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NYU researchers identify root cause of eye infections among contact lens wearers

Using high-precision genetic tests to differentiate the thousands of bacteria that make up the human microbiome, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center suggest that they have found a possible — and potentially surprising — root cause of the increased frequency of certain eye infections among contact lens wearers.

1 Jun 2015

New tool could help identify pathogens in food and beverages

Researchers at the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in Mexico, developed a technology capable of identifying pathogens in food and beverages. This technique could work in the restaurant industry as a biosensor to detect in what conditions food is before being eaten in order to avoid possible gastrointestinal diseases.

27 May 2015

Researcher uses short pulsed electric fields to preserve milk

Even though much of the population in developing countries is involved in agriculture, food security is virtually out of reach. Often the only resort is to purchase a cow, buffalo, or sheep, to provide a steady supply of fresh milk, a nutritious staple of a daily diet. But how to preserve it safely? Refrigeration and boiling are costly -- and often impossible due to sporadic electricity.

20 May 2015

MSR, PATH announce launch of new water treatment product

Local outdoor gear manufacturer MSR (Mountain Safety Research) and Seattle-based international nonprofit organization and global health innovation leader PATH today announced the launch of a new water treatment product, the result of a five-year partnership to bring low-cost community water solutions to the global market.

20 May 2015

Southern Indiana to be oasis free from Lyme disease, finds Indiana University researcher

Over nearly 15 years spent studying ticks, Indiana University's Keith Clay has found southern Indiana to be an oasis free from Lyme disease, the condition most associated with these arachnids that are the second most common parasitic disease vector on Earth.

11 May 2015

WHO calls on experts, social media to follow best practices in naming new human infectious diseases

WHO today called on scientists, national authorities and the media to follow best practices in naming new human infectious diseases to minimize unnecessary negative effects on nations, economies and people.

8 May 2015

WHO issues best practices for naming new human infectious diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) today called on scientists, national authorities and the media to follow best practices in naming new human infectious diseases to minimize unnecessary negative effects on nations, economies and people...

8 May 2015

Symbiomix closes $41 million Series A financing and reports positive results from SYM-1219 Phase 2 trial

Symbiomix Therapeutics today announced multiple milestones, including the closing of the third and final tranche of a $41 million Series A financing and positive results from a multi-center, randomized Phase 2 trial testing a single oral dose of SYM-1219 for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV).

6 May 2015

Metal oxide nanoparticles induce changes in human colon

Exposure of a model human colon to metal oxide nanoparticles, at levels that could be present in foods, consumer goods, or treated drinking water, led to multiple, measurable differences in the normal microbial community that inhabits the human gut.

5 May 2015

Michigan researchers explore ways to provide safe drinking water to most remote locations

It is estimated that one in nine people globally lack access to safe water. Michigan State University researchers are looking to fill that critical need and provide safe drinking water to the most remote locations in the world with a new foam water filter that significantly reduces dangerous pathogens in drinking water.

30 Apr 2015

Scientists identify missing genetic link in common variable immunodeficiency disorder

In the largest genetic study to date of a challenging immunodeficiency disorder, scientists have identified a gene that may be a "missing link" between overactive and underactive immune activity. The gene candidate also plays a key role in autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and allergies.

23 Apr 2015

New model can help predict how humans adapt to high- and low-altitude hypoxia

There are few times in life when one should aim for suboptimal performance, but new research at Rice University suggests scientists who study metabolism and its role in evolution should look for signs of just that.

7 Apr 2015

Fecal microbiota transplantation more successful for treating Clostridium difficile infections

Distasteful though it sounds, the transplantation of fecal matter is more successful for treating Clostridium difficile infections than previously thought.

30 Mar 2015

Study shows high-fat diet may increase risk for depression, psychiatric disorders

Can the consumption of fatty foods change your behavior and your brain? High-fat diets have long been known to increase the risk for medical problems, including heart disease and stroke, but there is growing concern that diets high in fat might also increase the risk for depression and other psychiatric disorders.

26 Mar 2015

Researchers find way to enhance effects of immunotherapy in glioblastoma

When cancer strikes, it may be possible for patients to fight back with their own defenses, using a strategy known as immunotherapy. According to a new study published in Nature, researchers have found a way to enhance the effects of this therapeutic approach in glioblastoma, a deadly type of brain cancer, and possibly improve patient outcomes.

20 Mar 2015

Methane-producing microorganism may thwart significant weight loss in bariatric patients

The benefits of weight loss surgery, along with a treatment plan that includes exercise and dietary changes, are well documented. In addition to a significant decrease in body mass, many patients find their risk factors for heart disease are drastically lowered and blood sugar regulation is improved for those with Type 2 diabetes.

6 Mar 2015

New polymer powder simplifies tests, increases food safety

To guarantee a high quality of their beer, breweries monitor the production process very closely. With a new polymer powder, this monitoring will be able to be faster and simpler in the future.

2 Mar 2015

Pollution effect: Potentially toxic microbes pose threat to drinking water

Potentially toxic microbes which pose a threat to our drinking water have undergone a dramatic population explosion over the last 200 years as a result of pollution, research involving experts from The University of Nottingham has found.

28 Feb 2015

Study identifies small loop in human prion protein that resists chronic wasting disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) — an infectious disease caused by prions — affects North American elk and deer, but has not been observed in humans. Using a mouse model that expresses an altered form of the normal human prion protein, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have determined why the human proteins aren't corrupted when exposed to the elk prions.

24 Feb 2015

MRIGlobal awarded contract to develop Sample-to-Sequence system for diagnosis of infectious diseases

MRIGlobal today announced that it has been awarded a $14.8 million contract to develop an end-to-end next generation sequencing system for clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases.

23 Feb 2015