Bestmint by Ortek: A Disruptive Technology For More Than Tooth Decay
You can't put stuff like this in a SciFi plot. No one would believe it when the dentist said "eat lots of this candy please". No fiction: Ortek, Inc. is planning production of a candy that is reported to be more effective than sodium fluoride at preventing tooth decay. The active ingredient is an amino acid commonly found in nuts and whole grains. Some plausible ourcomes from introduction of the Ortek "Basicmints", assuming widespread popularity, include: a gradual end to flouride drips at the public water supply; no more dental fluoride treatments for kids; the phoenix-like "anti-fluoridation" movement, which has periodicaly attracted support from either end of the political spectrum, derails; toothpaste market shares are tossed in the air and pasteless toothbrushing becomes fashionable; outlays for filings are reduced; and, the need for one of the remaining consumer uses of elemental mercury ...we're talking about amalgam production by dentists... is reduced. While press coverage seemed to infer the use of a "biotech" method in manufacture (whatever that means), details are unclear. The meta-story is much bigger than an ingredient list though. Brace yourself for many more such disruptive technologies that confound and confuse our world views.
http://tinyurl.com/by8op
and the basicmints wweb site:
http://tinyurl.com/92wdd
Small RNA Molecules Tackle Herpes
By Karen Ross
ScienceNOW Daily News
23 November 2005
Efforts to stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) often fail because people don't take precautions in the heat of the moment. In an encouraging new development, researchers have designed and tested a topical therapy in mice that prevents infection by one of the most prevalent STDs, genital herpes virus, for days after it is applied.
Problem of emerging infectious diseases likely to worsen
Editorial: A walk on the wild side – emerging wildlife diseases BMJ Volume 331, pp 1214-5
Emerging infectious diseases pose a global threat to human and animal health, and the problem is likely to worsen, warns an expert in this week's BMJ.
The recent emergence of diseases, such as AIDS, SARS and avian flu, have catapulted emerging infectious diseases to the top of the medical and political agendas, and have highlighted the importance of wildlife as reservoirs or vectors for disease, writes Dr Andrew Cunningham.
Of pathogens causing emerging infectious diseases, 75% are zoonotic (able to transmit from animals to humans), with wildlife being an increasingly important source.
But why are we now seeing an apparently rapid increase in the emergence of new zoonoses from wildlife?
One of the major drivers is closer human contact with wildlife, primarily caused by human encroachment into, and modification of, wildlife habitat. For example, Ebola virus outbreaks often are linked to hunting for "bushmeat" or to mining development, and the AIDS pandemic originated from human encroachment into African forests for food.
The rise in international trade and travel is also important. The emergence of West Nile virus in North America, and AIDS and SARS globally, for example, arose from such travel and trade.
This globalisation of people and products is difficult to control and is largely related to increasing air transportation. With world air travel expected to grow at about 5% a year for at least the next 20 years, the problem of emerging infectious diseases will continue to grow, he warns.
Emerging infectious diseases are not only a problem for human health but are a major threat to animal welfare and to species conservation. Some emerging infectious diseases also threaten domesticated species.
Through emerging infectious diseases, therefore, the medical, veterinary, and wildlife conservation professions, share a common agenda. The problem is not small, and tackling it will not be easy, but recognising a common problem is, at least, a start, he concludes.
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