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Effects of prenatal exposure to pesticides

Children in Ecuador whose mothers were exposed to pesticides while pregnant had increased blood pressure and diminished ability to copy geometric figures as compared to a control group, according to an epidemiological study in the March issue of Pediatrics.

9 Mar 2006

How mammalian brains recognize other individuals

Imagine seeing a former high school classmate you always wanted to know better. Then imagine seeing that kid who used to push you in the hallways. Do you react differently? What happens in your brain during these encounters?

9 Mar 2006

Link between coffee consumption and risk of myocardial infarction greater with certain gene variation

Individuals who have a genetic variation associated with slower caffeine metabolism appear to have an increased risk of non-fatal heart attack associated with higher amounts of coffee intake

9 Mar 2006

Coffee good or bad for you? It depends on your genes!

Scientists know that coffee, a major source of caffeine, is metabolized by the enzyme, cytochrome P450 1A2, and some individuals who have that particular gene are "rapid" caffeine metabolizers, whereas those with a different variation of the gene are "slow" caffeine metabolizers.

8 Mar 2006

Deodorants - a risk factor for breast cancer?

Underarm deodorants or antiperspirants are an essential part of the modern day hygiene routine, but most underarm hygiene products contain chemicals that work to disguise odour and reduce wetness. They also contain preservatives which ensure the product continues to work for a long period.

8 Mar 2006

Rhodium quinones promise better drugs

By combining a common organic compound with a rare metal, a team of Brown University chemists has created a new class of molecules that have potentially important applications for the pharmaceutical, chemical and energy industries.

1 Mar 2006

Possible link between breast cancer and aluminum salts in deodorants

Chemicals that mimic the body's natural hormone oestrogen are known to affect a woman's risk of breast cancer.

1 Mar 2006

Crystal meth the new drug pandemic

According to a U.N. narcotics watchdog the synthetic drug methamphetamine is a bigger problem in the United States and other countries than either heroin or cocaine.

1 Mar 2006

Eating and drinking Cocoa helps you live longer

According to Dutch researchers, men by eating or drinking cocoa lowered their risk of dying from heart disease by 50 percent compared to those who did not eat cocoa, and also lowered their blood pressure.

28 Feb 2006

Scientists discover genetic profile eosinophilic esophagitis

Though many parents may never have heard of it, a severe and chronic condition called eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is recognized by doctors as an emerging health problem for children.

24 Feb 2006

Singulair pill shows more promise for obese people

As the nation's collective waistline has swelled in recent decades, rates of asthma diagnoses also have accelerated. Indeed, much research has affirmed a link between the two conditions.

23 Feb 2006

New molecular target for potential drugs to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome

Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System have identified a molecular target, or receptor, for potential drugs to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a sudden and life-threatening failure of the lung.

23 Feb 2006

Inflammatory reaction drives hormone resistance in cancer

In the journal Cell, researchers report new evidence to explain why prostate cancer and other hormone-dependent cancers may become resistant to hormone therapies.

21 Feb 2006

Using neural growth factor could allow researchers to mass produce stem cells for treatment of disease

Human embryonic stem cells (hES) offer great hope for the treatment of some devastating diseases, but finding a way to keep enough of these cells usable and healthy for transplantation in patients has been an ongoing problem.

21 Feb 2006

Antidepressants may affect fetus

A University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine collaborative study with Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center found an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) in newborns of mothers who used certain commonly prescribed antidepressants in late pregnancy.

20 Feb 2006

Certain chemicals in the blood may indicate brain injury

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh have found that increased levels of certain proteins in the blood or spinal fluid may signal brain injury in infants with vomiting, fussiness and several other common symptoms.

20 Feb 2006

Children given lower doses of adult drugs at risk of harmful side effects

A new study has provided the strongest and most comprehensive evidence yet of the difference between how adults and infants and children process drugs.

19 Feb 2006

Dramatic metabolic differences in how people process drugs

A Medical College of Wisconsin study provides the strongest and most complete evidence to date of major changes occurring during human development in the types and levels of enzymes responsible for the disposition of drugs and environmental chemicals.

17 Feb 2006

Hormone aldosterone linked to quality of hearing

Researchers have linked a hormone known to adjust levels of key brain chemicals to the quality of our hearing as we age. The more of the hormone that older people have in their bloodstream, the better their hearing is, and the less of the hormone, the worse their hearing is.

16 Feb 2006