Bacteria’s role in gut health has received a lot of attention in recent years. But new research led by scientists at University of Utah Health shows that fungi — another microorganism that lives within us — may be equally important in health and disease. Fungi thrive in the healthy gut, but they can also cause […]
Being clean and hygienic need not impair childhood immunity
The theory that modern society is too clean, leading to defective immune systems in children, should be swept under the rug, according to a new study by researchers at UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. In medicine, the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ states that early childhood exposure to particular microorganisms protects against allergic […]
Undiagnosed, undertreated Chagas disease emerging as U.S. public health threat
Across a broad swath of the southern United States, residents face a tangible but mostly unrecognized risk of contracting Chagas disease — a stealthy parasitic infection that can lead to severe heart disease and death — according to new research presented today at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting. Chagas […]
Researchers see health effects across generations from popular weed killer
Washington State University researchers have found a variety of diseases and other health problems in the second- and third-generation offspring of rats exposed to glyphosate, the world’s most popular weed killer. In the first study of its kind, the researchers saw descendants of exposed rats developing prostate, kidney and ovarian diseases, obesity and birth abnormalities. […]
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 […]
Air pollution: The silent killer called PM 2.5
Millions of people die prematurely every year from diseases and cancer caused by air pollution. The first line of defence against this carnage is ambient air quality standards. Yet, according to researchers from McGill University, over half of the world’s population lives without the protection of adequate air quality standards. Air pollution varies greatly in […]
Super-agers show resistance to tau and amyloid accumulation
Super-agers, or individuals whose cognitive skills are above the norm even at an advanced age, have been found to have increased resistance to tau and amyloid proteins, according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) 2020 Annual Meeting. An analysis of positron emission tomography (PET) scans has shown that […]
PLAGUE: THE BOOK
On July 22, 2009, a special meeting was held with twenty-four leading scientists at the National Institutes of Health to discuss early findings that a newly discovered retrovirus was linked to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), prostate cancer, lymphoma, and eventually neurodevelopmental disorders in children. When Dr. Judy Mikovits finished her presentation the room was silent […]
Study uncovers cause of pesticide exposure, Parkinson’s link
A new University of Guelph study has discovered why exposure to pesticides increases some people’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Previous studies have found an association between two commonly used agrochemicals (paraquat and maneb) and Parkinson’s disease. Now U of G professor Scott Ryan has determined that low-level exposure to the pesticides disrupts cells in […]
Processed foods highly correlated with obesity epidemic in the US
As food consumed in the U.S. becomes more and more processed, obesity may become more prevalent. Through reviewing overall trends in food, George Washington University (GW) researcher Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS, concluded that detailed recommendations to improve diet quality and overall nutrition are needed for consumers, who are prioritizing food that is cheaper and […]