Press monitoring
Nanobot pumps destroy nerve agents
22.8.2018 | Press monitoring
Once in the territory of science fiction, "nanobots" are closer than ever to becoming a reality, with possible applications in medicine, manufacturing, robotics and fluidics. Today, scientists report progress in developing the tiny machines: They have made nanobot pumps that destroy nerve agents, while simultaneously administering an...
The wheat code is finally cracked
20.8.2018 | Press monitoring
Today in the international journal Science, the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) published a detailed description of the genome of bread wheat, the world's most widely cultivated crop. This work will pave the way for the production of wheat varieties better adapted to climate challenges, with higher yields, enhanced...
First ever RNA-based gene-silencing drug approved by FDA, and it\'s not cheap
17.8.2018 | Press monitoring
Twenty years after the breakthrough discovery illustrating how RNA interference can be used to silence certain genes, and over a decade after the research won a Nobel prize, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug utilizing this method for adult clinical treatment. The condition, hereditary transthyretin-mediated...
3D-printed nerve stem cells could help patch up spinal cord injuries
15.8.2018 | Press monitoring
Spinal injuries can be like downed power lines – even if everything on either side of the injury is perfectly functional, the break can effectively shut down the whole system. Now, researchers at the University of Minnesota have designed a device that could link everything back together again. A silicone guide, covered in 3D-printed neuronal stem...
Scientists discover fat-blocking effect of nanofibers
13.8.2018 | Press monitoring
Tiny balls of nano-sized cellulose fibres added to food reduced fat absorption by up to half in laboratory and animal experiments, report scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Harvard University, United States. This discovery could aid in the global battle against obesity, as experiments done in a...
Wearable yeast colonies act as canaries for radiation exposure
10.8.2018 | Press monitoring
The radiation dose of an X-ray scan is fine for patients getting them every now and then, but health risks stack up for radiologists who are exposed to it all day, every day. Layers of protective gear help, but now researchers at Purdue University have developed a living device for these workers, using yeast colonies in wearable patches to...
Drug-resistant bacteria are growing tolerant to strong alcohol-based hand rubs
8.8.2018 | Press monitoring
Over the past couple of decades the increased use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and disinfectants in hospitals has been incredibly successful in reducing cases of deadly golden staph infections. However, a new study has found that some bacteria are now becoming resistant to these alcohol-based sanitizers. The research began when Professor Paul...
You Can Run, but Your DNA Can’t Hide
6.8.2018 | Press monitoring
At Stanford University, a microfluidic chip has been developed that efficiently extracts sperm from rape kit samples. The chip’s channels, which are coated with Sialyl-LewisX, a carbohydrate ligand for sperm-egg binding, will capture a perpetrator’s sperm, but not a victim’s epithelial cells, which are easily washed away. After sperm are captured...
Groundbreaking poplar study shows trees can be genetically engineered not to spread
3.8.2018 | Press monitoring
The largest field-based study of genetically modified forest trees ever conducted has demonstrated that genetic engineering can prevent new seedlings from establishing. The "containment traits" that Oregon State University researchers engineered in the study are important because of societal concerns over gene flow – the spread of genetically...
Study finds evidence that leopard geckos can make new brain cells
1.8.2018 | Press monitoring
University of Guelph researchers have discovered the type of stem cell allowing geckos to create new brain cells, providing evidence that the lizards may also be able to regenerate parts of the brain after injury. This finding could help in replacing human brain cells lost or damaged due to injury, aging or disease. "The brain is a complex...
