Salmonella hunt homes in on feed sources in egg recall

Federal and state investigators have found salmonella enteritidis in two barns at Wright County Egg in Iowa and two positive samples of feed given to young hens at both Wright County and Hillandale Farms. The egg producers are at the heart of an outbreak that has sickened as many as 1,470 people and led to the recall of more than half a billion eggs. Food and Drug Administration officials described their findings in a Thursday briefing, but acknowledged questions remain. HINTS OF PROBLEM: Public alerts on egg risk delayed EGG CRISIS: Interest up in food-safety bill Q&…

Minority leader accuses Obama, aides of ‘job-killing’

The Republican hoping to become speaker of the House next year delivered a sweeping attack Tuesday on President Obama’s handling of the economy, calling for the resignations of Obama’s top economic advisers. House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio used a speech in Cleveland to blame Obama’s spending, tax and regulatory policies for creating uncertainty and stalling economic growth. He also criticized extended jobless benefits and money for states to save the jobs of teachers, police officers and firefighters. “We’ve tried 19 months of government-as-community-organizer. It hasn’t worked,” Boehner said. He urged Obama to…

New microbe discovered eating oil spill in Gulf

WASHINGTON — A newly discovered type of oil-eating microbe is suddenly flourishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists discovered the new microbe while studying the underwater dispersion of millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf following the explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. MORE COVERAGE: Oil spill And the microbe works without significantly depleting oxygen in the water, researchers led by Terry Hazen at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif., reported Tuesday in the online journal Sciencexpress. “Our findings, which provide the first data ever on microbial activity from a deepwater dispersed oil plume, suggest” a great potential for bacteria …

Iran prepares to start up first nuclear reactor

WASHINGTON (AP) — Iranian and Russian nuclear technicians made final preparations to start up Iran’s first reactor on Saturday after years of delays, an operation that will mark a milestone in what Tehran considers its right to produce nuclear energy. Nationwide celebrations are planned for the fuel loading at the Bushehr facility in southern Iran, while Russia pledges to safeguard the plant and prevent spent nuclear fuel from being shifted to a possible weapons program. “The start-up operations will be a big success for Iran,” conservative lawmaker …

People feel more productive, healthy in green buildings

People think they’re healthier and more productive after moving their office space into “green” buildings, according to a recent study published on the American Journal of Public Health’s website. A group of researchers working with Michigan State University surveyed two groups of employees before and after moving from conventional office buildings to LEED-certified buildings in the same Michigan area. After moving to the new building, employees said they thought they called out sick less and were more productive. GREENEST COLLEGES: 286 most eco-friendly…

Most senior citizens learn to adapt to the loss of a partner

For months after her husband of 52 years died last spring, Laurel Frisch struggled to read a book. She couldn’t make decisions; she only occasionally left her Rockville home. In those rare moments when she could summon the energy, she wandered aimlessly through stores. This Story Experts seek ways to handle the coming boom in old age Telemedicine improves elder care at home Aging Well: Taking away more than the keys Scientists visit Montana man for secrets to a very long life Wisdom…

Childhood cancer scare affects man’s reaction to lymphoma symptoms as an adult

When I was around 10 years old, I found some strange lumps in a place where no one wants to find strange lumps. They turned out to be little nodes that are actually supposed to be there. They’re like sidekicks for your testicles or something and, well, I really don’t know what they are. I just know they’re normal. As a young boy discovering them while lying in bed, though, I was scared to death. I was convinced I had cancer. This Story At age 10, he was scared. But now? Remission and relapse This was not the kind of situation I managed well. I was a kid who…

Skip breakfast before exercise to burn more fat, studies say

LONDON — Running on empty may not be such a bad idea after all. Though many athletes eat before training, some scientists say that if you really want to get rid of more fat, you should skip the pre-workout snack. Several studies suggest exercising while your body is low on food may be a good way to trim excess fat. In a recent paper, European researchers found that cyclists who trained without eating burned significantly more fat than their counterparts who ate. Muscles usually get their energy from carbohydrates, which is why …

BP ready to go for ‘top kill’ to try to plug oil well

The most critical moment in the oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico is at hand, as BP engineers armed with 50,000 barrels of dense mud and a fleet of robotic submarines are poised to attempt a “top kill” maneuver to plug the gushing well a mile below the surface. This Story Gulf oil spill’s animal victims How the maneuver works Fed: Government can’t push BP aside on oil spill BP readies mud and robots to try to plug oil well Report: Inspectors took gifts from oil companies U.S. oil drilling agency…

Urban Beat: Hip-hop classes foster fitness and community

It’s five minutes to 7 on a wet March night, and, as I peek into classrooms while walking down the hall at the Dance Institute of Washington in Columbia Heights, I see several classes taking place at once. Girls in black leotards and pink tights hit plié after plié in Studio 1; adults in Lycra reach up to relevé on toes, then gracefully extend arms over head in Studio 2. I’m going to the room at the end of the upstairs hall. There, a woman …

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