Blogs

Science headlines this week included new research on how mice genetic expression and genomes relate to those of humans, as well as research indicating that light may be skewing test results on nanoparticles’ health effects. 

SOT Members in the News
“This is the first study to provide evidence that an organophosphate-based flame retardant could contribute to bone loss,” Jennifer Schlezinger tells Environmental Health Perspectives in an article about new research on Firemaster® 550. Dr. Schlezinger, Thomas F. Webster and other colleagues found that the flame retardant caused stem cells to differentiate into fat cells at the expense of bone and cartilage formulation. The effect occurred at exposure levels significantly higher than those currently experienced in the real world, but if everyday exposure levels increase, there may be cause for concern according to Jerry Heindel.

Science and Public Health News

• E-cigarette use triples among high schoolers (USA Today)
• WHO sets benchmarks to reduce health damage from indoor air pollution (World Health Organization)
• Outcry over lost EU science adviser post (Science)
• NIH study links ultraviolet filters to pregnancy delays (US National Institutes of Health)
• Personalized cocktails vanquish resistant cancers (Nature)
• Death by dirty water: Storm runoff a risk for fish (Associated Press)
• Call for e-cigarette safety warnings (BBC)
• Select Few Can Truly Drink to Their Health (Scientific American)
• Two drugs are no more effective than one to treat common kidney disease (US National Institutes of Health)
• House passes bill to study low-dose radiation (The Hill)
• Obesity is Tied to Pollutants (The New York Times)
• Research team finds mice and humans express genes differently (Medical Xpress)
• Tufts Study Pegs Drug Development, Approval Cost at $2.6B (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News)
• Researchers develop new acoustic sensor for chemical and biological detection (Argonne National Laboratory)
• Drug trial supports importance of low cholesterol to treat heart disease (Nature)
• Engineered plants could manufacture Ebola, cancer and HIV drugs (Horizon: The EU Research & Innovation Magazine)
• Soap antimicrobial may damage liver and raise cancer risk, mouse study shows (University of California-Davis)
• NIST Study Suggests Light May Be Skewing Lab Tests on Nanoparticles' Health Effects (US National Institute of Standards and Technology)
• House passes bill to reform EPA science panel (The Hill)
• New comprehensive view of the mouse genome finds many similarities and striking differences with human genome (US National Institutes of Health)

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