Culture
Scientists have made a pivotal breakthrough in advancing our understanding of how bacteria move and perform genetic exchange - that could potentially lead to the development of new antimicrobial drugs.
A team of researchers from the University of Exeter's Living Systems Institute and the University of Frankfurt has made a crucial discovery around the structures of long filaments - hair like appendages - called type IV pili found on the surface of bacteria.
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team has uncovered how bats can carry the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus without getting sick--research that could shed light on how coronaviruses make the jump to humans and other animals.
Coronaviruses such as MERS, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and more recently the COVID19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus, are thought to have originated in bats. While these viruses can cause serious and often fatal disease in people, for reasons not previously well understood, bats seem unharmed.
To restart surgeries cancelled because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Canada needs to adopt single-entry models (SEMs) with team-based care, argues a commentary https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/early/2020/05/06/cmaj.200791.full.pdf in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Heart failure and cancer are conditions with a number of shared characteristics. A new study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine found that in patients with heart failure, several known tumor markers can also be indicators of heart failure severity and progression.
In the study, researchers measured six markers that are indicators for various cancers-- including ovarian, breast, lung, pancreatic, colorectal, and germ cell cancers--in 2,079 patients with heart failure.
A study of over 4 million children and adolescents in the U.S. enrolled in Medicaid found that those who rely on urgent care centers for more than a third of their outpatient health care needs had fewer visits to primary care providers. This may result in missed opportunities for preventative services, such as vaccinations, and identification and management of chronic conditions, such as obesity or asthma. Findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND, May 6, 2020--A new freeze-resistant Trichinella species has been discovered in wolverines by Agricultural Research Service scientists and their colleagues. Trichinella are parasites that cause the disease trichinosis (formally referred to as trichinellosis), which people can get by eating raw or undercooked meat from infected animals.
Before the advent of modern biosafety practices, Americans risked infection from a spiralis from contaminated pork. Residual risk exists when consuming wild game infected with this, or other species of Trichinella.
NEW YORK...May 6, 2020 - In the aftermath of President Trump's election, there were many media reports of so-called "Trump Depression" among liberal Americans. However, according to a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers, his election did not cause a wave of long-term depression.
Over half of a cohort of 23-35-year-old black women from Detroit had detectable levels of organochlorine pesticides in their blood, possibly from tobacco, alcohol, and water.
NEW YORK CITY, May 6, 2020 -- From avocado plants to baker's yeast, humans to zebras, sexually reproducing organisms must create germ cells that contain half the number of chromosomes found in a typical body cell. When these germ cells -- such as sperm and egg -- come together during fertilization, the regular number of chromosomes is restored.
This is part 3 of a three-part series examining the effects of robots and automation on employment, based on new research from economist and Institute Professor Daron Acemoglu.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Modern technology affects different workers in different ways. In some white-collar jobs -- designer, engineer -- people become more productive with sophisticated software at their side. In other cases, forms of automation, from robots to phone-answering systems, have simply replaced factory workers, receptionists, and many other kinds of employees.
Making pure red LEDs from nitride crystals is a goal that has so far frustrated engineers. However, these LEDs are vital for building the next generation of energy-efficient micro-LED displays to follow OLED displays and for creating lighting with color tuning. Now, for the first time, a team of electrical engineers at KAUST has succeeded in making these LEDs.
Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics and resins, inner coatings for food cans and bottle tops, thermal paper used in store receipts, dental sealants and so on, is a concern because of possible adverse health effects, including a reduction in fertility.
The bacteria Thermus thermophilus likes it hot. It was first discovered in the hot springs at Izu in Japan, where it thrives at an optimal temperature of about 65 degrees Celsius. Like all bacteria, Thermus thermophilus has developed mechanisms to adjust to changing environmental conditions. The bacteria changes its genetic material by exchanging DNA with other bacteria, or absorbing DNA fragments from its environment. These might come from dead bacteria cells, plants or animals. The bacteria incorporate the DNA fragments into their genetic material and keep it if the DNA proves useful.
COVID-19 is a pandemic that has forced many states to declare restrictive measures in order to prevent their wider spread. These measures are necessary to protect the health of adults, children and people with disabilities. Long quarantine periods could cause an increase in anxiety crisis, fear of contagion and post-traumatic stress disorder (frustration, boredom, isolation, fear, insomnia, difficulty concentrating).
At a glance:
New report offers insights on differentiating COVID-19 from other infections that can present with similar symptoms
Early differentiation remains critical in the absence of universal and reliable point-of-care diagnostic testing
Analysis based on data from patient visits to an outpatient COVID-19 clinic in Greater Boston during the month of March