Chemicals News and Research

RSS

Mosquitoes stay away from DEET because they hate the smell!

According to scientists in the U.S. the reason why the insect repellent DEET works so well is because mosquitoes don't like the smell.

25 Aug 2008

U.S. spinach and lettuce to be irradiated to stop outbreaks of foodborne bacteria

Following an increasing number of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses over the last few years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States is about to allow food producers to irradiate spinach and iceberg lettuce to kill foodborne bacteria.

25 Aug 2008

Researchers discover key details of how rheumatoid arthritis destroys bone

Researchers have discovered key details of how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) destroys bone, according to a study published in the Aug. 22 edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The findings are already guiding attempts to design new drugs to reverse RA-related bone loss and may also address more common forms of osteoporosis with a few adjustments.

24 Aug 2008

Skin odors used to detect basal cell carcinoma

According to new research from the Monell Center, odors from skin can be used to identify basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer. The findings, presented at the 236th meeting of the American Chemical Society, may open doors to development of new methods to detect basal cell carcinoma and other forms of skin cancer.

20 Aug 2008

New discovery on how rheumatoid arthritis destroys bone

20 Aug 2008

Scientists synthesize promising anti-cancer product from marine algae

Duke University chemists have patented an efficient technique for synthesizing a marine algae extract in sufficient quantities to now test its ability to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells while leaving normal cells unaffected.

20 Aug 2008

New discovery may lead to new drugs to regulate sleep

A team of scientists from Oxford University in the UK have discovered the reason why people feel drowsier in dim lighting and more alert in bright white light.

19 Aug 2008

Researchers create synthetic heparin

Robert Linhardt has spent years stitching together minuscule carbohydrates to build a more pure and safer alternative to the commonly used and controversial blood thinner heparin. At the national conference of the American Chemical Society on August 17, 2008, Linhardt announced that his research team may have accomplished this task by building the first fully synthetic heparin. Their creation is the largest dose of heparin ever created in the lab.

17 Aug 2008

President signs bill that bans six toxic phthalates from children's products

President Bush signed a federal bill today that bans six toxic phthalates from children's products. His signature bolsters Congress' overwhelming support for this legislation, and sends a clear message that toxic chemicals have no place in toys.

14 Aug 2008

Diakron licenses anticoagulant drug candidate from Merck

Diakron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the signing of an exclusive license agreement for a novel investigational oral anticoagulant drug candidate discovered and developed through Phase I clinical trials by Merck & Co. Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Diakron has the exclusive rights to develop, and, if approved, market and distribute the compound worldwide.

13 Aug 2008

Low vitamin D levels substantially increase risk of death

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.

11 Aug 2008

Scientists stop age-related decline in an entire organ

As people age, their cells become less efficient at getting rid of damaged protein - resulting in a buildup of toxic material that is especially pronounced in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.

10 Aug 2008

Research compares organic food with food grown with pesticides and chemicals

New research in the latest issue of the Society of Chemical Industry's (SCI) Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture shows there is no evidence to support the argument that organic food is better than food grown with the use of pesticides and chemicals.

10 Aug 2008

First cigarette "buzz", addiction linked to gene

Anyone who has ever tried smoking probably remembers that first cigarette vividly. For some, it brought a wave of nausea or a nasty coughing fit. For others, those first puffs also came with a rush of pleasure or "buzz."

10 Aug 2008

Use of cleaning products during pregnancy increases risk of asthma in offspring

A Brunel University researcher suggests that chemicals in household cleaning products explains why excessive hygiene is linked to increased asthma and allergies.

6 Aug 2008

USPTO issues patent for methodologies for abating a broad range of allergens, pathogens, viruses, bacteria

The United States Patent & Trademark Office issued a patent for an environmentally "Green" low cost process that eliminates the effects of a broad range of pollutants using oxidants.

5 Aug 2008

High dose shot of vitamin C halts the spread of cancer

According to scientists in the U.S., a high dose of vitamin C given in the form of an injection may halt the spread of cancers.

4 Aug 2008

Some bacteria steal iron from their human hosts - discovery could lead to new ways to fight tuberculosis

Like their human hosts, bacteria need iron to survive and they must obtain that iron from the environment. While humans obtain iron primarily through the food they eat, bacteria have evolved complex and diverse mechanisms to allow them access to iron.

31 Jul 2008

study shows compounds from soy affect brain and reproductive development

Two hormone-like compounds linked to the consumption of soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University. The study is a breakthrough in determining how these compounds can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing a key building block for how to treat these problems.

31 Jul 2008

Lawmakers agree to ban use of phthalates in toys

Lawmakers charged with finalizing the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act agreed yesterday to include a provision that will ban phthalates from children's toys and childcare articles. The legislative action validates the concerns of scientists and parents who have been urging a ban, and will bring federal regulation in line with several states and leading retailers that have already taken action to remove phthalates from toys.

29 Jul 2008