Dr. Lance O'Sullivan decided to take action when the anti-vaccine movie "VAXXED" was shown in his community. By protesting the misinformed movement while spreading the truth about the benefits of vaccines, the staunch vaccine supporter is our new hero. If only he wore a cape.
Biomedicine & Biotech
A new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine determined that while wearable fitness trackers can accurately monitor heart rate, "none of the seven devices measured energy expenditure accurately." Worse yet, some produced wildly incorrect results.
Vitamin-A deficiency around the world leads to between 250,000 and 500,000 children going blind – every single year. Half of them die within a year of losing their sight. Meanwhile, Golden Rice – a genetically-modified seed than can deliver this essential vitamin – is still not being used in impoverished nations. Here's a look at this pressing issue.
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.
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.