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Pesticides increase risk of developing Parkinson's disease

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that using pesticides for farming or other purposes increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease for men.

14 Jun 2006

New drug will treat those winter blues

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given it's approval for a drug to treat a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

14 Jun 2006

Japanese researchers using PET imaging detect the beginnings of atherosclerosis

Using positron emission tomography (PET), the medical isotope 15O-water and cold pressor tests, Japanese researchers were able to detect the beginnings of atherosclerosis - before the disease became clinically evident.

9 Jun 2006

Lessons from our patients: development of a warm autopsy program

Thanks in large part to a dying patient's generosity, researchers have for the first time begun to analyze the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a degenerative illness distinguished by lung inflammation, scarring and diminished breathing capacity that typically leads to death within about five years of diagnosis.

7 Jun 2006

1 in 10 adults develop asthma at their workplace

According to Australian researchers as many as 1 in 10 Australians who develop asthma as an adult can blame it on their workplace.

7 Jun 2006

Calpain protein key to preventing or promoting cell death

A protein called calpain can be the key either preventing or promoting the cell death, a Queen's University study has found.

6 Jun 2006

Milstein gift seeks cure for antibiotic-resistant TB and malaria

A $7.25 million gift to Weill Medical College of Cornell University will establish the Abby and Howard P. Milstein Chemistry Core Facility and the Abby and Howard P. Milstein Program in Chemical Biology.

5 Jun 2006

Moderate alcohol intake helps women think

Research involving more than 7,000 older women found that those who drink a moderate amount of alcohol have slightly higher levels of mental function than non-drinkers, particularly in verbal abilities.

1 Jun 2006

Canadians get tough with smokers

Today, May 31, 2006, the new Smoke Free Ontario legislation came into effect in Canada.

31 May 2006

Arsenic inhibits DNA repair

Dartmouth researchers, working with scientists at the University of Arizona and at the Department of Natural Resources in Sonora, Mexico, have published a study on the impact of arsenic exposure on DNA damage.

30 May 2006

Cognitive behavioral therapy effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome

According to the latest research behavioral therapy was more effective in treating the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) than being on a waiting list for treatment.

29 May 2006

Common household cleaners and air fresheners may lead to health risks

When used indoors under certain conditions, many common household cleaners and air fresheners emit toxic pollutants at levels that may lead to health risks.

24 May 2006

Heavy marijuana use not linked to lung cancer

Despite popular belief, a new study shows that people who smoke marijuana do not appear to be at increased risk of developing lung cancer.

24 May 2006

FDA says too much benzene in some soft drinks

According to the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. following testing the cancer-causing chemical benzene were found in some soft drinks; the FDA say they were not at high enough levels to cause harm.

22 May 2006

Small molecule interactions were central to the origin of life

In an important new paper forthcoming in the June issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology, Robert Shapiro (New York University) argues against the widely held theory that the origin of life began with the spontaneous appearance of a large, replicating molecule such as RNA.

17 May 2006

Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy in relation to child development

Many cultures hold that stress during pregnancy affects a woman's unborn child. However, there has been surprisingly little research on the topic.

17 May 2006

Cancer-causing chemicals associated with tobacco smoke found in the urine of nearly half the babies of smoking parents

When mum or dad puffs on a cigarette, their infants may inhale the resulting second-hand smoke. Now, scientists have detected cancer-causing chemicals associated with tobacco smoke in the urine of nearly half the babies of smoking parents.

12 May 2006

Grapefruit substance that interferes with drugs identified

New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has identified and established the substance in grapefruit juice that causes potentially dangerous interactions with certain medications.

10 May 2006

European Food Safety Authority says Aspartame quite safe to use

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), on the basis of all the currently available evidence, a further review of the safety of aspartame is not necessary.

9 May 2006

Renewed interest in studying influenza A viruses

The emergence of the avian influenza virus H5N1 that is currently devastating chicken flocks in many countries and threatening to unleash a worldwide epidemic among humans has triggered a renewed interest among scientists in studying influenza A viruses, according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

9 May 2006