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E-cigarettes have long-term adverse effects on health

A new study has revealed that use of electronic cigarettes is associated with a raised risk of developing chronic lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) or emphysema.

16 Dec 2019

New concepts for efficient, reliable risk assessment of nanomaterials

From dyes to construction materials, and from cosmetic products to electronics and medicine, nanomaterials are found in many different applications. But what are these materials? "Nanomaterials are defined purely by their size," explains Dr Kristin Schubert from the Department of Molecular Systems Biology at UFZ.

16 Dec 2019

E-cigarette use linked to increased risk of chronic lung diseases

E-cigarette use significantly increases a person's risk of developing chronic lung diseases like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to new UC San Francisco research, the first longitudinal study linking e-cigarettes to respiratory illness in a sample representative of the entire U.S. adult population.

16 Dec 2019

Salk researchers uncover new function of mitochondria

Mitochondria, tiny structures present in most cells, are known for their energy-generating machinery. Now, Salk researchers have discovered a new function of mitochondria: they set off molecular alarms when cells are exposed to stress or chemicals that can damage DNA, such as chemotherapy.

15 Dec 2019

Perinatal exposure of rats to flame retardants changes the liver epigenome

Studies have shown that perinatal exposure of rats and mice to common flame retardants found in household items permanently reprograms liver metabolism, often leading later in life to insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

13 Dec 2019

'Forever chemicals' remain in the human body for decades and don’t break down

They’re called “forever chemicals” because once they enter the human body, they remain there for decades.

13 Dec 2019

Skip the sweet treats to avoid holiday blues, study suggests

If you're prone to depression, this holiday season you might want to say "bah humbug" to offers of sugar plum pudding, caramel corn and chocolate babka.

12 Dec 2019

Vanda Pharmaceuticals' president wins award for effort to prevent and replace animal tests

President and CEO of Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Mihael H. Polymeropoulos, MD, is the inaugural recipient of The Trailblazer Award, given by the Physicians Committee--a nonprofit with more than 12,000 doctor members--for his unwavering commitment to prevent and replace animal tests and advance more human-relevant science.

12 Dec 2019

New drug combo promises help for triple negative breast cancer patients

A new preclinical study on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) reports that an experimental polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor shrank tumor four times more powerfully when used along with standard drugs than alone. The study, reported in the journal PLOS ONE, opens up a new door of opportunity for patients with this disease.

11 Dec 2019

Light to moderate lifetime alcohol use raises cancer risk

There have been conflicting reports on health benefits and harm caused by drinking alcohol. A new study from Japanese researchers has proven that taking one drink a day for a decade or two drinks for five years can raise the risk of getting cancers by 5 percent. The study titled “Light to moderate amount of lifetime alcohol consumption and risk of cancer in Japan,” was published in the latest issue of the journal Cancer.

11 Dec 2019

Toxicologists find toxic chemicals from LCDs in nearly half of household dust samples

Chemicals commonly used in smartphone, television, and computer displays were found to be potentially toxic and present in nearly half of dozens of samples of household dust collected by a team of toxicologists led by the University of Saskatchewan.

10 Dec 2019

New compounds with herbicidal potential isolated from marine-derived fungus

Scientists of Far Eastern Federal University and the G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry together with German colleagues spotted six new and three already known biologically active compounds in a new strain of the fungus Penicillium piltunense first time isolated.

6 Dec 2019

Breakthrough research develops novel vaccine poised to cure peanut allergies

Peanut allergies could become a thing of the past as breakthrough research from the University of South Australia develops a radically novel vaccination that's poised to cure the potentially life threatening condition.

6 Dec 2019

Manuka honey fights infection in surgical dressings

And now, Manuka honey is proving a gamechanger in the fight against extremely drug-resistant infections, according to a new study published in the journal Frontiers.

5 Dec 2019

Hair dyes raise the risk of breast cancers especially among black women says study

A new study has confirmed that permanent hair dyes and chemical hair straightener use are associated with breast cancers especially among African American women. There have been animal studies that reveal that these hair dyes and chemicals used for straightening the hair are associated with cancers. Human studies however have not shown consistent results establishing the relationship between the chemicals and the cancers.

5 Dec 2019

New method to improve skeleton of common chemicals

Every chemical, from the simplest to the most complex, have a structural skeleton of atoms. The atoms can be added or removed to transform the chemical into different types, for use in different applications. For many pharmaceutical and agricultural chemicals, the skeleton consists of a multi-membered carbon ring called a carbocycle.

5 Dec 2019