Omega-3 supplements are associated with an increased likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation in people with high blood lipids. That’s the finding of a study published today in European Heart Journal — Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “Currently, fish oil supplements are indicated for patients with elevated plasma triglycerides to reduce […]
New surgical mask doesn’t just trap viruses, it renders them harmless
A University of Alberta engineering researcher has developed a new way to treat common surgical masks so they are capable of trapping and killing airborne viruses. His research findings appear in the journal Scientific Reports, published by Nature Publishing Group. Hyo-Jick Choi, a professor in the University of Alberta Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, noticed […]
Identification of a protective protein that reduces the severity of COVID-19
Researchers at the Lady Davis Institute (LDI) at the Jewish General Hospital have discovered that increased levels of the protein OAS1 are associated with reduced mortality and less severe disease requiring ventilation among patients with COVID-19. Using drugs that boost OAS1 levels could be explored to try to improve these outcomes. The findings are published […]
A radioactive isotope is showing up in honey
That natural, bee-produced sweetener you stir into your tea and lavish on your toast may be laced with cesium-137. It’s a radioactive isotope, Jim Kaste explains, a relic of the atom bomb tests of the Cold War. And there is a good chance that your delectable honey contains detectable amounts of the stuff. Kaste hastens […]
Radiation causes blindness in wild animals in Chernobyl
Vast amounts of radioactive particles spread over large areas in Europe. These particles, mostly Cesium-137, cause a low but long-term exposure to ionizing radiation in animals and plants. This chronic exposure has been shown to decrease the abundances of many animal species both after the Chernobyl and later Fukushima nuclear accidents. Damage caused by acute […]
A pigment from red cabbage could help turn your favorite foods blue
It’s not that hard to make a natural blue dye. Just take a red cabbage, cut it into pieces, and boil it. What you get is a purple broth that turns bright blue when you add some baking powder. Children have been doing this for decades, but researchers have struggled to turn this or similar […]
Keto diet found to ease alcohol withdrawal symptoms
A team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in the U.S. and one in Denmark has found that people suffering from alcohol withdrawal experience less severe symptoms if they go on the ketogenic (keto) diet. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes experiments they conducted with rats and human volunteers involving […]
DDT exposure in grandmothers linked to obesity, earlier periods in granddaughters
In the first study to report on the health effects of exposure to a toxic environmental chemical over three human generations, a new study has found that granddaughters whose grandmothers were exposed to the pesticide DDT have higher rates of obesity and earlier first menstrual periods. This may increase the granddaughters’ risk for breast cancer […]
Face masks that contain graphene may pose health risks
Health Canada is advising Canadians not to use face masks that contain graphene because there is a potential that they could inhale graphene particles, which may pose health risks. Graphene is a novel nanomaterial (materials made of tiny particles) reported to have antiviral and antibacterial properties. Health Canada conducted a preliminary scientific assessment after being […]
A sulfosugar from green vegetables promotes the growth of important gut bacteria
A team of scientists has analyzed how microbes in the gut process the plant-based, sulfur-containing sugar sulfoquinovose. Their study discovered that specialized bacteria cooperate in the utilization of the sulfosugar, producing hydrogen sulfide. This gas has disparate effects on human health: at low concentrations, it has an anti-inflammatory effect, while increased amounts of hydrogen sulfide […]