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New technique used to analyse microbes

Sampling just a few genes can reveal not only the "lifestyle" of marine microbes but of their entire environments, new research suggests.

8 Sep 2009

Iterative in situ click chemistry creates antibody-like protein-capture agents

Chemists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and The Scripps Research Institute (SRI) have developed an innovative technique to create cheap but highly stable chemicals that have the potential to take the place of the antibodies used in many standard medical diagnostic tests. James R. Heath, Ph.D., principal investigator of the Nanosystems Biology Cancer Center at Caltech, one of eight Centers of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, and K. Barry Sharpless, Ph.D., SRI, and their colleagues describe the new technique in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

7 Sep 2009

Manuka honey inhibits MRSA infections by killing bacterial proteins

Manuka honey may kill bacteria by destroying key bacterial proteins. Dr Rowena Jenkins and colleagues from the University of Wales Institute - Cardiff investigated the mechanisms of manuka honey action and found that its anti-bacterial properties were not due solely to the sugars present in the honey.

7 Sep 2009

Bacterium's S-layer secretes many therapeutic proteins

By adapting a single protein on the surface of the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, researchers at the University of British Columbia have turned it into a protein production factory, making useful proteins that can act as vaccines and drugs. Dr. John Smit presented the findings at the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, today (7 September).

7 Sep 2009

Bacterial cells could contribute to stronger bone implants

Bacteria that manufacture hydroxyapatite (HA) could be used to make stronger, more durable bone implants. Professor Lynne Macaskie from the University of Birmingham this week (7-10 September) presented work to the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

7 Sep 2009

Bloodstream infections can be avoided with a daily scrub solution bath

Giving critically ill hospital patients a daily bath with a mild, soapy solution of the same antibacterial agent used by surgeons to "scrub in" before an operation can dramatically cut down, by as much as 73 percent, the number of patients who develop potentially deadly bloodstream infections, according to a new study by patient safety experts at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and five other institutions.

5 Sep 2009

New protein fragments identified for anthrax vaccine development

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have identified two small protein fragments that could be developed into an anthrax vaccine that may cause fewer side effects than the current vaccine.

4 Sep 2009

Giant Eagle offers generic prescription antibiotics for free at its in-store pharmacies

At a time when many families affected by a difficult economy are struggling with the costs of prescription medications, supermarket retailer Giant Eagle, Inc. is making ten broadly used generic prescription antibiotics in 46 common dosages available for free every day at all of its 210 in-store pharmacies.

4 Sep 2009

Dentists recommend healthy foods for children’s oral hygiene

You wouldn’t send your children to school with a lunchbox full of candy bars, but you might be packing almost as much sugar when you send them off with some popular lunchtime classics. Considering most children brush their teeth in the morning and before bed, the sugar they put in their mouths at lunchtime could stay there for a while, and that worries some dentists.

4 Sep 2009

ROS in cells contributes to aging

With all the hype about beneficial antioxidants in everything from face cream to cereal bars, you'd think their targets---oxygen radicals---must be up to no good. It's true, the buildup of oxygen radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells contributes to aging and possibly to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.

3 Sep 2009

New clinical trials to address the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs

Scientists are addressing the threat of antimicrobial drug resistance by launching two new clinical trials aimed at prolonging the effectiveness of currently available antibacterial drugs. The concept underlying both studies: Less is more.

3 Sep 2009

Preliminary lab results of SHBAN hand sanitizer solution announced

BioTech Medics, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: BMCS) announces that it has received preliminary independent clinical testing of its patented SHBAN™ Hand Sanitizer Solution to demonstrate it kills the H1N1 (Swine) Influenza A virus.

3 Sep 2009

Tips to prevent tooth decay in children

"Tooth decay can impact a child's ability to focus, learn and even attend class," says ODA President Dr. Ira Kirshen. "The good news is that it is entirely preventable. Parents can help children fight off tooth decay by simply teaching them good oral health habits."

2 Sep 2009

Bretford pioneers antimicrobial finishes on tables and carts

Bretford Manufacturing, Inc., manufacturer of dependable furniture products that improve how people work and learn, is the first to offer multi-surface antimicrobial finishes on more than 50 different tables and carts for learning and training environments.

2 Sep 2009

Pathogenic microbes can suppress immune system in newborns

Group B Streptococcus (GBS), a bacterial pathogen that causes sepsis and meningitis in newborn infants, is able to shut down immune cell function in order to promote its own survival, according to researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

2 Sep 2009

Biotransformed blueberry juice can function as anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agent

Juice extracted from North American lowbush blueberries, biotransformed with bacteria from the skin of the fruit, holds great promise as an anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agent. The study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, was conducted by researchers from the Universit- de Montr-al, the Institut Armand-Frappier and the Universit- de Moncton who tested the effects of biotransformed juices compared to regular blueberry drinks on mice.

2 Sep 2009

Researchers analyze the role of bioactive lipids in inflammatory diseases

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 46 million Americans have arthritis. Many of these people take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications that block production of certain molecules, known as bioactive lipids, to reduce pain and swelling. Yet, the role of these lipids is not yet understood completely, and medications may have adverse side effects.

2 Sep 2009

Seeplex FluA ACE subtyping test enables simultaneous detection of four major influenza A subtypes

Seegene today released a new influenza A sub-type screening test, Seeplex FluA ACE Subtyping, that enables simultaneous detection of pandemic novel influenza A (H1N1), seasonal human influenza A H1, seasonal human influenza A H3 and avian influenza A H5 in a single reaction.

1 Sep 2009

New gene therapy vector developed for transferring therapeutic DNA to a cell's nucleus

A research report featured on the cover of the September 2009 print issue of The FASEB Journal describes how Australian scientists developed a new gene therapy vector that uses the same machinery that viruses use to transport their cargo into our cells. As a result of this achievement, therapeutic DNA can be transferred to a cell's nucleus far more efficiently than in the past, raising hopes for more effective treatment of genetic disorders and some types of cancers.

1 Sep 2009

New compound discovered by Scripps scientists offers a novel template for drug development

Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and their colleagues at Creighton University have deciphered the highly unusual molecular structure of a naturally produced, ocean-based compound that is giving new understanding of the function of mammalian nerve cells.

29 Aug 2009