FDA approves first nasal spray treatment for emergency-case opioid overdose

On Wednesday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nasal spray treatment for emergency-case opioid overdose for the first time ever. The Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray is developed by Ireland-based Adapt Pharma Ltd.

The spray is an antidote used for opioid overdose for nearly 45 years but earlier was allowed only in injectable forms.

The data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that opioid overdose has led to around 23,500 deaths in the country in 2013, which was a four-fold rise from 1999. The deaths have mainly taken place in non-medical situations, which has emphasized on the need for administering effective emergency involvement.

Resistant bacteria turning up in meat and seafood we eat

Every year, nearly 23,000 Americans die from antibiotic-resistant infections. The excessive use of antibiotics in farm animals and the conditions in which the animals are raised forms an environment for bacteria to develop and spread bacteria. Resistant bacteria have been turning up in the meat and seafood consumed by us.

The tests conducted by Consumer Reports in the last three years have detected superbugs in 57% of the inspected uncooked chicken samples, 83% of the turkey, 14% of the beef, and 14% of the shrimp.

Consumer Reports has suggested that the best meat and poultry practices prohibit the use of all antibiotics and other drugs for boosting growth and to prevent disease in healthy animals.

Dark Matter may be present within dwarf galaxy

Astronomers were measuring the speed of stars revolving around a dwarf galaxy, Triangulum II, when they became suspicious that dark matter might be present in the galaxy. It was when they tried to measure its mass, astronomers realized the presence of dark matter.

Astronomers said this particular galaxy as per cosmic standards is welterweight. Upon assessment, the astronomers came to know that the galaxy is filled with dark matter. Astronomer Evan Kirby, of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, said, "The total mass I measured was much, much greater than the mass of the total number of stars - implying that there's a ton of densely packed dark matter contributing to the total mass".

Newly sequenced genomes of marine worms unveil about evolution of gills into pharynx

Genomes of two marine worms have been sequenced. The act has led to better understanding on how gills have evolved into pharynx, which let humans perform acts like bite, chew, swallow and speak. The genome sequencing has been done of two acorn worms that live in burrows in shallow water.

Acorn worms are the first genomes of hemichordates having similarities to the first animals that have evolved pharyngeal. These animals led to the rise of chordates, the animals having backbones and hollow nerve cords.

One of the study researchers, Daniel Rokhsar, said, "The presence of these slits in acorn worms and vertebrates tells us that our last common ancestor also had them, and was likely a filter feeder like acorn worms today".

Recently discovered spider in Brazil named after ‘Lord of the Rings’ character Smeagol

A new species of harvestman, an arachnid, has been discovered by scientists in Brazil and they have named it after 'Lord of the Rings' character Smeagol. It is the new species of troglobitic harvestman spider, which has been named landumoema smeagol.

The eyeless spider was found crawling in a humid cave in southeastern Brazil. The researchers said it is the only second spider having no eyes living in Brazil. According to the researchers, the new species is considered to be found only in a network of caves in Brazil's Minas Gerais state.

The newly discovered spider has long legs and is of golden yellow color. Arachnid expert Christopher Buddle of Canada's McGill University said that the name they have given to the newly found spider matches with its biology.

Songbirds perform up to 6 steps at a time during courtship dances

In order to please mates, birds sing songs and play with their feathers. But according to a video captured of blue-capped cordon-bleu songbirds by a team from Japan and Germany using high-speed video cameras, the birds perform complex, rhythmic courtship dances.

The video shows how a song bird combines dance steps and melodious tweets to woo a potential mate. Study’s researcher Masayo Soma, an ornithologist at Hokkaido University in Japan, said that these birds perform tap dance as they take very quick steps and make sounds while doing them to attract potential mate.

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