A 2009 outbreak of acute hemorrhagic fever in the Democratic Republic of Congo was likely caused by a novel virus that appears to be closely related to the types of viruses that cause rabies. The microbe, which scientists have named Bas-Congo virus (BASV), is described in the latest edition of PLoS Pathogens. The virus first […]
The “astounding” increase in cases of esophageal cancer around the world seems to have begun in the UK in the 1950s, but a recent comprehensive analysis of historical data has brought scientists no closer to identifying the cause. The new report into what medicos call a “global epidemic” appears in the journal Gut. There are […]
Pregnant mice exposed to diesel exhaust pollution gave birth to offspring with a significantly higher rate of obesity and insulin resistance in adulthood. The effect, say the researchers, was especially prevalent in male mice, which were heavier regardless of diet. The findings were published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology’sFASEB Journal. The […]
Higher levels of the plastics chemicals known as phthalates have been found in children from homes containing PVC flooring materials, suggesting these softening agents can be absorbed by contact with the skin. The study, from Karlstad University in Sweden, shows that ingestion with food is not the only way that phthalates can be absorbed into […]
After an unprecedented recommendation by a government review panel to block publication, a study that shows how the avian H5N1 influenza virus could become transmissible in mammals was published in full today in the journal Nature. In December 2011, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity recommended redacting critical information from the study. The unprecedented […]
Male pseudoscorpions treated with tetracycline suffer significantly reduced sperm viability and this toxic effect is passed on to their untreated sons, say University of Nevada researchers who believe a similar effect could occur in humans. Tetracycline is commonly used as an additive in animal feed and also as an antimicrobial therapy in developing countries. Researcher […]
Two new studies in the journal Anesthesiologyhave found that the opiate drugs used to relieve pain in cancer patients appear to stimulate the growth and spread of tumors. “These studies have caused anesthesiologists to re-evaluate how best to do anesthesia and pain control for cancer patients,” said University of Chicago’s Jonathan Moss, who co-wrote a […]
The strong correlation between shift work, obesity and type 2 diabetes has led health experts to call for the poor diet of shift workers to be considered a new occupational health hazard. The recommendations appear in an editorial in the journal PLoS Medicine. Shift work is notoriously linked to poor patterns of eating, exacerbated by […]
Alzheimer’s disease may originate in a form similar to that of infectious prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; suggests new research published in Molecular Psychiatry that shows an infectious spreading of Alzheimer’s disease in animal models. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of progressive dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. The plaques caused by misshapen […]
The United States’ top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet emit carcinogenic chemicals from dryer vents, claims a researcher from the University of Washington. Anne Steinemann’s findings, published in the journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, build on her earlier work that examined what chemicals are released by laundry products, air fresheners, cleaners […]
