health medical pharma
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In a Medical Twist, Zika Virus Could Become a Weapon Against Brain Cancer
A mosquito-borne disease best known for causing severe cranial deformities in babies may someday become humanity’s ally. Duke University scientists and others have created a weakened version of the Zika virus that could potentially be repurposed into a treatment for often fatal brain cancer. In lab experiments, their virus appeared to target and kill off…
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Scientists Figure Out Why Labrador Retrievers Can Never Eat Enough
Veterinary scientists seem to have unraveled a mystery about why certain dogs simply can’t ever get enough to eat. In research out this week, they found evidence that a common mutation in Labrador retrievers causes them to experience greater hunger than usual while also reducing their metabolic rate, both of which make the dogs predisposed…
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Your Screen Protector Is Not All It’s Cracked Up to Be
When you’re buying a new smartphone, salesmen love pestering you to buy some increased protection — insurance, a case, and, obviously, a screen protector. The screen protector has long been hailed as a necessity, costing anywhere from $US10 to $US60. These little slips of plastic and glass have ballooned to a $US50 billion industry, but…
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Universal Antivenom for Snake Bites Might Soon Be a Reality
We might be soon on the verge of having a super snake antivenom. In new research, a team of scientists says they’ve created a lab-made antibody geared to counteract toxic bites from a wide variety of snakes. In early tests with mice, the uber-antivenom appeared to work as intended. Snake antivenom is typically derived from…