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Introduction to Worker Health Protection.
Watchdog over the Dept. of Energy A Pathway to proper compensation via "Best Available Science." |
OPEN LETTER |
The Open Letter to the NIOSH Advisory Panel on using the "Best Available Science" in consideration for worker compensation at the Oak Ridge Y-12, K-25, and DOE Gas Diffusion Sites. With application to the Board's Steel Mill and other sites that make use of fluorides and toxic metals.
January 25, 2006
From:
Jim Phelps
1600 Buttercup Circle
Knoxville, Tennessee 37921
To:
Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health
For NIOSH / DHHS / CDC
(Please place this Open Letter on the Board's Distribution)
Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dear NIOSH / DHHS / CDC Advisory Board,
This open letter to the NIOSH "Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health" is to express concern and doubt that this Board is using the "Best Available Science" to arrive at sensible decisions for workers in Oak Ridge. My father worked at the Y-12 plant and had to take early medical retirement because the multiple exposures made him too sick to continue working.
I learned first hand from my father that workers were exposed to uranium aerosols and chemicals. My father told me many stories of wearing yellow shoe covers in the uranium production areas and walking over uranium chips with sparks flying from under each footstep. I also learned these uranium production areas used PCB as coolant for the machine cutting operations to attempt to avoid setting parts and machines on fire. PCB has been identified as being damaging to a critical enzyme in the body called glutathione.
Early on I learned that Y-12 also had more serious problems with hydrogen fluoride releases around what the workers called the "Salt Shop" or "Green Salt" operation. Here workers were exposed to dangerous and cumulative fluoride gas vapors that have long term health effects. One worker named Jack Owens sat on a wet keg of this green salt and died a few days later of sudden heart attack. This has become a well-established risk from HF exposures and involved in problems like the Donora, Pa. air inversion problems killing many due to heart attacks. The low levels of fluoride in the heart's system upset the calcium channels needed for proper heart function.
There were many laxities in the protection of workers at the Y-12 plant and at the K-25 gas diffusion plant. In many cases the chemical effects added directly to the harm due to both internalized and external radiation.
I also came to work for the Oak Ridge system as Development Staff person at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and discovered the same problems that my father had told to me in years past. In working at ORNL in the mid-80s I came to help work on remediation problems in Oak Ridge and found many serious problems.
In working on this project to find the problems in Oak Ridge we found what has been the best available science some 20 years ago that exposed a greater extent of health harm than just looking at radiation damage effects singularly.
We looked at the cell mechanisms and found that toxic metals and certain chemicals resulted in reactive oxygen species, ROS, damage to cells that causes the same problems as excess radiation exposures.
We modeled the radiation effects as just simple inducement of free oxygen radicals and ROS generation in a body composed principally of water. The stress on the cells came in the form of the need for more production of a cellular repair enzyme called "superoxide dimutase, [SOD]." As the free radical damage from ROS increased this increased the cell's mitochondria production of the SOD enzyme and caused problems with the availability of trace metal minerals [manganese] needed to produce other cellular enzymes.
The radiation free radical repair processes for the cells employed all the available manganese within cells and upset the production of another cell enzyme process called "2-5A RNase L," which is the critical enzyme that controls pathogen infections internal to cells. 2-5A RNase L and the "Interferon" cytokine process work hand in hand to control cancer-associated virus and other pathogen linked illnesses, like mycoplasma. The mutation of this enzyme from its normal 83 kDa weight to a 37 kDa weight causes this principle protection enzyme within cells to become ineffective at cell apoptosis as well as killing virus and mycoplasma infections.
This was the principle cell mechanism that lead to cancer causation via allowing various cell pathogens to take control over cellular cytokine signaling and set the stage for the immune system to loose control over cancer cell regulation. This was found some 20 years ago and was well known to the National Security system of ORNL, and was declared a highly sensitive issue because it explained a principal illness mechanism in Oak Ridge with large liability toward continuance of nuclear weapons production. It also applies to the steel and aluminum industry health effects.
Our investigations were also able to link the chemical vector damage process to this same stress on the cellular protective enzyme system. One chemical stood out strongly in Oak Ridge as being linked to long term health problems and this was HF from the Y-12 Green Salt operation and the hydrolysis of UF-6 from K-25 process releases leading to HF releases.
What we found was that HF and aluminum in the body would spontaneously form the AlF3 compound that would mimic the TSH thyroid hormone control and this effect would alter the normal night and day variation of the thyroid hormone control over cells. Normally the Pineal Gland's night and day sensing regulates the HPA axis hormones to power down the cells of the body as one sleeps to build up an enzyme called glutathione, [GSH].
Glutathione is the principle protective enzyme within cells that removes toxic metals, like mercury, and toxic chemicals from the body via the liver and bile excretion route. As certain chemicals impact the thyroid regulation of cells the mitochondria become affected and the production of GSH is impaired resulting in the build up of toxic metals within the cells of the body. As these metals became involved with the mitochondria mtDNA this causes the increased production of reactive oxygen species generated by the mitochondria's ATP production process. These excess free radical or ROS process placed the same stress on the cell repair processes and protection processes as radiation induced free oxygen radicals.
The loss of glutathione levels in cells causes a shift in the cytokine profiles of the body from the Th-1 mode into a less effective Th-2 mode. The Th-2 mode is a common occurrence for persons with CFS and even cancers, and it is a first order warning signal of immune system failing. The Th-2 mode causes allergy problems, and is the typical marker for this Th-2 shift condition beginning. This effect couples with the reduced glutathione levels leading to mutation of the 2-5A RNase L enzyme and its relationship with the interferon cytokine.
Thus, the bottom line is that this mechanism that we identified in the mid-80s at ORNL showed how chemicals and radiation combined to act on the very same cellular enzyme pathway that involves radiation inducement of cancer. Today, the current research points to the same causality with the research being done on the Fallon, NV excess child cancer problems [Leukemia] from air fuel dumping. The Fallon Naval Air training station's dumping of jet fuel has affected the glutathione levels in children in this area, as identified by researcher Dr. Jill James of University of Arkansas.
Oak Ridge has lots of past HF release problems that have been compounded by more releases of toxic metals and HF from the TVA coal plants on each end of town. Just the coal emissions air quality placed this region at health risk long before the scrubbers were put in the TVA's plants in years past. When a USAEC worker came to work for Oak Ridge, his occupation exposures to HF and toxic metals made the long-term health risks much greater.
The HF problems with the HPA axis also manifests itself with the accumulation of fluoride in the Pineal Gland and the slow degradation of the light sensing mechanism needed to keep the cellular protective enzymes in good abundance via restful sleep patterns. The very same upsets as HF causes in the heart attack cases also upsets the function of this calcium rich neurological light sensor. This disturbed sleep pattern problem and "night sweats" is common to many with CFIDS and GWS, and the same basic symptoms show up in many Oak Ridge workers. Also common in this group of immune compromised persons is problems with EBV, CMV, HHV-6, SV-40, and mycoplasma infections due to mutation or chimera form of the 2-5A RNase L protective cellular enzyme.
Mycoplasma are common problems with high dose radiation and this was the initial clue at ORNL to link the protective enzymes of cells with the principle causal mechanism leading to cancer cell proliferation. It was long established that many cancers had a viral component that took control of cellular cytokine patterns, such as TNFa, leading to run away cancer cell growth.
It would appear that if we could find these basic mechanisms for illness at ORNL in the mid-1980s that these mechanism should be a part of the process to address worker health harm in 2006. Inclusion of this mechanism would be closer to using "Best Available Science." It is clear to me and to many others that this Advisory Board Process to the NIOSH, CDC, and DHHS is lacking of this easily identifiable mechanism that highly defines the Oak Ridge worker health risks.
In Oak Ridge, the worker health risks cannot be addressed by looking only at the radiation induced stress. In Oak Ridge one has to include the toxic metals and chemical stress (U, Hg, HF, PCB) to even begin to make a claim of "Best Available Science." The best available science at ORNL in the 1980s included that PCBs damaged the GSH levels in workers and lead to an increase in free oxygen radical associated illnesses. At Y-12, workers were exposed to Hg from the Li-6 separation process and this increased their free oxygen radical problems from mtDNA involvement. They were exposed to HF from the Y-12 Green Salt Operation and from larger releases from K-25 and TVA emissions, and this altered the glutathione levels of large worker populations.
This was the key effect that a Dr. William Reid flagged in many of his patients and why he was attacked for taking note that the workers in the Oak Ridge region had greater toxic stress markers than patients at his previous location in NC. Oak Ridge considered the open identification of these enzyme mechanisms to be a threat to the national security involved in the production of nuclear weapons. Dr. Reid had spotted higher levels of oxidative stress makers in Oak Ridge patients and problems like higher levels of retained toxic metals.
The mechanism is clear for the best available science needed to address the Oak Ridge worker health effects properly. This Board and its associated agencies should involve microbiologists to explain the mechanisms to the degree needed to be inclusive of this mechanism in all future worker health evaluations for Oak Ridge. It is clear in Oak Ridge that these chemical and toxic metals induced oxidative stress factors add directly to the radiation induced oxidative stress factors, and thus can't be omitted. To attempt to do otherwise is fraud and leads to unapprised harm and loss of compensation for those injured.
The Board should be open with the public and the workers about the need to include the additional factors addressed in this Open Letter. If anyone needs additional information or clarification about this shortcoming of the Board's process, feel free to contact me via the information provided below.
Sincerely,
Jim Phelps
1600 Buttercup Circle
Knoxville, Tennessee 37921
Ph: 865-588-5585
Email: magnu96196@aol.com
The four-page "Open Letter" above was presented by Jim Phelps in oral and written form to the NIOSH Board when it visited Oak Ridge and the Garden Plaza Hotel on January 25, 2006. No person that is a member of this Board should be on the Board unless they fully understand this basic mechanism involved in cancer and the process of aging. The risk of radiation induced illnesses is directly increased by exposures to chemicals that upset the HPA axis factors and cytokine disposition that regulate a triad of enzymes that determine radiation resistance and resistance to pathogen infections within the cells.
Members of this NIOSH Board are presented on this web site:
"http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/ocasadv.html"
Web page's excerpts on the Board's membership and responsibilities:
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health was appointed by the President to advise the Department of Health and Human Services on its activities under The Act. The Act specified that the Board will include a balance of perspectives from scientists, physicians, and workers.
Charter
Purpose
The President is authorized by Public Law 106-398 to carry out the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. Since World War II, many men and women have served in building the Nation's nuclear defense and, in the course of this work, have been exposed to beryllium, ionizing radiation, and other hazards unique to nuclear weapons production and testing. The purpose of the compensation program is to provide for timely, uniform, and adequate compensation of covered employees and, where applicable, survivors of such employees, suffering from illnesses incurred by such employees in the performance of duty for the Department of Energy (DOE) and certain of its contractors and subcontractors.
The Secretaries of Energy, Health and Human Services, and Labor share responsibilities for administering the compensation program. Section 3624 of Public Law 106-398 authorizes the President to establish and appoint an Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, and by Executive Order 13179, the President has designated responsibility of the Advisory Board to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Authority
Executive Order 13179, dated December 7, 2000, and Public Law 106-398, Section 3624(a)(1). The Board is governed by the provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.
Function
The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health shall (a) advise the Secretary, HHS, on the development of guidelines under section 2(b)(i) of Executive Order 13179; (b) advise the Secretary, HHS, on the scientific validity and quality of dose reconstruction efforts performed for this Program; and (c) upon request by the Secretary, HHS, advise the Secretary on whether there is a class of employees at any DOE facility who were exposed to radiation but for whom it is not feasible to estimate their radiation dose, and on whether there is reasonable likelihood that such radiation doses may have endangered the health of members of the class.
Structure
The Advisory Board shall consist of no more than 20 public members to be appointed by the President. Members shall include affected workers and their representatives, and representatives from scientific and medical communities. The President shall designate a Chair for the Board from among its members.
Members shall be invited to serve for overlapping terms of up to four years, except that any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term shall be appointed for the remainder of that term. Terms of more than two years are contingent upon the renewal of the Board by appropriate action prior to its termination.
Subcommittees composed of members of the parent committee may be established from time to time. The Department Committee Management Officer will be notified upon establishment of each subcommittee, and will be provided information on its name, membership, functions, and estimated frequency of meetings.
The Department of Health and Human Services shall provide administrative services, funds, facilities, staff, and other necessary support services, and perform the administrative functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), with respect to the Advisory Board.
Meetings
The Advisory Board meets approximately seven times per year. The frequency of meetings shall be determined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on agency needs. The Designated Federal Official shall determine and approve the agenda for the meetings in consultation with the Chair. A government official shall be present at all meetings.
Meetings shall be open to the public except as determined otherwise by the Secretary, HHS, or other official to whom the authority has been delegated; notice of all meetings shall be given to the public.
Meetings shall be conducted, and records of the proceedings kept, as required by applicable laws and Departmental regulations.
Compensation
Members who are not full-time Federal employees shall be paid at the rate of $250 per day, plus per diem and travel expenses in accordance with Standard Government Travel Regulations.
Annual Cost Estimate
Estimated annual cost for operating the Board, including compensation and travel expenses for members, but excluding staff support, is $1,422,680. Estimate of annual person-years of staff support required is 2.75, at an estimated annual cost of $396,013.
Reports
In the event a portion of a meeting is closed to the public, a report shall be prepared annually and shall contain, at a minimum, a list of members and their business addresses; the Board's functions, dates, and places of meetings; and a summary of Board activities and recommendation made during the fiscal year. A copy of the report shall be provided to the Department Committee Management Officer.
Termination Date
Unless renewed by appropriate action prior to its expiration, the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health will terminate on August 3, 2007.
Top of Page
Members
The Board has been appointed by the President. Below is the current roster of members:
(Note: On November 11, 2002, Sally Gadola resigned from the Advisory Board.)
Chair
Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
School of Health Sciences
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
Dr. Paul Ziemer is Professor Emeritus and former Head of the School of Health Sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. From 1990 to 1993, Dr. Ziemer served as the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environment, Safety, and Health during the Bush Administration. From 1995-2001, Dr. Ziemer was a consultant for the Advanced Technologies and Laboratories, Inc., and served as Chairman of the Board from 1999-2001. He earlier served as a health physicist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a Radiological Physics Fellow at Vanderbilt University, and a physicist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. He is a Certified Health Physicist and has been President of the Health Physics Society and of the American Academy of Health Physics. Dr. Ziemer recently completed a term as a member of the American Board of Health Physics.
Executive Secretary
Lewis Wade (pro tem)
Senior Science Advisor to the Director of NIOSH
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Washington, DC
Membership
Henry A. Anderson, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Occupational and Environmental Health
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
Madison, Wisconsin
Dr. Anderson has served as Chief Medical Officer for Occupational and Environmental Health at the Wisconsin Division of Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin since 1991. Other current appointments and activities of Dr. Anderson include: State Epidemiologist for Occupational and Environmental Disease, Wisconsin Division of Public Health since 1980; Adjunct Professor, Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin since 1989; Adjunct Professor of Preventive Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School since 1989; and Lecturer, Department of Community Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine since 1980.
Roy Lynch DeHart, M.D., M.P.H.
Director
The Vanderbilt Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Professor of Medicine
Nashville, Tennessee
Dr. DeHart has served as Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee since 1999. Other current appointments and activities of Dr. DeHart include: Professor of Medicine (Internal Medicine), Vanderbilt University since 1999; Professor of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University since 1999; and Professor of Family Medicine, Vanderbilt University since 1999.
Richard Lee Espinosa
Sheet Metal Journeyman and Metal Shop Steward
Sheet Metal Workers Union Local #49
Johnson Controls
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Mr. Espinosa has been a Sheet Metal Journeyman and Metal Shop Steward at Johnson Controls at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico since 1994. He is a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local Union #49, and completed the chapter's apprentice program in 1998. In addition, Mr. Espinosa served for two years in the U. S. Navy from 1990 to 1992 and was assigned to the U.S. Theodore Roosevelt's Sheet Metal Shop.
Michael H. Gibson
Retired Journeyman Electrician, Babcock & Wilcox of Ohio,
E.G. & G., Mound Applied Technologies and
Monsanto Research Corporation at the DOE
Mound Facility
Past President, Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and
Energy International Union, Local 5-4200
Miamisburg, Ohio
Mr. Gibson, now retired, served as a Journeyman Electrician at Babcock & Wilcox of Ohio, E.G. & G., Mound Applied Technologies and Monsanto Research Corporation at the DOE Mound Facility since 1981. He is currently responsible for installation, maintenance, demolition, and decontamination of radiological laboratories throughout the site.
Mark Griffon
President
Creative Pollution Solutions, Inc.
Salem, New Hampshire
On March 18, 2002, the White House announced that the President intends to appoint Mark Griffon to be a member of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health. Mr. Griffon has served as the President of Creative Pollution Solutions in New Hampshire since 1992 where he performs consulting services in the radiation and hazardous waste fields. He also recently served as a Member of the Advisory Committee for U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries.
James Malcolm Melius, M.D., Dr. P.H.
Director
New York State Laborers' Health and Safety Trust Fund
Albany, New York
Dr. Melius has served as Director for the New York State Laborers' Health and Safety Trust Fund in Albany, New York since 1996. Other current appointments and activities of Dr. Melius include: Director, New York State Laborers' Employers Cooperation and Education Trust Fund since 1997; Research Director, Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America since 1995; and Lecturer, Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine since 1997.
Wanda I. Munn
Senior Nuclear Engineer (Retired)
Richland, Washington
Ms. Munn is a retired Senior Nuclear Engineer from the Advanced Reactor Development Division of Westinghouse Hanford Company in Richland, Washington. She has 20 years of experience in nuclear engineering disciplines, design, construction, acceptance testing, startup, and operation of the Fast Flux Test Facility. In addition, she also has a Council Member in Richland, Washington. Ms. Munn was also inducted into the Oregon State University's Engineering Hall of Fame in 1999.
Charles L. Owens
Cascade Operator
United States Enrichment Corporation
Paducah, Kentucky
Mr. Owens has worked as a Cascade Operator at the United States Enrichment Corporation in Paducah, Kentucky since 1990. As a Cascade Operator he is responsible for operating pneumatic controls and equipment to maximize the enrichment of uranium through a gaseous diffusion process. In addition, Mr. Owens is also responsible for ensuring compliance with various policies and regulations. He is the recipient of annual attendance awards, group awards for exceeding production goals, and he was twice selected as employee of the month. Mr. Owens is also a Hazardous Waste and Materials Trainer and an Occupational Safety and Health Education Coordinator.
Robert W. Presley
Manufacturing Engineer
Pro2Serve
Professional Project Services, Inc.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Mr. Presley is currently employed as a Manufacturing Engineer. He previously worked as a Special Projects Engineer at the BWXT Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. In addition, Mr. Presley also serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative project team. From 1966 to 2000, Mr. Presley worked for Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. and served as a Protocol Officer at the Y-12 Complex.
Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.
Radiation Consultant
Professor Emeritus
University of Florida
Elysian, Minnesota
Dr. Roessler was on the faculty, Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Florida for 22 years as Head of Health Physics and Medical Physics. Various advisory committees include the Radiation Advisory Committee, Science Advisory Board, Environmental Protection Agency, 1997-present; Technical Steering Panel, Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project, 1988-1996; and Bi-national Advisory Group, Chernobyl Health Effects Study, National Cancer Institute, 2001-present. Dr. Roessler is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Health Physics Society's Newsletter and Web Site.
EXPANDED PRESENTATION ON THE BASIC MECHANISM WITH COMMON EXAMPLES:
The "Open Letter's" presentation is easily understood by those familiar with enzymes and how the HPA Axis, thyroid hormones, and cell mitochondria function. A more lay person set of examples follow that show how the same basic mechanism that involve nuclear plant workers also affects everyone in the US.
Most everyone that dies on planet Earth is affected by this basic mechanism and it is one of the most covered up due to its intimate association with industry and industry liability, but also due to the profits of the medical industry from treating this process of health failure.
Consider the situation for women's breast cancer. Here the main problem is the loss of glutathione enzyme results in greater retention of toxic chemicals in the fatty tissues of the breast. These are environmental pollutants like PCBs, pesticides, and various lipid soluble chemicals. As these chemicals become involved in the mitochondria's enzyme production processes, the oxidative stress to the cell rise leading to the failure of the "2-5A RNase L" enzyme that control pathogens within the cells. As this enzyme fails various viruses and mycoplasma's take over the cells and produce their own cytokines that promote blood vessel growth and rapid cell multiplication. This becomes the cancer tumor.
The cancer tumors can spread easily due to the fact that the immune system tries to kill these cells that have the toxic burdens and the macrophages pull the contamination into the lymph nodes where the similar enzyme impairment process begins to spread. This is why for breast cancer the lymph nodes have to be stripped in a region around the tumor.
A similar process is associated with leukemia. Blood cells and immune system cells are formed in the bone marrow. One of the problems in the bone marrow is that fluoride increases with age and with increased exposures to fluoride in the environment. Fluoride in the bone marrow interferes with the availability of the trace metals needed to make proper protective enzymes for cells like T-cells. Toxic metals burdens in T-cells rise due to this effect and T-cells are extremely sensitive to mercury burden.
A Child Leukemia Hot Spot at Fallon, Nevada is finding all these children have depressed levels of glutathione. This appears to stem from the Naval Air Training station there that practices carrier type landings dumping jet fuel before landing. Plus, there is some leaking of a jet fuel pipeline in the area. Jet fuel exposure is well known to lower glutathione levels. Area mills and mines add extra toxic metals into the regional air, this adding to the oxidative stress factors via mitochondria interaction.
The T-cell process of enzyme impairment is probably best noticed with the problems of HIV. Here the bone marrow loads up with fluoride and impairs the resistance of the T-cells formed in the bone marrow to HIV. The damage to these cells mitochondria process linked to glutathione allows higher levels of metals, like mercury, to increase the oxidative cell stress and bring on the defective 37 kDa "2-5A RNase L" mutation. Thus, HIV spreads in the body via these defective enzyme T-cells and tends to remain in the lymph system.
The relationship of HIV to fluorides is not difficult to find as the AIDS hot spots run from Ethiopia to South Africa down the exact footprint of the East African Rift Zone. This Rift Zone causes the surface and well water in Ethiopia to be some of the highest in the world. People there do well to live to 40 years of age and are crippled at 30 due to fluoride effects.
Similar problems happen with the myelin lining of the nerves, as it is calcium rich and attracts increased fluoride concentrations. The fluoride rise upsets the trace metals needed to form these protective enzymes and allows these cells to be attacked by the immune system defenses. This is the autoimmune dysfunction associated with MS, ALS, fibromyalga, and etc.
Arthritis is a similar process where the bone ends accumulate fluoride and this leads to the cell enzyme failure and the immune system then triggers TNFa cytokine processes that attack these bone end tissues causing much inflammation, pain, and deformation of the joints.
The issues of Gulf War illness involve these components via toxic materials like aluminum and mercury introduced in vaccines, fluoride introduced via the biological agent antibiotic called "Ciprofloxin," and others like Depleted Uranium in the lungs. The aluminum forms AlF3 in the body that affects the TSH process, and this leads to thyroid hormone regulation problems of the mitochondria that cause problems like "night sweats" and loss of sleep. This sets up the loss of glutathione and the mercury from the vaccine damage the thyroid and nervous system still further. The DU in the lungs and lymph system has a greater than 1 year biological half life in the body and causes problems with increased oxidative cell stress similar to failure to clear mercury from the body by glutathione. DU does not respond to the glutathione / liver / bile clearance process and takes a very long to remove. The toxic exposures give long term illness problems with the appearance of extreme CFS, and is very similar to the range of debilitating illnesses that DOE's Gas Diffusion Plant workers experience.
Asthma is another common problem that stems from the reduction of glutathione in the lung cells and high rates of oxidative stress damage. Asthma is triggered by exposure to chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide, particles, ozone, and etc. Supplementation of selenium need to form glutathione helps lessen the problem. Mitochondria DNA genetic defects associated with SOD production makes asthma worse. Onset of symptoms triggers an inflammatory cytokine called TNFa, which causes the tissue swelling and wheezing.
The rise of these health effects comes from several sources. Part of the problems come from the fact that the food chain has been depleted in the trace minerals, Selenium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, etc., needed to make these important enzymes. Part of the problem is the levels of fluoride in the environment are high enough to cause upsets in the trace metals at an early age.
One of the treatments for high oxidative stress from toxic metals is using EDTA to chelate these metals. This removes some of the sources of the toxic metals like mercury, lead, arsenic, and others. Some suggest that is also reverses the calcification of the Pineal Gland and restores glutathione in cells via that control mechanism. EDTA also removes arterial plague. Blood vessels are rich in calcium and attract fluoride deposits, and EDTA reverses this effect. EDTA chelation also removes the essential trace metals and one must be careful to replace these in between chelation sessions, or chelation methods will make person's symptoms or illness much worse.
The role of the Pineal Gland in the HPA Axis factors is most easily seen by noticing that Serotonin and Melatonin decline with age and are important to brain function and well being. Old age generally brings along problems with sleeping and rest, as well as cellular health decline. Gulf War Vets experience some of the same problems with inability to sleep due to similar damage effects to their Pineal Gland, HPA Axis regulation, and TSH hormone interference with AlF3 compounds. As the glutathione levels fail, the Pituitary Gland and Thyroid become increasing affected by mercury retention and oxidative stress. See: "http://members.aol.com/magnu96196/godcurves.html"
A better treatment is to restore the glutathione enzymes levels needed and liver function to maintain a natural chelation effect for toxic metals like mercury. This keeps the oxidative stress on the cells low naturally. Also needed is to keep the fluoride intake in the air, food, and water chain low. And finally a good source of all the essential trace metals to keep the enzyme processes functioning at full potential.
What all this science that has been known now for some twenty years says is that DHHS, CDC, and NIOSH are being intentionally deceptive by not informing the workers or the public of the precise mechanism involved. A properly informed public would demand changes and compensation for the health impacts from this basic mechanism. In place of properly informing the public they have placed themselves as agents to license toxic damage and early death to humans from industry and energy production. Such lack of openness steals decades off many human lives and brings on early onset of illnesses and diseases.
After some twenty years of the corrupt DOE and its associated Federal Agencies coving up this health damage process, it is time for real openness and the best available science to be exposed to the public.