Wellnews by Scott LaFee

It's not time to toss the mascara and blush, but a new study out of Brown University suggests that even very low concentrations of a chemical commonly used in cosmetics hinders brain development — in tadpoles.

The chemical is called methylisothiazolinone or MIT. It's used as a preservative and biocide in personal care products, from cosmetics to shampoos, and it is considered to be safe in humans in concentrations of less than 100 parts per million. However, lab studies have found that lower concentrations affect the growth of model animal neurons.

"The lower concentrations we studied didn't kill the animals or cause any big deformities or affect the behavior you'd see just by looking at them," says Carlos Aizenman, an associate professor of neuroscience at Brown and the study's senior author.

"But then we decided to do a series of functional tests and we found that exposure to this compound during a period of development that's critical for the fine wiring of the nervous system disrupted this period of fine tuning."

Aizenman and colleagues found that tadpoles exposed to different concentrations of MIT displayed varying deficits in behavior and basic brain development. The changes weren't lethal, but they were measurable.

Aizenman said there's no evidence that the same thing happens in humans, but that the findings merit further investigation.

And maybe wearing less make-up.

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

On average, a person can hold their breath for about one minute. The world's record is 19 minutes and 21 seconds, held by Peter Colat, a Swiss free diver. (He prepared by first inhaling pure oxygen for 10 minutes, saturating his body.)

LIFE IN BIG MACS

One hour of planting trees burns 306 calories (based on a 150-pound person) or the equivalent of 0.4 Big Macs.

COUNTS

0 — Number of documented cases of polio in the last 12 months in India, marking a milestone in that country's efforts to eradicate the disease, which claimed more than 100,000 victims annually just a few years ago

Source: World Health Organization

STORIES FOR THE WAITING ROOM

"Bath salts" is a euphemism for an illicit recreational drug similar to meth or cocaine.

Normally, it's snorted or smoked, but a 34-year-old New Orleans woman at a party recently thought a faster way to a high would be to directly inject the synthetic substance.

Two days after the party, she went to a local hospital complaining of a painful, swollen arm. Doctors diagnosed a skin infection and prescribed intravenous antibiotics. There was temporary improvement, but two days later, the swelling returned. That's when the woman informed doctors of her illegal drug injection.

When they cut open the arm to investigate, they discovered a raging infection and rapidly increasing dead muscle caused by a flesh-eating bacterium. The more they cut, the more dead tissue they found. Ultimately, they were forced to amputate the woman's entire right arm and shoulder, and perform a radical mastectomy to save her life.

DOC TALK

Capillary refill — When a fingernail is pressed, the nail bed turns white. Capillary refill refers to the return of blood to the nail bed, giving it a pinkish color. A good "cap refill time" is 2 seconds or less.

PHOBIA OF THE WEEK

Apotemnophobia — fear of persons with amputations

NEVER SAY DIET

The world's speed-eating record for a whole turkey is 4 pounds, 12.8 ounces of roasted meat in 12 minutes, held by Patrick Bertoletti.

BEST MEDICINE

Two travelers were comparing notes.

Traveler No. 1: I visited the Amazonian rainforest this past summer. Before leaving, I asked my doctor how I could avoid getting any diseases from biting insects.

Traveler No. 2: What did he advise?

Traveler No. 1: He told me not to bite any.

OBSERVATION

"Always look on the bright side. You can't see anything in the dark."

— Anonymous

CURTAIN CALLS

In 1982, a 30-year-old golfer named George M. Prior died in Arlington, Va., from a severe allergic reaction to Daconil, a fungicide used on the course he frequented. Prior, he unwittingly ingested a toxic amount of the substance through his habit of carrying his ball tee in his mouth when playing.

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM