Potassium News and Research

RSS

Relationship between allergies and mold spores in lawns

"Have you ever driven down the road and seen someone mowing the lawn wearing a mask? This is an example of the relationship between allergies and mold spores in lawns. Dr. Phil Colbaugh, research plant pathologist at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Dallas, cites a common image seen in Texas throughout the warm weather months.

2 Aug 2005

The wonders of watermelon

On a hot summer day, nothing refreshes quite like a crisp, juicy slice of cool watermelon. Whether you're chomping into watermelon, enjoying it as part of a fruit salad or slurping on a watermelon smoothie, that red pulp provides a powerhouse of nutritional value.

2 Aug 2005

Researchers make headway in mystery of migraines

The research, published in the new issue of the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reveals how gene mutations known to cause a form of inherited migraine target a cellular process involved in brain cell communication.

27 Jul 2005

New research on atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) in which the atria, or upper chambers of the heart, beat quickly and inconsistently.

17 Jul 2005

Findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms that cause hypertension

An enzyme known to cause hypertension increases blood pressure by activating tiny pores, or channels, in kidney cells that allow increased levels of sodium to be reabsorbed into the blood, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

6 Jul 2005

Saturated fats combined with genetic trait may make people more susceptible to type 2 diabetes

A University of Alberta team of researchers has discovered an additional 2 million Canadians who have a high fat diet or are overweight may be at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes if they carry a particular type of common specific genetic trait known as a polymorphism.

29 Jun 2005

Link between the protective effect of ischemic preconditioning in skeletal muscles and the substance that triggers hibernation

A phenomenon known as ischemic preconditioning (IP), in which blood flow to muscle is reduced and then restored, has previously been shown to increase muscle function, especially in the heart.

6 Jun 2005

Why good medications are sometimes bad for the liver

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of five clinical centers nationwide to receive funds from the National Institutes of Health to study why good medications are sometimes bad for the liver.

29 May 2005

Medication errors continue even in highly computerized hospital

Errors in drug ordering, dosage and monitoring that may have serious consequences for patients persist in hospitals even after the adoption of computerized medication systems, according to a study in the May 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

23 May 2005

Exposure to radioactive iodines in childhood is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer

Exposure to radioactive iodines, mainly iodine 131 (I-131), in childhood is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. Importantly, both iodine deficiency and supplementation appear to modify this risk, according to a new study in the May 18 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

17 May 2005

New study suggests you might benefit from adding more low-fat dairy to your diet

A new study suggests that increased intake of lowfat dairy foods, as part of a DASH-based eating plan, may lower blood pressure more effectively than a conventional low-fat diet -- a significant finding for the estimated 1 in 3 Americans who suffer from high blood pressure.

9 May 2005

Researchers zero in on sleep gene

Zeroing in on the core cellular mechanisms of sleep, researchers at University of Wisconsin Medical School have identified for the first time a single gene mutation that has a powerful effect on the amount of time fruit flies sleep.

27 Apr 2005

New, bigger low-carb potato with different taste will give consumers more choices

Following the January debut of the first low-carb potato that’s now a popular item in supermarkets, University of Florida researchers say a larger and tastier version of the spud will be available to consumers in May of this year.

27 Apr 2005

Researchers study radiation blockers while conducting nuclear imaging of Iodine uptake in mouse tissues

Scientists have found that a dose five times higher than the FDA-recommended dosage of potassium iodide in the event of a nuclear accident is needed to protect small animals effectively from radioactive iodide in medical imaging procedures. The long-term animal nuclear imaging project is being conducted by a collaboration of biology and physics researchers from the Department of Energy's Jefferson Lab and The College of William & Mary (CWM).

20 Apr 2005

New method for the study of ion channel gating kinetics

An ion channel is a protein pore that lets ions (charged atoms such as calcium) pass through a cell's membrane. The method fits data to a new class of models, called manifest interconductance rank (MIR) models, which will give researchers a better understanding of the mechanisms by which ion channels open and close.

19 Apr 2005

Prisoners executed by lethal injection in the US may have experienced awareness and unnecessary suffering because they were not properly sedated

Lethal injection is the most common way people are legally put to death in the USA. It has eclipsed all other methods of execution because of public perception that the process is relatively humane and does not violate the US Constitution’s Eight Amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment.

19 Apr 2005

People who eat rice have healthier diets

People who eat rice have healthier diets, eat more fruits and vegetables, consume less added sugar and fat and are likely to have a lower body mass index than non-rice eaters, according to a new study presented for the first time today at a meeting of two key member groups of the American Dietetic Association.

12 Apr 2005

Novel human kidney protein called renalase that regulates both heart contraction and blood pressure

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven identified a novel human kidney protein called renalase that regulates both heart contraction and blood pressure; it is a strong candidate for easily administered treatment of advanced kidney and cardiovascular disease.

10 Apr 2005

Process called sumoylation regulates key ion channel

Researchers at the University of Chicago have found that a recently discovered biological process known as sumoylation -- until now thought to be active only in the nucleus -- also occurs near the cell's surface where it regulates at least one and possibly many kinds of proteins, providing a novel target for the development of new drugs.

7 Apr 2005

Study of Anoxia could yield better anesthetics, stroke/heart attack recovery

For a human, mere minutes without oxygen (called anoxia) resulting from cardiac arrest, cerebral stroke or being trapped under water can lead to profound tissue damage and even death. However a Western painted turtle can survive anoxia for months without apparent tissue damage. Why, and how?

3 Apr 2005