Chemical Exposure

You come into contact with chemicals every day. This is called chemical exposure. Although some chemical exposures are safe, others are not. A certain amount of a harmful chemical must enter your body to make you sick. Harmful chemicals can get into your body if you breathe, eat, or drink them or if they are absorbed through your skin. This booklet explains some links between chemicals and other harmful substances and their possible health eff ects. For more details click here.

Credit: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov

Supercomputers used to Supercharge Antioxidants

The future of keeping ageing-related diseases at bay lies with the supercomputer according to scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology at the University of Sydney.

The research, led by Professor Leo Radom from the University's School of Chemistry, and Dr Amir Karton, University of Western Australia, has used sophisticated quantum chemistry and powerful supercomputers to design improved antioxidants which will help stave off ageing-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease.

Credit: http://www.nasa.gov

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Credit: http://sydney.edu.au

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Researchers Identify Seventh and Eighth Bases of DNA

For decades, scientists have known that DNA consists of four basic units -- adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine. Those four bases have been taught in science textbooks and have formed the basis of the growing knowledge regarding how genes code for life. Yet in recent history, scientists have expanded that list from four to six. 

Now, with a finding published online in the July 21, 2011, issue of the journal Science, researchers from the UNC School of Medicine have discovered the seventh and eighth bases of DNA. 

These last two bases – called 5-formylcytosine and 5 carboxylcytosine – are actually versions of cytosine that have been modified by Tet proteins, molecular entities thought to play a role in DNA demethylation and stem cell reprogramming. For more details click here.

The newly discovered seventh and eighth bases of DNA -- called 5-formylcytosine and 5 carboxylcytosine -- are actually versions of cytosine that have been modified by Tet proteins, molecular entities thought to play a role in DNA demethylation and stem cell reprogramming. (Credit: © Rodolfo Clix / Fotolia)

Credit: http://news.unchealthcare.org

no update till Feb 20, 2013

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