Hi, welcome to BYC!
You don't understand... if micro cuts are happening to parasites... they are happening to my birds and to me... I don't want our immune systems constantly working to repair the biggest organ in our bodies... the skin, allowing for bacteria to enter broken skin... when I have more effective means of control. Please understand... I don't consider inhaling ANY dust to actually be safe... anything going into your lungs could potentially start a growing chain reaction that turns into something like aspergillosis, staphylococcus aureus, pneumonia... or whatever. For that reason, I moved to a location with better air quality and LESS "dust".
Of course DE isn't effective in wet conditions.. so maybe the micro cuts aren't happening in the wet eyeballs or even the lungs and definitely NOT the intestines, it won't dehydrate any parasite inside the body which IS it's alleged mode of operation.. I'm pretty sure that I stated it wasn't the silica that causes MY personal issue with DE.
My gathering from the link YOU provided.. use sulfur to rid parasites... not DE. While DE along with other things DID reduce parasites in user hens the final statement in that very limited information indicates DE was the LEAST important of the things they tried...
QUOTE
"This is the first experimental study to show that bird dustbathing in naturally and widely available dust materials (particularly kaolin) can suppress ectoparasites and thus the behaviour is probably adaptive."
That's awesome that you took the time to let someone know you felt they were misinformed... especially when their information is being read by the masses!
An opinion is just that... though I do love science! I still consider DE to be ineffective in MANY environments, over rated, over used... false sense of security... with POSSIBLE toxic side effects. Please note that the word toxic is very misunderstood and subjective... something that causes head ache or tummy ache... even though it MAY not be actually dangerous... will STILL be classified as toxic. Given that understanding... heck milk is "toxic"... Some people use it happily ever after and others won't touch the stuff.
In everything we do, we must weigh the pros and cons... FOR ME, the cons outweigh the pros of using DE... food grade or not... on my property and my birds.
I appreciate you bringing another study link into the discussion for review.
While it may be lacking in some detail... it can be a clue to an overall picture. It's funny that when two people read the SAME thing, they have different takes... caused by their own experiences and perception/perspective. We ALL focus on what we CHOOSE to. 
I always HATED the smell of sulfur when my grandma would dry fruit.
One of my rescue dogs had a terrible case of demodex mites that Ivermectin via the vet wasn't touching... the poor pup had to take sulfur baths essentially to get it under control while her own immune system got strong enough to fight them. Feather Fixer feed USED to have sulfur in it as well. I probably WON'T ever go that route... but I would (likely) use sulfur before I would use DE... according to the link you provided it is more effective. I don't however have information as to it's composition, whether or not it is strip mined, effects bee populations, works when it's wet and so on.There are MANY things for people to consider and what is important to them. I don't consider the chicken chick to be an end all source for information... the majority of her information is the most valid I have seen on the many popular websites that come up on google. When searching for the deeper truth... sources like Merk and poultryMD are always a good read... as well as some of the other government resources from other countries. As well, you mention that some information is old... I agree... it's important to look at new information and studies as we are learning new things everyday!
I TRY very hard to be open minded. It is certainly NOT easy!
But 100% I do read and re-read and try to consider what is being said.Hey, I like the shortening of my name in your first sentence! It feels somehow personal and special.
I still remember happily telling my family the first time someone referred to me as ES4L. I love this community and I hope you do to! 
ETA: permethrin works when used according to directions.
