Category: Scientific/Technical Items
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Law, Medicine & Pharma Professors Call for Probiotics Oversight
Noting the difficulty of classifying products with probiotics, defined as live microorganisms that have a beneficial effect when consumed in sufficient quantities, due to their varied marketing as foods, dietary supplements, medical foods, foods for special dietary use, or drugs, University of Maryland professors in law, medicine and pharmacy suggest ways that the Food and…
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Discovery of New Botulism Toxin Prompts Bioterrorism Fears
Two new studies recently published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases have reportedly identified for the first time in more than 40 years a new strain of Clostridium botulinum, prompting debate over whether the genetic sequences needed to reproduce the toxin should be made available to the public despite concerns that the information could pose a…
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Study Claims Atmosphere Influences Whiskey Taste
A recent study has concluded that multi-sensory environmental factors play an important role in how consumers perceive the taste of whiskey. Carlos Velasco, et al., “Assessing the influence of the multisensory environment on the whisky drinking experience,” Flavour, October 2013. Oxford University researchers apparently asked 441 volunteers to sample the same glass of whiskey while…
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Researchers Allegedly Identify Biological Pathway Linking Diabetes and Heart Disease
UC Davis Health System researchers have reportedly identified “a biological pathway that is activated when blood sugar levels are abnormally high and causes irregular heartbeats, a condition known as cardiac arrhythmia that is linked with heart failure and sudden cardiac death.” Jeffrey Erickson, et al., “Diabetic hyperglycaemia activities CaMKII and arrhythmias by O-linked glycosylation,” Nature,…
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Certain Diets Allegedly Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease
A recent study has reportedly claimed that diets high in calories and animal fat are associated with increased rates of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in Japan and eight other countries. William Grant, “Trends in Diet and Alzheimer’s Disease During the Nutrition Transition in Japan and Developing Counties,” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, September 2013. Using nutrition data…
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BPA Study Criticized for Misinterpreting Statistical Data
Tufts University researchers who recently published a study in Environmental Health Perspectives linking bisphenol A (BPA) to mammary gland cancer in rats have walked back their claims after Forbes reported that the statistical data cited in the results “clearly showed BPA had no effects and did not cause cancer.” Nicole Acevedo, et al., “Perinatally Administered Bisphenol…
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Meta-Analysis Allegedly Links SSBs to Weight Gain in Children and Adults
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health has allegedly concluded that sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption “promotes weight gain in children and adults.” Vasanti Malik, et al., “Sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain in children and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October…