For those who want raw fish, such as sushi, freshness is absolutely mandatory. However, old fish is still problematic even if cooked. So a group of Taiwanese researchers developed a semiconductor sensor that detects fish freshness in 60 seconds.
Biomedicine & Biotech
One final observation on our great post-war successes in controlling malaria by targeting its vector, the Anopheles mosquito. By using that most marvelous insecticide DDT, we were beginning to gain the upper hand in our conquest of malaria as clearly demonstrated in the table below.
Country
Malaria occurrence per annum prior to introduction of DDT
Malaria occurrence per annum after the introduction of DDT
Sardinia
Immunology studies the way we maintain our body’s integrity – “immunity’s central motif” – as well as our definition of self. Differentiating our self from "other" has many scales, and it's been used to separate tribes, ethnicities, nations. So in addition to cells, can immunology also help us understand the interactions of humans?
Glucose and fat are essential to powering muscles. But glucose is the only energy source that fuels the brain and sustains motivation. Scientists believe that if glucose depletion could be reduced, "hitting the wall" – or for marathoners, giving up – could theoretically be delayed. A recent study examined this glucose-brain connection.
Obesity is not as simple as avoiding exercise or overindulging with food. It's been known for some time that genetics are also involved. A new study shows that not only are there epigenetic factors at play, but they're also present at birth.
Researchers at the University of Iowa have identified two antibodies that, in their words, "blocked tumor creation" in breast cancer and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. While it's not without reservations, this cancer research is somewhat promising.
One way to learn about how antibiotics work is to visualize their accumulation within bacterial cells. But this is no easy feat. So, a team of researchers from Penn State University and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology giant Novartis set about inventing a new technique.
The Dutch are famous for windmills, impressive feats of geo-engineering and for being tall and blonde. And at just over 6-feet, Dutch men are widely hailed as the world's tallest. But new data suggests that men from regions within the Balkan country of Bosnia and Herzegovina stand even a cut above.
New research on a Zika vaccine is as promising as it gets. A recent study highlights the first live-attenuated vaccine that provides great protection and could result in a quick and effective vaccine that will be available soon to the people who most need it.
23andMe was selling home DNA testing kits that gave genetic information to consumers. Four years ago the Food and Drug Administration told the company to stop selling kits that perform disease detection. But now the agency has changed its tune.
One in 10 have a major depressive disorder during their lives, which makes depression the most common mental illness. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from depression. Depression has both a genetic component and it's connected to environmental factors. But the genetic component has been difficult to determine.
ACSH's Dr. Jamie Wells attended the Congressional Luncheon hosted by the Center for Excellence in Education, in support of STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – education. Both Sen. Joe Lieberman and Sen. Ted Cruz had prominent roles in the Washington, DC gathering.