Charred Meat: Delicious, But May Increase Pancreatic Cancer Risk, Says Research Study

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto/David Cannings-Bushell.

DENVER - Meat cooked at high temperatures to the point of burning and charring may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009.

“Cooking in this way can form carcinogens, which do not form when meat is baked or stewed,” said Kristin Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, Minn.

“The findings were linked to the consumption of well and very well done meats cooked by frying, grilling or barbecuing,” she added.

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$750 Million to the National Parks Creating Jobs in a Variety of Fields

At the Dinosaur National Monument and Quarry, visitors can watch paleontologists remove fossils in a three-story glass building attached to a mountain, according to Dinosaurland KAO, Vernal, UT. Photo courtesy of Dinosaurland KAO.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congress has directed $750 million toward national park infrastructures projects through the Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C..

“Investments in national park infrastructure will help to improve safety and public access; restore our national heritage; and bring immediate economic benefits—including thousands of new jobs in rural and urban communities nationwide,” said Karen Hevel-Mingo, Southwest regional program manager of the National Parks Conservation Association, Washington, D.C.

Nearly 800 projects are planned, which the National Parks Service, Washington, D.C., plans to use to create jobs in areas including: construction, deferred maintenance, energy efficiency equipment replacement, trails maintenance, abandoned mine lands safety projects, and road maintenance.

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Clean Air Act Violations Force Shut Down of Sulfuric Acid Plant, Cos. Pay 2M Penalty

Graphic by Speedysigns.com

WASHINGTON,D.C.- DuPont and Lucite International, Inc. have agreed to pay a $2 million civil penalty to settle Clean Air Act violations at a sulfuric acid plant in Belle, W. Va., according to a joint announcement made today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the state of West Virginia.

The sulfuric acid plant is located on a 100-acre chemical manufacturing complex along the Kanawha River. The plant is owned by Lucite and operated by DuPont. The companies will pay $1 million to the United States and $1 million to the state of West Virginia.

In addition, the companies chose, on their own, to shut down the sulfuric-acid manufacturing unit of a larger chemical facility at the site. The settlement confirms the agreement that the sulfuric acid unit is scheduled to shut down by April 1, 2010.

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Broccoli Battles Stomach Cancer Causing Bacteria, Says Research Study

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Former President George H. W. Bush became famous for his dislike of eating broccoli. Those that agree with him might want to rethink that position.

Image Courtesy of SugarShakes.

The American Institute for Cancer Research has just completed a study showing that eating a healthy portion of broccoli regularly can suppress a bacteria known to be a contributing cause of ulcers, gastritis, and stomach cancer.

The bacteria is Helicobacter pylori. Broccoli and its sprouts are rich in sulforaphane, a compound known by researchers to be a potent antibiotic against the bacteria.

A team of AICR-funded researchers in Japan and at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, randomly assigned 48 patients infected with H. pylori to eat a daily dose of broccoli sprouts or alfalfa. The broccoli sprouts delivered the same amount of sulforaphane as about two to three servings of broccoli. Alfalfa does not contain sulforaphane.

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Obama Signs Multifaceted Legislation Covering Land, Water, and Paralysis

Little River Canyon National Preserve will benefit. Photo Courtesy of National Parks Traveler.

WASHINGTON, D.C.- President Barack Obama has signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009, incorporating 150 bills that cover legislative matters including: designating 2 million acres of new wilderness areas, authorizing the various Bureau of Reclamation water projects and water settlements, and creating The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act.

Among the president’s remarks at the signing of the bill, he said, “This landmark bill will protect millions of acres of Federal land as wilderness, protect more than 1,000 miles of river through the National Wilderness and Scenic River System, and designate thousands of miles of trails for the National Trails System.

“This legislation also makes progress for which millions of Americans have long waited on another front. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act is the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis.”

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