If you ever thought about medical tourism and word "India" came to your mind then think carefully. Patients with very high drug resistance in cases of TB are reported by WHO. More bad for health happened for face and hand transplantations as United Network ethical board has banned these surgeries. Even worse, Russia shut down science donor Dynasty Foundation for engagements in foreign activities. In this week good and promising news came from research in rice breeding and mammoth genome analysis.
06 July - 12 July 2015
The Gruesome Reality of XDR-TB in India
Extensive drug-resistant or XDR-TB is an alarming case in India, according to WHO. Majority of doctors never test their patients for drug resistance before undergoing treatment which is the reason they fail to respond towards powerful drugs and develop lethal side-effects. FInd source
United Network Ethical Board Disallowed Face and Hand Transplants
Growing advancements in vascularized composite allographs or VCAs from living donors have raised many ethical issues regarding organ sharing. Considering the outcomes of living donations, the UN Board sharing have disapproved the donation of VCAs like hands and face on ethical grounds. FInd source
Russian science foundation Bites the Dust
Ministry of Justice undeniably shuts down private science funding organization, Dynasty foundation for engagements in foreign activities. Politicians have raised their suspicions on receiving foreign funding and are considering to ban other organizations also who continues to do so. FInd source
Progress on Woolly Mammoth Genome Analysis
The incredible team of scientists have completed the first extensive analysis of woolly mammoth genome.1.4 million genetic variants were identified expressing 1600 different genes including fat biology, insulin signaling, temperature sensation and skin development unique to these arctic giants. Find source
Breeding the Good Rice
Great news for rice breeders this week brought by geneticists who have discovered the long lost secret gene. They say that this gene is responsible for the perfect long, slender and transparent rice grain by promoting longitudinal cell division eventually improving its quality. Find source
Extra Guanine to the Genome Rescue
DNA breakdown is a routine process in certain genomic parts yet scientists have always wondered how the genome keeps rolling on. But this week they have found extra set of guanines in DNA that are readily swapped and remove damages during oxidative stress. Find source
The “Sleep Less Do More” Folks
Why do short-sleepers feel fresh after a mere 4 hours nap and never feel lethargic? Scientists have now discovered their secret which relies on a tiny mutation in DEC2 gene present in short-sleepers. This mutation makes them more efficient than others but the key question is how they do it. Find source
