Eye :: $2 million of potentially harmful cosmetic eye product seized in US

Harmful cosmetic eye products may increase the risk of optic nerve damage, macular edema, uveitis leading to decreased vision and blindness. At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Marshals seized 12,682 applicator tubes of Age Intervention Eyelash, a product that may, in some users, lead to decreased vision. Authorities said the sales value of the seized tubes is approximately $2 million.

Eyes :: Surgical errors rare but serious in ophthalmic procedures

Surgical confusions—for instance, operations involving the wrong site, the wrong patient or the wrong procedure—occur infrequently in eye surgery procedures, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Although most surgical confusions cause little or no permanent injury, they may involve serious consequences for the patient, physician and profession, yet could often be prevented.

Antioxidant :: Antioxidants could provide all-purpose radiation protection

Two common dietary molecules found in legumes and bran could protect DNA from the harmful effects of radiation, researchers from the University of Maryland report. Inositol and inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) protected both human skin cells and a skin cancer-prone mouse from exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, the damaging radiation found in sunlight, the team reported today at the American Association for Cancer Research Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine.

Malaria :: Malaria vaccine candidate has promising safety, tolerability profile in infants

The first study to test GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) investigational RTS,S/AS02 malaria vaccine in African infants serves as the first proof of concept in this population that the vaccine has a promising safety and tolerability profile and reduces malaria parasite infection and clinical illness due to malaria, according to a paper published today online in The Lancet.

Almond :: Lochmead Dairy alerts on undeclared almonds in Lochmead Farms Country Fresh Chocolate Premium Ice Cream

Lochmead Dairy of Junction City, Oregon is recalling half gallons of Lochmead Farms Country Fresh Chocolate Premium Ice Cream with code date June 22, 2008 because they may contain undeclared almonds. People who have allergies or severe sensitivity to almonds run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction – almond allergy – if they consume this product.

Foot and Mouth Disease :: Smiths Detection to launch a portable diagnostic system for foot-and-mouth disease and avian flu

Smiths Detection, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, today announces it is to launch a portable detection system that will enable veterinarians to carry out on-site diagnosis of animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth and avian flu. This new technology means vets will be able to diagnose diseases in livestock and birds in the field in less than 90 minutes rather than having to send samples for laboratory analysis.