Toxic
Radiologists diagnose and treat self embedding disorder in teensMinimally invasive, image-guided treatment is a safe and precise method for removal of self-inflicted foreign objects from the body, according to the first report on "self-embedding disorder," or self-injury and self-inflicted foreign body insertion in adolescents.
Yeast to identify drugs for Alzheimer's diseaseCSIRO scientists have developed a new system to screen for compounds that can inhibit one of the processes that takes place during the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Bone marrow transplant can cure sickle cell diseaseA unique approach to bone marrow transplantation pioneered in part by a Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC physician has proven to be the only safe and effective cure for sickle cell disease, according to a new study.
Limit caffeine consumption during pregnancyThe Food Standards Agency of UK has issued new advice on caffeine consumption during pregnancy. This follows the results of new FSA-funded research carried out by the Universities of Leeds and Leicester.
US FDA assessed melamine and melamine compounds in foodThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the results of its interim safety and risk assessment of melamine and melamine-related compounds in food, including infant formula.
Eli Lilly's Alimta approvad for lung cancerEli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that it received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of ALIMTA(R) (pemetrexed for injection), in combination with cisplatin, in the first-line treatment of locally-advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for patients with nonsquamous histology.
Electronic cigarette not a safe or proven quitting method for smokersContrary to what some marketers of the electronic cigarette imply in their advertisements, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not consider it to be a legitimate therapy for smokers trying to quit.
Health expert urges FDA to take action to reduce BPA exposureResearchers found a significant relationship between urine concentrations of the environmental estrogen bisphenol A (BPA) and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and liver-enzyme abnormalities.
Arsenic exposure could increase diabetes riskInorganic arsenic, commonly found in ground water in certain areas, may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
International AIDS Society updates treatment guidelines for HIV infectionAn evaluation of recent data has led to an update in the guidelines and recommendations for antiretroviral treatment of adult human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, according to an article in the August 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS.
PVC vinyl shower curtains toxic to healthShower curtains made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic contain many harmful chemicals including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), phthalates and organotins; these PVC shower curtains are potentially toxic to the health of consumers, revealed by a recent study.
Cannabis use exerts harmful effects on brain tissueLong-term, heavy cannabis use may be associated with structural abnormalities in areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and amygdala, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
New therapy promising for melanoma skin cancerThe combination of two different biotherapies (interferon alfa-2b and tremelimumab) may be beneficial for patients with inoperable melanoma, revealed by researchers in US.
Childhood lead exposure is a risk factor for criminal behaviorLead exposure during childhood is associated with adult criminal behaviour, including violent crime, revealed by researchers in this week's PLoS Medicine. Childhood lead exposure is a purported risk factor for antisocial behavior, but prior studies either relied on indirect measures of exposure or did not follow participants into adulthood to examine the relationship between lead exposure and criminal activity in young adults.
OPAL Therapy cost-effective method of treating HIVAustralian researchers have unveiled a new immunotherapy technique to help prevent the progression from HIV infection to AIDS. Details of the simple, cost-effective technique are published May 2nd in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens.
Novel approach to treat Alzheimer's diseaseJADO Technologies GmbH, the leading developer of RAFT intervention therapeutics, announced the publication of a paper in Science demonstrating a potential novel strategy for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer's and other diseases by targeting discrete sub-compartments in the cell membrane (RAFTS).
Fasting for 2 days protects healthy cells against chemotherapyFasting for two days protects healthy cells against chemotherapy, according to a study appearing online the week of March 31 in PNAS Early Edition. Test tube experiments with human cells confirmed the differential resistance of normal and cancer cells to chemotherapy after a short period of starvation.
Bitter melon for type 2 diabetes patientsScientists have uncovered the therapeutic properties of bitter melon, a vegetable and traditional Chinese medicine, that make it a powerful treatment for Type 2 diabetes.
Pear juices for toddlers may contain arsenic, CanadaThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Loblaws Inc. are warning the public not to consume certain pear juices for toddlers because these products may be contaminated with arsenic.
Diesel exhaust inhalation stresses your brainIf the smell of diesel exhaust isn't enough to make you avoid getting a lungful, new research now shows that even a short exposure to the fumes can affect your brain. The study reveals that an hour of sniffing exhaust induces a stress response in the brain's activity.
Lower heart effects from Herceptin breast cancer treatment with chemotherapyA new pilot study by investigators at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) found that breast cancer patients can be treated safely with a "dose-dense" regimen of standard chemotherapy agents and the antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin), a drug that has previously been shown to cause cardiac toxicity.
Zebrafish offer useful screening tool for genes, drugs that protect against hearing lossA small striped fish is helping scientists understand what makes people susceptible to a common form of hearing loss, although, in this case, it's not the fish's ears that are of interest. In a study published in the Feb. 29 issue of the journal PLoS Genetics, researchers at the University of Washington have developed a research method that relies on a zebrafish's lateral line-the faint line running down each side of a fish that enables it to sense its surroundings-to quickly screen for genes and chemical compounds that protect against hearing loss from some medications.
Race differences affect response to drugs and infectionsDifferences in gene expression levels between people of European versus African ancestry can affect how each group responds to certain drugs or fights off specific infections, report researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center and the Expression Research Laboratory at Affymetrix Inc. of Santa Clara, CA.
New chemical tool kit reveals insights into drug toxicityWhy do nearly 1 million people taking cholesterol-lowering statins often experience muscle cramps? Why is it that in the rare case when a diabetic takes medication for intestinal worms, his glucose levels improve? Is there any scientific basis for the purported health effects of green tea?
Gene identified for hair loss in hypotrichosis simplexA healthy individual loses around a hundred hairs a day. Nothing to worry about as long as they are constantly replaced and the losses occur evenly around the whole scalp. But when hair loss goes well beyond this level it can become quite a problem for those affected – not only superficially in terms of looks but also psychologically.
Gene changes after smoking affects lung cancerSmoking plays a role in lung cancer development, and now scientists have shown that smoking also affects the way genes are expressed, leading to alterations in cell division and regulation of immune response. Notably, some of the changes in gene expression persisted in people who had quit smoking many years earlier.
Zydus Cadila introduces Nudoxa cancer drugZydus Cadila has introduced an NDDS product 'Nudoxa' for the treatment of various cancers. One of the critical drugs used in chemotherapy, Nudoxa heralds a new approach in cancer therapy.
Improving the safety testing of chemicalsTesting the safety of chemicals ranging from pesticides to household cleaners will benefit from new technologies and a plan for collaboration, according to federal scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who announced a new toxicity testing agreement.
Ban use of bisphenol A in baby bottlesDozens of state and national environmental health organizations in the U.S. and Canada are calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and other food and beverage containers, based on the results of a new study that demonstrates the toxic chemical BPA leaches from popular plastic baby bottles when heated.
FDA updates guidance to seafood processors after recent ciguatera poisoningThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter to seafood processors, advising them of recent illnesses linked to consuming fish carrying the ciguatera toxin, which has led to cases of ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) in consumers.
Baby personal care products safer for infantsA study published this month in the journal, Pediatrics, suggests that the use of baby lotion, powder, and shampoo is linked to the presence of phthalates in babies. Phthalates are a large family of compounds used in a wide variety of everyday products.
Babies excrete vaccine-mercury quickerFebruary's issue of Pediatrics offers another reason to rethink blaming the spike in autism diagnoses on thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative routinely used in several childhood vaccines until the late ‘90s.
Polycarbonate plastic bottles harmful for hot liquidsLiquid's temperature that has the most impact on how much Bisphenol A (BPA) is released from polycarbonate plastic bottles, and it does not matter whether the container is new or old, revealed by researchers from the University of Cincinnati (UC).
OTC eardrops may cause hearing lossA new study, led by researchers at The Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the MUHC, has revealed that certain over-the-counter earwax softeners can cause severe inflammation and damage to the eardrum and inner ear. The results of the study, recently published in The Laryngoscope, suggest that use of these medications should be discouraged.
Ebola virus disarmed by excising a single geneThe deadly Ebola virus, an emerging public health concern in Africa and a potential biological weapon, ranks among the most feared of exotic pathogens. Due to its virulent nature, and because no vaccines or treatments are available, scientists studying the agent have had to work under the most stringent biocontainment protocols, limiting research to a few highly specialized labs and hampering the ability of scientists to develop countermeasures.
Vitamin D deficiency may increase heart disease riskThe same vitamin D deficiency that can result in weak bones now has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Framingham Heart Study researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Arthritis drug celecoxib can adversely affect heart rhythmCOX-2 inhibitors like Celecoxib have come under scrutiny lately due to adverse cardiovascular side-effects stemming from COX-2 reduction. In both fruit fly and rat models, researchers reveal another adverse effect of Celecoxib; this drug can induce arrhythmia. More interestingly, this effect is independent of the COX-2 enzyme.
Novel anti-cancer strategy moves to clinicResearchers at Emory University have developed a novel anti-tumor compound that represents a distinct strategy: targeting one of the most important "intercept points" for cancer cells.
Medical myths even doctors believeIndiana University School of Medicine researchers explored seven commonly held medical beliefs. The study entitled "Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe" is published in the Christmas issue of the British Medical Journal.
Psoriasis increases mortality riskPatients with severe psoriasis appear to have an increased risk of death compared with patients without the skin condition, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Swad brand sindoor contains high levels of leadThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use 3.5 oz. packages of Swad brand sindoor, an orange or red powder used in some traditional South Asian Pacific ceremonies that is applied to the face or scalp, imported by Raja Foods LLC of Skokie, Illinois because the product contains high levels of lead. Although the product was not intended to be sold for food use, its labeling is confusing and implies that it may be used as food.
Folic acid reduces alcohol-related damage in alcoholicsFolic acid found helpful for treating alcoholism and preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, revealed by researchers in a recent study.