197 articles from FRIDAY 30.10.2020

Hospital floors are hotspot for bacteria, creating route of transfer to patients

The floors of hospital rooms are frequently contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria within hours of patient admission, creating a route of transfer of potentially dangerous organisms to patients, according to a study published today as part of the proceedings from Decennial 2020: The Sixth International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections. Decennial 2020, an initiative of the...

Melding biology and physical sciences yields deeper understanding of cancer

An evolving understanding of cancer that incorporates the physical properties of tumors and their surrounding tissues into existing biologic and genetic models can direct cancer researchers down previously uncharted avenues, potentially leading to new drugs and new treatment strategies, say investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School (HMS) and the Ludwig Center at...

Microbes in the gut could be protective against hazardous radiation exposure

A study by scientists at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and colleagues showed that mice exposed to potentially lethal levels of total body radiation were protected from radiation damage if they had specific types of bacteria in their gut. They demonstrated that the bacteria mitigated radiation exposure and enhanced the recovery of blood cell production as well as repair of the...

New artificial skin functions like natural skin

Researchers at RIKEN in Japan have developed an improved human-skin equivalent that reproduces a property that controls the structure and physiological function of skin. This artificial skin will enhance in-depth analyses of physiological skin functions, provide solutions to skin problems caused by diseases or ageing, and reduce the need for animal testing.

New drone technology improves ability to forecast volcanic eruptions

Specially-adapted drones developed by a UCL-led international team have been gathering data from never-before-explored volcanoes that will enable local communities to better forecast future eruptions. The cutting-edge research at Manam volcano in Papua New Guinea is improving scientists' understanding of how volcanoes contribute to the global carbon cycle, key to sustaining life on Earth.

New fault zone measurements could help us to understand subduction earthquake

University of Tsukuba researchers have conducted detailed structural analyses of a fault zone in central Japan to identify the specific conditions that lead to devastating earthquake. The seismic slip processes that were inferred based on the measurements may be applicable to other subduction zones, such as those below the oceans. The gathered data could be applied in future attempts to describe...

Parasitology - Bringing the locals onboard

A new study examines local perceptions of Chagas disease in a region where the infectious agent is endemic. The results underline the need to take social and cultural factors into account in campaigns designed to curb infectious diseases.

Photopharmacology - A light-trigger for the proteasome

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers have designed a light-sensitive inhibitor that can control cell division and cell death - and provides a promising approach for studies of essential cellular processes and the development of novel tumor therapies.

Radical changes in ecosystems

Earth and all the living organisms on it are constantly changing. But is there any way we can detect if these changes are occurring at an abnormal rate? An international team of researchers including scientists from FAU have developed a method of detecting such developments and tracking how new ecosystems are formed.