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Penn State researchers develop self-powered enzyme pumps

A new way to use the chemical reactions of certain enzymes to trigger self-powered mechanical movement has been developed by a team of researchers at Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh. A paper describing the team's research, titled "Convective flow reversal in self-powered enzyme micropumps," is published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

27 Feb 2016

Researchers describe three cleaning procedures that effectively remove, disassemble α-Syn fibrils

Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites are found in the brains of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. They consist primarily of fibrils of the protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn), which self-assembles into fibrils in vitro. If introduced into the human body, these seeds can act as prions and trigger the formation of toxic protein deposits. Because α-Syn fibrils are often used in research, it is important that they are not accidentally transferred to humans or cell cultures.

11 Jan 2016

Containing Airborne Contaminants

An interview with Gary Broomhead, discussing the potential sources of contamination in research and how controlling airflow in the laboratory can reduce this.

26 Nov 2015

New MCO-230AIC CO 2 incubators from Panasonic provide greater capacity and exceptional control to optimize cell culture productivity

Panasonic’s new MCO-230AIC CO2 incubatorsprovide outstanding quality and performance, alongside even greater capacity than previous models, to maximise cell culture efficiency and optimise results and reproducibility.

From PHC Europe B.V. 23 Nov 2015

Loughborough researchers secure £545,000 to help tackle Antimicrobial Resistance

Researchers at Loughborough University have secured £545,000 to help tackle growing resistance to antibiotics.

3 Nov 2015

FDA orders three duodenoscope manufacturers in the U.S. to conduct postmarket surveillance studies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today ordered the three manufacturers of duodenoscopes marketed in the U.S. to conduct postmarket surveillance studies to better understand how the devices are reprocessed in real-world settings.

12 Oct 2015

Health Partnership Scheme funds project dedicated to viral haemorrhagic fever

A team from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry and Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust has received funding of £136,000 from the Health Partnership Scheme to develop a training programme to help the Sierra Leonean Health Service to fight future outbreaks of viral haemorrhagic fever.

1 Oct 2015

Bioquell to unveil advanced pathogen eradication technology at annual IPS conference

Antibiotic-resistant pathogens such as CPE and hospital-acquired infections like C.difficile or norovirus seem to be relentlessly lurking around NHS hospitals.

16 Sep 2015

Tackling MRSA with bacteriophage

MRSA is bad news. If you've never heard of it, here's what you need to know: It's pronounced MER-suh, it's a nasty bacterial infection and it can cause serious disease and death.

15 Sep 2015

Researchers demonstrate successful eradication of multi-resistant bacteria from stables

Multi-resistant bacteria represent a major problem not only in hospitals but also in animal husbandry. A study of the University Bonn describes how a farmer successfully eliminated these pathogens entirely from his pig stable. However, the radical hygiene measures taken in this case can only be applied in individual cases. Nevertheless, the work has yielded a number of recommendations - not only for farms but also for hospitals. The study appeared in the Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

7 Sep 2015

Recycling older electronic devices increases exposure to lead, creates health concern

The disposal and recycling of electronic devices has increased exposure to lead and other toxicants and created "an emerging health concern," according to a pediatrician who directs the Environmental Health and Lead Clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

29 Jul 2015

World MRSA Day Kickoff Event and Global C. difficile Summit to be held on September 26, 2015 in Illinois

Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus (MRSA), the antibiotic resistant form of Staphylococcus aureus is rampant in U.S. healthcare facilities, in the community, in livestock and in the environment.

25 Jun 2015

Toothbrushes can serve as vector for transmission of fecal coliforms in communal bathrooms

Data confirms that there is transmission of fecal coliforms in communal bathrooms at Quinnipiac University and that toothbrushes can serve as a vector for transmission of potentially pathogenic organisms. This research is presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

3 Jun 2015

Bioquell QUBE to be showcased at EAHP 2015

The latest generation isolator, the Bioquell QUBE, will be showcased on stand 117 at the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists 20th annual conference in Hamburg, 25th to 27th March 2015.

26 Mar 2015

Farnesoid-X receptor could play key role in hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal disorders

The farnesoid-X receptor (FXR), also known as the chief regulator of bile acid metabolism, is thought to play a role in some hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal disorders.

30 Jan 2015

New colloidal gold test strip demonstrates great potential for early detection of heart attack

NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering professors have been collaborating with researchers from Peking University on a new test strip that is demonstrating great potential for the early detection of certain heart attacks.

16 Jan 2015

Restrooms are no more healthy, unhealthy than your home

Microbial succession in a sterilized restroom begins with bacteria from the gut and the vagina, and is followed shortly by microbes from the skin. Restrooms are dominated by a stable community structure of skin and outdoor associated bacteria, with few pathogenic bacteria making them similar to other built environments such as your home.

2 Dec 2014

A new method for determining onset of elevated influenza activity at community level

Predicting the beginning of influenza outbreaks is notoriously difficult, and can affect prevention and control efforts.

20 Nov 2014

WHO conducts formal review of PPE guidelines for healthcare workers in response to Ebola outbreak

As part of WHO's commitment to safety and protection of healthcare workers and patients from transmission of Ebola virus disease, WHO has conducted a formal review of personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines for healthcare workers and is updating its guidelines in context of the current outbreak.

3 Nov 2014

CDC re-evaluating safety procedures after nurse contracts Ebola

Thomas Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announces that the agency will look again at the protocols for hospitals to see if more training or equipment is necessary to protect health care workers and the public.

15 Oct 2014