Microbiology
Poor oral hygiene, bleeding gums may cause heart diseasePeople with poor dental hygiene and those who don't brush their teeth regularly end up with bleeding gums, which provide an entry to the bloodstream for up to 700 different types of bacteria found in our mouths.
Eyes could serve as early warning of diabetesA new vision screening device, already shown to give an early warning of eye disease, could give doctors and patients a head start on treating diabetes and its vision complications, a new study shows.
Cold sore's herpes simplex virus mechanism revealedNow that Duke University Medical Center scientists have figured out how the virus that causes cold sores hides out, they may have a way to wake it up and kill it.
Antibacterial wipes may spread bacteriaAntimicrobial-containing wipes currently used to decontaminate surfaces in hospitals can spread pathogens after first use, revealed by researchers at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
VereFlu portable lab-on-chip for detection of bird fluFollowing the success of the evaluation trials conducted at the prestigious National University Hospital of Singapore, Veredus Laboratories and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) announced the commercial availability of VereFlu, a portable lab-on-chip application for rapid detection of all major influenza types at the point of need.
Men prefer meat, women prefer fruits and vegetablesWhen it comes to what we eat, men and women really are different according to scientific research presented at the 2008 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta, Georgia. In general, men are more likely to report eating meat and poultry items and women are more likely to report eating fruits and vegetables.
MRSA and community acquired staph pneumonia more commonPreliminary research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that community acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium may be more common than originally suspected, including that caused by antibiotic resistant strains.
Researchers identify protein that fuels ovarian cancerA protein that stimulates blood vessel growth worsens ovarian cancer, but its production can be stifled by a tiny bit of RNA wrapped in a fatty nanoparticle, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers discover TRIM22 gene that blocks HIVResearchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a gene that is able to block HIV, and in turn prevent the onset of AIDS. Stephen Barr, a molecular virologist in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, says his team has identified a gene called TRIM22 that can block HIV infection in a cell culture by preventing the assembly of the virus.
MRSA among drug users increasingA new comparative study suggests that rates of MRSA infection in injection drug users in Vancouver have significantly increased over the last six years highlighting the need for interventional methods in high-risks groups.
Copper inhibits transmission of hiv through breast milk and bloodResearchers from the U.S. and abroad have developed an inexpensive copper-based filter that may prevent HIV from being passed through breast milk and blood. They report their findings in the February 2008 issue of the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
Gastric acid protects against foodborne diseasesA new study suggests that low levels of gastric acid in the stomach can increase one's likelihood of getting a foodborne infection. The researchers from Australia report their findings in the February 2008 issue of the journal Infection and Immunity.
Herpes virus link to complications in pregnancyViral infection with high blood pressure during pregnancy may lead to pre-term birth, revealed by researchers at Adelaide's Women's & Children's Hospital and the University of Adelaide.
Babies excrete vaccine-mercury quickerFebruary's issue of Pediatrics offers another reason to rethink blaming the spike in autism diagnoses on thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative routinely used in several childhood vaccines until the late ‘90s.
Researchers discover a pathway to turn off immune systemUniversity of Minnesota researchers have discovered a new way to turn genes off in human T cells, a type of white blood cell that helps the immune system fight infections. Turning off genes, through a process known as mRNA decay, is important for regulating the body's immune response after fighting infection.
Newly discovered virus linked to skin cancerResearchers using sequencing technique discovered a new cancer virus Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) causing Kaposi's sarcoma, is associated with another rare but deadly skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma.