8 Ingredients You Never Want to See on Your Nutrition Label

BHA

This preservative is used to prevent rancidity in foods that contain oils. Unfortunately, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) has been shown to cause cancer in rats, mice, and hamsters. The reason the FDA hasn’t banned it is largely technical—the cancers all occurred in the rodents’ forestomachs, an organ that humans don’t have. Nevertheless, the study, published in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research, concluded that BHA was “reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen,” and as far as I’m concerned, that’s reason enough to eliminate it from your diet. You’ll find it in: Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles

Parabens

 These synthetic preservatives are used to inhibit mold and yeast in food. The problem is parabens may also disrupt your body’s hormonal balance. A study in Food Chemical Toxicology found that daily ingestion decreased sperm and testosterone production in rats, and parabens have been found present in breast cancer tissues.
You’ll find it in: Baskin-Robbins sundaes

Partially Hydrogenated Oil

 I’ve harped on this before, but it bears repeating: Don’t confuse “0 g trans fat” with being trans fat-free. The FDA allows products to claim zero grams of trans fat as long as they have less than half a gram per serving. That means they can have 0.49 grams per serving and still be labeled a no-trans-fat food. Considering that two grams is the absolute most you ought to consume in a day, those fractions can quickly add up. The telltale sign that your snack is soiled with the stuff? Look for partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient statement. If it’s anywhere on there, then you’re ingesting artery-clogging trans fat. You’ll find it in: Long John Silver’s Popcorn Shrimp, Celeste frozen pizzas

Sodium Nitrite

 Nitrites and nitrates are used to inhibit botulism-causing bacteria and to maintain processed meats’ pink hues, which is why the FDA allows their use. Unfortunately, once ingested, nitrite can fuse with amino acids (of which meat is a prime source) to form nitrosamines, powerful carcinogenic compounds. Ascorbic and erythorbic acids—essentially vitamin C—have been shown to decrease the risk, and most manufacturers now add one or both to their products, which has helped. Still, the best way to reduce risk is to limit your intake. You’ll find it in: Oscar Mayer hot dogs, Hormel bacon

Caramel Coloring

This additive wouldn't be dangerous if you made it the old-fashioned way—with water and sugar, on top of a stove. But the food industry follows a different recipe: They treat sugar with ammonia, which can produce some nasty carcinogens. How carcinogenic are these compounds? A Center for Science in the Public Interest report asserted that the high levels of caramel color found in soda account for roughly 15,000 cancers in the U.S. annually. Another good reason to scrap soft drinks? They’re among The 20 Worst Drinks in America.
You’ll find it in: Coke/Diet Coke, Pepsi/Diet Pepsi

Castoreum

 Castoreum is one of the many nebulous “natural ingredients” used to flavor food. Though it isn’t harmful, it is unsettling. Castoreum is a substance made from beavers’ castor sacs, or anal scent glands. These glands produce potent secretions that help the animals mark their territory in the wild. In the food industry, however, 1,000 pounds of the unsavory ingredient are used annually to imbue foods—usually vanilla or raspberry flavored—with a distinctive, musky flavor.  You’ll find it in: Potentially any food containing “natural ingredients”

Food Dyes

Plenty of fruit-flavored candies and sugary cereals don’t contain a single gram of produce, but instead rely on artificial dyes and flavorings to suggest a relationship with nature. Not only do these dyes allow manufacturers to mask the drab colors of heavily processed foods, but certain hues have been linked to more serious ailments. A Journal of Pediatrics study linked Yellow 5 to hyperactivity in children, Canadian researchers found Yellow 6 and Red 40 to be contaminated with known carcinogens, and Red 3 is known to cause tumors. The bottom line? Avoid artificial dyes as much as possible. You’ll find it in: Lucky Charms, Skittles, Jell-O

THE DOMINO EFFECT: Sugar doesn’t just come in the form of cookies and candy. Discover the insidious ways it can creep into your diet with 9 Sneaky Sources of Sugar.

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

 Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, used as a flavor enhancer, is plant protein that has been chemically broken down into amino acids. One of these acids, glutamic acid, can release free glutamate. When this glutamate joins with free sodium in your body, they form monosodium glutamate (MSG), an additive known to cause adverse reactions—headaches, nausea, and weakness, among others—in sensitive individuals. When MSG is added to products directly, the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose its inclusion on the ingredient statement. But when it occurs as a byproduct of hydrolyzed protein, the FDA allows it to go unrecognized. You’ll find it in: Knorr Noodle Sides, Funyuns

FIGHT FAT EVERY DAY: Knowledge is your best defense in the battle against flab.

DNA Inside Cells Can Serve As Rewritable Data Storage

DNA is the blueprint for life, and now it can serve as a computer to monitor life’s processes. Bioengineers transformed DNA into a one-bit memory system that can record, store and erase data within living cells. A future DNA memory device could be used to track cell division and differentiation in cancer patients, perhaps, or to monitor what happens as cells get sick or age. We’ve seen plenty of body-monitoring computer systems, from chips that can swim through the bloodstream to nanowires that can tap the heart or other muscle. But so far, these systems are limited to a few processes. This system could work like rewritable memory in your computer, recording and erasing information again and again. 


The system flips DNA sequences back and forth between two states, basically the genetic equivalent of a binary switch. One DNA orientation equates to “one,” and the other equates to “zero.” The process uses an enzyme taken from bacteriophages to cut and recombine the DNA. The recombinase enzyme moves to a particular swath of DNA and flips it around so its base pairs basically read backward, and a second signal flips it back.

Stanford researchers Jerome Bonnet and Drew Endy call it a “recombinase addressable data” module, or RAD. The team worked for three years to find the right balance of proteins that would reliably flip the DNA sequences back and forth without degrading. To test whether it worked, the team modified E. coli bacteria to fluoresce in different colors depending on the state of the DNA bit. In lab tests so far, it’s been able to monitor the activity of E. coli as they double more than 100 times. The team’s goal is to produce a byte, combining 8 of these RAD bits to build a larger memory system. Popsci

McDonald’s no longer using ‘pink slime’ chemical in hamburgers

McDonald's announced last week that, as of last August, is has stopped using ammonium hydroxide in the production of its hamburgers. MSNBC reports that the chemical, used in fertilizers, household cleaners and even homemade explosives, was also used to prepare McDonalds' hamburger meat. And while the announcement is making headlines, you may (or may not) want to know about some other unusual chemicals being used in the production of some of our most-popular foods: The International Business Times lists some other questionable chemicals showing up in our foods:

Propylene glycol: This chemical is very similar to ethylene glycol, a dangerous anti-freeze. This less-toxic cousin  prevents products from becoming too solid. Some ice creams have this  ingredient; otherwise you'd be eating ice.

Carmine: Commonly found in red food coloring, this chemical comes from crushed cochineal, small red beetles that burrow into cacti. Husks of the beetle are ground up and forms the basis for red coloring found in foods ranging from cranberry juice to M&Ms.

Shellac: Yes, this chemical used to finish wood products also gives some candies their sheen. It comes from the female Lac beetle.

L-cycsteine: This common dough enhancer comes from hair, feathers, hooves and bristles.

Lanolin (gum base): Next time you chew on gum, remember this. The goopiness of gum comes from lanolin, oils from sheep's wool that is also used  for vitamin D3 supplements.

Silicon dioxide: Nothing weird about eating sand, right? This anti-caking agent is found in many foods including shredded cheese and fast food chili.

The food industry uses ammonium hydroxide as an anti-microbial agent in meats, which allows McDonald's to use otherwise "inedible meat."

On his show, Jamie Oliver said of the meat treatment: "Basically we're taking a product that would be sold in the cheapest form for dogs and making it 'fit' for humans." Even more disturbing, St. Louis-based dietician Sarah Prochaska told NBC affiliate KSDK that because ammonium hydroxide is considered part of the "component in a production procedure" by the USDA, consumers may not know when the chemical is in their food. MadOne

FCC Test to Measure Cellphone Radiation Flawed

A government test used to measure the radiation people absorb from their cellphones might underestimate the levels to which most adults and children are exposed, according to a group of doctors and researchers whose stated mission is to promote awareness of environmental health risks they believe may be linked to cancer. 

Researchers from the Environmental Health Trust released a report this morning noting that the Federal Communications Commission test to determine radiation exposure is flawed. The reason for the discrepancy, the group says, is that the process to determine radiation exposure from cellphones involves the use of a mannequin model that they say approximates a 6-foot-2, 220-pound person. Because the model represents only about 3 percent of the population, the authors report, the test will not accurately predict the radiation exposure of the other 97 percent of the population, including children. The group is pushing for a new testing system to measure radiation exposure in a wider range of consumers. 

"The standard for cellphones has been developed based on old science and old models and old assumptions about how we use cellphones, and that's why they need to change," said Dr. Devra Davis, former senior adviser in the Department of Health and Human Services under the Clinton administration and one of the report's authors.

In May, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer placed cellphones in the same category as lead and engine exhaust, citing the possibility that exposure to cellphone radiation could have long-term health effects. But roughly 30 studies conducted thus far have failed to draw a conclusive link. MadOne

Scientists Find Way To Genetically Alter DNA

What if scientists could genetically alter cells to produce substances not found in nature? No, this isn’t the plot of that sci-fi flick you watched last night; it’s a remarkable scientific achievement by a group of researchers from Harvard and MIT. The new technology allows scientists to engineer large-scale changes within the genetic code of a living cell by replacing specific DNA sequences. "We're essentially programming the cell to do our bidding," said Harris Wang, one of the lead researchers on the project. "[This technology] enables us to manipulate the genome as if it’s a scaffold, and build upon it." 

The innovation, Carr said, "opens up the opportunity to program new things into the genetic code," allowing scientists to create "new building blocks for the machines of life." One possible application would be to alter the genes of certain crops — such as potatoes, for instance — to make them invulnerable to viruses. Technews Daily

Men’s grooming habits that turn women off

1. Long, dirty toe nails. Or, as one Threader called it, "Hobbit feet." I love that. It's true. Guys, you don't have to sit for a pedicure, but there's no excuse for claws filled with dirt.

2. Hair where it shouldn't be. Nose hair was the number-one complaint with ear hair a close second. "Why is it so hard to buy a trimmer and a mirror?" asked a completely reasonable Threader. We don't have the answer.

3. Mouth madness. This is just basics. We're brushing, flossing, and whitening, but certain guys seem to think they can get away with "yuck mouth," as a Threader called it. Not true.

4. Unattractive smells. This can mean not showering often enough or not embracing deodorant. This is also related to #3 (see above).

5. Eyebrow issues. Either overgrown or over plucked. We don't want unruly, caveman hairs, but we also don't want you to look more sculpted than we do.

6. Too much cologne. If everything you touch starts to smell like your medicine cabinet, that's not good. 

7. Too much waxing. There's grooming and then there's grooming. No one wants to feel like they're with a newborn. 

8. Dry, cracked heels. You can put lotion on them, you know. 

9. Hair that never moves. If your hair is as hard as a car door, you've got to rethink your products. 

10. Letting your blackheads live on. Everyone has zits, especially in the hot and sweaty summer. But, jeez, if you have blackheads on your face, deal with them or book a facial where someone else will.

How Accurate Are Restaurant Calorie Counts?

Americans are eating out more than ever before, but can we trust the calorie counts on restaurant menus? A new study published July 19 in Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, since 40 percent of the foods analyzed had more calories than stated on the menu. 19 percent of the time, the count was off by 100 or more calories, with one belly-busting side dish that contained upwards of 1,000 more calories than claimed on the menu. 

While many eateries do have trustworthy calorie counts, the US Department of Agriculture-funded study reported that the surprising rate of undercounts, especially for fattening foods, were hardly likely to be random error and could derail efforts to lose weight.  The researchers tested 269 randomly selected foods purchased at 42 restaurants in three states. MadOne
 

Brain Implant Lets Thoughts Control Prosthetic Limbs

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a noninvasive, low-power brain implant that could lead to several new technologies in the future, including the neural manipulation of prosthetic limbs. This could allow amputees and paralysis victims to move plastic or metal arms and legs with their minds. 

The implant, titled BioBolt after its boltlike shape, can be inserted directly into the skull without penetrating the brain's cortex. Unlike other neural implants, which typically require a patient's skull to remain open during use, the BioBolt is designed for realistic applications – the implant fits above the skull and is completely covered by a layer of skin, keeping it completely unobtrusive and practical for everyday use. In addition to allowing people to move prosthetic or plastic arms using their brains, the BioBolt could help doctors diagnose diseases such as epilepsy, according to Euisik Yoon, a Michigan professor and the principal investigator on this project. Because the procedure it uses is minimally invasive, Yoon says the BioBolt will be far safer and more efficient than other technologies that are currently available.


Still, Yoon admits the BioBolt is still in its infancy stages. The team still has a lot of testing ahead of them before they start using the device for practical purposes. Yoon said the team plans to experiment with BioBolt on primates in the near future. Technews Daily/ MadOne

Fat Joe Explains The Importance Of Losing Weight

(AllHipHop News) Bronx rapper Fat Joe recently spoke about his weight loss, after the 6'2 rap star shed 88 pounds. According to Fat Joe, his motivation for losing the weight was simple: he lost seven friends in their 30s, to heart attacks over the past year. Fat Joe's most important discovery, rapper Big Pun, also died from a heart attack in 2002, due to his massive weight.

During an interview with the New York Daily News, Fat Joe spoke about his weight loss. "Everybody needs to educate themselves. If you're from the inner city, the hood, Bronx, Harlem, Brooklyn, whatever and you go to your store and there aint  no diet Snapple's in there, ain't no sugar free candies, you need to tell them 'yo I need that,'" Fat Joe told the New York Daily News. "Everybody needs a fix so it's a constant battle man. For me, I've seen too many of my friends die." Fat Joe stuck to a diet of six small meals per day, consisting of fruit, whole grain foods, lean meats and whole grain foods.

Now that the rapper has slimmed down from 425 pounds to 265 pounds, he's even pondering a new name. "They're all trying to alter my name, but I can't see myself as anything else," Fat Joe said. "I think I gotta ask Diddy what my new name is."

Genetically Engineered Cell Shoots Out First-Ever Biological Laser

Some cells fight disease. Other cells form hair and bone. And now, thanks to some fancy genetic engineering and a pair of tiny mirrors, a specially altered kidneycells shoot the first-ever biological laser beams. By harnessing the light-emitting power of green florescent protein (GFP), scientists working at Massachusetts General Hospital created the biological laser merely as a proof of concept. Aside from implying the future possibility of a self-healing laser that requires no battery, this breakthrough could allow doctors and scientists to view the inner workings of individual cells without a microscope. GFP protein acts as a copy machine of sorts, absorbing regular blue light and releasing identical particles of green light. Whereas regular light contains light particles in a range of different wavelength frequencies, laser beams contain only coherent light particles with the same profile. Since GFP always releases light particles with the same profile, the scientists simply needed to funnel the light into a single beam to create the biological laser. 

As expected, the laser emitted by Gather′s cells lacks the power of commercial lasers, limiting immediate practical uses. However, since the internal components of the cell shapes the laser beam, this technology could provide researchers with a tool for producing detailed images of microorganisms without using a microscope. "One neat application of a living laser beam is that, GFP, like most laser materials, degrades over time. But the fact that the cell is alive means that the laser can self-heal," Gather said. "Lasers have the notorious quality of just dying sometimes. If the GFP gets degradeds, the cells can just make more of it. Very long term, this could be an interesting advantage to having a living cell producing laser light." Technews Daily

Climate-Controlled Jacket Adjusts to Hot or Cold

New climate-controlled jackets have helped Indian soldiers stay warm in subzero conditions on the Siachen Glacier, and have even made cows comfortable enough to produce more milk. But it all began with an Indian grad student's simple wish for clothing that could adapt to both the cold Boston winters and heated MIT campus rooms. Now, the MIT graduate's startup has begun selling the jackets, and other apparel, that allow wearers to  control their level of comfort without adding or removing layers. That could prove an indispensable addition to future wardrobes in an age of wild weather and temperature swings.

"Our products can go from zero to 100 degrees C in the push of a button," said Kranthi Kiran Vistakula, founder and CEO of Dhama Innovations in Hyderabad, India. "We have four levels of heating and four levels of cooling that include low, medium, high and very high." Vistakula's Climacon Technology harnesses the so-called Peltier effect that helps cool electronic devices such as laptops. When electricity runs through the junction where two different metals meet, it creates a temperature difference so that one side heats up and the other side cools down.

Such heat-exchange devices also need fans to blow away the heat. But Vistakula used nanomaterials engineered on the tiniest scales to create a very light, very efficient version with no moving parts that can work with clothing. "We were able to reduce the weight and eliminate the need for a fan," Vistakula told InnovationNewsDaily. "That made it very suitable to put it into apparel."

Aside from ClimaWare-branded neck wraps, shoes, jackets and bike helmets, the startup also sells knee and elbow packs that provide hot or cold therapy for aching joints.  TechNews Daily

FDA finally admits chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic

After years of sweeping the issue under the rug and hoping no one would notice, the FDA has now finally admitted that chicken meat sold in the USA contains arsenic, a cancer-causing toxic chemical that’s fatal in high doses. But the real story is where this arsenic comes from: It’s added to the chicken feed on purpose! Even worse, the FDA says its own research shows that the arsenic added to the chicken feed ends up in the chicken meat where it is consumed by humans. So for the last sixty years, American consumers who eat conventional chicken have been swallowing arsenic, a known cancer-causing chemical. Until this new study, both the poultry industry and the FDA denied that arsenic fed to chickens ended up in their meat. The fairytale excuse story we’ve all been fed for sixty years is that “the arsenic is excreted in the chicken feces.” And what’s the name of this manufacturer that has been putting arsenic in the chicken feed for all these years? Pfizer, of course — the very same company that makes vaccines containing chemical adjuvants that are injected into children. Technically, the company making the Roxarsone chicken feed is a subsidiary of Pfizer, called Alpharma LLC. 

But even as its arsenic-containing product is pulled off the shelves, the FDA continues its campaign of denial, claiming arsenic in chickens is at such a low level that it’s still safe to eat. This is even as the FDA says arsenic is a carcinogen, meaning it increases the risk of cancer.
Oh, by the way, here’s another sweet little disturbing fact you probably didn’t know about hamburgers and conventional beef: Chicken litter containing arsenic is fed to cows in factory beef operations. So the arsenic that’s pooped out by the chickens gets consumed and concentrated in the tissues of cows, which is then ground into hamburger to be consumed by the clueless masses who don’t even know they’re eating second-hand chicken shit.

China Genetically Modifying Cows To Produce Human Breast Milk

Chinese scientists have genetically modified dairy cows to produce human breast milk, and hope to be selling it in supermarkets within three years. The milk produced by the transgenic cows is identical to the human variety, with the same immune-boosting and antibacterial qualities as breast milk, scientists at China’s Agricultural University in Beijing said. 

The transgenic herd of 300 was bred by inserting human genes into cloned cow embryos which were then implanted into surrogate cows. The technology used was similar to that used to produce Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be cloned by scientists, in Scotland. InfoWars

First man ‘functionally cured’ of HIV

Since HIV was discovered 30 years ago this week, 30 million people have died from the disease, and it continues to spread at the rate of 7,000 people per day globally, the UN says. There's not much good news when it comes to this devastating virus. But that is perhaps why the story of the man scientists call the "Berlin patient" is so remarkable and has generated so much excitement among the HIV advocacy community. Timothy Ray Brown suffered from both leukemia and HIV when he received a bone marrow stem cell transplant in Berlin, Germany in 2007. The transplant came from a man who was immune to HIV, which scientists say about 1 percent of Caucasians are. (According to San Francisco's CBS affiliate, the trait may be passed down from ancestors who became immune to the plague centuries ago. This Wired story says it was more likely passed down from people who became immune to a smallpox-like disease.)


What happened next has stunned the dozens of scientists who are closely monitoring Brown: His HIV went away. "He has no replicating virus and he isn't taking any medication. And he will now probably never have any problems with HIV," his doctor Gero Huetter told Reuters. Brown now lives in the Bay Area, and suffers from some mild neurological difficulties after the operation. "It makes me very happy," he says of the incredible cure.

Although Brown's story is remarkable, scientists were quick to point out that bone marrow transplants can be fatal, and there's no way Brown's treatment could be applied to the 33.3 million people around the world living with HIV. The discovery does encourage "cure research," according to Dr. Jay Levy, who co-discovered HIV thirty years ago, something that many people did not even think was possible years ago.  (AP)

Male Birth Control?

 
Equality for men may be on the horizon, contraceptive equality, that is. For just over a half century, women have been able to pop a pill to prevent pregnancy, but a pharmaceutical alternative has never emerged for men. Now, research to interfere with the body's ability to use vitamin A is showing some promise, because, in men, vitamin A is necessary for the production of sperm.

When you consume vitamin A, your body converts it into the metabollically active form, retinoic acid, which binds to a protein in your cells called a retinoic acid receptor. Then, the receptor protein can initiate the expression of genes necessary for the creation of sperm, if you are a man. The compound Wolgemuth's team tested blocks the retinoic acid from binding to the receptor and so prevents the formation of new sperm. "The long and short of what we know is vitamin A and its metabolite are absolutely essential for the production of male germ cells, or sperm," she said.


The work by the team from Columbia supports the idea that interfering with the retinoic acid pathway can render male animals temporarily sterile. "The concern I have as a clinician about their approach is retinoic acid has multiple functions in multiple tissues so blocking the activity by blocking the receptor, I have concerns that could cause side effects." Retinoic acid is important for vision, a healthy immune system and other functions.


The Columbia team's latest work is scheduled for presentation today (June 4) at the conference for endocrinologists, ENDO 2011, in Boston. Live Science

Shaquille O’Neal and sleep apnea

Apparently Shaquille O'Neal snores. We probably could have guessed that. But who knew that snoring would be a danger to the big man's health?

Anyone who's ever been hit (or, as they call it, "lightly nudged") by their better half in the middle of the night knows that snoring can be pretty frustrating for the person who isn't the actual snorer. And anyone who's ever done the hitting (I don't "lightly nudge," dangit, because I've got sleep to catch on) can tell you that it is about as high on the annoyance list as annoyances get.

But most tend to get over it, as their pretty little bird tweets away deep into dreamland. That said, not everyone has to share chambers with Shaquille O'Neal, all 7-1 and 300-pound whatever of him. If your better half sounds like a hummingbird, then this guy has to come off like a full blown diesel semi-engine.

That's why his girlfriend, TV's (they tell me) Nikki "Hoopz" Alexander, asked him to take part in a sleep apnea study sponsored by Harvard University. Because, jokes aside, it must be more than a little scary when those snores briefly turn into outright silence, which apparently has happened to Shaq a few times recently.

First human lung stem cell

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US researchers said Wednesday they have identified for the first time human lung stem cells that are self-renewing and could offer important clues for treating chronic lung diseases. Previous studies have shown researchers were able to create lung cells using human embryonic stem cells, but this lung stem cell was isolated using surgical samples of adult human lung tissue. The discovery of this stem cell has the potential to offer those who suffer from chronic lung diseases a totally novel treatment option by regenerating or repairing damaged areas of the lung.

Stem cell therapy on lung diseases has long been elusive because the lung is a highly complex organ with a variety of cell types that can renew at different rates, experts say. Lung disease is the third leading killer in the United States after heart disease and cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Second spinal cord injury patient in stem cell trial

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Doctors have begun treating a second patient injected with human embryonic stem cells in the spine as part of a landmark Geron Corp clinical trial testing the cells in spinal cord injuries. The patient, who is not being identified, will undergo a progressive course of rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago after receiving an injection of stem cells at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Northwestern officials said Tuesday. 

Geron's stem cells come from human embryos left over from fertility treatments. They have been manipulated to become precursors to certain types of nerve cells. It is hoped they will travel to the site of a recent spinal cord injury and release compounds that help the damaged nerves in the cord regenerate. The Phase I trial will not be aiming to cure patients but to establish that the cells are safe to use. But the team will also look to see if the stem cells improve patients' control or sensation in the trunk or legs. Under the guidelines of the trial, the patients must have very recent injuries.

'Viagra Condom'

The problem with condoms is that they don't get used as often as they should. But an innovative new product by a British biotech firm may change men's minds: called CSD500, the condom helps men keep their erection longer. 

It's been dubbed the "Viagra condom," but that's not entirely accurate. The new product is lined with a vasodilating gel, which increases blood flow to the penis and helps maintain erection. But unlike the pill, it's not designed for men who have erectile dysfunction; rather, it's meant for men who have trouble keeping erections specifically while using a condom. 

CSD500 was developed by Futura Medical and licensed to the Durex brand, which is owned by consumer-products company Reckitt Benckiser. The product is close to regulatory approval in the U.K. and may be on the market within the year, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. If the manufacturer seeks FDA approval to market the condom in the U.S., it will have to provide more clinical trial data. 

US on track for most measles cases in a decade

ATLANTA – The United States seems to be on track to have more measles cases than any year in more than a decade, with virtually all cases linked to other countries, including Europe where there's a big outbreak. Already there have been 89 cases reported so far. The U.S. normally sees only about 50 cases of measles in a year thanks to vaccinations. Health officials are reluctant to make predictions, but acknowledge the pace of reports is unusually hot. 

Europe, especially France, has been hit hard by measles, with more than 6,500 cases reported in 33 nations. International health officials are blaming it on the failure to vaccinate all children. Just about all U.S. outbreaks were sparked by people bringing it here from other countries. This week, international health officials posted an alert urging travelers everywhere to get the recommended two doses of vaccine before flying overseas. 

Measles is highly contagious and up to 90 percent of people exposed to an infected person get sick, experts say. The virus spreads easily through the air, and in closed rooms, infected droplets can linger for up to two hours after the sick person leaves. The disease's most common symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, eye inflammation and rash all over the body. It takes about two weeks for the rash to appear from the time of first infection, and people are contagious from four days before a rash to four days after. Make sure your getting your measles shots.