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Pineal health...


crystal sage

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B) A question for you scientists.... will Seratonin uptake inhibitors prevent... or lower the production of Melatonin????

Melatonin is a hormone manufactured from serotonin and secreted by the pineal gland, which is a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain. As people age, sometimes the pineal gland will calcify, causing a decrease in melatonin production. It is made from the amino acid tryptophan. Your body needs B vitamins to convert melatonin from tryptophan. If you do not get enough B vitamins your body could be deficient in melatonin. At menopause there is a decline in melatonin production. Melatonin influences sleep, mood, the stress response, immune function, and even helps to prevent cancer.

http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/yourhealth...2221811.html%22

http://www.springerlink.com/content/r47518675jw057j0/

:tu: Interesting!!!! The Appenix produces melatonin!!!! I had always heard that they were a useless organ... used originally for digesting grass!!!!!..eg as a cow supposedly has a huge one!!!!!

"The concentration of melatonin in the gastrointestinal tissues surpasses blood levels by 10–100 times and there is at least 400× more melatonin in the gastrointestinal tract than in the pineal gland."

The human appendix was the first site outside the pineal where the occurrence of melatonin could be demonstrated (Raikhlin et al: “Melatonin may be synthesized in enterochromaffin cells.” Nature [Lond.] 1975,255:344-5.) The biosynthesis of melatonin was demonstrated in the gut the following year ( Quay & Ma: “Demonstration of gastrointestinal HIOMT.” Int. Rep. Clin. Sci. Med. Sci. Lib. Compend. 1976, 4: 563.) Melatonin is widely available as an individual food supplement.

Edited by crystal sage
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The amount of melatonin created by the appendix is insignificant however.

removal of this organ has no effects on humans.

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http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/20981/

http://www.annalsnyas.org/cgi/content/abstract/917/1/376

Beyond Health Articles -The Hazards of Painkillers (NSAIDS)

Here's one mechanism by which NSAIDS damage gut tissue. NSAIDS work by blocking the action of messenger ... NSAIDS also interfere with melatonin production

http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/6/951

Edited by crystal sage
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The amount of melatonin created by the appendix is insignificant however.

removal of this organ has no effects on humans.

Thanks... I couldn't find much more on it...but it was quite interesting.....

With the incidents of depression etc. increasing... I was wondering if people without appendix were more prone to depression than those with????

and it is interesting that the gut is said to work similar to the pineal glands ie.. in melatonin and seratonin production...so it explains why sometimes you get stomache upsets with some depressants... and the new links and research of stomache brain connection with IBS sufferers...

the Abdominal Brain.... http://www.meridianinstitute.com/ceu/ceu12abd.html

Edited by crystal sage
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The amount of melatonin created by the appendix is insignificant however.

removal of this organ has no effects on humans.

Maybe by removing the appendix the pineal gland takes over the appendix's production. Kind of like how if you lose one testicle the other one will start to produce more fluids to compensate.

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http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathp...ndo/pineal.html

"Seasonal changes in daylength have profound effects on reproduction in many species, and melatonin is a key player in controlling such events. "

...the pineal is similar to the adrenal medulla in the sense that it transduces signals from the sympathetic nervous system into a hormonal signal.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...p;dopt=Abstract

". It is suggested that, under physiologic conditions, the lamina propria plexus has a modulatory role between the epithelium and the deeper mural enteric nervous system mediated by serotonin neurotransmission. Uncontrolled release of serotonin by the plexus may initiate inflammation and elicit pain related to the appendix."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...p;dopt=Abstract

CONCLUSION: Plasma serotonin level is a reliable marker of acute appendicitis, especially in the first 48 hours.

PMID: 9167375 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

:tu: " Serotonin - a mediator (the chemical messenger) made by cells of a nerve in a brain, which is used by nerves to communicate with each other. The nerve releases serotonin whom it makes in a place environmental it. serotonin or travel across a place and the attache in receptors on a surface of nearby nerves or it attaches to receptors on a surface of a nerve which has made it to be taken a nerve and released again (the process named as re-uptake). Balance achieve serotonin between the appendix to nearby nerves and reuptake. Perfect inhibitors of serotonin block reuptake of serotonin and consequently change a level of serotonin in a brain. It is necessary, that there are some illnesses such as depression are caused by disorders in balance between serotonin and other mediators."

http://www.rxhelphere.com/sertraline.htm

:huh: !! B) ....could this mean that the appendix has a role in balancing the seratonin in the body???

and will consequently....serotonin uptake inhibitors " happy pills" help stabilize appendicitis...?????

Edited by crystal sage
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:tu:http://flash.lymenet.org/scripts/ultimateb...f=1;t=051925;p=

"From personal experience...kids and husband...all have had their appendix out...

more PRONE to depression.

Research serotonin - appendix. You may have to dig deep to find it.

May need "help" (as in 5HTP supp.) if NOT on Prozac.

IMO...far better to give the NUTRIENTS to make serotonin and let the body decide rather than to keep serotonin high...ongoing.

Prozac use now (very recent) linked to osteoporosis.

The levels are supposed to fluctuate as needed.

It should go without saying...be SURE to take probiotics as post surgery abx. will impact the "good guys". Take them one hour BEFORE meals with a full glass of water (to dilute stomach acids so they don't destroy the beneficial bacteria). "

LYME disease and appendix connection !!!!!!!

peoples comments...

:tu: !!!!!!!!!..."I remember reading a thread here on LymeNet once and I was surprised at the number of Lyme patients who had their appendix taken out."

"Wow! Thanks for this post! My appendix ruptured six months before I flared hard with Lyme.

They did an emergency surgery and I was on IV vancomycin for 7 days. I had the sweats and chills bad (Babesia?) and couldn't recover quickly.

My incision was from navel to pelvis (I look like a stuffed animal now) and it got badly infected and I was put on Levaquin and had bad tendon reactions and further fatigue and malaise (Bartonella?!).

It took 5 months before I started to feel a little better and then I got bitten by another tick! I got "ticked" when I was already down!

Makes you say "hmmmm...."

Thanks for talking about this topic,"

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?p=2157105

Lyme disease symptom... ???? !!....Dxd Neurotransmitter Deficent with almost non existent levels of Seratonin,

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"To make matters worse, prescription drugs that are used to address neurotransmitter deficiencies are depleting the neurotransmitters in the brain. For example, depression may be caused by an imbalance of Seratonin. Medications classified as Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) are prescribed to address the symptom of depression. SSRI's prevent Seratonin from being reabsorbed by the sending nerve cell, keeping it available for the receiving nerve cell. If the Seratonin is not received or reabsorbed by either cell, the body will inactivate it, over time depleting the level of Seratonin in the body. Long-term use of these drugs will cause greater imbalance, and a total system crash."

http://www.colecenter.com/newsletter/neuro...rsdetoxdiet.htm

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BREAST HEALTH TIP #17: Sleep Go to bed by 10PM, pull down the shades and turn off all the lights.

http://www.healthy.net/scr/Column.asp?Id=692

A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2001 found nurses that worked the night shift had a 50% increased risk of breast cancer. The longer they worked the night shift, the higher their risk of breast cancer became. The reason is simple. It has to do with the daily rhythms of the sun and the hormone "melatonin." Melatonin is extremely powerful at protecting against and fighting breast cancer - but only if you go to bed early and it's dark.

Scientists have discovered that when it gets dark the pineal gland in our brain produces more melatonin. As this hormone rises, you start to feel sleepy. The moment you fall asleep the level of melatonin goes much higher. But here's the catch - melatonin doesn’t rise very high unless you’ve gone to bed by 10 pm and it's dark.

The darker it is, the higher your melatonin will rise. Any type of light-even a soft night light can keep your melatonin levels from rising very high. Researchers think that is why breast cancer is more common in industrialized regions where city lights burn all night and why blind women have a 50% lower incidence breast cancer than women who can see.

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Brazil nuts... a good source of selenium

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/MS.html

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-99185855.html

"Because brazil nuts and methionine are known to be safe," the ... It plays a crucial role in the production of the brain chemicals serotonin and melatonin,

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2000/01/pandora.html

http://www.howweheal.com/protein.htm

:tu:

Perfect mood food... Turkey with Cranberry Brazil nut Relish

Try and use Agar Agar instead of gelatin for extra health benefits.... http://www.great-workout.com/nutrition/veg...ition-facts.cfm

Cranberry Brazil Nut Relish

1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1/2 c. cold water boiling water

1 c. cranberry juice 2 c. fresh cranberries 1/2 c. sugar

1/4 t. salt 1/2 c. chopped Brazil nuts 1/2 c. diced celery

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Let stand 5 minutes. Place over boiling water, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Stir in cranberry juice. Refrigerate until it's the consistency of unbeaten egg whites (approx. 1 hr.). Chop cranberries & add sugar & salt. Mix well. Gently fold this mixture as well as the nuts & celery into the gelatin mixture. Turn into 1 qt. serving dish & chill until firm.

http://paleofood.com/stuff.htm

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The Healing Power of Light

Photoluminescence: UV Lght Irradiation in the Laboratory

by E.W: McDonagh, D.O.

http://www.lightparty.com/Health/HealingLight.html

"some people the pineal gland begins to calcify as young as 6yrs of age. It is very common in adults. As most of you are already aware of, the pineal is probably one of the most important glands as far as OBE's, LD's and psychic development are concerned. So you certainly want it 'in the pink' of health so to speak.

Calcification of the pineal gland is so prevalant in adults that it really got me to thinking. It seems that some people at a certain age see a decline in LD's and OBE's. Is there a connection? I have already read about how testosterone increase seems to lead to more LD's. So there appears to be a hormonal connection at least, perhaps.

But wait. We also produce less melatonin as we age. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland. People who increase melatonin have reported more vivid dreams, and more lucid dreams. I have noticed an increase in OBE's myself with dietary means alone (to increase melatonin). So, anyway, I have been searching the net trying to find ways of decalcifying the pineal gland.

This is what I have found so far. Turmeric, frankencense and oral chelation therapy are said to aid in the decalcification of the pineal gland. I am sure the headstand or other inversion type exercises would'nt hurt either. I only post this because this information might benefit certain people who seem to be getting nowhere having tryed everthing. "

http://forums.astraldynamics.com/viewtopic...bb032fe3412cf7e

http://www.i-c-m.org.uk/journal/2005/feb/a01.htm

Turmeric’s curcurmin curries much favour with Alzheimer’s – and other illnesses

http://www.nbay.eu/frankincense_in_aromath...oils-15476.html

Frankincense resin is thought to have a bounty of health properties - it was an ingredient in a ... the hypothalamus, the pineal and the pituitary glands. .

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  • 4 weeks later...

http://www.gdx.net/home/assessments/melato...ide/index2.html

Light Exposure

Light exposure of the retina alters the amount of serotonin metabolized to melatonin, via the neural pathways that connect the retina to the pineal gland.9 The individual's visual system must be intact for proper synchronization of the melatonin rhythm. Blind persons commonly exhibit a pronounced lack of circadian rhythm, with free-running cycles generated internally despite the presence of other external time cues in their environment.10,11

Exposure to sufficient levels of light at night can rapidly reduce melatonin production.12 One investigator found that after human subjects were exposed to one hour of light at midnight using 3000, 1000, 500, 350, and 200 lux intensities, melatonin levels dropped by 71, 67, 44, 38, and 16% respectively.13

The spectrum of light that most dramatically inhibits melatonin secretion is green band light (540nm), which corresponds to the rhodopsin absorption spectrum in humans.14 This observation is of considerable importance, not only to understand the physiological effects of melatonin, but to effectively regulate circadian rhythms- a crucial component in the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and other health problems.15\

Effect of Drugs

Antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs affect the synthesis and release of melatonin. Some monoamine oxidase-inhibiting drugs such as clorgyline and tranylcypromine seem to enhance plasma melatonin levels, while others, such as deprenyl, register no significant change.27-30

Tricyclic antidepressants that influence monoamine uptake and beta-adrenoceptors trigger a decrease in plasma melatonin in rodent experiments; however, human patients treated with the tricyclic desipramine show either no change, or a notable rise, in nighttime melatonin levels.27,30 Although tricyclics and fluvoxamine are both associated with increases in melatonin secretion in humans, fluoxetine (commonly known as Prozac) reportedly lowers blood melatonin levels.31

One group of researchers conjectured that sleep disruption associated with some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen may be a result of decreased prostaglandin production, which can suppress melatonin secretion.32 Both ibuprofen and indomethacin significantly reduce melatonin plasma levels and delay the nocturnal rise of the circadian rhythm.33,34

ß-blockers can also significantly alter melatonin levels. Hypertensive patients undergoing chronic beta-adrenoreceptor blocker treatment with propranolol and ridazolol showed considerably diminished melatonin secretion.35 Propranolol hydrochloride also induced a noticeable decrease in serum melatonin levels in schizophrenic patients.36

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Cancer

There is good evidence for photoperiod dependence and/or melatonin responsiveness in the initiation and evolution of certain cancers, particularly hormone-dependent cancers. Administration of melatonin significantly improved survival time and quality of life in patients with brain metastases due to solid neoplasms.60 When used after first-line chemotherapy (cisplatin) for treating nonsmall cell carcinoma (NSC) of the lung, melatonin also successfully prolonged the survival time for patients with metastatic NSC lung cancer.61

Because of its powerful oncostatic effects and its estrogen-blocking ability, melatonin demonstrates particular promise in the treatment of breast cancer. Numerous studies have reported an inverse correlation between melatonin levels and the growth of estrogen-receptive positive tumors.62-66 Used in conjunction with tamoxifen to modulate cancer endocrine therapy, melatonin shows marked ability to modulate estrogen receptor expression and inhibit breast cancer cell growth. Moreover, researchers surmised that melatonin may induce objective tumor regressions in metastatic breast cancer patients refractory to tamoxifen alone.67

Immune System

When properly administered, melatonin has general stimulatory effects on immune system functions; its positive anti-cancer effects may stem from this strengthening of the immune response.68 One theory is that melatonin acts as an anti-stress hormone via the brain opioid system, with consequent up-regulation of the immune system.69,70

Many researchers believe that T-derived cytokines are the main mediators of the immunological effect of melatonin. Specific high affinity binding sites for 125I-melatonin have been discovered on T-helper-type 2 lymphocytes in the bone marrow and in various lymphoid tissues.71,72

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common of the demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system. The clinical course and prognosis of the disease is variable, although it typically tends to progress in a series of relapses and remissions. In most cases, a patient with MS undergoes a slow and steady deterioration of neurological function.

Recently, the pineal gland has been implicated in the pathogenesis and clinical course of MS. When melatonin levels decline, an exacerbation of MS symptoms is seen.73,74 Remission effects in MS are thought to relate to the stimulatory influence of melatonin on the immune system.

http://www.gdx.net/home/assessments/melato...ide/index3.html

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There are other and more effective ways to deal with esterogen and androgen-dependent cancer. Plus, there's always the risk of hormone-refractory cancer.

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There are other and more effective ways to deal with esterogen and androgen-dependent cancer. Plus, there's always the risk of hormone-refractory cancer.

Yes???... could you elaborate please ???

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Melatonin/Cancer Connection

Recent research has shown that melatonin may have a powerful effect on protection against and treatment of cancer, including breast, cervical and prostate cancers.(11,12) Low melatonin levels seem to parallel cancer growth.(2,4,13) Melatonin is a potent oncostatic agent, preventing both the initiation and promotion of cancer.(14) Exposure to electromagnetic fields has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer, not directly but as a result of suppressing the nocturnal rise in melatonin levels.(4) Melatonin (10 mg./night) has also been proven to amplify the immune effects of interleukin 2 (IL-2) treatment for cancer and to significantly reduce its toxicity and side effects.(4, 15)

http://www.cherryvite.co.nz/why.html

Cellular biologist Dr. Russell J. Reiter of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, can tell you. He has been researching melatonin for thirty years. His studies have led him to the conclusion that melatonin stands as the most powerful antioxidant molecule to be discovered yet a hormone that can preset the body's aging clock, turning back the ravages of time."(1) Scientitsts may be on the verge of discovering the real "Fountain of Youth" that Ponce de Leon only dreamed about.

The way it's being talked about, melatonin sounds like the "medical miracle" of the century. Judging by research findings on this hormone of the pineal gland, it just may be. Benefits range from its use as a gentle, effective sleeping aid to future birth control pills with no adverse side effects.(1) That is more than can be said about any medication.

The Pineal Gland & Melatonin

Scientists once thought of the pineal gland as the "appendix of the brain," having little use in the neuroendocrine system. Then in the 1960s and 1970s, scientists such as Dr. Reiter began to unravel its mystery as the "biological clock" of the body.(2)

The Hindus referred to the pineal gland as the body's "third eye." Interestingly, it is a light-sensitive vestigial remnant of what actually was a third eye in lower animals.(3,4) Situated deep within the brain and connected by a direct pathway to the eyes, the pea-sized pineal gland controls our sleep/wake cycle, which scientists refer to as circadian rhythm.(4) It secretes almost undetectable amounts of the hormone melatonin in response to periods of light and darkness. The pineal gland produces melatonin only during darkness, while production is suppressed by bright light.(2,3,5)

Melatonin establishes the biological rhythm of every cell in the body. The presence of adequate amounts of melatonin induces sleep and may reduce anxiety, panic disorders and migraines.(5) Interruption of routine, such as shift work, jet lag, or even an erratic daily schedule can reduce Melatonin levels and de-synchronize the body's internal biological clock.

Melatonin production rises sharply from almost nothing at birth and peaks in late childhood, falling dramatically just before puberty and declining more gradually into old age.(6) This accounts for the increased incidence of insomnia among the elderly. Today, melatonin ranks as one of the most important hormones, possibly even the "master hormone" stimulating the release of a wide variety of other hormones from the pituitary gland.(2,4)

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BACKGROUND: Several clinical trials have reported an early reduction in breast cancer incidence in healthy women using tamoxifen to reduce their risk of breast cancer but have not reported longer follow-up data for the evaluation of breast cancer prevention. We report the blinded 20-year follow-up (median follow-up = 13 years) of the Royal Marsden trial to identify any long-term prevention of breast cancer associated with tamoxifen treatment. METHODS: We randomly assigned 2494 healthy women to oral tamoxifen (20 mg/day) or placebo for 8 years. The primary outcome was occurrence of invasive breast cancer. A secondary planned analysis of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive invasive breast cancer was also done. Survival was assessed by use of a Cox proportional hazards model in both univariate and multivariable analyses. The durability of the treatment effect was assessed by use of a Cox regression analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Among the 2471 eligible participants (1238 participants in the tamoxifen arm and 1233 participants in the placebo arm), 186 developed invasive breast cancer (82 on tamoxifen and 104 on placebo; hazard ratio


= 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.58 to 1.04; P = .1). Of these 186 cancers, 139 were ER positive (53 on tamoxifen and 86 on placebo; HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.43 to 0.86; P = .005). The risk of ER-positive breast cancer was not statistically significantly lower in the tamoxifen arm than in the placebo arm during the 8-year treatment period (30 cancers in the tamoxifen arm and 39 in the placebo arm; HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.48 to 1.23; P = .3) but was statistically significantly lower in the posttreatment period (23 in the tamoxifen arm and 47 in the placebo arm; HR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.29 to 0.79; P = .004). Fifty-four participants in each arm have died from any cause (HR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.68 to 1.44; P = .95). The adverse event profiles for both arms were similar to those previously reported and occurred predominantly during the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant reduction in the incidence of ER-positive breast cancer was observed in the tamoxifen arm that occurred predominantly during the post treatment follow-up, indicating long-term prevention of estrogen-dependent breast cancer by tamoxifen.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...l=pubmed_docsum

Late stage hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is presently incurable. Novel alternatives such as cytoreductive Gene Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy (GDEPT) offer great hope: The potential for in situ amplification of cytotoxicity due to GDEPT-associated "bystander effects" has special appeal for patients with prostate cancer, the prostate being dispensable. In this overview, recent developments in various GDEPT systems for treating prostate cancer are described. Research related to the enhancement of in situ GDEPT delivery and prostate cancer-targeting of viral vectors, is reviewed. The scope and progress of synergies between GDEPT and other treatment modalities, traditional and alternate, are discussed.

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BACKGROUND: Several clinical trials have reported an early reduction in breast cancer incidence in healthy women using tamoxifen to reduce their risk of breast cancer but have not reported longer follow-up data for the evaluation of breast cancer prevention. We report the blinded 20-year follow-up (median follow-up = 13 years) of the Royal Marsden trial to identify any long-term prevention of breast cancer associated with tamoxifen treatment. METHODS: We randomly assigned 2494 healthy women to oral tamoxifen (20 mg/day) or placebo for 8 years. The primary outcome was occurrence of invasive breast cancer. A secondary planned analysis of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive invasive breast cancer was also done. Survival was assessed by use of a Cox proportional hazards model in both univariate and multivariable analyses. The durability of the treatment effect was assessed by use of a Cox regression analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Among the 2471 eligible participants (1238 participants in the tamoxifen arm and 1233 participants in the placebo arm), 186 developed invasive breast cancer (82 on tamoxifen and 104 on placebo; hazard ratio
= 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.58 to 1.04; P = .1). Of these 186 cancers, 139 were ER positive (53 on tamoxifen and 86 on placebo; HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.43 to 0.86; P = .005). The risk of ER-positive breast cancer was not statistically significantly lower in the tamoxifen arm than in the placebo arm during the 8-year treatment period (30 cancers in the tamoxifen arm and 39 in the placebo arm; HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.48 to 1.23; P = .3) but was statistically significantly lower in the posttreatment period (23 in the tamoxifen arm and 47 in the placebo arm; HR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.29 to 0.79; P = .004). Fifty-four participants in each arm have died from any cause (HR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.68 to 1.44; P = .95). The adverse event profiles for both arms were similar to those previously reported and occurred predominantly during the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant reduction in the incidence of ER-positive breast cancer was observed in the tamoxifen arm that occurred predominantly during the post treatment follow-up, indicating long-term prevention of estrogen-dependent breast cancer by tamoxifen.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...l=pubmed_docsum

Late stage hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is presently incurable. Novel alternatives such as cytoreductive Gene Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy (GDEPT) offer great hope: The potential for in situ amplification of cytotoxicity due to GDEPT-associated "bystander effects" has special appeal for patients with prostate cancer, the prostate being dispensable. In this overview, recent developments in various GDEPT systems for treating prostate cancer are described. Research related to the enhancement of in situ GDEPT delivery and prostate cancer-targeting of viral vectors, is reviewed. The scope and progress of synergies between GDEPT and other treatment modalities, traditional and alternate, are discussed.

:unsure:

I have a question here.... those women who are participating in those tests.... are they aware that they are being given a placebo???????

I'm sure that in their emotional state of fear and desperation they assume that they are taking the latest new hope drug... and are testing that... not playing Russian Roulette with suger pills !!!!

:angry: I have noticed that a lot in so called statistical research....!!! people are taking what they think is life saving medication... are putting their lives at risk.. for the pesky drug companies... researchers... and are given bogus medicine!!!!

Those participants should be given.. rewards... more than a purple cross for valour beyond the call of duty on behalf of the human race... and valiantly rewarded for it!!!!!!

sorry every time I read about the research done on behalf of scientists.. drug companies... and think of those individuals... their lives... their hopefull families...... :o

They have huge outcries for animal testing... what about all those innocent hurting people... who put their faith on those who dispense those 'life saving'.. life improving... cures... only to find out that they are just labrats!!!!!!!!!

Sorry just had to let off steam.... I'm sure you're not involved in this inhumane arrogant treatment....

eg the article above... stating all those lives played with... all those numbers are trusting ... hopefull individuals !!!!!

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I have a question here.... those women who are participating in those tests.... are they aware that they are being given a placebo???????

I'm sure that in their emotional state of fear and desperation they assume that they are taking the latest new hope drug... and are testing that... not playing Russian Roulette with suger pills !!!!

I have noticed that a lot in so called statistical research....!!! people are taking what they think is life saving medication... are putting their lives at risk.. for the pesky drug companies... researchers... and are given bogus medicine!!!!

Those participants should be given.. rewards... more than a purple cross for valour beyond the call of duty on behalf of the human race... and valiantly rewarded for it!!!!!!

sorry every time I read about the research done on behalf of scientists.. drug companies... and think of those individuals... their lives... their hopefull families......

They have huge outcries for animal testing... what about all those innocent hurting people... who put their faith on those who dispense those 'life saving'.. life improving... cures... only to find out that they are just labrats!!!!!!!!!

Sorry just had to let off steam.... I'm sure you're not involved in this inhumane arrogant treatment....

eg the article above... stating all those lives played with... all those numbers are trusting ... hopefull individuals !!!!!

Do you think the ethics have not been discussed? They have. Placebo can actually be life saving as they DO help. How do you know the new drug won't cause some severe side-effect?

the ethics have been discussed, but I do see your point.

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Do you think the ethics have not been discussed? They have. Placebo can actually be life saving as they DO help. How do you know the new drug won't cause some severe side-effect?

the ethics have been discussed, but I do see your point.

the ethics have been discussed with whom??? ... not with most of the participants... as most likely they are only in it for a last ditch hope for a cure... I know I would... I would be so annoyed to find that the supposed stress I'd be under finding that the new drug I'd pinned my hopes on wasn't working because they were suger pills or ssomething worse... some aluminium based vaccination I'd heard of that the gave people as the placebo for Guardasil... and Meningococcal vaccinations... I'd gather too that those under trials would be forbidden from taking any alternative medicine too as it may affect the results... so they'd be experiencing a double whammy!! giving their lives for research....

http://www.909shot.com/PressReleases/pr62706gardasil.htm

The FDA allowed Merck to use a potentially reactive aluminum containing placebo as a control for most trial participants, rather than a non-reactive saline solution placebo.[1] A reactive placebo can artificially increase the appearance of safety of an experimental drug or vaccine in a clinical trial. Gardasil contains 225 mcg of aluminum and, although aluminum adjuvants have been used in vaccines for decades, they were never tested for safety in clinical trials. Merck and the FDA did not disclose how much aluminum was in the placebo.[2]

Danger of Gardasil for Cervical Cancer Vaccinations

http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/TMIW_can...accination.html

http://vaccineawakening.blogspot.com/2007/...port-merck.html

" The National Vaccine Information Center yesterday warned state officials to investigate the safety of a breakthrough cancer vaccine as Texas became the first state to make the vaccine mandatory for school-age girls. Negative side effects of GARDASIL, a new Merck vaccine to prevent the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer, are being reported in the District of Columbia and 20 states, including Virginia. The reactions range from loss of consciousness to seizures. "Young girls are experiencing severe headaches, dizziness, temporary loss of vision and some girls have lost consciousness during what appear to be seizures," said Vicky Debold, health policy analyst for the National Vaccine Information Center, a nonprofit watchdog organization that was created in the early 1980s to prevent vaccine injuries." - Gregory Lopes, The Washington Times, Feb. 3, 2007

http://www.aapsonline.org/nod/newsofday220.php

http://www.jrussellshealth.com/placebo.html

Vaccination is built around a "belief" system, and challenging the validity of vaccines challenges long-held foundational beliefs. However, beliefs are based on faith not facts. With only a cursory review of the literature and CDC documents, one will find the following facts:

* No vaccine has ever been proven to be completely safe. Safety studies are small and only include "healthy" children. However, after a study is completed, vaccines are given to ALL children, regardless of underlying health conditions or genetic predispositions. Our national vaccine policy does not allow for personal choice or individualized options, and it has caused a myriad of health problems for many.

* Observations for side effects continue for a maximum of 14 days during a "safety" study, but complex problems involving the immune system can take weeks or even months to appear.

* A vaccine "safety" study is designed to compare a new vaccine to a "placebo," but when we examine the study more closely we discover that the "placebo" is NOT a benign, inert substance, such as saline or water. The "placebo" is another vaccine with a "known safety profile, so if the new vaccine has the same side effects as the "placebo," the vaccine is considered to be "safe." We want to "believe" that a vaccine will protect us from infection, but several medical journal articles document that this is not necessarily so. Editor's note: There are 7 studies listed to support this statement.

Researching vaccinations and the vaccine industry will seriously change your "beliefs" in vaccines.

{"The belief in vaccines," by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny (nationally renowned and respected vaccine expert), New Awareness Seminars as cited in mercola.com, Aug. 2004}

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B) A question for you scientists.... will Seratonin uptake inhibitors prevent... or lower the production of Melatonin????

Melatonin is a hormone manufactured from serotonin and secreted by the pineal gland, which is a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain. As people age, sometimes the pineal gland will calcify, causing a decrease in melatonin production. It is made from the amino acid tryptophan. Your body needs B vitamins to convert melatonin from tryptophan. If you do not get enough B vitamins your body could be deficient in melatonin. At menopause there is a decline in melatonin production. Melatonin influences sleep, mood, the stress response, immune function, and even helps to prevent cancer.

http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/yourhealth...2221811.html%22

http://www.springerlink.com/content/r47518675jw057j0/

:tu: Interesting!!!! The Appenix produces melatonin!!!! I had always heard that they were a useless organ... used originally for digesting grass!!!!!..eg as a cow supposedly has a huge one!!!!!

"The concentration of melatonin in the gastrointestinal tissues surpasses blood levels by 10–100 times and there is at least 400× more melatonin in the gastrointestinal tract than in the pineal gland."

The human appendix was the first site outside the pineal where the occurrence of melatonin could be demonstrated (Raikhlin et al: “Melatonin may be synthesized in enterochromaffin cells.” Nature [Lond.] 1975,255:344-5.) The biosynthesis of melatonin was demonstrated in the gut the following year ( Quay & Ma: “Demonstration of gastrointestinal HIOMT.” Int. Rep. Clin. Sci. Med. Sci. Lib. Compend. 1976, 4: 563.) Melatonin is widely available as an individual food supplement.

The Melatonin content of the appendix and the pineal gland is a clue to what both of those organs were for. I say were because they are both disappearing. Melatonin controls the 'circadian rhythm,' the body clock. All of the sleeping pills will cause more problems as it helps with insomnia. Naturally occuring Melatonin is needed to for the body to recognize a hormone as a hormone. That gets into the production of growth hormones for chicken and cows and the growth of people.

Children's bodies have much more Melatonin than an adult and children eat that much more. That is one of the obesity problems. The children's bodies recognize the growth hormone in the chicken and steak they eat and body utilizes everything you eat. They say, 'You are what you eat.' Just think, you could be a prize winning hefer with a shiny coat and wiegh 1500 pounds!

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http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2005/08/09.html

:geek: this is interesting.....

"Until recently, researchers thought melatonin was secreted only by the pineal gland. Since it was synthesized within and secreted by a gland, it became known as a hormone. Scientists have also speculated that melatonin was only secreted at night and primarily to induce sleep, and that artificial light could reduce the amount of melatonin secreted by the pineal gland. Since then, we've learned a lot more about the powers of melatonin. Yes, it's confirmed: The pineal gland is a major source of melatonin, which does indeed induce sleep. And yes, when the eyes take in artificial light, sleep is somewhat inhibited.

About 30 years ago we discovered that the appendix also generously synthesizes and secretes melatonin, which suggested that appendectomies might reduce melatonin levels. We've since found out that melatonin is also produced by the intestines, the fundus of the stomach, the testes, the spinal cord, the raphe nuclei of the brain stem, and the striatum areas of the brain. We now also understand that a significant amount of melatonin is synthesized within the body cells. Many of these melatonin molecules do not even leave their cells of origin, but instead remain inside them to protect them from being damaged by oxygen and nitrogen radicals and other toxicants.

You might even call melatonin a "double whammy" protector. After it neutralizes damaging reactive species, the metabolites that are produced in the process are even more effective at protecting the cells than the original melatonin molecules. In general, melatonin seems especially protective of DNA inside the nuclei and mitochondria. It also protects cell-membrane lipids and cytosol-contained proteins.

Personally, I believe every cell in our body contains some melatonin, whether it was produced in that cell or, less likely, entered through extracellular body fluids. Yet there are also other sites in the body with high levels of melatonin. The level of melatonin in the bile of the liver and gallbladder exceeds that of the blood and bone marrow. And the level of melatonin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is much higher than that of the blood. In the CSF, melatonin is greatest in and around the third ventricle of the brain, probably because of the pineal-gland secretions. CSF melatonin levels are also greater at night, as is the pineal gland's production of melatonin. It's also interesting to note that the fluid in the Graafian follicle is higher than the blood level of melatonin.

Now let's look at some of the positive effects melatonin offers in specific dis-ease processes. Probably most important at this time is the fact that melatonin reduces degenerative activities in the brain, spinal cord and spinal nerve roots. Degeneration of these nerve tissues and cells often occur from the effects of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, as well as excessive or prolonged inflammation.

Beta amyloid peptides (BAP) are metabolic byproducts of the degradation of amyloid precursor proteins (APP). When these proteins (which are normally part of cell membranes) are metabolized as they wear out and lose their functional abilities, they break down into BAP. When these peptides aren't effectively cleared away by the natural flushing of CranioSacral Therapy (CST) or other fluid-moving techniques, they can form plaques and tangles that cause neuronal dysfunction and death. The result? Increased tissue inflammation that leads to cerebral and/or spinal cord degeneration. The name of any resulting disease depends on the location of the degeneration. When it takes place in the hippocampus and cerebral forebrain, it's called Alzheimer's disease. When it takes place in the lower aspect of the brain (the substantia nigra), it's called Parkinson's disease.

Melatonin helps by neutralizing BAP to keep the peptides from forming disease-producing plaques and tangles. It also removes metals that may be involved in the plaques and tangles. These metals include cobalt (often found at higher levels with Alzheimer's disease) and aluminum. Occasionally, high levels of iron may damage the brain or spinal cord, while excessive copper may affect the central nervous system (CNS) in a similar way. Melatonin removes excess iron and copper as needed.

On the opposite side of the fence, melatonin may link up with zinc. This combination seems to enhance thymus-gland function and the whole immune system secondarily. When CNS neurons have been damaged, melatonin also promotes the production of neuronal growth factor, which may help reestablish neuronal circuits that have been injured or interrupted. (I have also had success dialoging with stem cells and getting them to replace damaged or dead neurons as needed.)

Other conditions I believe to be helped by melatonin: stroke damage; damage due to ionizing radiation; diabetic neuropathy; heavy-metal toxicities; non-metallic toxicities; viral infections; seizures; excitotoxicities; homocysteine damage; ischemic damage; reperfusion injury; degenerative CNS diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, senility and so on.

http://www.annalsnyas.org/cgi/content/abstract/1035/1/216

Edited by crystal sage
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  • 2 weeks later...

... magic mushrooms spurred the evolution of the mind??? aka McKenna

http://users.lycaeum.org/~sputnik/McKenna/Evolution/

http://www.geocities.com/iona_m/Neurotheol...ttachments.html

http://terencemckenna.tribe.net/thread/2d9...b5-6d7a7f3883c0

"The great religious holy days of all faiths tend to cluster around the times of the solstices and equinoxes. Is it possible that the human pineal gland responds to these alterations in length of daylight? Changing the balance of neurohumors in the brain may perhaps effect a greater incidence of psychedelic states in certain susceptible individuals just at these crucial times. This possibility provides an entirely new potential dimension to our secular understanding of the religious experience.

The pineal gland has thus been referred to as a kind of biological clock, one which acts as a kind of coupling system; perhaps maintaining phase relations within a multi-oscillator system; a phase coordinator for multiple bio-rhythms. The pineal is a "cosmic eye;" it is aware of celestial rhythm. It "tunes" our biochemistry to those subtle rhythms not observed by the normal eye, like seasonal and lunar changes rather than daily ones. Serotonin can be seen as the "intensity knob" of the brain. As the level of serotonin increases, so does the level of activation of the cortex.

Strong suspicion has fallen now on serotonin as being one of the principle agents of the psychedelic experience. Studies now reveal that LSD-25 strikes like a chemical guerrilla, entering into receptor granules in the brain cells swiftly, and then leaving after a very short time, perhaps ten to twenty minutes (in animals). When the bulk of LSD-25 has left the receptor granules, it is replaced by what seems to be excessive, or super-normal amounts of serotonin. The LSD-25 creates what is called a "bouncing effect," like a spring pushed too tight. When the LSD-25 leaves the system, the serotonin springs back and overcompensates."

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  • 3 weeks later...

Lack of appendix can make one prone to depression? That explains a lot, thanks for all the information ^_^

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