Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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New process can help to design drugs with fewer or no side effects
Have you ever wondered how drugs reach their targets and achieve their function within our bodies? If a drug molecule or a ligand is a message, an inbox is typically a receptor in the cell membrane. One such receptor involved in relaying molecular signals is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). About one-third of existing drugs […]
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The Faintest Galaxy in the Early Universe
A projected image of the galaxy JD1 (inset), which is located behind a bright cluster galaxy called Abell2744. Credit: Guido Roberts-Borsani/UCLA); original images: NASA, ESA, CSA, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Pittsburgh, STScI An international research team has confirmed the existence of the faintest galaxy ever observed in the early universe, JD1. This discovery […]
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Parasite-host “coupling” mechanism could lead to new treatments for malaria
Transmitted through infected mosquitos, the malaria parasite, once in the human bloodstream, synchronously ruptures red blood cells and rapidly infects new red blood cells, beginning the cycle anew. Controlled by an intrinsic clock, this cycle occurs in multiples of 24 hours, depending on the species. Humans infected with malaria parasites exhibit rhythmic fevers and chills […]
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Middle-brain region linked to emotion control likely prompts females to kill their young
A middle-brain region tied to the control of emotions likely prompts females to kill their young, a new study in mice shows. With the region also present in humans, the study authors say the findings could play a similar role in better understanding infanticide by women. Before giving birth for the first time, female mice […]
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‘Virgin’ crocodile in Costa Rica zoo found to have made herself pregnant
Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter The first ever known case of a crocodile laying eggs without a male mate – a rare reproductive strategy that could be traced back to dinosaurs – has […]
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Using Genomics To Unlock The Full Potential Of Industrial Hemp
Plant biologist Alex Harkess, PhD, and his lab at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology are on a mission to change the future of food and fiber crops, one flowering plant species at a time. Much of plant breeding and global food production relies on the pollination of flowers to produce fruits that are eaten and used […]
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Parasites May Be Hijacking Evolution on Planet Earth : ScienceAlert
Life is not always straightforward about the business of living. A food web, for instance, consists of chains upon chains of organisms stealing other organisms’ energy-processing abilities. We can’t process sunlight into the sugars we need for energy; we wait for plants to do it, and eat them. Carnivores can’t properly digest plants; they wait […]
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Chinese Drugmakers Scramble To Address Skyrocketing Demand For Ozempic
Chinese drugmakers are becoming more eager to grab a slice of the growing market for Ozempic in China amid the craze for the drug. Though primarily used for treating diabetes, Ozempic has become a highly sought-after drug worldwide due to its purported weight loss effects. In China, where societal beauty standards prioritize extreme thinness, the […]
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Strep A Cases On The Rise, UMMC Experts Warn
Cases of Streptococcus A (Strep A) have been increasing in the United States and globally in recent months, according to officials from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). While strep throat is a common condition that rarely leads to severe illness, UMMC emphasized the importance of timely testing since the notorious sore throat symptom […]
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Vulcan performs static-fire test – SpaceNews
WASHINGTON — United Launch Alliance carried out a static-fire test of its Vulcan Centaur rocket June 7, one of the final milestones before the vehicle’s first launch. A Vulcan rocket fired its two BE-4 engines in a static-fire test called the Flight Readiness Firing (FRF) at 9:05 p.m. Eastern from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex […]
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