Researchers from the University of Central Florida have found a molecular connection between a common food preservative in processed foods, neuronal disruption, and autism. These findings suggest that there may be a link between the consumption of processed foods during pregnancy and the rise of autism.

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Scientists from the University of British Columbia (UBC) have found a way to nearly double the amount of universal donor blood available. They discovered microbes in the human gut that produce two enzymes which efficiently strip type A blood of its antigens, transforming it into type O. This process could ease blood shortages and revolutionize blood donation and transfusion.

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Stress, “the silent killer” of the modern age, could finally become simple to detect and quantify. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati (UC) have developed a new test that can easily measure common stress hormones using sweat, blood, urine or saliva. The aim is to eventually have an accessible device that patients can use at home to monitor their health.

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Scientists from the University of Alabama (UA) have invented a new and bizarre technique to discover novel natural compounds in cells. It involves human, “zombie-like” cells that are technically no longer alive but their membranes continue to bind different and potentially useful compounds in samples. This technique may allow scientists to screen natural products for drugs at a faster pace.

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The Coca-Cola Company, one of the world’s largest producers of sugary beverages, has funded scientific research on fitness and public health at universities around the world. The newly-uncovered documents reveal that the money comes with strings attached. Five different funding agreements from universities show the company can prevent the results from going public, and has done so in the past. Similar concerns about conflicts of interest in commercially-funded research led to increasing funding disclosure requirements in science. However, researchers believe that this is probably not enough to assess the full extent of bias.

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Scientists hope an end to the Aids epidemic could be in sight after eight years long study found men whose HIV infection was fully suppressed by antiretroviral drugs had no chance of infecting their partner. Not a single one of the HIV-negative men contracted the virus from their partner. The success of the medicine is notable and raises hope. If everyone with HIV were fully treated, there would be no further infections.

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A new gene therapy approach developed at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has cured infants born with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1), known as “Bubble Boy” disease. The patients recovered with fully functioning immune systems and started producing immune cells, including T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. The researchers achieved that by hijacking the HIV virus to replace the mutated gene, called IL2RG, with a corrected copy.

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American twin astronauts provided NASA scientists with rare data on how long-term spaceflight affects the human body. While one brother spent a record-setting 340 days in outer space, the other was stranded on Earth. They spent years under a medical microscope. A comparative study on their genetic profiles showed differences in length of telomeres and gene expression, which seemed to diminish slowly over time.

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Inventing a product that allows drinkers to enjoy all the benefits of alcohol and none of its drawbacks was a goal of scientist David Nutt for over a decade. He developed a synthetic alcohol substitute he calls Alcarelle, which could eliminate the downsides of alcohol consumption, from hangovers to alcohol-related cancers and even physical addiction.

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parent and kid

New measles outbreaks constantly appear around the globe and vaccination hesitancy and skepticism is at least in part to blame. Latest clinical evidence unequivocally denies any link between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella, in hopes of mitigating the re-emergence of potentially fatal diseases.

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