Roumen.ganeff

It’s become abundantly clear antibiotics are becoming less effective in medical practice. Resistance has spread around the world and we continue to find new mechanisms by which bacteria can tolerate these once go-to drugs. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands of people are left vulnerable to untreatable infections and many of them succumb to the infection.

Controlling antimicrobial resistance requires a combination of two factors. The first is to develop newer pharmaceutical options, such as novel antibiotics or other natural means, including viruses and antimicrobial peptides. The other is to reduce the current use of antibiotics in both agriculture and medicine. The first will take years if not decades to materialize while the second can be instituted immediately. Unfortunately, reducing use is not popular among those who prescribe and use these drugs.

A prime example of this dilemma was unveiled last month by a British team of researchers. They examined the public perception to one route of antimicrobial stewardship – delaying antibiotic prescriptions – and found not surprisingly a variety of perspectives and opinions. What made this study even more important, however, is how a proven practice may not always gain the acceptance it deserves.

Delaying antibiotic use is rather self-explanatory. Instead of immediately processing a prescription, a physician waits to see if the patient recovers on one’s own or if the suspected infection worsens. This practice obviously contradicts the conceit behind the traditional use for antibiotics. After all, they are supposed to keep us from having to go through the worst an infection has to offer. Waiting simply will make the situation worse.

But, the data tells a different story. In infections of the urinary tract, the eye, and the respiratory tract, delaying antibiotic use turns out to be just as effective if not better than an immediate prescription. For those who have strong immunity, reliance on the body’s capacity is an excellent strategy. Granted, these people suffer a little longer – usually a day or two – but they eventually recovered with less antibiotic use.

The positive results from clinical trials should mean wide acceptance both in the medical community and the public. But this is merely a theory. For the researchers, the best way to gauge public perception is not only to hypothesize, but also, to ask.

The group interviewed 1625 members of the public in their home. The format was based their work on two previous studies looking at public perception of antibiotics to treat pandemic influenza and other respiratory tract infections. The questions were wrapped into a larger set of questions regarding antibiotic use in general. This helped to reduce any subjective bias. Once the survey was complete, the team took the answers back to the lab and examined the results.

The first and perhaps most prevalent finding was the lack of knowledge about the practice of delaying. Only 17% actually knew what this meant with another 11% admitting they had some knowledge but were not entirely clear on the practice. On the other hand, 72% had never even heard of the strategy. Considering the use of delayed prescriptions had been around for close to a decade, this was rather disheartening.

But the news wasn’t entirely bad. Once the interviewees were provided information on delayed antibiotics, quite a few warmed up to it, between 36 and 40% depending on the type of infection. On the other hand, only about 28-30% was opposed to it. This suggested a lack of knowledge did not equate to a lack of interest.

The overall results suggest there may be a future for delaying antibiotics in order to help prevent antibiotic resistance yet awareness is a critical factor. More people need to know about this practice and how it may help delay the post-antibiotic era. Considering the relatively high approval rate, this may inevitably help to reduce antibiotic use in general.

On the other hand, this study reveals the continuing trouble many doctors face on a daily basis. Those who opposed the concept would presumably be the same individuals demanding a prescription upon seeing a physician. In this study, nearly one-third of the respondents, the pressures on doctors could be immense leading to a subjective decision rather than an objective one.

However, the effect of delaying or simply avoiding antibiotics may turn out to be minimal. In a study released this week, a reduction of 25% in antibiotic prescriptions only led to a 0.5-1.0% reduction in patient satisfaction. Considering the price of the post-antibiotic era, in which satisfaction would plummet due to a lack of treatment options, this hit to a doctor's reputation may inevitably prove to be the lesser of two evils,

Ibuprofen patch

Medherent via University of Warwick

The University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and its spinoff company, Medherant, have created the first patch to deliver ibuprofen through the skin. The NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) is used for pain relief and fever reduction, and is used as an anti-inflammatory. You can find it in pills like Advil and Motrin today, but in the future, you might be taking it in a more direct manner.

The transparent patch is made of a specially developed polymer matrix, which is sticky enough to adhere to skin despite its high drug content (up to 30 percent of the patch's weight). For up to 12 hours, the patch can deliver a high dose of the painkiller at a steady rate directly to the area that needs it. The ability to take ibuprofen this way could help those treating chronic conditions like back pain or arthritis, without risking the adverses heart and stroke side effects that come with high oral dosages.

There are currently topical ibuprofen gels available, but they can be difficult to apply at the correct dosage. And other patches sold for pain relief, like IcyHot use things like menthol to soothe pain, rather than NSAIDs.

“Many commercial patches surprisingly don’t contain any pain relief agents at all; they simply soothe the body by a warming effect. Our technology now means that we can for the first time produce patches that contain effective doses of active ingredients such as ibuprofen for which no patches currently exist," University of Warwick research chemist David Haddleton said in the press release. Medherant is now looking at incorporating other types of medicine into the polymer patch technology. According to the researchers, the ibuprofen patch should make it to market in about two years.

Zumwalt At Night In Maine

U.S. Navy

The very shape of future American warships is in the hands of none other than Captain James Kirk. In development for years, the USS Zumwalt looks as much like a spaceship as an ocean-going vessel, with sharp angular sides and a body that looks upside down. The commanding officer does indeed share a name with fictional Star Trek captain James Kirk. No naval vessel is really complete without first proving that it can survive on the open seas, and now it’s headed out for sea trials.

“We are absolutely fired up to see Zumwalt get underway,” said Kirk, according to the Tampa Bay Times, “For the crew and all those involved in designing, building, and readying this fantastic ship, this is a huge milestone.”

The Zumwalt is a strange ship. Classified as a destroyer, it’s built to escort larger ships and protect them from small, deadly threats. The U.S. Navy currently has 62 Arleigh Burke class destroyers, with thirteen more in the works. The Zumwalt is the first of a three-ship trial program to see if the next generation of destroyers can improve on the original series. To get there, the Zumwalt is taking a radical approach: With enough automation to cut the crew size down from the Burke’s crew of over 250 to just 154 sailors and officers on board. Additionally, the Zumwalt will generate so much power on board it can easily fire laser weapons or rail guns, once the Navy develops them.

If it works, the Navy will have a new class of ship, deadly enough to bombard inland targets or other enemies with powerful guns, small and stealth enough to avoid counter attacks, and crewed lightly enough to keep labor costs down (not everything about future warship design is exciting). But there's a chance it won't work at all. The Zumwalt’s weird body is what’s known as a “tumblehome” design, and while it’s great for stealth, it could pose some problems on the high seas.

Writing in 2007, Defense News reporter Christopher Cavas noted the troubled shape, saying:

Nothing like the Zumwalt has ever been built. The 14,500-ton ship’s flat, inward-sloping sides and superstructure rise in pyramidal fashion in a form called tumblehome. Its long, angular “wave-piercing” bow lacks the rising, flared profile of most ships, and is intended to slice through waves as much as ride over them. The ship’s topsides are streamlined and free of clutter, and even the two 155mm guns disappear into their own angular housings.

The shape was popular among French naval designers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and a number of French and Russian battleships — short and fat, without any wave-piercing characteristics — were put into service. But several Russian battleships sank after being damaged by gunfire from Japanese ships in 1904 at the Battle of Tsushima, and a French battleship sank in 90 seconds after hitting a mine in World War I. All sank with serious loss of life. Both the French and Russians eventually dropped the hull form.

With the problems known, hopefully the Navy and the shipbuilders have solved the problem of tumblehome ships surviving on the open water. If not, the ship may sadly go where countless boats have gone before.

This post originally misstated the name of the Arleigh Burke class destroyers. It has since been corrected.

U-2, Deconstructed

Screenshot by author, from YouTube

No spy plane in history is as long-serving as the venerable U-2. First flown in 1955, the plane was a major part of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and continues to serve to this day. While U-2 makers Lockheed Martin contemplate turning it into a drone and building a sucessor, the plane is still scheduled to stay in American service until at least 2019. Keeping an old plane flying requires a lot of maintenance, and in the U-2’s case, that means taking it apart and rebuilding it after every 4,700 hours of flight time.

Captured by Sploid, this video shows a timelapse of the process, from disassembly to reconstruction, that happens every repair cycle. Most striking is the paint removal, which clocks in at about 1:13.

Watch the full process below:

Hey Scott. This was a month ago. I got your number. We were gonna hang out. I was looking forward to that. I told... https://t.co/4ofSVeIJSX

— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) December 4, 2015

RIP Scott Weiland. May you be at peace and thank you for your music, Scott.

— Tom Morello (@tmorello) December 4, 2015

Woke up to the bad news about #ScottWeiland.A true,charismatic stage animal.Guys,don't let drugs fuck up your life.It's never worthy.R.I.P.

— Cristina Scabbia (@MissScabbia) December 4, 2015

Sad news, RIP@ScottWeiland Stone Temple Pilots - Plush (Video) https://t.co/roUD0EXbU6 via YouTube https://t.co/4YPPxQpDpH

— Within Temptation (@WTofficial) December 4, 2015

Sad to hear about Scott Weiland, the first album was never off my deck in the early 90s.

— Nick Holmes (@NickHolmesPL) December 4, 2015

Scott Weiland #stp 💔 A true talent. A true artist. A true legend. #ripscottweiland ❤️ #OTEP https://t.co/GIY7U39SQS

— ☆ OTEP SHAMAYA ☆ (@otepofficial) December 4, 2015

Listening to early STP reminds me how incredible music was in the 90's, real singers, & how much it impacted me as a kid. RIP Scott Weiland

— ☆ OTEP SHAMAYA ☆ (@otepofficial) December 4, 2015

#RIP Scott Weiland #LifeIsSoShort #Shocked https://t.co/FGsZDljI8P

— ⒶⓈⒽⒷⒶ (@DjASHBA) December 4, 2015

R.I.P. SCOTT WEILAND. Wow! Just wow!!!

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) December 4, 2015

R.I.P. Scott Weiland

— Joe Satriani (@chickenfootjoe) December 4, 2015

RIP SCOTT Weiland. A legend...to the end. Deepest sympathies go to his family and the DeLeo Bros.

— Lzzy Hale (@LZZYHALE) December 4, 2015

One of rock music's most influential and memorable front men Scott Weiland, so sad to lose him… https://t.co/LWwFNBr0Ch

— AREJAY HALE (@AREJAYHALE) December 4, 2015

RIP Scott. STP was one of my all time favorites and biggest influence. Back and the day and forever. 😔

— TheJoeStorm (@TheJoeStorm) December 4, 2015

Such a tragedy and loss. Such a talented singer lyricists and entertainer. You inspired so many… https://t.co/UgYlmv6OTi

— Corey Lowery (@locore) December 4, 2015

This is like Layne all over again. FUCK.

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) December 4, 2015

Very sorry to hear about Scott Weiland. He was a captivating frontman who had a gift for writing great melodies. RIP

— Myles Kennedy (@MylesKennedy) December 4, 2015

So sad to hear about Scott Weiland. Massive fan of his voice& presence. I once sang "Slither" onstage during my 1st battle of the bands. RIP

— Andy Biersack (@AndyBVB) December 4, 2015

Deeply saddened by the passing of singer #ScottWeiland. What a voice we've lost. Thoughts and prayers to his family. https://t.co/Y8dRponluc

— Alice Cooper (@RealAliceCooper) December 4, 2015

Scott Weiland was just found dead on his tour bus :(. Very sad 😔

— T❍mmy L33 (@MrTommyLand) December 4, 2015

Really sorry to hear about Scott Weiland.

— Krist Novoselić (@KristNovoselic) December 4, 2015

R.I.P. Scott Weiland

— Papa Roach (@paparoach) December 4, 2015

Extremely saddened to have read Scott Weiland passed. Such a gifted performer. My thoughts are with your loved ones,friends & fans.

— Joe Perry (@JoePerry) December 4, 2015

A very sad time of year for a father to move on to the other side. RIP Scott Weiland. A true original one of a kind talent.

— Todd Dammit Kerns (@todddammitkerns) December 4, 2015

So Sorry to Hear we lost another.... #Scottweiland #Talented #STP pic.twitter.com/2ayQE3biQV

— Sean McNabb (@SeanMcNabbLA) December 4, 2015

I'm truly saddened to read that Scott Weiland has passed. I toured with Scott for a month and a half in early... https://t.co/RjpwYQqrCw

— Nick Menza (@MenzaNick) December 4, 2015

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Scott Weiland. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fans at this tragic time.

— Art Of Anarchy (@ArtOfAnarchy1) December 4, 2015

Rest in peace Scott.

— Buckcherry (@Buckcherry) December 4, 2015

RIP #ScottWeiland Omg!

— BulletBoys (@TheBulletBoys) December 4, 2015

Heart breaks over news of @thescottweiland- I have always been a huge fan of @STPBand since I was a kid. Love & Prayers for his family. #RIP

— Sonny Whosoever (@SonnyWhosoever) December 4, 2015

So sad to see such an incredible talent with potential still yet unfulfilled. May Scott Weiland have peace in... https://t.co/A9JdvvRlkq

— Doc Coyle (@DocCoyle) December 4, 2015

Fuck man ... This one hurts really bad. No substance or high is worth your life .... Please get help ... No matter what it takes.

— Zach Myers (@ZMyersOfficial) December 4, 2015

We lost a ROCKSTAR .... A real Rockstar I'm not a rockstar ...I only have 2 friends who are .... Their aren't a lot left. So bummed

— Zach Myers (@ZMyersOfficial) December 4, 2015

But remember Craig..drugs don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people! https://t.co/Z9TGbY59SV

— Tim 'Ripper' Owens (@TimRipperOwens) December 4, 2015

Sad to hear about Scott's passing.I hope it wasn't drugs.The saddest part of the story is his kids and family being left behind. RIP

— ❌ Nikki Sixx ❌ (@NikkiSixx) December 4, 2015

Scott Weiland... Gone too soon. Very sad. RIP

— Juan Croucier (@Juan_Croucier) December 4, 2015

Sorry to hear about the passing of my friend @thescottweiland. Legendary frontman, but soooo troubled. Sleep well bro… #vaseline

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) December 4, 2015

On the bus (and the only one still up) listening to #Core by @STPBand. I hated the 90s at the time…but in 2015 it’s genius. #RIPWeiland

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) December 4, 2015

Scott Weiland gone at 48. What a Fkn shame. Another great talent gone too soon. Rip Scott.

— Morgan Rose (@morgan7d) December 4, 2015

Fuck. RIP Scott Weiland.

— Austin Dickinson (@Austin_AsLions) December 4, 2015

RIP Scott Weiland. I will always remember listening to "Core" in my Walkman on the high school bus. Influential music. You will be missed.

— Ryan Clark (@RyanClarkDH) December 4, 2015

RIP Scott Weiland

— Dave Kushner (@davekushner66) December 4, 2015

One of the greatest voices in rock n roll has fallen silent tonight. #RIPScottWeiland #ShitNoSon https://t.co/6tPTbDWHOr

— Chris Kael (@5FDPChrisKael) December 4, 2015

In shock. Weiland. Not sure what happened but we just lost a good one. My love and thoughts are with his family and his colleagues.

— BILLY MORRISON (@BillyMorrison) December 4, 2015

CRISPR

The new DNA splicing tool, CRISPR, got a lot of coverage this year, including its own joke hashtag.

Nishimasu et al, 2014

Today, hundreds of scientists are gathered in Washington, D.C. for the international summit on genome editing. The three-day conference will discuss the ethical and appropriate use of all genome-editing technologies, but it will likely pay close attention to the newest and arguably easiest method, CRISPR-Cas9, known colloquially as just CRISPR.

The technology has been at the center of scientists’ minds worldwide since April, when Chinese researchers reported that they used the tool to edit nonviable human embryos, or ones that have no chance of developing into human beings. The summit, which started early this morning, is sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as the Royal Academy, and will include researchers from the United States, Great Britain, and China as well as representatives from at least 20 countries worldwide.

The group plans to discuss many direct applications of the CRISPR technique, including the ability to perform genome editing both on human embryos to treat a specific disease as well as to implement gene drive, which would introduce new genes into a few organisms that would then pass that change on to future generations.

Why is this conference so important?

Currently, the rules regarding the use of genome editing tools are hard to follow and as Nature reported back in October, vary by country. In the United States, researchers cannot use federal funds to employ genome editing on embryos and using it in clinical development requires approval, however there are no direct bans on its use.

On the other hand, the United Kingdom allows human-genome editing for research if approved by their version of the FDA (the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) but it directly bans its use in clinical development. Other countries, such as China, India, and Japan, have guidelines that restrict editing the human genome, but they are completely unenforced.

This conference is also the first of its kind and could therefore guide how future research using CRISPR and other gene editing tools will unfold.

Why this controversy now?

CRISPR is not the first genome-editing technique; others, such as zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology and another enzyme binding technique called TALENS have been around for years. However, as many researchers have pointed out, the CRISPR technique is simple, highly specific, and versatile—more so than any other tool before it. CRISPR has the potential to allow scientists to change the DNA in a viable embryo. This change would then be passed on to that individual’s children and would continue to future generations. In this way, the editing technique could allow humans now to alter or direct the course of future generations, an ability many researchers—including Francis Collins, the director of the NIH, in an interview with Stat—say we are not ready and don’t have the foresight to employ.

What will the summit provide?

Many researchers have already publically stated where they stand on the use of gene-editing techniques. But this summit could likely provide a regulatory approach to help researchers around the world—as a team—navigate how they will use the CRISPR technique over the next several years and decades in an effort to regulate, but not limit, scientists abilities to use this technique for the greatest medical need. However, since various countries already have some rules in place guiding gene-editing research, it remains to be seen what impact any agreement at the summit would have on the field.

Stay tuned to Popular Science for more updates about the summit, which is scheduled to run from Dec 1-3.

Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg just announced the birth of his first child with his wife Priscilla Chan, along with the huge news that he will be donating a large portion of his wealth to "advancing human potential and promoting equality." Zuckerberg and Chan made the announcement in a lengthy Facebook post addressed to his daughter, Max.

"We will give 99% of our Facebook shares -- currently about $45 billion -- during our lives to advance this mission," he said. "We know this is a small contribution compared to all the resources and talents of those already working on these issues. But we want to do what we can, working alongside many others."

The post also included the announcement of an entirely new organization: "as you begin the next generation of the Chan Zuckerberg family, we also begin the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to join people across the world to advance human potential and promote equality for all children in the next generation. Our initial areas of focus will be personalized learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities."

Zuckberberg has been on a philanthropic hot streak lately. Earlier this week, he teamed up with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and other technology entrepreneurs to create a multi-billion-dollar clean energy fund. The Breakthrough Energy Coalition includes several billionaire entrepreneurs in addition to governments and university. The coalition has stated its goal as bringing clean-energy ideas to the marketplace and encouraging the use of sustainable energy.

Counter Culture Labs

Is this where generic insulin might be discovered?

Counter Culture Labs

The 370 million people worldwide with diabetes rely on injections of insulin to regulate the amount of sugar in their blood, since their bodies can’t make the hormone themselves. Since there are no generic versions available in the United States, insulin is very expensive—that cost was likely a large proportion of the $176 billion in medical expenditures incurred by diabetes patients in 2012 alone. Now a team of biohackers with Counter Culture Labs, a community lab in Oakland, California, wants to pave the way towards generic insulin, and they’ve started a crowdfunding page for their project.

The biohackers’ goal is fairly straightforward: To make and refine synthetic insulin from E. coli bacteria and document their process. The result, they hope, will be that a generic pharmaceutical company will use that protocol to make insulin that’s affordable for diabetes patients all over the world. There are several types of insulin that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration—some are long-lasting, others are fast-acting—but they are all protected by patents, so there are no generic versions. “It takes legitimate scientific research to create a biosimilar generic [drug], and generic companies don’t want to do scientific research,” says Maureen Muldavin, a program manager at Counter Culture Labs and a biohacker involved in the Open Insulin project.

Biosimilar drugs are not easy to concoct, Muldavin says, and insulin in particular is a challenge because of its structure. “It’s not as simple as putting the genetic code [in the bacteria] and out pops insulin,” she says. With the money raised in their crowdfunding campaign, the researchers plan to spend the next year figuring out how to make insulin from E. coli and purifying it. Since the resulting insulin probably won’t be pure enough to inject into human patients, so they will check that their insulin would be viable through other tests with antibodies. With the open-sourced insulin protocol, pharmaceutical companies could seek FDA approval to start producing generic insulin.

Kevin Riggs, an instructor in medicine at Johns Hopkins University who co-authored an article about generic insulin earlier this year, doesn’t think that Open Insulin will be enough to bring a generic insulin drug to the market. “I don't think the major hurdle is that the companies don't know how to make insulin, because that part is reasonably straightforward,” he says. “The real hurdles are getting the drug approved by the FDA (and since insulin is a biologic drug, it requires a lot more original data than an application for a small-molecule generic would), and then upfront manufacturing costs (because making a biologic drug is different, so it requires different equipment).” He suspects that it will take “an altruistic entity with a lot of start-up money” to make generic insulin commercially available.

But the biohackers behind Open Insulin also have their own agenda—they want to show the world that biohackers can make real scientific contributions, even if they’re not affiliated with an established world-class laboratory. “We want to show that a bunch of people with varying levels of scientific training can come together with a minimal budget and community space and do legitimate scientific research,” Muldavin says.

Even if their project is successful, it doesn’t yet mean that you can brew your own insulin at home quite yet—Muldavin estimates that’s about 20 years away. In that amount of time, she anticipates that researchers will be able to sell kits so that patients can brew all sorts of their own drugs at home. “We’re truly in a golden age of biology,” Muldavin says. “Every year it gets so much easier and cheaper to do genetic engineering.”

To meet their goal, the biohackers need to raise just over $3,000 in 16 days.

Project Sidekick

NASA employees test the HoloLens in weightless conditions.

NASA

Virtual and augmented reality devices have slowly edged their way into our lives, popping up on headsets and in cars. Now, they are boldly going where no AR or VR has gone before, into space.

This week a resupply mission will carry two Microsoft HoloLenses to the International Space Station (ISS). The devices will be used by astronauts like real-time instruction manuals, part of a NASA project called Project Sidekick. The idea is to facilitate closer communication between astronauts in space and ground control. A technician in Houston could see what an astronaut wearing the HoloLens is seeing in real time. The person in ground control could then draw a circle around a particular piece of hardware or button on the space station, pointing it out to the astronaut and making instructions for repairs or experiments even more clear than relying on written or vocal instructions.

“HoloLens and other virtual and mixed reality devices are cutting edge technologies that could help drive future exploration and provide new capabilities to the men and women conducting critical science on the International Space Station,” Sam Scimemi, director of the ISS program said in a statement. “This new technology could also empower future explorers requiring greater autonomy on the journey to Mars.”

To make sure the devices would work in a low-gravity environment, the headsets were tested on NASA's Weightless Wonder, a jet that allows people to experience brief moments of weightlessness while the plane is diving towards the ground. You can watch these tests in the short video below. It's essentially watching highly educated engineers float around weightless making strange movements in the air with their fingers, set to dramatic music.

Even though this is augmented reality, and not virtual reality, we all know that it's only a matter of time before astronauts start getting trapped in crazy holodeck adventures. You have to admit, it might make time in the cramped quarters of the ISS fly by.