3 questions. 3 hints. 3 answers. Every Tuesday.
Question: what is worse than antibiotic over-prescription?
Hint:
Answer: not being able to prescribe antibiotics.
Certain antibiotics previously used to treat particular pathogens are no longer effective, leaving groups of individuals, particularly those in a hospital or care facility setting, vulnerable to distinct pathogens. While this news is not new, what has some very concened is how dry the pipeline is for producing new, effective antibiotics to combat drug-resistant bacteria strains. In the US alone, approximately 23,000 people die annually from untreatable bacterial infections. While progress is being made to encourage antibiotics development, it may not be enough. Additional measures are planned and may come in the form of tax credits and a more lenient drug approval process. Read more here.
Question: what do chimeras and mosaicism have in common?
Hint:
Answer: they are both part of the genomic study revolution.
Scientists are discovering what was previously thought of as an anomaly, in very large numbers. That is, a variety of genomes within a single person. For example, a saliva and sperm sample taken from the same person may not match. Whether due to an organ transplant, giving birth, being female or male, one can’t count on that cells taken from one body part will be the same as those taken from another. Related to human beings, this has significant (but seemingly workable implications) for fields such as genetic counseling, forensics, clinical genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics and related areas. To read about genomic variation, click here.
Question: what should we fear most about autonomous cars?
Hint:
Answer: distracted drivers.
The car itself doesn’t appear to be what has psychologists, engineers and scientists pulling all-nighters. It’s actually us. While self-driving cars might be able to handle the basics, it seems we will be called upon to “take over” in certain circumstances. At that time, we might be napping, reading, writing an e-mail or otherwise preoccupied. How will we react? What will our reaction-time be? What warning systems should be in place before we have to turn our focus to the road and actually drive? These are some of the big concerns being considered by the experts with the assistance of simulators and people hooked up to EEG sensors. Click here for more details.