Free Republic

Air pollution is a health concern, with over 90% of the world's population breathing air that exceeds World Health Organization safety standards. Fine and coarse particulate matter are especially dangerous. Rsearchers investigated how long-term exposure to particulate matter triggers immune imbalance in the lungs. "Our study reveals how chronic exposure to particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) triggers harmful allergic-like (TH2) immune responses," explains Prof. Hong. The researchers exposed mice to PM10 and PM2.5 daily for 16 weeks. They then analyzed lung tissue, plasma, and immune cell profiles to evaluate how particulate matter affected lung health and immune function. Mice exposed...

Professor Paul Thornalley and his team from the University of Warwick have found a broccoli compound called Sulforaphane. This compound can encourage the body to produce more enzymes to protect the vessels, as well as reduce high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage. Past studies have shown that a diet rich in vegetables – particularly brassica vegetables such as broccoli – is linked to decreased risk of heart disease and stroke. People with diabetes have a particularly high risk of heart disease and stroke and other health impairments, such as kidney disease, are linked to damaged blood vessels....

UIC Researchers Show How Cancer-preventing Foods Work Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are unraveling the biochemical mechanism by which functional foods combat cancer."Compounds like sulforaphane in broccoli and resveratrol in wine have been shown to prevent cancer," said Andrew Mesecar, associate professor of pharmaceutical biotechnology in the UIC College of Pharmacy. "They do that by signaling our bodies to ramp up the production of proteins capable of preventing damage to our DNA."We now have a good idea how that signal works."The findings are published in this week's Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of...