Here's the agenda for the conference I'm attending, as well as the abstract for the 'poster' presentation I'm doing. My poster is gonna be big, with 2 real, live, Sunny Yellow Flags attached to the top to get attention! ******************** The general outline of the conference is as follows: The Role of the Environment in Parkinson's Disease National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Sunday 9/17 Posters from speakers and others (including me!) Monday 9/18 Welcome - Annet Kirschner Chairman's Opening Remarks - Doyle Graham (will stress that primary focus is on possible contribution of the etiology of the disease) Overview Two Perspectives on Epidemiological Studies in PD: Convergent and Divergent Views - Jay Gorell and Caroline Tanner The Role of Pesticides and Herbicides in PD - Karen Semchuck Environmental Toxicants as Models for PD: The MPTP Experience - William Langston Reassessing a Genetic Role in PD - Duvoisin, Rutgers Panel Discussion: Exogenous and Genetic Factors of PD (Panelistst will discuss points of controversy in each of the areas raised by the presenters) - Christine Johnson and Lorene Nelson Neurotoxic Models of Cell Injury in PD - Donato A. DiMonte Dopamanergic Neurotoxicity: Chemical and Biological Requirements - Neal Castagnoli Jr. Neuromelanin and Transitional Metals - Tom Montine Organochlorine Pesticides in Pd - Juan R. Sanchez-Ramos Carbolinium Derivatives: Environmental/Endogenous Toxicants? - Michael Collins Panel Discussion: Neurotoxins and Mechanisms of Neuronal Injury - Gerald Cohen, Larry Sayre, William Nicklas, Lucio Costa Tuesday 9/19 Molecular and Biochemical Changes in Tissues of PD Patients - Anthony H.V. Schapira Genetic Risk Factors in PD - Stephen Fink Heavy metals in the Brain - Warren Olanow Potential Biomarkerks in the Cerebrospinal Fluid for the Early Detection of PD - Greg Gerhardt Inclusion Bodies in Humaan and Experimental Parkinsonism - Lysia S. Forno Preclinical Detection of Pd with PET - Donald Caine The DATATOP Experience - Carl Kieburtz Panel Discussion - Role of the Environment in PD Research Needs (Based on previous discussion, identify those areas most ripe for further investigation) - Doyle Graham, Leonard Kurland, Peter S. Spencer, Dan Perl ***************************** So that's it for that! My poster will be on Correlatiion of Scientific Researc Data with that Available on the Internet. Here's my abstract: ABSTRACT AN ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE RESEARCH: INTEGRATING THE USE OF ON-LINE RESOURCES FOR THE CORRELATION OFSCIENTIFIC RESEARCH DATA Parkinsons Disease is generally considered to be a relentlessly progressive disease of the nervous system, which ultimately results in physical debilitation and dependence for the victim. The majority of Parkinson's related treatment and research focusses on symptomatic relief, via drug therapies, fetal transplants, genetic therapy, pallidotomies, etc. In the past, this sort of focus was both prudent and sufficient, allowing victims, primarily in their senior years, to live out those years as actively as possible. As the median age of the onset of PD decreases, as will be contended later, the focus of PD research should adjust accordingly, with greater emphasis being put on addressing the root causes of PD, its prevention, and methods to slow or even halt its progression. Not only would this proactive vs reactive approach possibly eliminate much human suffering, it provides a cost benefit to society, especially considering the decades over which PD's many younger victims may require specialized medical care and disability benefits, not to mention loss of income. A common denominator affecting the understanding of disease causes, prevention, and progression, and which itself demands further inquiry, is the role of environmental factors. There is a growing awareness that the toxic byproducts of human activity are not only adversely affecting wildlife and a remote, external nature, but that they are also affecting human health and quality of life. It is imperative that this possible link between environmental factors, particularly with regards to human generated toxins, and any subsequent health effects be addressed. While the issues involved are complex, as well as are any solutions, should these factors be shown to play a role in disease processes, to ignore them is folly. Regardless of the theorized genetic susceptibilities of the victims, either to the disease itself or to the toxin(s), concentration solely on the aspect of fixing the deficient victim, especially after he/she is already incapacitated, rather than fixing a deficient and possibly toxic environment, does not represent a cure, but rather a band-aid, masking rather than resolving the underlying problem, which remains to exert its negative influence. It may well be determined that there are as many causes as there are victims, but nevertheless, it is proposed here that exposure over time to an abundance of varied and potentially toxic man-made chemicals eventually has a cumulative and synergistic effect on living organisms, often leading to devastating health problems such as Parkinsons Disease. In keeping with the theme of a new environmental focus for PD research is the related idea of the incorporation of the 'newest' available resources into the search for answers to these complex issues. Just as the questions and the solutions surrounding the proposed role of the environment in the etiology of disease are inherently complex due to their relationship to almost all areas of modern civilization, the only comprehensive way to understand all aspects of this role is to make use of the wealth of existing information created by this infrastructure to correlate the data generated by standard scientific research methology. This information is readily and abundantly available via on-line resources, in the form of searchable: Databases, Archives, Journals, Newspapers, Magazines, Books, News Services, Bulletin Boards and ListServ (e-mail) discussion groups dedicated to specific topics, e.g., Parkinsons. Information in the forms listed above is provided by sources ranging from government institutions such as: NLM, NIH, EPA, ATDSR, NIEHS, FDA, NCHS, OSHA, etc.; to other organizations/sources such as: Universities, Hospitals, World Health Organization, Pharmaceutical/Chemical Companies and Organizations, AMA and other Medical/Specialty Organizations, Environmental/Pesticide/Agricultural Organizations, National Disease-Specific Organizations, Television Networks, ad infinitum. This presentation will demonstrate some of these resources, give examples of some of the actual data found, and how this data can be used to correlate scientific research data. An argument for the role of the environment in the etiology of PD will be explored using this set of data. It will also be pointed out that use of these already existing resources of information has benefit in that it is cost-effective, facilitates the exchange of information across many seemingly disparate yet interrelated perspectives, prevents duplication of information, and minimizes the need for the use of animals in research. ******** So, that's enough info for now I'm sure! Wendy Tebay