Synopses

This column contains paragraph summaries of newly published scientific findings from the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Often these synopses are posted before the research is covered by the mainstream press.
Recent Synopses
Smaller sized nanomaterials inflict a bigger bite. Nov 21. The smaller the size, the more damage silver nanomaterials will have, according to research with cells from the lungs of rats. Use of silver nanomaterials is increasing rapidly in common consumer products, even though scientists have barely begun to study the risks. more...
Living near heavy traffic increases chances of miscarriage and newborn death. Nov 18. Women who live near busy streets have an increased chance of a miscarriage or of their newborns dying, reports a study from Brazil. The findings implicate air pollution. more...
Chloramine water disinfection creates toxic compound. Nov 18. A common disinfectant used by public water treatment plants creates a byproduct that is highly toxic to mammalian cells. How much is made depends upon details of how the plants process water. The amount produced can be reduced significantly by simple changes in the treatment process. Despite this, many plants continue to use methods that create more of the toxic chemical than necessary. more...
Picturing the brain on lead. Nov 18. A part of the brain that controls short-term memory and learning is smaller in workers who were exposed to lead while at work and had high levels in their blood. People who work with the heavy metal may develop subtle brain changes that could increase their risk of neurological disorders. more...
Nanoparticles damage brain cells. Nov 17. A new study with mice shows that very small nano-sized particles of titanium dioxide can travel from the nerves in the nose to the brain and damage cells. more...
Stem cells show how nicotine affects early pregnancy. Nov 14. Nicotine interferes with implantation and increases cell death in the very early stages of pregnancy that could lead to infertility and fetal loss, finds new research using human stem cells to uncover how and when things can go wrong in the womb after a chemical exposure. more...
Are bacteria in shopping malls a beacon for disease outbreaks? Nov 14. A new method to monitor indoor air for harmful bacteria can help prevent major disease outbreaks. more...
Dioxin garbles prostate development in mice. Nov 07. Prostate glands of mice exposed in the womb to dioxin during a critical time of pregnancy do not develop properly. The research pinpoints how the chemical changes hormone signals that guide where normal tissue should grow. The result is a disruption in prostate development that could lead to adult prostate disease. more...
PCBs affect learning by stunting brain nerve development. Nov 06. In a unique study, researchers show that exposure to PCBs in rats interferes with learning by stopping the brain from forming complex nerve networks essential for memory and intellect. In essence, the exposure prevented nerves in the rats' brains from changing as a result of experience. This effect could underpin some of the impacts that PCBs have on children's ability to learn. more...
Another chemical found to be harmful to boys. Oct 30. Another chemical commonly found in the urine of U.S. residents was added to the list of those that are possibly contributing to the subtle feminization of boys. more...
FDA draft decision on BPA deeply flawed Oct 30. Thirty-six scientists conclude in a peer-reviewed commentary that the FDA's draft decision on bisphenol A uses unacceptable criteria for selecting data and depends heavily upon a key paper that is fatally flawed. more...
Athletes kick up hidden toxic chemicals from artificial turf. Oct 27. Artificial turf contains several toxic chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), zinc, chromium and lead that in many cases, exceed safe health standard levels. Potential risks to children and adults using these areas should be evaluated since nearly 1,000 fields of artificial turf are installed every year in the US. more...
More testing needed to ensure safety of nanotechnology. Oct 27. Scientists believe more information about how nanomaterials act in living things is needed to ensure that new consumer products made with the smallest of particles do not lead to unwanted health and environmental consequences. A new way to test nanomaterials suggests that the toxicity of each type is determined by very different factors. more...
Researchers find key to differences in dioxin sensitivity. Oct 26. If all birds in the Great Lakes basin were chickens, dioxins would kill them all. Dioxin-like compounds are toxic to most vertebrates, but significant differences in sensitivity exist among species. Scientists are beginning to understand the genetic variations that contribute to these differences. more...
Lower IQs found in 9-year-olds whose mothers were exposed to PCBs while pregnant. Oct 26. Higher levels of PCBs during pregnancy are associated with lower IQ scores for their pre-teen children. The results support previous studies that also show the long-lived chemical affects a child's mental ability. more...
Exposure to a PAH before birth or via breast milk can lead to cancer. Oct 23. Prebirth and early life exposure to certain chemicals released from coal burning power plants may lead to cancer later in life, this mouse study finds. more...
10-23 Oct Soy mixture may be alternative hormone therapy. Oct 23. Eating a mix of soy compounds may be a safer way than traditional hormone therapies to protect against age-related brain disease, finds a new study that tested the mixtures in rats. more...
Factory workers' DNA changes when they are at work. Oct 22. Factory workers exposed to dust particles have measurable changes in key DNA chemistry on the days they work, but the health impacts are not known. more...
Nanoparticles kill and maim blood vessel cells found in the human brain. Oct 21. A study using cells and rats shows that nanoparticles of aluminum oxide can kill and adversely change the special cells that line the blood vessels in the human brain. The rapid increase in production and use of these very, very small particles will inevitably increase human exposure to the as yet unknown risks from these materials. more...
Estrogen worsens ovarian cancer disease. Oct 17. New research indicates that estrogen may enhance the aggressive behavior of cancer by promoting movement of cancer cells from the ovaries to other body organs. more...





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