Toxins News and Research

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New method for detection of microcystins and nodularin in human urine

Blooms of toxin-producing algae exploded in both fresh and salt water ecosystems in southern Florida during the summer months of 2018, impacting wildlife and humans living in these marine environments.

16 Jan 2020

InDepth Pharmaceuticals to commercialize novel technique to predict kidney transplant success

InDepth Pharmaceuticals, founded by Deepak Nihalani, Ph.D., the SmartState Endowed Chair in Renal Disease Biomarkers at the Medical University of South Carolina, has taken a vital step toward commercializing an innovative diagnostic technique that could better predict kidney transplant success in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a kidney disease that often leads to end-stage renal failure.

14 Jan 2020

Flame retardants and pesticides responsible for intellectual disabilities among millions

A few decades back one of the commonest environmental causes of intellectual disabilities among babies was exposure to lead and mercury. A new study reveals that while exposure to these heavy metals is on the decline, there is risk of other toxic chemicals. Researchers have found that chemicals present in pesticides and flame retardants could be causing over a million cases of intellectual disabilities among babies between 2001 and 2016.

14 Jan 2020

World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers found to have increased leukemia incidence

Responders who worked at the World Trade Center site after the attacks on September 11, 2001, have an increased overall cancer incidence compared to the general population, particularly in thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, and, for the first time ever reported, leukemia, according to a Mount Sinai study published in JNCI Cancer Spectrum in January.

14 Jan 2020

A controlled phage therapy to target drug-resistant pathogens

The fight against drug-resistant pathogens remains an intense one. While the Centers for Disease Control's 2019 "biggest threats" report reveals an overall decrease in drug-resistant microbe-related deaths as compared to its previous report (2013) the agency also cautions that new forms of drug-resistant pathogens are still emerging.

13 Jan 2020

Lymphopenia may hint a higher risk of future illness, death

Lymphopenia, which indicates lower levels of lymphocytes in the blood, has been tied to a higher risk of future illness and death, a new study found.

13 Jan 2020

Study shows link between lead exposure risk and brain structure in children

Though leaded gas and lead-based paint were banned decades ago, the risk of lead exposure is far from gone. A new study led by Elizabeth Sowell, PhD, shows that living in neighborhoods with high risk of lead exposure is associated with differences in brain structure and cognitive performance in some children.

13 Jan 2020

New molecular probe senses the state of proteome in live cells

The folding state of the proteins in live cells often reflect the cell’s general health. Australian scientists have developed a molecular probe that senses the state of the proteome—the entire set of the proteins—by measuring the polarity of the protein environment.

10 Jan 2020

New hydrogel prevents and treats infections in wounds

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a new hydrogel based on the body's natural peptide defense.

8 Jan 2020

Researchers uncover a response key to the survival of Mycoplasma genitalium in urogenital tract

A study led by an IBB-UAB research team has managed to identify the mechanisms by which the sexually transmitted bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium (Mge) can persist in conditions with very limited availability of metals, a circumstance it must face when infecting humans.

8 Jan 2020

Heart transplants from hepatitis C–positive donors could help overcome organ shortage

One-year survival was similar for adults with severe heart failure who received a heart transplant from a donor with hepatitis C compared to those who received hearts from donors who did not have hepatitis C, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

8 Jan 2020

Structure of most lethal toxin produced by C. difficile bacteria identified

Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and their colleagues have identified the structure of the most lethal toxin produced by certain strains of Clostridium difficile bacteria, a potentially deadly infection associated with the use of antibiotics. The

2 Jan 2020

Study reveals key insight into the development of hair bundles

New research reveals a key insight into the development of hair bundles, the intricately complex assemblies in the inner ear responsible for hearing.

2 Jan 2020

Ancestral-sequence reconstruction of FMO genes unveils structure of important enzyme

To disarm toxic substances, many organisms - including humans - possess enzymes called flavin-containing monooxygenases. Despite their importance, the structure of the enzymes has not been resolved, as the protein is too unstable to study in detail.

23 Dec 2019

Discovery of molecular origins of a heart beat

Researchers have found that molecular origins of a heart beat. They have found the proteins that make up tiny sodium channels in the tissues of the heart that can help generate the heart beats. The results of the study titled, “Structure of the Cardiac Sodium Channel” was published yesterday 19th of December 2019 in the journal Cell.

22 Dec 2019

Using math equations to detect and forecast liver cancer risk

The use of mathematical modeling in the study of biological systems has become a challenging and rewarding field of research as it yields many unknown pieces of information. A new study published online on December 16, 2019, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS).

17 Dec 2019

Brazilian researchers create hepatic organoids by 3D bioprinting

Using human blood cells, Brazilian researchers have succeeded in obtaining hepatic organoids ("mini-livers") that perform all of the liver's typical functions, such as producing vital proteins, storing vitamins, and secreting bile, among many others.

17 Dec 2019

UTHealth researchers receive $3.1 million NIH grant to address youth vaping epidemic

As e-cigarette use by young people reaches epidemic proportions, researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have received a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct the first-ever assessment on the long-term results of a nationwide nicotine vaping prevention program for youth called CATCH My Breath.

17 Dec 2019

Using bacterial nano-syringes as drug transporters in medicine

Pathogens can use a range of toxins to damage their host organism. Bacteria, such as those responsible for causing the deadly Plague, use a special injection mechanism to deliver their poisonous contents into the host cell.

17 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

Toxins News and Research

New method for detection of microcystins and nodularin in human urine

InDepth Pharmaceuticals to commercialize novel technique to predict kidney transplant success

Flame retardants and pesticides responsible for intellectual disabilities among millions

World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers found to have increased leukemia incidence

A controlled phage therapy to target drug-resistant pathogens

Lymphopenia may hint a higher risk of future illness, death

Study shows link between lead exposure risk and brain structure in children

New molecular probe senses the state of proteome in live cells

New hydrogel prevents and treats infections in wounds

Researchers uncover a response key to the survival of Mycoplasma genitalium in urogenital tract

Heart transplants from hepatitis C–positive donors could help overcome organ shortage

Structure of most lethal toxin produced by C. difficile bacteria identified

Study reveals key insight into the development of hair bundles

Ancestral-sequence reconstruction of FMO genes unveils structure of important enzyme

Discovery of molecular origins of a heart beat

Using math equations to detect and forecast liver cancer risk

Brazilian researchers create hepatic organoids by 3D bioprinting

UTHealth researchers receive $3.1 million NIH grant to address youth vaping epidemic

Using bacterial nano-syringes as drug transporters in medicine

Skip the sweet treats to avoid holiday blues, study suggests

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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