/oss/taxonomy/term/6800/all en /oss/article/health-and-nutrition/wasabi-more-just-sushi-condiment <p>Wasabi, or “Japanese horseradish,” is a plant in the same family as broccoli, cabbage, mustard, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and regular horseradish. The common feature here is that these “brassica” plants all contain compounds called glucosinolates and an enzyme, myrosinase that do not come into contact with each other until the plants or their roots are crushed. The chemical reaction that then ensues results in the formation of isothiocyanates, a group of compounds that, at least in the laboratory, have some interesting anti-cancer effects.</p> Thu, 14 Dec 2023 19:49:59 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9758 at /oss /oss/article/medical-history/battling-baldness <p>It may seem hard to believe, but as late as 1942, male patients in some mental hospitals were castrated to quiet them. This extreme treatment did have some scientific basis, since testosterone, the male sex hormone produced by the testes, has been linked with aggression. One of the positive offshoots of this barbaric treatment was the knowledge gained about the effects of testosterone on the body Winfield State Hospital, a mental hospital in Kansas, became an ideal place for Yale anatomist James Hamilton to conduct a study of castrated men.</p> Wed, 29 Mar 2023 15:41:15 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9456 at /oss