In March, the US House Energy and Commerce Committee launched an investigation into potential conflicts of interest in scientific panels that advise the Environmental Protection Agency on the human health effects of toxic chemicals.

The committee identified eight scientists that served as consultants or members of EPA science advisory panels while getting research support from the chemical industry to study the chemicals under review. Two scientists were actually employed by companies that made or worked with manufacturers of the chemicals under review.

Such conflicts, Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) noted, stand in stark contrast to the agency’s dismissal last summer of highly respected public health scientist Deborah Rice, an expert in toxicology, from a panel examining the health impacts of the flame retardant deca. The EPA fired Rice after the chemical industry’s trade group, the American Chemistry Council, complained that she could not provide an objective scientific review because she had spoken out about the health hazards posed by deca.

Women who breast feed for longer have a smaller chance of getting rheumatoid arthritis, suggests a study published online ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

The study also found that taking oral contraceptives, which are suspected to protect against the disease because they contain hormones that are raised in pregnancy, did not have the same effect. Also, simply having children and not breast feeding also did not seem to be protective.

The researchers compared 136 women with rheumatoid arthritis with 544 women of a similar age without the disease. They found that that those who had breast fed for longer were much less likely to get rheumatoid arthritis.

A goal that remained elusive for 25 years has now allowed astronomers to obtain the most precise measurement of the cosmic temperature at an incredible distance; in a well-hidden galaxy whose light has taken almost 11 billion years to reach us - about 80% of the age of the universe.

The only way this galaxy can be seen is through the imprint its interstellar gas leaves on the spectrum of an even more remote quasar [1]. “Quasars are here only used as a beacon in the very distant Universe. Interstellar clouds of gas in galaxies, located between the quasars and us on the same line of sight, absorb parts of the light emitted by the quasars. The resulting spectrum consequently presents dark ‘valleys’ that can be attributed to well-known elements and possibly molecules,” explains Raghunathan Srianand (Pune, India), who led the team making the observations.

NEW YORK, May 12 /PRNewswire/ --

The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA), a leading U.S. music rights licensing organization, and RightsFlow, a provider of licensing and royalty services, announced today that they have entered a licensing arrangement for full-length, permanent digital downloads.

"We are very excited to begin this relationship with HFA," stated Patrick Sullivan, President and CEO of RightsFlow. "Our clients look to us to provide a turnkey outsourced solution for publishing licensing and royalty administration. Working with HFA is a key step that will allow us to license and account more swiftly and efficiently, allow our clients to get more product available for sale, and create a greater value for all."

LONDON, May 12 /PRNewswire/ --

- Top Tips for Healthy Teeth

- ATTN: Feature Editors

If you want a beaming smile but your all important brushing and flossing still leaves you frowning, take advice from Chief Dental Officer, Barry Cockcroft, on keeping your teeth and gums healthy.

Best brushing

In one year, we spend the equivalent of an entire day brushing our teeth - that's if you brush for the recommended two minutes, twice daily.

A toothbrush with a small head makes it easier to clean every part of your mouth, and a family strength toothpaste with a minimum of 1,000 parts per million of fluoride helps to prevent tooth decay.

ST. DAVID'S, Bermuda and COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 12 /PRNewswire/ --

Warner Chilcott and LEO Pharma announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the New Drug Application (NDA) for Taclonex Scalp(R) (calcipotriene 0.005% and betamethasone dipropionate 0.064%) Topical Suspension. LEO Pharma submitted the NDA for Taclonex Scalp(R) to the FDA in July 2007. Taclonex Scalp(R) is a topical suspension containing a combination of calcipotriene 0.005% and betamethasone dipropionate 0.064% for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris of the scalp in adults. Taclonex Scalp(R) is called Xamiol(R) outside the United States.

LONDON, May 12 /PRNewswire/ --

- GBP150,000 Cheque Presented to Great Ormond Street Hospital

Children will be the centre of attention at St Pancras International today as the station marks St Pancras' Day - the patron saint of children and namesake of the station. The station has teamed up with the world renowned children's hospital, Great Ormond Street and today will be donating GBP150,000 towards an Echo Room for the hospital, which will record the electrical activity of kids' hearts. The state-of-the art equipment will dramatically help diagnose children's heart problems and help them through recovery.