April 29, 2013
CDC sets carbon nanotech safety guidelines
The government has set exposure guidelines for nanotechnology fibers at just one microgram per cubic meter of air per eight-hour workday. Anything below that can’t be measured. (U.S.A. Today)
Monthly Archives: April 2013
April 29, 2013
Nanomaterials in fertilizer products could threaten soil health, agriculture
Nanomaterials added to soil via fertilizers and treated sewage waste used to fertilize fields could threaten soil health necessary to keep land productive, says a new report released today by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). Peer-reviewed scientific … Read More
April 29, 2013
Australia21 report calls for euthanasia protection
The report by Australia21 – a non-profit body dedicated to analysing complex issues – found even though voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide were unlawful, they occurred ”not infrequently” in Australia with no oversight and rarely any prosecutions. (The Herald Sun)
April 26, 2013
What do you think of IVF?
The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity is sponsoring a multi-national study led by Dr. Megan Best on the attitudes and practices of assisted reproductive technologies. The survey is live through April 30th, and takes only 10 minutes to complete. … Read More
April 26, 2013
Autism linked to placenta abnormalities
Children at an increased risk of autism may have abnormal structures in the placenta that can be detected at birth, a new study finds. (Scientific American)
April 26, 2013
How adopting a child is the best way to improve your quality of life
Having children improves your quality of life, even if you are a step-parent or have adopted a child, a new study has concluded. (The Telegraph)
April 26, 2013
‘Smart skin’ hope for touch sensor
Scientists have made a step forward in their ability to mimic the sense of touch. (BBC)
April 26, 2013
5 questions on egg freezing
We all know about the importance of contraception in preventing unwanted pregnancy — in 2013 more women are aware of their reproductive options than ever before. While there have been great strides to make birth control and contraception common knowledge, … Read More
April 26, 2013
Pacemaker pioneer now lives with device
Dr. Vincent L. Gott was part of an innovative group of doctors who trained with Dr. C. Walton Lillehei, considered to be the father of open-heart surgery. (CNN)
April 26, 2013
23andMe aims to close genetics literacy gap among Americans in celebration of DNA day
A new survey commissioned by 23andMe – the leading personal genetics company – in celebration of DNA Day reveals that the majority of Americans have an interest in learning more about themselves by exploring their DNA, even though many do … Read More
April 26, 2013
Carbon-based nanotechnology materials for biomedical engineering
Carbon nanomaterials such as nanotubes or graphene not only are widely researched for their potential uses in industrial applications, they also are of great interest to biomedical engineers working on nanotechnology applications. (Nanowerk)
April 26, 2013
U.S. State lawmakers driving up costs of abortion
Abortion clinics and women’s health centers have kept the cost of abortion stable since the onset of the 2008 recession, at a time of escalating health costs. But now state legislatures are considering a wide range of restrictions that will … Read More
April 26, 2013
Medical tourism: Best places for quality health care overseas
Medical tourism has seen a surge in popularity over the last 10 to 15 years, as many discover the savings that can be enjoyed by traveling abroad for medical and dental work. InternationalLiving.com recently released its 2013 Health Care Survey, … Read More
April 26, 2013
Family doctors consider dropping birth control training rule
The proposed new rules, they say, drop existing requirements that family medicine residents be required to undergo training in contraception and counseling women with unintended pregnancies. Several groups are now running letter-writing campaigns to make sure the rules remain. (NPR)
April 26, 2013
Euthanasia should not be a “quick fix”
Senior Australian of the year Ian Maddocks has expressed concern that if euthanasia were legalised, death could be seen as a ”quick fix” to suffering that could be relieved with palliative care. (Sydney Morning Herald)
April 26, 2013
How Ray Kurzweil will help Google make the ultimate AI brain
Google has always been an artificial intelligence company, so it really shouldn’t have been a surprise that Ray Kurzweil, one of the leading scientists in the field, joined the search giant late last year. Nonetheless, the hiring raised some eyebrows, … Read More
April 26, 2013
Shame versus guilt in community response to wrongdoing
Yesterday, on the Hastings Center Bioethics Forum, Carl Elliott pondered the question of why a petition asking the governor of Minnesota to investigate ethically problematic research at the University of Minnesota has gathered hundreds of signatures from scholars in bioethics, … Read More
April 26, 2013
Stem cell treatment regimen to treat neuroblastoma in children appears to be more toxic in US
The stem cell transplant regimen that was commonly used in the United States to treat advanced neuroblastoma in children appears to be more toxic than the equally effective regimen employed in Europe and Egypt, according to a new study to … Read More
April 25, 2013
5 cool things DNA can do
Happy National DNA Day! April 25 marks the 60th anniversary of scientists’ discovery of the double helix. It’s also the 10th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project, which set out to sequence the more than 3 billion … Read More
April 25, 2013
Abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell ends defense with no witnesses
The attorney for controversial abortion doctor and accused murderer Kermit Gosnell rested his defense today without presenting any witnesses or calling on Gosnell to testify. (ABC News)
April 25, 2013
Are bionic superhumans on the horizon?
We’re in the midst of a bionic revolution, yet most of us don’t know it. (CNN)
April 25, 2013
The hordes of microbes inside your body are your friends
As tools for engineering life’s building blocks have proliferated in recent years, our definition of human life has become more expansive. For example, we are learning that the vast ecosystems of microbes inside our bodies are as integral to our … Read More
April 25, 2013
Official organ trade network in China revealed
Less than two weeks after Lens magazine in mainland China blew the whistle on the torture taking place in China’s Masanjia Labor Camp, another magazine from the same company has revealed the existence of a nationwide network involved in trading … Read More
April 25, 2013
Genes – the ‘book’ of life?
The simple story we’re told about how genes are the ‘blueprint’ or ‘book’ of life is “misleading” and “distorted”. That’s the provocative view of science writer Phillip Ball, who has written a commentary in this week’s Nature, calling for us … Read More
April 25, 2013
Study: Nearly two-thirds of children receiving stem cell transplants return to hospital within six months
Nearly two-thirds of children receiving stem cell transplants returned to the hospital within six months for treatment of unexplained fevers, infections or other problems, according to a study performed at Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center in Boston. Children who received donor … Read More
