Researchers report that nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents. The finding was reported today at the 222nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific […]
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Black raspberries show promise for reducing skin inflammation
Eating black raspberries might reduce inflammation associated with skin allergies, a new study indicates. In a study done with mice and published earlier this month in the journal Nutrients, researchers found that a diet high in black raspberries reduced inflammation from contact hypersensitivity — a condition that causes redness and inflammation in the skin. “A lot […]
Glyphosate residue in manure fertilizer decrease strawberry and meadow fescue growth
A new study finds that glyphosate residue in manure fertilizer decrease the growth of strawberry and meadow fescue as well as runner production of strawberry. Earlier experiments with Japanese quails showed how glyphosate residue in poultry feed accumulated in quail manure. In these experiments, half of the quails were fed with glyphosate-contaminated feed while the […]
Dozens of non-oncology drugs can kill cancer cells
A study testing thousands of medicines in hundreds of cancer cell lines in the lab uncovers new tricks for many old drugs Drugs for diabetes, inflammation, alcoholism — and even for treating arthritis in dogs — can also kill cancer cells in the lab, according to a study by scientists at the Broad Institute of […]
Gluten in wheat: What has changed during 120 years of breeding?
In recent years, the number of people affected by coeliac disease, wheat allergy or gluten or wheat sensitivity has risen sharply. But why is this the case? Could it be that modern wheat varieties contain more immunoreactive protein than in the past? Results from a study by the Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the […]
When you’re smiling, the whole world really does smile with you
From Sinatra to Katy Perry, celebrities have long sung about the power of a smile — how it picks you up, changes your outlook, and generally makes you feel better. But is it all smoke and mirrors, or is there a scientific backing to the claim? Groundbreaking research from the University of South Australia confirms […]
Dragonflies reveal mercury pollution levels across US national parks
A citizen science program that began over a decade ago has confirmed the use of dragonflies to measure mercury pollution, according to a study in Environmental Science & Technology. The national research effort, which grew from a regional project to collect dragonfly larvae, found that the young form of the insect predator can be used as […]
Mouthwashes could reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, study shows
Sars-Cov-2 viruses can be inactivated using certain commercially available mouthwashes. This was demonstrated in cell culture experiments by virologists from Ruhr-Universität Bochum together with colleagues from Jena, Ulm, Duisburg-Essen, Nuremberg and Bremen. High viral loads can be detected in the oral cavity and throat of some Covid-19 patients. The use of mouthwashes that are effective […]
Electric cooker an easy, efficient way to sanitize N95 masks, study finds
Owners of electric multicookers may be able to add another use to its list of functions, a new study suggests: sanitization of N95 respirator masks. The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign study found that 50 minutes of dry heat in an electric cooker, such as a rice cooker or Instant Pot, decontaminated N95 respirators inside and […]
FDA study shows the body absorbs chemicals in sunscreen products
For the second time this year, researchers at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have released a study showing that many popular sunscreen products release chemicals into the body through the skin at levels beyond what the agency considers healthy. The FDA gets concerned if ingredients are found in the bloodstream at a level […]