Environmental News Network

Canada says no risks from new mad cow case
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada confirmed a new case of mad cow disease on Tuesday, the 11th since 2003, and said the animal in question was a 13-year-old beef cow from Alberta. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said no part of the animal's carcass had entered the human or animal food supply. The cow was born before Canada introduced a ban in 1997 on cattle feed that contained ingredients made from rendered cattle and other ruminants. Authorities blame suspect feed for most of the previous cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known as mad cow disease. The CFIA repeated its statement that it expected to find a few cases of BSE over the next 10 years. >> Read the Full Article
Boy develops leukemia after gene therapy in UK
LONDON (Reuters) - A three-year-old "bubble boy" undergoing pioneering gene therapy in London has developed leukemia, marking another setback for the experimental treatment. Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital said on Tuesday the boy had been successfully treated for SCID-X1, or x-linked severe combined immunodeficiency, often known as "baby in the bubble syndrome," but had developed leukemia two years later. >> Read the Full Article
WHO probes Pakistan's first bird flu death
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities and World Health Organization experts were trying to determine on Tuesday whether bird flu had passed from human to human after the country reported its first human death from the virus. Pakistani health officials confirmed at the weekend that eight people had tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus in North West Frontier Province since late October, and one of the confirmed cases had died. A brother of the dead man, who had not been tested, also died. It was not yet clear if he was a victim of bird flu. >> Read the Full Article
Growth hormone may relieve fibromyalgia pain
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Daily injections of growth hormone may help reduce pain and improve the quality of life in some patients with fibromyalgia, new findings of a small study suggest. Fibromyalgia, which causes muscle pain and fatigue, is seen more often in women than in men. Muscle spasm and tightness can often be elicited by depressing certain "trigger points" overlying the muscles. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but stress, poor sleep, injury, infections, and other conditions have been linked to the disorder. >> Read the Full Article
EU eyes phasing in CO2 fines for carmakers: source
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is considering phasing in fees it charges to carmakers who fail to meet ambitious targets to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 2012, a European Union source said on Monday. Amid fierce lobbying, the EU executive is due to announce on Wednesday how it will share out cuts in the main gas blamed for global warming between makers of light and heavy cars. >> Read the Full Article
Officials Urge Safety for Motorists and Residents Using Alternative Heat Sources
HARRISBURG, Pa. - With freezing rain causing downed trees and power lines over large portions of the state, officials in affected areas -- that includes much of the northeast US -- are urging motorists to be cautious on the roads and to not drive over downed wires or branches. "Be especially careful when driving at night and watch for black ice, downed wires or debris in the roadway," said PEMA Director Robert P. French. "If possible, turn around to avoid such obstructions. Do not try to move fallen power lines yourself." >> Read the Full Article
Lack of Light and Seasonal Depression
BOSTON - People troubled by depression usually experience their dark moods in an on-again, off-again fashion. In that respect, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) differs only in that the oscillations follow a seasonal schedule, with the depression usually starting in the fall and lasting through the spring. Lack of light is often blamed for SAD, but just how darker days cause depression in SAD sufferers is still in question, reports the January 2008 issue of the Harvard Health Letter. >> Read the Full Article
Many Americans aim to go "green" in 2008: survey
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Three-quarters of Americans, the world's largest polluters, plan to be more environmentally responsible in 2008 by reducing household energy or recycling more, a survey showed on Monday. Half of those polled said they would make a "green" New Year's resolution, according to the survey by GfK Roper and commissioned by marketing consultancy Tiller LLC. >> Read the Full Article
Short legs linked to liver disease in study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women with short legs may have a higher risk of liver disease, with both probably caused by diet or other factors early in life, British researchers reported on Monday. Their study of 3,600 women showed that the shorter a woman's legs were, the more likely she was to have signs of liver damage. The findings fit in with other studies linking leg length with diabetes and heart disease, Abigail Fraser of the University of Bristol and colleagues said. >> Read the Full Article
Massage found to relieve post-surgery pain
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Massage can ease pain after surgery and may complement the use of drugs for patients, U.S. researchers said on Monday. In a study of 605 men 64 years and older who had major surgery, 200 received nightly 20-minute back massages for four days. On a scale of 1 to 10, those who got massages reported their pain diminished one level faster than those who did not. >> Read the Full Article