Posts Tagged ‘microbiology’
Health & Medicine - Oct 15, 2009 17:37 - 0 Comments
‘Hairy’ microbe spurs immune response
NYU (US)—Scientists have identified a bizarre-looking microbial species that can single-handedly kick start the production of specialized immune cells in mice. The finding could point to a similar phenomenon in humans, helping researchers understand how gut-dwelling bacteria protect us from pathogenic bacteria, such as virulent strains of E. coli. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 12, 2009 21:03 - 1 Comment
Avoiding chemo’s collateral damage
UC IRVINE (US)—Researchers believe they have developed a way for chemotherapy drugs to reach specific tumors with increased precision, thereby limiting side effects. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 9, 2009 17:28 - 0 Comments
Twig by twig, climbing Earth’s ‘Tree of Life’
VANDERBILT (US)—Antonis Rokas is a member of a small cadre of scientists applying the growing power of genomics to untangle and correctly arrange the branches of the Tree of Life. (more…)
Science & Technology - Oct 8, 2009 15:29 - 0 Comments
Predicting when cells will be unpredictable
DUKE (US)—Scientists have discovered a quirky trait that makes some bacteria zig when others zag. The finding could help bioengineers fine-tune the development of synthetic “circuits”—designed to produce a myriad of useful proteins and chemicals. (more…)
Science & Technology - Oct 6, 2009 17:00 - 2 Comments
‘Mad-cow’ proteins differ unexpectedly
VANDERBILT (US)—The first direct information about the molecular structure of prions, the infectious proteins responsible for “mad cow” disease, reveals surprisingly large structural differences between natural prions and the closest synthetic analogs created in the lab. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 2, 2009 12:12 - 0 Comments
Enzyme offers target for curing tuberculosis
IOWA STATE (US)—Researchers have identified an enzyme that helps make tuberculosis resistant to a human’s natural defense system. Neutralizing that enzyme may someday lead to a cure for tuberculosis, a contagious disease that’s on the rise. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 2, 2009 10:23 - 0 Comments
HIV keeps morphing to escape immune system
EMORY (US)—HIV’s ability to mutate in response to immune system pressure means the virus can take several escape routes from antibodies, eventually exhausting the immune system, new research shows. (more…)
Science & Technology - Sep 28, 2009 17:31 - 2 Comments
E. coli travel using kayak-paddle motion
YALE (US)—Engineers have for the first time observed and tracked E. coli bacteria moving in a liquid medium with a motion similar to that of a kayak paddle. The findings offer a clearer picture of how bacteria move from place to place and, potentially, how to keep them from spreading. (more…)
Science & Technology - Sep 23, 2009 4:22 - 2 Comments
Molecules star in holographic 3-D movies
NYU (US)–A new technique for recording three-dimensional movies of microscopic systems, such as biological molecules, through holographic video has the potential to improve medical diagnostics and drug discovery. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Sep 21, 2009 17:13 - 2 Comments
Game theory says give, not receive, flu vaccine
DUKE (US)—Because supplies of the H1N1 influenza vaccine are expected to be short, governments may be tempted to buy large quantities of vaccine and antiviral treatments to protect their citizens. Yet a new game theory model suggests that, in the case of some epidemics, countries would be best served by giving their drug supplies to another country. (more…)
Best of 2009 - Sep 17, 2009 4:00 - 11 Comments
BEST OF 2009: Are you sick and clean?
U. COLORADO (US)—Millions of Americans are getting a dousing of pathogenic bacteria along with their daily showers, a new study finds. Researchers have discovered that water spurting from showerheads can distribute pathogen-filled droplets that suspend themselves in the air and can easily be inhaled into the deepest parts of the lungs. (more…)
Science & Technology - Sep 15, 2009 19:15 - 3 Comments
‘Jumping genes’ use bacteria to go viral
Tn7, which is regularly found in bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics, was originally isolated from E. Coli bacteria, pictured here. (Credit: Jake Jacobs)
Health & Medicine - Sep 1, 2009 6:00 - 0 Comments
Fountain of youth unfolded
“Our data suggest that, in terms of therapeutics, you have to start early to prevent damage and keep cells healthy,” explains lead researcher Richard Morimoto.
Health & Medicine - Aug 6, 2009 4:00 - 0 Comments
Case cracked: Team decodes HIV genome structure
A research team has decoded the secondary structure of a complete HIV-1 RNA genome. According to the report featured on the cover of the August 6 issue of the journal Nature, the team identified numerous highly structured motifs—such as the one pictured above—and can infer functions for many of these motifs. (Credit: Lars Sahl/University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Health & Medicine - Jul 28, 2009 10:29 - 0 Comments
Misery loves company— just ask a retrovirus
Retroviruses (red) form in infected cell and are transmitted to neighboring cell. Green proteins bind the cells. “Our hope is that somewhere down the road we will have a completely new antiviral strategy based on targeting cell-to-cell transmission,” says lead researcher Walther Mothes. (Courtesy: Yale University)
Health & Medicine - Jun 8, 2009 12:59 - 0 Comments
Patch takes the ‘ouch’ out of flu vaccines
The vaccine patches used in the experiments contained an array of stainless steel microneedles coated with inactivated influenza virus.
