• Harry Reid,  Rod Blagojevich,  Roland Burris

    Roland Burris FINALLY Certified and Will Assume Obama’s Senate Seat

    +++++Update+++++

     Roland Burris to be sworn in on Thursday

    Roland Burris jan 7 2009

    Roland Burris, D-Illinois will replace President-Elect Barack Obama in the United States Senate, January 7, 2009

    According to Fox News, Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Democrat Senate Caucus have agreed to seat Roland Burris as Barack Obama’s replacement in the United States Senate.

    Apparently, the Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White who previously refused to sign the certification of Burris’ appointment has indeed signed a second piece of paper essentially doing the same thing. Harry Reid, et. al. have agreed to accept this along with a letter from Governor Hot Rod Blagojevich appointing Burris.

    Roland Burris who is currently in Cihicago will soon leave for Washington to assume his duties as a United States Senator from Illinois.

    Did Harry Reid REALLY have any other option?

    Chalk up a victory for Hot Rod as Harry Reid licks his political wounds.

    Now, the Illinois GOP should begin immediately to recruit an excellent candidate to run against Burris in 2010.

    Update:

    Ambinder has the joint Reid-Durbin statement regarding Roland Burris with hysterical annotations.

    Previous:

    When Will Harry Reid Capitulate and Seat Roland Burris In Obama’s Senate Seat? How About Tomorrow?


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  • Dentistry

    New Australian Study Links Alcohol Containing Mouthwashes and Oral Cancer

    Cross Posted from Flap’s Dentistry Blog

    listerine

    A new study appearing in the December edition of the Journal of the Australian Dental Association finds: “sufficient evidence” that “alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer.”

    Leading independent experts have issued this strong warning after investigating latest scientific evidence linking alcohol-containing mouthwashes to the deadly disease.

    Their review, published in the Dental Journal of Australia, concludes there is now “sufficient evidence” that “alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer”.

    The ethanol in mouthwash is thought to allow cancer-causing substances to permeate the lining of the mouth more easily and cause harm.

    Acetaldehyde, a toxic by-product of alcohol that may accumulate in the oral cavity when swished around the mouth, is also believed to be carcinogenic.

    Listerine, the nation’s biggest-selling mouthwash and a brand endorsed by the Australian Dental Association (ADA), contains as much as 26 per cent alcohol.

    The abstract and link to the piece (yes, you have to pay for it) is here.

    The role of alcohol in oral carcinogenesis with particular reference to alcohol-containing mouthwashes

    MJ McCullough*, CS Farah†

      *Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne, Victoria.
      †School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Queensland.
    Correspondence to Michael McCullough
    Associate Professor
    Oral Medicine
    Melbourne Dental School
    The University of Melbourne
    720 Swanston Street
    Melbourne, Victoria 3010
    Email: m.mccullough@unimelb.edu.au

    Worldwide, oral cancer represents approximately 5 per cent of all malignant lesions, with over 800 new intra-oral squamous cell carcinomas registered in Australia each year. Despite recent advances in therapy, the five-year survival rate remains around 50 per cent and the sequelae of treatment can be seriously debilitating. It has been long established that smoking and alcohol consumption are risk factors linked to the development of oral cancer. This review assesses the epidemiological evidence, supportive in vitro studies and mechanism by which alcohol is involved in the development of oral cancer. Further, we review the literature that associates alcohol-containing mouthwashes and oral cancer. On the basis of this review, we believe that there is now sufficient evidence to accept the proposition that alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer and further feel that it is inadvisable for oral healthcare professionals to recommend the long-term use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes.


    (Accepted for publication 30 March 2008.)

    There are older studies that say that there is no correlation between oral cancer and alcohol-based mouthwashes, including a 2003 study in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

    Cole P, Rodu B, Mathisen A.

    Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294-0022, USA. pcole@uab.edu

    BACKGROUND: There has been concern that the use of alcohol-containing mouthwash may increase the risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer, or OPC. The authors examine the epidemiologic literature relating to this issue. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: The authors identified all nine English-language epidemiologic studies of OPC that made reference to mouthwash. The findings and major strengths and limitations of each study are described. In addition, the authors reanalyzed data from one of the studies. RESULTS: The results of six of the studies reviewed are negative and provide no support for the hypothesis that use of alcohol-containing mouthwash increases the risk of OPC. One of the three studies with positive results was a case series and included a follow-up case-control study, the results of which were negative. The authors reanalyzed the study with the most positive results. This analysis found that the study results were just as positive for nonmucosal cancers developing in the mouth as they were for the usual type of OPC. The authors concluded that this study’s positive finding resulted from recall bias. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: It is unlikely that the use of mouthwashes that contain alcohol increases the risk of developing OPC.

    And, a 2004 paper here:

    Carretero Peláez MA, Esparza Gómez GC, Figuero Ruiz E, Cerero Lapiedra R.

    Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. mangelescarretero@hotmail.com

    For centuries, mouthwashes have been used in order to provide us with oral health or cosmetic benefits. Nowadays, in most countries, there is a variety of formulas available for the general public in the form of products which may require prescription or not. Alcohol is used in mouthwashes as a solvent of other ingredients and as a preservative of the preparation. For years, different formulas of mouthwashes have been used, however, the question about its alcohol content being a threat for health or not has recently appeared. The high quantity of alcohol in some mouthwashes combined with the fact that they keep in contact with the oral mucosa for much more time than alcoholic drinks, can make us think about a harmful effect from a local mechanism. Mouthrinses increase the time of the mucosa being in contact with alcohol and it has been proved that those with a high content of alcohol do cause hyperkerastosic lesions both in human beings and laboratory animals. At the moment and with the data we have, it has not been possible to establish a causal relationship between the use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes and the development of oral cancer. There is neither an evidence of the fact that alcohol increases the effects of antiplaque agents in mouthwashes.

    Flap does not know if the case has been made in the Australian study but will urge his patients to use caution and if they must use a mouthwash then use a non-alcohol based one.

    Flap will make the switch (Biotene makes a non-alcohol one) or use none at all – probably none at all. With proper dental hygiene (brushing and flossing) and regular professional care why bother and take a chance?


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  • Geoge Voinovich,  GOP,  John Bolton

    Ohio Republican George Voinovich to Retire – No Loss Here

    Voinovich Retirement

    Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, is seen in Lewis Center, Ohio. Voinovich is telling associates he intends to retire rather than run again in 2010, according to officials inside the party

    Flap has no use for the “RETIRING” George Voinovich and so it is no great loss to the Republican Party for him to retire.

    Ohio Republican George Voinovich is expected to announce Monday that he won’t seek reelection to the Senate in 2010.

    A two-term senator, former governor and Cleveland mayor, Voinovich has been a political fixture in his state for decades. But recent press reports from his home state have indicated the 72-year-old lawmaker is considering retirement, and a person close to him told Politico that the announcement will come Monday.

    Flap remembers the harsh treatment former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton received from Voinovich during his confirmation hearings.

    Rumor is that either Republican Budget Director Rob Portman or former Congressman John Kasich will make a run for the office. Both would make great Senators, unlike Voinovich.

    Good bye and good luck, Senator.

    Don’t let the door hit you on the ass as you leave.


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  • Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2009-01-12

    • Despite recent advances in therapy, the five-year survival rate remains around 50 per cent and the sequelae of treatment can be seriously debilitating. It has been long established that smoking and alcohol consumption are risk factors linked to the development of oral cancer. This review assesses the epidemiological evidence, supportive in vitro studies and mechanism by which alcohol is involved in the development of oral cancer. Further, we review the literature that associates alcohol-containing mouthwashes and oral cancer. On the basis of this review, we believe that there is now sufficient evidence to accept the proposition that alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer and further feel that it is inadvisable for oral healthcare professionals to recommend the long-term use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes.
    • Mouthrinses increase the time of the mucosa being in contact with alcohol and it has been proved that those with a high content of alcohol do cause hyperkerastosic lesions both in human beings and laboratory animals. At the moment and with the data we have, it has not been possible to establish a causal relationship between the use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes and the development of oral cancer. There is neither an evidence of the fact that alcohol increases the effects of antiplaque agents in mouthwashes.
    • BACKGROUND: There has been concern that the use of alcohol-containing mouthwash may increase the risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer, or OPC. The authors examine the epidemiologic literature relating to this issue.
    • Leading independent experts have issued this strong warning after investigating latest scientific evidence linking alcohol-containing mouthwashes to the deadly disease.

      Their review, published in the Dental Journal of Australia, concludes there is now “sufficient evidence'' that "alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer''.

      The ethanol in mouthwash is thought to allow cancer-causing substances to permeate the lining of the mouth more easily and cause harm.

      Acetaldehyde, a toxic by-product of alcohol that may accumulate in the oral cavity when swished around the mouth, is also believed to be carcinogenic.
      ++++++++
      There was an JADA (Journal American Dental Association) study a few years back that said the opposite. Needs further investigation.

    • Last fall, as Californians were waiting to vote for a new president and fill other offices, an election was held several thousand miles to the south, in Panama. Panamanians approved a multibillion-dollar expansion of the Panama Canal that by the middle of the next decade will allow the biggest container ships – those that have been forced to offload in California – to sail all the way to American ports on the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.

      What has been an economic strength for California, in other words, may join a growing list of weaknesses.

    • President Bush says he refused to "bail out my political party" by withdrawing troops "during the darkest days of Iraq," a decision now lauded by his father in an unprecedented joint interview of both presidents by Brit Hume on "FOX News Sunday."

      "During the darkest days of Iraq, people came to me and said, 'You're creating incredible political difficulties for us,'" the current president said as his term draws to a close. "And I said, 'Oh, really? What do you suggest I do?' And some suggested retreat, pull out of Iraq.