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TSRI scientists discover natural mechanism that cells use to protect mitochondria

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a natural mechanism that cells use to protect mitochondria, the tiny but essential "power plants" that provide chemical energy for cells throughout the body. Damage to mitochondria is thought to be a significant factor in common neurodegenerative disorders, cancer and even the aging process. The TSRI researchers' discovery could lead to new methods for protecting mitochondria from such damage, thereby improving human health.

4 Dec 2013

Mutation in alpha-synuclein gene causes increased vulnerability to pesticides, leading to Parkinson's

A team of researchers has brought new clarity to the picture of how gene-environmental interactions can kill nerve cells that make dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination.

27 Nov 2013

New Vortik technology has potential in pharmaceutical industry

The new Vortik technology allows different liquids to be mixed at the point of spray without altering the spray characteristics – opening up the possibility of new applications in agriculture, consumer and industrial products, and healthcare.

8 Nov 2013

Two organochlorine pesticides associated with increased risk of endometriosis

A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center-led study has found that two organochlorine pesticides are associated with an increased risk of endometriosis, a condition that affects up to 10 percent of reproductive-age women.

5 Nov 2013

New all-natural technology can eliminate molds and pesticides in cannabis products

As medical marijuana states crack down on pesticides, molds and other adulterants in cannabis products, Neutra Corp. is helping to develop new technology to keep patients safe from potentially harmful contamination.

30 Oct 2013

Common birth defect in male infants weakly linked to commercial pesticides

A study of several hundred chemicals used in commercial pesticides has found only weak evidence that any of them are associated with a common birth defect in male infants.

30 Oct 2013

Selenium in plants causes mortality and delays development in honey bee, say researchers

Traditionally, honey bee research has focused on environmental stressors such as pesticides, pathogens and diseases. Now a research team led by entomologists at the University of California, Riverside has published a study that focuses on an anthropogenic pollutant: selenium (Se).

4 Oct 2013

Use of intensive pesticide in banana plantations leads to contamination

Shoppers spend over -10 billion on bananas annually and now this demand is being linked to the contamination of Central America's crocodilians. New research, published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, analyses blood samples from spectacled caiman in Costa Rica and finds that intensive pesticide use in plantations leads to contaminated species in protected conservation areas.

19 Sep 2013

T-rays are ideal for detecting early signs of melanoma

The technology that peeks underneath clothing at airport security screening check points has great potential for looking underneath human skin to diagnose cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages, a scientist said here today.

12 Sep 2013

New book debunks popular myths on how to prevent cancer

Award-winning science journalist George Johnson debunks popular assumptions about how to prevent cancer.

7 Sep 2013

Scientists develop new way to detect threatening nanoparticles in food

Over the last few years, the use of nanomaterials for water treatment, food packaging, pesticides, cosmetics and other industries has increased. For example, farmers have used silver nanoparticles as a pesticide because of their capability to suppress the growth of harmful organisms. However, a growing concern is that these particles could pose a potential health risk to humans and the environment.

23 Aug 2013

New Dartmouth study finds many people unnecessarily fear low amounts of chemicals in their food

When it comes to what's for dinner - or breakfast and lunch for that matter-- many people suffer from chemophobia, an irrational fear of natural and synthetic chemicals that pose no risk to our health, a Dartmouth study finds.

16 Aug 2013

Discovery points to new therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease

Biologists at The Scripps Research Institute have made a significant discovery that could lead to a new therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease.

25 Jul 2013

Discovery could lead to new therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease

Biologists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have made a significant discovery that could lead to a new therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease.

25 Jul 2013

Researchers use peels of apples and tomatoes to purify water

One of the most crucial problems affecting the world today is the scarcity of potable water. In a bid to make clean water available at low cost, Mr Ramakrishna Mallampati, a PhD candidate at the National University of Singapore, experimented with water treatment techniques using materials that are easily available, and came up with novel ways to purify water using the peels of apples and tomatoes.

22 Jul 2013

Study shows foreign fruit has higher content of pesticides than Danish fruit

Foreign fruit generally has a higher content of pesticides than Danish fruit, and fruit has a higher content of pesticides than vegetables. Danes' intake of pesticide residues appears to be on a par with the latest monitoring from 2003.

15 Jul 2013

Inorganic arsenic in apple juice: FDA sets new limits

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today proposed an "action level" of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for inorganic arsenic in apple juice. This is the same level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for arsenic in drinking water.

12 Jul 2013

More than half of pregnant women use insecticide that is harmful to offsprings

Pregnancy and infancy are the periods of greatest vulnerability to the use of household insecticides. This is one of the findings of the first study of its kind to be carried out in Spain, which concludes that more than half of expectant mothers routinely use these chemical compounds.

20 Jun 2013

Gulf War illness may have two distinct forms, study says

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center say their new work suggests that Gulf War illness may have two distinct forms depending on which brain regions have atrophied. Their study of Gulf War veterans, published online today in PLOS ONE, may help explain why clinicians have consistently encountered veterans with different symptoms and complaints.

15 Jun 2013

Mother's exposure to environmental contaminants associated with vigorous fetal motor activity

A study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has for the first time found that a mother's higher exposure to some common environmental contaminants was associated with more frequent and vigorous fetal motor activity.

12 Jun 2013