Chemicals News and Research

RSS

Study raises concerns about Bisphenol A in canned foods

A recent study published in JAMA raises concerns about Bisphenol A (BPA) in canned foods.

24 Nov 2011

Stress chemicals shut down and brain processes emotional experiences during REM sleep

They say time heals all wounds, and new research from the University of California, Berkeley, indicates that time spent in dream sleep can help. UC Berkeley researchers have found that during the dream phase of sleep, also known as REM sleep, our stress chemistry shuts down and the brain processes emotional experiences and takes the painful edge off difficult memories.

24 Nov 2011

Metformin prevents growth of breast cancer cells in human cultures

An inexpensive drug that treats Type-2 diabetes has been shown to prevent a number of natural and man-made chemicals from stimulating the growth of breast cancer cells, according to a newly published study by a Michigan State University researcher.

24 Nov 2011

Tips for parents to safeguard their children

They say parents know best, but what if you are a new parent who doesn't know it all quite yet? "Unfortunately, babies do not come with a safety manual. Sometimes parents do things that are well-intentioned but can be unsafe for their child," said Mary Evelyn O'Neil, M.D., pediatrician, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

23 Nov 2011

Safety tips to avoid burn injuries during holiday season

The "most wonderful time of the year" is also one of the busiest for the Vanderbilt Regional Burn Center. As the holidays approach, doctors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center urge people to exercise caution and eliminate potential dangers that could lead to burn injuries.

23 Nov 2011

New way to enhance effects of anandamide in the body

UC Irvine and Italian researchers have discovered a new means of enhancing the effects of anandamide - a natural, marijuana-like chemical in the body that provides pain relief.

22 Nov 2011

Scientists show that the sense of smell can be improved

In a new study scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have shown that the sense of smell can be improved. The new findings, published online November 20, 2011, in Nature Neuroscience, suggest possible ways to reverse the loss of smell due to aging or disease.

20 Nov 2011

Blocking CaM kinase may help prevent cardiac rupture

For people who initially survive a heart attack, a significant cause of death in the next few days is cardiac rupture -- literally, bursting of the heart wall. A new study by University of Iowa researchers pinpoints a single protein as the key player in the biochemical cascade that leads to cardiac rupture.

18 Nov 2011

Research shows how the bite of a small Texas snake causes extreme pain

Examining venom from a variety of poisonous snakes, a group of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has discovered why the bite of one small black, yellow and red serpent called the Texas coral snake can be so painful.

17 Nov 2011

Ban smoking in cars urges BMA

The British Medical Association is calling for a ban on smoking in all cars. The BMA says research shows levels of toxins in a car after a cigarette has been smoked are up to 23 times higher than they would be in a smoky bar.

17 Nov 2011

PCBs affect growth and bone density in turtles, an 'indicator species'

Manufactured until 1977, and banned by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1979, pentachlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are chemicals still commonly found in the environment because they break down slowly.

17 Nov 2011

New research identifies brain chemicals and circuits involved in mental illnesses

New research identifies the brain chemicals and circuits involved in mental illnesses like schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety, giving potential new directions to their treatment.

16 Nov 2011

Low-temperature plasmas can kill bacteria for a week after treatment

University of California, Berkeley, scientists have shown that ionized plasmas like those in neon lights and plasma TVs not only can sterilize water, but make it antimicrobial - able to kill bacteria - for as long as a week after treatment.

16 Nov 2011

New paper shows how platelets help promote cancer metastasis

About 90 percent of cancer deaths are caused by secondary tumors, known as metastases, which spread from the original tumor site. To become mobile and break free from the original tumor, cancer cells need help from other cells in their environment. Many cells have been implicated in this process, including immune system cells and cells that form connective tissue. Another collaborator in metastasis is platelets, the blood cells whose normal function is to promote blood clotting.

16 Nov 2011

Scientists find new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders

Research released today shows that scientists are finding new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and fragile X syndrome. These studies show in new detail how the brain's connections, chemicals, and genes interact to affect behavior.

15 Nov 2011

A dangerous combo – schoolies warned

Pharmacy researchers at the University of Sydney are warning HSC students to take it easy on caffeine, alcohol and smoking during Schoolies Week, particularly young women using oral contraception.

14 Nov 2011

Researchers get $7.5M grant to combat nerve agents

A $7.5 million award will help researchers harness the body’s own defenses to counteract nerve agents and create new types of antidotes for exposure to pesticides and other poisons.

14 Nov 2011

Occupational chemical exposure raises for Parkinson's

A new research report contributes to the increasing evidence that repeated occupational exposure to certain chemical solvents raises the risk for Parkinson's disease. Researchers analyzed the occupational histories of twins in which one of the pair developed the neurodegenerative disorder, and assessed that twin's likelihood of exposure to six chemicals previously linked to Parkinson's.

14 Nov 2011

Scientists discover molecular basis for tamoxifen resistance and potential way to defeat it

In the last three decades, thousands of women with breast cancer have taken the drug tamoxifen, only to discover that the therapy doesn't work, either because their tumors do not respond to the treatment at all, or because they develop resistance to it over time. Now researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered the molecular basis for tamoxifen resistance and found a potential way to defeat it.

14 Nov 2011

Teeth whitening tips

Both women and men go to great lengths, ranging from at-home-kits to cosmetic bleaching, to make their smile full of pearly whites. But what if there were more natural ways to keep teeth white instead of experiencing the repercussions of using these chemicals?

14 Nov 2011