Press monitoring
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Genetically modifying individual cells in animals
25.9.2023 | Press monitoring
One proven method for tracking down the genetic causes of diseases is to knock out a single gene in animals and study the consequences this has for the organism. The problem is that for many diseases, the pathology is determined by multiple genes. This makes it extremely difficult for scientists to determine the extent to which any one of the...
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Nanoparticles made from plant viruses could be farmers new ally in pest control
22.9.2023 | Press monitoring
A new form of agricultural pest control could one day take root – one that treats crop infestations deep under the ground in a targeted manner with less pesticide. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed nanoparticles, fashioned from plant viruses, that can deliver pesticide molecules to soil depths that were previously...
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Bionic silkworms with spider genes spin fibers 6x tougher than Kevlar
20.9.2023 | Press monitoring
For the first time, scientists have successfully produced full-length spider silk fibers using genetically modified silkworms. With high strength and toughness, this silk has the potential to provide a scalable, sustainable and better-quality alternative to current synthetic fibers like nylon. The fibers that silkworms build their cocoons with...
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Dual Trojan Horse strategy to combat superbugs
18.9.2023 | Press monitoring
In the relentless battle against antibiotic-resistant superbugs, science continues to unveil ingenious strategies to address their vulnerability. Like other bacteria, superbugs have a unique weakness – their dependence on iron for growth and survival. Iron serves as an essential nutrient that bacteria utilize for various cellular processes,...
Phosphorus-based nanotech rips apart superbugs & accelerates healing
15.9.2023 | Press monitoring
Researchers have found that using nano-sized flakes of black phosphorus on wounds infected with drug-resistant superbugs not only kills the pathogens, but also promotes wound healing. More than a coating, the innovative antimicrobial can be incorporated into common materials such as dressings, gels, and plastics. Black phosphorus has recently...
Floating sea farms: A solution to feed the world and ensure freshwater by 2050
13.9.2023 | Press monitoring
The sun and the sea – both abundant and free – are being harnessed in a unique project to create vertical sea farms floating on the ocean that can produce fresh water for drinking and agriculture. In what is believed to be a world first, University of South Australia researchers have designed a self-sustaining solar-driven system that evaporates...
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A novel obesity treatment could lie in the exoskeletons of crabs & bugs
11.9.2023 | Press monitoring
Chitin, which provides crucial exoskeletal structure and protection to soft-bodied arthropods such as crustaceans, spiders and insects, may have a surprising role in being able to modulate metabolism and fight weight gain in mammals. Chitin has been the focus of research into everything from stronger materials to better drug delivery. It's even...
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Why bats carry viruses that have higher fatality rates in humans than those from other mammals
8.9.2023 | Press monitoring
A small team of biologists and evolutionists from the University of Chicago, York University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Exeter reports why bats carry viruses that cause higher fatality rates when jumping to humans than those that come from any other mammal. In their study, reported on the open-access site PLOS...
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Material uses live cyanobacteria to neutralize waterborne pollutants
6.9.2023 | Press monitoring
We often hear of cyanobacteria as being the cause of toxic blue-green algae blooms in lakes and rivers. Soon, however, a 3D-printed material that incorporates the microbes could be used to help purify polluted water – and after the bacteria are finished, they'll kill themselves. Developed by a team of scientists at the University of California...
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Vaccines to prevent fentanyl, heroin overdose close to human trials
4.9.2023 | Press monitoring
Opioids – especially synthetic opioids – are the main driver of drug-related overdose deaths. The availability of drugs like heroin and fentanyl continues to feed the problem of opioid dependence and places users at risk of death. They’re also difficult drugs to quit. While the streets are unlikely to ever be clear of drugs like heroin and...
