IN BRIEF From virtual fantasies to human augmentation, the Future of Sex looks into the five major fields driving the next innovations in intimacy. For people faced with physical, emotional, and geographic challenges, they’ll offer opportunities for sexual fulfillment that might not otherwise exist. Technology is pushing human sexuality into uncharted terrain. It’s transforming how...
Category: <span>Miscellaneous</span>
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Autism breakthrough: One protein’s sweeping influence on development of autism revealed
Reducing nSR100 protein levels by half was enough to trigger autistic-like behavior in these animals. As many as a third of autism cases could be explained by a scarcity of a single protein in the brain, Toronto scientists have revealed. The findings provide a unique opportunity to develop treatments for a disorder that is rooted...
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CVS cuts the price of a generic EpiPen competitor in half
CVS is now selling a rival, generic version of Mylan’s life-saving allergy treatment EpiPen at about a sixth of EpiPen’s price, months after Mylan was eviscerated before Congress because of EpiPen’s soaring cost. The drugstore chain says it will charge $109.99 for a two-pack of the authorized generic version of Adrenaclick, a lesser-known treatment compared to...
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Targeting bacterial adherence inhibits multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection following burn injury
Abstract Classical antimicrobial drugs target proliferation and therefore place microbes under extreme selective pressure to evolve resistance. Alternative drugs that target bacterial virulence without impacting survival directly offer an attractive solution to this problem, but to date few such molecules have been discovered. We previously discovered a widespread group of bacterial adhesins, termed Multivalent Adhesion...
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New method uses sound to see vividly inside living cells
A new nanoscale ultrasound technique for imaging live cells could rival the optical super-resolution techniques which won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.(Credit: University of Nottingham) Researchers from The University of Nottingham (UN) have developed a groundbreaking technique that uses sound rather than light to see inside live cells. The new technique provides insight into the structure...
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Meet the modern day Dr Frankenstein: Scientist who re-wires frogs to grow extra limbs says he could use the technique on HUMANS ‘in our lifetime’
Dr Michael Levin is a researcher at Tufts University in Massachusetts His work focuses on ion channels which control the flow of molecules in cells Previously he has created tadpoles with eyes on their back and frogs with 6 legs He believes that his work could soon extend into humans and could allow us...
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Oculus Officially Owns an Eye-Tracking Company
IN BRIEF The Eye Tribe has introduced a $99 eye tracking device developer kit for computers, and software that can bring gaze-based interfaces to smartphones and potentially virtual reality headsets. Oculus has officially acquired the Danish company in hopes of integrating the technology into their VR technology, and maybe even tracking Facebook users. A NEW...
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The Secret To Treating Autoimmune Disease May Lie In The Gut
An estimated 50 million Americans ― that’s 20 percent of the general population ― suffer from autoimmune diseases like lupus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and many experts say that number is rising at an alarming rate. Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system begins attacking the body’s healthy tissue as if it were an outside invader, leading to chronic...
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Unexpected Risks Found In Replacing DNA To Prevent Inherited Disorders
The genes in mitochondria, which are the powerhouses in human cells, can cause fatal inherited disease. But replacing the bad genes may cause other health problems. Getty Images/Science Photo Library In September, reproductive endocrinologist John Zhang and his team at the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City captured the world’s attention when they announced...
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Finland Has Finally Launched Its Universal Basic Income Experiment
IN BRIEF The universal basic income trial will give out €560 ($587) a month, tax free, to 2,000 randomly-selected Finns. UBI is a potential source of income that could one day be available to all adult citizens, regardless of income, wealth, or employment status. NEW YEAR, NEW INCOME It looks like 2,000 citizens in Finland...