we've been conditioned since childhood to think of milk as "nature's most perfect food." I'll guarantee you that it will be safe, improve your health and it won't cost anything. What can you lose? es esta pagina link http://notmilk.com/kradjian.html The most important information dissemination my. Not that, but I can make your text too long jajaja. If I write bad is that I am leading a translator jaja

If the media is not liberal then why are they not reporting the progress in Iraq? Evidence of improvement in Iraq. By Bill Crawford An important step in stemming the violence in Iraq is to find a formula to share the country’s oil revenues fairly between the three main groups: Shiite, Sunnis, and Kurds. Iraq is preparing to take a step in the right direction by providing opportunities for foreign oil firms to invest in the country, thereby increasing its output and revenues: The production-sharing agreements (PSAs) would allow oil giants to sign 30-year contracts for extracting Iraqi oil. Under PSAs, the state retains legal ownership of its oil but gives a share of the profits to companies that invest in infrastructure and in operating the wells, pipelines and refineries. The newspaper [the Independent] said that under the draft law, oil companies could recoup 60 to 70 per cent of revenue until initial costs had been recovered, which compares to around 40pc usually. Along the same lines, Lt. General Graeme Lamb, Deputy Commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq, sees 2007 as the year that Iraq moves forward, and says he sees plenty of progress to base his optimism on: Let me give you an example. I was out at Hit the other day, Ramadi. The battalion commander out there, young battalion commander — actually, I suppose he's not that young; he just looks it — had been in Ramadi two years before, had done a full year's tour. As far as he was concerned, he always just seemed to be going backwards. When I saw him the other day, as far as he was concerned, they were making huge progress. Ramadi. Four months ago I don't think there was any policemen in the town. Seven hundred and ninety-one now. They were shot at from a building. Two hundred policemen drawn together surrounded the building, cleared it. Now, that's just an example of some progress. I then look at some of the economic issues. I look at the megawatts of power that are coming on line. I see some of the reconstruction programs that are going out. Now, that gives me a degree of optimism. I see this prime minister. I see this government. I see the challenges they face, and I'm not trying to dismiss the difficulties or trying to give you some sort of political upbeat spin. I don't do optimism. I don't do pessimism. I just do realism as I see it. And I do spend a lot of time out here. I spend a lot of time out here. I got a feel for the Arabs. So it's just the way I see it, and it's not sort of in effect trying to — I don't know — make something out of nothing. I think the situation here — you know, as someone once said — I think it was a field marshal of ours said things are never as good or as bad as you think they are. I just see these in fact at a point in turning. Mosul and al Qaim are other areas where significant progress has been made over the past year. In Mosul, Iraqi police and army forces have brought law and order to a historically violent area: “Yes, there is violence in this city. But, there is violence in American cities that have nearly two million people in their population as well,” said [Maj. Gen. Benjamin R.] Mixon. Recognizing the similar levels of violence in a comparable city in America, Twitty paints an optimistic picture of the current state of Mosul and Ninewa Province. “Amidst the turmoil and issues that persist in Iraq, there is a semblance of peace and normalcy in the north. Ninewa’s leadership works hard to provide its citizens security, build its economy, and implement programs that will continue to keep sectarian violence from the province,” said Twitty. “One thing we cannot do is attempt to put an American standard on any Iraqi city,” said Twitty. “We have to remember that this country lived under a dictator for more than 30 years. The major and significant difference between U.S. cities and Mosul is the use of improvised explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades, and other military - grade weapons. Anti-Iraqi forces persist in their attacks, but the Iraqi security forces, consisting of the Iraqi Army, border patrol and police, continue to quell those attacks daily,” Twitty continued. Al Qaim was frequently called the “Wild West,” but the Marines cleaned the area up in 2005, and the situation is improving daily: Two years ago, the same streets were fraught with roadside bombs and snipers, and sellers and buyers stayed away. The area was considered too dangerous even for a quick tour by a U.S. general in his armored Humvee. The Al Qaim region routinely was described as an out-of-control "wild west" where the Marines were fighting, with only limited success, to control the smuggling of insurgent fighters and weapons from Syria. Today, Marines walk the downtown beat, chatting with residents, fielding their complaints, encouraging them to contact the Iraqi police if they suspect insurgent activity. In a country studded with areas where the United States either has failed or had only limited progress toward stabilization, Husaybah and the surrounding Al Qaim region stand out as a success, officials said. Unfortunately, the American people aren’t hearing about this, as Army medic Corporal Ignacio Garza observes: Based on his experiences in Iraq, events there are not as bad as the news media make it seem, an Army medic from Adrian said. Cpl. Ignacio Garza, a medic in the 1st Armored Division home on leave after serving in Iraq for six months, said the troops don’t watch television news for war updates because they think none of the networks show an accurate depiction of what’s happening. He said they ignore large parts of the country, including the Kurd-dominated north, that are stable. In fact, if the mainstream media isn’t ignoring a story in Iraq they could just as easily be making one up. For the second time in six weeks, the Associated Press has put out a story from Iraq that isn’t backed by the facts: The Associated Press has again put out an Iraq story detailing events that did not happen. This time, it involves an airstrike that, " killed a family of four during a firefight." However, according to the press desk of Multi-National Forces-Iraq, no air strike happened during that firefight, and MNF-I also reported that which six insurgents were killed by American troops in Baghdad on January 1. This is the second time in roughly six weeks that the AP has been caught fabricating events. Iraqi Security Forces In an operation on January 7, members of the 6th Iraqi army division captured the leader of a cell responsible for kidnappings, murder, IED attacks, and car bombings. Near Baqubah, soldiers of the 5th Iraqi army killed three insurgents during an operation to capture a cell leader. The Iraqi patrol came under fire from men exiting a mosque. They returned fire, killing three. The 1st Iraqi army division assumed tactical command of the 2nd Brigade on January 9. The brigade will operate within Fallujah: “We will be loyal soldiers to defend our precious country and to implement security and stability,” said Brig. Gen. Khalid Juad Khadum, the commanding general of 2nd Brigade. “And this will hit the pages of history in godly words, and we promise Allah that we will take care of this handover and to protect it, God willing, until the last drop of our blood, and Allah is a witness of what we say.” The Iraqi police enlisted 301 recruits during a recent recruiting drive in Fallujah and Habbaniyah. The new recruits will undergo six-week basic training in Jordan. Another 400 were enlisted during a recruiting drive in Ramadi. The situation was far different last year: One year ago a murderous intimidation campaign prevented local Iraqis from enlisting in Ramadi. Recruiting numbers for police were insignificant. More than 1,000 enlisted in the police force last month. Over 800 are expected to enlist in Anbar Province this month. “The local tribes stood up to the intimidation campaign and are taking back their city from the terrorists,” said the Coalition spokesman in Ramadi Marine Maj. Riccoh Player. “Hundreds of Iraqi Police are holding areas cleared by Iraqi and American forces in recent operation in the worst neighborhoods of Ramadi,” said Player. “Building and manning a police station in Ramadi is what progress looks like in a counterinsurgency.” Based on tips from Iraqi civilians, the Iraqi national police, with Coalition forces, detained ten and uncovered several weapons caches during an operation in Baghdad: The operation was the result of tips from local citizens of possible insurgents and weapons caches in the neighborhood. The national police seized three large weapons caches containing one rifle fitted with a silencer, one machine gun, one sniper rifle, assorted small arms ammunition and bomb-making materials. In Fallujah, Iraqi police and army troops captured 47 insurgents during Operation Ar Bead. The operation was planned and executed by Iraqi troops, who have tamed the once restless city: “The district police chief – this was his idea,” said Lt. Col. Race Roberson, the RCT-5 police implementation officer. “It was (an Iraqi Security Forces) operation; they were the owners of it.” ”The police are a strong force, and they will go anywhere at anytime in the city of Fallujah,” Roberson said. The Iraqi army has begun a major operation in Baghdad. Thirty terrorists were reported killed on the first day, including five from Sudan. The 2nd Division of the Iraq army is now operating independently of Coalition forces. In Qasaiba, soldiers of the 5th Iraqi Army Division captured the leader of an insurgent cell operating in the area: The insurgent cell leader is suspected of limiting the travel of Iraqi civilians in the area through intimidation and violent criminal activities. It is also believed the cell leader coordinates and conducts kidnapping, torture and murders of Iraqi civilians and security forces in the area. On January 10, Iraqi soldiers rescued a kidnapping victim: Working on a tip, Iraqi troops from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized) searched for the kidnapping victim’s vehicle. They discovered it on a farm. Upon conducting a cordon and search of the farm, the soldiers found the kidnapped Iraqi in a farmhouse unharmed, with his hands tied. Iraqi Special Security Forces captured two leaders of an insurgent cell during an operation in Al Doura. The cell is responsible for car bombings against civilians in Sadr City and IED attacks against Iraqi security forces. In Tal Afar, Iraqi police killed four insurgents after they came under attack while on patrol. A later search of the area found a weapons cache consisting of 12 RPGs and two mortar shells. Iraqi army special forces captured 19 during an operation targeting the leader of an insurgent cell responsible for attacks against Iraqi civilians and Coalition forces. During two operations in Fallujah, Iraqi soldiers captured six members of al Qaeda. The men are suspected of involvement with IED attacks against Coalition troops and weapons trafficking. Iraqi security forces joined Marines and U.S. soldiers in conducting a successful operation to clean up Ramadi: Iraqi Army, police and Coalition forces seized hundreds of weapons and explosives during the operation, including three mortar systems, 101 mortar rounds, 90 pounds of explosives, eight rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 47 AK-47s, five Dragonov sniper rifles, 26 grenades, 26 mines, 34 artillery rounds, 12 rockets and other items used to attack Ramadi’s security forces and civilians. During the operation 44 enemy combatants were killed and 172 suspected insurgents were detained. The Iraqi army captured a high-level insurgent leader during a raid in Hajjan: The suspect is allegedly an experienced IED builder and an illegal armed group member. He was believed to be training other illegal armed group members how to construct and employ IEDs. Prime Minister al-Maliki has finally been convinced to drop his protection of the Mahdi army. The move came after U.S. officials convinced al-Maliki that the militia was infiltrated by Shiite death squads. In related news, Sadr’s political block is ending its two month boycott of parliament. Two tips led Iraqi national police to a kidnapping victim and a sizeable weapons cache in Baghdad: “This raid was planned and executed entirely by the Iraqi national police,” said Maj. Blaine Wales, the team chief for the 1st Battalion, 7th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Transition Team. The weapons cache consisted of 31 mortar and artillery rounds, 12 rolls of detonation cord, one can of ball bearings, three blocks of C4 explosive, 100 blasting caps and fuses, two completed improvised explosive devices, multiple batteries of all types, four handheld radios, nine cellular phones and seven completed electronic circuit boards similar to those found in roadside bombs. In eastern Baghdad, an Iraqi patrol found an IED before it could be detonated. In Baghdad, an Iraqi army patrol successfully fought its way out of an ambush: While conducting a routine patrol in Baghdad’s Fahhama neighborhood, an element of the 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army was ambushed by a group of insurgents armed with pistols and AK-47s. The patrol immediately returned fire on the men attacking them. Two insurgents were killed and four others wounded in the fire fight. Tips from citizens led Iraqi police to two large weapons caches: The first cache included fifteen 9mm TNT rounds, a dozen 90mm Composition A3 rounds, five 155mm High Explosive rounds, four artillery fuses, six 20mm rockets, and nine RPG rounds among other items. The second cache included two 105mm rounds rigged as improvised explosive devices. Iraqi Police captured the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq’s cell in Samarra during an operation on January 18. Iraqi forces captured two high-level insurgent commanders in separate raids: Special Iraqi army forces, with coalition advisors, captured a high-level terrorist leader today during operations in eastern Baghdad, military officials said. The suspect is allegedly affiliated with Abu Dura and other Baghdad death squad commanders, and is responsible for assassinating numerous Iraqi security forces members and government officials. Military officials said he has also organized kidnappings, torture and murder of Iraqi civilians. During operations in Samarra yesterday, Iraqi police forces with coalition advisors captured the suspected leader of several al Qaeda in Iraq terror cells. The suspect is responsible for directing several IED and small arms attacks against Iraqi security forces, coalition forces and Iraqi civilians. During the operation, combined forces captured an additional insurgent and confiscated IED components, assault rifles and ammunition. In Morocco, security forces have disrupted a cell responsible for recruiting terrorists to fight in Iraq: Moroccan security forces have dismantled a radical cell recruiting volunteers to fight in Iraq and arrested 26 people, the government said on Thursday. In Tal Afar, Iraq forces discovered a tunnel leading below a house where they found a weapons cache consisting of 200 pounds of explosives, more than 125 rockets, and 2,500 rounds of ammunition. Over at the Department of Defense website, a map of Iraq shows the progress made by Iraq’s army over the last year. “Green areas” indicate areas under control of Iraqi forces. The “green areas” increase significantly as the year progresses. Check it out. Security Operations Raids across Iraq targeting al Qaeda resulted in the capture of 25 suspected terrorists. Nine terrorists were killed in a series of raids in Baghdad over the weekend: Nine terrorists, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed during raids conducted by coalition forces in Baghdad today and yesterday. Also, one terrorist was wounded, and three were detained during the raids. A known al-Qaeda weapons dealer was among those killed during today's Baghdad raid, according to officials. Another terrorist was wounded in the action, while two more were detained. The wounded terrorist was provided first aid and transported to a nearby medical facility. Coalition forces had targeted the weapons dealer, whose body was identified by his wife. In other news, coalition troops killed six terrorists and detained one suspect during a fierce morning firefight in Baghdad yesterday, officials reported. Intelligence reports indicated the targeted location was used as a possible al Qaeda in Iraq safe house for terrorists to conduct operational planning. Another 90 al Qaeda terrorists were killed by American and Iraqi forces during a ten-day operation near Baghdad. A patrol consisting of troops from the 1st Cavalry Division uncovered seven weapons caches in the village of Arab Salman Salman: …uncovered the caches, which included 51 rocket-propelled grenade rounds; 11 RPG launchers; two assault rifles with 13,000 rounds of ammunition; six 57mm rockets; eight plastic explosives; two 120mm artillery shells; two 137mm missiles; 225 pounds of explosives; and other IED-making materials. Iraqi and Coalition troops discovered a weapons cache in Yusufiyah consisting of materials used in the manufacture of IEDs: The cache, which contained a variety of improvised explosive device making items and weapons included six 120mm mortar rounds, a directional charge, five rocket propelled grenade launchers, seven RPG charges, nine RPG rockets, 150 small metal cylinders filled with plastic explosives, 1000 7.62mm rounds, 200 ft. of detonation cord, seven hand grenade fuses, five hand grenade shells, five long-range antennae, 22 transformers, four cordless phones, two cordless phone base stations, two cell phones, 12 cell phone cases with assorted parts and 12 60mm mortar round casings. Twenty-eight suspected terrorists were captured during raids across Iraq which targeted the safe houses of foreign terrorists. Over the past month, paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne have found more than 500 artillery rounds that could have been used to make IEDs or VBEIDs. Reconstruction & Economy If it were any other country, the reconstruction of Iraq would be a huge story. As of December 31, 2006, there are 658 projects underway at a cost of $2.67 billion, 3,026 projects have been completed at a cost of $7.11 billion, and 94 more projects are planned. A $43 million upgrade to the Al Basrah oil terminal is expected to be completed by April. The upgrade includes an emergency shutdown system, control valves, metering system, and fire protection. The upgraded terminal will meet all international safety and metering standards. Twenty hospitals throughout Iraq are currently undergoing $103 million in renovations. A small water project was completed in Dahuk Province. The new water storage tank and pipeline serves more than 1,000 residents of Dahuk. An $8.6 million renovation to the Samawah Railroad Maintenance Center has been completed. The Samawah site is one of two railway maintenance centers in Iraq, and employs more than 250 Iraqis. Iraq’s power grid is now being monitored by a central control system, called SCADA: “The main function of SCADA is to create and maintain a digital connection in order to check the provinces’ power loads and control them easily by connecting them to the central power distribution points,” Perry said. The SCADA system includes input and output signal hardware, controller networks, and communications software. There are 47 primary health-care centers under construction in northern Iraq. The first completed center recently opened in Salah Al Den Province: More than 112,000 people in the Salah Al Den Province are receiving healthcare from the first completed Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) in the north. Built by local construction companies with quality assurance managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this $3.35 million dollar facility provides routine and initial emergency care to patients including X-ray, laboratories and dentistry. Medical supplies and laboratory equipment were included in the contract to make this facility complete and operational. On January 15, three new schools were opened in Mushahidah: an elementary school for girls, a secondary school for girls, and an elementary school for boys: “This is a great example for the projects in this area,” said Shiek Naif Moutlak, the chief of the city council. “We thank the coalition for all they have done and hope for other projects in the area to help the people.” The Pentagon is helping fight unemployment in Iraq by reopening factories that were once owned by Saddam Hussein: Under a new program, the U.S. Defense Department is already helping reopen factories that were owned by Saddam Hussein's government and abandoned by occupation authorities shortly after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The Pentagon may also start providing them with contracts to support U.S. troops. One factory restarted operations in the past two weeks, and nine more are to open by the end of this month, adding some 11,000 Iraqis to employment rolls, a Pentagon official said Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information had not been released yet. The president’s speech this week put Iran on notice that the U.S. was going to work to prevent its interference in Iraq. Iraqi forces took the first step in confronting Iran when they raided Iran’s diplomatic mission in Irbil: Iraqi officials said today that multinational forces detained as many as six Iranians in an overnight raid on Tehran's diplomatic mission in the northern city of Irbil just hours after President Bush gave details about his new military plan for Iraq. The forces stormed the Iranian mission at about 3 a.m., detaining the five staffers and confiscating computers and documents, two senior local Kurdish officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information. Irbil is a city in the Kurdish-controlled north, 220 miles from Baghdad. Japan is preparing to loan Iraq $3.5 billion for reconstruction. In the city of Al Qosh, Medics from the 1st Cavalry Division treated more than 80 people during a humanitarian mission to the city: During the mission, one female physician’s assistant and one female pediatrician medically examined over 80 people; 65 percent children, and 35 percent women. Three dozen soccer balls were distributed to the children of the town, courtesy of a donation from a radio station in the United States, as well as clothing, toys, shoes, and school supplies.

Help! Out of 200 questions, I need help on these 20! Please answer any you can!? 1. What function of bone makes a transplant of this type necessary: a. lipid storage b. calcium storage c. blood cell producation d. non of the above 2. What is the true cause of osteoporosis? a. poor calcium storage b. long term dietary deficiency of calcium c. poor calcium uptake. d. non of the above 3. Why are bones the vicitm of this disorder? a. calcium is removed from bone b. coincidence c. Anti-osteoporotic drugs attack bone d. phosphorus is removed from bone 4. What cells are invlved in mineral release from bone? a. osteocytes b. chrondrocytes c. osteoblasts d osteoclasts e. all of the above 5 .All of the following are functions of the serum calcium except a. muscle contraction b. blood clotting c. cellular transport d. all are functions e. none are functions 6. When blood calcium levels are low a. osteoclast activity increases b. osteoclast activity decreases c. osteoblast activity increases d. osteoblast activity decreasese e. bone cells are not involved in maintenance of calcium levels 7. A person with osteoporosis develops a hump in the throacic region of the vertebral clumn. This is due to a. demineralization of bone b. decreased collagen content in bone c. increased mineral content in bone d. none of the above 8. In which direction is compact bone most susceptible to force? a. longitudinally b. diagonally c. from the side d. compact bone is not susceptible to force 9. Bones that form in the sclera and testis due to stress are called? a. spongy bone' b. sesamoid bones c. heterotrophic bones d. dermal bones 10. Other tissues that may abnormally for bone are dermis, tendons, and kidneys. What do they have in common? a. nothing, it is random bone formation b. they are prone to stress c. they come from the same tissue origionally d. they have the same genes 11. Which of the following hormones is synthesized in the kidney and dependent upon cholecalciferol and therefore sunlight to be produced? a. vitamin d b. thyroxine c. calcitonin d. calciferol 12. Loss of estrogen following menopause is a major contributor to osteporosis. Why? a. estrogen inhibits osteoclast activity. b. estrogen aids in calcium uptake into bone c. estrogen has no effect on bone d. estrogen aids phosphorus uptake into bone 13. What is the term for premature closing of the fontanels? a. craniostenosis b. cranial sutures c. this does not happen d. cranial calcification 14. What would the structural result of premature closing of the fontanels be? a. large head b. small head c. abnormally shaped skull d. none of the above 15. What is the physiological result of premature closings of the fontanels? a. restricition of brain development b. restricition of muscle development c. there would be no effect d. restriciton of the spinal cord 16. What causes the development of the secondary curvatures of the vertebral column? a. they are present at birth b. weight bearing c. genetics d. movement 17. Which vertebral column curves are considered the accommodation curves? a. thoracic and sacral b. thoracic and lumbar c. cervical and lumbar d. cervical and sacral 18. Which vertebral column curves are considered compensation curves? a. thoracic and sacral b. thoracic and lumbar c. cervical and lumbar d. cervical and sacral 19. In the embryo what mechanism do the long bones form by? a. endochondral ossicification b. intramembranous ossification 20. What is the best way to treat osteoporosis? a. viatmins b. minerals c. exercise d. prevent its onset