Hair straightening agents could be cancerous health hazards

WASHINGTON – A public alert has been issued over concerns raised by Portland-area hair salons about a product used for hair straightening, which could have negative health impacts.

Oregon Health and Science University’s Centre for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) has issued two public alerts describing its findings on the health impacts … Original source on Gaea Times at : Hair straightening agents could be cancerous health hazards.

Genital herpes vaccine ineffective in women: Study

WASHINGTON – An experimental vaccine intended to protect women against genital herpes disease proved ineffective in a recent study.

A total of 8,323 women aged 18-30 years participated in the trial at 50 sites in the United States and Canada.

At the time of their enrollment, the study participants were free of the two types … Original source on Gaea Times at : Genital herpes vaccine ineffective in women: Study.

New TB pathogen discovered

WASHINGTON – Scientists have discovered a new tuberculosis (TB) species in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, a group of pathogens that have adapted by using mammals as hosts.

It has been nearly two decades since a new organism was identified in this group; the majority were discovered in the early and mid 20th century.

Kathleen Alexander of the … Read more : New TB pathogen discovered.

Genes of major disease-causing mosquito decoded

WASHINGTON – In a new study, researchers examined genes that are turned on during infection in a type of mosquito that is not only a pest, but transmits disease-causing pathogens.

Iowa State University researcher Lyric Bartholomay along with colleagues from around the world infected the common southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) with various pathogens to … Read more : Genes of major disease-causing mosquito decoded.

Clues to how bacteria and viruses are identified as enemies revealed

WASHINGTON – A new study has revealed how our immune systems detect invading organisms to be destroyed and removed from our bodies.

The should ultimately help lead to the development of new drugs and treatments that allow health care providers to prevent runaway immune reactions that can have devastating consequences for people.

“Our study helps us …. Source  : Clues to how bacteria and viruses are identified as enemies revealed.

Sounds of history ‘in grave danger of disappearing’, say US experts

LONDON – Sound recordings which form a part of our cultural history are at the peril of disappearing, warns a comprehensive report from the US Library of Congress.

The report has warned of both the physical and legal barriers to the preservation of sound recordings old and new.

The report has also said that no comprehensive programme … Read more >>.

New brain research could lead to schizophrenia treatment

WASHINGTON – New research has revealed that two neurotransmitters-dopamine and glutamate-are abnormal in people with psychotic illness, including schizophrenia.

Among many other things, these chemicals play a role in cognitive functions, such as memory, learning, and problem solving.

James Stone and colleagues studied people with sub-threshold psychotic symptoms, who were at very high risk of undergoing transition … Read more >>.

Pharma companies ‘medicalising’ low-libido to boost sales of female ‘Viagra’

WASHINGTON – Drug companies are ‘medicalising’ sexual difficulty among women- such as low libido and discomfort- and have actually constructed a new condition known as female sexual dysfunction, in order to build global markets for new ‘Viagra’ like drugs for the ladies, says an expert.

Researching his new book ‘Sex, Lies and Pharmaceuticals’ Ray Moynihan, journalist … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Pharma companies ‘medicalising’ low-libido to boost sales of female ‘Viagra’.

Scientist wins solar probe instrument award, place on solar mission

WASHINGTON – An astrophysicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and his science team have secured a proposal award of 8.2 million dollars to help build parts for and test an instrument for the Solar Probe Plus flagship mission to directly sample the Sun’s atmosphere.

“This is the equivalent of a Hubble-class mission … Original source on Gaea Times at : Scientist wins solar probe instrument award, place on solar mission.

Scientists discover protein that reduces blood pressure

WASHINGTON – A new research has indicated that our bodies produce a protein that lowers blood pressure.

Increasing the level of the P450 protein causes the creation of molecules called EETs, which lower blood pressure, according to Craig R. Lee at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Scientists discover protein that reduces blood pressure.

Molecular on-off switches for cancer and autoimmunity defined

WASHINGTON – Scientists from the Institute for Advanced Studies in New Jersey are examining how oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes handle cellular stress, and said that each of these opposing systems could be potent drug targets in the effort to stop cancer.

In addition, their hypothesis provides new insights into what contributes to immunological disorders such …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Molecular on-off switches for cancer and autoimmunity defined.

Latest advances in treating stroke, Parkinson’s detailed in Neurology Journal

WASHINGTON – A special issue of the journal Neurologic Clinics enlists the latest advances in treating neurologic disorders such as stroke, headache, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and sleep disorders.

“Great therapeutic strides in the clinical neurosciences have been made in the past decades,” wrote guest editor Dr. Jose Biller, chairman of the Department of Neurology at Loyola …. Read the original article  : Latest advances in treating stroke, Parkinson’s detailed in Neurology Journal.

Graphene becomes fastest-spinning object with record 60m rpm

LONDON – Graphene flakes have created a record by spinning faster than any other object-at a clip of 60 million rotations per minute.

Graphene has shown a suite of novel properties, including incredible strength.

Bruce Kane at the University of Maryland in College Park sprayed charged graphene flakes a micrometre wide into a vacuum chamber.

Once … Read more : Graphene becomes fastest-spinning object with record 60m rpm.

Spotlight on Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to make astronomy popular

NEW DELHI – When Sawai Jai Singh of Rajasthan built the Jantar Mantar, the 18th century astronomical monument, he wanted to facilitate naked eye observation to make science of astronomy accessible to as many people as possible, says veteran architect and conservationist Anisha Shekhar Mukherji.

When Jai Singh built the first Jantar Mantar in New … Original source on Gaea Times at : Spotlight on Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to make astronomy popular.

New way to turn waste heat into power could make cars, factories more efficient

WASHINGTON – Cashing on quantum physics, University of Arizona physicists have discovered a new way of harvesting waste heat and turning it into electrical power-a feat that holds promise for making cars, power plants, factories and solar panels more efficient.

Using a theoretical model of a so-called molecular thermoelectric device, the technology holds great promise for … Original article on : New way to turn waste heat into power could make cars, factories more efficient.

‘Knot’ in ribbon at solar system’s edge ‘unties’

WASHINGTON – Maps produced by NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft has revealed that the unusual “knot” in the bright, narrow ribbon of neutral atoms emanating from the boundary between our solar system and interstellar space have “untied”.

Researchers believe the ribbon forms in response to interactions between interstellar space and the heliosphere, the protective bubble …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : ‘Knot’ in ribbon at solar system’s edge ‘unties’.

How salmonella bacteria spread in humans

WASHINGTON – How salmonella bacteria, a common cause of food poisoning, efficiently spread in people has been explained by National Institutes of Health scientists.

In a study researchers describe finding a reservoir of rapidly replicating Salmonella inside epithelial cells. These bacteria are primed to infect other cells and are pushed from the epithelial layer by a … Read more : How salmonella bacteria spread in humans.

No need to wait until age 50 for breast cancer screening: Study

WASHINGTON – A new study has revealed that annual mammography screening of women in their 40s reduces the breast cancer death rate in these women by nearly 30 percent.

The results of this largest study ever conducted on women in this age group confirm that the use of the age of 50 as a threshold …. Original source  : No need to wait until age 50 for breast cancer screening: Study.

Faith in God improves survival after liver transplantation

WASHINGTON – Faith in God is associated with improved survival after liver transplantation, according to Italian researchers.

This study also finds that religiosity-regardless of cause of death-prolongs the life span of individuals who underwent liver transplantation.

“Our study tested the hypothesis that religiosity-seeking God’s help, having faith in God, trusting in God, trying to discern God’s will … Read more >>.

Pet dogs ‘can prevent eczema in children’

WASHINGTON – A new study has found that kids with dog allergies are less likely to develop eczema by age four if they own a dog.

However, cat ownership may increase the risk among children with cat allergies.

Tolly Epstein and colleagues of the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center gathered data from 636 …. Read the original article  : Pet dogs ‘can prevent eczema in children’.