Washington could ban smoking in cars with children Jan 6, 2009
DUH wrote on Jan 5, 2009 11:13 AM:" Just look at the pollution that is spewed out of those stacks down at the mills 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The chemicals in that stuff eats the paint off of cars and houses in the area. Just look at the houses and the cars parked in the highlands area for example. What do you think those chemicals do to a persons lungs? I'd say it's a lot more harmful than the occasional whiff of cigarette smoke you get while walking through a parking lot.... (Longview Daily News, WA)
A coat of many proteins may be this parasite's downfall Dec 16, 2008
In an experiment that has not yet been published, Lujn has tested gerbils, the laboratory animal often used in giardia work, with a vaccine consisting just of giardia with its RNA interference system blocked. "We saw complete protection," he said. (International Herald Tribune)
EDIT: Tailoring Transplants Nov 21, 2008
The method which has so far only been used to reconstruct some smaller parts of the heart in laboratory animals, consists of taking a donor trachea and removing the cells using chemicals and enzymes. The remaining "scaffolding" made of a fibrous protein collagen, is then soaked in solutions using the recipient's stem cells that can be coaxed into growing the proper type of new cells to make up a fully functional trachea. (India Times, India)
Canada To Limit Bisphenol A In Baby Bottles Oct 20, 2008
The substance has been linked to cancer and infertility in laboratory animals and has also been tied to incidents of heart disease and diabetes in humans. "It is concluded that bisphenol A be considered as a toxic substance that may be entering the environment in quantity or concentration or under conditions that constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health," the Canadian environment and health ministries said. (Planet Ark, United States)
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL: A clear conflict Oct 18, 2008
A Journal Sentinel review last year of 258 research papers showed that the vast majority found bisphenol A to be harmful to laboratory animals. The papers that did not find such were mostly those funded by the chemical industry. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Research Links BPA, Disease In Adults Oct 14, 2008
Many previous studies in laboratory animals have suggested that BPA is safe, but some laboratory studies have raised doubts. Experiments in which mice and rats were exposed to BPA have shown that higher doses of the chemical can lead to liver damage, insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity. (Click2Houston, TX)
Key Proteins In Blood Stem Cell Replication Pinpointed Oct 12, 2008
Unfortunately, laboratory animals missing just one or two family members die soon after birth. Viatour and Sage devised a way to inhibit, or knock out, the function of all three proteins in adult mice. (Science Daily)
Muscle Stem Cell Identity Confirmed By Researchers Sep 20, 2008
However, analyzing the specific properties of a single cell is technically difficult, and usually requires hundreds of hours of painstaking microscopic analysis of tissue slices from many laboratory animals. Sacco used a trick to overcome these hurdles. (Science Daily)
Plastics Chemical Tied to Heart Disease, Diabetes Sep 18, 2008
Until now, environmental and consumer activists who have questioned the safety of bisphenol A, or BPA, have relied on studies showing harm from exposure in laboratory animals. But British researchers, who published their findings on Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed urine and blood samples from 1,455 U.S. adults aged 18 to 74 who were representative of the general population. (MEDLINEplus)
Common Plastics Chemical Linked to Heart Problems Sep 17, 2008
"On the other hand, though, bisphenol A has been very intensively studied in a very large number of laboratory animal studies. And the weight of evidence from those studies ... continues to support the safe use of products containing bisphenol A," he said in a telephone interview. The British researchers, who acknowledged their findings are not proof that the chemical is causing the harm, analyzed urine samples from a U.S. government health survey of adults ages 18-74 representative of the U.S.... (Newsmax)
Bisphenol A may impair learning and memory Sep 4, 2008
Bisphenol A is mired in controversy because the manmade chemical is able to mimic the hormone estrogen in living things, and has been found in dozens of laboratory animal and test tube experiments to be biologically active at small doses. Although estrogen is most often viewed as the primary female sex hormone, it is also needed to ensure the proper development of synapses. (Globe and Mail -- Business)
Scientist advocates unusual uses for trees Aug 13, 2008
The black walnut, for example, contains limonene, which is found in citrus fruit and elsewhere and has been shown to have anticancer effects in some studies of laboratory animals. Beresford-Kroeger has suggested, without evidence, that limonene inhaled in aerosol form by humans will help prevent cancer. (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Might science help stave off old age? Aug 2, 2008
It is so much easier to play with genes in laboratory animals such as mice, fruit flies or C. elegans, a worm that is the workhorse of aging research. Scientists have been able to dramatically increase the lifespans of all these creatures by altering single genes, often without an increased incidence of cancer. (Globe and Mail)
Foods High In Conjugated Linoleic Acids Can Enrich Breast Milk Jul 29, 2008
ScienceDaily (July 28, 2008) Have a cookie before breast-feeding, mom. Eating special cookies enriched with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) can increase the level of these potentially healthful fatty acids in breast milk, reports a recent study in the journal Nutrition Research. (Science Daily)
Questions arise over CDC germ lab Jun 22, 2008
Goodwin, a veterinarian, is executive director of the Center for Laboratory Animal Medicine and Care at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston ... "It could be inconsequential or it could be consequential," said Chris Newcomer, executive director of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International, commenting in general and not about CDC's lab in particular. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Statins use may reduce caesarean births Jun 18, 2008
New trials are now underway in laboratory animals to test whether reducing cholesterol levels with drugs such as statins can improve contractions and if successful large scale human trials could begin within five years. Statins are already taken by around four million patients in the UK with heart disease and cost around four pence per patient per day. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Treatment For Severe Blood Loss: Less Is More May 14, 2008
18, 2000) Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have demonstrated that laboratory animals will self-administer marijuana's psychoactive component, THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), in. (Jul. (Science Daily)
FDA soon may support biomarker tests Apr 17, 2008
He cites two recent examples of drugs in trouble, both of which showed toxicity in laboratory animals: the diabetes drug Avandia from GlaxoSmithKline and Vytorin from Schering-Plough and Merck, a cholesterol-lowering medication. "Avandia showed evidence of heart damage in animal studies and, for Vytorin, tests showed serious toxicity in laboratory animals, regardless of how low a dose of this combination drug was used," says Wolfe. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Technology)
Think again: Exercise on the brain Nov 9, 2007
Environmental enrichment does improve mental function in laboratory animals. Rodents and monkeys that get playmates or toys learn to complete a variety of tasks more easily, at all ages. (International Herald Tribune)
Marked Brain Changes Afflict Even Senior Citizens Who Have Escaped Alzheimer's Disease Nov 8, 2007
Prompted in part by laboratory animal studies suggesting that frequent physical activity encourages new brain cells to develop, many people have taken up jogging, walking, swimming, and other forms of regular exercise to improve and preserve their cognitive abilities as well as their cardiovascular health. However, few studies have been conducted to examine how a person's cognitive performance and its neurophysiological correlates are influenced by the individual's overall motor status. (Science Daily)
Sleep, And How Cocaine Changes The Brain To Make Treatment So Difficult Nov 8, 2007
Previous laboratory animal studies have suggested that repeated cocaine self-administration increases the expression of excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in the accumbens ... However, when their self-administration was intermittently punished by a mild foot shock, most of the laboratory animals consumed less drug. (Science Daily)
Scientist bites back at animal activist vandals Nov 6, 2007
She replied with a heartfelt letter to the L.A. Times, headlined Why I Use Laboratory Animals. I have devoted my career to understanding how nicotine, methamphetamine and other drugs can hijack brain chemistry and leave the affected individual at the mercy of his or her addiction. (The Palm Beach Post)
Are Microchip Tags Safe? Oct 25, 2007
But VeriChip came under fire in September shortly after the first 90 or so Alzheimer's patients received its chips in Florida after an AP report unearthed studies suggesting the chips may cause cancer in laboratory animals. Within two weeks of the AP report, VeriChip's stock plummeted from just under $6 a share to a low of $3. (Time.com)
A Step Toward Tissue-engineered Heart Structures For Children Sep 21, 2007
The researchers, led by Sales and senior investigator John Mayer, MD, in Children's Department of Cardiac Surgery, first isolated endothelial progenitor cells (precursors of the cells that line blood vessel walls) from the blood of laboratory animals. They then "seeded" the cells onto tiny, valve-shaped biodegradable molds and pre-coated with proteins found in the natural "matrix" that surrounds and supports cells. (Science Daily)
UCSF Animal Care Facility Receives Top Accreditation UCSF, Sep. 10 Sep 11, 2007
UCSF has received highly regarded accreditation from the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International ... These include the U.S. Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Research Council Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the USDA Animal Welfare Act Regulations regarding the care and use of animals in a research setting. (University of California Newswire, CA)
Scientists honoured for sparing animals the lab Aug 22, 2007
"No laboratory animals were used in this research." That is a claim to which an increasing number of medical scientists aspire, and one that has won a team of Sydney cancer specialists an Australian Museum Eureka Prize. Maria Kavallaris, Sela Pouha and Nicole Verrills have discovered why some leukaemia cells become resistant to drugs. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
From lab to the limelight Aug 16, 2007
Raghib has developed a technique for doing this that does not require laboratory animals. Those who vote in the People's Choice Prize before midnight on Sunday will be in a draw to have part of their DNA sequenced and framed. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Scientists Engineer World's First Schizophrenic Mice Jul 30, 2007
It will allow researchers to study the disease and develop treatments using a limitless supply of laboratory animals. Animal rights campaigners have condemned the research, saying that it is morally repugnant to create an animal doomed to mental suffering. (Fox News)
Consumer Group Endorses Study Showing How Diet Drinks Can Trigger Heart Attacks, Stroke and Diabetes Jul 27, 2007
Food and Drug Administration toxicologist, Dr. Jerome Bressler discovered unreported heart and other life threatening problems in the laboratory animals, showing how the original drug company tests could have been 'falsified' to gain approval for the sweetener. Public figures, with histories of serious heart problems, who are also reported to be daily consumers of diet sodas include: President Bill Clinton (Diet Coke),Vice President, Dick Cheney (caffeine-free Diet Sprite) and television... (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
Obesity caused by combination of stress and high fat diet - study Jul 4, 2007
Investigators at Georgetown University Medical Center have been able to use simple, nontoxic chemical injections to add and remove fat in targeted areas on the bodies of laboratory animals. (Credit: Georgetown University). (Food Consumer)
Scientists Find Way to Block Weight Gain in Stressed... Jul 3, 2007
Scientists from have found that blocking the pathway that leads stressed people to gain weight is the key to manipulating fat at least in laboratory animals. The findings, published online in on Sunday, explain why people who are chronically stressed often develop "metabolic syndrome," a condition which causes individuals to gain more weight than they should based on the calories they consume. (Fox News)
Scientists Discover Key To Manipulating Fat; Pathway Also Explains Stress-induced Weight Gain Jul 3, 2007
In what they call a "stunning research advance," investigators at Georgetown University Medical Center have been able to use simple, non-toxic chemical injections to add and remove fat in targeted areas on the bodies of laboratory animals ... Investigators at Georgetown University Medical Center have been able to use simple, nontoxic chemical injections to add and remove fat in targeted areas on the bodies of laboratory animals. (Science Daily)
Use of Mice in Biomedical Research Jun 27, 2007
These developments are all reflected in the latest edition (7th ed.) of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the National Research Council (NRC) of the United States ... International Committee of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research ... Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council. (Suite101.com)
Group: Livestock may help treat ailments May 16, 2007
Bruce Friedrich, a vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, called the technology "Frankenstein science" that leads to the death of many laboratory animals. He said there can be terrifying consequences for humans if diseases cross species barriers. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
New Stem Cell Method Promises To Repair Severe Blood Vessel Damage May 10, 2007
In what has been described as a breakthrough, US scientists have found a new way to use human embryonic stem cells to produce precursor cells that can repair severely damaged blood vessels in mice and other laboratory animals. They hope this method will one day be used to repair extensive blood vessel damage in humans, for instance diabetics with damaged retinas, people with severe blood vessel damage in limbs (and thereby avoid amputation), and reducing deaths from heart attacks. (Medical News Today)
Scientists Find Gene Linking Lifespan to Calorie Restriction May 5, 2007
" Dillin says that activating the pha-four gene is one of two major ways to lengthen life in laboratory animals. Another is to decrease their sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar. But this has unwelcome side effects, such as stunting and reproductive problems. It is a long evolutionary leap from earthworms to people, but Dillin says it is worth determining if the human versions of the pha-four gene operate the same way. The goal would be to develop a drug that could... (Voice of America)
High Doses Of Phytochemicals, Including Flavanoids, In Teas And Supplements Could Be Unhealthy May 2, 2007
The data was from studies done in humans and laboratory animals. The report cites specific examples of toxic effects, including reports of liver, kidney, and intestinal toxicity related to consumption of high doses of green tea-based dietary supplements. (Science Daily)
Pill to boost women's sex drive and help them lose weight Apr 30, 2007
However, in an unexpected short-term side-effect, the laboratory animals also ate significantly less food than usual. In some cases this was one-third less than their usual daily diet. (Scotsman)
FDA advisers get behind new type of HIV drug Apr 25, 2007
The drugs also have been linked to heart rhythm changes in laboratory animals. FDA reviewers noted no increase in lymphomas or infections among patients given Celsentri, but said there was a modest increase in liver problems. (MSNBC -- Health)
'Inherently toxic' chemical faces its future Apr 7, 2007
Some researchers with close-up views of bisphenol A are so shocked by its ability to skew development in their laboratory animals, even at among the lowest doses ever used in experiments, they aren't waiting for the government to ban it. In their personal lives, they can't run away from products containing it fast enough. (Globe and Mail)
First Step In Developing Heart Hormone-based Pill To Control High Blood Pressure Mar 28, 2007
The researchers tested the oral BNP by inducing high blood pressure in laboratory animals, and then giving them the experimental drug ... In this way, the team designed a novel chimeric peptide and defined its heart-kidney action by testing it in laboratory animals. (Science Daily)
Study Citing Antioxidant Vitamin Risks Based On Flawed Methodology, Experts Argue Mar 2, 2007
A study recently published on possible health risks of antioxidant supplements is based on flawed methodology and ignores the broad totality of evidence that comes to largely opposite conclusions, say experts from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The research, which was published in this week s edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, concluded that antioxidant supplements such as vitamins A and E may significantly increase mortality, and that there was... (Science Daily)
Drug being tested to see if it can control diabetes Jan 30, 2007
The drug has already proven to help laboratory animals and people in smaller studies control diabetes and blood pressure. It s not going to be a spectacular drug but it s cheap and it s generic and if we prove that it works it will help control this epidemic of diabetes and maybe even help heart disease, said Tulane Endocrinologist Dr. Vivian Fonseca. (WWLTV.com, LA)
Folic Acid May Prevent Cleft Lip And Palate Jan 27, 2007
"Folic acid deficiency causes facial clefts in laboratory animals, so we had a good reason to focus on folic acid in our clefts study," said Wilcox. "It was one of our main hypotheses.". (Science Daily)
Study claims to solve drug trial mystery Jan 27, 2007
Dr Federica Marelli-Berg, of the Department of Immunology at Imperial College London, presented the findings of research suggesting why the inexperienced immune systems of laboratory animals did not react to the drug ... However the same tests on laboratory animals did not provoke any immune system reaction. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Dog sacrificed for sales demonstration Jan 19, 2007
An institution's policy for animal use is by the institution's IACUC, which is reviewed and approved by the USDA. General guidelines that must be followed are outlined in the federal (in which rats and mice are ) and the on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals ... JK Borchardt, "US debates care standards for small laboratory animals," The Scientist, July16, 2001 ... Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. (The Scientist)
Amniotic stem cell find could overcome barriers to using embryos Jan 8, 2007
The study also suggests another advantage: unlike embryonic cells, which can form tumours when implanted in laboratory animals, amniotic fluid stem cells do not appear to do so. It is still unclear whether stem cells from amniotic fluid - the liquid that cushions babies in the womb - can give rise to the full range of cell types that embryonic stem cells can produce. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
