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Thermo Fisher Scientific announces new methods to detect petroleum contamination in oysters and fish

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced that its global Food Safety Response Center located in Dreieich, Germany, has developed two new analytical screening methods to detect petroleum contamination in oysters and fish, specifically hydrocarbons and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), resulting from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 9 Jul 2010

Cigarette smoking declines slowly among high school students: CDC survey

The latest survey of high school smoking rates, released today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that the nation continues to make gradual progress in reducing youth smoking, but declines have slowed significantly since 2003 and nearly one in five high school students still smoke.

9 Jul 2010

Smart for Life Cookie Diet selected to receive 2010-2011 Shining Star Award

The trailblazing company whose Smart for Life weight management products featuring the Smart for Life Cookie Diet component was recently selected to receive the Unicorn Children's Foundation 2010-2011 Shining Star Award. This award recognizes an individual or organization that has brought significant awareness to the issues associated with developmental, communication, and learning disorders.

8 Jul 2010

Seattle non-profit recommends 'national strategy' for improving U.S. foreign aid efficacy

"[T]he United States needs a national strategy to clarify the goals of foreign aid, trade policy consistent with those goals, an easier process for small businesses to participate and support for international education programs," according to a set of recommendations for improving the effectiveness of U.S. foreign aid assistance released Tuesday by the Seattle-based non-profit Global Washington, the Seattle Times reports.

8 Jul 2010

BJS data shows mortality rates in local jails declined between 2000 and 2007

Mortality rates in local jails declined over the period from 2000 through 2007, the Bureau of Justice Statistics in the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, announced today. A total of 8,110 jail inmates died in custody of local jails over the study period, during which the mortality rate declined from 152 deaths per 100,000 jail inmates in 2000 to 141 per 100,000 in 2007.

8 Jul 2010

Asian Development Bank, U.N. call on Asia-Pacific countries to increase agriculture funding to ensure food security

Countries in Asia and the Pacific should increase investment in agriculture by $120 billion annually through 2050 to address hunger and prevent major food price increases, U.N. and Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials said Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. According to the officials, the "onus for funding the investments would be on private sources and governments," the news service writes (7/7).

8 Jul 2010

Brain fever mistaken as migraine kills a 30 year old woman

Jane Harrop, a 30 year old British woman was complaining of headaches for several days that made her feel “drunk”. She was diagnosed to be suffering from migraine but died two days later from a viral infection of the brain.

7 Jul 2010

USW requests oil industry to re-open pattern agreement and negotiate health, safety provisions

United Steelworkers Vice President Gary Beevers, who heads the union's oil sector, sent a request to the oil industry to re-open the National Oil Bargaining pattern agreement and negotiate health and safety provisions.

7 Jul 2010

Suicide barrier fails to stop overall suicide rates: Researchers

Suicide barriers on bridges might not reduce overall suicide rates by jumping from heights, as people may change location for their suicide attempt, according to a new study published on bmj.com today.

7 Jul 2010

New study may lead to in-car warning system that may provide enough time for drivers to react

It is well-documented that when negotiating winding roads, drivers tend to look at a specific, well-defined point on the lane marking - referred to as the tangent point. New research finds that the further drivers can look ahead, generally in left-hand curves, wide curves and when leaving a curve, the less they have to look at the tangent point.

7 Jul 2010

Experts develop HVI method for assessing hunger

World hunger is often seen as the result of overpopulation, bad geography or natural or human-made disasters. But a new book, "The Atlas of World Hunger," reveals that the contours and causes of hunger are more complex - and in some ways more easily addressed - than those old assumptions suggest.

7 Jul 2010

Debate over the ill effects of wind turbines on health

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) studied the purported ill effects of the wind turbines on health before reporting that there was no evidence that the turbines' low frequency noise or shadow flicker made people ill.

6 Jul 2010

CARNA notifies public about person impersonating a registered nurse

In the interest of protecting the public, the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) is notifying potential employers and the public that Brigitte Cleroux Marier has been charged for impersonating a registered nurse. Marier is known to have obtained employment as a registered nurse under false pretences in both Alberta and Ontario.

6 Jul 2010

MabCent finds extraordinary life forms in the Arctic

During its short existence the Centre on Marine Bioactives and Drug Discovery (MabCent) in Tromsø has analysed some 70,000 fractions of Arctic marine organisms. Patents on two molecules have been applied for and applications for another 20 will soon follow.

3 Jul 2010

House passes nearly $60B FY10 supplemental

The House passed a nearly "$60 billion bill Thursday to pay for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and fund a variety of other programs," including relief and rebuilding initiatives in Haiti following the January earthquake, Fox News' "The Speaker's Lobby" blog reports

3 Jul 2010

Institute of Food Research unveils new emulsifier technique

New work from the Institute of Food Research has shown how sugar beet pectin acts as an efficient emulsifier, using a technique that could be used to unravel in the finest detail how such important food ingredients work.

2 Jul 2010

Haitian President rejects U.S. Senate's recommendations for upcoming elections

A day after Haitian President Rene Preval signed a decree authorizing a date for November elections, he rebuffed other recommendations issued by the U.S. Senate, which include "holding an election for his successor, brushing off criticism that the current process will leave the shattered country without a credible leader," the Associated Press reports.

2 Jul 2010

Creativity can be enhanced by experiencing different cultures

Creativity can be enhanced by experiencing cultures different from one's own, according to a study in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (published by SAGE).

2 Jul 2010

Patel verdict “grossly inadequate”

Many including Queensland MP Rob Messenger, feel that the seven year sentence awarded to Dr. Jayant Patel by the Brisbane's Supreme Court yesterday is “grossly inadequate.” Patel was being tried for three cases of manslaughter and one case of grievous bodily injury during his tenure as Director of Surgery at Bundaberg Base hospital between 2003 and 2005.

1 Jul 2010

Bisphenol A (BPA) containing baby bottles to be phased out

Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mark Butler has announced that following public concern and a safety review ordered by US health regulators, the phase out will begin from today. He also revealed that according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand intake levels are very low and do not pose a risk to babies' health.

1 Jul 2010