If you’re unlucky enough to get Lou Gehrig’s disease (aka, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS), treatment options are few. One drug, Riluzole, has been shown to marginally increase survival. Other drugs can be used to manage ALS symptoms, but there is no cure.
There’s a paradox in Oregon’s hunger picture: Families who are short on food may end up overweight. That’s because dollars stretch farther on “high-energy” foods (noodles, bread and other carbs) than on “high-nutrient” foods (fresh fruit, fish, poultry and other vitamin- and protein-rich items).
Researchers at Oregon State University are investigating these and other advancements in health care. But, before innovations can wind up in your medicine cabinet or in a doctor’s hands, they need to pass through a landscape that is foreign to most scientists: business and government regulation.
As the world warms, insects and pathogens are on the move. Heat waves are getting hotter and more frequent. Algal blooms are increasing in frequency, intensity and duration, posing risks to drinking water and shellfish consumption. Wildfires are putting more particulates into the air, leading to increases in asthma and hospital admissions for respiratory distress.
Many of the products we buy — sunscreen, stain- and odor-resistant clothing, fuel additives, sports equipment — contain nanoparticles that have been designed for a purpose. These materials (about 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair) can block sunlight, prevent microbial growth, lubricate surfaces and confer tensile strength.
With memories of the Fukushima nuclear disaster still fresh, radioactive pollution can generate strong feelings among members of the public. So when questions arise about health impacts on humans and other organisms, Kathryn Higley can find herself in the media spotlight.