California

Vaccine shows promise in reversing asthma

A vaccine made with synthetic pieces of bacterial DNA has been shown in animal studies not only to stop asthma in its tracks but also to reverse the lung damage caused by the disease, according to scientists at the University of California, Davis.

Currently available asthma medications only control the symptoms of the disease. The new vaccine — while still in the preliminary stages of development — is the first to bring the disease process to an end and allow healing to take place.

The vaccine, which works by stimulating a broad protective immunologic response in the immune system, is now being studied in human subjects and tested against other allergic diseases. Preliminary trials in humans show it provides significant relief for hay fever sufferers, and trials are planned for asthma patients.

Its ability to reverse lung damage already has been demonstrated in experiments with monkeys and mice.

Washington, D.C.

Lithium batteries worry air regulators

Federal regulators are growing increasingly concerned that shipments of lithium batteries — such as those used in cameras, watches and portable electronics — carried in the cargo hold of a passenger jets could trigger a fire such as the one that brought down a ValuJet plane in the Florida Everglades eight years ago.

Sources say the Federal Aviation Administration is pushing for a ban on shipping the batteries in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft.

The new push comes after a June report by the FAA showing that lithium battery fires cannot be extinguished by Halon, the fire suppression agent required in the cargo holds of commercial planes, and after an August lithium battery fire at the Memphis, Tenn., airport. In the past five years, three other cargo fires have been traced to lithium batteries.

In a statement Tuesday, the Department of Transportation said it “expects to announce soon new regulations governing bulk cargo shipments of some lithium batteries.”

San Francisco

DNA database expansion challenged

Civil rights advocates sued in federal court Tuesday to thwart a voter-approved proposition that would expand California’s DNA database to include anyone arrested on suspicion of committing a felony.

Beginning in 2009, the initiative requires the state to take samples of genetic material from anyone arrested for a suspected felony, even if they are never charged or convicted.

The American Civil Liberties Union contends collecting the samples at the time of arrest runs counter to presuming innocence until guilt is proven in court.