Recent Episodes
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There's a Fungus Among Us
A relatively new fungus is spreading in the US, but it's resistant to nearly all anti-fungal drugs. So, anyone infected may be on their own. Candida auris or C. auris was first reported in the US in 2016. It can cause mild skin problems to severe blood stream infections. Symptoms depend on the location of the infection. People can be colonized by C auris without any symptoms, which means they're carrying the fungus and spreading it to other people and objects.
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How Primate Brains Differ From Humans
Even though humans and chimpanzees share 99 percent of their DNA, it's in the brain that they differ. Our brains are three times larger at 1,400 cubic centimeters. Our neocortex is larger; that's the brain's outer layer where high-order functions like reasoning, abstract thought, and language happen.
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Your Neutrophils Make Their Own Band Aid
Of all our white blood cells, neutrophils are among the most common and numerous. Their job is to attack, kill and engulf invading pathogens in our wounds and infections. New studies now show neutrophils can also form a “band-aid” layer around a wound to shield against invading microbes.
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Growing New Teeth
Wouldn't it be great to be able to regrow new teeth instead of expensive painful fake implants? Scientists have been working on that.
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A New Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer
People are devastated when they're told they have pancreatic cancer. That's because it's usually diagnosed in the later stages when cancer has spread and survival rates plummet. New clinical trials are using drugs that turn off the mutated versions of the KRAS protein, and in studies with early-stage patients, more than a quarter saw partial reduction in their tumors, while some responded even better.
