Press monitoring
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Duckweed is an incredible, radiation-fighting astronaut food – and by changing how it is grown, we made it better
20.7.2020 | Press monitoring
Duckweed is a small floating plant that grows on the surface of ponds. It is commonly eaten in Asia but is mostly considered a pest plant in the U.S. as it can quickly take over ponds. But duckweed is a remarkable plant. It is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, is the most protein–dense plant on the planet and also produces an abundance...
Test reveals radiation sickness in hours via a single drop of blood
17.7.2020 | Press monitoring
Radiation sickness or acute radiation syndrome (ARS), like that experienced by the workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 or the residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, can cause a rapid deterioration of a person’s health, and often death. his sickness occurs when most or all of the body is subjected to a large but short-lived...
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New bioink for cell bioprinting in 3-D
15.7.2020 | Press monitoring
A research group led by Daniel Aili, associate professor at Linköping University, has developed a bioink to print tissue-mimicking material in 3-D printers. The scientists have developed a method and a material that allow cells to survive and thrive. "Bioprinting is a new and exciting technology to manufacture three-dimensional tissue-mimicking...
A micro-lab on a chip detects blood type within minutes
13.7.2020 | Press monitoring
Blood transfusion, if performed promptly, is a potentially life-saving intervention for someone losing a lot of blood. However, blood comes in several types, some of which are incompatible with others. Transfusing an incompatible blood type can severely harm a patient. It is, therefore, critical for medical staff to know a patient's blood type...
New CRISPR enzyme mutation proves almost 100 times more precise
10.7.2020 | Press monitoring
The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system is an extremely powerful tool, but there are still a few kinks to iron out. One of the main problems is off-target edits, which can have serious consequences. Now, researchers have found a particular mutation of the CRISPR enzyme that’s almost 100 times more precise than the most commonly used one. So the new...
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Scientists use nanoparticle-delivered gene therapy to inhibit blinding eye disease in rodents
8.7.2020 | Press monitoring
In experiments in rats and mice, two Johns Hopkins scientists – an engineer and an ophthalmologist – report the successful use of nanoparticles to deliver gene therapy for blinding eye disease. A uniquely engineered large molecule allows researchers to compact large bundles of therapeutic DNA to be delivered into the cells of the eye. The...
Cell membrane on a chip could speed up screening of drug candidates for COVID-19
6.7.2020 | Press monitoring
Researchers have developed a human cell 'membrane on a chip' that allows continuous monitoring of how drugs and infectious agents interact with our cells, and may soon be used to test potential drug candidates for COVID-19. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, Cornell University and Stanford University, say their device could...
A Deadly Rabbit Virus Nicknamed Bunny Ebola Is Spreading Rapidly in Southwestern US
3.7.2020 | Press monitoring
As the US struggles to bring its coronavirus outbreak under control, another virus is wreaking havoc among the country's rabbit population. Across seven states in the southwest, thousands of wild and domestic rabbits are dying from a rare outbreak of a highly contagious disease known as rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV2). "We refer to it...
Studying the Neandertal DNA found in modern humans using stem cells and organoids
1.7.2020 | Press monitoring
Protocols that allow the transformation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines into organoids have changed the way scientists can study developmental processes and enable them to decipher the interplay between genes and tissue formation. Now, investigators are taking this technology and applying it to study the developmental effects...
Anammox bacteria generate energy from wastewater while taking a breath
29.6.2020 | Press monitoring
A type of anaerobic bacteria responsible for more than 50 percent of nitrogen loss from marine environments has been shown to use solid-state matter present outside their cells for respiration. The finding by KAUST researchers adds to knowledge of the global nitrogen cycle and has important energy-saving potential for wastewater ...
