DIRTY AIR FILLS SCHOOL BUSES
A California study shows the air children breathe aboard school buses can be more toxic than the air outside. The study indicates the exhaust emitted, especially by older buses, seeps into the cabin -- and its riders' lungs. The authors say theirs is the first study to look specifically at how much exhaust school bus riders breathe in. "In a single day, a child riding a school bus will breathe in anywhere from seven to 70 times more exhaust from that bus than a typical Los Angeles resident will inhale from all school bus emissions in the area," says Julian Marshall of the University of California, Berkeley, lead author of the study published in the Journal Environmental Science and Technology. "As a policy matter, it seems clear from this analysis that reducing emissions from school buses should be a very high priority."
NOT ALL CHROMIUM IS CREATED EQUAL
Researchers have found chromium picolinate is better absorbed by the body than other forms of chromium used as nutritional supplements and in foods. The scientists from Ohio State University Department of Nutrition compared chromium picolinate, chromium chloride, chromium niacin amino acid chelate and chromium nicotinate. They found women who consumed chromium supplements absorbed more chromium picolinate than the other three types of chromium. "Knowing which form of chromium is best absorbed by the body is important information for consumers who hope to achieve the optimal health benefits associated with chromium supplementation," says lead researcher Robert DiSilvestro. The results were reported at a meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in San Diego.
SOCIAL STRESS MAY BOOST FLU-FIGHTING TOOLS
A mouse study indicates in some cases stress may enhance the body's ability to fight the flu. Rodents subjected to short bouts of intense social stress speeded their recovery from the flu, the scientists found. The stress apparently boosted the production of specialized virus-battling immune cells. The findings may lead to more effective flu vaccines, scientists say. The immune system develops a memory response to the vaccine, which contains inactivated viral particles. The body responds by producing antibodies, special proteins that fight intruders, or antigens, such as bacteria and viruses. Sometimes, people who get the vaccine feel as if they have a mild case of the flu, but those symptoms are just the body's response to making antibodies to the antigen, says David Padgett, associate professor of oral biology at Ohio State University. The results were presented at the Experimental Biology 2005 conference in San Diego.
TIPS FOR SENSITIVE TEETH
Use desensitizing toothpaste if you have teeth that are sensitive to hot, cold, sweet or sour food, touch or air, specialists advise. The Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers other tips on managing the pain, which usually stems from enamel erosion or gum recession. These include: brush properly, using a soft toothbrush, short back-and-forth strokes and gentle up-and-down motion; floss daily; see your dentist for possible treatment, such as coating sensitive areas with a fluoride gel or special desensitizing agent or repairing tooth decay, cracks or worn fillings.
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(Editors: For more information about BUSES, contact Sarah Yang at 510-643-7741 or [email protected]. For CHROMIUM, Bernadette LaBorne at 212-453-2424. For FLU, Holly Wagner at 614-292-8310 or [email protected]. For TEETH, Carol Lammers at 507-284-5005 or [email protected].)
