Traditional Japanese food may hold building blocks of COVID-19 treatments
(Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology) Natto, a fermented soybean dish often served for breakfast in Japan, originated at the turn of the last millennium but may hold an answer to a modern problem: COVID-19, according to a new study based on cell cultures. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Researchers discover nucleotide sequence responsible for effectively fighting pathologies
(National Research University Higher School of Economics) Researchers from HSE University have discovered nucleotide sequences characteristic of microRNA isoforms (microRNAs with errors). The discovery will help predict errors in microRNA behaviour and create drugs that can detect targets (such as viruses) more effectively. The results of the study have been published in the RNA Biology journal. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
A novel method for the rapid repair of peripheral nerve injuries
(Bar-Ilan University) One of the main problems preventing optimal regeneration following peripheral nerve injuries is that axons within severed nerves have difficulty regenerating and reaching their target. This may be attributed in part to misguided axons that sprout in multiple directions, decreasing probability to reach their target organs. A new technique, engineered by researchers at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, fills a nerve conduit with gel containing physical and chemical components that promote and align axon regrowth. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
A global comparison of life-cycle GHG emissions from passenger cars
(International Council on Clean Transportation) A new study of the life-cycle GHG emissions from passenger cars sharply distinguishes the climate impacts of electric vehicles and combustion vehicles. It finds that only battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles powered by renewable electricity can achieve the kind of reductions in GHG emissions from transportation that comport with Paris Agreement goals. There is no realistic pathway that relies on combustion-engine vehicles, including hybrids of any sort. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Toxic facility relocation depends on community pressure
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) No one wants to live near a toxic plant. Toxic-releasing facilities such as paper, pulp, and other manufacturing plants negatively affect human health, environmental quality, and property values. And communities with lower income and educational attainment are more likely to house such facilities. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Wearable brain-machine interface turns intentions into actions
(Georgia Institute of Technology) An international team of researchers led by Georgia Tech is combining soft scalp electronics and virtual reality in a brain-interface system, recently published in Advanced Science. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
New method predicts COVID-19 severity, could help with hospital triage
(American Chemical Society) During the height of the pandemic, some hospitals were overwhelmed with patients seeking treatment for COVID-19. This situation could happen again during future outbreaks, especially with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern on the rise. Now, researchers reporting in ACS'Analytical Chemistry have developed a blood test to predict which people infected with COVID-19 are most likely to experience serious symptoms, which could help health care workers prioritize patients for hospitalization and intensive care. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
A new model of coral reef health
(Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation) Scientists have developed a new way to model and map the health of coral reef ecosystems using data collected on the Global Reef Expedition. This innovative method, presented today at the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS), can determine which natural and anthropogenic factors are most likely to lead to persistently vibrant coral and fish communities. Their findings can help scientists identify the reefs most likely to survive in a changing world. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Toxicity testing on the placenta and embryo
(ETH Zurich) Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a cell culture test to detect substances that are directly or indirectly harmful to embryos. Based on an existing test used for developing new drugs and chemicals, the augmented version is designed to help reduce the number of animal experiments. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
New scoring system for assessing wound healing
(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) Evaluating the efficacy of novel therapies requires the ability to monitor wound progression accurately and reproducibly over time. Researchers have proposed a new scoring system for wound healing in mice based on parameters in each phase of healing (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Study innovates in gluten-free formulations, creating more palatable and nutritious bread
(Funda ç ã o de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de S ã o Paulo) Study at the Federal University of S ã o Paulo developed a recipe combining chickpea flour and psyllium, a plant-derived soluble fiber. The product is nourishing and rated highly by consumers in qualitative surveys. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Thumb-sized device quickly 'sniffs out' bad breath
(American Chemical Society) No one wants bad breath -- not when visiting friends and family, at a job interview, and especially not on a first date. Smelly breath can make things awkward, but it also is a natural warning sign, indicating that serious dental issues are occurring. Now, researchers reporting inACS Nano have constructed a portable, thumb-sized device that diagnoses bad breath by quickly " sniffing " exhalations for the gas that makes it stinky -- hydrogen sulfide. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Toward one drug to treat all coronaviruses
(American Chemical Society) Safe and effective vaccines offer hope for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the possible emergence of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as novel coronaviruses, make finding treatments that work against all coronaviruses as important as ever. Now, researchers reporting in ACS'Journal of Proteome Research have analyzed viral proteins across 27 coronavirus species and thousands of samples from COVID-19 patients, identifying highly conserved sequences that could make the best drug targets. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
The challenge of capturing carbon
(American Chemical Society) In the race to combat climate change, capturing carbon dioxide emissions has been touted as a simple road to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. While the science behind carbon capture is sound, current technologies are expensive and not optimized for all settings. A cover story inChemical& Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, highlights the current state of carbon capture and work being done to improve the process. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Kids eat more fruit and vegetables with longer seated lunch time
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) When kids sit down to eat lunch at school, fruits and vegetables may not be their first choice. But with more time at the lunch table, they are more likely to pick up those healthy foods. If we want to improve children's nutrition and health, ensuring longer school lunch breaks can help achieve those goals, according to research from the University of Illinois. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news
