BMC “Research in Progress” photo competition: the winning images
Earlier this year we proudly announced that BioMed Central is becoming BMC. Firmly believing that our research communities share our enthusiasm for innovation, science and progress we launched our first ever “Research in progress” photography competition. We asked you to send us inspiring images reflecting curiosity, integrity and innovation across four categories: people at work, close-ups of equipment, plants and animals and microscopy, and you certainly didn’t disappoint.
So without further ado, here is our winning image, the runner up and a selection of images that caught the eyes of our judging panel of editors ...
Source: BioMed Central Blog - September 29, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: Davy Falkner Tags: Open Access Source Type: blogs
Mosquito controls with AGO bucket traps, Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO), tested by CDC
Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO) bucket trap is a standard 5-gallon bucket adapted in a specific way to capture mosquitoes.AGO traps are available for purchase online from Springstar. Two traps cost $75, free shipping:https://www.springstar.net/collections/mosquitoes/products/agoThe Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO trap), was developed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and has been proven to reduce populations of Aedes mosquitoes by over 80%. It is effective for the mosquitoes that transmit Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. No pesticides or pheromones required. Just add water and a little hay.From Springstar we...
Source: Clinical Cases and Images - Blog - September 24, 2017 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: noreply at blogger.com (Ves Dimov) Tags: Florida Infectious Diseases Tropical Source Type: blogs
The MedTech Investing Europe Conference in London Showcases Latest Innovations
Now celebrating its 25th gathering, the MedTech Investing Europe Conference brought together over 100 participants from throughout Europe, and further afield, to London. Attendees included startup companies and medtech industry innovation specialists, along with sector-specific professional investment firms, as well as angel and family office investors. There were also a number of people from regional governments and embassies with strategic links to the medtech sector present.
As part of the program, around 25 pre-vetted startup companies were each pitching their novel technologies for investment at both seed and series ...
Source: Medgadget - September 22, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tom Peach Tags: Exclusive Source Type: blogs
In this era of increased globalization, infectious diseases show no boundaries
Devastating. That alone cannot fully describe the extent of the destruction of property, the displacement of tens of thousands of residents, the injuries and loss of life in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. As Americans, our hearts ache for those affected by the flooding. As a medical student, former international development worker in Afghanistan and EMT in South Africa, I also lay awake thinking about the many infectious diseases that take hold in disaster and flood settings.
In major floods and other natural disasters, rising water levels and damage to sewage treatment plants lead to contaminated water supplies, ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - September 21, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/sarah-lawrence" rel="tag" > Sarah Lawrence < /a > Tags: Conditions Infectious Disease Primary Care Public Health & Policy Source Type: blogs
Scientists Develop Cheap, Highly Sensitive and Accurate Test for Biomarkers
Scientists at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital have developed a cheap, sensitive, and highly accurate way of detecting protein biomarkers. The technology may very well revolutionize diagnostics, disease monitoring, and help stop the spread of infectious pathogens. The nanoswitch-linked immunosorbent assay (NLISA) has the potential to be as simple to use as self-administered pregnancy tests but with nearly laboratory-level of accuracy.
NLISA screens for specially prepared DNA strands that change shape in the presence of a protein biomarker. The DNA strands have multiple small pr...
Source: Medgadget - September 12, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Diagnostics Nanomedicine Pathology Source Type: blogs
TWiV 458: Saliva of the fittest
The TWiVians present an imported case of yellow fever in New York City, and explain how a dengue virus subgenomic RNA disrupts immunity in mosquito salivary glands to increase virus replication.
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Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - September 10, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology 17D vaccine aedes aegyptii epidemiological fitness flavivirus innate immunity mosquito rnai salivary gland sgfRNA viral viruses yellow fever Source Type: blogs
TWiV 456: Be careful of canons
Brianne joins the TWiVMasters to explain how mutations in genes encoding RNA polymerase III predispose children to severe varicella, and detection of an RNA virus by a DNA sensor.
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Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - August 27, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology 5'-triphosphate cGAMP cGAS dengue virus DNA sensor inborn error innate immunity mitochondria RNA polymerase III STING varicella varicella-zoster virus viral viruses VZV Source Type: blogs
TWiV 454: FGCU, Zika
Sharon Isern and Scott Michael return to TWiV for a Zika virus update, including their work on viral evolution and spread, and whether pre-existing immunity to dengue virus enhances pathogenesis.
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Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - August 13, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology ADE aedes aegyptii antibody dependent enhancement dengue virus epidemiology evolution macaque microcephaly mosquito mucosal transmission pathogenesis phylogenetic tree viral viruses wolbachia zika viru Source Type: blogs
Does prior dengue virus infection exacerbate Zika virus disease?
The short answer to the question posed in the title of this blog is: we don’t know.
Why would we even consider that a prior dengue virus infection would increase the severity of a Zika virus infection? The first time you are infected with dengue virus, you are likely to have a mild disease involving fever and joint pain, from which you recover and develop immunity to the virus. However, there are four serotypes dengue virus, and infection with one serotype does not provide protection against infection with the other three. If you are later infected with a different dengue virus serotype, you may even experience mor...
Source: virology blog - August 11, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Commentary Information animal model antibody dependent enhancement dengue virus Fc receptor pathogenesis viral zika virus Source Type: blogs
Our planet, ourselves: Climate change and health
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At first glance, climate change and personal health may not seem related. One is a global political and environmental concern, while the other deals ultimately with an individual’s well-being. However, climate change is already directly affecting human health in many parts of our world, including many areas of the United States. We are just beginning to understand, and to witness, the health effects of climate change.
The problem with a warmer planet
As human-made carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere increase, we create a “greenhouse effect,” and our world warms. T...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 29, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Peter Grinspoon, M.D. Tags: Health Health care Source Type: blogs
Did viruses enable sex?
Dengue virus E glycoproteins (monomer at top) lie flat on the virus particle as dimers (middle). At endosomal low pH, three monomers reorient to place the fusion peptide (orange) into the cell membrane. Image credit.
A key step in sexual reproduction is the fusion of haploid cells to form a diploid zygote, yet the molecular mechanism underlying this joining of cells is poorly understood. Two studies reveal amazing similarities between proteins required for fusion of sperm and egg, and virus with host cells.
A screen for genes that cause male sterility in the flowering plant Arabidopsis led to the identification of...
Source: virology blog - March 9, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information Arabidopsis dengue virus fertilization fusion loop gamete glycoprotein HAP2 membrane fusion sperm-egg fusion type II fusion protein viral viruses Source Type: blogs
A virus that controls reproduction
The obligate intracellular bacteria Wolbachia (pictured), which infects 40% of arthropods, can manipulate its host to ensure its maintenance in the population. An example is cytoplasmic incompatibility, which occurs when infected males mate with uninfected females, and causes embryonic lethality (mating with an infected female produces viable offspring). Two Wolbachia genes responsible for this phenotype have been identified, and they are viral (link to paper).
A comparison of genome sequences of different Wolbachia strains that do or do not cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) revealed two genes that were candidates f...
Source: virology blog - March 3, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information arthropod bacteriophage cytoplasmic incompatibility lysogen prophage viral virus WO wolbachia Source Type: blogs
Crowdsourcing Citizen Scientists to Combat Zika at Texas A & M: Interview with Dr. Jenifer Horney
Infectious disease monitoring and management is not only a challenge abroad but also locally in the continental United States. At Texas A&M, Dr. Jennifer Horney PhD, MPH, CPH from the School of Public Health and Dr. Daniel Goldberg, PhD from the College of Geosciences have lead an effort to attack Zika, an Aedes mosquito-borne virus, at its source, standing water, through iOS and Android apps. The platform crowdsources data from citizen scientists about the locations of standing water that health departments can use to identify hotspots where samples can be collected to test for the presence of Zika. We had a chance ...
Source: Medgadget - December 2, 2016 Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Michael Batista Tags: Exclusive Net News Public Health Source Type: blogs
Public Private Partnerships to heal Healthcare.
We all know that the healthcare system in India is creaking. The situation is going to become progressively worse , because we cannot keep up with the demand for medical attention. Epidemics of infectious diseases such as dengue and malaria have become increasingly common, because of poor infrastructure. The rise in non-communicable diseases because of poor life style has created a double whammy, and we are reaching a breaking point.The government is supposed to provide healthcare services to citizens, but the problem is that the public sector doesn't trust the private sector. We know that there's a shortage of hospi...
Source: Dr.Malpani's Blog - November 30, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: blogs
