Latest news with #Bioscience
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists develop a temporary tattoo that detects date rape drugs in drinks within 1 SECOND
It's something that has happened to around one in 10 women and one in 20 men. But detecting if your drink has been spiked could soon be as simple as dabbing some of it onto your arm. Scientists from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology have developed a temporary tattoo that can detect the presence of 'date rape' drugs. If the tattoo detects even low concentrations of y–hydroxybutyrate (GHB), it will change from yellow to red. Best of all, this process is almost instantaneous – taking around one second, according to the researchers. There are already a range of measures available for drinkers to limit access to their drinks, including anti–spiking drink covers and films. However, the researchers hope the new tattoo will offer a quick and simple way to ensure beverages are safe. 'This innovation represents a proactive and accessible solution for preventing DFSAs –[drug–related sexual assault], enhancing personal safety, and fostering a sense of control and awareness in high–risk environments,' the team explained. Spiking occurs when someone puts drugs into another person's drink without their knowledge or consent – often to make it easier to rape or sexually assault them. 'Spiking can happen for different reasons – for example, because someone thinks it's funny or because someone wants to commit a crime against the person they're spiking, such as theft, rape or sexual assault,' Rape Crisis explains on its website. 'Whatever the motive, spiking is never okay or funny. 'It can make a person extremely vulnerable and ill, and have a lasting impact on their wellbeing and life.' One of the most common date rape drugs is GHB, which can cause dizziness, confusion, short–term amnesia, and even unconsciousness. Unfortunately, detecting if your drink has been spiked can prove tricky. Writing in their study, published in ACS Sensors, the team, led by Kim Gyeong–Ji, explained: 'The drug used for date rape is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, which can be completely dissolved in beverages to avoid suspicion.' There are already several GHB detection measures available, including specialised strips or cards that change colour when exposed to the drug. To create the tattoo stickers, the researchers placed a mold over the top of a thin plastic film, decorated with tattoo–like designs However, most of these are time consuming, and aren't exactly subtle. In their new study, the team set out to develop a more accessible alternative – eventually settling on a temporary tattoo. To create the tattoo stickers, the researchers placed a mold over the top of a thin plastic film, decorated with tattoo–like designs. They then poured in a gel mixture containing a chemical receptor that turns red in the presence of GHB. Finally, they coated the back of the sticker with glue, so it could stick to the skin. To test the tattoo's accuracy, the team applied dabs of GHB dissolved in a variety of beverages, incuding whisky, vodka, beer, soju, and coffee. Across all beverages, the researchers found that the tattoo could detect the drug - even at low concentrations. 'In practice, a wearer could dip a finger into a beverage, touch the drop to the sticker and see the result almost immediately,' the researchers explained in a statement. What's more, the sticker displays the positive result for up to 30 days, which could be helpful if it's needed as evidence. Unfortunately, the price and timeline for availablity of the tattoo remain unclear at this stay. However, the researchers reassure that the sticker is 'inexpensive and easy to manufacture', and say it will be commercially available 'soon'.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Waters, BD Bioscience deal ‘looks to be a good fit,' says Stifel
Waters (WAT) announced that it is combining with BD's (BDX) Bioscience and Diagnostics business in a tax-efficient Reverse Morris Trust transaction that is valued at roughly $17.5B, marking a major strategic step for Waters, as the deal is large and transformative, Stifel analyst Daniel Arias tells investors in a research note. The move looks to be a good fit, though the size and complexity of the deal has to be acknowledged, Stifel says. Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See today's best-performing stocks on TipRanks >> Read More on WAT: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Waters falls -9.0% Waters sinks 12% to $312.06 following combination with Becton unit Hold Rating on Waters-Becton Merger: Strategic Growth vs. Valuation Concerns Waters, BD's Biosciences & Diagnostic Solutions business to combine Waters Announces $17.5B Merger with BD's Biosciences
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Avantor (AVTR) Q1 2025 Results Reflects Focus on Cost Management
Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) is one of the The company's Q1 2025 results exhibited disciplined execution as well as a continued focus on cost management amidst the dynamic macro environment. Even though the company's earnings and margin performance remained in line with its plan, the Lab Solutions revenue was impacted by lower demand, mainly in its Education and Government end market, after the policy changes. Furthermore, Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) has expanded its cost transformation initiative and expects to deliver $400 million in gross run-rate savings exiting 2027. A team of scientists working together to develop a new lab product or process. While Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR)'s cost transformation continues to drive conversion and margins, its Bioscience production segment offers mission-critical materials and solutions. With respect to the Lab business, the company continues to make immediate and significant changes to fuel growth. The company's delivery excellence initiative remains focused on ensuring greater supply chain efficiency and resilience. Next, Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) has been accelerating digital enhancements to its platform, which includes the rollout of a new AI-enabled e-commerce platform, in order to further streamline customer experience. Another step is to strategically optimize the approach to pricing by leveraging the integration of digital technologies. Broyhill Asset Management, an investment advisor, released its Q1 2025 investor letter. Here is what the fund said: 'Shares of Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) declined 23% in the first quarter, as policy uncertainty around budget cuts for academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies weighed on the life sciences sector. With shares trading at valuations not previously seen in its history as a public company, we believe this is a dramatic overreaction as the market is essentially discounting a halting or meaningful slowdown in scientific progress at these levels. It is rare for companies benefiting from such strong secular growth trends to be valued at trough multiples on trough earnings, but that's exactly how we view AVTR today, and exactly why we've capitalized on recent weakness to continue building our position.' While we acknowledge the potential of AVTR as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 13 Cheap AI Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 11 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Invest in Now Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Avantor (AVTR) Q1 2025 Results Reflects Focus on Cost Management
Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) is one of the The company's Q1 2025 results exhibited disciplined execution as well as a continued focus on cost management amidst the dynamic macro environment. Even though the company's earnings and margin performance remained in line with its plan, the Lab Solutions revenue was impacted by lower demand, mainly in its Education and Government end market, after the policy changes. Furthermore, Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) has expanded its cost transformation initiative and expects to deliver $400 million in gross run-rate savings exiting 2027. A team of scientists working together to develop a new lab product or process. While Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR)'s cost transformation continues to drive conversion and margins, its Bioscience production segment offers mission-critical materials and solutions. With respect to the Lab business, the company continues to make immediate and significant changes to fuel growth. The company's delivery excellence initiative remains focused on ensuring greater supply chain efficiency and resilience. Next, Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) has been accelerating digital enhancements to its platform, which includes the rollout of a new AI-enabled e-commerce platform, in order to further streamline customer experience. Another step is to strategically optimize the approach to pricing by leveraging the integration of digital technologies. Broyhill Asset Management, an investment advisor, released its Q1 2025 investor letter. Here is what the fund said: 'Shares of Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) declined 23% in the first quarter, as policy uncertainty around budget cuts for academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies weighed on the life sciences sector. With shares trading at valuations not previously seen in its history as a public company, we believe this is a dramatic overreaction as the market is essentially discounting a halting or meaningful slowdown in scientific progress at these levels. It is rare for companies benefiting from such strong secular growth trends to be valued at trough multiples on trough earnings, but that's exactly how we view AVTR today, and exactly why we've capitalized on recent weakness to continue building our position.' While we acknowledge the potential of AVTR as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 13 Cheap AI Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 11 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Invest in Now Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Telegraph
29-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
I teach people to sleep for a living – here's how I ensure I always rest well
Dr Katharina Lederle has a PhD in Human Circadian Physiology and an MSc in Bioscience. She's a London-based sleep and circadian rhythm expert who works closely with perimenopausal women to improve sleep. 6.30am: I wake up (without an alarm) Having spent my whole career researching circadian rhythm and how light affects our body clock, I know the power it has to regulate our sleep-wake patterns, body temperature and hormones. Morning light really is the best way to wake up your body clock. Humans are seasonal and we have a body clock in our brain which needs sunlight to know it's day time. That's why I don't have an alarm and let the natural light wake me up between 6.15 and 6.30am. In an ideal world, we'd all wake up naturally when our bodies are done with sleeping but that just doesn't work with 9am office start times. A sunrise alarm clock (where the light gets brighter over time) is a good investment if that's you. If you do need sound to wake you up, find a pleasant one, not a harsh one. Then when you get up, open the curtains as soon as possible and have something to look forward to: your favourite music, a coffee or a hot shower. Personally, I don't need to hit the snooze button because I wake up feeling alert most days, but research shows that late chronotypes (night owls) benefit from doing it, as it helps them wake up by reducing their sleep inertia – the groggy feeling you can get when you wake up. 8am: an early breakfast is crucial I get up and eat muesli with fruit and seeds for breakfast before going for a walk. Then, when I get back, I'll have a coffee. On a normal day I only drink two cups of coffee but I'll have three if I need to boost alertness. 9am: at my desk (but remembering to stretch) for work Working from home, the biggest challenge is remembering to take regular breaks from my desk to stretch my legs and give my mind a rest. It's tricky to remember to get up and move around every hour. When I'm really focussed on something, it can be so difficult to get up and stretch. Right now I'm experimenting with a kitchen timer to help remind me to get up at regular times. Sitting still all day is associated with poor sleep and exercise tires the body ready for rest. So I try to break my time up by going on the indoor bike, rowing machine, having a cup of tea with my husband or relaxing with my two affectionate cats. When you have a break, you're teaching your brain to learn to take a step back and give the mind time to process information. If you're constantly processing throughout the day without any breaks, then your brain will be in overdrive in the evening, leading to restlessness, which is not helpful when you want to be sleeping. 1pm: lunch time (for at least half an hour) I'll take 30 minutes or more for a break and have a sandwich or a salad usually, depending on where my client and business calls fall. To give myself a rest from reading, I put the radio on or take my lunch outside and give my friends or family a call. Then I'll get back to work. On any given day, I could be in calls, sessions with clients or reading. Reading is a big part of my job at the moment because the field of sleep study and circadian rhythm is growing and we are getting a better understanding of the science behind it. I also could be writing a new blog post for my website, or might be running a webinar. On occasion, I could be preparing to deliver a talk on sleep – at the recent Live Well Festival I spoke about building resilience and thriving through change, which required preparation on the subject. 2pm: stop drinking coffee There have been studies discussing the effects of caffeine on sleep and for me as someone who does drink coffee, it's all about the timing of when the caffeine gets into your system. Some people can get jitters and hyperactivity after just one sip, but for others, like myself, that doesn't happen. The half-life of coffee is five to six hours so it's important to be aware of when you're drinking it, the effects it can have and how long these effects last. Ideally, we should stop drinking coffee by 2pm to really allow most of that caffeine to get out of your system by the time you go to bed at 11pm. Drinking coffee late in the afternoon can delay sleepiness or can disrupt sleep and make you more restless. How sensitive you are to caffeine varies between people, though. 6pm: start winding down I want to make sure I have time to wind down during the evening and allow my mind and body to step away and focus on something else. For me, that's doing some meditation, breath work, an evening walk, listening to a podcast or watching something on TV. It is better to watch something on a TV, rather than a laptop or phone because the screen's further away. 7pm: dinner time (and be mindful of lighting) I eat quite healthily and aim to have a plateful of mostly pulses and vegetables. After dinner I try not to turn on the lights. It's easier right now because it's summer, but still in the winter I prefer to keep the lights dim to minimise any alerting signal so I'm ready for sleep. In winter, I think we need to be mindful of electric lighting as a primary source. Be mindful of how bright that light is in the evening and then consider a sunlight alarm clock to wake yourself up in the morning. The key is to engage in non-stimulating activity to allow the mind and brain time to process. If I work right until I go to bed, my mind would be full and it would be hard to sleep because my mind would be full of what I just experienced. 10pm: read in bed I'll get into bed and read for about 10 minutes, and turn the light off at 10.15pm. If I can't fall asleep I reflect on why that might be – is my mind busy? Are my thoughts just going round and round? I try to shift my attention to my breath if I can. I've worked with a lot of women in midlife to improve their sleep and the one thing they struggle with most is waking up in the middle of the night. Hormonal fluctuations, hot flushes and worry can all play a part in disrupted sleep. Worry is a big one – this might be about falling back asleep, the lack of sleep or performance. All of this can have a negative impact on the quality of sleep we get. If I wake up in the middle of the night, the first thing I do is ask myself what's going on. Am I too hot? Has a thought grabbed my attention? Is this thought going to be helpful to me right now at three in the morning? Is there anything I can do about this thought right now? In most instances, I can't. I definitely have days where I don't sleep well and feel tired the next day. If I have three big glasses of wine, I'll often wake up in the night and struggle to get back to sleep. The next day, it's important to give yourself grace after a poor night's sleep. Remind yourself why your sleep might have been affected the night before. You can say to yourself, yes, I was at an occasion and I had more alcohol than usual – it's not what I usually do, but tonight I'll go to bed a bit earlier.
