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Research shows nonprescribed fentanyl and stimulants were the major cause for overdose mortality

Nonprescribed fentanyl and stimulants were the primary contributors to overdose mortality, while few people had prescribed opioids in their systems, according to new toxicology research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

24 Aug 2020

Study: Fewer types of fungi in the lungs are associated with increased severity of disease in ARDS patients

Many COVID-19 patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition where the lungs cannot provide the body's vital organs with enough oxygen.

24 Aug 2020

No evidence of active SARS-CoV-2 in breastmilk of infected women

A recent study published in the journal JAMA in August 2020 suggests that SARS-CoV-2 RNA does not represent replication-competent virus and that breast milk may not be a source of infection for infants.

20 Aug 2020

Fresh and frozen food can harbor SARS-CoV-2 for at least 21 days

A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 suggests that foodborne contamination may underlie these outbreaks and that this route of transmission should not be overlooked to contain the pandemic.

19 Aug 2020

Can the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 be spread through frozen food?

It is well-known that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can spread through respiratory droplets when people sneeze, cough, or talk. Recent evidence has also shown that the virus can hang in the air for hours, hinting at the possibility of airborne transmission.

17 Aug 2020

Genomic analysis finds link between antibiotic resistance and heavy metal contamination

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing health problem, but new research suggests it is not only caused by the overuse of antibiotics. It's also caused by pollution.

13 Aug 2020

Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted via feces?

A new study by researchers at the University of Oxford and the Trip Medical Database and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in August 2020 as part of the ongoing Open Evidence Review on Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19 reports the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in feces and the need for precautions to prevent orofecal spread in the surroundings of confirmed or suspected cases.

12 Aug 2020

Highly sensitive dopamine detector can aid in early diagnosis of several disorders

A supersensitive dopamine detector can help in the early diagnosis of several disorders that result in too much or too little dopamine, according to a group led by Penn State and including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and universities in China and Japan.

7 Aug 2020

Study shows link between high blood lead levels and aberrant methylation of DNA

Scientists have unveiled a correlation between high blood lead levels in children and methylation of genes involved in haem synthesis and carcinogenesis, indicating a previously unknown mechanism for lead poisoning.

7 Aug 2020

A titanium oxide nanowire-based air filter can trap and destroy pathogens

Filter “paper” made from titanium oxide nanowires is capable of trapping pathogens and destroying them with light. This discovery by an EPFL laboratory could be put to use in personal protective equipment, as well as in ventilation and air conditioning systems.

7 Aug 2020

Health care workers of color nearly twice as likely as whites to get COVID-19

Health care workers of color were more likely to care for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, more likely to report using inadequate or reused protective gear, and nearly twice as likely as white colleagues to test positive for the coronavirus, a new study from Harvard Medical School researchers found.

6 Aug 2020

Face masks protect from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses

Now a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020, therefore, presents the results of a meta-analysis that takes account of the lack of compliance with mask-wearing in RCTs, as well as the lag between the event and the measurable effects.

6 Aug 2020

Study shows how microbes influence the quality of sausage and other fermented foods

Microbes in "starter cultures" impart a distinctive tang and longer shelf life to food like sourdough bread, yogurt and kimchi through the process of fermentation.

6 Aug 2020

Testing new respirator materials for use in local medical facilities

A media comprised of a sandwich of materials, tested by Sandia National Laboratories, is being manufactured into N95-like respirators that could be used in local medical facilities.

5 Aug 2020

Researchers to develop oil-based system to clean commercial nut paste facilities

From home bakers to commercial food producers, everyone knows that cleaning peanut butter off utensils and out of bowls is a tricky, sticky proposition.

5 Aug 2020

Research reveals microplastic content levels in Australian seafood

Levels of plastic contamination have been found in samples of popular seafood such as prawns, oysters, and crabs, with the highest content found in sardines, according to University of Queensland research.

4 Aug 2020

Sterile deep well plates

Porvair Sciences offers an extensive range of sterile deep well microplates for sensitive biological and drug discovery applications.

From Porvair Sciences Limited 4 Aug 2020

Researchers develop efficient and more sensitive method to test heavy metals in foods and water

Finding out if the food and water we consume are safe from toxic and carcinogenic metals can now be much faster and simpler.

4 Aug 2020

Cloth face masks have potential to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 viruses

A literature review coordinated by Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and McMaster University in Canada demonstrates that cloth face masks provide clinically useful levels of filtration, which has the potential to reduce the spread of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

3 Aug 2020

FDA announces manufacturers' voluntary commitment to phase-out certain PFAS used in food packaging

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing that the manufacturers of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used for grease-proofing in paper and paperboard for food packaging (for example, as coatings on some fast-food wrappers, to-go boxes, and pizza boxes) have voluntarily agreed to phase-out their sales of these substances for use as food contact substances in the United States.

31 Jul 2020

Contamination News and Research

Research shows nonprescribed fentanyl and stimulants were the major cause for overdose mortality

Study: Fewer types of fungi in the lungs are associated with increased severity of disease in ARDS patients

No evidence of active SARS-CoV-2 in breastmilk of infected women

Fresh and frozen food can harbor SARS-CoV-2 for at least 21 days

Can the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 be spread through frozen food?

Genomic analysis finds link between antibiotic resistance and heavy metal contamination

Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted via feces?

Highly sensitive dopamine detector can aid in early diagnosis of several disorders

Study shows link between high blood lead levels and aberrant methylation of DNA

A titanium oxide nanowire-based air filter can trap and destroy pathogens

Health care workers of color nearly twice as likely as whites to get COVID-19

Face masks protect from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses

Study shows how microbes influence the quality of sausage and other fermented foods

Testing new respirator materials for use in local medical facilities

Researchers to develop oil-based system to clean commercial nut paste facilities

Research reveals microplastic content levels in Australian seafood

Sterile deep well plates

Researchers develop efficient and more sensitive method to test heavy metals in foods and water

Cloth face masks have potential to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 viruses

FDA announces manufacturers' voluntary commitment to phase-out certain PFAS used in food packaging

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