Ever heard of aristolochic acids (AA)? They're sneaky compounds that can cause big problems, like chronic renal disease, worldwide. The main troublemaker is aristolochic acid I (AA-I). Scientists wanted to know why AA-I is so much worse than its cousin, aristolochic acid II (AA-II), even though they
When your body's cells produce energy, they also create byproducts called reactive oxygen species (ROS). These can damage DNA in various ways, one of the most common being the oxidation of guanine, a building block of DNA. This oxidized form is known as 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoGua). If not fixed, 8-oxoGu
Have you ever thought about what's in the smoke you see during a wildfire? Besides being scary and bad for the environment, it also contains chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These are created when things like wood burn. Usually, we encounter tiny amounts from car fumes and i
While cancer may seem like a daunting and uncontrollable force, a new study from the American Cancer Society reveals that nearly half of adult cancer deaths in the US could be prevented by making lifestyle changes. As Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer of the American Cancer Society, emphasizes,
