Usatoday.com - A new device developed at The Ohio State University can start healing organs in a "fraction of a second," researchers say.
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Aug 17, 2017
Aug 9, 2017
Your kitchen sponge is even grosser than you thought — here’s how often you should replace it
Businessinsider.sg - Kitchen sponges are dirtier than toilets.
In fact, it’s common knowledge among microbiologists that the things you use to clean your dishes are the dirtiest objects in your home.
In fact, it’s common knowledge among microbiologists that the things you use to clean your dishes are the dirtiest objects in your home.
Jul 25, 2017
Texas Coffee Recalled Because It Has an Ingredient Similar to Viagra
Time.com - A coffee company in North Texas has been giving its customers more than their normal boost of energy. Bestherbs Coffee LLC is now voluntarily recalling its “New of Kopi Jantan Tradisional Herbs Coffee” because it contains an ingredient similar to Viagra, the FDA says.
Mar 18, 2016
Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $72M over cancer death
Cbsnews.com - A Missouri jury has awarded $72 million to the family of an Alabama woman who died from ovarian cancer, which she said was caused by using Johnson & Johnson's well-known baby powder and other products containing talcum.
Dec 13, 2015
Mar 3, 2015
Frankenstein-style human head transplant 'could happen in two years'
Telegraph.co.uk - The first human head transplant could take place in just two years, it was reported on Thursday.
Italian surgeon Sergio Canavero, from the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group, claims the Frankenstein-style procedure to graft a living person’s head on to a donor body will soon be ready.
The breakthrough surgery is being pioneered to help extend the lives of people who have suffered degeneration of the muscles and nerves or those who have advanced cancer.
The New Scientist reported Dr Canavero plans to announce the project at the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in June.
Mr Canavero published a paper on the technique he would use in the Surgical Neurology International journal this month.
The recipient's head and the donor body would be cooled at the start of the procedure to extend the time that cells can survive without oxygen.
Tissue around the neck would be dissected and major blood vessels would be joined using tiny tubes.
The spinal cords would then be cut and the recipient's head moved on to the donor body. The ends of the spinal cord would be fused together using a chemical called polyethylene glycol, which encourages fat within cell membranes to mesh.
After this, the person would be put into a coma for around four weeks to prevent them moving while they heal.
Mr Canavero said he would expect the patient to be able to move and feel their face when they awoke, they would speak with the same voice and they should be able to walk within a year.
Mr Canavero first proposed the idea of the surgery in 2013, but at the time other experts dismissed the idea
He told the New Scientist: "If society doesn't want it, I won't do it. But if people don't want it, in the US or Europe, that doesn't mean it won't be done somewhere else.
"I'm trying to go about this the right way, but before going to the moon, you want to make sure people will follow you."
The first successful head transplant - involving moving the head of one monkey on to another - was carried out in 1970 at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, US.
The monkey lived for nine days, but its immune system rejected the head.
Italian surgeon Sergio Canavero, from the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group, claims the Frankenstein-style procedure to graft a living person’s head on to a donor body will soon be ready.
The breakthrough surgery is being pioneered to help extend the lives of people who have suffered degeneration of the muscles and nerves or those who have advanced cancer.
The New Scientist reported Dr Canavero plans to announce the project at the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in June.
Mr Canavero published a paper on the technique he would use in the Surgical Neurology International journal this month.
The recipient's head and the donor body would be cooled at the start of the procedure to extend the time that cells can survive without oxygen.
Tissue around the neck would be dissected and major blood vessels would be joined using tiny tubes.
The spinal cords would then be cut and the recipient's head moved on to the donor body. The ends of the spinal cord would be fused together using a chemical called polyethylene glycol, which encourages fat within cell membranes to mesh.
After this, the person would be put into a coma for around four weeks to prevent them moving while they heal.
Mr Canavero said he would expect the patient to be able to move and feel their face when they awoke, they would speak with the same voice and they should be able to walk within a year.
Mr Canavero first proposed the idea of the surgery in 2013, but at the time other experts dismissed the idea
He told the New Scientist: "If society doesn't want it, I won't do it. But if people don't want it, in the US or Europe, that doesn't mean it won't be done somewhere else.
"I'm trying to go about this the right way, but before going to the moon, you want to make sure people will follow you."
The first successful head transplant - involving moving the head of one monkey on to another - was carried out in 1970 at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, US.
The monkey lived for nine days, but its immune system rejected the head.
Feb 22, 2015
Experimental AIDS vaccine blocks HIV in monkeys
Cbsnews.com - An experimental drug compound is showing promise against the virus that causes AIDS.
Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute in Florida, Harvard Medical School and more than a dozen other institutions developed the novel drug candidate and tested it in rhesus macaques, monkeys which can carry simian HIV, a virus similar to the one that infects humans.
They found that macaques inoculated with the drug compound known as eCD4-lg did not catch the virus, even when they were repeatedly exposed to high levels of it over an 8-month period.
Results of the study were published today in the journal Nature.
In addition to protecting monkeys, the researchers say lab tests indicate the drug candidate blocks every known strain of HIV-1 and HIV-2, the two main types of the virus that infect humans.
"Our compound is the broadest and most potent entry inhibitor described so far," lead researcher Michael Farzan, an immunologist at the Scripps Research Institute, said in a press statement. "Unlike antibodies, which fail to neutralize a large fraction of HIV-1 strains, our protein has been effective against all strains tested, raising the possibility it could offer an effective HIV vaccine alternative."
It was built on previous research by Farzan's lab into a receptor called CCR5, which plays a key role in enabling HIV to latch onto the surface of a cell and begin replicating. The new drug compound binds to two sites on the surface of the virus simultaneously, preventing it from infecting a cell.
"This is the culmination of more than a decade's worth of work on the biochemistry of how HIV enters cells," Farzan said. "When we did our original work on CCR5, people thought it was interesting, but no one saw the therapeutic potential. That potential is starting to be realized."
To work like a vaccine, the researchers attached eCD4-lg to an adeno-associated virus (AAV), a virus harmless to humans that can be used as a vehicle.
Noted AIDS researcher David Baltimore, a Nobel laureate whose firm, Calimmune, is working on a separate gene therapy approach to HIV, told Science he considers these latest findings "impressive." But he sounded a note of caution since it's only been tested in a laboratory and in animals. "It's perhaps a better construct than the antibodies we've been using, but it's a matter of how it plays out in human trials," Baltimore said. "I don't think it's easy to tell how that will happen."
Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute in Florida, Harvard Medical School and more than a dozen other institutions developed the novel drug candidate and tested it in rhesus macaques, monkeys which can carry simian HIV, a virus similar to the one that infects humans.
They found that macaques inoculated with the drug compound known as eCD4-lg did not catch the virus, even when they were repeatedly exposed to high levels of it over an 8-month period.
Results of the study were published today in the journal Nature.
In addition to protecting monkeys, the researchers say lab tests indicate the drug candidate blocks every known strain of HIV-1 and HIV-2, the two main types of the virus that infect humans.
"Our compound is the broadest and most potent entry inhibitor described so far," lead researcher Michael Farzan, an immunologist at the Scripps Research Institute, said in a press statement. "Unlike antibodies, which fail to neutralize a large fraction of HIV-1 strains, our protein has been effective against all strains tested, raising the possibility it could offer an effective HIV vaccine alternative."
It was built on previous research by Farzan's lab into a receptor called CCR5, which plays a key role in enabling HIV to latch onto the surface of a cell and begin replicating. The new drug compound binds to two sites on the surface of the virus simultaneously, preventing it from infecting a cell.
"This is the culmination of more than a decade's worth of work on the biochemistry of how HIV enters cells," Farzan said. "When we did our original work on CCR5, people thought it was interesting, but no one saw the therapeutic potential. That potential is starting to be realized."
To work like a vaccine, the researchers attached eCD4-lg to an adeno-associated virus (AAV), a virus harmless to humans that can be used as a vehicle.
Noted AIDS researcher David Baltimore, a Nobel laureate whose firm, Calimmune, is working on a separate gene therapy approach to HIV, told Science he considers these latest findings "impressive." But he sounded a note of caution since it's only been tested in a laboratory and in animals. "It's perhaps a better construct than the antibodies we've been using, but it's a matter of how it plays out in human trials," Baltimore said. "I don't think it's easy to tell how that will happen."
Jan 4, 2015
Dec 24, 2014
Thermal paper cash register receipts account for high bisphenol A (BPA) levels in humans
Sciencedaily.com - Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is used in a variety of consumer products, such as water bottles, dental composites and resins used to line metal food and beverage containers, and also is used in thermal paper cash register receipts. Now, research conducted at the University of Missouri is providing the first data that BPA from thermal paper used in cash register receipts accounts for high levels of BPA in humans. Subjects studied showed a rapid increase of BPA in their blood after using a skin care product and then touching a store receipt with BPA.
"BPA first was developed by a biochemist and tested as an artificial estrogen supplement," said Frederick vom Saal, Curators Professor of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Science at MU. "As an endocrine disrupting chemical, BPA has been demonstrated to alter signaling mechanisms involving estrogen and other hormones. Store and fast food receipts, airline tickets, ATM receipts and other thermal papers all use massive amounts of BPA on the surface of the paper as a print developer. The problem is, we as consumers have hand sanitizers, hand creams, soaps and sunscreens on our hands that drastically alter the absorption rate of the BPA found on these receipts."
In the study, researchers tested human subjects who cleaned their hands with hand sanitizer and then held thermal paper receipts. As an added step, subjects who had handled the thermal paper then ate French fries with their hands. The result was that BPA was absorbed very rapidly, vom Saal said.
"Our research found that large amounts of BPA can be transferred to your hands and then to the food you hold and eat as well as be absorbed through your skin," vom Saal said. "BPA exhibits hormone-like properties and has been proven to cause reproductive defects in fetuses, infants, children and adults as well as cancer, metabolic and immune problems in rodents. BPA from thermal papers will be absorbed into your blood rapidly; at those levels, many diseases such as diabetes and disorders such as obesity increase as well. Use of BPA or other similar chemicals that are being used to replace BPA in thermal paper pose a threat to human health."
"BPA first was developed by a biochemist and tested as an artificial estrogen supplement," said Frederick vom Saal, Curators Professor of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Science at MU. "As an endocrine disrupting chemical, BPA has been demonstrated to alter signaling mechanisms involving estrogen and other hormones. Store and fast food receipts, airline tickets, ATM receipts and other thermal papers all use massive amounts of BPA on the surface of the paper as a print developer. The problem is, we as consumers have hand sanitizers, hand creams, soaps and sunscreens on our hands that drastically alter the absorption rate of the BPA found on these receipts."
In the study, researchers tested human subjects who cleaned their hands with hand sanitizer and then held thermal paper receipts. As an added step, subjects who had handled the thermal paper then ate French fries with their hands. The result was that BPA was absorbed very rapidly, vom Saal said.
"Our research found that large amounts of BPA can be transferred to your hands and then to the food you hold and eat as well as be absorbed through your skin," vom Saal said. "BPA exhibits hormone-like properties and has been proven to cause reproductive defects in fetuses, infants, children and adults as well as cancer, metabolic and immune problems in rodents. BPA from thermal papers will be absorbed into your blood rapidly; at those levels, many diseases such as diabetes and disorders such as obesity increase as well. Use of BPA or other similar chemicals that are being used to replace BPA in thermal paper pose a threat to human health."
Nov 1, 2014
Oct 28, 2014
Eating this fruit every day can help you lose weight
Foxnews.com - Could an apple a day keep the extra pounds away? According to a recent study in Food Chemistry, yes, because apples contain non-digestible compounds that promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut associated with weight loss.
How it works: These compounds--fiber and polyphenols--remain undigested until they’re fermented in the colon, where they act as food for friendly bacteria and help your body outweigh the bad bacteria that thrives on junk food, said lead study author and food scientist Giuliana Noratto. This restored microbial balance appears to reduce chronic inflammation, which increases the risk of obesity, and boosts feelings of fullness to help stave off overeating.
“Obese people have an out-of-balance gut,” Noratto said. “So changing our gut bacteria via what we eat, making it similar to that of a lean person, could help prevent weight gain.”
In the study, obese mice that were fed apple compounds ended up with gut bacteria similar to that of lean mice.
But what kind of apple you eat may matter. Tart Granny Smiths reign supreme: They contain the highest concentration of fiber and polyphenols compared to varieties like Gala, McIntosh, and Golden Delicious.
Need more reason embrace the fall fruit? Previous research links apples to everything from a healthier immune system to a reduced risk of stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease.
Aim to eat an apple a day--or up to two or three, Noratto said. As for apple pie or crisp? Sorry, those don’t count: Cooking destroys the polyphenols in apples. Try some Granny Smith slices dunked in cinnamon-spiked peanut butter instead, or paired with a sharp cheddar cheese.
How it works: These compounds--fiber and polyphenols--remain undigested until they’re fermented in the colon, where they act as food for friendly bacteria and help your body outweigh the bad bacteria that thrives on junk food, said lead study author and food scientist Giuliana Noratto. This restored microbial balance appears to reduce chronic inflammation, which increases the risk of obesity, and boosts feelings of fullness to help stave off overeating.
“Obese people have an out-of-balance gut,” Noratto said. “So changing our gut bacteria via what we eat, making it similar to that of a lean person, could help prevent weight gain.”
In the study, obese mice that were fed apple compounds ended up with gut bacteria similar to that of lean mice.
But what kind of apple you eat may matter. Tart Granny Smiths reign supreme: They contain the highest concentration of fiber and polyphenols compared to varieties like Gala, McIntosh, and Golden Delicious.
Need more reason embrace the fall fruit? Previous research links apples to everything from a healthier immune system to a reduced risk of stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease.
Aim to eat an apple a day--or up to two or three, Noratto said. As for apple pie or crisp? Sorry, those don’t count: Cooking destroys the polyphenols in apples. Try some Granny Smith slices dunked in cinnamon-spiked peanut butter instead, or paired with a sharp cheddar cheese.
Sep 25, 2014
San Francisco Could Be First City to Offer Free HIV Prevention Pills
Sfweekly.com - Thirty years ago, San Francisco became known as the birthplace of the AIDS movement.
Now, it might be the city to effectively quash AIDS out — or at least stop its spread.
Supervisor David Campos has called a hearing for thisThursday to discuss the possibility of distributing a new AIDS miracle drug, called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis, but more commonly known by its brand name, Truvada), to all San Francisco residents, regardless of income.
While there's not a cure for AIDS, Truvada has been shown to virtually eliminate the risk of contracting HIV through intercourse or intravenous injection if it's taken as a daily regimen similar to a birth control pill. Its two components, tenofovir and emtricitabine, work in conjunction with other medications to prevent the virus from establishing a permanent infection.
That's welcome news for anyone who grew up with AIDS as a death sentence, though it's also led some celebrants to prematurely declare the end of the disease. As op-ed writer Josh Barro pointed out in a July column for the New York Times, the 99 percent efficacy figure that proponents often throw around, when discussing this new wonder drug, isn't actually based on any clinical studies — it's a statistical prediction.
That said, free or cheap Truvada could revolutionize AIDS treatment in San Francisco, where 2,066 people have been diagnosed with the disease in the last five years, according to Campos' legislative aide Laura Lane. What's in dispute isn't the drug's efficacy, but its availability, she contends: fewer than 1,000 San Franciscans are currently using it.
How San Francisco will pay for this proposed free Truvada program is still open for discussion.
Supervisor David Campos has called a hearing for thisThursday to discuss the possibility of distributing a new AIDS miracle drug, called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis, but more commonly known by its brand name, Truvada), to all San Francisco residents, regardless of income.
While there's not a cure for AIDS, Truvada has been shown to virtually eliminate the risk of contracting HIV through intercourse or intravenous injection if it's taken as a daily regimen similar to a birth control pill. Its two components, tenofovir and emtricitabine, work in conjunction with other medications to prevent the virus from establishing a permanent infection.
That's welcome news for anyone who grew up with AIDS as a death sentence, though it's also led some celebrants to prematurely declare the end of the disease. As op-ed writer Josh Barro pointed out in a July column for the New York Times, the 99 percent efficacy figure that proponents often throw around, when discussing this new wonder drug, isn't actually based on any clinical studies — it's a statistical prediction.
That said, free or cheap Truvada could revolutionize AIDS treatment in San Francisco, where 2,066 people have been diagnosed with the disease in the last five years, according to Campos' legislative aide Laura Lane. What's in dispute isn't the drug's efficacy, but its availability, she contends: fewer than 1,000 San Franciscans are currently using it.
How San Francisco will pay for this proposed free Truvada program is still open for discussion.
Aug 28, 2014
Aug 26, 2014
6 foods you should be eating
Foxnews.com - It’s easy to get stuck in a food rut, eating the same things over and over again. Making sure we eat a variety of different foods, in a variety of different colors, helps us ensure that we’re getting proper nutrition. Each food has a unique nutritional profile and by branching out, we’re able to bring all of those health benefits into our diet.
Here are six foods that are extremely delicious and jam-packed with healthy nutrients.
Mango. This delicious tropical fruit is rich in vitamins A, B, C and E and should be considered a super-food — especially among women. The specific polyphenols found in the mango have been shown to help decrease breast cancer cell proliferation according to research published by the Department of Food and Science. The same polyphenols were able to reduce inflammation in both cancerous and non-cancerous cells, making it a great addition to a cancer-prevention diet.
Rainbow chard. We’ve all heard that we should be eating plenty of leafy, green vegetables, but rainbow chard is a standout in this category. Its vibrant colors come from the wide array of antioxidants. It contains beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc among many other disease fighting antioxidants. Rainbow chard also happens to be wonderful for bone health — thanks to its high levels of calcium, vitamin K and magnesium. Chlorophyll and other phytochemicals that contribute to its green color have also been shown to help protect against cancer in research conducted by Oregon State University.
Fermented foods. This group of foods, which includes sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir and fermented vegetables, is highly nutritious and digestible. The process of fermentation predigests foods, making their nutrients more bioavailable — and fermentation can even generate additional nutrients such as beneficial probiotics. Eating these foods will introduce beneficial bacteria into your digestive system, which can help you absorb more nutrients in the foods you eat. Studies have shown a link between probiotic-rich foods and overall health.
Beef liver. Many people object to the notion of eating liver, believing that the liver is a storage organ for toxins in the body. The truth is that while the liver does neutralize toxins, it does not store them. However, it is an important storage organ for very important nutrients vitamins such as A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid. It also contains minerals like iron and copper, which are important tools for helping the body get rid of toxins. These nutrients are also important to help support healthy eyes and skin, and to produce red blood cells and boost the immune system. Always look for organ meats from animals that have been raised on fresh pasture without the use of hormones, antibiotics or commercial feed.
Dark chocolate. You might think that dark chocolate is an overrated “health food” but in reality, it holds powerful health benefits. It contains antioxidants, which can help cells resist damage caused by free radicals and environmental contaminants. Studies at Harvard have shown dark chocolate can help improve cholesterol and endothelial function, and may even lower blood pressure and blood sugar. Choose organic chocolate that is at least 70 percent cacao, and always check the label to make sure there are no chemicals, fake sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup.
Walnuts. This simple little nut is packed with protein, healthy fats, plant sterols, antioxidants and plenty of vitamins and minerals. Walnuts also contain several neuroprotective compounds, which means they are an ideal food for brain health. Vitamin E, folate, melatonin and omega-3 fatty acids, along with antioxidants found in walnuts can all help give your brain a boost. According to The American Institute for Cancer Research, the addition of walnuts to the diet is a good cancer-preventative measure.
Here are six foods that are extremely delicious and jam-packed with healthy nutrients.
Mango. This delicious tropical fruit is rich in vitamins A, B, C and E and should be considered a super-food — especially among women. The specific polyphenols found in the mango have been shown to help decrease breast cancer cell proliferation according to research published by the Department of Food and Science. The same polyphenols were able to reduce inflammation in both cancerous and non-cancerous cells, making it a great addition to a cancer-prevention diet.
Rainbow chard. We’ve all heard that we should be eating plenty of leafy, green vegetables, but rainbow chard is a standout in this category. Its vibrant colors come from the wide array of antioxidants. It contains beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc among many other disease fighting antioxidants. Rainbow chard also happens to be wonderful for bone health — thanks to its high levels of calcium, vitamin K and magnesium. Chlorophyll and other phytochemicals that contribute to its green color have also been shown to help protect against cancer in research conducted by Oregon State University.
Fermented foods. This group of foods, which includes sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir and fermented vegetables, is highly nutritious and digestible. The process of fermentation predigests foods, making their nutrients more bioavailable — and fermentation can even generate additional nutrients such as beneficial probiotics. Eating these foods will introduce beneficial bacteria into your digestive system, which can help you absorb more nutrients in the foods you eat. Studies have shown a link between probiotic-rich foods and overall health.
Beef liver. Many people object to the notion of eating liver, believing that the liver is a storage organ for toxins in the body. The truth is that while the liver does neutralize toxins, it does not store them. However, it is an important storage organ for very important nutrients vitamins such as A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid. It also contains minerals like iron and copper, which are important tools for helping the body get rid of toxins. These nutrients are also important to help support healthy eyes and skin, and to produce red blood cells and boost the immune system. Always look for organ meats from animals that have been raised on fresh pasture without the use of hormones, antibiotics or commercial feed.
Dark chocolate. You might think that dark chocolate is an overrated “health food” but in reality, it holds powerful health benefits. It contains antioxidants, which can help cells resist damage caused by free radicals and environmental contaminants. Studies at Harvard have shown dark chocolate can help improve cholesterol and endothelial function, and may even lower blood pressure and blood sugar. Choose organic chocolate that is at least 70 percent cacao, and always check the label to make sure there are no chemicals, fake sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup.
Walnuts. This simple little nut is packed with protein, healthy fats, plant sterols, antioxidants and plenty of vitamins and minerals. Walnuts also contain several neuroprotective compounds, which means they are an ideal food for brain health. Vitamin E, folate, melatonin and omega-3 fatty acids, along with antioxidants found in walnuts can all help give your brain a boost. According to The American Institute for Cancer Research, the addition of walnuts to the diet is a good cancer-preventative measure.
Aug 25, 2014
Perdue issues major recall of 15,000 chicken nuggets
Foxnews.com - With the recent tainted meat scare in McDonald’s across China and Hong Kong, this summer has not been kind to the chicken nugget.
Now Gainesville-based chicken purveyor Perdue has issued a recall of more than15,000 pounds of "frozen chicken nugget product that may be contaminated with extraneous materials,” according to a statement issued by the USDA. That foreign matter may have included small pieces of plastic that were found by numerous consumers in the months leading up to the recall.
The exact product in question is the 8-oz. box of “APPLEGATE naturals CHICKEN NUGGETS.”
Consumers are advised to stay away from the affected products produced in February of this year with a sell by date of Feb. 5, 2015, marked USDA inspection number of P2617. At the time of recall issue, no reports of injury or illness had been reported in association with the contaminated nuggets but customers are advised to return any packages to the original store of purchase.
Applegate did withdraw the affected boxes from store shelves on Aug. 8. but consumers may still posses boxes of the frozen nuggets.
Now Gainesville-based chicken purveyor Perdue has issued a recall of more than15,000 pounds of "frozen chicken nugget product that may be contaminated with extraneous materials,” according to a statement issued by the USDA. That foreign matter may have included small pieces of plastic that were found by numerous consumers in the months leading up to the recall.
The exact product in question is the 8-oz. box of “APPLEGATE naturals CHICKEN NUGGETS.”
Consumers are advised to stay away from the affected products produced in February of this year with a sell by date of Feb. 5, 2015, marked USDA inspection number of P2617. At the time of recall issue, no reports of injury or illness had been reported in association with the contaminated nuggets but customers are advised to return any packages to the original store of purchase.
Applegate did withdraw the affected boxes from store shelves on Aug. 8. but consumers may still posses boxes of the frozen nuggets.
Jul 24, 2014
Tiny Device Shows Whether Your Drink Is Spiked
Sky.com- A tiny device that fits on your key ring can let you know whether your drink has been spiked.
The pd.id uses technology already in use by America's Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to detect the presence of dangerous drugs in drinks.
The lighter-sized sensor performs a series of tests when immersed in a drink to determine the molecular make-up of the liquid.
If it detects anything suspicious, a red LED lights up on top of the device and the user's smartphone will show what was found in the drink.
The device comes pre-loaded with the spectrographs of common date-rape drugs such as zolpidem, Rohypnol and other benzodiazepines.
Because it is linked to the user's smartphone, it can be updated with details of new date-rape and other drugs as they are developed and circulated.
Developer David Wilson has taken to crowd-funding website Indiegogo to raise $100,000 (£58,000) to mass-produce the devices for £44 per unit.
He said: "The Pd.id was driven by 18 stories from friends who have been drugged and the fact my own kids are now teenagers.
"Yes, we are here to raise funds. But even more importantly we want to raise awareness about a global crisis that often goes unreported and unacknowledged.
"It's about personal protection, feeling secure, and it's about empowering our daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, spouses, partners, friends, co-workers and ourselves to be safe in an often unsafe world."
If the money is raised, the pd.id would be the most advanced mass-market drinks analysis device.
He added that if $500,000 (£292,000) is raised, increased functionality such as calorie content analysis can be added.
The pd.id uses technology already in use by America's Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to detect the presence of dangerous drugs in drinks.
The lighter-sized sensor performs a series of tests when immersed in a drink to determine the molecular make-up of the liquid.
If it detects anything suspicious, a red LED lights up on top of the device and the user's smartphone will show what was found in the drink.
The device comes pre-loaded with the spectrographs of common date-rape drugs such as zolpidem, Rohypnol and other benzodiazepines.
Because it is linked to the user's smartphone, it can be updated with details of new date-rape and other drugs as they are developed and circulated.
Developer David Wilson has taken to crowd-funding website Indiegogo to raise $100,000 (£58,000) to mass-produce the devices for £44 per unit.
He said: "The Pd.id was driven by 18 stories from friends who have been drugged and the fact my own kids are now teenagers.
"Yes, we are here to raise funds. But even more importantly we want to raise awareness about a global crisis that often goes unreported and unacknowledged.
"It's about personal protection, feeling secure, and it's about empowering our daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, spouses, partners, friends, co-workers and ourselves to be safe in an often unsafe world."
If the money is raised, the pd.id would be the most advanced mass-market drinks analysis device.
He added that if $500,000 (£292,000) is raised, increased functionality such as calorie content analysis can be added.
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