Scientists have produced a tomato enriched in the Parkinson’s disease drug L-DOPA in what could become a new, affordable source of one of the world’s essential medicines. The development of the genetically modified (GM) tomato has implications for developing nations where access to pharmaceutical drugs is restricted. This novel use of tomato plants as a […]
Chemicals in indoor swimming pools may increase cancer risk
Swimming in indoor chlorinated pools may induce genotoxicity (DNA damage that may lead to cancer) as well as respiratory effects, but the positive health effects of swimming can be maintained by reducing pool levels of the chemicals behind these potential health risks, according to a new study published in a set of three articles online […]
Toddler formulas and milks — not recommended by health experts — mislead with health claims
Misleading labeling on formulas and milks marketed as “toddler drinks” may confuse parents about their healthfulness or necessity, finds a new study by researchers at the NYU College of Global Public Health and the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut. The study, published in the journal Preventive Medicine, examines how […]
Higher levels of omega-3 acids in the blood increases life expectancy by almost five years
Levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood are as good a predictor of mortality from any cause as smoking, according to a study involving the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), in collaboration with The Fatty Acid Research Institute in the United States and several universities in the United States and Canada. The […]
Probiotic identified to treat ulcers
Researchers from Spain have identified a strain of probiotic bacteria that may be useful in treating ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori. They report their findings in the February 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. “H. pylori is considered one of the major risk factors underlying the development of gastritis and gastric and duodenal ulcers,” write […]
Think about this: Keeping your brain active may delay Alzheimer’s dementia 5 years
Keeping your brain active in old age has always been a smart idea, but a new study suggests that reading, writing letters and playing card games or puzzles in later life may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia by up to five years. The research is published in the July 14, 2021, online issue of Neurology, […]
No link between moderate coffee consumption and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia, researchers find
In the largest study of its kind, an investigation by UC San Francisco has found no evidence that moderate coffee consumption leads to a greater risk of cardiac arrhythmia. In fact, each additional daily cup of coffee consumed among several hundred thousand individuals was associated with a 3 percent lower risk of any arrhythmia occurring, […]
An elastic skin-like liquid bandage wins FDA approval
Biomaterials and medical device company Aleo BME has received notification from the U.S. Federal Drug Administration that it has been approved for the sale and licensing of ElaSkinTM as a liquid bandage for the protection and treatment of a broad set of skin conditions and injuries. ElaSkin’sTM development validates Aleo BME’s approach to biopolymer production and characterization […]
White Tea Beats Green Tea In Fighting Germs
White Tea Extract (WTE) may have prophylactic applications in retarding growth of bacteria that cause Staphylococcus infections, Streptococcus infections, pneumonia and dental caries. Researchers present their findings today at the 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. “Past studies have shown that green tea stimulates the immune system to fight disease,” says Milton […]
Lab experiments show anti-parasitic drug, Ivermectin, eliminates SARS-CoV-2 in cells in 48 hours
A collaborative study led by the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) with the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), a joint venture of the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, has shown that an anti-parasitic drug already available around the world kills the virus within 48 hours. The Monash Biomedicine Discovery […]