Advancing Alternative Analysis: Integration of Decision Science.

Background: Decision analysis-a systematic approach to solving complex problems-offers tools and frameworks to support decision making that are increasingly being applied to environmental challenges. Alternatives analysis is a method used in regulation and product design to identify, compare, and evaluate the safety and viability of potential substitutes for hazardous chemicals.

Objectives: We assessed whether decision science may assist the alternatives analysis decision maker in comparing alternatives across a range of metrics.

The business case for transitioning to safer chemicals.

Emerging domestic and international chemical regulations and a heightened consumer awareness of chemicals of concern in products is challenging American businesses to reevaluate and reconsider their approaches to supply chain management and product design. Some of these companies recognize business opportunities and are responding proactively with innovative strategies and tactics. This article describes steps that Staples Inc.

Interactions between drugs and four common medicinal herbs.

Herbal remedies are popular in the UK, but there is evidence that some of the most commonly used herbs can interact with conventional drugs, sometimes with potentially serious consequences. This article looks at four common herbal remedies and examines the scientific evidence for their interactions with drugs.

Understanding the processes behind the regulation of blood glucose.

Glucose is one of the body's principal fuels. It is an energy-rich monosaccharide sugar that is broken down in our cells to produce adenosine triphosphate. ATP is a small packet of chemical energy that powers the millions of biochemical reactions that take place in the body every second.