Poisoning News and Research

RSS

Gut microbes can affect severity of kidney disease brought on by melamine poisoning

Microbes present in the gut can affect the severity of kidney disease brought on by melamine poisoning, according to an international study led by Professor Wei Jia at the University of North Carolina in collaboration with the research group of Professor Jeremy Nicholson at Imperial College London.

16 Feb 2013

Exposure to harmful quantities of lead may lead to juvenile delinquency

Lead is a common element but is found in old paints (including those once used on children's toys), soil, old piping, water, and the atmosphere from lead-containing vehicular fuels, even drinking vessels. At high dose it is lethal but also causes seemingly trivial symptoms such as headaches. However, in children lead can also lead to irreversible damage to the organs, the kidneys in particular, and the nervous system including the brain.

13 Feb 2013

New technique can detect mercury contamination in water

Chemists at the University of Burgos (Spain) have manufactured a sheet that changes colour in the presence of water contaminated with mercury. The results can be seen with the naked eye but when photographing the membrane with a mobile phone the concentration of this extremely toxic metal can be quantified.

9 Feb 2013

Fish-related ciguatoxin danger highlighted

Researchers report that 28 cases of ciguatera fish poisoning occurred in New York City during 2010–2011, a greater number than were reported during the preceding 10-year period.

6 Feb 2013

Leading-edge Masimo medical devices to be displayed at Arab Health

Masimo returns to Arab Health Jan. 28-31, the world's longest running healthcare exhibition and congress held each year in Dubai, UAE, to showcase advanced, noninvasive patient monitoring technologies – including breakthrough SET Measure-Through Motion pulse oximetry and rainbow Pulse CO-Oximetry – that are becoming the standard-of-care across the Middle East.

28 Jan 2013

140 nations adopt treaty to reduce mercury emissions; Convention will allow use of mercury preservative in vaccines

"More than 140 nations adopted the first legally binding international treaty on Saturday aimed at reducing mercury emissions, after four years of negotiations on ways to set limits on the use of a highly toxic metal," the Associated Press/New York Times reports.

22 Jan 2013

Carob extract could fight the microbe responsible for listeriosis

The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series reports that an antibacterial extract from the leaves of the carob tree (the source of a popular chocolate substitute) could fight the microbe responsible for the serious form of food poisoning called listeriosis.

17 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: Health care and the 'crushing federal debt;' Optimism about 'grand bargain;' Iowa's premium increase request

The largest issue America will face in 2013 is health care. And it will only get larger. As the national conversation changes, we'll find that by year-end we're talking about it all the time, whether the ostensible topic is politics, government, the economy, our jobs, or our families. Health care will be the unavoidable topic. Medicare and Medicaid are the biggest element of our most serious national problem: crushing federal debt.

9 Jan 2013

Researcher explores new PCR system to discover dangerous foodborne pathogens

Pina Fratamico is on the quest to find the easiest and fastest way to test for harmful Escherichia coli in ground beef. In an article published in Frontiers in Microbiology on the 20th of December, she explores using a next-generation real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system to discover specific gene targets that indicate the presence of dangerous foodborne pathogens. The results show that assays performed using this PCR system are rapid, sensitive, and reliable.

20 Dec 2012

Regenstrief investigator recognized as American College of Medical Informatics fellow

Regenstrief Institute investigator Shaun Grannis M.D., M.S., associate professor of family medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, has been inducted as a fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics. He joins a select elected group of individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to the field of biomedical informatics.

17 Dec 2012

Study suggests that existing HIV drug could be a potential therapy for Staph infections

A new study by NYU School of Medicine researchers suggests that an existing HIV drug called maraviroc could be a potential therapy for Staphylococcus aureus, a notorious and deadly pathogen linked to hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations each year.

15 Dec 2012

Researchers shed new light on how salmonella bacteria cause infections

Researchers have found that the bacteria are able to change key cells that line the intestine, enabling the bugs to thrive.

12 Dec 2012

Low-level exposure to organophosphates affects neurological and cognitive function

Scientists have found that low-level exposure to organophosphates (OPs) produces lasting decrements in neurological and cognitive function. Memory and information processing speed are affected to a greater degree than other cognitive functions such as language.

2 Dec 2012

Peak interest in health issues comes at about age 51 for baby boomers

For baby boomers, the peak interest in health issues comes at about age 51, with a second peak coming near age 65, according to a new study.

16 Nov 2012

Atpif1 gene regulates hemoglobin synthesis during red blood cell formation

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have discovered a new gene that regulates hemoglobin synthesis during red blood cell formation. The findings advance the biomedical community's understanding and treatment of human anemias and mitochondrial disorders.

7 Nov 2012

Critical safety hints for post-hurricane Sandy recovery

UL, a world leader in advancing safety, offers critical safety information for post-hurricane Sandy recovery

3 Nov 2012

Adolescent males at increased risk of reporting longtime OTC drug use

As crackdowns get tougher on alcohol, tobacco sales, and illicit drugs, there's a growing trend among youth to turn to another source to get a high: their parent's medicine cabinet. A new University of Cincinnati study suggests adolescent males are at a higher risk of reporting longtime use of over-the-counter drugs, compared with their female peers.

30 Oct 2012

Cobinamide may help reverse effects of cyanide toxicity

Smoke inhalation is the major cause of death in fire victims due to cyanide poisoning. However, new research presented at CHEST 2012, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, shows that a new antidote, cobinamide, may help reverse the effects of cyanide toxicity.

22 Oct 2012

Carob extracts may combat listeriosis

Leaves of the plant that yields carob - the substitute for chocolate that some consider healthier than chocolate - are a rich source of antibacterial substances ideal for fighting the microbe responsible for listeriosis, a serious form of food poisoning, according to a report in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

19 Oct 2012

Major holidays associated with reduced number of suicide attempts by poisoning

A joint study by University of Cincinnati Department of Emergency Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center researchers has found that, in contrast to popular opinion, major holidays are associated with a lower number of suicide attempts by poisoning.

16 Oct 2012