Press monitoring
Ferns borrowed genes to flourish in low light
17.4.2014 | Press monitoring
During the age of the dinosaurs, the arrival of flowering plants as competitors could have spelled doom for the ancient fern lineage. Instead, ferns diversified and flourished under the new canopy—using a mysterious gene that helped them adapt to low-light environments. A team led by Duke University scientists has pinpointed the curious origins...
Regenerated esophagus transplanted in rats
16.4.2014 | Press monitoring
Tissue engineering has been used to construct natural oesophagi, which in combination with bone marrow stem cells have been safely and effectively transplanted in rats. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that the transplanted organs remain patent and display regeneration of nerves, muscles, epithelial cells and blood...
Genetically modified tobacco plants as an alternative for producing bioethanol
15.4.2014 | Press monitoring
Tobacco, a high-density crop which is mown several times throughout its cycle, can produce as much as 160 tonnes of fresh matter per hectare and become a source of biomass suitable for producing bioethanol. As Jon Veramendi, head of the plant Agrobiotechnology research group, explained, "tobacco plants as a source of biomass for producing...
Enzyme micropump autonomously delivers insulin in response to glucose levels
14.4.2014 | Press monitoring
For next-generation smart devices, autonomy is key. These devices will be able to power themselves, independently respond to stimuli, and perform different kinds of work, all without human intervention. With these abilities, smart devices could potentially have very wide-reaching implications.
How plants become zombies
11.4.2014 | Press monitoring
Some plants are zombies and scientists have uncovered how bacterial parasites turn them into the living dead. "For the first time, we can reveal how this remarkable manipulation takes place," says Professor Saskia Hogenhout from the John Innes Centre.
Living organ regenerated for first time: Thymus rebuilt in mice
10.4.2014 | Press monitoring
A team of scientists at the University of Edinburgh has succeeded in regenerating a living organ for the first time. The team rebuilt the thymus - an organ in the body located next to the heart that produces important immune cells. The advance could pave the way for new therapies for people with damaged immune systems and genetic conditions that...
DNA nanobots deliver drugs in living cockroaches
9.4.2014 | Press monitoring
It's a computer – inside a cockroach. Nano-sized entities made of DNA that are able to perform the same kind of logic operations as a silicon-based computer have been introduced into a living animal. The DNA computers – known as origami robots because they work by folding and unfolding strands of DNA – travel around the insect's body and...
Exploring a microbial arms race
8.4.2014 | Press monitoring
A rapid evolutionary "arms race" between bacteria and the killer viruses they contain has been observed by a UNSW-led team of scientists in a sophisticated genetic study of the micro-organisms. Associate Professor Torsten Thomas, Dr Kerensa McElroy and colleagues from the Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation and the School of Biotechnology and...
Fighting cancer with lasers and nanoballoons that pop
7.4.2014 | Press monitoring
Chemotherapeutic drugs excel at fighting cancer, but they're not so efficient at getting where they need to go. They often interact with blood, bone marrow and other healthy bodily systems. This dilutes the drugs and causes unwanted side effects. Now, researchers are developing a better delivery method by encapsulating the drugs in nanoballoons...
Radiation able to be securely stored in nontoxic molecule, study finds
4.4.2014 | Press monitoring
Researchers have discovered that microscopic "bubbles" developed at Kansas State University are safe and effective storage lockers for harmful isotopes that emit ionizing radiation for treating tumors. The findings can benefit patient health and advance radiation therapy used to treat cancer and other diseases, said John M. Tomich, a professor...
