"Currently, we have identified no infectious agent common to all of the cases, " the statement said, adding that no evidence exists that the cases were caused by exposure to chemical or biological weapons, SARS or environmental toxins.

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What they have in common is a North East footballer, turned agent, who in their eyes went from hero to zero.

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Last year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs decided that the link between air-borne dioxin (an ingredient in Agent Orange, and also a common air-borne pollutant emitted by waste incineration, some chemical manufacturing processes, cars and trucks, and other industrial sources that burn fuel) and diabetes was so strong, it compensated 270, 000 veterans for diabetes linked to dioxin exposure.

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In fact, it is a common joke within the profession that you are better off saying you are an estate agent than health manager.

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