AOL - A chemical commonly found in vapes could harm unborn babies, scientists have warned. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) have urged the NHS to warn pregnant women after finding that vanillin, a common flavouring in e-cigarettes, could impair foetal development. They examined the impact of the chemical on embryonic stem cells...
STUDY FINDS - The vanilla flavoring found in over half of tested e-cigarette products may be capable of disrupting cells at the earliest, most fragile stage of pregnancy. A new study published in Human Reproduction found that vanillin, the chemical behind that flavor, pushed early human embryonic stem cells off course at concentrations a model...
THE WASHINGTON POST - Few things ruin an evening outdoors faster than the realization that you’re being eaten alive by mosquitos. These biting insects, which can transmit diseases like dengue, malaria and West Nile virus, “remain the most dangerous animal on Earth,” said Adrian Vasquez, an assistant professor in the biology department at Mercer University...
UNILAD TECH - A recent study has revealed a little-known oil hidden in everyday foods may be causing a life-threatening condition. Scientists are constantly uncovering hidden health connections that we didn't previously understand. From discovering health conditions that can accelerate Alzheimer's development by a third, to revealing extreme side effects of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic...
NEWSWEEK - Scientists at University of California, Riverside, found that soybean oil contributes to obesity in a study involving mice. The oil creates specific fat-derived molecules—oxylipins—that alter liver metabolism and increase fat accumulation, the study, which was published in the Journal of Lipid Research last month, concluded. Researchers observed that mice fed a high-fat diet...
EARTH.COM - Soybean oil is so common that it often goes unnoticed, appearing in home kitchens, restaurant meals, and countless ultra-processed foods. But new research finds that this everyday ingredient does far more than contribute calories – it can nudge the body’s metabolism in unexpected ways. A long series of studies from UC Riverside (UCR)...
The story of how one chemistry teacher— Michelle Hampton—at Riverside Unified School District’s (RUSD) Martin Luther King High School (MLK) reached out to faculty at UC Riverside with an idea of giving her chemistry students practical experience in a bona fide research lab exemplifies the old idiom: nothing ventured, nothing gained. But in this case...
NEUROSCIENCE NEWS - The gene neuropilin2 encodes a receptor involved in cell-cell interactions in the brain and plays a key role in regulating the development of neural circuits. Neuropilin2 controls migration of inhibitory neurons as well as the formation and maintenance of synaptic connections in excitatory neurons — two crucial components of brain activity. A...
THE NAKED SCIENTISTS - Mice are genuinely fearful of cats; and when they encounter the aroma of a feline, they freeze and then scarper. This happens thanks to an accessory smell system called the vomeronasal organ, or VNO. One of its roles is to detect pheromones, and its wiring into the limbic system enables it...
STUDYFINDS - A simple yogurt supplement could help protect people from the hidden dangers lurking in everyday household items. A groundbreaking study from the University of California-Riverside is offering hope for those worried about our exposure to pervasive fire-retardant chemicals. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, are everywhere. They’re in your couch, a child’s car seat...
