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Programmed for obesity

According to a University of Missouri-Columbia scientist, environmental chemicals can alter fetal gene function, predisposing babies to obesity and disease. This 'thrifty phenotype' is programmed for starvation but becomes detrimental in modern environments with plenty of food.

Study of Latina women and children finds large variation in susceptibility to pesticides

A new study published in Pharmacogenetics and Genomics found significant variability in pesticide susceptibility among Latina women and their newborns. The researchers used PON1 enzyme activity as a marker for pesticide resistance and discovered that genetic variants can significantly affect enzyme levels, particularly in children.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalPharmacogenetics and Genomics·DateMar 2, 2006

New discovery: If it weren't for this enzyme, decomposing pesticide would take millennia

Researchers at UNC Chapel Hill have discovered a new enzyme that can break down chloroacrylate pesticide residue in just 10,000 years, significantly longer than other environmental pollutants. This enzyme is found in bacteria that thrive on the pesticide and has implications for designing more efficient enzymes.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 24, 2005

Cinnamon oil kills mosquitoes

A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that cinnamon oil is effective in killing mosquito larvae, with four compounds exhibiting strong activity against the yellow fever mosquito. The study suggests that cinnamon oil could be a good mosquito repellant, although further testing is needed.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·DateJul 16, 2004

Models help estimate children's exposure to toxins

Stanford University researchers use video cameras to capture daily activities of healthy children in various environments. By analyzing these recordings, they create detailed models of how children ingest or become exposed to substances like lead and pesticides. This approach allows for the collection of tens of thousands of data point...

Pesticide exposure among agricultural workers varies by job task

Researchers found that agricultural workers who thin orchards have detectable levels of pesticides in their house and vehicle dust, posing a risk to children. Children of thinners were more likely to have detectable pesticide metabolites in their urine, supporting the theory that workers track home pesticides on their clothing and shoes.

SourceFred Hutchinson Cancer Center·JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives·DateFeb 5, 2004

New research finds garlic kills slugs

A study by Newcastle University found that a refined garlic product is an effective killer of slugs and snails, with the potential to replace chemical pesticides. The researchers tested nine molluscicides, including a garlic-based product, and found it to be one of the most effective killers.

Deformed frogs form when parasites and pesticides combine

A study by Penn State researchers found that deformed frogs are linked to the combination of parasite infection and pesticide exposure. The research, which included experimental studies in ponds where the animals live, may help explain how environmental stress affects disease outbreaks in frogs.

SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 8, 2002