Press monitoring
Credit: Dr Graham Beards_WikimediaCommons
Spray uses virus-filled microbeads to kill harmful bacteria on food
5.12.2022 | Press monitoring
While it would be great if there were a simple method of eradicating all the harmful bacteria present on food, dousing that food in antibiotics certainly wouldn't be the way to go. A new spray, however, uses food-safe viruses that kill such bacteria. Developed by scientists at Canada's McMaster University, the spray consists of microgel beads...
Landmark 20-strain mRNA flu vaccine looks to prevent future pandemics
2.12.2022 | Press monitoring
An incredible new study published in the journal Science demonstrates the potential for a single mRNA vaccine to provide protection from all 20 known influenza A and B virus subtypes. It's hoped the vaccine, so far seen to be effective in preclinical animal models, would prevent future flu pandemics by promoting immunity against influenza strains...
Novel bovine serum albumin-magnetite nanotorpedo system constructed for drug delivery
30.11.2022 | Press monitoring
Team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has designed a safe and efficient nanotorpedo for the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs. "This nanotorpedo integrates the advantages of inorganic nanocarrier and protein carriers, two important drug delivery systems," said Prof. Wang Junfeng, who led...
Credit: StylezInk - Fotolia.com
A Tobacco Plant Has Been Engineered to Produce Cocaine in Its Leaves
28.11.2022 | Press monitoring
Used by humans as a stimulant and anesthetic for thousands of years, the drug commonly known as cocaine has been carefully shaped by species of the coca plant (Erythroxylum) over tens of millions of years in an arms race against hungry insects. Knowing just how the plants pull off this feat of chemical engineering would be a big win for the...
New CRISPR-based tool inserts large DNA sequences at desired sites in cells
25.11.2022 | Press monitoring
Building on the CRISPR gene-editing system, MIT researchers have designed a new tool that can snip out faulty genes and replace them with new ones, in a safer and more efficient way. Using this system, the researchers showed that they could deliver genes as long as 36,000 DNA base pairs to several types of human cells, as well as to liver cells...
Credit: Bine - Fotolia.com
Hemp-fed cows get high and produce THC-laced milk
23.11.2022 | Press monitoring
New research published in the journal Nature Food has reported on the consequences of feeding dairy cows commercial hemp. Despite the hemp product containing negligible levels of psychoactive THC the researchers detected significant behavioral changes in the animals and measurable levels of THC in their milk. The primary goal of the research was...
Credit: luchshen - Fotolia.com
Stem cells (and mini brains) grown from critically endangered rhinos
21.11.2022 | Press monitoring
The Sumatran rhino is critically endangered and difficult to breed. But now, researchers have created induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from the genetic material of a male, potentially providing new ways to help conservation efforts. They even used them to grow mini rhino brains in the lab. Once widespread across southeast Asia, there are...
Mushroom-derived electronics designed to biodegrade when discarded
18.11.2022 | Press monitoring
Among other things, mushrooms have been put forth as eco-friendly alternatives to leather and expanded foam packaging. According to a new study, they might also find use in biodegradable electronic devices. The discovery of this novel use for mushrooms was made more or less accidentally Martin Kaltenbrunner, Doris Danninger and Roland Pruckner,...
Credit: DeVIce - Fotolia.com
Lab-grown bone marrow may unlock personalized blood cancer treatments
16.11.2022 | Press monitoring
By using stem cells as a starting point, scientists have managed to produce lab-grown versions of an impressive array of human body parts. The list so far includes brains, blood vessels and lungs, and is growing rapidly, with these miniaturized models serving as next-gen research tools to study disease and develop drugs that can improve outcomes...
Credit: ffx520 - Fotolia.com
Antiviral substances discovered within native plants in South Korea
14.11.2022 | Press monitoring
Codonopsis lanceolata, more commonly referred to as "deodeok," is used as a medicinal herb in South Korea. It is cultivated in large quantities and has been an integral part of Korean cuisine across history. Aster koraiensis, or Korean starwort, is a common flower that resembles a daisy, which is only found in the Korean peninsula. A team of...
