Press monitoring
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GM grass cleanses soil of toxic pollutants left by military explosives, new study shows
5.5.2021 | Press monitoring
A grass commonly used to fight soil erosion has been genetically modified to successfully remove toxic chemicals left in the ground from munitions that are dangerous to human health, new research shows. The study – led by the University of York – demonstrates that genetically modified switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) can detoxify residues of the...
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Electrically activated glue patch repairs blood vessels from within
3.5.2021 | Press monitoring
Back in 2015, we heard about an electrically activated glue that could be used to bond items in wet conditions, or even underwater. Now, scientists have demonstrated that the material could be used to patch leaky blood vessels … from the inside. Named Voltaglue, the adhesive was first created by a team at Singapore's Nanyang Technological...
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Gut fungi: Unexpected source of novel chemicals
30.4.2021 | Press monitoring
Anaerobic fungi, which die in the presence of oxygen, dwell in herbivore guts and help them digest their last leafy meal. In their evolutionary history, these fungi branched off early from aerobic fungi, which can breathe oxygen – just like we do. Oxygen is a rich source of energy, and because anaerobic fungi can't harness it, scientists long...
Scientists design nanotraps to catch, clear coronavirus
28.4.2021 | Press monitoring
Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago have designed a completely novel potential treatment for COVID-19: nanoparticles that capture SARS-CoV-2 viruses within the body and then use the body's own immune system to destroy it. These "Nanotraps" attract the virus by mimicking the target...
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With genes from carnivorous plants, researchers aim to grow hardier crop plants
26.4.2021 | Press monitoring
They won't devour insects with leafy jaws, but with help from carnivorous plant genes, tomatoes, tobacco and other crops could one day better defend themselves from pathogenic fungi and insects. An international team of researchers has received a grant from the Human Frontier Science Program to investigate how carnivory-related genes, such as...
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Eliminating resistant bacteria with nanoparticles
23.4.2021 | Press monitoring
Novel nanoparticles developed by researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa detect multi-resistant bacteria hiding in body cells and kill them. The scientists' goal is to develop an antibacterial agent that is effective where conventional antibiotics remain ineffective. In order to track down the germs in their hideouts and eliminate them, a team of...
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Researchers grow stem cells to cure glaucoma
21.4.2021 | Press monitoring
A joint research effort carried out by MIPT scientists and Harvard researchers has yielded retinal cells that can integrate into the retina. This is the first successful attempt to transplant ganglion cells (retinal neurons that are destroyed by glaucoma) derived from stem cells in a lab setting. Scientists tested the technology in mice and...
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Once-a-week insulin bolstered by results of phase 2 clinical trials
19.4.2021 | Press monitoring
For millions of patients with diabetes, daily insulin injections are a necessary nuisance. A once-a-week shot might be more palatable, and new results from phase 2 clinical trials suggest just such a drug is safe and effective. The drug at the heart of the studies is called icodec, an insulin analog with a half-life of 196 hours – a little over...
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Scientists develop eco-friendly pollen sponge to tackle water contaminants
16.4.2021 | Press monitoring
A team of scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has created a reusable, biodegradable sponge that can readily soak up oil and other organic solvents from contaminated water sources, making it a promising alternative for tackling marine oil spills. Made of sunflower pollen, the sponge is hydrophobic – it...
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Breakthrough in plant protection: RNAi pesticides affect only one pest species
14.4.2021 | Press monitoring
The harmfulness of pesticides to beneficial organisms is one of the most serious concerns in agriculture. Therefore scientists are eagerly looking for new, more environmentally friendly and species-specific solutions. Researchers at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Ghent and the University of Maastricht took a long step forward in this...
