U.S. Senate looks at ban on bisphenol A WASHINGTON, May 1 (UPI) -- Democrats in the U.S. Senate are proposing a bill to ban the chemical bisphenol A from plastic products made for infants and young children.

Genetics play role in doping tests STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 30 (UPI) -- A Swedish researcher said some men are missing testosterone-metabolizing genes that are key to the accuracy of athlete drug tests.

UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- New species are discovered in Brazil … Study: Synesthetes share commonalities … Alaska hardest hit by U.S. climate change … Drug therapy benefits diabetic eye disease ... Health/Science news from UPI.

Alaska hardest hit by U.S. climate change DURHAM, N.H., April 30 (UPI) -- Scientists say Alaska leads the rest of the United States in experiencing the effects of global warning.

Drug therapy benefits diabetic eye disease NEW YORK, April 30 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say a new drug designed to treat diabetic eye disease performed better in clinical trials than did the current standard of laser surgery.

LSD chemist Albert Hofmann dies BASEL, Switzerland, April 30 (UPI) -- Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, considered the the father of LSD, died Tuesday at his home in Basel, Switzerland, at the age of 102.

Plan envisions repopulation of bison NEW YORK, April 30 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists, conservationists and ranchers say they are advocating restoration measures designed to repopulate large areas with bison.

New survival factors ID'd for preemies NEW HAVEN, Conn., April 30 (UPI) -- A consortium of 19 U.S. medical scientists says it's identified four new factors that can be used to help predict a premature infant's outcome.

NASA to televise astronaut ceremony CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 30 (UPI) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said it will provide live TV coverage of the 2008 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Cell phones may be medical imaging tools JERUSALEM, April 30 (UPI) -- Israeli scientists say they've found a way to transmit medical images via cellular phones that might open such technology to most of Earth's peoples.

U.N. safe water definition misleading? NOTTINGHAM, England, April 30 (UPI) -- A British study suggests the United Nations' effort to define what constitutes safe water is misleading and insufficient.

Stem cells might cause antler branching GOETTINGEN, Germany, April 30 (UPI) -- German scientists say they've discovered the annual regrowth of deer antlers might involve progenitor cells.

Evolution of human diets is studied FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., April 30 (UPI) -- U.S. anthropologists say they've discovered morphology might suggest what ancient people could eat, but it does not necessarily reflect what they did eat.

Science close to making plant biofactories CAMPBELL, Australia, April 30 (UPI) -- Australian researchers say they are a step closer to turning plants into "biofactories" capable of producing oils to replace petrochemicals.

Powerful Saturn lightning storm continues IOWA CITY, Iowa, April 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says its Cassini spacecraft is monitoring a Saturn storm that has lightning bolts 10,000 times more powerful than those on Earth.

New bio-compatibility screening created NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., April 30 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've created a 3-D screening method for interactions between cells and new biomaterials.

New species are discovered in Brazil ARLINGTON, Va., April 30 (UPI) -- Scientists say they have discovered 14 potential new species in Brazil's Cerrado area -- one of the world's 34 biodiversity conservation hot spots.

Study: Synesthetes share commonalities EDINBURGH, Scotland, April 30 (UPI) -- British psychological researchers say they've discovered evidence that commonalities exist across synesthetes.

Soil is viewed at nanoscale ITHACA, N.Y., April 30 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have, for the first time, inspected soil at the nanoscale level to better understand chemical processes that cycle organic matter.

NASA funds Mars detector instrument SAN DIEGO, April 30 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist has received $2 million from the U.S. space agency to develop the Urey Mars Organic and Oxidant Detector instrument.

FDA begins major hiring initiative WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it is starting a major hiring initiative designed to fill more than 1,300 public health positions

GD-brand ground cumin recalled in Canada OTTAWA, April 30 (UPI) -- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning against consuming GD-brand ground cumin because of a potential contamination hazard.

FDA OKs Amitiza for treatment of IBS-C WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced approval of Amitiza (lubiprostone) to treat constipation associated with irritable bowel syndrome.

Rocky Mountain med schools short on bodies DENVER, April 30 (UPI) -- Colorado's Anatomical Board says more bodies are needed as cadavers for use by medical students in Colorado and Wyoming.

Microsoft device helping solve crimes SEATTLE, April 30 (UPI) -- Microsoft said thousands of U.S. and international police officers are using a special USB thumb drive to gather digital evidence.

Malaria top killer in Congo KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, April 30 (UPI) -- Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo say malaria is the primary cause of illness and death, despite prevention efforts.

FDA rejects Merck cholesterol drug WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., April 30 (UPI) -- Merck Research Laboratories says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has rejected an application for a new cholesterol drug.

Colossal squid defrosted in New Zealand WELLINGTON, New Zealand, April 30 (UPI) -- Scientists in New Zealand are defrosting and examining a Colossal Squid accidentally netted in Antarctic waters last year.

FDA rejects Singulair-Claritin combination KENILWORTH , N.J., April 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected a proposed pill that would combine the drugs Claritin and Singular, Schering-Plough said.

UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News WASHINGTON, April 29 (UPI) -- Buoy network protects endangered whales … Study finds new aspect of sickle cell … NASA's Polar satellite ends its mission … Lungs are illuminated for better diagnoses ... Health/Science news from UPI.

Yellowstone bison population halved GARDINER, Mont., April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. wildlife officials say they've stopped culling wild bison in Yellowstone National Park because the herd's population has fallen by half.

Researchers find flaws in living wills IRVINE, Calif., April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. and Australian scientists say they've found life-sustaining treatment preferences often change but people sometimes don't realize they're making changes .

Hydrogen sulfide aids blood pressure LONDON, April 29 (UPI) -- British scientists say they have found hydrogen sulfide -- a gas associated with sewage and rotten eggs -- plays a role in regulating blood pressure.

NASA: Discovery to move to launch pad CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says it will move space shuttle Discovery to its launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in preparation for a May 31 liftoff.

Mexican sunflower origin is determined TALLAHASSEE, Fla., April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. and Mexican scientists have determined ancient farmers were growing sunflowers in Mexico more than 4,000 years before the Spaniards arrived.

NASA mission: Map Earth's soil moisture CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 29 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor will lead a team designing a U.S. satellite mission to map the Earth's soil moisture.

Buoy network protects endangered whales WOODS HOLE, Mass., April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. marine scientists say they've established a network of electronic buoys along Massachusetts Bay's shipping lanes to protect endangered right whales.

U.S. people: Big greenhouse gas footprints CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 29 (UPI) -- Scientists say anyone living in the United States, regardless of status, produces more than twice as much greenhouse gas as the global average.

Lungs are illuminated for better diagnoses SHEFFIELD, England, April 29 (UPI) -- British medical scientists say they have created a technology that illuminates a person's lungs to help determine if they are correctly functioning.

Nanowires grown by catalyst-free method CHAMPAIGN, Ill., April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've created a low-temperature, catalyst-free technique for growing copper nanowires.

Study finds new aspect of sickle cell CHAPEL HILL, N.C., April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have found sickle cell patients' blood contains clumps, or aggregates, of red and white blood cells that might contribute to the disease.

ESA uses AI to search for life on Mars DARMSTADT, Germany, April 29 (UPI) -- The European Space Agency says it's using artificial intelligence to assist its Mars Express spacecraft as it searches for signs of life on Mars.

Functional digital mock-up is created DARMSTADT, Germany, April 29 (UPI) -- German scientists say they've created a functional digital mock-up, or DMU, to better study products virtually before they are actually produced.

Fruit flies show salmonella process ATLANTA, April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have used a transgenic fruit fly model to track how salmonella bacteria escape multiple immune responses to cause infection.

Researchers find salt retention channel SAN DIEGO, April 29 (UPI) -- A U.S. research team announced development of the first small molecule that can reversibly activate a key protein involved in balancing sodium levels.

NASA's Polar satellite ends its mission GREENBELT, Md., April 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says its Polar satellite has concluded its 12-year mission to study the Northern and Southern lights.

Study: Cochlea shape important in hearing NASHVILLE, April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've found the shape of the cochlea -- a snail shell-shaped inner ear organ -- is important in low-frequency hearing.

New targets found for modification enzymes ATLANTA, April 29 (UPI) -- A consortium of U.S., German and Japanese scientists has found new non-histone targets for one enzyme previously thought to modify only histones.

FDA OK's arterial plaque imaging device WASHINGTON, April 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it has approved a device that can see inside a blood vessel to assess the fat content of the arterial plaque.

Blood subsitutes linked to heart risk CHICAGO, April 28 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said an analysis of studies involving the use of hemoglobin-based blood substitutes suggests an increased risk of heart attack.