Chris Condayan - SubmissionsArticles
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| Plasmalogens Have Evolved Twice | Howard Goldfine, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has authored a new post on Small Things Considered that looks at the interesting evolution of plasmalogens from anaerobes to plant and animal cells. "Plasmalogens appeared early, but did not survive in aerotolerant and aerobic bacteria. Why not? A clue comes from the finding that the alk-1-enyl ether bond in plasmalogens is broken by reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide, hydroxyl free radicals, and singlet oxygen. As oxygen increased in the earth’s atmosphere, respiration, with its ability to generate lots more ATP than fermentation, evolved in bacteria. ROS are formed in cells during respiration, typically at the last step in the electron transport chain. This created a problem that aerobes had to solve. The simplest solution was to get rid of plasmalogens and replace them with lipids containing only acyl esters. This process can even be replicated in the laboratory today (see here and here). The separate evolution of Archaea reveals another solution; they make lipids with chemically stable, saturated ether bonds." Click source for more. | 08/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Murine leukemia virus found in in 86 percent of chronic fatigue patients | Researchers have linked a second type of mouse virus to a baffling condition called chronic fatigue syndrome, but said their findings do not yet prove that any virus causes the symptoms. They found evidence of murine leukemia virus, which causes cancer in mice, in 86 percent of chronic fatigue patients they tested, but in fewer than 7 percent of healthy blood donors. The team, lead by Harvey Alter of the National Institutes of Health, said much more study is needed to determine how common the virus is in people and whether it might be causing disease, or whether it is an innocent bystander. But they say their finding adds to evidence that viruses may be linked with the debilitating condition. Click source for more. | 08/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Vaccine cuts child cases of bacterial pneumonia in UK, says study | The number of children admitted to English hospitals with bacterial pneumonia decreased by a fifth in the two years following the introduction of a vaccine to combat the disease, according to a new study published today in the journal Thorax. In September 2006, a vaccine known as PCV7 was introduced into the childhood primary immunisation programme across the UK, to protect against seven different strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Today's study, led by researchers from Imperial College London, shows that in the first two years following the introduction of this vaccine, hospital admissions for bacterial pneumonia decreased by 19 per cent amongst children aged under 15 years. Admissions for empyema, a rare and serious complication of bacterial pneumonia, decreased by 22 per cent. | 08/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Oregano supplement reduces methane emissions in cows and improves milk production | "Cow belches, a major source of greenhouse gases, could be decreased by an unusual feed supplement developed by a Penn State dairy scientist. In a series of laboratory experiments and a live animal test, an oregano-based supplement not only decreased methane emissions in dairy cows by 40 percent, but also improved milk production, according to Alexander Hristov, an associate professor of dairy nutrition. The natural methane-reduction supplement could lead to a cleaner environment and more productive dairy operations." | 08/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| First West Nile virus infections confirmed in humans in Greece | Between early July and 22 August 2010, 81 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease were reported in the region of Central Macedonia, northern Greece. The median age of cases was 70 years. Encephalitis, meningoencephalitis or aseptic meningitis occurred mainly in patients aged 50 years or older. This is the first time that West Nile virus (WNV) infection has been documented in humans in Greece. Enhanced surveillance and mosquito control measures have been implemented. Click source for more. | 08/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Salmonella strain blamed in outbreak is confirmed at 2 Iowa farms | According to the Food and Drug Administration, laboratory tests have confirmed that two Iowa egg companies are contaminated with the same strain of salmonella blamed for a national outbreak of illness, which continues to claim victims and has sickened at least 1,500 people. | 08/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Helicobacter Pylori: Bacteria Cause Cancer. | Dr. Nina Salama, microbiologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Affiliate Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Washington discusses Helicobacter pylori, a bacterira that lives in the human stomach and causes chronic disease (peptic ulcer and gastric cancer). {youtube}k1CypA021lQ{/youtube} Via PBS Affiliate KCTS 9 | 08/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Building Community through Public Toilets | The Global Water Challenge (GWC) is a coalition of leading organizations in the water and sanitation sector. In this video GWC finalist David Kuria of Ecotact Limited, a Kenyan company dedicated to bringing public toilets to an area where there were only two for 60,000 people, discusses the need for sanitation services and the risks for not providing them in one of Nairobi's most notorious slums. | 08/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Ants found to use multiple antibiotics as weed killers | Scientists at the University of East Anglia, have shown that fungus-farming ants are using multiple antibiotics as weed killers to maintain their fungus gardens. Research led by Dr Matt Hutchings and published in the journal BMC Biology shows that ants use the antibiotics to inhibit the growth of unwanted fungi and bacteria in their fungus cultures which they use to feed their larvae and queen. These antibiotics are produced by actinomycete bacteria that live on the ants in a mutual symbiosis. Although these ants have been studied for more than 100 years this is the first demonstration that a single ant colony uses multiple antibiotics and is reminiscent of the use of multidrug therapy to treat infections in humans. | 08/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Researchers have developed a new bioreactor that can enhance algae growth | Syracuse University’s Radhakrishna Sureshkumar, professor and chair of biomedical and chemical engineering in the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, and SU chemical engineering Ph.D. student Satvik Wani have discovered a method to make algae grow faster by manipulating light particles through the use of nanobiotechnology. By creating accelerated photosynthesis, algae will grow quickly with minimal change in the ecological resources required. When the optimal combination of light and confined nanoparticle suspension configuration was used, the team was able to achieve growth enhancement of an algae sample of greater than 30 percent as compared to a control. Via Futurity.org | 08/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Submit a session proposal for 9th ASM Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting | The 2011 ASM Biodefense Meeting (http://www.asmbiodefense.org/) at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC, on Feb 6-9, 2011, will focus on basic and applied research, policy issues, and education related to biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. Meeting participants represent a blend of scientists and policy makers from academia, government, and the private sector. Please submit your proposals using the Session Development Form (PDF) at the link below. Proposals must include: - session title - brief description of the topic - list of 3 to 6 potential speakers and their specific contributions. Email session proposals to asmbiodefense@asmusa.org by Friday, September 3, 2010. We look forward to receiving your proposals and for your continued support of the ASM Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting. | 08/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Story of Louis Pasteur (1935) | William Dieterle's 1935 film about Louis Pasteur who scientifically disproved the spontaneous generation hypothesis and among many other things greatly influenced the introduction and use of antisepsis in medicine. You can watch the rest of the parts 2-6 on YouTube. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| DNA Sequencing Reveals Complex Microbial Quid Pro Quo for Managing Carbon and Waste Streams | DOE JGI researchers report the first metagenome analysis of a microbial community grown in an anaerobic methanogenic (methane producing) bioreactor. The microbial community is syntrophic, i.e., certain organisms live off the byproducts of others. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| Norwegians may have an edge against future H1N1 outbreaks | By autumn 2009, almost half of the population of Norway had been vaccinated against the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus. Many had also been infected by the virus during the summer and autumn outbreaks. The majority of those who were vaccinated or were infected are expected to have developed immunity to the virus. A study of the Norwegian population's immune status to the pandemic virus in January 2010 was recently published in the journal Eurosurveillance. For many years the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) has monitored the population's immune status for influenza by studying antibodies in blood samples. The annual collection usually takes place in August but an extra collection was made in January 2010 in connection with the pandemic to see what effect vaccination and infection had had on the population's immunity. Samples taken in 2008 were also studied to see how many people already had some form of immunity before the pandemic occurred. The study found that at the beginning of 2010 nearly 60 percent of the population had measurable immunity to the pandemic virus, with 45 per cent having a sufficient immunity to protect against the disease. "This is a substantial increase because few had antibodies against the new virus prior to the pandemic" said Olav Hungnes, a researcher at the Department of Virology at the NIPH. "Even though many acquired immunity through infection, we believe that vaccination may have been responsible for most of the increase. The population of Norway is particularly well prepared for major new outbreaks of swine flu, compared with countries where fewer received the vaccine. Even those who are not immune will benefit from the fact that the spread of infection would be slowed by others' immunity - we call this herd immunity," said Hungnes. The proportion of young people who developed immunity is high, probably because both the rate of vaccination and the extent of infection were high. It remains to be seen how well immunity remains over time and the NIPH will continue to monitor the population's immunity. Via EurekAlert | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| Ancient microbes breathed life into ocean 'deserts' | In a paper published by Nature Geoscience online, Arizona State University researchers Brian Kendall and Ariel Anbar, et al., show that "oxygen oases" in the surface ocean were sites of significant oxygen production long before the breathing gas began to accumulate in the atmosphere. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| HIV may hide in the brain | Studies of the spinal fluid of patients given anti-HIV drugs have resulted in new findings suggesting that the brain can act as a hiding place for the HIV virus. Around 10% of patients showed traces of the virus in their spinal fluid but not in their blood – a larger proportion than previously realised, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg's Sahlgrenska Academy. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| Mice spread plague in prairie dog towns | Prairie dogs, once abundant in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, have been decimated in recent decades by plague – a virulent bacterial disease spread by fleas. Plague outbreaks periodically sweep through large prairie dog towns with thousands of inhabitants, killing virtually the entire population within months. Other prairie dogs move in and build a new colony, which eventually is wiped out when the disease returns. This pattern of re-colonization followed by devastation can occur over many years. The question for scientists is how does plague persist after a colony has been wiped out? The answer, researchers at Stanford University say, is the flea-ridden, carnivorous rodent known as the grasshopper mouse. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| Michigan State University develops two lines of pest-resistant soybeans | Two lines of pest-resistant soybean painstakingly developed by a Michigan State University scientist promise healthier harvests for growers and a little green for the university too. “Sparta – the Soybean Aphid Shield” is the new trade name for genetics developed by Dechun Wang. The associate professor of crop and soil science tested some 2,000 strains of soybeans against aphids to isolate four with different resistant genes. From those he developed germplasm, or seeds to breed into varieties suited to Michigan’s shorter growing season. “The final goal,” Wang said, “would be to have one variety that has all those resistant genes,” maximizing protection against different biotypes of aphids and perhaps other pests such as Japanese beetle. Soybean aphids suck plant sap and secrete sticky honeydew that promotes sooty black mold, and when they sprout wings can transmit plant viruses widely. Fifteen generations of aphid can live on a soybean plant in the summer, with eggs overwintering on nearby buckthorn. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| Scientist IDs genes that may make biofuel production more economical | A University of Illinois metabolic engineer has taken the first step toward the more efficient and economical production of biofuels by developing a strain of yeast with increased alcohol tolerance. Biofuels are produced through microbial fermentation of biomass crops, which yield the alcohol-based fuels ethanol and iso-butanol if yeast is used as the microbe to convert sugars from biomass into biofuels. "However, at a certain concentration, the biofuels that are being created become toxic to the yeast used in making them. Our goal was to find a gene or genes that reduce this toxic effect," said Yong-Su Jin, an assistant professor of microbial genomics in the U of I Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and a faculty member in the U of I's Institute for Genomic Biology. Jin worked with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the microbe most often used in making ethanol, to identify four genes (MSN2, DOG1, HAL1, and INO1) that improve tolerance to ethanol and iso-butanol when they are overexpressed. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| HIV cure could be all in the 'mix' | Current HIV treatments do not eradicate HIV from host cells but rather inhibit virus replication and delay the onset of AIDS. However, a new research published in BioMed Central's open access journal, AIDS Research & Therapy describes an innovative approach to eliminate HIV in host by targeted killing of only HIV infected cells. This approach if successful could lead into an anti-HIV therapy that will eradicate the virus. Click "source" to access the .pdf from Biomedcentral.com. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| Study to Examine New Treatment for West Nile Virus | Neurological and infectious disease experts at Rush University Medical Center are testing a new drug therapy for the treatment of individuals with West Nile fever or suspected central nervous system infection due to the West Nile virus. Rush is the only site in the Midwest enrolling patients into the $50 million dollar, NIH-funded, Phase II clinical trial called PARADIGM. The new drug treatment for West Nile virus that is being tested, also known as MGAWN1, is a humanized monoclonal antibody, which is a drug engineered to help the body seek and destroy the virus. During the randomized, double-blind study, patients with the signs and symptoms of West Nile virus will receive either a single infusion of MGAWN1 or a placebo. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| Study says alcohol-based hand rubs can improve business productivity | The placement of alcohol-based hand disinfectants in businesses can reduce illness and absenteeism amongst the work force. A study published in the open access journal, BMC Infectious Diseases, has found that incidences of absenteeism in public administrations due to the common cold, fever and cough are significantly reduced when alcohol-based hand disinfectants are used by employees. Click "source" to download the study from Biomedcentral.com. | 08/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| 'Zombie ants' controlled by parasitic fungus for 48m years | The oldest evidence of a fungus that turns ants into zombies and makes them stagger to their death has been uncovered by scientists. The gruesome hallmark of the fungus's handiwork was found on the leaves of plants that grew in Messel, near Darmstadt in Germany, 48m years ago. The finding shows that parasitic fungi evolved the ability to control the creatures they infect in the distant past, even before the rise of the Himalayas. | 08/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| White nose syndrome could kill off U.S. Northeast's little brown bats in 20 years | A brief article in Scientific American by writer John Platt looks at the dim future for little brown bats who are at risk of becoming extinct due to white nose syndrome. "As we have previously reported, 95 percent of Vermont's bats have been killed by the deadly fungal infection known as white-nose syndrome (WNS), but at least the bats in that one small town are doing well. That's not the case in New York State, where WNS was first observed in 2006. According to a study published August 6 in Science, WNS will wipe out the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) there, if not the entire northeastern U.S., within 16 to 20 years. Ecologist Thomas Kunz of Boston University (B.U.) and a team of researchers started out by calculating the mortality rate of little brown bats in caves where WNS occurs. On average, 73 percent of the bats died. With this annual death rate representing 45 percent of the entire local M. lucifugus population, Kunz and his team calculated a 99 percent probability of regional extinction in less than two decades." | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Polio: A Conquered Disease Still Clings to Life | Despite a known preventative, polio still maims and cripples 1,000 people annually. Poliomyelitis—a viral disease that wreaks havoc on motor neurons, often paralyzing sufferers for life—was supposed to be banished from the planet a long time ago. When Jonas Salk unveiled his famed vaccine to the world in 1955, and Albert Sabin introduced an oral version shortly thereafter, inoculations began in earnest in many parts of the world, drastically lowering incidence numbers. Polio was completely eradicated in North and South America by 1994; in Australia and China by 2000; and in Europe by 2002. Even so, cultural animosities in isolated pockets of the world have conspired to keep global health authorities from stamping out the disease altogether. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Medicare Coverage Drives Antibiotic Use among Elderly | Now that older people have prescription drug coverage from Medicare, they are using more antibiotics, a new study from the University of Pittsburgh has found. That may not sound surprising. But the authors of the study say it could be worrisome. Among the drugs being taken more often, the researchers pointed out, are new broad-spectrum antibiotics that are more expensive and more likely to lead to bacterial resistance than older versions. The study, based on insurance claims from 35,102 older adults, compared oral antibiotic use two years before and after the Medicare Part D drug benefit took effect in 2006. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Despite vaccination, Pertussis is making a comeback | "In recent years, pertussis has made an alarming comeback — even among adolescents and adults who were vaccinated as children. Highly contagious, spread by coughs and sneezes, pertussis is now epidemic in California, with 2,774 confirmed cases in 2010 — a sevenfold increase from last year, putting the state on track for the worst outbreak in 50 years. Seven infants have died. This month the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued an alert to physicians, and a top health official noted an unusually high rate of pertussis among 8-to-12-year-olds in the Philadelphia suburbs — including, incidentally, the county where I live. Outbreaks have also been reported in upstate New York, South Carolina and Michigan. No one knows exactly why this is happening. In the 1920s and ’30s, pertussis was a feared childhood killer, with an annual toll as high as 250,000 cases and 9,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the 1940s, health authorities introduced a combined vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (often called D.P.T. or DTaP), and by 1976 pertussis was virtually eliminated, with just 1,010 reported cases. But since the 1980s it has been rising, albeit in cycles, despite the introduction of new vaccines with far fewer side effects and a C.D.C. recommendation for adolescents and adults to get a booster." Click source for more. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Old Malaria Drug Blamed for Resistance Gets a New Reputation | An inexpensive drug currently used to treat and prevent malaria in pregnant women—sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, or “SP” for short—could reduce malaria infection in infants by 30 percent, recent studies have shown. But health officials in the developing world have held off on recommending SP’s widespread use because of concerns that offering it to more people might accelerate the malaria parasite’s resistance to SP and render the drug useless. Two new research articles, drawing on 10 years of field and laboratory studies on SP, suggest the drug may be a safe and effective way to prevent malaria. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Scientists develop new drug treatment for malaria | Researchers from the University of Liverpool and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have produced a new drug to treat malaria. Click "source" to view the video. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Reminding healthcare staff to remove catheters reduces infections by half | Urinary catheters are often left in place longer than needed, and new research shows that reminder systems that encourage hospital staff to remove catheters promptly can reduce the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 52 percent. The review and meta-analysis was published July 30 in the journal, Clinical Infectious Diseases. The catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common hospital acquired infection and was the first complication chosen for non-payment by Medicare, beginning in late 2008. Other insurers have now followed suit. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| This Wormy World | Maps showing the distribution and prevalence of worm infections in every African country are the first of a series of Global Atlas of Helminth Infections which provide a unique, open-access, free information resource vital for planning and implementing deworming programs. It is estimated that more than 400 million children worldwide are infected with worms (helminths), 90 million in Africa alone. Worms damage children's health, nutrition and educational achievement. Infections are most prevalent in poor communities where there is inadequate sanitation. The most common worm infections are soil-transmitted helminths (roundworm, whipworm and hookworm) and schistosomiasis. This Wormy World identifies areas in a country that most urgently require mass treatment to control infection and predicts the risk of infection in areas where data is lacking. The Global Atlas of Helminth Infections has been produced by an international collaboration lead by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Partnership for Child Development at Imperial College London. For a decade, the group has been gathering survey data to describe the distribution and prevalence of worm infection. Click source to check out the maps. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| MRSA policies differ among hospitals, study shows | Hospitals vary in how they detect and treat drug-resistant staph infections, but most follow national guideline recommendations, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Researchers sent a 61-item questionnaire to pharmacy directors at 263 acute-care hospitals in the U.S. to learn of their policies and practices regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. All of the hospitals are members of Broadlane, a health care cost management company based in Dallas. Among the 102 hospitals that responded, 43 percent said they had a procedure to screen patients for MRSA, a strain of staph bacteria that has become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections, says Yoojung Yang, a fellow in the Center for Pharmacoeconomic Research who led the study. MRSA is a leading cause of health care-acquired infections in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes and dialysis centers. Staph is commonly found on skin and other body surfaces. Most of the time, the bacteria cause no harmful effects. Staph becomes a problem when the bacteria invade the system. MRSA can spread through direct contact with an infected person or by sharing personal items that have touched infected skin. Prevention is the best treatment for MRSA. Nearly all of the hospitals surveyed have adopted hand-hygiene practices, Yang said. Other preventive practices include the use of gowns and gloves, and isolation of MRSA-positive patients, she said. Nearly 75 percent of the responding hospitals review antimicrobial prescription orders and place restrictions on the use of select antimicrobials in an effort to ensure optimal use of the drugs and to reduce the risk of bacterial resistance, Yang said. "The results of our survey suggest that pharmacists play a key role in the treatment of MRSA infections, because they have the knowledge of how best antimicrobials can be used," she said. Vancomycin, the traditional drug of choice, was on the formulary in all of the hospitals, and only three hospitals had restrictions placed on its use, Yang said. Newer drugs such as linezolid, daptomycin and tigecycline were on the formulary in the vast majority of the respondent hospitals. Restrictions of their use were reported by more than half. According to Glen Schumock, professor and director of the Center for Pharmacoeconomic Research who assisted Yang, this is the first survey of hospital pharmacy directors to address comprehensive MRSA treatment options. The results, he said, could identify areas for potential improvement in the prevention and management of the potentially deadly pathogen. The study, funded by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, was printed in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacist. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| ISU researchers discover cause of immune system avoidance of certain pathogens | A special set of sugars found on some disease-causing pathogens helps those pathogens fight the body's natural defenses as well as vaccines, say two Iowa State University researchers. This discovery may be a first step in understanding a disease family that includes tuberculosis for which there are currently no good vaccines or cures. Nicola Pohl, professor of chemistry at Iowa State University, and Christine Petersen, assistant professor of veterinary pathology, Iowa State University, discovered that a natural coating of sugar interacts with the body's defense cells to dampen its own immune response. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Protein assembly is far less frantic than previously thought | The apparently random self-assembly of molecular threads into the proteins that make the body work is far less frantic than previously thought, Michigan State University scientists say. That discovery could be a key to help unlock the nature of some diseases. How proteins spontaneously “fold” from wiggling chains of amino acids into a wide variety of functional – or malfunctioning – three-dimensional molecules is one of the biggest mysteries in biochemistry. “People thought they understood how protein diffusion worked, but now our data suggests they’re wrong by a factor of 1,000,” MSU physics and astronomy assistant professor Lisa Lapidus said. “Now we can start changing the models – we’ve been trying to solve protein folding for 50 years, and now we’re advancing our fundamental understanding of what unfolded proteins do before they fold.” The findings were published online by the science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Lapidus was joined in the research by University of Zurich Institute of Physical Chemistry researcher Steven Waldauer, whose recent MSU doctoral dissertation formed the basis of the study, and University of California, Davis, scientist Olgica Bakajin. | 08/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Healthwatch: PRHC Microbiology Lab | A behind the scenes look at the Microbiology Lab at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre, staffed by highly trained medical laboratory technologists and laboratory technicians. | 08/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| New superbug resistant to strongest antibiotics found in Canada | A new bacteria that has emerged in India — dubbed NDM-1 and which is resistant to even the strongest antibiotics — is quickly spreading worldwide, British researchers say in a report published in the medical journal The Lancet. Click "source " to watch the video. | 08/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| What is Open Access Publishing in Scientific Research? | A slide-cast by Jonathan Eisen, Professor at UC Davis and Academic Editor in Chief of PLoS Biology, about open access publishing given at the Clinical and Translational Science Center at UC Davis (http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/ctsc). | 08/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| A Brief Introduction to Genetics | A Brief Introduction to Genetics is a short documentary film created using motion graphics as the main visual component. It is a film that explores the history of genetics & genomics and the underlying concepts that provide the foundational knowledge that today's research is built upon. The film describes the history of genetics, from Gregor Mendel, to concepts such as DNA and the genetic code. Having introduced the fundamental ideas of genetics, the film moves on to describe the current techniques used to study genetics. Finally, the film explores the connection of these core concepts to genomics and bioinformatics. | 08/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| Invitation - A quick tour through the field of genomics | A quick animation about genomics, from simple to complex | 08/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| Superbug, Be Gone | A short documentary by Daniel Vasquez about a new strategy of combating antibiotic resistance. | 08/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| Malaysia coordinates bacteria surveillance for superbug | The Malaysian Institute of Medical Research (IMR) is coordinating bacteria surveillance for the New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1) gene, which makes bacteria resistant to almost all antibiotics and thus turning them into “Superbugs”. Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the surveillance is performed by a network of hospital-based microbiology laboratories. “Altough NDM-1 resistance does not appear to be frequent in Malaysia at this moment, gene sequencing will be done to detect the NDM-1 gene in gut bacteria at the IMR in the near future,” he said in a statement here today. Currently, he said, E. coli (gut bacteria) and pneumonia bacteria resistance to carbapenems, a class of beta-lactam antibiotics with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity in Malaysia was low, approximately only 0.2 per cent. | 08/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Louisiana's agriculture department recalls sausage | Louisiana's agriculture department says Veron Foods LLC of Prairieville is recalling 250 tons of ready-to-eat sausage and hog's head cheese because of possible contamination by bacteria. The Department of Agriculture and Forestry says investigation of an illness revealed a sample contaminated with Listeria bacteria, which can cause an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. | 08/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Nickel imitates the action of bacteria | Nickel allergy is the most common contact allergy in the western world, with people affected reacting to costume jewellery, coins and even medical implants. Now we know why: it seems nickel imitates the action of bacteria. Matthias Goebeler at the University of Giessen in Germany and his colleagues looked at cells from the blood vessels of people with a nickel allergy. The team found that these cells react to nickel when a group of receptors known as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are present. | 08/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Are banknotes contaminated with dangerous levels of bacteria? | Apparently not, according to food microbiologist at the University of Ballarat Dr Frank Vriesekoop. The urban legend has been shattered by a global research team led by Dr Vriesekoop after one of his students asked him about sanitation in food outlets and the handling of money. Similar results in Australia and New Zealand led Dr Vriesekoop to believe the low results of bacteria were related to the plastic material of the notes. More than 1200 banknotes were examined as the project quickly expanded to include countries such as China, Mexico, the UK and the United States, finding a strong relationship with the economic wealth of a country. | 08/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| High Temps Play Role in Spreading Arkansas Rice Disease | Hot nights are accelerating panicle blight, a seed-borne bacterial rice disease that can cut yields by up to 60 bushels per acre. The rod-shaped bacteria responsible for panicle blight destroy or rot the developing rice grains, resulting in what’s known as kernel blanking, or partial blanking. “This year in June and July, we had nights above 80 degrees quite often,” creating perfect conditions for the disease, said Rick Cartwright, extension plant pathologist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. | 08/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Researchers develop MRSA-killing paint | Building on an enzyme found in nature, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have created a nanoscale coating for surgical equipment, hospital walls, and other surfaces which safely eradicates methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the bacteria responsible for antibiotic resistant infections. "We're building on nature," said Jonathan S. Dordick, the Howard P. Isermann Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and director of Rensselaer's Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies. "Here we have a system where the surface contains an enzyme that is safe to handle, doesn't appear to lead to resistance, doesn't leach into the environment, and doesn't clog up with cell debris. The MRSA bacteria come in contact with the surface, and they're killed." In tests, 100 percent of MRSA in solution were killed within 20 minutes of contact with a surface painted with latex paint laced with the coating. The new coating marries carbon nanotubes with lysostaphin, a naturally occurring enzyme used by non-pathogenic strains of Staph bacteria to defend against Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA. The resulting nanotube-enzyme "conjugate" can be mixed with any number of surface finishes — in tests, it was mixed with ordinary latex house paint. Unlike other antimicrobial coatings, it is toxic only to MRSA, does not rely on antibiotics, and does not leach chemicals into the environment or become clogged over time. It can be washed repeatedly without losing effectiveness and has a dry storage shelf life of up to six months. | 08/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| New Drug-Resistant 'Superbug' Claims First Life | A new drug-resistant "superbug" that originated in South Asia has claimed the life of a Belgian man. It’s the first reported death from bacteria with the New Delhi metallo-lactamase-1 gene,Agence France-Presses reported. The gene, which is found in a number of different bacteria, produces an enzyme that renders even very strong, last resort antibiotics ineffective in combating the gene-carrying bacteria. | 08/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| NIH launches effort to define markers of human immune responses | A new nationwide research initiative has been launched to define changes in the human immune system, using human and not animal studies, in response to infection or to vaccination. Six U. S.-based Human Immune Phenotyping Centers will receive a total of $100 million over five years to conduct this research. Funding for the centers is provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Support for the first year of this initiative will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. "Recognizing the differences in immune system activity before, during and after exposure to an infectious agent or vaccine will help in the development of safer, more effective therapeutics and vaccines," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "This research effort also will contribute to the ongoing evolution in our ability to study the immune system." Investigators will analyze samples from well-characterized groups, including children, the elderly and people with autoimmune diseases such as lupus. These groups represent diverse populations with respect to age, genetics, gender and ethnicity. The research teams will examine immune system elements of these populations before and after exposure to naturally acquired infections or to vaccines or vaccine components. The profile that will emerge of the body's response to vaccination will be based on the most sophisticated and comprehensive assays currently available. This will enable new approaches to examining vaccine safety, not just of individual vaccines but of the processes of immunization in general. Their studies will focus on immune responses to vaccines against specific viruses and bacteria, such as influenza and pneumococcus, as well as to infection with West Nile virus. The investigators will take advantage of technological developments and advances in creating databases and developing mathematical models to identify and analyze the complex changes in immune profiles. Each awardee will contribute to the establishment of a centralized infrastructure to collect, characterize and store human samples and analyze the large data sets that will be generated. Eventually, the centers will gather the information from this effort into a centralized Web-based database they will make available to the scientific community to promote and support human immunology research. "This research effort represents a major expansion of efforts to define the principles of human immune regulation, instead of relying on findings from animal models that have limitations and cannot always be extrapolated to people," says Daniel Rotrosen, M.D., director of the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation at NIAID. "The knowledge gained also will improve our understanding of the range of vaccine responses in particular subpopulations, including newborns, young children, the elderly, patients taking immunosuppressive medications and those with underlying diseases of the immune system, such as allergy and autoimmune diseases." The following six core institutions and principal investigators will participate in the inaugural program: * Baylor Research Institute, Dallas – Jacques Banchereau, Ph.D. * Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston – Ellis Reinherz, M.D. * Emory University, Atlanta – Bali Pulendran, Ph.D. * Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. – Gregory Poland, M.D. * Stanford University, Calif. – Mark Davis, Ph.D. * Yale University, New Haven, Conn. – David Hafler, M.D., and Erol Fikrig, M.D. A portion of the funding for the centers will be dedicated to support smaller studies proposed by investigators outside the program, including pilot projects, the development of research resources and clinical studies. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Popping Cells Surprise Living Circuits Creators | Under the microscope, the bacteria start dividing normally, two cells become four and then eight and so on. But then individual cells begin "popping," like circus balloons being struck by darts. This phenomenon, which surprised the Duke University bioengineers who captured it on video, turns out to be an example of a more generalized occurrence that must be considered by scientists creating living, synthetic circuits out of bacteria. Even when given the same orders, no two cells will behave the same. The researchers believe this accidental finding of a circuit they call "ePop" can help increase the efficiency and power of future synthetic biology circuits. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| 'Fearless' aphids ignore warnings, get eaten by ladybugs | If your building has 10 false fire alarms one morning, it is human nature to ignore it when it goes off for the 11th time. Similarly, when aphids are raised on plants genetically engineered to emit a compound that warns surrounding aphids of a predator, they become accustomed to the chemical and no longer respond to it -- even when a predator is present, according to Cornell and Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) researchers reporting Aug. 3 in an online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Under normal circumstances, when a ladybug captures and bites into an aphid, the victim releases an alarm pheromone called beta-farnesene, which prompts nearby aphids to walk away or drop off the plant. Researchers are interested in protecting plants from aphids through genetically engineered crops that produce beta-farnesene or through traditional breeding methods that cross crops with plants -- such as some wild and cultivated potatoes and peppermint -- that naturally produce the pheromone. The findings have implications for controlling aphids in crops, which could be engineered to make aphids unresponsive to warnings of ladybugs and other predators, making them easy prey. Aphids are vector for spreading a variety of plant diseases. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Human cells copy DNA—and RNA, too | Researchers have confirmed a long-held but unproven hypothesis that mammalian cells are capable of synthesizing RNA by copying RNA molecules directly. The team used single-molecule sequencing technology, which has detected and quantified novel small RNAs in human cells that represent entirely new classes of the gene-translating molecules. Findings were reported in Nature. “For the first time, we have evidence to support the hypothesis that human cells have the widespread ability to copy RNA as well as DNA,” says study coauthor Bino John, an assistant professor in the computational and systems biology department at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “These findings emphasize the complexity of human RNA populations and suggest the important role for single-molecule sequencing for accurate and comprehensive genetic profiling.” | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Small pharmacies are more likely to dispense antibiotics without a medical prescription than large pharmacies in Catalonia, Spain | The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between pharmacy size and the likelihood of obtaining antibiotics without medical prescription at a pharmacy. In 2008 in Catalonia, two actors presented three different cases in a randomised sample of pharmacies and asked pharmacists for an antibiotic. Pharmacies were considered as small when having limited space with only one counter and a maximum of two professionals selling medicines, as medium sized with three or four attending professionals, and as large with a large selling space and more than four attending professionals. Of the 197 pharmacies visited, 88 (44.7%) were considered as small while only 25 (12.7%) were large. Antibiotics were obtained without a medical prescription in 89 (45.2%) pharmacies, mainly in small pharmacies (63.6%), followed by medium-sized pharmacies (35.7%) and large pharmacies (12%). Large pharmacies, that probably have a greater income, more closely followed the prevailing legislation of not selling antibiotics to patients without a medical prescription. This observation should now be confirmed in other countries where over-the-counter sales of antibiotics are prevalent and should be taken into account by programmes aiming at achieving a more prudent use of antibiotics. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| The end of the pandemic – what will be the pattern of influenza in the 2010-11 European winter and beyond? | A recent editorial at www.eurosurveillance.org by A. Nicol and M. Sprenger considers the possible pattern for influenza in Europe this winter and beyond. "On 10 August 2010 Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), announced that the world has moved into the post-pandemic period [1]. Following the advice of the Emergency Committee, which based its assessment on the global situation, WHO declared that there has been a pandemic phase change and that the WHO post-pandemic definition, ‘Levels of influenza activity have returned to the levels seen for inter-pandemic influenza in most countries with adequate surveillance’, has been met [2]. In order to come to this conclusion it has been important to observe the pattern of influenza in the southern hemisphere temperate countries which are now experiencing their winter. What does this mean for the 2010-11 winter in Europe and winters beyond?" Click source for more. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Recalled salad product is distributed across 13 states | Wisconsin is among 13 states where possibly-contaminated Fresh Express salad products were distributed. The Salinas, California-based company is voluntarily recalling 2,825 cases of Veggie Lovers Salad because of a possible health risk from the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled salad mix has a product code of I208 and a use-by date of August 10. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Health officials warn of vibrio in Chesapeake Bay | Maryland health officials say people may be getting sick from eating raw oysters and other shellfish from the Chesapeake Bay. The culprit is vibrio, a naturally occurring bacteria that's more prevalent in the bay during hot weather. The state health department says there have been 24 cases of vibrio infection this year. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Unique Bacteria Hold Clues Of Life On Other Planets | Bacteria discovered in an oxygen-starved area of Argentina could demonstrate how life could exist on Mars or other planets, according to a Wednesday article by Reuters reporter Kylie Stott. A team that included National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) microbiologist Maria Eugenia Farias discovered the unique strands of bacteria--called "polyextremophiles" because they can survive in multiple different types of extreme conditions--in an inhospitable area of the South American country known as Lake Diamante. In fact, millions of them were discovered in the center of a giant volcanic crater, located some 15,000-plus feet above sea level at the Lake Diamante site, according to the report. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Linking India to superbug unfair and wrong, says India | India Thursday termed as unfair and wrong linking a multiple drug-resistant superbug detected in Britain to India saying a number of such bacteria have also been reported from other countries. Health experts said it was politically motivated as Western doctors were alarmed at the prospect of losing business to India's booming health tourism. "Several superbugs are surviving in nature and they have been reported from countries like Greece, Israel, the US, Britain, Brazil, Puerto Rico and many others and it is unfair to link the superbud to India," said V.M. Katoch, director general, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). According to a report in a British scientific journal, a new superbug had been detected in at least 37 cases in Britain, mainly among patients who had travelled to India and Pakistan for cosmetic surgery, cancer treatment and transplants. Scientists have warned that the superbug -- an enzyme they have called New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 or NDM-1 -- could spread worldwide because it is resistant to almost all antibiotics and nothing has been developed to combat it. When asked why it has been named New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 or NDM-1, Katoch said it is a general trend to name the bacteria after the country from where the first strand of bacteria is reported and in this case it is India. "It is a scientific study and has been (presented) wrongly by the media. There is no public health threat and no need to unnecessarily sensationalize it," he said. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Biofilms Over Troubled Waters | Mark O. Martin, ASM member, associate blogger for Small Things Considered, and Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, has authored a new post on the Small Things Considered blog that explores what might be happening to the "vanishing" oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico. "The old saying “pouring oil on troubled waters” is a metaphor for bringing peace to a turbulent situation. Recent events in the Gulf of Mexico have proved the contrary, that oil poured (or spilled) upon seawater can produce the very antithesis of calm. After many weeks of concern, and with the long term threat of possible subsurface oil still strong, recent reports note that the oil slicks at the surface have become more difficult to find. What is happening? To be sure, dispersal over time is inevitable, but there may be more to the “vanishing” oil slicks." Click Source for more. | 08/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Sari cloth a simple sustainable protector from cholera | Bangladeshi villagers use sari cloth to filter water and help prevent disease. A study previously conducted by scientists of the University of Maryland, USA, demonstrated that the cotton cloth was able to reduce cholera incidents by 48%. Follow-up research five years later ascertained that more than 30% of the women had continued to use some form of filtration. In addition, over 25% of the women who lived in the area but were not involved in the initial study had also started to filter their water. The results appear in mBio, an online journal of the American Society for Microbiology. | 08/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Cloning Bush Medicine | Some call him the Microscopic Medicine Man. Professor Brett Neilan from The University of New South Wales, is a microbiologist who thinks he's found the secret behind some of the world's most successful "bush" medicines - and how to save them for the future. | 08/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Monsters Inside Me: Trichanella Spiralis | Found inside undercooked wild game and pork, Trichanella spiralis is a parasitic worm that can cut through human muscles and tissue. | 08/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbes To The Rescue: The fate of spilled oil in the Gulf rests with the hydrocarbon-digesting microorganisms colonizing underwater plumes | The environmental impact of millions of gallons of oil still in the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon incident may depend on microscopic helpers: Bacteria that consume oil and other hydrocarbons and could break down the spilled crude, making it disappear, as highlighted in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN). The author points out that the oil-eating bacteria are beneficial in helping to clear away the oil. Their activity, however, could eventually pose risks to the Gulf's ecosystem, particularly in the deep ocean. The oil acts as a huge source of food and could produce bacteria "blooms," or massive population explosions. As the blooms die and decay, they remove oxygen from the Gulf water, jeopardizing the health of fish and other aquatic animals. The article discusses scientific research underway to shed light on the bacteria's effects. It notes that the oxygen depletion so far is not as serious as the Gulf of Mexico's infamous "dead zone," an 8,000 square mile area — about the size of New Jersey — with oxygen levels too low for fish to survive. The Gulf's oil plumes cause nearly a 35 percent oxygen drop compared to a 90 percent drop in that dead zone. | 08/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| When the End Is the Story - Human Herpesvirus six (HHV-6) | Sometimes, discovery in biology is about discerning rules and sometimes it is about pursuing exceptions. In this spirit, Human Herpesvirus six (HHV-6), the etiologic agent of the common childhood illness roseola infantum, is shaping up to be an intriguing exception. A recent post on Small Things Considered by Welkin Johnson, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School, explores this subject: "As every virologist knows, members of the Herpesviridae maintain their large double-stranded DNA genomes (typically 100-250kb) as autonomous, covalently closed circles (episomes) during latent infection of host tissues. Nevertheless, there is now convincing evidence that the HHV-6 genome can, at least on occasion, become integrated into host-cell chromosomes. Interestingly, the first hints that this could happen did not come from hypothesis-driven laboratory experiments, but from a handful of clinical case reports of individuals with exceptionally high levels of HHV-6 DNA in peripheral blood." Click Source for more. | 08/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Antibiotic arsenal not being restocked | We have come to expect that modern medicine can cure just about any infection. But bacteria are finding ways to evade, one by one, the drugs in our arsenal, and that arsenal is not being replenished with new antibiotics. Drug companies are abandoning the antibacterial business, citing high development costs, low return on investment and, increasingly, a nearly decade-long stalemate with the Food and Drug Administration over how to bring new antibiotics to market. Some doctors fear we could be defenseless against bacteria that can resist all existing antibiotics. At the core of the problem is a regulatory impasse over whether drug companies seeking FDA approval for antibiotics should be required to run much more stringent clinical trials. The FDA says yes, citing advances in the science of clinical trial design and a series of humiliations involving trials for drugs the agency had approved, including the antibiotic Ketek. "We don't want to approve products that don't work," Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of the FDA, told physicians and scientists gathered for a workshop on antibiotics and clinical trials in late July. But the pharmaceutical industry and some infectious-disease doctors say the proposed rules will make it so difficult and expensive to gain approval for new antibiotics that the few remaining companies will abandon the field altogether. Click Source for more. | 08/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Las Vegas area hospitals resist reporting the increasing numbers of patients who acquire bacteria infections | Las Vegas hospital officials say they are doing enough to protect patients from becoming infected with deadly bacteria. But hospitals are failing according to an investigative story in the Las Vegas Sun. The paper spent two years investigating hospital safety in Las Vegas, including analysis of hospital billing records on file with the state. Among the findings: In 2008 and 2009, patients became infected with lethal, drug-resistant "superbugs" in area hospitals 2,010 times. Two hundred thirty-nine died — although it's impossible to tell from hospital billing records how or whether the infections factored in the patients' deaths. The microbe Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, was responsible for 647 cases of hospital-acquired infections during the two-year period. In the same span, Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, triggered 1,363 infections in Las Vegas hospitals. Click source for more. | 08/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Hard rain makes many rivers unfit for humans, tests show | Swimming in the rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay after a hard rain could be hazardous to your health according to a key finding of a water quality experiment conducted last month by reporters at the University of Maryland working for News21, a national consortium of journalism schools. The team took water samples before and after significant rainfall at seven beaches and recreation spots along five rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay, including two in Anne Arundel County. Their goal was to gauge the impact of stormwater - one of the fastest-growing pollution sources in the Chesapeake Bay - on bacteria levels in the water. Click source for more. | 08/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Ready-to-eat salads, new pathogens fuel rise in contaminated produce in US and Canada | The popularity of ready-to-eat salad mixes and the sudden emergence of a little known strain of E. coli bacteria have dramatically increased the risk of food-borne contamination and illness in Canada and the U.S. If you think there are more cases of tainted vegetables than previously, you aren't crazy, according to University of British Columbia food scientist Kevin Allen. Two different strains of E. coli have triggered massive recalls of salad mixes in Canada and the U.S. | 08/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Dengue deaths increase as BTI bacteria from Cuba is delayed | Sri Lanka’s health department is in a fix over the delay in the import of the first consignment of BTI bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis) from Cuba as the number of deaths due to dengue has risen to 149 Friday. Meanwhile, the health ministry has failed to get a positive response from Cuban Embassy in Colombo. | 08/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Fuel could be created from thin air using an enzyme from a common soil bacterium | Azotobacter vinelandii, a microbe found around the roots of various food plants, creates an enzyme - vanadium nitrogenase - which in nature produces ammonia from nitrogen gas. But now it has been shown that it can also create propane, the fuel commonly used in camping gas stoves, out of carbon monoxide - a common byproduct of industrial processes. Markus Ribbe, a scientist at the University of California, says that eventually the enzyme could be tweaked, so that instead of only making the simple three-carbon-atom chain molecule of propane, it could create the longer chains that make up petrol. He says: "Obviously this could lead to new ways to create synthetic liquid fuels if we can make longer carbon-carbon chains." | 08/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Fold.it, the protein folding game, taps worldwide audience to solve difficult puzzles | A cooperative online game that puts volunteer “gamers” to work folding proteins has attracted 50,000 players whose “distributed thinking” has, in some cases, proven more powerful than computers in predicting the three-dimensional structure of proteins. Extension of these efforts could one day pay off in the design of new proteins that help fight disease, sequester carbon, or clean up the environment. The free game, called Foldit, is the brainchild of David Baker, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute biologist, and colleagues Zoran Popovic and Seth Cooper, who are in the computer science department at the University of Washington. The online community of Foldit players is now helping the researchers as they attempt to crack “the protein-folding problem,” one of molecular biology’s toughest challenges. Click source for more. | 08/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Researchers Unlock Secret of Rabies Transmission in Bats | Most infectious diseases infect multiple host species, but to date, efforts to quantify the frequency and outcome of cross-species transmission (CST) of these diseases have been severely limited. This lack of information represents a major gap in knowledge of how diseases emerge, and from which species they will emerge. A paper published this week in the journal Science by a team of researchers led by Daniel Streicker of the University of Georgia has begun to close that gap. Click source for more. | 08/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Tattooing linked to higher risk of hepatitis C | Youth, prison inmates and individuals with multiple tattoos that cover large parts of their bodies are at higher risk of contracting hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases, according to a University of British Columbia study. The researchers reviewed and analysed 124 studies from 30 countries, including Canada, Iran, Italy, Brazil and the United States, and found the incidence of hepatitis C after tattooing is directly linked with the number of tattoos an individual receives. The findings are published in the current issue of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. Tattoos have become increasingly popular in recent years. In the U.S., an estimated 36 per cent of people under 30 have tattoos. In Canada, approximately eight per cent of high school students have at least one tattoo and 21 per cent of those who don't have one want one. During tattooing, the skin is punctured 80 to 150 times a second in order to inject color pigments. "Since tattoo instruments come in contact with blood and bodily fluids, infections may be transmitted if instruments are used on more than one person without being sterilized or without proper hygiene techniques," says lead author Dr. Siavash Jafari, a Community Medicine Resident in the UBC School of Population and Public Health (SPPH). "Furthermore, tattoo dyes are not kept in sterile containers and may play a carrier role in transmitting infections," says Jafari. "Clients and the general public need to be educated on the risks associated with tattooing, and tattoo artists need to discuss harms with clients." Other risks of tattooing identified by the study include allergic reactions, HIV, hepatitis B, bacterial or fungal infections, and other risks associated with tattoo removal. The researchers are calling for infection-control guidelines for tattoo artists and clients, and enforcement of these guidelines through inspections, reporting of adverse events and record-keeping. They also recommend prevention programs that focus on youth – the population who are most likely to get tattoos – and prisoners – who face a higher prevalence of hepatitis C – to lower the spread of hepatitis infection. In Canada, 12 to 25 per cent of hepatitis C infections among prisoners are associated with tattooed individuals, compared to six per cent of the general population. The chemical ingredients in tattoo dyes can include house paint, ink from computer printers, or industrial carbon. Toxic contents of some tattoo inks may be entering the kidney, lungs and lympth nodes through the circulatory system. The study also revealed a new trend among youth to get tattooed with glow-in-the-dark ink, the risks of which are not yet known. | 08/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| A compact microscope invented at Rice University is proving its potential to impact global health | A compact, inexpensive microscope operated by a battery is able to diagnose signs of tuberculosis on par with devices that retail for as much as $40,000. The 2.5 pound microscope was developed by Rice University alumnus Andrew Miller, as his senior design project last year. The goal was to make an inexpensive, portable, and highly capable microscope that could be used in clinics in developing countries that have limited access to lab equipment and may lack electricity. Via Futurity.org | 08/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| The impact of the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus on seasonal influenza A viruses in the southern hemisphere | Data collected over winter 2009 by five World Health Organisation National Influenza Centres in the southern hemisphere were used to examine the circulation of pandemic and seasonal influenza A strains during the first pandemic wave in the southern hemisphere. There is compelling evidence that the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus significantly displaced seasonal influenza A(H1N1) and, to a lesser extent, A(H3N2) viruses circulating in the southern hemisphere. Complete replacement of seasonal influenza A strains, however, was not observed during the first pandemic wave. Click source for more. | 08/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Oil Spill Cleanup Workers also Include the Microbes | On Wednesday, a report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said early observations showed that the oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill “is biodegrading quickly,” adding that scientists were working to measure how quickly and how much of the escaped oil the microbial hordes could consume. “Until it is biodegraded, naturally or chemically dispersed oil, even in small amounts, can be toxic to vulnerable species,” the report says in pointing to the importance of the microbes. The report said the swarms were dining on most remaining aspects of the spill — dispersed oil as well as oil forming a sheen on or just below the surface. “Colleagues who have been sampling tell me that the intrinsic biodegration rates are high,” said Ronald M. Atlas, a microbiologist at the University of Louisville and past president of the American Society for Microbiology. “I believe that most of the oil will not have a significant impact. That’s been the story with spills that stay offshore.” Dr. Atlas cautioned, however, that microbe degradation in polluted marshes “should be considerably slower.” | 08/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| E. coli animation | Escherichia coli is a Gram negative rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Futures in Biotech 58: Vertical Farms and much more with Dick Despommier | Marc Pelletier, host of Futures in Biotech, and Vincent Racaniello, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology & host of This Week in Virology, host of This Week in Parasitism, Columbia University, New York, NY, talk with Dickson D. Despommier, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, host of This Week in Virology, Host of This Week in Parasitism, about vertical farming. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Genome Signatures Enable Tracking of Algal Complexity | On the long and difficult road toward a carbon-neutral source of transportation fuels, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is pursuing a diversified approach. This effort involves exploring a range of potential new fuel sources in nature: from plants that may serve as cellulosic feedstocks—fast-growing trees and perennial grasses on land—to oil-producing organisms in aquatic and other environments, such as algae and bacteria. One contribution that may inform biofuels research is reported in the July 9 issue of Science, where researchers led by the DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the Salk Institute present the 138 million nucleotide genome of Volvox carteri, a multicellular alga that captures light energy through photosynthesis. The DOE is supporting research into the complex mechanisms present in photosynthetic organisms to better understand how they convert sunlight to energy and how photosynthetic cells control their metabolic processes so that this information can inform the production of renewable biofuels. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Photosynthetic algae found inside the cells of a salamander | Occasionally, researchers stumble across something extraordinary in a system that has been studied for decades. Ryan Kerney of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, did just that while looking closely at a clutch of emerald-green balls--embryos of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). He noticed that their bright green color comes from within the embryos themselves, as well as from the jelly capsule that encases them. This viridescence is caused by the single-celled alga Oophila amblystomatis. This has long been understood to enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the spotted salamander, which lays its eggs in bodies of water. However, the symbiosis was thought to occur between the salamander embryo and algae living outside it--with the embryo producing nitrogen-rich waste that is useful to algae, and the algae increasing the oxygen content of the water in the immediate vicinity of the respiring embryos. At a presentation on July 28 at the Ninth International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Kerney reported that these algae are, in fact, commonly located inside cells all over the spotted salamander's body. Moreover, there are signs that intracellular algae may be directly providing the products of photosynthesis--oxygen and carbohydrate--to the salamander cells that encapsulate them. Click Source to read more from SciAm | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| NRC report pins down future biosecurity | Can the disease-causing capabilities of an organism be predicted from its DNA? This was a key question faced by a 13-member committee of the National Research Council (NRC). It was trying determine what it would take to develop a government system that spots bioweapons in the making by screening the genetic sequences routinely ordered from commercial suppliers of synthetic DNA. This week, the committee offered its answer in a 187-page report commissioned by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The verdict: a biosecurity system that can predict the potential for harm lurking within a snippet of DNA is so technologically distant that the concept is useless for practical purposes. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Oyster harvest closed in two Hood Canal areas to reduce exposure to bacteria | Several cases of illness from eating raw oysters and lab detection of bacteria that can make people sick has led state health officials to close two Hood Canal growing areas in Washington state. Lab tests in Hood Canal Six, which runs from Hoodsport south and east to the boat launch area at Twanoh State Park, showed the presence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which can cause an illness known as vibriosis. While no illnesses have been linked to oysters from this area this summer, at least four cases of vibriosis have been confirmed in people who ate raw oysters harvested in the neighboring Hood Canal Five, which runs from Clark Creek (about a mile north of Hoodsport) north to Cummings Point. Both areas have been closed by the state Department of Health to reduce exposure to Vibrio bacteria. There have been several other vibriosis cases identified this summer, scattered around the state’s growing areas. Typically, Washington sees about 50 cases of vibriosis a year. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| 2 Missouri veterans are infected with hepatitis B, 2 are hepatitis C positive | The Veteran's Administration (VA) today released the latest results of tests taken by dental patients at the John Cochran VA Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. As of Wed 28 Jul 2010, the VA confirms 2 positive results for hepatitis B and 2 positive results for hepatitis C. The data [were] presented at a Congressional hearing this morning. Late last month, the VA reported 1812 patients may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections due to improper sterilization methods at its Cochran Dental Clinic. An inspection revealed the procedure was in place for a little over a year at the facility. Click Source for more. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Chikungunya cases on rise in Myanmar, officials say | Health officials in Myanmar have this year reported a significant increase in cases of Chikungunya, a little-known viral disease with symptoms similar to dengue fever. While rarely fatal, there is no vaccine or cure for Chikungunya and treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms, which can last for several months. In 2010, the virus has become significantly more common in Ayeyarwady Division, Yangon Division, Rakhine State and Shan State, officials and residents said. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Southeastern Massachusetts targets mosquitoes carrying eastern equine encephalitis | Planes are scheduled to take to the air tomorrow night to begin spraying a swath of Southeastern Massachusetts with pesticide targeted at mosquitoes carrying eastern equine encephalitis, Governor Deval Patrick announced today at a news conference in Lakeville. The planes, which will cover Bristol and Plymouth counties, will spray an insecticide called sumithrin, which is a synthetic version of a chemical found in chrysanthemum flowers. Dr. Alfred DeMaria, the state's top disease tracker, said environmental review committees that have analyzed sumithrin regard it as "the most effective, least toxic." The decision to start aerial spraying was prompted by testing that showed an unprecedented level of virus-infected mosquitoes in July. Click Source to read more and watch a video version of the story. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Case of LaCrosse encephalitis reported in Montgomery County, Mississippi's 1st since 2008 | A case of the mosquito-borne illness LaCrosse encephalitis has been reported in Montgomery County, Mississippi. Click Source for more. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Exploring the Deep Sea Methane Vents at Hydrate Ridge | The NY Times blog Scientists at Work is a modern version of a field journal which reports on the daily progress of scientific expeditions — adventures, misadventures, discoveries, etc. Over the next 12 days, Jeffrey Marlow, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, will report on the progress of a research expedition to study microorganisms in the cold seeps of Hydrate Ridge, "a fascinating site 90 kilometers off the Oregon coast where methane gas flows out of the earth’s crust and into the deep ocean." The researchers mission over the next couple of weeks is to learn more about the life forms at cold seep environments, how they interact with each other, how they shape our planet, and what they might mean for the possibility of life beyond earth. Click "source" to follow their progress. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| New estimates of the global population at risk of Plasmodium vivax malaria | A new evidence-based global distribution map of Plasmodium vivax malaria, published August 3 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, is used to estimate that 2.85 billion people lived at risk of infection with this parasite in 2009. The map, created as part of the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), a multinational research collaboration funded mainly by the Wellcome Trust, reviews a host of information that challenges the dogma that P. vivax transmission is absent through large swathes of Africa and uses novel methods - including new global maps of the protective Duffy negativity blood condition - to estimate global populations at risk. The study concludes that of the almost 3 billion people exposed to some risk of P. vivax transmission in 2009, 91% of them live in Central and South East Asia. Importantly, more than half of those exposed to this risk live in areas where P. vivax malaria transmission is extremely low or unstable and where prospects of sustained control and elimination are relatively good. The authors used the most recent obtainable P. vivax case-reporting data for all malaria-endemic countries in efforts to classify risk into three classes: malaria free, unstable, and stable. Risk areas were further refined using temperature and aridity data based upon their relationship with parasite and vector bionomics. Medical intelligence was used to modify risk in specific areas where transmission was reported as absent (e.g., large urban areas and malaria-free islands). The human population at risk under each level of transmission was then derived by combining the categorical risk map with a high-resolution population surface adjusted to 2009 and a global map of Duffy negativity prevalence. Duffy negativity is the absence of the Duffy blood-group antigen in red blood cells, which translates into partial protection against infection with P. vivax. A high Duffy negativity prevalence in a population indicates increased protection against P. vivax infection, and vice versa. "This study represents the first step in our efforts to provide the malaria control and research community with an evidence-based cartography of P. vivax malaria," says co-author Dr. Simon Hay of the University of Oxford. "We can now focus on trying to model the endemicity of the disease to provide more detailed global burden estimates, although this is complicated by the unusual biology of P. vivax". Co-author Dr Carlos Guerra adds: "New evidence shows that P. vivax malaria is not as benign as was thought, and yet, as our study shows, remains the most widespread form of human malaria. Understanding where transmission of this parasite occurs at the global scale is fundamental in planning strategies for the control of this debilitating, and often lethal, disease". Via EurekAlert | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Cancer-causing bacterium targets tumor-suppressor protein | Researchers have discovered a mechanism by which Helicobacter pylori, the only known cancer-causing bacterium, disables a tumor suppressor protein in host cells. The new study, in the journal Oncogene, reports the discovery of a previously unknown mechanism linking H. pylori infection and stomach cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. About two-thirds of the world's population is infected with H. pylori, a bacterium that can survive in the harsh environment of the stomach. Most infected people never develop disease. For a significant minority, however, infection with H. pylori leads to inflammation, ulcers and in some cases, stomach (gastric) cancer. H. pylori's ability to cause disease is closely associated with a virulence protein called CagA. Previous studies have found that CagA-positive strains are much more likely to cause inflammation and spur the abnormal cell division and growth of cells that lead to cancer. H. pylori injects CagA into the epithelial cells that line the stomach. Within the cells, CagA is able to hijack various signaling pathways and disrupt proper cellular functions. Other studies have identified RUNX3 (pronounced RUNKS-three) as an important gastric cancer tumor suppressor. Loss of expression of RUNX3 is causally associated with the development of gastric cancer, said University of Illinois medical biochemistry professor Lin-Feng Chen, who led the study. RUNX3 guards against tumor formation by spurring the production of factors that target unhealthy cells for destruction. "Although emerging evidence suggests that RUNX3 is a tumor suppressor whose inactivation is involved in the initiation and progression of gastric cancer," the authors wrote, "the trigger for RUNX3 inactivation within gastric cells is largely unknown." "The protein, RUNX3, is a transcription factor, so it activates different kinds of genes controlling cell growth and death," Chen said. "The first thing we wanted to see was whether H. pylori has any effect on the transcription activity of RUNX3." Two graduate students in Chen's lab, Ying-Hung Nicole Tsang and Acacia Lamb, began the study by examining RUNX3 transcription activity in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. They found that infection with CagA-positive H. pylori inhibited the transcription activity of RUNX3 and reduced levels of the RUNX3 protein in cells. CagA-negative H. pylori had no effect on RUNX3 levels or activity. "In fact, CagA alone is sufficient to down-regulate the RUNX3 transcription activity and reduce the expression of RUNX3, further supporting the importance of this bacterial protein in the genesis of gastric disease," Chen said. Further tests revealed that CagA and RUNX3 physically interact with each other in human epithelial cells. The researchers found that a newly identified domain within CagA, the WW domain, recognizes a sequence in the RUNX3 protein known as the "PY motif." They further showed that this interaction leads to the "tagging" of RUNX3 for degradation via a process called ubiquitination. Previous studies found that there are several unique sequences within the carboxyl-terminal region of CagA that are vital to the protein's ability to interact with host proteins and disrupt normal cellular processes. "This is the first time anybody has identified a unique domain within the amino-terminal region of the CagA protein, and it will help us to better understand how this oncogenic protein functions," Chen said. "This study has uncovered a new step in the initiation of H. pylori-induced gastric cancer." The accumulation of many deleterious changes in cells leads to the development of cancer. RUNX3 helps cells react when cellular processes go awry, so H. pylori-induced degradation of RUNX3 "could produce conditions in which aberrant cellular changes are less inhibited," Chen said. Chen's group is working to identify the molecular mechanism by which CagA targets RUNX3 for degradation. He and his colleagues hope to design small molecules that can specifically inhibit the interaction between RUNX3 and CagA and block the degradation of RUNX3. Such drugs may be used to prevent the gastric diseases induced by H. pylori. | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Army’s Vaccine Plan: Inject Troops With Gas-Propelled, Electro-Charged DNA | The Army’s got a one-two punch to perfect vaccinations and offer scientists the ability to quickly develop inoculations that stave off new dangers. First, they’ll shoot troops up using a “gene gun,” that’s filled with DNA-based vaccines. Then they’ll follow it up with “short electrical pulses to the delivery site.” The Pentagon’s still after a comprehensive way to inoculate troops and civilians against existing illnesses, rapidly respond to emerging threats, and even predict pathogenic mutations before they happen. To that end, the military’s already funding a handful of projects, from plant-based vaccine production to genetic signatures for ultra-early diagnosis. In a small business solicitation released last week, the Army put out a call for “Multiagent Synthetic DNA Vaccines Delivered by Noninvasive Electroporation.” The program would start by transforming conventional development methods, like standard egg-based vaccines. Read more from the Wired article by clicking Source above | 08/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| How blocking the 'Programmed Death 1' protein may treat or prevent sepsis and severe infection | Scientists have made an important discovery that could lead to new drugs that reduce the severity of blood infections leading to sepsis. Research presented in the August 2010 issue of Journal of Leukocyte Biology (http://www.jleukbio.org) shows how interfering with the function of the cell membrane protein called "Programmed Death 1" (PD-1) improves survival in a clinically relevant model of severe infection. "Clinical trials of anti-PD-1 are currently underway in patients with cancer and in patients with hepatitis C," said Richard S. Hotchkiss, M.D., co-study author from the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. "It is hoped that blocking PD-1 will lead to enhanced immune function and a resultant improved tumor elimination and viral eradication respectively." To make this discovery, the researchers studied two groups of mice with a surgically induced severe infection that simulates a ruptured appendix in humans. One group of mice received an inactive antibody while the other group of mice received an antibody that blocked PD-1. The mice that received the PD-1 blocking antibody had a greater survival rate when compared to the mice that received the inactive control antibody. Results show that PD-1 inhibits the ability of the immune system to fight infection by suppressing the function of immune cells. Thus, blocking PD-1 can restore the ability of the host to combat infections, also helping to improve chances for survival. "This research may lead to a new class of drugs that could treat severe bacterial infections, including those that are becoming increasingly resistant to today's antibiotics," said John Wherry, Ph.D., Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, "This study is one of science's many steps to keep pace or a step ahead of the evolutionary progress that these microrganisms are making." | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Doctors not strongly encouraging HPV vaccine to girls of certain age | The vast majority of pediatricians and family physicians nationally are offering the human papillomavirus (also called HPV) vaccine, though fewer physicians are strongly encouraging it for 11- to 12-year-old girls as recommended by national guidelines, according to a survey in the September issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this is the first study to look at current HPV vaccination practices of U.S. physicians since the three-dose vaccine series was licensed in 2006 and widely available. Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Children's Hospital in Denver surveyed 429 pediatricians and 419 family physicians in early 2008 from throughout the U.S., and found that 98 percent of pediatricians and 88 percent of family physicians reported that HPV vaccine was being administered to their female patients. "HPV vaccination is our best chance at preventing cervical cancer, so it's reassuring doctors are using it. However, vaccination should ideally begin at 11 years of age, so that young women complete the 3-dose series and are protected" said study lead author Matthew F. Daley, MD, a pediatrician and a researcher at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Research in Denver, Colorado. The goal of the HPV vaccine is to prevent HPV infections and ultimately reduce the rates of cervical cancer. Virtually all cervical cancer is caused by HPV infections, and caused by HPV. Approximately 20 million people in the United States are currently infected with genital human papillomavirus. There are many different HPV strains, and current HPV vaccines protect against two HPV strains that cause roughly 70% of cervical cancer cases. The vaccination is recommended currently for 11- to 12-year-old girls, with 'catch-up' vaccinations for 13- to 26-year-female patients who have not been vaccinated. This survey also uncovered a range of attitudes among physicians related to administering the HPV vaccine to female adolescents. Forty two percent of pediatricians and 54 percent of family physicians considered it necessary to discuss sexuality before recommending HPV vaccine, though few physicians thought that vaccination would encourage earlier or riskier sexual behavior among teens. However, almost half of the physicians reported that parents were concerned about this issue. Parent opposition to HPV vaccination for moral or religious reasons was perceived as definitely or somewhat a barrier by 23 percent of pediatricians and 33 percent of family physicians. Most surveyed physicians were not using active strategies (such as sending reminders) to ensure that patients who started HPV vaccination received all three doses, which may further delay the age which patients are fully immunized. | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| HIV Components Drive Bone Breakdown, Even without Active Infection | Although individuals who are HIV positive can now expect to live longer because of the availability of anti-retroviral drugs, this advance brings on new health challenges. It is estimated that the majority of the HIV-infected population of the United States will be older than 50 by 2015. The intersection of aging and HIV infection appears to have a destructive impact on bone health. Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have shown in an animal model that the presence of HIV proteins, even without a replicating virus, leads to alterations in cells that break down bone. The team's results were published this week online in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Flour Investigated as E. coli Source | If you test enough flour you can find some contaminated by the potentially deadly pathogen--E. coli O157:H7--but testing probably is not going to do much when it comes to making flour safe to eat. So concluded three speakers--Cargill's Joe Shebuski, Nestlé's Tim Jackson, and ConAgra's Ben Warren--who Monday addressed the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) on flour food safety. Flour, a food staple for at least the last 1,000 years, emerged as a "new" potential carrier of pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella last year when Nestlé's raw cookie dough was blamed for infecting 72 people in 30 states with O157:H7. A questioner asked Jackson how enough cookie dough could have become contaminated if E. coli O157:H7 was found so rarely and in such low levels. Jackson said the research did lead to a "root cause" for the 2009 outbreak. He did say the flour was the only ingredient not cleared at the supplier level. Via BoingBoing.net | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Blue mozzarella bacteria not harmful to humans, said Germany | The bacteria strain responsible for turning thousands mozzarella cheese blue blue earlier this summer does not pose a human health hazard, said German authorities. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) said the risk from the family of Pseudomonad bacteria that spoiled up to 70,000 mozzarella cheese balls was low - although it did render the food unfit for consumption. The assessment followed a series of complaints from consumers in Italy in June that mozzarella cheese imported from Germany developed a blue tint after opening. Italian authorities said the discolouration was caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas (P.) tolaasii and P. libanensis, of which high microbial counts were detected in the cheese. The country’s Ministry of Health believed that the presence of the bacteria resulted from contaminated water which was used as brine for the cheese. | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Making Spider-Strength Materials | Researchers have been trying to make artificial spider silk--a lightweight, tougher-than-steel material that could have countless industrial applications--for decades. In an important step toward that goal, researchers at Tufts University have created genetically engineered microbes that produce more of the proteins needed to make spider silk than ever before. | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| High-fiber, low-fat diets cultivate healthier intestinal microbes, study suggests | African children who eat a high-fiber diet (and the occasional wood-digesting insect) have gut bacteria that help them digest plant fibers and protect them from diarrhea and inflammatory disease, a new study finds. The research may lead to new probiotics that improve the digestive health of Westerners, who were found to have a less diverse assemblage of intestinal microbes. | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| An Inactive Mine Provides Active Opportunities | Elio Schaechter of Small Things Considered describes the work by members of Jill Banfield’s lab at Berkeley on a unique set of mine-dwelling microorganisms dubbed ARMAN (for Archaeal Richmond Mine Acidophilic Nanoorganisms). These microbes illustrate many surprising characteristics such as "their genomes straddle major evolutionary divides. Phylogenetically, they fit within the Euryarchaeota, yet the majority of their genes that can be assigned to COG’s (clusters of orthologous groups) are of the Crenarchaeota type. Just as surprising, as many as 21% of their genes look like they are bacterial! And some 25-38% of the genes, depending on the strain, have no homologies with anybody else." Click source to read more about ARMAN. | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| DuPont and USDA partner on new tests for E.coli | DuPont and USDA will be developing a test for the detection of "Big 6" non-O157 shiga toxin-producing E. coli pathogens in food, which in recent years have been identified as agents of food-borne illnesses. The O157:H7 STEC strain of E. coli is already associated with global food contamination outbreaks. In a statement, DuPont said that it was among the first to develop a test for E. coli O157:H7 STEC, and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service uses the DuPont Bax system to monitor for the pathogen. | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Tropical Fish and Bacterial Mat | At East Diamante volcano (195 m, 640 ft depth), tropical fish swim above boulders covered with bacterial mat, which indicates the presence of hydrothermal venting. These fish live in the reef community above and are about 15 cm long (6 in). | 08/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Phytoplankton Population Drops 40 Percent Since 1950 | The microscopic plants that form the foundation of the ocean's food web are declining, reports a study published July 29 in Nature. The tiny organisms, known as phytoplankton, also gobble up carbon dioxide to produce half the world's oxygen output—equaling that of trees and plants on land. But their numbers have dwindled since the dawn of the 20th century, with unknown consequences for ocean ecosystems and the planet's carbon cycle. Researchers at Canada's Dalhousie University say the global population of phytoplankton has fallen about 40 percent since 1950. That translates to an annual drop of about 1 percent of the average plankton population between 1899 and 2008. The scientists believe that rising sea surface temperatures are to blame. | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Added to the Recall List: Millions of Frozen Mice | Take mice from freezer. Thaw (but not in the microwave, please). Feed to pet snakes. And do not forget to wash your hands. That is the message from public health officials in the wake of salmonella outbreaks that have sickened more than 400 people, many of them snake owners or their children, in the United States and Britain. | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Cowichan Valley Meat Market warn public not to consume pepperoni products | The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Cowichan Valley Meat Market are warning the public not to consume the pepperoni products described below because they may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Toxins produced by these bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness. The following pepperoni products, bearing PKGD. ON (packaged on) dates up to and including JL 28 (July 28), are affected by this alert: Pub Style Pepperoni Mild Pepperoni Hot Pepperoni X-Hot Pepperoni Teriyaki Beef Sticks These products were sold at Cowichan Valley Meat Market, located at 5191 Koksilah Frontage Road, Duncan, BC. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with the toxin may cause nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, headache, double vision, dry throat, respiratory failure and paralysis. In severe cases of illness, people may die. The manufacturer, Cowichan Valley Meat Market, Duncan, BC, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall. For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday). For information on Clostridium botulinum, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/botulisme.shtml For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA’s Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp. To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca. | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Study finds respiratory symptoms more reliable indicator of H1N1, not fever alone | New research shows that individuals with mild H1N1 infection may go undetected using standard diagnostic criteria, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, (APIC). The study concludes that coughing or other respiratory symptoms are more accurate in determining influenza infection than presence of a fever. Currently, public health officials rely on body temperature (detecting fever) to screen individuals for potential infection with H1N1. For example, during a pandemic, standard screening at airports relies on body temperature scanners to detect the presence of fever. However, the study's authors found that coughing, not fever, is a more reliable indicator of infection because nearly half of the individuals with mild infection may not have fever. A team led by Sang Won Park, MD, professor at the Seoul National University, investigated confirmed cases of H1N1 who were hospitalized and quarantined during the early stages of the pandemic in 2009. The study's results showed only 45.5 percent of the case subjects had fever. Individuals with mild infection and no fever have the potential to evade detection at airports or medical triage units, thus continuing the chain of infection. "Our study found that fever is not reliable for case definition, even though it has been regarded as a key factor in determining influenza infection," said Dr. Park. "We are aware of other studies that show fever present in as few as 31 percent of confirmed cases of influenza. We found that the most sensitive indicator was cough." Dr. Park adds that that "screening should take any kind of respiratory manifestation into account." | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Emerging E. coli strain causes many antimicrobial-resistant infections in US | The new strain, ST131, was a major cause of serious antimicrobial-resistant E. coli infections in the United States in 2007, researchers found. This strain has been reported in multiple countries and encountered all over the United States. In the study, researchers analyzed resistant E. coli isolates collected during 2007 from hospitalized patients across the country. They identified 54 ST131 isolates, which accounted for 67 percent to 69 percent of E. coli isolates exhibiting fluoroquinolone or extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance. "If we could discover the sources of this strain, the transmission pathways that allow it to spread so effectively, and the factors that have led to its rapid emergence, we could find ways to intervene and possibly slow or halt this strain's emergence," said study author James Johnson, MD, of the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis. In the past, highly virulent E. coli strains usually have been susceptible to antibiotics, while highly resistant strains have been fairly weak in terms of their ability to cause disease. The susceptible strains were easily treated even though they caused serious infections, while the resistant ones tended mostly to affect only weakened or vulnerable individuals. Now, the study's findings suggest, the ST131 strain has appeared with a high level of virulence and antimicrobial resistance. "If this strain gains one additional resistance gene," Dr. Johnson added, "it will become almost untreatable and will be a true superbug, which is a very concerning scenario." | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Disinfectants in recreational pools may cause health issues | Splashing around in a swimming pool on a hot summer day may not be as safe as you think. A recent University of Illinois study links the application of disinfectants in recreational pools to previously published adverse health outcomes such as asthma and bladder cancer. Each year, 339 million visits take place at pools and water parks across the United States. Not only is swimming fun, but it's also the second most popular form of exercise in the country. Because of this, disinfection of recreational pools is critical to prevent outbreaks of infectious disease. However, Michael Plewa, U of I professor of genetics, said negative outcomes can occur when disinfection byproducts form reactions with organic matter in pool water. Pool water represents extreme cases of disinfection that differ from the disinfection of drinking water as pools are continuously exposed to disinfectants. "All sources of water possess organic matter that comes from decaying leaves, microbes and other dead life forms," Plewa said. "In addition to organic matter and disinfectants, pool waters contain sweat, hair, skin, urine, and consumer products such as cosmetics and sunscreens from swimmers." These consumer products are often nitrogen-rich, causing concern that they may contribute to the generation of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts, Plewa added. When mixed with disinfectants, these products may become chemically modified and converted into more toxic agents. These disinfection byproducts can mutate genes, induce birth defects, accelerate the aging process, cause respiratory ailments, and even induce cancer after long-term exposures. Click "source" for more | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Event-based biosurveillance of respiratory disease in Mexico, 2007–2009: Connection to the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic? | The emergence of the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus in North America and its subsequent global spread highlights the public health need for early warning of infectious disease outbreaks. Event-based biosurveillance, based on local- and regional-level Internet media reports, is one approach to early warning as well as to situational awareness. This study analyses media reports in Mexico collected by the Argus biosurveillance system between 1 October 2007 and 31 May 2009. Results from Mexico are compared with the United States and Canadian media reports obtained from the HealthMap system. A significant increase in reporting frequency of respiratory disease in Mexico during the 2008–9 influenza season relative to that of 2007–8 was observed (p | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Round up of the 2010 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases | Click the source link above for a report that outlines selected highlights of presentations that took place at the 2010 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases (ICEID) [1], held between 11 and 14 July 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia, United States (US). The conference was organized by five national and international bodies and was attended by over 1,600 participants from a wide range of professional backgrounds. Abstracts for the posters and slide sessions have been published [2]. This year’s conference marked its seventh occurrence and it had a number of prominent themes with the strongest being the A(H1N1) influenza pandemic that emerged in 2009. Another theme was around the drivers for the emergence of infectious diseases including human demographics (e.g. growth of megacities), international movements of people (of travellers and refugees), trade in animals and the smuggling of wildlife, and various other aspects of globalisation. Meteorological and climate change drivers, of growing international and European-focused interest [3,4], were also well covered at this conference. Considering this growing interest, we outlined the latter drivers in this brief conference report. | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Painting With Penicillin: Alexander Fleming's Germ Art | In addition to working as a scientist, and well before his discovery of antibiotics, Alexander Fleming painted. He was a member of the Chelsea Arts Club, where he created amateurish watercolors. Less well known is that he also painted in another medium, living organisms. Fleming painted ballerinas, houses, soldiers, mothers feeding children, stick figures fighting and other scenes using bacteria. He produced these paintings by growing microbes with different natural pigments in the places where he wanted different colors. He would fill a petri dish with agar, a gelatin-like substance, and then use a wire lab tool called a loop to inoculate sections of the plate with different species. The paintings were technically very difficult to make. Fleming had to find microbes with different pigments and then time his inoculations such that the different species all matured at the same time. These works existed only as long as it took one species to grow into the others. When that happened, the lines between, say, a hat and a face were blurred; so too were the lines between art and science. Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Painting-With-Penicillin-Alexander-Flemings-Germ-Art.html#ixzz0vGbziRhO | 07/31/2010 | |||||||||||
| Researcher discovers existing drugs can potentially target TB's ability to spread | Often causing no symptoms in carriers of the disease, worldwide tuberculosis (TB) infects eight to ten million people every year, kills two million, and it is highly contagious as it is spread through coughing and sneezing. "It's a global health disaster waiting to happen, even here in Canada, but this new paradigm in TB research may offer an immediate opportunity to improve vaccination and treatment initiatives," explains Dr. Maziar Divangahi of McGill University and of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. The ability of TB bacteria to persist in individuals with apparently normal immune systems implies that they have developed strategies to avoid, evade, and even subvert immunity. The bacteria mainly enter the body through inhalation into the respiratory tract. Alveolar macrophages, a type of white blood cell residing in our lungs, initially recognize the bacteria and engulf them. This process is one of our immune system's defense mechanisms. However, TB has evolved into a parasite that can survive and replicate inside the macrophages until they burst out, spreading the infection. The way infected macrophages die is a determining factor in the development of immunity to TB. Macrophages can induce apoptosis, a type of cell death which keeps their membrane intact, trapping and reducing bacterial viability. However, TB bacteria induce another type of cell death called necrosis. Necrosis causes cell death by disrupting the cell membranes, which enables the bacteria to escape the cell. It may help to visualize a box with broken walls. The key to the fate of the macrophages is the balance between two kinds of eicosanoids. Eicosanoids are molecules that contribute to the control of our immune system. The genetic code of TB bacteria enables it to tip this balance in favor of necrosis, and human genetic analysis revealed that modification in eicosanoids production is associated with susceptibility or resistance to TB. Fortunately, drugs that target the production of eicosanoids are already in use for treating other inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. "The next steps will be to see exactly how these drugs can be used to treat TB," said Divangahi. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Vaccine scares may do more harm than previously believed to a population's 'herd immunity' | Public immunization efforts may be much more sensitive than previously realized to small changes in the perceived costs or risks of vaccination, scientists at Harvard University report this week. In some cases, the spread of vaccine avoidance via social networks can make the difference between a minor, localized outbreak and an epidemic four times as large. The finding, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, comes amidst one of the worst pertussis outbreaks in 50 years, in which 1,500 Californians have contracted whooping cough. Public health officials have cited reduced vigilance in vaccinating against the disease, which sickens 90 percent of those exposed to it. "People sometimes say that voluntary vaccination is doomed to fail because of the 'free-rider' problem, in which people assume they will be protected by other people's immunity," says co-author Daniel I. Rosenbloom, a graduate student in Harvard's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, led by Martin A. Nowak. "We find that's not true, as a population of self-interested people can defeat an epidemic. But the trouble is, success is sensitive to small changes in perception of a vaccine's costs -- in terms of money, time, inconvenience, or perceived side effects." Together with lead author Feng Fu, Rosenbloom and Nowak are the first researchers to incorporate epidemiological data into modeling of how vaccination spreads by imitation in a social network. They found that increasing vaccination cost prompts more free-riding and leads to larger epidemics. "Herd immunity in a social network is fragile," says Fu, a postdoctoral researcher in mathematical biology at Harvard. "As public perceptions of vaccine side effects change, a population can rapidly switch from high vaccination and herd immunity to low vaccination and a larger epidemic." The good news, the authors say, is that the sensitivity of vaccination to perceived costs cuts both ways, meaning it's easy to get a population back on track with voluntary immunizations in the wake of an outbreak. The Harvard team found epidemics are amplified when individuals mimic others in their social network, such as by avoiding immunizations during vaccine scares. Behavior driven by "strong imitation" -- reliance on anecdotal information from social contacts in deciding whether or not to immunize -- could cause up to a 14 percent decline in vaccination rates, and a four-fold increase in the size of a flulike epidemic. "It's possible to be too clever for your own good in dealing with risk," Fu says. "These 'strong imitators' chase unwise risks, and their behavior exacerbates the fragility of herd immunity, causing it to break down more easily. Those in our model who ignored friends' outcomes and stuck with their own decision ended up better off, on average." Fu, Rosenbloom, and Nowak's modeling also showed that in an epidemic, individuals who are hubs in a social network are likelier to choose vaccination than their less connected peers. However, this outcome emerges primarily from self-interested behavior -- the desire to avoid sickness -- rather than altruistic behavior to protect friends and family. "Altruistic behavior could certainly lead to increased vaccination of hubs, but we find that it's not required -- self-interested behavior suffices," Rosenbloom says. This work builds upon the tradition of evolutionary game theory, where researchers construct simple mathematical models to explore human behavior in social dilemmas and scenarios where people can cooperate for the common good. While this study specifically modeled influenza, the results apply to a wide variety of diseases, and are consistent with data from past epidemics. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Signaling and quorum sensing video | Andrew Dopheide has created an animation that illustrates signaling and quorum sensing. "A solitary bacterium cannot form a biofilm by itself - it must wait until a group of bacteria has gathered. With no fingers to count on, how do bacteria know when there are enough others nearby? Bacteria are equipped with molecular signalling systems. Individual bacteria steadily emit signal molecules, which can be detected by other nearby bacteria. These signals allow bacteria to determine what other cells are out there and what they are doing, and are used to coordinate processes such as biofilm formation. This process is known as quorum sensing. As bacteria increase in abundance, signals will be detected at higher frequency. When the signal frequency reaches a certain threshold, this may trigger a change in gene regulation and reconfiguration of cellular machinery for a new purpose, such as production of pili and extracellular polymers." {vimeo}13528671{/vimeo} | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Super Scientist | This video by YouTube user Monty4200 documents the work of Oklahoma State University microbiologist Marianna Patrauchan and how it inspired his song "Super Scientist." | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| An Interview with Moselio Schaechter, Editor-in-Chief of 'The Encyclopedia of Microbiology' | A discussion with Professor Moselio Schaechter, Distinguished Professor, emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, about his book the Encyclopedia of Microbiology. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Progress and Promise in HIV/AIDS | Antiretroviral therapy provides life-saving medicine to HIV-infected people but it is not a cure. Long-term exposure to the drugs and the virus itself shorten a person's life, even if they don't develop AIDS. Two HIV/AIDS Disease Teams led by scientists at UCLA and the City of Hope are focused on stem cell transplant strategies that promise a long lasting resistance to HIV. Both disease teams have a goal of getting to clinical trials within four years. For more info, go to: www.cirm.ca.gov/HIV/AIDS_facts | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Foodsafe video | Food-handling safety risks at home are more common than you may think. The 4 easy lessons of this Be Foodsafe video are clean, separate, cook and chill. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| What is TB? (not TV) | In this BCCDC produced video children from John Filed Elementary School use posters to explain what they have learned about Tuberculosis (TB) infection and disease and how it can be cured. Gitxsan elders discuss their experience with Tuberculosis in the days of the Sanatoria | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| El Salvador issues flu epidemic alert | Health authorities in El Salvador issued a flu epidemic alert, with an average of 14 000 cases a day, exceeding those of dengue fever. Health Minister Maria Isabel Rodriguez told local media that 11 of the 14 departments of the country are the worst affected by respiratory disease. According to Rodriguez, consultations in health units have increased with patients complaining of chest pain, runny nose, fever, cough and other symptoms of influenza. Even before last week, about 10 000 cases of influenza [i.e. respiratory illness] were reported daily, and in the week just ended, the figure amounted to 14,171 cases a day. Via ProMed Mail | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| A Global Metabolic Shift Is Linked to Salmonella Multicellular Development | Bacteria can elaborate complex patterns of development that are dictated by temporally ordered patterns of gene expression, typically under the control of a master regulatory pathway. For some processes, such as biofilm development, regulators that initiate the process have been identified but subsequent phenotypic changes such as stress tolerance do not seem to be under the control of these same regulators. A hallmark feature of biofilms is growth within a self-produced extracellular matrix. In this study we used metabolomics to compare Salmonella cells in rdar colony biofilms to isogenic csgD deletion mutants that do not produce an extracellular matrix. The two populations show distinct metabolite profiles. Even though CsgD controls only extracellular matrix production, metabolite signatures associated with cellular adaptations associated with stress tolerances were present in the wild type but not the mutant cells. To further explore these differences we examine the temporal gene expression of genes implicated in biofilm development and stress adaptations. In wild type cells, genes involved in a metabolic shift to gluconeogenesis and various stress-resistance pathways exhibited an ordered expression profile timed with multicellular development even though they are not CsgD regulated. In csgD mutant cells, the ordered expression was lost. We conclude that the induction of these pathways results from production of, and growth within, a self produced matrix rather than elaboration of a defined genetic program. These results predict that common physiological properties of biofilms are induced independently of regulatory pathways that initiate biofilm formation. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Global Atlas of Helminth Infection: Mapping the Way Forward in Neglected Tropical Disease Control | To take full advantage of recent increased financial commitments from some governments, international agencies, and philanthropies, accurate and up-to-date mapping of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) needs to be implemented to help improve the precision of decision-making in NTD control and elimination, says a new editorial, "The Global Atlas of Helminth Infection: Mapping the Way Forward in Neglected Tropical Disease Control," published July 27 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Spain researchers identify the bacteria arriving daily from the Sahara Desert | Every day, millions of microorganisms reach Spain from the Sahara Desert and the Sahel region – by flying. Louis Pasteur demonstrated back in 1861 that germs can move through the air, but it was only recently discovered that bacteria, funguses and viruses can travel thousands of kilometers stuck onto dust particles. Satellite images show clouds that come close to the size of the Iberian Peninsula. For the first time, the international team on the Ecosensor project, funded by the BBVA Foundation, have analyzed these traveling microorganisms using molecular biology techniques. As well as identifying the species, they have found that they colonize high-mountain lakes in the Sierra Nevada and the Pyrenees, and that the phenomenon is escalating with climate change. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbiology in the Andes: Ancient and Unexpected | Elio Schaechter of Small Things Considered highlights some of the scientific development that took place centuries ago in Quito, the present-day capital of Ecuador. Snippet: "In 1589 a smallpox epidemic killed 37.5% of Quito’s inhabitants. A description of the disease in a letter by one of the priests makes clear allusion to its contagiousness. Later on, several of the Jesuits made insightful observations about the etiology of infectious diseases. Among them was Juan Magnin (1701-1753), a Swiss missionary who became a member of the French Academy of Sciences, who stated: There are microbes that can only be seen with a microscope that are 27 million times smaller than the smallest that can be seen with the naked eye. These facts and others seem incredible. And …(the microscope) allows to establish that the dirt on the teeth is due to the accumulation of innumerable microbes; furthermore, it is likely that many of the diseases of the human body, especially leprosy and venereal diseases, are due to the accumulation of microbes." Click source for more. | 07/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| A Giant Among Giants | Merry Youle from the Small Things Considered blog ponders the potential size a virus can be: "With such fascinating stories being told by Mimivirus and the other giants, people are now looking for them in more environments. Modified techniques are called for, as those used previously to spot viruses may have excluded many of them. For example, when collecting marine samples for viral metagenomes, researchers often use filters with 0.16-0.2 µm pores to catch the "microbial" fraction and allow the "viral" fraction to pass through. Realizing that many NCLDVs are apt to be caught with the microbes, Monier and colleagues searched the "microbial" sequences from the Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling (GOS) Expedition for NCLDVs using their conserved DNA polymerase sequences as a handle. They found Mimivirus sequences in 86% of the samples and chlorella viruses in a third. Claverie and colleagues see no limitations that would preclude the existence of even larger viruses. Unlike cellular organisms, there are no metabolism-based constraints on particle volume. Of course, a virus must be smaller than its host, and Mimivirus is | 07/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Socio-economic inequality and infectious disease - a public health priority | An editorial in Eurosurveillance looks at social determinants of infectious diseases in the EU: "Vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected by infectious diseases in every European Union (EU) Member State [1]. The level and distribution of wealth within a society plays a significant role in determining vulnerabilities to communicable diseases. A clear association between social welfare spending and mortality across EU countries has been reported [2]. The current measles outbreak in Bulgaria is a stark reminder of the urgency to act on social determinants of infectious diseases in Europe [3]. Since the onset of the outbreak in April 2009, over 23,429 measles cases and 24 deaths have been reported, 90% of which have been in the Roma ethnic community [4]. The majority of cases (>60%) were younger than 15 years and one third (30%) had not received the full course of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination (Mira Kojouharova, personal communication June 2010). A number of factors converged to precipitate this epidemic: virus importation from Germany, socio-economic and health system reform, social marginalisation, crowded living conditions and a high degree of mobility among Roma communities (Mira Kojouharova, personal communication June 2010. Such socio-economic conditions could be fertile ground for outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g. diphtheria, polio), if the agents were to be introduced into these or similar communities. Indeed, social determinants of infectious diseases are a significant public health issue throughout Europe. For instance, tuberculosis (TB) prevalence in EU Member States is inversely correlated with wealth and its distribution at an ecological level (Figure): with increasing socio-economic equality, TB rates drop [5]." Click "source" for more. | 07/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Comments on the “Synthetic Cell” | "The now famous announcement by the Venter group is based on their paper in Science entitled Creation of a Bacterial Cell Controlled by a Chemically Synthesized Genome. We applaud this work for its impressive technical achievement and we acknowledge its future potential. However, we find the term “creation” to be misleading because the "new" cell was assembled using mainly preexisting constituents. We also find the term worrisome because, somewhat perversely, it may bring up creationism. We reprint a comment submitted by Bernie Strauss in response to the timely article published in Nature: Life After the Synthetic Cell. His words accurately express our sentiments." Click source for more. | 07/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Claire Fraser-Liggett on “Complex microbial communities: We’re not in Kansas anymore” | Claire Fraser-Liggett, Director of the Institute for Genome Sciences and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, gives the June 2, 2010 keynote at the "Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future" meeting in Santa Fe, NM. | 07/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 situation grave in 5 India states | The swine flu situation continues to be serious in four of India's southern states and the western state of Maharashtra, which have reported 366 of the 370 H1N1 infections in the last week, official figures show. Kerala remains the worst affected state with 222 confirmed reports of swine flu. A rise in number of swine flu cases has been reported from all severely affected states with Maharashtra reporting 72 cases, Karnataka 31, Tamil Nadu 22, and Andhra Pradesh 19. During the last week 16 people have died due to the virus, with 10 of these being reported from Kerala while four from Maharashtra and two from Andhra Pradesh. | 07/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Deadly Plague Found in Burma | An unspecified number of Rangoon residents have been diagnosed with plague, a contagious disease primarily transmitted by rodents (mostly rats), according to the Burmese Ministry of Health (MOH) in Naypyidaw. An epidemiologist at MOH who asked to remain anonymous told The Irrawaddy that some people infected with plague were found in Rangoon in June but all survived after treatment by the MOH. “It was the first time in decades that we found plague in Rangoon,” said the MOH official. The MOH has yet to make a public statement regarding the diagnosis of plague. | 07/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| The majority of fevers in African children are not caused by malaria | In 2007, an estimated 656 million fevers occurred in African children aged 0-4 years, with 78 million children of the 183 million attending a public health care facility likely to have been infected with P. falciparum (range 60-103 million), the parasite that causes the most dangerous form of malaria. These findings come from a modelling system devised by Peter Gething and colleagues from the Malaria Atlas Project, a multinational team of researchers funded mainly by the Wellcome Trust. These findings, published in PLoS Medicine, are important given international efforts to increase the coverage of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in public health sectors and the mounting concern that the continued indiscriminate presumptive use of ACT for treating all childhood fevers may lead to resistance to one of the main drug classes currently effective in the treatment of falciparum malaria. The authors were able to quantify the number of children with fevers who do and do not have malaria by gathering data on paediatric fever prevalence, treatment-seeking rates, and childhood populations and combining this information with a geographical information system model. The authors then assembled data to estimate plausible ranges for the proportion of paediatric fevers seen at clinics positive for P. falciparum in different malaria endemic areas. This study provides a useful map of the prevalence of malarial and non-malarial childhood fevers across sub-Saharan Africa and an indication of how many of the children with fever reaching public clinics are likely to have malaria and might therefore benefit from ACT. Furthermore, these findings also highlight the potential benefits of introducing rapid diagnostic testing for malaria and can now be used to quantify the resources needed for and the potential clinical benefits of different policies for the introduction of rapid diagnostic testing for malaria across Africa. Via EurekAlert. | 07/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Jeffrey Way on producing sugar from cyanobacteria | Wyss researchers have engineered photosynthetic bacteria to produce simple sugars and lactic acid, an innovation that could lead to new, environmentally friendly methods for producing commodity chemicals in bulk. Because the production methods use photosynthesis -- the process by which living things are assembled using only CO2 and sunlight -- the cost of making sugars, lactic acid, and other compounds could be significantly lower than traditional methods. In this interview, Jeffrey Way, PhD, discusses the technology and its potential. Via LabSpaces.net | 07/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Sea Slug's Guide to Plastid Adoption | Having an intimate relationship with photosynthetic microbes is a widespread strategy adopted by numerous unicellular and multicellular organisms. Some eschew a committed relationship, and simply nab the plastids, sequestering them inside vacuoles where they continue to photosynthesize for a while. Previously we reported on a ciliate that captures the algal nuclei, as well, to support the plastids, and a flagellate that seems to in the process of converting their plastid into a well-mannered organelle. What about us metazoans? So far there is only one group known to practice this kleptoplasty—the sap-sucking sacoglossan sea slugs—and, so far, only one genus among them is known to have made this a long-term relationship. The best-studied species here is Elysia chlorotica. These naked molluscs pass their quiet lives in salt marshes from Chesapeake Bay to Nova Scotia. Eggs laid each spring hatch into planktonic veliger larvae that home-in on the one particular species of algae that they use for food, Vaucheria litorea. The larvae attach to the algae where, within 24 hours, they metamorphose into hungry juvenile slugs that begin feeding. Click "source" for more. | 07/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Wallabies and bats harbor 'fossil' genes from the most deadly family of human viruses | Modern marsupials may be popular animals at the zoo and in children's books, but new findings by University at Buffalo biologists reveal that they harbor a "fossil" copy of a gene that codes for filoviruses, which cause Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers and are the most lethal viruses known to humans. Published this week in the online journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, the paper ("Filoviruses are ancient and integrated into mammalian genomes") demonstrates for the first time that mammals have harbored filoviruses for at least tens of millions of years, in contrast to the existing estimate of a few thousand. It suggests that these species, which maintain a filovirus infection without negative health consequences, could have selectively maintained these so-called "fossil" genes as a genetic defense. The work has important implications for the development of potential human vaccines, as well as for the modeling of disease outbreaks and the discovery of emerging diseases, including new filoviruses. "This paper identifies the first captured 'fossil' copies of filovirus-like genes in mammalian genomes," says Derek J. Taylor, PhD, associate professor of biological sciences in the UB College of Arts and Sciences and co-author. "Our results confirm for the first time that several groups of mammals, including groups such as marsupials that never colonized Africa, have had an association with filoviruses." The UB co-authors say that if the rarely captured genes represent antiviral defenses or genomic scars from persistent infections, then the work opens up new possibilities for identifying reservoir species for filoviruses, which harbor the virus but remain asymptomatic. "The reservoir for filovirus has remained a huge mystery," says Jeremy A. Bruenn, PhD, UB professor of biological sciences and co-author. "We need to identify it because once a filovirus hits humans, it can be deadly." When the UB researchers studied samples from the fur of a wallaby at the Buffalo Zoo and a brown bat caught on the UB campus, they found that the genomes of both animals as well as some other small mammals contain "fossil" copies of the gene for these deadly viruses, and thus could be candidate reservoir species for them. "Who knew that the bats in the attic as well as modern marsupials harbored fossil gene copies of the group of viruses that is most lethal to humans," asks Taylor. The research also demonstrates a new mechanism by which different species of mammals can acquire genes, through non-retroviral integrated RNA viruses, which the UB scientists had previously identified in eukaryotes but was unknown in mammals. The UB scientists note that it is well-known that RNA retroviruses, like HIV-AIDS, can be integrated into mammal genomes. "But because filoviruses infect only the cytoplasm of cells and not the nucleus and because they have no means of making DNA copies that might be integrated into the genome -- as retroviruses do -- it was never thought gene transfer could occur between non-retroviral RNA viruses and hosts," says Bruenn. "This paper shows that it does and it may prove to be a far more general phenomenon than is currently known." The research also reveals that existing estimates that filoviruses originated in mammals a few thousand years ago were way off the mark. "Our findings demonstrate that filoviruses are, at a minimum, between 10 million and 24 million years old, and probably much older," says Taylor. "Instead of having evolved during the rise of agriculture, they more likely evolved during the rise of mammals." | 07/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Sewage raises West Nile virus risk | Sewage that overflows into urban creeks and streams during periods of heavy rain can promote the spread of West Nile Virus, an Emory study finds. The analysis of six years of data showed that people living near creeks with sewage overflows in lower-income neighborhoods of Southeast Atlanta had a seven times higher risk for West Nile virus than the rest of the city. | 07/ 2/2010 | |||||||||||
| 2-Billion-Year-Old Fossils May Be Earliest Known Multicellular Life | A newly discovered group of 2.1-billion-year-old fossil organisms may be the earliest known example of complex life on Earth. They could help scientists understand not just when higher life forms evolved, but why. The fossils — flat discs almost 5 inches across, with scalloped edges and radial slits — were either complex colonies of single-celled organisms, or early animals. Either way, they represent an early crossing of a critical evolutionary threshold, and suggest that the crossing was made necessary by radical changes in Earth’s atmosphere. “There is clearly a relationship between the concentration of oxygen and multicellularity,” said Abderrazak El Albani, a paleobiologist at France’s University of Poitiers. The fossils are described in the July 1 issue of Nature. Single-celled organisms emerged from the primordial soup about 3.4 billion years ago. Almost immediately, some gathered in mats. But it was another 1.4 billion years before the first truly multicellular organism, called Grypania spiralis, appears in the fossil record. Grypania may have been either a bacterial colony or a eukaryote — an organism with specialized cells, enclosed in a membrane. Whatever Grypania was, it was one of the few known examples of complex life until about 550 million years ago, when the fossil record explodes in diversity. The newly described fossils, which have yet to be given a species name, make Grypania less solitary. They lived at roughly the same time — Grypania in what is now the northern United States, the new fossils in Gabon. By raising the possiblity that multicellularity was a trend rather than an aberration, they also hint at an answer to the question of why complex life evolved, not just when. Click source to read more. | 07/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Application of Standards to the NIH Roadmap Human Microbiome Project | Barbara Methe, Professor in the Departments of Human Genome Medicine and Microbial and Environmental Genomics at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), gives an overview of the Human Microbiome Project at the 9th Genomic Standards Consortium Workshop held at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, MD, on April 28-30, 2010. | 07/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Intelligence Averages Linked To Regional Infectious Disease Burden | Over the years, people have put forth a lot of theories to explain why intelligence differs, from person to person and even around the world. Health, wealth, schooling, nutrition, and even climate have all come up. Now, researchers at the University of New Mexico suggest that parasites might play a role. They find that the prevalence of infectious diseases can be a powerful predictor of regional smarts. Their work appears in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. [Christopher Eppig, Corey Fincher and Randy Thornhill, http://bit.ly/c2E4wD] Click source to listen to Scientific American's podcast on the subject. | 07/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| The E.P.A. on Dispersants: Cure Is Not Worse Than the Disease | Initial tests of Corexit, the oil dispersant that BP is using in the Gulf of Mexico, and of competing products finds that the dispersants range from “practically nontoxic’’ to “slightly toxic,’’ the Environmental Protection Agency says. In a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Paul Anastas, the agency’s assistant administrator for research and development, said the dispersants were tested on shrimp and on a small fish called the inland silverside in government laboratories and contractors’ labs; some were more toxic to one marine animal than the other. But the labs have not yet tested the toxicity of dispersants when mixed with oil, or products formed by the oil-dispersant mix when it is digested by microbes. (The purpose of the dispersants is to break the oil down into smaller droplets than can more readily be digested by the microbes.) | 07/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Stem-cell therapy may provide new approach to fight infection | A new study shows that treatment with mesenchymal stem cells can triple survival rates in mice with sepsis, a deadly condition that can occur when an infection spreads throughout the body. The treatment reduced the damaging effects of inflammation and increased the body's ability to clear the infection. Mesenchymal stem cells are found in adult bone marrow and they have been used extensively in clinical trials in humans for other conditions. This work was a collaboration between research groups led by Dr. Duncan Stewart at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), Dr. Arthur Slutsky at St. Michael's Hospital and Dr. W. Conrad Liles at the University Health Network in Toronto. The cells used in this study are called mesenchymal stem cells. In addition to their stem cell properties, they are also known to influence the immune system and help repair tissue damage. They are found in adult bone marrow and they have been used extensively in clinical trials for other diseases. The researchers tested these cells in mice with sepsis. Bacteria from the gut were released into the abdomen, resulting in severe infection, inflammation and organ damage throughout the body. Six hours after inducing the infection, approximately half the mice were given an intravenous injection of mouse mesenchymal stem cells, while the other half received a control injection of a salt solution. Both groups of animals also received antibiotics, which is the standard treatment for sepsis in the clinic. After five days, 50 per cent of the animals that received the cells were alive, compared to just 15 per cent of the control animals that did not receive the cells. Other experiments showed that mice that were treated with mesenchymal stem cells had healthier lungs and other organs, lower levels of bacteria and a more moderate level of inflammation. | 07/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Lack of sufficient iron may be a significant factor in controlling massive algae blooms | Lack of sufficient iron may be a significant factor in controlling massive blooms of Emiliania huxleyi, a globally important species of marine algae or phytoplankton, according to research led by researchers at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton. Emiliania huxleyi is a species of coccolithophore found in oceans all around the world, from the tropics to the Arctic Ocean. Coccolithophore blooms often develop during the summer when a blanket of water called the thermocline develops between the upper mixed layer above and the deep water below. These blooms can be seen from space as large areas of highly reflective water. This increased reflectivity is caused by shedding of coccoliths, the calcite plates that form the external skeleton or ‘shell’ of the organism, when nutrients are becoming depleted and the bloom is in decline. The new research took place during a cruise to the central Iceland basin aboard the Royal Research Ship Discovery during the late summer of 2007, after the main bloom had ended. Measurements of phytoplankton growth, calcification (calcite plate formation), and coccolithophore abundance were made during the trip. Click source for more. | 07/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Listening to Bacteria - Bonnie Bassler | As Princeton microbiologist Bonnie Bassler assumes the presidency of the American Society of Microbiology, Natalie Angier of Smithsonian Magazine has written up a lengthy biographical piece on Bassler's career as a scientist and her focus on bacterial communication. Here's a snippet from the article: "If you think bacteria, you probably think disease, putrefaction and germs, and reach for your hand sanitizer. Bassler wants to set you straight. “You live in intimate association with bacteria, and you couldn’t survive without them,” she says. Trillions of human cells make up the human body, but there are at least ten times that number of bacterial cells in you or on you. You are, at best, only 10 percent human. Bacteria coat your skin in an ultrathin protective armor, which helps keep harmful microbes at bay. The bacteria in your gut make vitamins K and B12. You like lettuce? Your intestinal flora gamely generate enzymes so you can digest it. It’s a happy trans-taxa tit-for-tat affair. For bacteria, “it’s the good life, it’s fat city” to dwell in the rich environs of a human being, Bassler says. It’s much better, she goes on, than striking out on their own “in a puddle or free-living in the ocean. Those are nutrient deserts compared to us.” Bacteria may be microscopic—three million can fit onto a pinhead—but they are not invisible. The next time you visit the Grand Canyon and your heart soars at the splendid strawberry-rhubarb striations of rock, take a moment to thank the makers. “Bacteria mineralized the rocks, they deposited the iron,” Bassler says. “They made the geology we see.” Click source to read the entire article. | 06/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Missouri VA hospital may have infected 1,800 veterans with HIV, hepatitis | A Missouri VA hospital is under fire because it may have exposed more than 1,800 veterans to life-threatening diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis has recently mailed letters to 1,812 veterans telling them they could contract hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after visiting the medical center for dental work, said Rep. Russ Carnahan. Carnahan said Tuesday he is calling for a investigation into the issue and has sent a letter to President Obama about it. | 06/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbiologist Ron Atlas on Bioremediation in the Gulf at #TEDxOilSpill | Dr. Ron Atlas, a microbiologist at the University of Louisville and past president of the American Society for Microbiology, shares his experience with the Exxon Valdez clean up at the recent TEDx Oil Spill conference in Washington, D.C. Dr. Atlas' presentation starts at 22 min in. (Use the video timeline scrubber to locate his talk.) tedxoilspill on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free
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| Honey as an antibiotic: Scientists identify a secret ingredient in honey that kills bacteria | New research published in the July 2010 print edition of the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) explains for the first time how honey kills bacteria. Specifically, the research shows that bees make a protein that they add to the honey, called defensin-1, which could one day be used to treat burns and skin infections and to develop new drugs that could combat antibiotic-resistant infections. "We have completely elucidated the molecular basis of the antibacterial activity of a single medical-grade honey, which contributes to the applicability of honey in medicine," said Sebastian A.J. Zaat, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Medical Microbiology at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam. "Honey or isolated honey-derived components might be of great value for prevention and treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria." To make the discovery, Zaat and colleagues investigated the antibacterial activity of medical-grade honey in test tubes against a panel of antibiotic-resistant, disease-causing bacteria. They developed a method to selectively neutralize the known antibacterial factors in honey and determine their individual antibacterial contributions. Ultimately, researchers isolated the defensin-1 protein, which is part of the honey bee immune system and is added by bees to honey. After analysis, the scientists concluded that the vast majority of honey's antibacterial properties come from that protein. This information also sheds light on the inner workings of honey bee immune systems, which may one day help breeders create healthier and heartier honey bees. "We've known for millennia that honey can be good for what ails us, but we haven't known how it works," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal, "Now that we've extracted a potent antibacterial ingredient from honey, we can make it still more effective and take the sting out of bacterial infections." | 06/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Indoor Mold Growth Is Influenced More by Location Than Building Type | In the first-ever global survey of indoor fungi scientists report that geography rather than building design and function has the greatest effect on the fungal species likely to be found indoors. The study suggests that the types of mold and other fungi most likely to be found in a dwelling may be largely unaffected by features like HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) filters and weather stripping. | 06/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 deaths increase in India after onset of monsoon | Swine flu deaths continued their upwards surge since the onset of monsoon with 17 fatalities reported due to the disease in India since June 21, the maximum of which were from Kerala and Maharashtra. Both the states reported seven deaths each while Andhra Pradesh reported two and Uttar Pradesh one, health ministry officials said today. All 345 cases reported during the week are indigenous cases. Click source for more. | 06/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| NYU-Poly Professor Proposes Plan to Optimize Biosurfactants to Aid Gulf Cleanup | What if cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico wasn’t a matter of choosing between harsh chemical dispersants, labor-intensive skimming and potentially dangerous burns? Dr. Richard Gross, professor of chemical and biological science and Herman F. Mark chair at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), claims nature has already provided the ideal weapons in the fight against the millions of gallons of oil still spilling into the Gulf. Dr. Gross’ approach relies on biosurfactants, organic compounds produced in nature for the exact purpose of oil dispersion and remediation. Produced by microbes such as yeast, bacteria and fungi, biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds—meaning they attract both lipids (such as oil) and water — and serve to reduce the surface tension between the two substances. This facilitates the breakdown and dispersal of lipid molecules into smaller droplets. Biosurfactants work in tandem with naturally occurring marine organisms — already present in sufficient quantity in the Gulf — which utilize the oil droplets as food, converting them into carbon dioxide, water and biomass. Dr. Gross proposes introducing biosurfactants in sufficient quantity to assist these organisms in quickly converting the oil from the Deep Horizon spill. | 06/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Algae and Diatoms | This image by Dr. Arlene Wechezak, Anacortes, Washington, United States, won 10th place in Nikon's 2009 Small World microscopy competition. Nikon's Small World Twitter feed (@NikonSmallWorld) is currently showcasing algae and larvae that are in danger in the Gulf oil spill. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Paul Stamets - 6 ways mushrooms can save the world | Mycologist Paul Stamets lists 6 ways that the mycelium fungus can help save the world. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| TED - 7 oil crisis views, from comic to tragic | A round up of yesterday's Tedx Oil Spill conference in DC, highlights University of Louisville microbiologist Ron Atlas' experience with using fertilizers to spur the growth of oil-consuming microbes in the Exxon Valdez spill. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Trichanella spiralis | Click source to view an animated clip about Trichanella spiralis from Animal Planet's Monsters inside Me program. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Measles outbreak in Zambia expanding | Zambia has recorded one thousand six hundred cases of measles from the time the disease broke out a week ago. The Director of Public Health and Research at the Ministry of Health Victor Mukonka disclosed this in an interview with ZNBC over the weekend.Dr Mukonka however claimed that the disease is under control. He didn’t say how many people have died so far. He said all patients are receiving treatment in isolation centers, which have been set up. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Despite countless changes, original HIV infection lurks within | Scientists have been surprised to learn that, despite thousands of changes that viruses like HIV undergo in rapid fashion to evade the body's immune system, the original version that caused the infection is still present in the body months later. The finding, published in the June issue of the Journal of Virology, is the result of an uncommonly detailed look at the cat-and-mouse action that takes place in an organism shortly after infection. The work is aimed at understanding the earliest stages of infection by HIV more thoroughly, to help scientists develop ways either to quash the infection outright or to develop a vaccine to prevent infection. The research, which was conducted by scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center, is based on an analysis of more than 100,000 genetic snippets of a virus known as SIV, or simian immunodeficiency virus, which infects monkeys and is a close cousin of HIV. Via EurekAlert | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| DOE drops $24 million to spur commercialization of algae-based biofuels | The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today the investment of up to $24 million for three research groups to tackle key hurdles in the commercialization of algae-based biofuels. The selections will support the development of a clean, sustainable transportation sector—a goal of the Department's continued effort to spur the creation of the domestic bio-industry while creating jobs. Developing cost-effective renewable transportation fuels is a key component of the Administration's strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions and move the nation toward energy independence. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Virus 'explorers' probe inner workings of the brain | Lynn Enquist, a professor in Princeton's Department of Molecular Biology and in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, is leading an effort to use genetically engineered viruses as explorers that travel throughout the nervous system, tracing the connections between neurons and reporting on their activity along the way. "Over the years, the understanding of how cells in the brain are connected has been a major problem," said Enquist. "How can this blob of tissue do everything? We're missing a lot of information about how the brain works." The NIH-funded project hinges on the creation and use of a genetically engineered virus that causes neurons to produce colorful fluorescent proteins. As the virus spreads, it leaves a colorful path through the brain in its wake. Some of the engineered viruses are designed to make the neurons glow brightly when they are active, like an "On Air" sign in the brain. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Curbing Domestic Violence Key to Reducing HIV Infection Among South African Women | Women in South Africa who are victims of domestic violence are more likely to become infected with HIV compared to women who do not experience such behavior, according to a study published June 16, 2010 in The Lancet'‘s Online First. Nearly one in seven new HIV infections could be prevented if women were not subjected to physical or sexual abuse, and a similar number prevented if relationship inequalities were eliminated, the study authors note. "This is the first longitudinal study to show that women in Africa who experience violence from male partners are more likely to become HIV positive, something we have suspected, but never before proven," says study co-author Kristin Dunkle, MPH, PhD, assistant professor of behavioral science and health education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Chi - A Fastidious Bacteriophage | Michael Yarmolinsky, Scientist Emeritus in the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, explores how the virulent, double-stranded DNA phage called Chi attacks only motile strains of bacteria. Click source for more. | 06/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Exxon Valdez and Bioremediation | As we hear more and more news about the environmental disaster currently underway in the Gulf, there has been much talk about how microbes can be utilized to biodegrade the oil. In this 7 minute video posted on YouTube we see how scientists successfully implemented a bioremediation plan during the Exxon Valdez crisis in 1989. | 06/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Online registration is now open for the 3rd ASM Conference on Enterococci | Online registration for the 3rd ASM Conference on Enterococci, July 30 - August 2, 2010, in Portland, Oregon, is now open. Session topics include: *Genomics and Molecular Biology *Pathogenicity *Antibiotic Therapy and Resistance *Bacteriocins *Plasmids and Horizontal Transfer *Epidemiology and Food Connections *Biofilms Principal Organizer: Dr. Don Clewell University of Michigan Co-organizers: Dr. Michael Gilmore Harvard Medical School Dr. Yasuyoshi Ike Gunma University Medical School Click source for more information. | 06/21/2010 | |||||||||||
| Uncovering Beauty in Proteins to Fight the Pneumococcal Fratricides | From time to time, we dip into the microbiology blog by César Sánchez, Twisted Bacteria, and, with his permission, "borrow" a post such as this one about pneumonia and pneumococci, fratricide at the cellular level, and a pretty protein. And there's a video too! Snippet: "A few days ago I was happy to learn that a group of Spanish researchers — some of them from the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB, Center for Biological Research) in Madrid, Spain — had solved the 3D structure of one of the pneumococcal lytic enzymes, called LytC. What I find remarkable is how the 3D structure elegantly explains the peculiar role that this protein plays during a process known as pneumococcal fratricide. Some bacteria produce substances that kill surrounding microbes, and use the resulting dead bodies as a source of nutrients. Sometimes, killer and victim belong to the same species, or even they are siblings. In these cases, researchers speak of cannibalism or fratricide; although if you view microbial populations as coordinated, multicellular entities, then you may prefer to use the term programmed cell death." Click source for more. {youtube}meTjfMA3ToU{/youtube} | 06/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Gulf oil spill could widen, worsen ‘dead zone’ | While an out-of-control gusher deep in the Gulf of Mexico fouls beaches and chokes marshland habitat, another threat could be growing below the oil-slicked surface. The nation’s worst oil spill could worsen and expand the oxygen-starved region of the Gulf labeled “the dead zone” for its inhospitability to marine life, suggests Michigan State University professor Nathaniel Ostrom. It could already be feeding microbes that thrive around natural undersea oil seeps, he says, tiny critters that break down the oil but also consume precious oxygen. “At the moment, we are seeing some indication that the oil spill is enhancing hypoxia,” or oxygen depletion, Ostrom said. “It’s a good hint that we’re on the right track, and it’s just another insult to the ecosystem – people have been worried about the size of the hypoxic zone for many years.” The dead zone is believed to stem from urban runoff and nitrogen-based fertilizers from farmland swept into the Gulf by the Mississippi River. Higher springtime flows carry a heavier surge each year, nourishing algae blooms that soon die and sink. Those decay and are eaten by bacteria that consume more oxygen, driving out marine life and killing that which can’t move, such as coral. The dead zone can grow to the size of a small state. With the spill overlapping a section of the dead zone, the impact on that region is unknown. {wmvremote}http://news.msu.edu/media/video/2010/06/0429ee54-6806-40d0-83de-45f856462954.wmv{/wmvremote} | 06/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Highlights from a scientific conference, observed via Twitter - #asmgm | Science blogger Cesar Sanchez of the site Twisted Bacteria (twistedbacteria.blogspot.com) reviews the American Society for Microbiology's use of social media during their general meeting and also highlights several tweets coming from attendees: "Lots of conferences and meetings on science-related topics are held every year, all over the world. Many of them cover wide topics with potential to excite the curiosity of a great number of scientists and --more importantly-- common people. Sometimes, a few highlights of a conference are reported by the mass media, and that's good... ...but wouldn't it be even better if anybody could catch a glimpse of a particular conference, in real time? What about getting comments made by some of the attendees about a talk that is happening right now? And, what if the speaker could answer, in real time, a question asked by anybody from anywhere in the world? Well, this is already happening, thanks to the internet! In this blog post and in another upcoming one, I'll describe some examples on how social media and other internet tools were used during a recent meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. " Click source to read more. | 06/ 8/2010 | |||||||||||
| Seth Berkley: HIV and flu - the vaccine strategy | Seth Berkley explains how smart advances in vaccine design, production and distribution are bringing us closer than ever to eliminating a host of global threats -- from AIDS to malaria to flu pandemics. | 06/ 6/2010 | |||||||||||
| Dr. Kiki's Science Hour with Stan Maloy - The Bugs Among Us | Synthetic life, oil eating bacteria, and news from the annual American Society of Microbiologists General Meeting in San Diego. Guest: Dr. Stanley Maloy, associate director of the Center for Microbial Sciences and Dean of the College of Science at San Diego State University {mp3remote}http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/twit.cachefly.net/dksh0049.mp3{/mp3remote} | 06/ 6/2010 | |||||||||||
| Twitter tag cloud from #ASMGM | Science blogger Cesar Sanchez of the site Twisted Bacteria (twistedbacteria.blogspot.com) created the above word cloud that was generated from approximately 1200 tweets that appeared on Twitter during the American Society for Microbiology's 2010 General Meeting in San Diego, May 23-27. This image provides a nice overview of the topics and subject matter that were covered over the 5 days of the meeting. | 06/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Craig Venter announces synthetic life | This TED video captures Caig Venter's official announcement that his team created the first fully functioning, reproducing cell controlled by synthetic DNA. He explains how they did it and why the achievement marks the beginning of a new era for science. | 06/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Caltech Biologists Provide Molecular Explanation for the Evolution of Tamiflu Resistance | Biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have pinpointed molecular changes that helped allow the global spread of resistance to the antiviral medication Tamiflu (oseltamivir) among strains of the seasonal H1N1 flu virus. The study—led by David Baltimore, Caltech's Robert Andrews Millikan Professor of Biology and recipient of the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and postdoctoral scholar Jesse D. Bloom—appears in the June 4 issue of the journal Science. Tamiflu and other antiviral drugs directly target viruses, unlike vaccines, which instead stimulate our body's immune system to respond to the pathogens after an infection is established. In a flu infection, viruses bind to sialic acid on the surface of a host cell using a protein called hemagglutinin (the "H" in H1N1). The viruses then enter the cell and replicate. When the newly minted viruses exit the cell, they too bind to sialic acid. The viruses then use a protein called neuraminidase (the "N" in H1N1) to cut the sialic acid, freeing themselves to infect new cells. This process, however, is blocked by Tamiflu, which prevents neuraminidase from cleaving the sialic acid. "It does this by binding in the 'active site' of the neuraminidase molecule, where neuraminidase normally cleaves sialic acid," Bloom says. In general, for a virus to become resistant to Tamiflu, the neuraminidase protein has to be able to tell the difference between sialic acid (the thing it cleaves) and Tamiflu (the drug "decoy"). | 06/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| What's next for synthetic life? | J. Craig Venter and his colleagues recently announced that they had created the first cell to run on a fully artificial genome. So what's next for this synthetic strain of microscopic Mycoplasma mycoides and the new technology? The "synthetic cell" achievement has been lauded, condemned and undercut, but it has yet to fully demystify life's underlying code, the genome. "It's amazing how little we know about genomics," Venter said June 1 at the Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology in Cold Spring, N.Y. Researchers built much of the bacterium's genome without fully understanding the function of many of the million-plus base pairs involved. About half of the genes, in fact, are still "a complete black box," said Richard Roberts of New England Biolabs, Inc., in a commentary after Venter's talk. But a bit like complex erector sets can help illuminate some of the basic rules of physics and engineering, scientists are hoping that constructing—and deconstructing and reconstructing—whole genomes will help them better understand genomic principles. "We have to find what the rules are," Roberts said. Scientists, for instance, don't yet know what role or importance the order of genes in the genome plays. They have seen that in some cases, genes can have their order swapped with little visible outcome on life, whereas, specific sequence might be more important elsewhere on the genome. Although the researchers based their synthetic genome on the natural one, their cell did not behave exactly the same, Venter noted. Usually when you mess around with the inner workings of a cell, especially its genetic code, growth rate tends to slow. With this one, however, there was a substantial increase in the growth rate. "That was a surprise," Venter said. "We have no idea why the cells grew faster." Future studies will examine the behavior of the microbe and its progeny to see how these behavioral changes match up to genetic changes. The initial paper was only intended as a proof of concept, Venter pointed out. Nevertheless, he said, "people are disappointed that it doesn't sing and dance." | 06/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Promiscuous Bacteria and Viral Playboys | Bacteria have been sexually promiscuous, swapping genes with gusto, for a very long time. More than 15% of E. coli's genome has arrived via horizontal gene transfer (HGT), with some 200 installments having turned up since it diverged from Salmonella 100 million years ago. And, as you are probably thinking, those 200 are but the tip of the HGT iceberg, the small fraction of transfers that were useful enough to be not only maintained by the recipient but also to spread through the population. But how much of this gene transport is the work of viruses? | 06/ 2/2010 | |||||||||||
| Gold nanorods deliver antiviral punch | Future pandemics of seasonal flu, H1N1 and other drug-resistant viruses may be thwarted by a potent, immune-boosting payload that is effectively delivered to cells by gold nanorods, report scientists at the University at Buffalo and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Via Futurity.org | 05/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| ASM's Social Media Presence (PowerPoint Presentation) #ASMGM 2010 | Click "source" to download a PowerPoint presentation on ASM's social media presence that I gave at the ASM General Meeting in San Diego on May 24, 2010. The slides highlight ASM's own social media sites and activities as well as where ASM posts information and updates to third party sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. If you have any questions, please post them under comments. | 05/24/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Good, the Bad and the Virulent | These YouTube videos were created by a group of microbiology students in Spring 2010. It is a spoof of the famous Clint Eastwood movie. Part 2 {youtube}UFEKg4EGU7I{/youtube} | 05/21/2010 | |||||||||||
| US oil spill explained ~ Microbiology & Bacteria | 13-year-old Jonathan Lee asked scientists about the possible after effects from the Gulf oil spill. He wants to learn what could happen and share that information with others in an effort to help with the cleanup. | 05/21/2010 | |||||||||||
| What is a Pathologist? | A general video from the The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia featuring microbiologist Sally Roberts. | 05/21/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bioinformatics Insight (Video) | Introduction to bioinformatics with Dr. Steve Jones, Head, Bioinformatics, Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Agency. | 05/21/2010 | |||||||||||
| Everyone Rowing in the Same Direction | Is there such a thing as an obligatorily multicellular prokaryote? Merry Youle of the Small Things Considered blog reviews a recent paper published in the May issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology that announces the finding of a new subgroup within magnetotactic multicellular prokaryotes. "These new critters have a similar life cycle and morphology. They, too, are sulfate-reducers, but they are found in low-saline, nonmarine aquatic environments, and they are not magnetotactic—thus called non-Magnetotactic Multicellular Prokaryotes or nMMPs. Although they don't navigate by compass, they do exhibit active negative phototaxis—the first δ-proteobacteria known to do so." Click Source for more. | 05/21/2010 | |||||||||||
| Venter announces first functional bacterial cells controlled by a synthetic genome | A team of J. Craig Venter Institute researchers reported online today in Science that they have successfully created the first functional bacterial cells controlled by a synthetic genome. The researchers amalgamated several of their previously reported approaches for the study, which involved creating a synthetic Mycoplasma mycoides genome called JCVI-syn1.0 and transplanting it into a M. capricolum strain. In so doing, the team was able to produce functional, self-replicating cells that closely resemble natural M. mycoides cells. "This work provides a proof of principle for producing cells based on genome sequences designed in the computer," senior author Craig Venter and his colleagues wrote. "[T]he approach we have developed should be applicable to the synthesis and transplantation of more novel genomes as genome design progresses." "This is the first self-replicating species we've had on the planet whose parent is a computer," Venter said today during a telephone briefing with reporters. Via GenomeWeb (http://www.genomeweb.com//node/941241?hq_e=el&hq_m=722859&hq_l=2&hq_v=d3cb59529a) | 05/20/2010 | |||||||||||
| We are what we eat | Karen Schwarzberg and Mike Gurney, students in the Spring 2010 graduate course in Integrative Microbiology at the University of California at San Diego/San Diego State University Joint Doctoral Program, consider the implications of a paper recently published in Nature by Hehemann et al., that studied the impact on the microbial flora of a culture that consumes, on average, 14 grams of seaweed per day. "Despite the rise of a global culture, deliciously distinct differences in diet still persist among various nationalities. Makes one wonder if, along with each cuisine, comes a distinctive microbiome. We now have the research tools needed to begin to explore such possibilities. A paper recently published in Nature by Hehemann et al. reports that, in at least one particular instance, we do harbor bacteria adapted to the traditional diet of our culture." Click source for more. | 05/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Genomic Sequencing of Single Bacterial Cells | Tanja Woyke from the DOE JGI on the "Genomic Sequencing of Single Bacterial Cells" on March 26, 2010 at the 5th Annual DOE JGI User Meeting. | 05/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Taq Polymerase and the PCR | Morehouse College Biology students Rob Williams and Tony Gibson present on the process of Taq production and the polymerase chain reaction. | 05/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Interview with Tom Shenk about mBio, ASM's new open access journal | Tom Shenk is not only ASM’s Publications Board Chairman and a Princeton Professor, he’s also an instigator and a mastermind (in the well-intentioned and insightful senses of the words). After all, he was one of the original forces behind starting up mBio and his ideas and work continue to drive the development of the journal. I talked with Tom yesterday about mBio and what he envisions for the future of open-access science and publishing. Click on the link below to hear that conversation, then use the “Comments” link at the bottom to add your own questions for Dr. Shenk. Click play below to listen. {mp3remote}http://mbioblog.asm.org/files/thomas.shenk.mp3{/mp3remote} | 05/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Viral Turtles | A double stranded RNA (dsRNA) viral genome, introduced into a host cell, is met by formidable host defenses. The very presence of dsRNA in a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell announces a viral infection and elicits effective responses, ranging from silencing of the viral mRNAs to apoptosis. Despite that, there are successful dsRNA viruses throughout the biosphere. By 2000, eight families with close to 200 "species" were known to infect bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. The broad diversity of their hosts notwithstanding, all dsRNA viruses share the same secret to success: they bring their capsid into the cell along with their genome to serve as a safe compartment where they transcribe and replicate their genome. Their dsRNA is never exposed. For the virus whose virion is but a simple protein capsid, it is the entire virion that enters and persists intracellularly. For others that have additional outer layers of protein and/or a membrane, those layers are removed during cell entry and the inner capsid alone enters the cytoplasm. The outer layers vary greatly from group to group, presumably reflecting adaptations to particular hosts or modes of transmission, while the proteins of the inner capsid, as well as its architecture, are highly conserved among all dsRNA viruses. Doesn't this suggest a common ancestry? This strategy poses particular challenges, not the least of which is how do you transport something as large as a virion across the cell membrane. Also, since a dsRNA genome is not a suitable template for protein translation or for cellular replicases, these viruses have to bring their own RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) with them. The capsid itself has to be selectively porous, allowing nucleotides to enter and RNA transcripts to exit. Click source to read the entire post on Small Things Considered. | 05/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| UW suspends scientist over unauthorized experiment | The University of Wisconsin-Madison has revoked a scientist's laboratory privileges for five years and paid a $40,000 sanction over unauthorized experiments involving Brucella, a bacterium that can infect cattle and humans and is highly regulated by the federal government. | 05/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bacteria Can Treat Gulf Spill, Firm Says | Trillions of bacteria might help clean up the Gulf oil spill, a specialized company reports. Osprey Biotechnics, Inc., a pioneer in breeding beneficial bacteria, says it estimates that 55 gallons of the product it calls Munox would treat 36.5 square miles of Gulf waters. Slightly more than 100 55-gallon drums would cover 4000 square miles. | 05/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Stopping E. coli in its tracks | Microbiologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center, working with the Department of Agriculture, have identified a potential target in cattle that could be exploited to help prevent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses caused by a nasty strain of Escherichia coli. In the study, available online and in an upcoming issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers interfered with a genetic sensing mechanism that allows the E. coli strain known as enterohemorrhagic O157:H7, or EHEC, to form colonies within cattle, causing the bacteria to die off before they could reach the animals' recto-anal junction, the primary site of colonization. Most other strains of E coli gather in the colon. | 05/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Does Washing Lettuce Get Rid of Bacteria? | As the recall of tainted romaine lettuce expands, many plates could be devoid of the crisp veggie in an effort to stay healthy. That might be a good idea, according to experts who say that washing produce, even very carefully, may not remove all the bacteria present. | 05/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| New plastic-like materials may say 'shhhh' to microbial communication | Scientists are reporting success in a first attempt to silence the biochemical conversations that disease-causing bacteria use to marshal their forces and cause infections. In a study in ACS' monthly journal, Biomacromolecules, they describe use of specially designed plastic-like materials to soak up the substances that bacteria produce and pass to one another as messages. | 05/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| How microbes can play a role in the clean up of the Deepwater Horizons wellhead spill | With an oil spill onslaught headed for Gulf shores, you might wonder — whatever happened to those laboratory miracle oil-eating microbes for an instant clean-up? "They don't exist," says microbiologist Ronald Atlas of the University of Louisville. "They only work in a lab flask. They have never been shown to work in the field." Why's that? The reason is simple, says Atlas, a pioneer in the field of "bioremediation," using microbes or other biological tools to clean up environmental messes, such as oil spills. "Nature has already evolved microbes better at consuming hydrocarbons than anything we could grow, and when you go out in the ocean and dump some new organisms on a spill, it already is colonized with those better, natural microbes." Click source to read more. | 05/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| A Biologist's Mother's Day Song | Here's a great mother's day song from a biologist's perspective. Musically it is similar to a They Might Be Giants song. Enjoy. | 05/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| New study will investigate the effects of microgravity on the formation of biofilms | A team of researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will send an army of microorganisms into space this week, to investigate new ways of preventing the formation and spread of biofilms, or clusters of bacteria, that could pose a threat to the health of astronauts. The Micro-2 experiment, led by Cynthia Collins, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer, is scheduled to launch into orbit on May 14 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. The microorganisms will spend a week in space before returning to Earth aboard the shuttle. Within just a few hours after the shuttle's return, Collins will be able to examine the bacteria and resulting biofilms to see how their growth and development were impacted by microgravity. The samples also will be returned to Rensselaer, to be examined using the core facilities of the Institute's Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies. | 05/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Directing immune traffic - signposts to the lung | Inducing cellular immunity as a means to protect against influenza virus is the focus of several laboratories at the Trudeau Institute. Researchers have recently identified two important signaling components required by the immune system that might allow us to pre-position our own virus-fighting T cells to the lungs, the site of initial infection. | 05/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Biowarfare on Afghanistan's Poppy Fields? | Some Afghan farmers are blaming British and American soldiers for spraying the crops with the disease. Officials have denied involvement. Jean-Luc Lemahieu, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in Afghanistan (UNODC), said that plant samples were currently being tested to confirm whether the origins of the disease are natural or human-induced. Considering that spraying has been forbidden by the president of Afghanistan, "we start with the belief that this is a natural phenomenon," says Lemanhieu. It could be due to insects such as aphids, or fungi, he says. The Telegraph reports that the disease was first noticed a month ago and has spread to four provinces across the south, including Helmand - responsible for producing over half of Afghanistan's opium poppies in 2009. Via - New Scientist | 05/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Indonesia: Avian flu infects two, kills one | The Indonesian government has confirmed two positive cases of avian influenza (H5N1) infection between February and April this year, killing one of them. The first case caused the death of a four-year old girl from the Riau capital of Pekanbaru She tested positive for the H5N1 on April 28 and after being admitted to Arifin Ahmad Hospital on April 19. The Ministry of Health said in a statement on Wednesday, the patient's x-ray results while being hospitalized had shown deterioration of her condition. She died on the same day she tested positive. The other patient, a 45-year old housewife from Malang, tested positive through a routine surveillance of Influenza-like illness in a community health center in the East Java city. | 05/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Infection with Mayaro virus in a French traveller returning from the Amazon region, Brazil | Mayaro virus (MAYV) disease is a mosquitoborne zoonosis endemic in humid forests of tropical South America. MAYV is closely related to other alphaviruses that produce a dengue-like illness accompanied by long-lasting arthralgia. A French tourist developed high-grade fever and severe joint manifestations following a 15 day trip in the Amazon basin, Brazil, and was diagnosed with MAYV infection in January 2010. This case is the 1st reported in a traveller returning from an endemic South American country to Europe. | 05/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Biological means to help control cassava diseases | The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has announced a new project that will enable the use of biological means to control Bemisia tabaci whitefly that has ruined cassava production. The whiteflies, which are driving a dual viral epidemic including cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD), are said to be spreading along the Lake Victoria Zone creating possible food insecurity. Cassava is an important staple food for over 200 million people in Africa, and it provides over 50 per cent of their carbohydrate intake. It does not require costly inputs like fertilizers and provides food, fuel, and vegetables. An IITA survey conducted in 2009 revealed that the 2 whitefly diseases which originated from south eastern Uganda cause the loss of 90 per cent of cassava yields with an annual damage of over USD 1 billion. "The Bemisia whitefly has continued to threaten new areas of cassava production in Africa, especially in Tanzania, where Kagera, Mwanza, Mara, Kigoma, and the Coast regions are critically affected," said James Legg, IITA. "With the ongoing control project we intensify efforts to search for and test the effectiveness of natural enemies as part of an integrated disease management strategy." | 05/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Outer layer of ‘crust’ keeps bacterial spores secure | Bacterial spores, the most resistant organisms on earth, carry an extra coating of protection previously undetected. The finding could shed light on why spores of the bacteria that cause botulism, tetanus, and anthrax survive methods to eradicate them. | 05/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Who’s the vital link in your social network? And what this may mean for disease spread | Call them bridging individuals or critical connectors, but in social networks they’re the ones who drive the flow of information from one network to another. Now researchers have figured out a way to identify them. The researchers also believe the same holds true for communities, where bridging individuals tend to influence the spread of disease. Click source to read more. | 05/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Platypus could hold the key to beating drug-resistant superbugs | The humble platypus could hold the key to beating drug-resistant superbugs and help battle climate change, Australian scientists have discovered. Researchers at Victoria’s Department of Primary Industries are the first in the world to isolate, synthesize and test a number of platypus proteins. They discovered several new antimicrobials, which are substances similar to antiseptics that kill bacteria. Victorian Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said platypus antimicrobials are 10 times more powerful in killing bacteria than some antimicrobials commonly used with humans. “If we can harness some of this potential we could better protect patients from ’superbugs,’ meaning they will recover from surgery faster and spend less time in hospital,” he said today. DPI deputy secretary Dr Bruce Kefford said scientists were already using their discovery to help the livestock industry. “If introduced into the stomachs of cattle, these platypus antimicrobials could improve an animal’s digestion of feed and reduce methane production, one of Australia’s largest contributors of total greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. | 05/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Banking on Fuel-Sweating Flora | A start-up company has broken ground on a Texas pilot plant that is supposed to produce ethanol and diesel in a radical new way: with an organism that sweats fuel. | 05/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Comparing Linux to E.coli's transcriptional regulatory network | Here's an interesting blog post that compares E.coli's transcriptional regulatory network to Linux: "We refer to DNA as “the book of life”; some geeks refer to it as the “operating system of life”. Just like in a computer’s operating system, DNA contains all the instructions on how to “execute” life and to keep things humming. Many genes make proteins or RNA than act as switches to activate the synthesis of other proteins, sometimes in a two- three- or higher level hierarchy. These switches are conditional, based on environmental conditions, or whether it’s time to replicate the DNA and divide into two daughter cells, and so on. Some genes activate the transcription of other genes, but are not regulated themselves by other genes, those can be dubbed “master regulators”. Some genes are both activated by other genes, and activate other genes themselves: “middle management”. Finally, there are genes that are activated, but do not regulate other genes: the “workhorses”. This information, known as the transcriptional regulatory network exists for 1,378 genes of the E. coli bacterium. Paralleling this in Linux, there are programs that call other programs; again, in a hierarchical fashion. According to the calling structure, they also can be dubbed Master Regulators (calling other programs but not being called themselves), Middle Management (calling other programs and being called), and Workhorse (only being called). Koon-Kiu Yan and his colleagues from Yale mapped the program call graph in Linux by setting each program as a node and drawing lines to the programs that call it, and to the programs it calls. They did the same thing for E. coli’s transcriptional regulatory network." Click source for more. | 05/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Stripe rust in wheat streaking across Texas | The results are not finalized, but Texas AgriLife Extension Service wheat specialists and Texas AgriLife Research wheat breeders believe the crop is being damaged this year by a new or different race of stripe rust. Because this winter and early spring were cooler and wetter than normal, conditions were prime for stripe rust, said Dr. Ron French, Texas AgriLife Extension Service state small grains pathology specialist from Amarillo. “The problem is, producers may be facing a new race of stripe rust that attacks varieties previously thought to be resistant," French said. "It's attacking some varieties that normally don't see a problem," he said. "We first saw it in the College Station wheat nursery, then in North Texas on a soft red winter wheat. The thought among the wheat scientific community is that it is a new race." French said samples of stripe rust infected leaf tissue have been sent to a U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service wheat genetics lab in Washington State, where characterization studies of this rust will be done to determine if it is a new race. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Transmission Dynamics of Tuberculosis in a Recently Developed Chinese City | Hong Kong is an affluent subtropical city with a well-developed healthcare infrastructure but an intermediate TB burden. Declines in notification rates through the 1960s and 1970s have slowed since the 1980s to the current level of around 82 cases per 100 000 population. We studied the transmission dynamics of TB in Hong Kong to explore the factors underlying recent trends in incidence. Methodology/Principal Findings We fitted an age-structured compartmental model to TB notifications in Hong Kong between 1968 and 2008. We used the model to quantify the proportion of annual cases due to recent transmission versus endogenous reactivation of latent infection, and to project trends in incidence rates to 2018. The proportion of annual TB notifications attributed to endogenous reactivation increased from 46% to 70% between 1968 and 2008. Age-standardized notification rates were projected to decline to approximately 56 per 100 000 in 2018. Conclusions/Significance Continued intermediate incidence of TB in Hong Kong is driven primarily by endogenous reactivation of latent infections. Public health interventions which focus on reducing transmission may not lead to substantial reductions in disease burden associated with endogenous reactivation of latent infections in the short- to medium-term. While reductions in transmission with socio-economic development and public health interventions will lead to declines in TB incidence in these regions, a high prevalence of latent infections may hinder substantial declines in burden in the longer term. These findings may therefore have important implications for the burden of TB in developing regions with higher levels of transmission currently. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Aphids Pilfered Red Genes from Fungus | Aphids can be a gardener’s nightmare. But they may be an evolutionary biologist’s dream. Because they’re pioneers in the history of life on Earth. For one thing, they’re now the only known animals to produce the chemical pigments called carotenoids, which help in cell repair and immunity. It’s the same stuff that makes tomatoes red. More impressive, aphids got their ability to make carotenoids through a major shortcut. Millions of years back, they apparently grabbed the genes for making carotenoids directly from a carotenoid-producing fungus. And then incorporated those genes into the aphid genome. That’s according to a study in the April 30th issue of the journal Science . | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Getting the Bugs Out to Produce New Fuel | The Geobacter bacterium could be the biofuel-generating machine of the future, producing energy-rich butanol costing as little as $2 per gallon. A project seeking to accomplish this, headed by Derek Lovley and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst , received $1 million in funding today from the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). It was not even the largest grant, with 37 projects receiving $106 million to further their research in this second round of funding. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| President Bill Clinton and South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to join 25,000 scientists, people living with HIV, and other stakeholders at XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna | Organizers of the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) announced today that President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, and South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi will be among 19 high-level speakers who will address an estimated 25,000 conference attendees in Vienna this summer. AIDS 2010 will take place from 18 to 23 July under the theme Rights Here, Right Now. President Clinton will deliver keynote remarks on Monday, 19 July. Minister Motsoaledi's plenary presentation is on Tuesday, 20 July. "We are delighted to have secured these two high-level keynote speakers at this crucial time in the global response to HIV," said AIDS 2010 Chair Dr. Julio Montaner, President of the International AIDS Society and Director of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS in Vancouver, British Columbia. "Universal access is a commitment wealthy nations made to Africa and to millions of people living in low- and middle-income countries in 2005, and those of us assembling in Vienna will not watch silently as the financial resources needed to make good on that promise falter," Dr. Montaner added. The theme of AIDS 2010 is Rights Here, Right Now, selected by organizers to emphasize the critical connection between human rights and HIV. Human rights will also be the focus of a march and rally in Vienna on Tuesday, 20 July, which will include remarks and a performance by singer songwriter and activist Annie Lennox. "Through several plenary presentations focusing on human rights, as well as others on violence against women and girls, incarceration, drug policy and harm reduction, and positive health, dignity and prevention, we will demonstrate how stigma and discrimination are undermining public health," said AIDS 2010 Local Co-Chair Dr. Brigitte Schmied, President of the Austrian AIDS Society. "Equally important, we will show what is being done to address these barriers in all regions of the world," she added. The AIDS 2010 Opening Session on 18 July will feature welcoming remarks, three plenary presentations on the state of the epidemic and a speech by UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. The full conference programme will be available through the conference website in early June and significant parts of the programme – including webcasts of key sessions, speeches, slide presentations, abstracts, digital posters, session-specific and daily rapporteur reports, as well as workshop handouts and audio recordings, will also be online during the conference. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| New HIV model suggests killer T cell for vaccine | A new improved modeling system, developed by Chinese researchers, which attempts to incorporate more of the virus’ random behavioral dynamics, suggests that a particular type of T cell could be useful in the development of an AIDS vaccine. New research published in New Journal of Physics (co-owned by the Institute of Physics and German Physical Society), describes how physicists and biologists from Xiamen University have been able to incorporate random patterns in the virus’ mutation, and the way the virus responds to antibodies, into their model. Gratifyingly, they have found that the new model, and the projections made by the new model for development of disease, mirror real-life, clinical behavior of the virus. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Mysteries of the Bacterial L-Form: Can Some of Them Be Unveiled? | Hans Martin, professor emeritus, Technical University Darmstadt, Germany, reflects on the mysteries of L-forms, strains of bacteria that lack cell walls. Snippet: "L-forms are bacterial variants with defective cell walls and irregular growth and multiplication. They arise after peptidoglycan, the exoskeleton of the bacterial cell wall, has been either degraded by bacteriolytic enzymes, or its biosynthesis has been disturbed by antibiotics and other inhibitors, or by defect mutations in essential genes for cell wall synthesis. L-forms with different degrees of wall defects can arise. International experts, headed by nobelist Sidney Brenner, recognized the need to distinguish between entirely cell wall-less protoplasts, surrounded only by a cytoplasmic membrane, and spheroplasts with residual, fragile cell walls. L-forms were discovered in 1935 by Emmy Klieneberger and subsequently described by many authors (examples here and here). Much interest in L-forms arose from their assumed but still unconfirmed roles as concealed pathogens and as survivors of antibiotic action. They are also useful tools for the study of basic mechanisms of cell biology, such as cell division. Yet, as justly deplored in a recent review, L-forms are still "unfamiliar to many microbiologists" and are often regarded "with scepticism." One hears complaints about the unusually labor-intensive and time-consuming process of L-form isolation and cultivation, and the uncertain outcome. However, in my experience, this can be overcome by patient determination." | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| UCLA researchers use new microscope to 'see' atoms for first time | The researchers used cryo-electron microscopy to image a virus structure at a resolution high enough to effectively "see" atoms, the first published instance of a virus image at such a resolution. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Mosquitoes inherit DEET resistance | The indifference of some mosquitoes to a common insect repellent is due to an easily inherited genetic trait that can be rapidly evolved by later generations, a new study suggests. By selective breeding, James Logan and colleagues at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden, UK, created strains of Aedes aegyptimosquitoes in which half of the females do not respond to DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) -- a powerful insect repellent. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Fighting fungal infections with bacteria | A bacterial pathogen can communicate with yeast to block the development of drug-resistant yeast infections, say Irish scientists writing in the May issue of Microbiology. The research could be a step towards new strategies to prevent hospital-acquired infections associated with medical implants. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Disease caused by insect bites can be transmitted to children at birth | A North Carolina State University researcher has discovered that bacteria transmitted by fleas -- and potentially ticks -- can be passed to human babies by the mother, causing chronic infections and raising the possibility of bacterially induced birth defects. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Capitol Hill briefing to focus on Denmark's ban on routine antibiotic use in food animal production | On May 4, the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, in collaboration with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Representative Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Representative Howard Berman (D-Calif.), will host Capitol Hill briefings on Denmarks experience in ending the routine use of antibiotics in healthy food animals. | 05/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Probiotics - Big Sales Precede the Science | Experts say there's good evidence that probiotics can help people with irritable bowel, diarrhea, and urinary tract infections and emerging research suggests that probiotics may ease symptoms of allergies (both food and respiratory) and boost the immune system. But as often happens in the United States, big sales precede the science. Claims that probiotics can help with blood pressure and heart disease are so far unproven in people, experts said. And like other supplements on store shelves, consumers need to know that probiotics are barely regulated. The government doesn't verify that consumers will get what the label says they are buying. Click source for more. | 05/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bakers Obsess Over Pedigree of Yeasty 'Starters' | The Wall Street Journal has an amusing article out on bakers and their relationship with "starters." "Happy is no ordinary pet. He is a sourdough "starter"—a blob of wet flour, colonized by yeast and bacteria—that lives on her kitchen counter. Home bakers increasingly are using starters, which bring more nuance and flavor to bread than store-bought packages of yeast. Each time bakers add some starter to a batch of bread, they leave some behind. It grows on a diet of flour and water. The recession and high unemployment have left people with less money for restaurant food but more time for ambitious baking recipes. Baking-supply company King Arthur Flour saw an 11% spike in flour sales in its last fiscal year. The Fresh Loaf, a baking website that discusses sourdough, now attracts 1.25 million page views a month, more than double the number two years ago. It takes dedication to keep the burbling goo healthy, and home bakers can develop a fierce attachment to their starters. Many give them pet names, keep them growing for decades and worry about their health." Click source for more. | 05/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Gut microbes are talking. Is your body listening? | Biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have found that an altered host–microbe relationship, called dysbiosis, may be linked to inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer as well as to obesity and diabetes. Close to a thousand different species of bacteria reside in the gut, which makes understanding the consequences of dysbiosis a challenge. | 04/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Modifying Viruses to Kill Cancer | Researchers have found a way to modify viruses so they are able to hunt down and wipe out cancer cells. Scientists at the University of Leeds used unique markers that appear on the surface of cancer cells to engineer proteins that recognize and attach to these markers, that can be added to a virus so that it recognizes and infiltrates cancer cells. Details of the study are published in the journal Gene Therapy. The virus can then deliver genes that can make cancer cells more sensitive to drugs, introduce “suicide” genes to the cancer cell, or replace the missing and defective genes that caused the cancer to develop—an approach called gene therapy. | 04/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Combination antibiotics effective against chlamydia-induced arthritis | Combination antibiotics effectively treat Chlamydia-induced reactive arthritis – a major step toward management, and possibly cure, of this disease, a federal multicenter clinical trial led by the University of South Florida College of Medicine found. The trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, is reported in the May 2010 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology. The paper is accompanied by an editorial in which an internationally-recognized research group from Germany calls the study results "impressive." "Our findings lend hope that eradication of this persistent infection is attainable and a possible cure exists," said John D. Carter, MD, associate professor of medicine in the USF Health Division of Rheumatology and lead author of the study. Reactive arthritis (ReA), also known as Reiter's syndrome, is an autoimmune disorder that develops in response to an infection elsewhere in the body. This type of arthritis is most commonly caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, usually acquired through sexual contact, or Chlamydia pneumoniae, which can trigger respiratory infection. The organism migrates from the initial site of infection – typically the genitourinary or respiratory tract – through the blood to the joint tissue. Pain and swelling in the sacroiliac joints, knees, ankles and feet are common. Data suggests that the incidence of ReA rivals or even surpasses that of rheumatoid arthritis (an estimated 125,000 new cases a year), Dr. Carter said, but less is known about ReA, which is often misdiagnosed. Most people recover fully from the initial flare-up of arthritis symptoms, but about 20 percent of those with ReA experience long-lasting symptoms. Studies have shown that the presence of metabolically-active Chlamydia in the joints of these individuals causes inflammation even years after the initial infection. That begged the question: could antibiotics treat Chlamydia-induced ReA? Previous clinical trials with single antibiotics were negative or failed to demonstrate any definitive effect. A nine-month study by Dr. Carter and colleagues, published in 2004 in the Journal of Rheumatology, was the first to compare combination antibiotic therapy (doxycycline and rifampin) with monotherapy (doxycycline only). It showed a dramatic response to the combination in patients with Chlamydia-induced arthritis. Based on these promising early results, the USF-led research team devised a new prolonged course of combination antibiotic treatment, which attacked two different pathways allowing Chlamydia infection to persist in the joints. In the latest double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial, 42 patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups -- rifampin plus doxycycline, rifampin plus azithromycin, or placebo. All the patients tested positive for Chlamydia trachomatis or Chlamydia pneumoniae. They received combination antibiotics or placebo for six months and were followed for three months post-treatment. Patients treated with the combination antibiotics improved significantly more in measures of the swelling and tenderness of joints and symptom assessment. In fact, the researchers report, 22 percent of patients receiving combination antibiotics experienced complete remission of ReA, while none in the placebo group did. Significantly more patients receiving combination antibiotics tested negative for Chlamydia bacteria in their blood or joint tissue following treatment. Adverse side effects, mostly gastrointestinal, were mild. In an editorial appearing in the same issue as the USF-led study, Dr. Markus Rihl of Hannover Medical School in Germany writes, "the positive results using combination antibiotics are very promising to open a new way of treatment not only for Chlamydia-induced ReA but also for Chlamydia-induced spondylarthritis." The editorial states the approach warrants further study to elucidate which antibiotic combination, dosing, and duration of therapy is most effective while minimizing the risk of bacterial resistance. | 04/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Martian Gypsum May Preserve Microbe Fossils | Life on Mars, if it ever existed, may be easier to find than previously thought. New research on terrestrial rocks suggests that a type of rock common on Mars can preserve fossilized microbial life, rather than erasing evidence of it as previously thought. | 04/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Development of an HIV-1 Specific Microbicide Using Caulobacter crescentus | A recent paper published in PLoS One looks at the strategy of manipulating surface proteins on the aquatic bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, to prevent HIV infection. Abstract: The development of alternative strategies to prevent HIV infection is a global public health priority. Initial efforts in anti-HIV microbicide development have met with poor success as the strategies have relied on a non-specific mechanism of action. Here, we report the development of a microbicide aimed at specifically blocking HIV entry by displaying molecular components of the HIV/host cell attachment complex on the surface of Caulobacter crescentus, a harmless aquatic bacterium. This bacterium can be readily manipulated to present heterologous proteins at high density on its surface by genetic insertion into its crystalline surface layer protein [1], [2]. In separate constructions, we generated bacteria displaying domain 1 of CD4 and MIP1α. Each moiety reacted with specific antibodies by Western immunoblot and immuno-fluorescence microscopy. Microbicide functionality was assessed using an HIV pseudotype virus assay system representing Clade B subtypes. Bacteria displaying MIP1α reduced infectivity by 35–78% depending on the specific subtype while CD4 display reduced infection by as much as 56%. Combinations of both constructs reduced infectivity by nearly 98%. We demonstrated that HIV infection could be inhibited using a strategy aimed at HIV-specific molecular interactions with Caulobacter surface protein display, and that sufficient protein folding and conformation could be mimicked to bind and block entry. Further, this is the first demonstration that Caulobacter surface protein display may be a useful approach to preventing HIV infection or other viruses as a microbicide. We propose that this harmless bacterium, which is inexpensive to produce and formulate, might be suitable for topical applications as a viable alternative in the search for effective microbicides to counteract the world wide incidence of HIV infection. | 04/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Australia suspends flu shots for children under five. | Dozens of babies and young children, mostly in Western Australia and Queensland, have suffered adverse reactions after having the flu shot, including fevers and convulsions. And the Queensland Coroner is investigating the death of a two-year-old Brisbane girl, found dead in her cot a day after she and her twin sister were vaccinated. Seasonal flu shots for children under five have been suspended since Friday. Ian Barr, the deputy director of the World Health Organisation influenza centre in Melbourne, says it's unlikely that a dodgy batch of seasonal flu vaccine is responsible for bad reactions in children. | 04/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Hawaii finds 10 rare Salmonella cases linked to frozen ahi tuna, 5 other states also reporting infections | Ten people on Oahu recently became ill with a rare type of salmonella after eating imported raw ahi tuna that was previously frozen, state health officials reported. The salmonella Paratyphi B cases occurred between Feb. 27 and April 6 in people ranging in age from 5 to 35, said Janice Okubo, Department of Health spokeswoman. Half were under age 18 and the rest were adults, she said. Two people were hospitalized one or two days with the infection because of dehydration problems, she said, adding that none of the cases was serious. All fully recovered, she said. The state health department has confirmed 10 cases, brought to Hawaii from another country. Five other states—California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York—reported 13 cases of salmonella Paratyphi B infection as of April 12, the Health Department said. Via www.starbulletin.com Click source to watch the video | 04/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| First genome sequencing of identical twins uncovers little about the origins of disease | The first whole genome sequencing of a pair of identical twins has uncovered little about the origins of disease - even though only one twin has multiple sclerosis (MS). Identical twins inherit identical genomes but are exposed to different environmental influences. That means they can be enormously valuable in teasing apart genetic and environmental factors. But clearly even whole genome sequencing, the gold standard in genetics, has its limits, judging by the latest analysis from Sergio Baranzini of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues. Click source to read more from the New Scientist. | 04/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Eukaryotic phytoplankton is now believed to account for almost 50 percent of the ocean’s carbon fixation | "Almost half of the ocean’s carbon fixation is done by eukaryotic phytoplankton, despite the fact that their presence is significantly less than the more abundant blue-green algae known as cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria, that grow in vast numbers in the sunlit surface waters of the oceans (the photic zone), use sunlight to “fix” carbon by converting carbon dioxide into sugars and other organic compounds through photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria belong to the ‘picophytoplankton’, the tiniest phytoplankton. Until now they have been thought to dominate carbon fixation in the open ocean, with species belonging to the genera Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus being particularly abundant. Like all bacteria, cyanobacteria are prokaryotes, distinguished from eukaryotes by the absence of a cell nucleus. However, although much less abundant than cyanobacteria, the photic zone also has a high biomass of small eukaryotic phytoplankton capable of carbon fixation." | 04/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Superbug - Journalist Maryn McKenna discusses MRSA | Maryn McKenna, a contributing writer for the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and media fellow at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, discusses MRSA in this promotional video for her new book "Superbug: The Fatal Menace of MRSA."
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| Microbe gold: Arizona State researcher investigates where oil comes from | While most of the dead material in the ocean is recycled by bacteria, lipids are tough, fat-like molecules that "tend to be the least desirable to eat," says Everett Shock, a biogeochemist at Arizona State University. They generally get passed up and fall to the seafloor, where they become buried under layers of sediment and eventually cooked into petroleum. Once the organic remains become entombed in rock, most scientists have assumed that biology ends and geology takes over. However, deep drilling expeditions in the past few decades have discovered bacteria living thousands of feet below the surface, at the same depths where petroleum is forming. "Are these microorganisms directly involved in the reactions that turn organic material into petroleum?" asked Shock. He is leading a research group funded by the National Science Foundation that aims to figure out what these deep-dwelling microbes may be living off of and what influence they may have on petroleum chemistry. Found at BoingBoing.net | 04/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bio-lab on a microchip | Drugs alone can't stop disease in sub-Saharan Africa: We need diagnostic tools to match. TED Senior Fellow Frederick Balagadde shows how we can multiply the power and availability of an unwieldy, expensive diagnostic lab -- by miniaturizing it to the size of a chip. | 04/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Disrupting Cellular Communication - James Cameron style | Students at Rutgers University-Camden created this mash-up of Avatar with the focus of their Spring 2010 term paper for their General Microbiology class. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Design and Testing of Protein Combinatorial Libraries | In this video Stephen L. Mayo, Bren Professor of Biology and Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, discusses the challenges of designing new proteins that fold into a particular structure or perform a particular function. One method is to computationally design a protein based solely upon our knowledge of amino acids and protein folding, a hard task but one which has had recent successes. Another approach is to screen combinatorial libraries of proteins for a desired function. In particular, Mayo discusses how structure-based computational methods can allow for high mutation rate (to explore a diversity of function) while maintaining stably folded structures (a necessity to preserve stability and function). In the second part of his talk, he discusses how he has used protein libraries to design a new blue fluorescent protein. {scivee}10343{/scivee} | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Genetics researcher Francisco Ayala discusses his life, his work and creationism | Evolutionary geneticist Francisco Ayala wasn't always attracted to life in the laboratory. As a young man in Spain, Ayala was ordained as a Dominican priest. Within a year, though, he gave up it up to study genetics at Columbia University. Since then, Ayala's research has focused on parasitic protozoans, tiny organisms that cause malaria and other diseases. But what this much-awarded scientist, now 76, may be best known for are his efforts to keep creationism and intelligent design theories out of the classroom. Click source to read the interview in the Washington Post | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Sugar cane industry in Mexico threatened by Orange Rust | Mexico's National Service for Plant Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA) has confirmed the presence of orange rust of sugar cane in the Municipalities of Villacomaltitlan, Tuzantan, Huehuetan, Mazatan y Huixtla, State of Chiapas; in Othon P. Blanco, State of Quintana Roo and in Ursulo Galvan, State of Veracruz. The Plant Health General Directorate has established a working group to review strategies for specific surveys and for the establishment of measures to mitigate risk of spreading orange rust sugar cane. Orange rust sugar cane has been previously reported in Australia, Asia, Guatemala and the United States. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| White nose syndrome detected in several of Québec's bat populations | The Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune (MRNF) has recently detected the presence of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in certain bat populations in Québec. This infection, although potentially fatal for bats, does not pose a threat to humans, since to date no human infection connected to the syndrome has been reported. As indicated by its name, white-nose syndrome is characterized by the presence of a ring of fungal growth around the muzzles and on the wings of infected animals. The syndrome can also change bat behaviour-for example, flying in the daytime in early spring can be a sign of the syndrome. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Chew on this: Cactus gum for water purification | The best way to purify water could be hiding in a cactus. It turns out that an extract from the prickly pear cactus is effective at removing sediment and bacteria from dirty water. Many water purification methods introduced into the developing world are quickly abandoned as people don't know how to use and maintain them, says Norma Alcantar at the University of South Florida in Tampa. So she and her colleagues decided to investigate the prickly pear cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica, which 19th-century Mexican communities used as a water purifier. The cactus is found across the globe. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Office of Naval Research highlights microbial fuel cells for Earth Day | Showcasing its energy research initiatives for an Earth Day event on April 22 at the Pentagon, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) highlighted the microbial fuel cell, a device that could revolutionize naval energy use by converting decomposed marine organisms into electricity. These fuel cells convert naturally occurring fuels and oxidants in the marine environment into electricity, offering a clean, efficient and reliable alternative to batteries and other environmentally harmful fuels. The fuel cell can be a viable power source for long-term operation of autonomous underwater unmanned vehicles, in-water sensors, and devices used for surveillance and monitoring the ocean environment. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Genetically engineering E.coli to produce proteins | For the first time researchers at Texas A&M University have successfully incorporated two different noncanonical amino acids into a single protein in E. coli bacteria. The discovery means that bacteria could soon be genetically engineered to produce proteins that have been modified with various characteristics of interest for researchers, says Wenshe Liu, assistant professor of chemistry. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Healing Blade - a role-playing fantasy game based on infectious disease | Two physicians, Dr. Arun Mathews and Dr. Francis Kong, have produced a role-playing fantasy game called, "The Healing Blade." Similar to "Pokemon," "Yu-Gi-Oh" or "Magic: The Gathering," the game is built around a fantasy world, complete with sorcerers, villains and heroines. Characters are divided into The Apothecary Healers, named after real-world antibiotics, and The Lords of Pestilence, named after actual bacterial agents. The two physicians who are the founders of Nerdcore Learning are believers in a concept called social entrepreneurship, in which businesses are created for the purpose of raising money for causes the founders support, as well as using the business as a means of promoting a certain social principle. In the case of Nerdcore Learning, that principle is medical education. "The Healing Blade," is meant to be used as a tool to help medical students learn about infectious diseases. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Search for Genes Leads to Unexpected Places | Carl Zimmer describes how Ed Marcotte at the University of Texas at Austin and his search for therapies that can kill tumors by restricting blood vessel growth found the genes potential new drugs can target in yeast. "The scientists took advantage of a peculiar feature of our evolutionary history. In our distant, amoeba-like ancestors, clusters of genes were already forming to work together on building cell walls and on other very basic tasks essential to life. Many of those genes still work together in those same clusters, over a billion years later, but on different tasks in different organisms. Studies like this offer a new twist on Charles Darwin’s original ideas about evolution. Anatomists in the mid-1800s were fascinated by the underlying similarities of traits in different species — the fact that a bat’s wing, for example, has all the same parts as a human hand. Darwin argued that this kind of similarity — known as homology — was just a matter of genealogy. Bats and humans share a common ancestor, and thus they inherited limbs with five digits. " | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| True or False: All Metazoans Need O2 | Elio Schaechter of Small Things Considered ponders a recent discovery that small multicellular animals, members of the Loricifera and metazoa groups, are able to survive in an anoxic environment known as L’Atalante Basin, a brine “lake” at the bottom of the Mediterranean. "Life without air—a term coined by Louis Pasteur, the discoverer of anaerobiosis—has been thought to be exclusively a property of microbes, be they prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Multicellular organisms were thought to lack this talent. Until recently that is, when an Italian and Danish group led by Roberto Danovaro looked at an unusual-sounding habitat, a brine “lake” at the bottom of the Mediterranean, nearly 200 km from Crete. Called L’Atalante Basin, this area was formed when salt dissolved from the sea’s subsurface and accumulated in underwater depressions. Eight times more saline than seawater, this layer does not mix with the water column above it and, like the underlying sediment, is completely anoxic. This particular site is not unique; so-called oxygen minimum zones are found in all the oceans at fairly shallow depths as such things go, usually from 200 m to 1,500 m. Characteristically, they have very low available oxygen and lots of sulfide. Extremophilic archaea and bacteria are common in such inhospitable-sounding environments, and so are a few eukaryotic microbes, notably protozoa. The news is that one can also find small multicellular living animals at this site." Click source for more. | 04/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| The e.coli threat lurking in a free dab of lipstick | Women are putting their health at risk by dabbing on lipstick, moisturiser and mascara from cosmetics tester packs at high street beauty counters. In a recent study, researchers found that every make-up tester pack they analyzed was contaminated by the e.coli bug. The two-year investigation found the highest levels of bacteria were present on Saturdays, the biggest shopping day of the week. | 04/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Possible shigella outbreak in Kansas City | The Kansas City Health Department is warning the public about a possible outbreak of shigella infections. Shigella is a highly-contagious bacterial infection spread from person to person, through handshaking, orally, or even through food or water. It is most commonly transmitted among children with poor hygiene. In some strains, 10-15% of infected people will die. The bacteria are often found in water contaminated with human feces. Department officials say the best way to protect yourself is to stay clean. | 04/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Virginia Tech Research Team Sequences Genome of Bacterium Discovered in College Garden | Under the supervision of a Virginia Tech plant pathologist, a group of high school, undergraduate, and graduate students isolated and characterized a formerly unknown group of bacteria. The bacteria strain belongs to the plant pathogen species Pseudomonas syringae. One bacterium of this group, strain 642, was isolated at the Hahn Horticulture Garden and is the first bacterium isolated on the Virginia Tech campus to have its genome sequenced. | 04/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| NASA official battles the microbes of space travel | Here's a brief biography on Catharine Conley, NASA's planetary protection officer, that looks at what her job entails: "Her job is as serious as a NASA post can be. In addition to protecting potential extraterrestrial life and monitoring for contamination on trips back to Earth, the protection office oversees protocols that assure Earth ships are sterile enough on departure that if they do find evidence of anything living, it won't be some Earth-based organism that was missed during the cleaning process and dragged across the solar system. Also important is logging which pathogens humans might be carrying at launch, so that if someone gets sick on the way back from a theoretical future trip to Mars, NASA can quickly determine whether it's a garden variety human bug or some new kind of Martian flu turning a homeward-bound space vehicle into a "plague ship." So far, the worries of the planetary protection program have focused mainly on keeping probes and equipment sterile before takeoff, or "forward contamination." | 04/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Beer consumption increases human attractiveness to malaria mosquitoes | A recent paper published in PLoS One looks at the relationship between alcohol consumption and Anopheles gambiae (the primary African malaria vector). BACKGROUND: Malaria and alcohol consumption both represent major public health problems. Alcohol consumption is rising in developing countries and, as efforts to manage malaria are expanded, understanding the links between malaria and alcohol consumption becomes crucial. Our aim was to ascertain the effect of beer consumption on human attractiveness to malaria mosquitoes in semi field conditions in Burkina Faso. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used a Y tube-olfactometer designed to take advantage of the whole body odour (breath and skin emanations) as a stimulus to gauge human attractiveness to Anopheles gambiae (the primary African malaria vector) before and after volunteers consumed either beer (n = 25 volunteers and a total of 2500 mosquitoes tested) or water (n = 18 volunteers and a total of 1800 mosquitoes). Water consumption had no effect on human attractiveness to An. gambiae mosquitoes, but beer consumption increased volunteer attractiveness. Body odours of volunteers who consumed beer increased mosquito activation (proportion of mosquitoes engaging in take-off and up-wind flight) and orientation (proportion of mosquitoes flying towards volunteers' odours). The level of exhaled carbon dioxide and body temperature had no effect on human attractiveness to mosquitoes. Despite individual volunteer variation, beer consumption consistently increased attractiveness to mosquitoes CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that beer consumption is a risk factor for malaria and needs to be integrated into public health policies for the design of control measures. Click source for the full paper. | 04/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Attendee's Guide to Scientific Meetings, Part II | In December of last year, Julian Davies, Professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and a Fellow of the Royal Society, authored an amusing post that essentially provides helpful tips on how to successfully navigate a cocktail party at a scientific meeting. Today, in advance of the American Society for Microbiology's General Meeting in San Diego, May 23-27, he provides some good advice on how to give and not give a scientific presentation. "...don’t read your title slide (everyone knows it); on the other hand always repeat questions clearly, especially if the audio system is poor. For one thing it gives you a little time to think of a good answer! And don’t laugh if someone goes to the microphone and when recognized by the Chair starts off by saying “I have a question…” Of course they do, or why on earth would they be in front of the microphone?" Click source for more. |
04/23/2010 | |||||||||||
| Biotech Revolution (BBC Four) | Theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kaku looks at the revolution in genetics and biotechnology, which promises unprecedented health and longevity but also raises fears of a future where we can genetically engineer people. The documwentary asks will we, as transhumanists expect, evolve into a new species? {youtube}Vihla-2CJ4I{/youtube} {youtube}CMlvtuDR8D8{/youtube} {youtube}aN4sHaSpMRg{/youtube} {youtube}ntRbsxZE5Jk{/youtube} {youtube}xBvTMW-3-m8{/youtube} | 04/20/2010 | |||||||||||
| House Bill Proposes a Federal Open-Access Policy | Congressman Mike Doyle (D – Penn.) has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would require that the results from nearly all publicly-funded research be made available online within six months after they are published in a peer-reviewed journal. The Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA) of 2010 (H.R. 5037) would apply to research from all federal agencies with annual extramural research budgets over $100 million. Such a law would apply to research funded by all of the institutes and centers of the Department of Health and Human Services, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, and others. NIH already has a similar policy to guide open publication for extramural research that it funds, although the rules it instituted in 2008 give researchers one year to make their research results available after they are published in journals. | 04/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| Jay Keasling -Engineering Microbes to Produce Fuels | Jay Keasling, CEO of the Joint BioEnergy Institute, delivers the opening keynote on March 24, 2010 at the 5th Annual DOE JGI User Meeting. | 04/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| The rise of MRSA - What are you going to do about it? | A short video documentary that highlights the rise of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and it's impact on human health. | 04/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| Eurobarometer on antimicrobial resistance highlights areas for action | On 9 April 2010, the European Commission published the results of a Eurobarometer on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which demonstrate the need for further progress on the issue in the European Union (EU) [1]. The report highlights public attitudes towards the use of antibiotics which are of concern. Although almost 40% of the participating Europeans remember having received information advising them not to take antibiotics unnecessarily, the results of the Eurobarometer indicate that citizens need to be better informed about their use. | 04/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| Oral Activated Charcoal Prevents Experimental Cerebral Malaria in Mice and in a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial in Man Did Not Interfere with the Pharmacokinetics of Parenteral Artesunate | Safe, cheap and effective adjunct therapies preventing the development of, or reducing the mortality from, severe malaria could have considerable and rapid public health impact. Oral activated charcoal (oAC) is a safe and well tolerated treatment for acute poisoning, more recently shown to have significant immunomodulatory effects in man. In preparation for possible efficacy trials in human malaria, researchers sought to determine whether oral activated charcoal would reduce mortality due to experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) in mice, modulate immune and inflammatory responses associated with ECM, and affect the pharmacokinetics of parenteral artesunate in human volunteers. | 04/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| Metagenomic Sequencing of an In Vitro-Simulated Microbial Community | A new data resource for measuring the accuracy of metagenomic binning methods, created by in vitro-simulation of a metagenomic community, can be used to complement previous in silico benchmark studies. In constructing a synthetic community and sequencing its metagenome, researchers from the University of California Davis and DOE's Joint Genome Institute encountered several sources of observation bias that likely affect most metagenomic experiments to date and present challenges for comparative metagenomic studies. The researchers summarize that DNA preparation methods have a particularly profound effect implying that samples prepared with different protocols are not suitable for comparative metagenomics. | 04/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| An Immune Response in a Test Tube | A molecule best known for fighting off cellular clutter is now recognized as an important defender against another cellular threat: viruses. New research from HHMI investigator Zhijian Chen shows that ubiquitin, which helps cells identify unwanted proteins so that they can be removed, is also a vital component of the innate immune system. | 04/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| A State Microbe For Cheese-Crazed Wisconsin? | Michele Norris, co-host of NPR's All Things Considered talks with Elio Schaechter, a microbiologist, visiting scholar at UC San Diego and author of the blog Small Things Considered, about a bill to designate Lactococcus lactis as Wisconsin's official state microbe. Lactococcus lactis is the bacterium used to make cheese. Click source to listen to the clip. | 04/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Researchers devise a straightforward method for studying millions of yeast cells at the same time | Scientists have developed a new way to identify the hidden genetic material responsible for complex traits. The breakthrough ultimately could lead to a deeper understanding of how multiple genes interact to produce everything from blue eyes to blood pressure problems. The approach allows the Princeton University team to study millions of yeast cells at the same time and to identify regions of the genome that cause a specific trait in the offspring of two yeast strains that have been mated. In using such a large group, the scientists have been able to identify subtle patterns that could not be detected before. The findings are reported in the April 15 edition of Nature. | 04/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Huitlacoche chooses weapons wisely | A tumor-causing maize fungus known as “corn smut” wields different weapons from its genetic arsenal depending on which part of the plant it infects. The discovery by Stanford University researchers marks the first time tissue-specific targeting has been found in a pathogen. The finding upends conventional notions of how pathogens attack and could point the way to new approaches to fighting disease not only in plants but also in people, according to researchers. | 04/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Of Terms in Biology: Gene Ontology | Elio Schaechter of Small Things Considered defines the term "ontology" and why its destined to become part of every biologist’s vocabulary. | 04/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| DC Science Writers Meeting tomorrow in DC April 17, 2010 | On Saturday, April 17 I will be attending the DC Science Writers Association's Professional Development Day. If you are in the DC area you may want to consider attending. Here are the details: LOCATION: American Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Washington DC SCHEDULE: 8:30-9:00 Continental breakfast 9:00-10:45 Plenary - Hollywood and Science Speakers: Jennifer Ouellette (NAS), Brooke Hardison Wang (NCI), Leslie Kenna (FDA) Moderator: James Riordon 11:00-12:15 Morning Breakout Sessions Writing about science for kids Panelists: Amy Hansen (freelance), Catherine Hughes (National Geographic KIDS magazine), and Janet Raloff (Science News for Kids) Moderator: Sid Perkins Ethics, Controversies and other Challenges for PIOs Panelists: Steve Cole (NASA), Steve Maran (American Astronomical Society), Kathy Sawyer (Washington Post, retired) and John Verrico (Dept. of Homeland Security, S&T Directorate) Moderator: Jennifer Huergo Pitch Slam Panelists: David Grimm (Science), Laura Tangley (National Wildlife magazine), Meg Guroff (AARP), Christine Dell'Amore (National Geographic News), Laura Helmuth (Smithsonian magazine) Moderator: Laura Helmuth 12:15-1:15 Lunch 1:15-2:30 Afternoon Breakout Sessions Freelancing 101 Panelists: Helen Fields (freelance), Michael Newman (NIST), Jennifer Ouellette (NAS) and Cassandra Willyard (freelance) Moderator: Michael Lucibella Quick Multimedia to Enhance Stories Panelists: Stefan Estrada (National Geographic Digital Media), Nancy Shute (US News & World Report), and Rob Frederick (Science) Moderator: Carolyn Gramling Writing a book in collaboration with a scientist Panelists: Tina Adler (freelance), Nathan Seppa (Science News), Joel Shurkin (freelance) Moderator: David Lindley 2:45-3:30 DCSWA Newsbrief Awards Winner: Sam Kean (ScienceNOW) Honorable mentions: Sarah C.P. Williams (HHMI Bulletin) and Helen Fields (ScienceNOW) Moderator: James Riordon 3:30-5:00 Plenary - The State of Science Journalism Speakers: Deborah Blum (University of Wisconsin, Madison), David Perlman (San Francisco Chronicle) and Charles Petit (Knight Science Journalism Tracker) Moderator: Harvey Leifert | 04/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Digitizing Biology with J. Craig Venter | A video from the DOE JGI '09 User Meeting on March 27, 2009 featuring Craig Venter's keynote talk "Reading and Writing the Genetic Code." | 04/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| Rita Colwell's keynote address at the 2010 DOE JGI User Meeting | Rita Colwell, recipient of the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize, delivers the closing keynote at the 5th Annual DOE JGI User Meeting on March 26, 2010. The main focus of her talk is on cholera. | 04/16/2010 | |||||||||||
| What does Harley Davidson and Lactococcus lactis have in common? | Harley-Davidson motorcycles and the bacterium that converts milk into cheese are slated to be honored by the Wisconsin state Assembly. | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| HAART has potential to diminish mother-to-child HIV transmission in cost-effective manner | A new paper publish in PLoS One concludes that programs that optimize adherence to highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) through direct observation in pregnancy have the potential to diminish mother-to-child HIV transmission in a highly cost-effective manner. | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Could a plant virus have found a way to infect humans? | It has always been assumed that plant viruses cannot infect animals, and vice versa, but plant viruses are known to be abundant in human faeces. Now Didier Raoult at the University of the Mediterranean in Marseille, France, and his team think a pepper virus is making people sick, too. They have found RNA from the pepper mild mottle virus in the faeces of 7 per cent of the 304 adults they tested. Those with the virus were more likely to report fever, abdominal pain and itching than those without it, his team found. Via NewScientist | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Did seasonal flu vaccination increase the risk of infection with pandemic H1N1 flu? | In September 2009, news stories reported that researchers in Canada had found an increased risk of pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza in people who had previously been vaccinated against seasonal influenza. Their research, consisting of four different studies, has now undergone further scientific peer review and is published in the open access journal PLoS Medicine. These studies do not show whether there was a true cause-and-effect relationship between seasonal flu vaccination and subsequent pH1N1 illness (as might occur if, for example, the seasonal vaccine modified the immune response to pH1N1), or whether the observed association was not a result of vaccination, but was instead due to differences in some unidentified factor(s) among the groups being studied. If the findings from these studies are real they raise important questions about the biological interactions between pre-existing and novel pandemic influenza strains. The researchers note, however, that the World Health Organization has recommended that pH1N1 be included in subsequent seasonal vaccine formulations. This will provide direct protection against pH1N1 and thereby obviate any risk that might have been due to the seasonal vaccine in 2009, which did not include pH1N1. | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Tapeworm brain infections on the increase in Mexico | Tapeworm infections of the brain, which can cause epileptic seizures, appear to be increasing in Mexico and bordering southwestern states, Loyola University Health System researchers report. In Mexico, up to 10 percent of the population may have the infection, neurocysticercosis. While many people never develop symptoms, neurocysticercosis nevertheless "remains a serious health concern, especially among the poor," Loyola researchers wrote in the April issue of the journal Neurological Research. | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases low after 2009 H1N1 vaccine | A new study finds that reports of a neurologic disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) have been low after 2009 H1N1 vaccination, according to a research study that will be presented as part of the late-breaking science program at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10 – 17, 2010. The study is one of the first national reports of the occurrence of GBS after 2009 H1N1 vaccination. GBS is a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, causing tingling and weakness of the arms and legs. While it is not fully known what causes GBS, it is known that about two-thirds of people who get GBS do so several days or weeks after they have been sick with diarrhea or a respiratory illness. Except for the swine flu vaccine used in 1976, no other influenza vaccines have been clearly linked to GBS. It was not anticipated that the 2009 H1N1 vaccine would be associated with an increased risk of GBS. Scientists analyzed information obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and US Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and found that there were 35 reports of GBS following 2009 H1N1 vaccination around the country by the end of the year 2009. This amounts to 3.5 reports of GBS per 10 million people vaccinated. All cases of GBS except one were reported within six weeks of vaccination, with 23 cases reported within the first two weeks after vaccine administration. One report of death and one of disability were reported in the 33 patients who were hospitalized. The number of GBS cases reported by the same researcher was only slightly higher after seasonal flu vaccination in 2009: 57 reports of GBS were received by VAERS , an estimated rate of 7.3 reports of GBS per 10 million vaccinations. The rate of GBS in the general population is estimated to be between one to four cases per 100,000 persons per year. | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Illustrated Cell | Le Cellule, illus. by Peter Wyss published in Le Livre de Sante by Joseph Handler (Monte Carlo: Andre Sauret, 1967) from the A Journey Round My Skull blog via Maggie Koerth-Baker at BoingBoing.net | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Scientists hope to harness parasitic worms' immune-regulating effects. | "As blossoming spring trees spew pollen, many allergy sufferers would be grateful for a more effective way to alleviate their itchy misery. How about swallowing a batch of pig whipworm eggs, or deliberately infecting oneself with the fecal-dwelling hookworm? Yucky as these options sound, mounting evidence in both humans and animals suggests that infection with these parasitic worms seems to protect against a number of inflammatory diseases, including asthma and allergy, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and type 1 diabetes. Because parasitic infection is unappealing to even the most severe allergy sufferer, some scientists hope to decipher how these organisms control the immune systems of their human hosts and to develop new therapies that replicate the parasites' beneficial effect." | 04/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Paleovirology—Modern Consequences of Ancient Viruses | Here's an interesting essay published in PLoS Biology by Michael Emerman and Harmit S. Malik on paleovirology, a topic recently discussed by Welkin Johnson, on the Small Things Considered blog. "Within the past century, a number of “emerging viruses” with pathogenic properties, such as HIV-1, SARS-CoV, and several novel reassortments of influenza A, have entered the human population on a large scale. However, novel pathogenic viral infections of humans are not unique to modern history. “Paleovirology” is the study of ancient extinct viruses (called “paleoviruses”) and the effects that these agents have had on the evolution of their hosts. Thus far, the study of these viruses has mostly been limited to endogenous retroviruses that can be directly identified from their remnants in host genomes. However, one can infer the existence of other paleoviruses from their evolutionary pressures on host genes. We suggest that selection to survive the pathogenic effects of these viruses has shaped our repertoire of antiviral defenses in ways that impact our resistance or susceptibility to modern-day emerging viruses." Via Jeremy Fiege on Facebook. |
04/14/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bacterial Cells Engineered to Blink in Synch | Fluorescence-tagged Escherichia coli cells can be made to "blink" in unison by means of a constructed network of genes and proteins that coordinates oscillations within the growing cell population, according to Jeff Hasty and colleagues from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in La Jolla. In 2008 the team produced "flashing" microbial cells, but now they endowed those flashing bacteria with the capacity to synchronize their colony-building efforts. | 04/14/2010 | |||||||||||
| Facebook for Scientists | Indiana University has received more than $1.8 million from the National Institutes of Health to collaborate on a $12.2 million, seven-university project designed to network researchers around the country. While the proposed new networking system will contain authentication mechanisms to protect sensitive data and intellectual property, it is being described as a "Facebook for scientists." | 04/14/2010 | |||||||||||
| Paleovirology | Welkin Johnson, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Blogger for Small Things Considered, ponders the "fossil record" of viruses: "As a scientist fascinated with the evolutionary interplay between viruses and their hosts, I admit to considerable professional envy. The paleontologists have it good. What, if anything, does a virus leave behind? My study subjects are utterly lacking in bony, fossilizable material, are too tiny to leave informative impressions in stone, and, unlike bacteria, produce no telltale geochemical signatures. By necessity, viral prehistory is traditionally inferred indirectly from phylogenetic reconstruction, typically based on aligned sequences of highly conserved subdomains shared by many viral polymerases. But these are genetic sequences, obtained from modern viral species, and the inferred ancestors aren't "real;" they are simply averages, each one a best-guess consensus. More importantly, this approach is limited to viruses with living modern descendents; it tells us nothing about extinct viral lineages." Click source for more. | 04/13/2010 | |||||||||||
| Cold fronts linked to European H5N1 outbreaks | Avian influenza (H5N1) outbreaks in Europe during the winter of 2005-2006 occurred at the edge of cold weather fronts, according to researchers from Princeton University and the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Their results, published April 8 in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens, show that these outbreaks were driven by aggregated movements of wild waterbirds away from areas of frozen water. The researchers found that most H5N1 outbreaks occurred at sites where maximum temperatures were between 0°C and 2°C. These usually occurred on the edge of cold fronts where bodies of freshwater remained unfrozen. Many wild waterbirds need unfrozen bodies of freshwater in winter to feed; in order to minimize the distance flown, they also try to stay as close as possible to the northern breeding grounds to which they will migrate during spring. The resulting congregation of different species of waterbirds along the freezing front likely created ideal conditions for the transmission of the H5N1 virus within and between wild bird species; in 2006, it caused many detectable outbreaks. The genetic tree of the H5N1 virus that caused outbreaks in Europe is well known. However, the conditions favoring the virus' spread were previously unclear. Understanding these ecological links may help to predict and control future outbreaks. Forecasts predicting near-freezing temperatures in Europe may act as an indication for concern, the authors say. When these conditions are forecasted, the authors suggest that targeted surveillance in areas along the extreme edge of cold fronts may help in the early detection of the virus. Via EurekAlert | 04/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Harnessing the Web and supercomputers to track pathogens as they evolve | Pathogens can now be easily tracked in time and space as they evolve, an advance that could revolutionize both public health and inform national security in the fight against infectious diseases. Developed by researchers that include scientists at the American Museum of Natural History, Supramap (supramap.osu.edu) is a new, powerful, web-based application that maps genetic mutations like those among the different strains of avian influenza onto the globe. The new application is published in the early online edition of Cladistics. Here's a video demo using H1N1 as an example: {youtube}EQaFFhmuWhU{/youtube} | 04/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Prevalence of HIV in Africa is leading to new strains of Salmonella | Scientists at the University of Liverpool have discovered that dangerous strains of Salmonella are beginning to emerge in people infected with HIV in Africa. Their research has found that, in adults with HIV, new African Salmonellae can cause severe disease by invading cells in the blood and bone marrow, where they can hide away, allowing them to evolve into more dangerous, multi-drug resistant strains over time. This is made possible by the loss of immune cells that occurs in HIV which renders the body vulnerable to attack. In Europe and the US, Salmonella normally causes diarrhoea and is rarely fatal, but in Africa, the new multi-drug resistant strains exploit vulnerable children and adults, causing severe infections that are difficult to treat and leading to death in one in four cases. | 04/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| New method of in-barrel fermentation allows for cask ale to be served on the go | A brewing trick could enable cask ales, unfiltered and unpasteurized beer, to be served on trains, aircraft and cruise ships. While ale normally takes two days to settle after each jolt, British brewer Marston's has developed a cask beer that can be poured a minute after the barrel has been moved. Cask ale continues to ferment in the barrel. A collagen called isinglass is usually added to turn the yeast into a gel-like mass, but while this clarifies the beer, it takes a long time to settle at the bottom of the barrel. Richard Westwood, who is the brewing director at Marston's in Wolverhampton, is patenting the Fast Cask method of in-barrel fermentation that doesn't need time to settle. | 04/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| MSU's Microbiology Department Saved by University President | Microbiology students who staged a rare campus protest at Montana State University are expressing gratitude after President Waded Cruzado approved a plan to save their department. Microbiology, the study of microbes that affect health and the environment, lost a lot of strength several years ago when three of 10 faculty members left. The department has been struggling without a permanent leader for some time; recently an administrator with an English background has been filling in as interim department head. After a couple task forces looked into microbiology's problems and no one in the department was willing to lead it, Interim Provost Joe Fedock said the decision was made to merge microbiology into some other science department. Ironically, that news broke right after MSU won nearly $15 million in federal stimulus money to renovate Cooley Lab, the lab used by microbiology researchers. | 04/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Scientists embracing open science | Writer Chelsea Wald has authored an overview on what "open science" is and includes several quotes from people who actually practice it. "History is replete with stories of scientists who hid their ideas from their competition; consider Leonardo da Vinci, whose odd backward writing may have been partly motivated by fear of thieves, or Isaac Newton, who concealed one idea by writing it in the form of an anagram. Science has long been a dog-eat-dog world. So it may seem odd that a handful of scientists are going to similar lengths to share not just their results but also, sometimes, their raw data -- even their lab notebooks -- often in real time. They're part of a movement called Open Science, or, more specifically, Open Notebook Science, whose motto is "no insider information." Click source to read more. | 04/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Retailers caught selling used lingerie | A Today Show expose on the practice of major retailers who resell used under garments. This segment features a brief interview with a microbiologist who makes it clear what sort of dangers this practice can expose people to. Remember to always wash new clothes before you wear them. Click source to view the video. | 04/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Did van Leeuwenhoek actually observe yeast cells in 1680? | Nanne Nanninga, Emeritus Professor of Molecular Cytology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, authors a guest post on Small Things Considered that questions whether van Leeuwenhoek actually observed yeast cells in 1680. "It is common knowledge that beer was produced by the ancient Egyptians and that van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) was the first to see yeast cells. However, what was defined as yeast in the seventeenth century is different from that of today. So did van Leeuwenhoek really observe yeast?" Click source for to read the rest of this interesting historical perspective. | 04/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Malaria presented by Joseph DeRisi Part 3: Drug Development | The third video of a three part lecture by Joseph DeRisi focuses on drug development for Malaria. | 04/ 8/2010 | |||||||||||
| Malaria presented by Joseph DeRisi: Part 2 Research | The second video in brief set of three lectures by Joseph DeRisi. | 04/ 8/2010 | |||||||||||
| Malaria presented by Joseph DeRisi - Part 1: Malaria: Background and Overview | The first video in brief set of three lectures by Joseph DeRisi gives a very general overview of malaria, the disease and Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most deadly form. Basic research as well as drug development efforts will also be covered in parts two and three of this series. | 04/ 8/2010 | |||||||||||
| When Swine Flew: A presentation on how social media impacted messaging around H1N1 | Andre Blackman (aka @mindofandre on Twitter and author of the Pulse + Signal blog) recently shared a presentation on Slide Share that reviews the CDC and the public health community's innovative use of social networks to educate the public about H1N1. This powerpoint was presented during SXSW Interactive 2010, along with representatives from the CDC, NIH and HHS who provide examples and data how these new communication tools were implemented. When Swine Flew: Embracing Innovation
View more presentations from Andre Blackman. |
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| The most important paper ever in microbiology | Jonathan Eisen (@phylogenomics on Twitter) has a new post on his The Tree of Life blog that looks at why the paper "Phylogenetic structure of the prokaryotic domain: The primary kingdoms" by Carl Woese and George Fox may be the most important paper (see http://www.pnas.org/content/74/11/5088.full.pdf+html?sid=867a6a9e-fd2f-4122-a1db-9ac96a9798b7) in the history of microbiology. "In this paper they lay out the evidence for the existence of at least three main branches in the Tree of Life. Interestingly, for the phylogenetically minded people out there, they do not show an evolutionary tree in the paper. What they show is what is known as a similarity matrix (the inverse in essence of the distance matrices many people may be used to seeing) where a score is given for the similarity between organisms in the fingerprints of their 16S/18S rRNAs)." Click source for more. | 04/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Are two tails better than one? A look at the Acidianus two-tailed virus | Merry Youle of Small Things Considered fame has a new post on the site that looks at the Acidianus two-tailed virus. Snippet: "Why two tails? Why such long tails? The researchers note that ATV is the only virus of an acidophilic hyperthermophile known to lyse its host, albeit only under stress conditions. Thus, unlike those that stay indoors, ATV is confronted with a hostile environment where host cells are sparse. The tails triple their length, greatly increasing their chances of quickly bumping into a potential host cell. How the tails are formed remains a mystery. The process is temperature dependent. Tailless newborn particles can be held at 4 ºC for several months, and still sprout no tails. At 75 ºC, they grow tails, but very slowly, taking about 8 days. Given their preferred 85 ºC they complete the job in less than an hour. In the process, the particles shrink to about half their original volume (even allowing for the volume of the tails). One clue comes from ATV's genome..." Click source for more. | 04/ 6/2010 | |||||||||||
| Speculation Surrounding Sporulation in the Mycobacteria | Tim Sampson, a graduate student at Emory University in the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics program, looks at two research papers with conflicting conclusions about the presence of endospores in very late stationary phase cultures of Mycobacterium marinum, a common model for acute Mycobacteria infection. Snippet: "In an effort to study this latent phase, a research group happened upon what appeared to be textbook endospores in very late stationary phase cultures of Mycobacterium marinum, a common model for acute Mycobacteria infection. As they closely examined cell morphology over long periods of time (2 months), they began to see forespore formation, and subsequent endospores. Utilizing TEM, the distinct outer coat and cortex of the spores could be identified in the M. marinum population. These researchers analyzed rRNA from the sporulating cells and identified it as M. marinum, ruling out contamination issues. Also, they demonstrated heat tolerance, malachite green staining, and the presence of dipicolinic acid an important compound necessary for heat resistance in most spore-forming species. Furthermore, their bioinformatic analysis revealed the presence of homologs of genes utilized in sporulation within the M. marinum genome. Taken all together, the authors hypothesize that M. marinum forms spores, and posit that these spores may be how Mycobacteria stay dormant in a host. However, here is where the speculation steps in... A group of rather prominent US labs in the field attempted to replicate M. marinum sporulation in their labs, and were unable to demonstrate sporulation by any of the methods used by the original researchers. Furthermore, in an attempt to see if spores were present during latent M. marinum infection as the original authors postulated, they attempted to isolate heat resistant cells from infected frogs. Although they could recover Bacillus spores from spiked tissue samples, they could never isolate M. marinum." Click source for more. | 04/ 6/2010 | |||||||||||
| Test uses DNA to detect Lyme disease | Sin Hang Lee, Ph.D., a Milford Hospital pathologist has developed a test to positively diagnose Lyme disease, and to identify the bacterium that causes it within days of infection. That is a major advance in treating a disease that is common in the region but difficult to diagnose with standard blood tests, Dr. Sin Hang Lee said. The research is being published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Pathology. | 04/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Dr. Rita Colwell Wins Stockholm Water Prize | Dr. Rita Colwell, an expert on the prevention of waterborne infectious diseases, has been awarded the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize, widely recognized as the world's premier award for water related research or policy work. The prize, which includes a $150,000 award and a crystal sculpture, honors individuals, institutions or organizations whose work contributes to the conservation and protection of water resources and to improved health of the planet's inhabitants and ecosystems. The year 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the Stockholm Water Prize and the World Water Week in Stockholm where it will be presented to Dr. Colwell. Dr. Colwell heads the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies and Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics. She is also an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, chairman of Canon US Life Sciences, Inc., a former director of the National Science Foundation, and a past President of the American Society for Microbiology. | 04/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| An alkaline lagoon inside a Volcano in Argentina teems with life | Argentinian investigators have found flamingos and mysterious microbes living in a salty, alkaline lagoon nestled inside a volcano in the Andes. The organisms, exposed to arsenic and poisonous gases, could shed light on how life began on Earth, and their hardiness to extreme conditions may hold the key to new scientific applications. Click "source" for more. | 04/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| Customize your Firefox Browser with a MicrobeWorld Persona | With the launch of Firefox 3.63, the new version of the popular browser allows users to easily "skin" their browser's appearance. If you visit the link under "Source" above and you are using the latest version of Firefox, you will be able to wear MicrobeWorld's team colors while you surf the web. Just cick "Wear this Persona" to install. There are also a few other microbe-themed skins that some other folks have uploaded, so be sure to check those out. You can find them by typing "microbe" in the persona search field. Enjoy! | 04/ 2/2010 | |||||||||||
| Science and Nature to publish new open access journal | "Science and Nature have ended their historic battle for the world’s best basic science articles, agreeing to cease their respective publications and co-launch an open-access, online-only journal with an innovative democratic peer-review system, sources at both journals revealed this morning. "The difficult economics of scientific publishing today did play a role in this decision, but we also saw an opportunity to create a Web 3.0 basic sciences journal for the next generation of researchers," says Havel Affe, the geneticist who has agreed to become the journal’s editor-in-chief. "We predict the journal will become the dominant force in scientific publishing." The new journal will be called either Scientific Nature or Natural Science depending on the result of a text-message vote by the scientific community. (Standard mobile charges may apply and each vote costs $1 or £1 depending on country of origin.)" In a novel revenue system funded by a grant from Facebook, preprints will be posted on a special social networking Web site where scientists registered in the newly created Faculty of a Million (trademark pending) can vote for acceptance by pressing a "Like" thumbs-up button or reject the paper by pressing a “Dislike” button. Each vote will cost $1/£1 and multiple votes are allowed. "There's been criticism that peer review is too elitist, so we're using the wisdom of the crowds," says Aima Jouk, the journal’s new managing editor. Another innovation will be a ground-breaking iPad application that will allow scientists to view charts, images, and figures in 3-D. And readers will have the option of Skyping authors directly to share their thoughts and feelings about a paper simply by clicking that author's name. As an added incentive, the first 100 new subscribers will get free genome scans. "It's about time these two publishing powerhouses joined forces," says Rick Rolling, a magazine consultant based in Boulder, Colorado. "I thought I was going to have to buy two iPads," he says. "Now, I just have to buy one." *** Happy April Fools! *** | 04/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Students protest at Montana State University to save the microbiology department | "Carrying signs that read "Save the Microbiology Department," about 60 students, professors and staff members gathered Wednesday at noon to protest Montana State University's decision to dissolve their department. While student organizers succeeded in gathering a well-mannered crowd outside Montana Hall, they were less successful in persuading administrators inside Montana Hall to change their minds." Click source for more and a video of the protest. | 04/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbiology Education and Social Media | At the Spring 2010 meeting of the Society for General Microbiology In Edinburgh Vincent Racaniello spoke about ‘Social Media in Microbiology Education and Research’. In his presentation he gives a comprehensive overview of how he uses these new communication tools to promote the science of virology to students, educators, researchers, professionals and science enthusiasts. {flvremote}http://www.virology.ws/soc_med_micro.flv{/flvremote} | 04/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Lens-less Microscopy aka Kryptonian Vision | Jennifer Gutierrez is a microbiology graduate student in the Joint Doctoral Program of San Diego State University and University of California at San Diego. In her guest blog post on Small Things Considered she describes a new imaging technique dubbed "lens-less microscopy." As part of the discussion she also reviews a paper by Klause Giewekemeyer et al, entitled "Quantitative biological imaging by ptychographic x-ray diffraction microscopy" (See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20018650) that uses the technique on Deinococcus radiodurans and considers the practicality of this approach in "revealing the internal structure of unstained biological samples." Here's a snippet: "X-ray vision, once the exclusive domain of Superman and his super hero kin, is now a tool in the biological researchers kit. Granted, not every researcher has access to this superpower; the required synchrotron light sources are found only at large research facilities that happen to have a particle accelerator at hand. Still, it is surely worth the bother. Compared to electron microscopy, samples can be imaged in a more natural state without being either embedded or frozen, and they can be larger. Compared to light microscopy, the smaller wavelength of x-ray radiation has the potential to provide higher resolution. Resolution had been complicated by the difficulty in making efficient lenses, but new techniques in both lens design and manufacture are being developed. The lens problem can be circumvented using lens-less microscopy, as employed in a recent paper by Klause Giewekemeyer et al." Click source for more. | 03/30/2010 | |||||||||||
| Revealing the secrets of the Périgord black truffle | Amy Maxmen reports over at Nature News that a team of European researchers has decoded the genome of the Périgord black truffle. Francis Martin, at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research in Nancy, and his colleagues have found that "within its nucleotides reside secrets to the flavor and elusive lifestyle of this fungus, offering clues that could help a truffle industry that is fraught with unpredictable yields and a counterfeit market." Click source for more. | 03/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| New Ways to Fight Tuberculosis | Antibiotics have been used since the 1940s to cure tuberculosis. But the bacterium that causes the disease, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, keeps evolving to dodge the drugs that are thrown at it, and existing treatments are becoming less effective. Now, Howard Hughes Medicial Institute (HHMI) scientists have found several new ways to kill M. tuberculosis, which could lead to the development of alternative drugs. “We found two sweet new ways to combat tuberculosis by targeting enzymes in pathways that metabolize carbohydrates,” said William R. Jacobs, Jr., an HHMI investigator at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, whose team published their findings in the March 21, 2010, issue of Nature Chemical Biology. “Now we need drugs that inhibit these enzymes.” Click source for more. | 03/28/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bacteria Patterns Aid Carbon Fixation | Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered that the organelles responsible for carbon fixation within cyanobacteria organize themselves in predictable patterns—a finding that could help researchers engineer more efficient designer bacteria. | 03/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Clinical Trial Results Demonstrate Copper Reduces MRSA and VRE in Hospital Rooms | Recent clinical tests demonstrate that antimicrobial copper is effective in significantly reducing the bacterial load in intensive care unit (ICU) patient rooms and on many individual objects in those rooms. Results from a U.S. Department of Defense-funded clinical trial assessing the ability of antimicrobial copper to reduce the amount of bacteria on surfaces commonly found in hospital rooms were reported on at the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections in Atlanta, GA. Exposure to organisms that were found in ICU rooms may lead to healthcare-acquired infections that can result in illness and death. Michael Schmidt, Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina, and an author of the poster, said, "It is well known that hospital-acquired infections have a high cost, both in terms money spent treating them and lives lost. One in twenty hospital patients will develop a hospital-acquired infection; that number increases to thirty percent for patients in intensive care units." The first phase of this study showed that the most heavily contaminated objects are those in closest proximity to the patients. High levels of Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) were found on common objects, such as bed rails, call buttons and visitor chairs. Because these bacteria can survive for extended periods of time, contaminated surfaces can act as a means for spreading bacteria to patients, visitors and healthcare workers. In the second phase of the trial, copper bed rails, tray tables, chair arms, call buttons, monitors and IV poles replaced the stainless steel and plastic versions in ICU rooms of three hospitals: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, both in Charleston, SC. The phase two trial results were very positive. Copper was effective in significantly reducing the total bacterial load in ICU patient care rooms and on many individual objects within those rooms. Further study is needed to assess whether copper touch surfaces can play a role in preventing cross contamination and the transmission of hospital-acquired infections. Laboratory testing independent of the clinical trial has proven that copper and copper alloys, such as brass and bronze, kill 99.9 percent of bacteria within two hours, when cleaned regularly and as a supplement to routine cleaning and disinfection programs. These findings led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to register these materials as public health antimicrobial products that can control vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7, all of which are associated with infections or other adverse effects in humans. The clinical trial is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense under the aegis of the Telemedicine and Advanced Technologies Research Center (TATRC), a section of the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC). Click "source" to view the video | 03/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| How 1918 flu antibodies fend off swine flu | "The absence of a sugary viral shield could explain why immune responses to the 1918 influenza virus also work against the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic strain. Researchers have found that the two viruses, although separated in time by nearly a century, are structurally similar in a region that is recognized by the immune system. In seasonal flu viruses, that region — a part of the haemagglutinin protein often used to create flu vaccines — is dotted with sugar molecules; however, the two pandemic flu strains lack this sweet spot. This might explain why seasonal flu vaccines don't protect against swine flu." Click source for more. | 03/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Oral sex virus 'causing throat cancer' | A common virus spread through oral sex may be triggering a steep rise in types of throat cancer, researchers have warned. Human Pappillomavirus - known as HPV - is the main cause of cervical cancer, although most infections clear with little or no symptoms. But after cases of oropharyngeal cancer - which begins in the middle of the throat - surged by 51 per cent in British men between 1989 and 2006, scientists are urging that boys as well as girls be given an HPV vaccine. Between 60 and 80 per cent of recent oropharyngeal cancer biopsies in the US found HPV, while there has been a 70 per cent increase in finding the virus in cases of the cancer in Sweden, the research, published in the British Medical Journal, found. (Found on FriendFeed via AJ Cann of MicrobyologyBytes fame.) | 03/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Skloot there it is! HeLa Cells and the Colbert Nation | Science writer Rebbecca Skloot recently appeared on the Colbert Nation to discuss her new book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. When Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cancer in 1951, doctors took her cells and immortalized them in test tubes. Since then these cells have led to significant scientific and medical breakthroughs. In fact HeLa cells were vital in the development of the polio vaccine and have been used in various fields of research involving cancer, viruses, and even the effects of radiation from the atom bomb.
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03/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Infectious Bite - The Vampire/Malaria Awareness Blog | I am always interested in how science or health communicators often use popular culture as a hook for drawing people into interesting research. Every morning I scan the "blogosphere," news sites and other sources for interesting stories or items to share on MicrobeWorld. Today I came across the blog Infectious Bite, a website designed to connect people who share an interest in vampires and want to raise awareness about the devastating effects of malaria. What?! Vampires you say? Here's their proposal: "You want to believe in romantic, super-hero vampires? Fine, you make our continued-existences easier. You want to obsess about blood-drinkers? Do something about the food supply. Eradicate the world of those little blood-sucking mosquitoes that spread disease. Maybe then, vampires can enjoy a decent meal again. Our proposition is simple: Make advances against malaria, and we will let you have your fictions--no matter how ridiculous you make us look." In all seriousness though, these folks actually direct people to legitimate malaria resources and the latest papers in scientific publications on their Malaria Blog. Please check them out by clicking "source." It's a fun site to explore if you have the time. | 03/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Facebook 'linked to rise in syphilis' in Britain | UK Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health in Teesside, claims his research staff has found a link between social networking sites and the spread of Syphilis, especially among young women. According to Kelly, "there has been a fourfold increase in the number of syphilis cases detected with more young women being affected." Click source for more. (BTW, I didn't come up with the title for this the Telegraph did. If you would like to rant about sensationalist science headlines, please do so below.) | 03/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Scientists Uncover Vast Microbial Diversity of Carnivorous Pitcher Plant | The microbial ecosystem inside the carnivorous pitcher plant is vastly more diverse than previously thought according to research published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Researchers from Louisiana State University used genomic fingerprinting technology to assess the bacterial diversity inside leaves of Sarracenia alata, commonly known as the pitcher plant. A pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant that lives in nitrogen poor soil augmenting the inadequate nitrogen by trapping and digesting insects. It has tubular shaped leaves that contain a liquid that is used for digestion. Over the past 35 years studying these plants using traditional culture-based methods, scientists have only identified 20 distinct bacteria in the pitcher. Click source to download the entire article as a .pdf. | 03/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Futures in Biotech 56: RNA viruses and more | Vincent Racaniello, host of This Week in Virology, appears in the latest episode of Futures in Biotech with Marc Pelletier. With a focus on RNA viruses, Vincent and and Marc are joined by Stanford University School of Medicine Professor Karla Kirkegaard and discuss where RNA viruses came from, where they are going, and Dr. Kirkegaard’s unique approach to discovering antiviral drugs. {mp4remote}http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/twit.cachefly.net/odtv/0319-fib56.mp4{/mp4remote} Please be patient. This video takes awhile to load. Video produced by Team ODTV at ODTV.me | 03/23/2010 | |||||||||||
| Time's Up | Merry Youle of the Small Things Considered blog has a new post up that looks at the phage-encoded holin timer and its function in a lytic infection. "Holins are the smallest known biological timers. Timers, not clocks. Timers tick along, then go off after the specified interval. These small, phage-encoded proteins time the length of lytic infections of some phages. When they go off, the game is over and the host cell lyses. This is important work. The phage that gets the timing right is one-up in the evolutionary race." Click source for more. | 03/22/2010 | |||||||||||
| Large Pockets of Methane May Be Building Under Antarctic Ice | Microbes living under ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland could be churning out large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane, a new study suggests. In recent years scientists have learned that liquid water lurks under much of Antarctica’s massive ice sheet, and so, they say, the potential microbial habitat in this watery world is huge. If the methane produced by the bacteria gets trapped beneath the ice and builds up over long periods of time — a possibility that is far from certain — it could mean that as ice sheets melt under warmer temperatures, they would release large amounts of heat-trapping methane gas. | 03/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| Science Podcasts Galore! | Ginger Campbell, M.D., emergency room physician and host of the popular Brain Science Podcast, has created a site that highlights over 40 science-related podcasts. While all of MicrobeWorld's podcasts are represented on the site there are also some other great offerings, including: * ACS Chemical Biology * Astronomy Cast * Grey Matters from Dana.org * MedSqod * Neuropod * Neuroscene * Point of Inquiry * Quirks and Quarks * Science Friday * Science magazine * Science of Better * Science Update * Scientific American * Skepticality * The Archeology Channel * The Naked Scientists * The Shrink is In * This Week in Science If you ever find you iPod getting low on good podcast content, this is the place to fill up. | 03/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| CDC Used Frequent Shoppers' Cards to Track the Salami/Red Pepper Salmonella Outbreak | Investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used frequent-shopper cards that millions of Americans swipe when they buy groceries to track down the source of salmonella in the recent salami recall. | 03/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Pandemics in Retrospective | Now that we have experienced several months of the H1N1 pandemic, what have we learned about how it was handled? Watch Dr. Nicole Lurie (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and Dr. Kathryn Edwards (Vanderbilt University), discuss the public health responses to H1N1. Participants compare the medical community's response to the H1N1 outbreak to those of past influenza pandemics and how the media influenced public perceptions. Hosted by Dr. Patrick Kelley, Director of the Board Global Health at the Institute of Medicine. {ustream}5368987{/ustream} About the host: Dr. Patrick Kelley joined the Institute of Medicine of the US National Academies in July 2003 as the director of the Board on Global Health. He has subsequently also been appointed the director of the Board on African Science Academy Development. Prior to coming to the National Academies he served in the US Army for more than 23 years as a physician, residency director, epidemiologist, and program manager. Kelley obtained his M.D. from the University of Virginia and his Dr.P.H. from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. The Panel: Dr. Nicole Lurie is Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to that, she was Senior Natural Scientist and the Paul O'Neill Alcoa Professor of Health Policy at the RAND Corporation. There she directed RAND's public health and preparedness work as well as RAND's Center for Population Health and Health Disparities. She has previously served in federal government as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health at HHS; in state government as Medical Advisor to the Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Health; and in academia as Professor in the University of Minnesota Schools of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Lurie has a long history in the health services research field, primarily in the areas of access to and quality of care, managed care, mental health, prevention, public health infrastructure and preparedness, and health disparities. Dr. Kathryn Edwards, Professor of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University, focuses on the evaluation of vaccines for the prevention of infectious diseases in adults and children. She has conducted large efficacy trials of influenza vaccine and has coordinated multicenter trials of H. influenza, type b, B. pertussis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and vaccina vaccines. She is currently studying dose sparing strategies for influenza vaccine and avian Influenza vaccines. She also conducts active population based surveillance to monitor the impact of new vaccines on disease burden. | 03/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Mayo's Bad Rap - Is it Justified? | People often cite mayonnaise as a source for food poisoning, but studies have shown the condiment is not very conducive to bacterial growth. This is due to the ingredients used in commercially–prepared mayonnaise which typically include pasteurized eggs, salt and an acid like vinegar (acetic acid) or citric acid. In fact, "mayonnaise manufactured in the United States is quite acidic, with a pH of 3.6 to 4.0. Not only that but the organic acids used in commercially prepared mayonnaise have other antimicrobial properties. Studies have shown that the lethal effect of mayonnaise on foodborne pathogens has been well documented. According to Michael P. Doyle, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety and Quality Enhancement, most harmful bacteria, including E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, die off within hours in the presence of mayonnaise, due to its acidity." Extra mayo, anyone? | 03/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Hut Cave on Mt. Erebus taken by mountaineer Nick Giguere | Photo of Hut Cave taken by mountaineer Nick Giguere during the 2008 expedition Exploring the Rock Bottom of the Food Chain in McMurdo's Extreme Environments led by Dr. Laurie Connell and Dr. Hubert Staudigel. For more pictures go to their website: http://earthref.org/ERESE/projects/GOLF439/index.html Thank you to Suzanne Kennedy for the submission. | 03/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Blood Falls - Subglacial outflow from the Taylor Glacier in McMurdo | Subglacial outflow from the Taylor Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Iron and salt precipitates form where subglacial brine flows from the Taylor Glacier, lending a bright red color to the glacier snout, which is commonly referred to as Blood Falls. The episodic release of subglacial brine at Blood Falls provides a sample of what is believed to be ancient seawater originating from the Pliocene Epoch, which is now trapped below the glacier. The microbial diversity associated with Blood Falls reflects this marine origin. Photo by Benjamin Urmston. | 03/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Trichinella spiralis Scanning EMs and hundreds more | As referenced in the most recent episode of This Week in Parasitism, Dickson Despommier, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, and Yuzo Takahashi, Department of Parasitology, Gifu University School of Medicine, have posted hundreds of scanning electron micrographs at www.trichinella.org. This image of T. spiralis was taken by Despommier himself. One of the great things about this collection is that the images taken by Despommier are free to use as long as you give him the appropriate credit. |
03/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Can a Scientific Retraction Change Public Opinion? | When science revises its stance, the field itself follows established protocol to adapt, but public opinion can be slow to catch up. Rather than wiping the slate clean, last month's retraction of a key paper proposing a link between childhood vaccines and autism seem only to have widened the societal divide on the issue. And the rising rate of retractions—roughly ninefold between 1990 and 2008—suggest that there could be more cases in which public opinion carries on long after science has reversed course. Via Scientific American | 03/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| 4 student blogs that gladden an old man's heart | Moselio Schaechter at Small Things Considered highlights 4 student blogs that "gladden an old man's heart." In Catalogue of Organisms, Christopher Taylor, a student of arachnids in Perth, Australia, posted a new interpretation of the mysterious Prototaxites—giant, 8 meter tall fossils some 400 million years old that predate any plants of that size. In Skeptic Wonder, Psi Wavefunction, an undergraduate in British Columbia, takes on the term “Oncogene” and explains why it should disappear forever. In Micro Writers (“written by students to students”) from Cairo University, Mariam points to the wisdom of escaping from anthropocentric to biocentric microbiology. And, in Extreme Biology, Amy Ciardiello, a 9th grade violinist, writes about "violin-making and fungi." |
03/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Welcome to Extreme Biology! Violin-making and fungi | Welcome to Ms. Baker and her biology students extreme biology blog! This is perhaps one of the best high school student blogs I have ever seen. In Extreme Biology, students post about "anything biology-related." Check out the post by Amy Ciardiello, a 9th grade violinist, who writes about "violin-making and fungi." "A few months ago, an important discovery was made in the world of violin making. A test was done to see whether a violin like the Stradivarius could be created. Amazingly, it was with the help of Francis Schwarze of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research and a Swiss violin maker, Michael Rhonheimer. The test was to see if fungi treated wood could create similar wood that was used when Stradivarious created his violins. " Ciardiello accompanies her post with a superb performance of the 1st movement of Haydn's Concerto No. 2 in G Major. Enjoy. {youtube}3E6mwYkb_MQ{/youtube} | 03/ 4/2010 | |||||||||||
| Anti-Bacterial Defences (Animation) | {flvremote}http://dc127.4shared.com/img/95148680/2bb11dc9/dlink__2Fdownload_2F95148680_2F2bb11dc9_2FAnti-Bacterial_5FDefences_3Ftsid_3D20100302-115338-ae690240/preview.flv{/flvremote} | 03/ 2/2010 | |||||||||||
| Virginia Reports No Additional CWD Positives; Response Planning Underway | The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) has received laboratory results from all chronic wasting disease (CWD) samples collected through the 2009-2010 hunting season, and no additional positives were found. Since 2002, nearly 5,000 samples have been collected in Virginia, and CWD has been detected in only one deer. The deer was killed by a hunter on November 14, 2009, in western Frederick County and was one of more than 200 hunter-killed and vehicle-killed deer in the Active Surveillance Area tested this year for CWD. The Active Surveillance Area consists of parts of western Frederick and Shenandoah Counties. VDGIF biologists have focused CWD surveillance in this area since 2005, when a deer with the disease was found in Hampshire County, West Virginia, within 10 miles of the Virginia state line. Deer with CWD have been found in that area of West Virginia every year since then. This is the first year that a deer with the disease has been detected in Virginia. Earlier this week, the Wildlife and Boat Committee of the VDGIF Board was briefed on the CWD situation in Frederick County and potential CWD response measures for the coming year. Guided by the CWD Response Plan, the Department is considering a range of potential measures to continue looking for CWD and to contain the spread of the disease in western Frederick County. Potential measures include: * delineation of CWD management and surveillance areas, * mandatory checking or disease testing of hunter-harvested deer, * prohibition of deer feeding, * restriction in the movement and disposal of deer carcasses, * restriction of deer rehabilitation, and * reduction of deer populations. Specific recommendations are currently slated to be announced in April. A public meeting will be held in Frederick County at that time as part of the communication on any new measures. CWD has been detected in 16 states and two Canadian provinces. CWD is a slow, progressive neurological (brain and nervous system) disease found in deer, elk, and moose in North America. The disease ultimately results in death of the animal. Symptoms exhibited by CWD-infected deer include, staggering, abnormal posture, lowered head, drooling, acting confused, and marked weight loss. There is no evidence that CWD can be naturally transmitted to humans, livestock, or pets. Anyone who sees a sick deer that displays any of the signs described above should contact the nearest VDGIF office immediately with accurate location information. Please do not attempt to disturb or kill the deer before contacting the VDGIF. | 03/ 2/2010 | |||||||||||
| C. elegans micro-injection | This video shows the process of injecting a a construct with gene manipulated DNA into a C. elegans worm. The outcome in this case was the rolling worm with the green fluorescent protein in it that localized to the body wall muscle, giving the worm the four green stripes along his body. | 02/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Sci-Tech Today: Paper Diagnostics for Health | Alex Fiorentino describes how the Whitesides lab at Harvard is developing sophisticated medical diagnostic devices that are lightweight, disposable, cost pennies to make, and operate without power. They're made out of paper. | 02/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| Less hand-wringing over state of science journalism | A recent article published in the Columbia Journalism Review mulls over the state of science journalism and expresses hope that the future is online. The article actually singles out the MicrobeWorld-related blog Small Things Considered by Elio Schaechter and Merry Youle among several others as examples of sites gaining admiration among science journalists. Much of the content from this article stems from a panel “Facing the Uncertain Future of International Science Journalism” at the recent AAAS meeting in San Diego that was moderated by the author of this piece, Cristine Russell. Snippet: "Panelists at the meeting indicated that some blogs are gaining acceptance and admiration among science journalists at least, although there is no consensus on whether they provide news in the classic sense—or, rather, potentially valuable information, education, or opinion that fails to meet the traditional standards of journalism. Long-time science communicator Dennis Meredith, author of a new book, Explaining Research (Oxford University Press, 2010), noted during his presentation that a handful of blogs that he admires include Blog Around the Clock, Sciencebase, RealClimate, Small Things Considered, and the University of Chicago Medical Center’s Science Life." | 02/26/2010 | |||||||||||
| End Polio Now | Yesterday the Wrigley Building in Chicago was officially lit with Rotary International's 'End Polio Now' pledge - as was the Pyramid of Khafre in Egypt and the Obelisk in Buenos Aires. These iconic landmarks and others will provide a dramatic backdrop for an equally dramatic message: End Polio Now. Those three words – representing Rotary's pledge to rid the world of this crippling childhood disease -- will be projected onto each structure during the week surrounding Feb. 23, the humanitarian service organization's 105th anniversary. Click "source" to view an interactive timeline on the history of polio. End Polio Video PSA {youtube}YLzUr-fnyFA{/youtube} The Push to End Polio Now Video {youtube}Lk1Ci847NO0{/youtube} | 02/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Budding versus Binary Fission | Elio Schaechter of Small Things Considered asks if there is an evolutionary advantage for budding, where cell division is asymmetrical (yeast is an example), over binary fission, asexual reproduction by cell division? Snippet: "Binary fission is a most impressive invention. In one fell swoop, it ensures that progeny cells are born alike and endowed with the same potential for growth and survival. Simple as it sounds, it must have taken considerable evolutionary contortions to make it function so well throughout the living world. But there are cells that have adopted an alternative mechanism, where cell division is asymmetrical, where one progeny cell is made from a “mother cell” that keeps generating “babies.” The best known example is, of course, budding in yeast. But other cells also arise in this fashion, including some bacteria, the sexual spores of mushrooms, and even some plant cells. So, is there an advantage to bypassing binary fission and budding instead?" | 02/23/2010 | |||||||||||
| A Prophage Masquerade | Small Things Considered blogger Merry Youle has authored a post on the sequencing of Roseovarius nubinhibens. a bacterium that recently joined the group of about a thousand bacteria whose genomes have been sequenced. Researcher José González and colleagues in Mary Ann Moran's lab at the University of Georgia, Department of Marine Science, who sequenced Roseovarius nubinhibens discovered that the bacterium's DNA chromosomes is host to several prophages and various virus like particles (elements that look like a virus but haven't been shown to infect like a virus.) The researchers suspect that since other sequenced members of the Rhodobacterales harbor related prophages this type of prophage is common and may be active in horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among these bacteria. Click "source" to read more about this interesting research and the questions raised over gene transfer agents and prophages. | 02/19/2010 | |||||||||||
| Higher Pneumococcal Disease Vaccination Rates Needed to Protect More At-Risk US Adults | The American Society for Microbiology, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), and other leading medical and health organizations agree that pneumococcal immunization rates among adults need to be improved to reduce the impact of pneumococcal illness and death in this population. Pneumococcal disease causes severe illnesses such as pneumonia, blood infection and meningitis, killing thousands of Americans each year. While anyone can get pneumococcal disease, some people are at particularly high risk, including those 65 years of age and older, people with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems and residents of chronic or long-term care facilities. Despite comprehensive recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccination rates among these populations remain low. The following organizations agree that pneumococcal immunization rates among adults need to be improved to reduce the impact of related illness and death in this population. * AIDS Project Los Angeles * American Academy of HIV Medicine * American Academy of Nurse Practitioners * American Academy of Physician Assistants * American College of Chest Physicians * American College of Physicians * American Medical Association * American Nurses Association * American Pharmacists Association * American Public Health Association * American Society for Microbiology * Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology * Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America * Group on Immunization Education of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine * HIV Medicine Association * Infectious Diseases Society of America * National Association of County and City Health Officials * National Foundation for Infectious Diseases * National Hispanic Medical Association * National Medical Association * Society for Healthcare Epidemiologists of America * Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists * Visiting Nurse Associations of America Click "source" to find out more | 02/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Attacking Implant Infections | Nearly 1 million people undergo a hip, knee or shoulder replacement every year, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and in about 1 to 2 percent of those cases, an implant gets infected. The most common cause of these infections is a type of bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis, which is found on the skin and mucous membranes. Orthopaedic implant surgeries are on the rise, with a current market valued at more than $16 billion and a projected value exceeding $23 billion by 2010, according to the Stevens Institute of Technology. With the increasing number of procedures comes an increasing risk for implant infections, and researchers are working on solutions. Some researchers are working with substances called hydrogels, polymers that absorb large amounts of water. Most bacteria -- including the Staph strains common to implant infections -- can't adhere to most hydrogels. Click "source" for more. | 02/18/2010 | |||||||||||
| Five questions about lysogeny | Merry Youle from www.smallthingsconidered.us explores 5 questions about lysogeny, the life cycle that takes place when a bacteriophage infects certain types of bacteria. | 02/17/2010 | |||||||||||
| Disease Diagnostics: Lab on a Chip for Next to Nothing | Lab tests for disease diagnosis can be very expensive and cumbersome for many regions of the world. George Whitesides, American chemist and professor of chemistry at Harvard University, has an answer that can be manufactured with just paper and carpet tape at virtually zero cost. Filmed at TEDxBoston in July 2009. | 02/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| New Twitter-like Service for Scientists Launched | A new Twitter-FaceBook-FriendFeed-like site called Sciencefeed allows users to post short messages around on scientific-related content, including news headlines, new findings, metings, events and ideas. Just lke Twitter or Facebook you can follow users, respond to other member’s entries, and comment on various topics. You can also search for subjects and keywords, and publish updates to Twitter and Facebook. Likewise you can also import your Twitter feed. You can follow MicrobeWorld on ScienceFeed here. | 02/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Outbreaks of gastroenteritis linked to lettuce in Denmark | At least 11 linked outbreaks of gastroenteritis with a total of 260 cases have occurred in Denmark in mid January 2010. Investigations showed that the outbreaks were caused by norovirus of several genotypes and by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Lettuce of the lollo bionda type grown in France was found to be the vehicle. | 02/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Of Archaeal Periplasm and Iconoclasm | Moselio Schaechter of the Small Things Considered blog reviews the surprising findings in the paper "Energized outer membrane and spatial separation of metabolic processes in the hyperthermophilic Archaeon Ignicoccus hospitalis" published in the recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Snippet: "Biology is the iconoclast’s paradise. Over and over, cherished beliefs, some dating back for centuries, fall to the ground as exceptions to the rule are discovered. To the long list of such exceptions, we now add the finding by groups in Regensburg and Frankfurt that the outer membrane of an archaeon, Ignicoccus hospitalis, is energized and capable of generating ATP. Granted, this is a hyperthermophile who helped shatter the ancient belief that life at high temperatures is not possible, thus hardly a conformist. But this discovery is, to say the least, unexpected." Click "source" to read more. | 02/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| First wild grass species and model system for energy crops sequenced | As the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) works toward developing sustainable sources of clean renewable energy, perennial grasses have emerged as major candidates for the commercial production of cellulosic biofuels from feedstocks. However, little is known about the specific biological traits of the grasses that might contribute to their usefulness for energy production, in part because such grasses typically have long lifecycles and possess large, complex genomes, making them difficult to study. Representative genomes for two of the three major subfamilies of grasses--those that include rice, maize, sorghum and sugar cane--have already been sequenced. Now in the February 11 edition of the journal Nature, the International Brachypodium Initiative, a consortium which includes researchers from the DOE Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), presents the complete sequence of the wild grass Brachypodium distachyon. B. distachyon has many features in common with grasses, making it an ideal tool for developing grasses specifically tailored for biomass and biofuel production. As the first wild grass species to be sequenced, Brachypodium completes a strategic triad of sequenced major grass genomes, from the three most economically important subfamilies of grasses, enabling researchers to compare complete genomes across these three grass subfamilies for the first time. With its 272 million-nucleotide genome now available to the public, the tiny grass affectionately known to its devoted research community as "Brachy" also serves as a genomic navigation system for rapidly tracking down traits of agronomic interest within the much larger wheat and barley genomes (16 billion and five billion nucleotides, respectively). "The sequencing and analysis of the Brachypodium genome is an important advance toward securing sustainable supplies of food, feed and fuel from new generations of grass crops," said DOE JGI collaborator John Vogel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). "Since Brachypodium has the traits required to serve as a functional model system—small size, short lifecycle, self fertility, simple growth requirements, small genome and can be efficiently transformed or genetically altered—it can be used to more rapidly gain the knowledge about basic grass biology necessary to develop superior grass crops. This is especially important in the context of developing grasses as biofuel crops because the crops themselves (e.g. switchgrass and Miscanthus) are difficult experimental subjects due to their large size, long lifecycle and complex genetics." The publication describes how manual annotation of the Brachy genome revealed the structure and possible function of nearly 2,800 of its more than 25,500 predicted genes. This effort, led by Vogel, Jeremy Schmutz and Dan Rokhsar of the DOE JGI, David Garvin of the USDA-ARS and University of Minnesota, Todd Mockler of Oregon State University and Michael Bevan of the John Innes Centre, UK, also compared Brachypodium, sorghum, and rice to determine their evolutionary relationships. The genome analysis was conducted by an international collaboration that also involved the Helmholz-Zentrum in Munich, Germany, INRA in Clermont Ferrand, France, the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and the University of Helsinki, Finland. "The overall similarity in gene content and gene family structure between Brachypodium, sorghum, and rice supports the value of Brachy as a functional genomics model for all grasses, including those being developed as biomass crops," said Jeremy Schmutz, a DOE JGI scientist at the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology in Alabama. Its genetic code promises broad applicability because the subfamily Pooideae, of which Brachypodium is a member, includes most cool season cereal, forage and turf grasses, and with over 3,000 species is the largest grass subfamily. One of the study's senior authors, Dan Rokhsar, head of DOE JGI's Computational Genomics group, added that the wild grass's genome is also useful for studying the changes wrought by the domestication of other grasses to produce varieties better suited to human needs. Studying Brachypodium's genome, he said, could provide insight into the origin of genetic traits and pre-existing variations. Other authors on the study include DOE JGI's Kerrie Barry, Susan Lucas, Miranda Harmon-Smith, Kathleen Lail, Hope Tice, Erika Lindquist and Mei Wang. For more information about the institutions participating in the International Brachypodium Initiative, go to http://www.brachypodium.org/. Here's a video of Vogel discussing the Brachypodium genome project: {scivee}16140{/scivee} via David Gilbert | 02/11/2010 | |||||||||||
| Carl Zimmer Interview - How to Write Science Books | Carl Zimmer, author, professor, journalist and podcast host for MicrobeWorld's own Meet the Scientist, is interviewed by Nicola Jones for Nature on what goes in to writing a science book. "Acclaimed essayist Carl Zimmer has eight popular-science books to his name, on topics from parasites and Escherichia coli to evolution. In the second in a series of five interviews with authors who each write science books for a different audience, Zimmer describes how passion breeds popular success." This is an open access article on Nature. - Via Gregory Payne | 02/11/2010 | |||||||||||
| Nature launches iPhone app | Nature magazine has just launched an iPhone application. It's essentially an eBook reader for the iPhone and iPod Touch that gives all access to Nature and Nature News content as it is published for free until April 30th when presumably they will start charging. It's available in the app store now but you are required to set up a Nature.com account if you don't already have one to access the app. | 02/11/2010 | |||||||||||
| Check out over 300 Microbiology-related Videos Online | A. J. Cann of the infamous MicrobiologyBytes.com blog and podcast has a collection of over 300 microbiology related videos on his site. While the videos are all copyrighted, you can view hundreds of .mov examples on the web. Here's an example (with permission) of Hartmannella, "a harmless, free-living organism belonging to the so-called limax - "slug-like" - amoebae (watch the video to see why!)." {movremote}http://media.revver.com/qt;sharer=40647/118815.mov{/movremote} | 02/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Naegleria fowleri Infection Fact Sheet | Naegleria is an amoeba commonly found in warm freshwater and soil. Only one species of Naegleria infects people, Naegleria fowleri. Naegleria infects people by entering the body through the nose, often occurring when people use warm freshwater for activities like swimming or diving. The amoeba can cause a very rare but severe brain infection that is lethal in most cases. Click "source" to view the CDC's fact sheet. | 02/10/2010 | |||||||||||
| Naegleria’s Split Morphology Disorder | A guest blog post by "Psi Wavefunction" on Small Things Considered explores the morphology of Heterolobosea, specifically Naegleria, a species of pathogenic free-living amoebae that have a taste for human brains. | 02/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Australians On Guard against Acinetobacter | Australian researchers are scrambling to develop drugs to fight off Acinetobacter baumanii, a new "superbug" that is causing fatalities overseas. Experts say Acinetobacter is far worse than superbugs such as MRSA, which are already in Australian hospitals. Australian health authorities say they are determined to develop new antibiotics capable of fighting the extreme drug resistance shown by thios extremely pathogenic bacterium. | 02/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Origin of the cell nucleus, mitosis and sex: roles of intracellular coevolution | Thomas Cavalier-Smith, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, has published a paper in which he identifies some of the key elements to understanding eukaryogenesis. "Here I paint an integrated picture of how the nucleus, sex, and the eukaryotic cell cycle originated and congealed into a novel, unified, and very conservative cellular lifestyle during later stages of the conversion of a bacterium into a eukaryote," says Cavalier-Smith. Background The transition from prokaryotes to eukaryotes was the most radical change in cell organisation since life began, with the largest ever burst of gene duplication and novelty. According to the coevolutionary theory of eukaryote origins, the fundamental innovations were the concerted origins of the endomembrane system and cytoskeleton, subsequently recruited to form the cell nucleus and coevolving mitotic apparatus, with numerous genetic eukaryotic novelties inevitable consequences of this compartmentation and novel DNA segregation mechanism. Physical and mutational mechanisms of origin of the nucleus are seldom considered beyond the long-standing assumption that it involved wrapping pre-existing endomembranes around chromatin. Discussions on the origin of sex typically overlook its association with protozoan entry into dormant walled cysts and the likely simultaneous coevolutionary, not sequential, origin of mitosis and meiosis. Results I elucidate nuclear and mitotic coevolution, explaining the origins of dicer and small centromeric RNAs for positionally controlling centromeric heterochromatin, and how 27 major features of the cell nucleus evolved in four logical stages, making both mechanisms and selective advantages explicit: two initial stages (origin of 30 nm chromatin fibres, enabling DNA compaction; and firmer attachment of endomembranes to heterochromatin) protected DNA and nascent RNA from shearing by novel molecular motors mediating vesicle transport, division, and cytoplasmic motility. Then octagonal nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) arguably evolved from COPII coated vesicle proteins trapped in clumps by Ran GTPase-mediated cisternal fusion that generated the fenestrated nuclear envelope, preventing lethal complete cisternal fusion, and allowing passive protein and RNA exchange. Finally, plugging NPC lumens by an FG-nucleoporin meshwork and adopting karyopherins for nucleocytoplasmic exchange conferred compartmentation advantages. These successive changes took place in naked growing cells, probably as indirect consequences of the origin of phagotrophy. The first eukaryote had 1-2 cilia and also walled resting cysts; I outline how encystation may have promoted the origin of meiotic sex. I also explain why many alternative ideas are inadequate. Conclusion Nuclear pore complexes are evolutionary chimaeras of endomembrane- and mitosis-related chromatin-associated proteins. The keys to understanding eukaryogenesis are a proper phylogenetic context and understanding organelle coevolution: how innovations in one cell component caused repercussions on others. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Anthony Poole, Gaspar Jekely and Eugene Koonin. | 02/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| NSF & Microsoft team up to bring cloud computing to U.S. scientists | The new three-year program from the National Science Foundation and Microsoft announced on Thursday at a news conference in Washington offers scientists the computing power to cope with exploding amounts of research data. It uses Microsoft’s Windows Azure computing system, which the company recently introduced to compete with cloud computing services from companies like Amazon, Google, I.B.M. and Yahoo. These cloud computing systems allow organizations and individuals to run computing tasks and Internet services remotely in relatively low-cost data centers. “It’s all about data,” said Jeannette M. Wing, assistant director of computer and information science and engineering directorate at the science foundation. “We are generating streams and rivers of data. Genetic sequencing systems are capable of generating as much as a terabyte, 1,000 gigabytes, of information a minute." Access to the service will come in grants from the foundation to new and continuing scientific research. Click "source" to learn more. | 02/ 5/2010 | |||||||||||
| Of Wines and Vines - Managing malolactic fermentation | Wine lovers will delight in this guest blog post on Small Things Considered and adaptation from an article in the January 2010 issue of Wines and Vines by John Ingraham, a retired UC Davis Professor of Microbiology, on how he and his colleagues tamed the "capricious and independent" cycle of malolactic fermentation, an essential process to making exquisite pinot noir and other fine wines. Snippet - "Early in my career, by good fortune, I encountered the malolactic fermentation. Investigating it by standard microbiological methods led to results that changed the way California red wines are made, for the better most agree. How satisfying it is to think that I was following in the footsteps of Pasteur, no less, and his early career encounter with wine making. The story started when a highly skilled wine maker, Brad Webb, was freshly hired by James D. Zellerbach of paper and ambassadorial fame shortly after building the fabulously beautiful, Hanzell Winery in Sonoma County, California. Brad was given his complete instructions in a bottle. Zellerbach presented a bottle of Romanée Conti Pinot Noir telling him, “This is what I want.” | 02/ 2/2010 | |||||||||||
| Spray-on Science: Liquid Glass protects against everything from bacteria to UV radiation | According the the UK's Daily Telegraph - "The versatile spray, which forms an easy-clean coating one millionth of a millimetre thick – 500 times thinner than a human hair – can be applied to virtually any surface to protect it against water, dirt, bacteria, heat and UV radiation. The spray forms a water-resistant layer, meaning it can be cleaned using only water. Trials by food-processing companies showed that sterile surfaces covered with a film of liquid glass were equally clean after a rinse with hot water as after their usual treatment with strong bleach. The patent for the technology is owned by a German company, Nanopool, which is in discussions with UK companies and the NHS about the use of liquid glass for a wide range of purposes." | 02/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bacteria-killing protein to combat E.coli in red meat | A bacteria-killing protein that would be applied to raw meat during processing to “significantly reduce” the presence of E.coli is under development for the meat industry. US-based Ecolab Inc announced it has joined forces with AvidBiotics Corps to commericalize its proprietary protein-based antibacterial technology, which can be targeted against specific bacterial pathogens. The firm said that while the technology could be applied to a number of food pathogens, its initial target market would be E.coli in red meat for the processing sector – which was seen as a “high priority”. The initiative will seek to develop a product that could be applied directly onto raw meat surfaces as a fine coating or mist during processing, an Ecolab spokeswoman told FoodProductionDaily.com. | 02/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Researchers show how Listeria induces infected immune cells to sabotage their own defensive response | In the Feb. 15 issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine, Laurel Lenz, PhD, and his colleagues report that macrophages infected by the bacteria Listeria release interferon-αβ (IFN- αβ), which makes them and nearby immune cells unresponsive to activation signals. This reduces immune resistance to the bacteria, which causes thousands of cases of food poisoning -- and more than 500 deaths -- each year in the United States. | 02/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Henrietta Lacks: How One Woman's Cells Changed Medicine | ABC World News has published a brief article on the history of HeLa cells and the controversy over how they were acquired and then used to generate windfall profits for many medical-related companies. Often described as one of the greatest medical discoveries of our time, HeLa cells originally came from one person-Henrietta Lacks, a poor 30-year-old African American woman who died nearly 60 years ago. They were first used in research that led to the Polio vaccine, and were also critical in developing medicines to fight cancer, the flu and Parkinson's disease. Science Writer Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks, and Vincent Racaniello, the host of the This Week in Virology podcast, are quoted in the article. | 02/ 1/2010 | |||||||||||
| Craig Venter on creating synthetic life from TEDMED 2009 | Craig Venter, Founder, Chairman, and President of the J. Craig Venter Institute, talks about creating synthetic life at TEDMED 2009, a medical technology and healthcare conference based on quality conversations as it relates to personal and public health. | 01/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Gates Foundation pledges $10 billion to jumpstart a 'Decade of Vaccines' | WHO welcomes the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledge of US$ 10 billion over the next ten years to accelerate global vaccine efforts. "The Gates Foundation’s commitment to vaccines is unprecedented, but needs to be matched by unprecedented action. It’s absolutely crucial that both governments and the private sector step up efforts to provide life-saving vaccines to children who need them most," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. Vaccines and immunization have played a major role since the last century in overall health gains. Smallpox has been eradicated, polio is on the verge of being eradicated and more than 2 million deaths are averted each year. "Building on these achievements, we can take immunization to the next level, with the expanded uptake of new vaccines against major killers such as pneumonia and rotavirus diarrhoea," said Dr Chan. "An additional two million deaths in children under five years could be prevented by 2015 through widespread use of new vaccines and a 10% increase in global vaccination coverage." Vaccines join other proven measures, such as micronutrient supplements, oral rehydration therapy, and community delivery of antibiotics, that form an integrated approach to child health and have already brought much progress. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announcement comes on the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). Dr Chan also congratulated the GAVI Alliance on their accomplishment of reaching 257 million additional children with new and underused vaccines. | 01/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| Our viral DNA | Virus-like components of the human genome amount to almost half of our DNA. This would once have been dismissed as mere "junk DNA", but we now know that some of it plays a critical role in our biology. As to the origins and function of the rest, we simply do not know. The human genome therefore presents us with a paradox. How does this viral DNA come to be there? What role has it played in our evolution, and what is it doing to our physiology. | 01/29/2010 | |||||||||||
| ASM Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting : Feb. 21-24, 2010, Baltimore, Md | The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) will host its 2010 Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting February 21-24, 2010 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, MD. The purpose of this meeting is to bring together individuals who are carrying out research to defend against the threat of bioterrorism with decision makers shaping the future biodefense research agenda, recognizing that emerging infectious diseases serve as a paradigm for handling the public threat of bioterrorism. This meeting is intended for scientists, public health researchers and policy makers who need to be informed about the latest scientific developments. The meeting will include a series of keynote addresses by leaders in the field of biodefense and poster sessions presenting up-to-the-minute cutting-edge research on biothreat agents, vaccines, detection and diagnostic procedures, animal and plant pathogens, global surveillance, and other vital topics. The first day of the conference will feature a special lecture by Andrew C. Weber, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs entitled "The Obama Administration's Strategy for Preventing Bio Threats." The special lecture will be followed by a keynote session featuring Eva Harris of the University of California School of Public Health, Berkeley, California who will be speaking on dengue virus pathogenesis, immune response, and candidate antiviral therapies. Preliminary program and hotel information are available online at www.asmbiodefense.org. Media registration is complimentary. Journalists wishing to register can do so by contacting Jim Sliwa, ASM Office of Communications, at jsliwa@asmusa.org or by phone at (202) 942-9297. | 01/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| Follow-up study showing post-pandemic decline in hand sanitizer use, New Zealand | A study aimed to measure rates of hand sanitizer use in a hospital entrance foyer four months after a baseline study during New Zealand's influenza pandemic found that of the 743 people observed over one (summer) day in December 2009, 8.2% used the hand sanitizer, which was significantly lower (p | 01/27/2010 | |||||||||||
| An Introduction to Viruses - Kahn Academy | An introduction to viruses created by Salman Khan of The Khan Academy, a one person, not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere. While the Kahn Academy has over 25 videos devoted to topics in biology, there are hundreds more in a variety of disciplines, including statistics, chemistry, finance, etc. In 2009 the Kahn Academy received the 2009 Tech Awards Microsoft Education Award. | 01/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 11 | The final episode of Microbe Theater - a wrap up of the series. | 01/25/2010 | |||||||||||
| 60 of the World's most memorable research papers | The Royal Society, founded in London in 1660 and one of the world's oldest scientific institutions, is marking the start of its 350th year by putting 60 of its most memorable research papers online. Several of these documents include papers by Sir Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, and even Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. Click "source" above to download Leeuwenhoek's "Observations, communicated to the Publisher by Mr. Antony van Leewoenhoeck, in a Dutch Letter of the 9th of Octob. 1676, here English’d: Concerning little Animals by him observed in Rain-Well-Sea- and Snow water; and also in water wherein Pepper had lain infused." Click here to view an audio slide show produced by the BBC that highlights some of the Royal Society's most precious items. (Thumbnail of Leeuwenhoek via http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/leeuwenhoek.html.) |
01/22/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 10 | As we near the end of Microbe Theater, we get to see what our animated friends look like in real life. By the way, in this episode they refer to "Tadayasu" several times. Tadayasu is the main, human character in the original Japanese anime story "Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture" that Microbe Theater is a sub part of. Tadayasu's special ability is that he can see and interact with microbes. Be sure to check out http://moyashimon.bleachwiki.net and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moyashimon for more information about the cartoon. |
01/22/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 9 | How to make Surströmming, "soured herring," a northern Swedish delicacy consisting of fermented Baltic herring. Careful though, several major airlines have banned this canned delight by declaring it "potentially explosive" since the fermentation process in the can is ongoing. (See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4867024.stm). |
01/20/2010 | |||||||||||
| Cryptic Life in the Antarctic Dry Valleys | Small Things Considered co-blogger Merry Youle has a post about the diversity of life in McKelvey Valley, a broad, glacially-carved pass just west of McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. Her writing is inspired in part by a recent paper from the University of Hong Kong (See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19850879) that demonstrates life in McKelvey has adapted to form "highly-specialized communities in distinct lithic niches occurring concomitantly" within the harshest of Earthly terrains. | 01/20/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 8 | How to make nattou. Nattou is a traditional Japanese breakfast food that consists of fermented soybeans. Apparently this staple has been enjoyed for more than 10,000 years and represents an important part of traditional Japanese cuisine. | 01/15/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 7 | Oryzae is back and this time he's hanging out with the "habitual skin microbes." Note that the subtitles around 0:46 are a little confusing and may be incorrect, possibly due to a translation issue. Since I do not understand Japanese I can't tell for sure. To learn more about microbes and their relationship with our skin, visit our friends at MicrobeWiki. |
01/14/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 6 | Meet "Asia's great five food-poisoning microbes!" | 01/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Through the Looking Glass: Silicate in Bacterial Spores | Peter Setlow, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, CT, authors a guest post on Small Things Considered in which he ponders the reasons why silicon is present on some Bacillus spores and what could possibly be the benefit of this attribute. Snippet: "Amid the furor surrounding the anthrax attacks in the USA in 2001, significant attention was focused on whether the Bacillus anthracis spores used had been “weaponized” by the adding of a coating of fumed silica to aid in their dispersal. This information might have helped pinpoint where the spores had originated. However, a confusing factor was that for more than 20 years, significant levels of silicon had been reported in spores of at least some Bacillus species, including those of Bacillus cereus, a close relative of B. anthracis. Clearly, the natural presence of silicon in B. anthracis spores makes discrimination between weaponized and non-weaponized spores more difficult. However, in the older reports the silicon was not localized at the outermost surface of the spores, as would be expected if they had been artificially spiked with such compounds. Anyhow, what is silicon doing on a bacterial spore?" | 01/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| The Origin of Species: 1859 meets 2009 - Video Lecture by Carl Zimmer | Science writer Carl Zimmer and host of MicrobeWorld's Meet the Scientist Podcast presents a talk in Vancouver BC hosted by the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at the University of British Columbia. Zimmer discusses Darwin and the evolution of diseases, including H1N1. The talk was posted in six parts on YouTube by the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. They are embedded below: {youtube}O63-qJ8UIEM{/youtube} {youtube}Ckg9t8RBSJc{/youtube} {youtube}Lft-F7k0rvI{/youtube} {youtube}nmjtMoqp90c{/youtube} {youtube}fJbHGft5FZA{/youtube} {youtube}--tAK_sn3oI{/youtube} | 01/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 5 | In episode 5 of Microbe Theater meet Saccharomyces cerevisiae, aka brewer's yeast. | 01/12/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 4 | Meet E. coli O157:H7 and some other unidentified "large intestine microbes." | 01/11/2010 | |||||||||||
| The "Germ Terminator" targets shopping carts with UV rays | The aptly named Germ Terminator aims to conquer the world of germ-ridden shopping carts in supermarkets and other stores by using ultraviolet rays to kill bacteria on the carts' handlebars. The origin of the Germ Terminator began when Danny Glenn, Fleet Cleaning Supply chief executive officer, was talking with a friend about building a machine to clean shopping carts. Glenn didn’t think much of the conversation at first, but the idea of a machine designed to kill germs stayed with him. Glenn, who has had plenty of experience designing automated car washes over the years, started doing some research into building a shopping cart sanitation system. Once the research was done, Glenn brought the idea to Fleet Cleaning Supply chief financial officer Paul Stamm, who Glenn had worked with on a previous project involving ultraviolet germicidal lights. Both Glenn and Stamm spent months designing the prototype at the East Tennessee State University Innovation Laboratory, a business incubator designed to help entrepreneurs with establishing businesses in the region. Click "source" for more and a video. | 01/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Bird flu scare in India, birds found dead in Kaziranga National Park | A bird flu scare has hit the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, a northeastern state of India, with carcasses of at least a dozen migratory Bar-headed Geese found in the sanctuary, officials said on Friday. A park warden said at least seven geese were found dead on Friday. Five carcasses of the same species that had recently arrived at the sanctuary from Siberia were recovered Thursday. 'A team of experts, including veterinarians, are carrying out post-mortem of the birds and samples would be sent to Bhopal to find out if the deaths were due to avian influenza or some other disease,' a park ranger said. | 01/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| It Came From Outer Space: Hyperthermophiles | Hyperthermophiles are microorganisms that can live in extremely hot conditions. Instead of photosynthesis, these organisms perform chemosynthesis to produce energy. Click "source" above to watch the Learning Channel's "It Came From Outer Space: Hyperthermophiles". | 01/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 3 | Learn all about yeast in this fun minute-long animation featuring Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus sojae and Aspergillus niger. | 01/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| What came first in the origin of life? A study contradicts the 'metabolism first' hypothesis | A research published in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences rejects the theory that the origin of life stems from a system of self-catalytic molecules capable of experiencing Darwinian evolution without the need of RNA or DNA and their replication. The research, which was carried out with the participation of Mauro Santos, researcher of the Department of Genetics and Microbiology at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), has demonstrated that, through the analysis of what some researchers name "compound genomes", these chemical networks cannot be considered evolutionary units because they lose properties which are essential for evolution when they reach a critical size and greater level of complexity. The North American Space Agency (NASA) defines life as a "self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution". The scientific theories on the origin of life revolve around two main ideas: one focuses on genetics - with RNA or DNA replication as an essential condition for Darwinian evolution to take place - and the other focuses on metabolism. It is clear that both situations must have begun with simple organic molecules formed by prebiotic processes, as was demonstrated by the Miller-Urey experiment (in which organic molecules were created from inorganic substances). The point in which these two theories differ is that the replication of RNA or DNA molecules is a far too complex process which requires a correct combination of monomers within the polymers to produce a molecular chain resulting from the replication. Until now no plausible chemical explanation exists for how these processes occured. In addition, defenders of the second theory argue that the processes needed for evolution to take place depend on primordial metabolism. This metabolism is believed to be a type of chemical network entailing a high degree of mutual catalysis between its components which, in turn, eventually allows for adaptation and evolution without any molecular replication. In the first half of the 20th century, Alexander Oparin established the "Metabolism First" hypothesis to explain the origin of life, thus strengthening the primary role of cells as small drops of coacervates (evolutionary precursors of the first prokaryote cells). Dr Oparin did not refer to RNA or DNA molecules since at that time it was not clear just how important the role of these molecules was in living organisms. However he did form a solid base for the idea of self-replication as a collective property of molecular compounds. Science more recently demonstrated that sets of chemical components store information about their composition which can be duplicated and transmitted to their descendents. This has led to their being named "compound genomes" or composomes. In other words, heredity does not require information in order to be stored in RNA or DNA molecules. These "compound genomes" apparently fulfil the conditions required to be considered evolutionary units, which suggests a pathway from pre-Darwinian dynamics to a minimum protocell. Researchers in this study nevertheless reveal that these systems are incapable of undergoing a Darwinian evolution. For the first time a rigorous analysis was carried out to study the supposed evolution of these molecular networks using a combination of numerical and analytical simulations and network analysis approximations. Their research demonstrated that the dynamics of molecular compound populations which divide after having reached a critical size do not evolve, since during this process the compounds lose properties which are essential for Darwinian evolution. Researchers concluded that this fundamental limitation of "compound genomes" should lead to caution towards theories that set metabolism first as the origin as life, even though former metabolic systems could have offered a stable habitat in which primitive polymers such as RNA could have evolved. Researchers state that different prebiotic Earth scenarios can be considered. However, the basic property of life as a system capable of undergoing Darwinian evolution began when genetic information was finally stored and transmitted such as occurs in nucleotide polymers (RNA and DNA). - Via EurekAlert | 01/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| New test for "barber pole" worms | Researchers at Oregon State University and the University of Georgia have developed an improved, more efficient method to test for Haemonchus contortus, or "barber pole" worms, a parasitic species that is very pathogenic to sheep, goats and llamas causing. hundreds of millions of dollars in losses every year to the global sheep and wool industry. This technology is now available, and will allow a faster, easier and less expensive way to test for the presence and quantity of Haemonchus contortus. This will help sheep ranchers deal with this problem more quickly and effectively, optimize their management practices, and sometimes avoid costly therapies. Findings about the new test were just published in Veterinary Parasitology, a professional journal. | 01/ 9/2010 | |||||||||||
| 3-D bio-printer makes human tissue and organs | Invetech has announced that it has delivered the world's first production model 3D bio-printer to Organovo, developers of the proprietary NovoGen bioprinting technology. Organovo will supply the units to research institutions investigating human tissue repair and organ replacement. According to Keith Murphy, CEO of Organovo, "scientists and engineers can use the 3-D bio printers to enable placing cells of almost any type into a desired pattern in 3-D. Researchers can place liver cells on a preformed scaffold, support kidney cells with a co-printed scaffold, or form adjacent layers of epithelial and stromal soft tissue that grow into a mature tooth. Ultimately the idea would be for surgeons to have tissue on demand for various uses, and the best way to do that is get a number of bio-printers into the hands of researchers and give them the ability to make three dimensional tissues on demand.” The 3-D bio-printers include an intuitive software interface that allows engineers to build a model of the tissue construct before the printer commences the physical constructions of the organs cell-by-cell using automated, laser-calibrated print heads. | 01/ 8/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 2 | In episode 2 of Microbe Theater you get to meet Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium trichoides and Alternaria alternata. | 01/ 8/2010 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Theater - Episode 1 | This video, or anime if you prefer, was inspired by the manga series called "Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture." Manga is a Japanese word for comics, the literal translation is "whimsical pictures." This manga follows the life of a first-year college student named Tadayasu Sawaki who has the special power to see and communicate with microbes. From what I have read at http://moyashimon.bleachwiki.net and on wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moyashimon, the mini episodes of Microbe Theater, the first of which is embedded in this post, come as special content from the DVD of the anime adaptation of the comic. While I have extremely limited knowledge of this art form, I find the characterization of the microbes themselves downright cute. Over the course of this week and next I plan to post more episodes with English subtitles. |
01/ 7/2010 | |||||||||||
| Wired's Top Ten Scientific Breakthroughs for 2009 | From jellyfish stirring the oceans, to a new human ancestor, to new vaccines for dengue fever, these stories and 7 more made Wired's "list of kick-ass science in 2009." | 01/ 3/2010 | |||||||||||
| E. coli fears - National Steak and Poultry is voluntarily recalling 248,000 pounds of beef | The Associated Press is reporting that National Steak and Poultry is voluntarily recalling 248,000 pounds of beef it said might be contaminated with a strain of E. coli bacteria. NS&P said the meat could be linked to illnesses in six states. Click "source" for more. | 12/30/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientists Show How Bacteria Move Electrons Across a Membrane | Scientists at the University of East Anglia, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Pennsylvania State University have demonstrated for the first time the mechanism by which some bacteria can transfer electrons across a membrane to the cell exterior, allowing them to "breathe" metals. These iron-respiring bacteria link the cycling of iron and carbon in subsurface and surface sediments and can catalyze the immobilization of subsurface contaminants such as uranium. In an article published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers described the protein complex -- and its electrochemical properties -- from Shewanella oneidensis, a bacterium renowned for its diverse metabolism and ability to immobilize certain radioactive contaminants. This research demonstrated a novel outer membrane-spanning electron transfer system that enables the proteins MtrA (inward facing) and MtrC (outward facing) to embed sufficiently within a third transmembrane protein, MtrB, to allow electron transfer to take place between them. | 12/30/2009 | |||||||||||
| DIY Science - Jason Bobe of DIYbio speaks on NPR | The "Do It Yourself" biology movement is growing among real scientists and citizen scientists in homegrown or garage-based labs around the U.S. As this NPR piece reports "they're studying things like DNA and E. coli bacteria in home laboratories. And for now, the industry is largely unregulated." Click "source" to listen to Host Guy Raz speak with Jason Bobe of the group DIYbio. A transcript is also provided on the site. Here's a 4 min video about DIYBio from a Boston Ignite presentation. {vimeo}3454392{/vimeo} | 12/30/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Hampshire confirms a case of gastrointestinal anthrax in an adult female | The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has confirmed a case of gastrointestinal anthrax in an adult female from Strafford County. The patient is currently in critical condition. DHHS’ Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating the source of the anthrax. The source of the anthrax is not yet clear, but DPHS believes the anthrax to be naturally occurring from the environment. There is no risk to the public, but DPHS and its partners are taking every step possible to find the source. | 12/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 pediatric fatalities were 10 times the rates for seasonal influenza in previous years | A recent paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine by researchers who looked at data from the recent influenza season in the Southern Hemisphere finds that pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza was associated with pediatric death rates that were 10 times the rates for seasonal influenza in previous years. | 12/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Researchers revisit old ideas in the war on cancer | Instead just studying cancer itself, more and more researchers are taking into consideration the role of the cellular environment in the development of the disease. "Some researchers are taking a fresh look at ideas that were dismissed as folklore — a blow to the breast might spur cancer, an infection might fuel cancer cells, a weak immune system might let cancer spread. They also say the new approach may help explain mysteries, like why the breast cancer rate plummeted when women stopped taking menopausal hormones. One answer may be that hormone therapy changes normal cells of the breast and may allow some tiny tumors to escape from the milk ducts where breast cancer starts. The basic idea — still in the experimental stages — is that cancer cells cannot turn into a lethal tumor without the cooperation of other cells nearby. That may be why autopsies repeatedly find that most people who die of causes other than cancer have at least some tiny tumors in their bodies that had gone unnoticed. According to current thinking, the tumors were kept in check, causing no harm. It also may mean that cancers grow in part because normal cells surrounding them allowed them to escape. It also means that there might be a new way to think about treatment: cancer might be kept under control by preventing healthy cells around it from crumbling." Click "source" for more. | 12/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Zinc fingers could open the door for gene therapy | At the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Carl June and colleagues are using a new genetic editing technique to disrupt a gene in patients’ T cells, the type attacked by the AIDS virus, that some hope may revive gene therapy. The technique, which depends on natural agents called zinc fingers, overcomes the inability to insert new genes at a chosen site. The NY Times explains that "zinc fingers are essential components of proteins used by living cells to turn genes on and off. Their name derives from the atom of zinc that holds two loops of protein together to form a “finger.” Because the fingers recognize specific sequences of DNA, they guide the control proteins to the exact site where their target gene begins." A clinical trial is now under way to see if the treated cells will reconstitute an AIDS patient’s immune system and defeat the virus. Click "source" for more. | 12/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Cataloging the Diversity of Earth's Microbes | The Joint Genome Institute at the Energy Department has started what it calls a “genomic encyclopedia,” a collection of genomes from diverse microbes. Using an evolutionary approach that differs in strategy from how scientists originally chose organisms for sequencing, researchers hope to discover many new kinds of genes. According the New York Times, "the genomic encyclopedia includes not only the raw data on genes, but also predictions about what those genes are actually for. To see if those predictions are right will require a lot more time and labor. The joint genome institute has set up an “Adopt a Genome Program” to enlist the help of college students. Undergraduate microbiology students can pick a species from the encyclopedia and analyze its biology." Click "source" to read more. | 12/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Disinfectants may promote growth of antibiotic resistant superbugs | Researchers from the National University of Ireland in Galway found that by adding increasing amounts of disinfectant to laboratory cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the bacteria could adapt to survive not only the disinfectant but also ciprofloxacin - a commonly-prescribed antibiotic - even without being exposed to it. The researchers showed that the bacteria had adapted to more efficiently pump out antimicrobial agents (disinfectant and antibiotic) from the bacterial cell. The adapted bacteria also had a mutation in their DNA that allowed them to resist ciprofloxacin-type antibiotics specifically. P. aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterium that can cause a wide range of infections in people with weak immune systems and those with diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and diabetes. P. aeruginosa is an important cause of hospital-acquired infections. Disinfectants are used to kill bacteria on surfaces to prevent their spread. If the bacteria manage to survive and go on to infect patients, antibiotics are used to treat them. Bacteria that can resist both these control points may be a serious threat to hospital patients. Importantly, the study showed that when very small non-lethal amounts of disinfectant were added to the bacteria in culture, the adapted bacteria were more likely to survive compared to the non-adapted bacteria. Dr. Gerard Fleming, who led the study, said, "In principle this means that residue from incorrectly diluted disinfectants left on hospital surfaces could promote the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. What is more worrying is that bacteria seem to be able to adapt to resist antibiotics without even being exposed to them." Dr. Fleming also stressed the importance of studying the environmental factors that might promote antibiotic resistance. "We need to investigate the effects of using more than one type of disinfectant on promoting antibiotic-resistant strains. This will increase the effectiveness of both our first and second lines of defence against hospital-acquired infections," he said. | 12/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| The First Case of Highly Drug-Resistant TB Found in US | As part of a six-month look at the soaring global challenge of drug resistance, the Associated Press has learned of the first case of extremely drug resistant TB in Lantana, Fla. The patient's name is Oswaldo Juarez, a 19-year-old Peruvian visiting to study English. Click "source" to read the full story. | 12/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Marine Euglena-like Protist at 1000x Magnification | Marine Euglena-like Protist at 1000x Magnification. Euglena is a common group of freshwater single celled organisms in the Kingdom Protista. | 12/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| Microalgae for CO2 Fixation - From Test Tube to Large Scale | Microalgae for CO2 Fixation - From Test Tube to Large Scale | 12/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| Hong Kong health officials investigate case of influenza A (H9N2) | Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a case of influenza A (H9N2) infection - a mild form of avian influenza - involving a 35-month-old girl. A spokesman for CHP said today (December 23) the girl, living in Sha Tin, developed symptoms of cough, fever, runny nose since late November. She was admitted to the Prince of Wales Hospital and was discharged on December 11. She has now recovered. Influenza A (H9N2) was detected in the patient's respiratory specimen. Influenza A (H9) is an avian influenza virus which has been isolated from duck and chicken for many years. Infection in humans is rare, and appears to present as a mild disease. This is the seventh time that H9 viruses was found in humans in Hong Kong. Five females and a male were confirmed to have suffered from H9 infection in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009. | 12/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| China SARS victims suffer hormone treatment effects | About 300 survivors of a deadly outbreak of SARS in China in 2003 are now suffering from serious after-effects, possibly due to aggressive hormone treatment to save their lives, the Beijing News said on Friday. | 12/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| Motility mechanism of malaria pathogens explained | How do one-celled parasites move from the salivary gland of a mosquito through a person's skin into red blood cells? What molecular mechanisms form the basis for this very important movement of the protozoa? A team of researchers headed by Dr. Friedrich Frischknecht, head of a research group at the Department of Infectious Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital, observed the initial stage of the malaria parasite that is transmitted by mosquitoes with new microscope techniques. They discovered that the parasite continually alternates between phases of rapid gliding and phases of firm adhesion to the surface. The interaction of these two processes probably enables the parasite to move rapidly over a long time, which is necessary for successful transmission of the disease. The research was a colaboration within the CellNetworks cluster of excellence and published in the prestigious journal Cell Host & Microbe. | 12/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Dawn of Proteomics | Frederick C. Neidhardt, F.G. Novy Distinguished University Professor, Emeritus, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School at Ann Arbor, authors a post at the Small Things Considered blog on the dawn of proteomics, the large-scale study of proteins, with a focus on their structures and functions. Excerpt: "Around me at that time in Harvard University’s Department of Bacteriology and Immunology (now Microbiology and Molecular Genetics) were gifted individuals who on occasion were forced to purify proteins using laborious and personally onerous techniques. Not a life for me, I decided, even though H. Edwin Umbarger assured me that purifying an enzyme “developed character.” Beside laziness, there was a second, more fundamental, reason I never purified a protein. Cell growth was the biological event that had hooked me as a graduate student, and work that began by smashing cells into little bits seemed inappropriate. Nevertheless, within the next six years I would find myself absorbed in two major aspects of cell growth physiology that involved proteins, and these subjects would prove more intractable than the purification of proteins. Catabolite repression (or, more generally, how bacterial cells choose to utilize multiple carbon sources), and growth rate modulation (how bacterial cell size and composition are interrelated with growth rate) were two processes directly related to cell growth rate." Click "source" to read the entire post. | 12/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientists Use Bacteria to Power Simple Machines | Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University, Evanston, have discovered that common bacteria can turn microgears when suspended in a solution, providing insights for design of bio-inspired dynamically adaptive materials for energy. “The gears are a million times more massive than the bacteria,” said physicist and principal investigator Igor Aronson. “The ability to harness and control the power of bacterial motions is an important requirement for further development of hybrid biomechanical systems driven by microorganisms.” In the video swarms of bacteria turn two 380-micron long gears, opening the possibility of building hybrid biological machines at the microscopic scale. {youtube}33eRZDZ9wWg{/youtube} | 12/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Vaccines May Help Thwart E. coli O157:H7 | Immunizing calves with either of two forms of a vaccine newly developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists might reduce the spread of sometimes deadly Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria. The microbe can flourish in the animals' digestive tracts, yet doesn't cause them to show clinical symptoms of illness. In humans, however, E. coli can cause bouts of diarrhea and, sometimes, life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome. | 12/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| New research supports controversial idea that certain genes evolved to combat specific bacteria | New research reveals a mutation on a gene that makes children susceptible to a severe form of mycobacterial disease. The work not only supports a controversial idea that certain genes evolved to combat specific bacteria but also reveals new mechanistic details of how the immune system fights off one of the planet’s fiercest pathogens. Led by Jean-Laurent Casanova, head of the Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, the work lends further support not only to the controversial idea that an error in a single gene is enough to dramatically alter an individual’s risk for bacterial disease, but also to the notion that humans have sets of genes that are pathogen-specific. “It’s incredible,” says Stephanie Boisson-Dupuis, a research associate in the lab. “In the past 10 years, the way that we think about the genetics of infectious disease has been redefined. Instead of just targeting the bacteria, we can now also target the immune system, and try to patch the holes that allow the bacteria to slip through.” The mutation disrupts a gene known as IFN-γR1, which is charged with making a receptor for interferon γ, a molecule that directs immune cells to organize an attack. When the receptor is absent or rejects the molecule, it disrupts an immune system pathway that specifically targets mycobacteria. | 12/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| Small Things Considered - 2009 in Review | Elio Schaechter of Small Things Considered has pulled together a year-end summary that highlights many of the blog's most popular and well received posts for 2009. If you are not familiar with the site or haven't been following along closely, this is great way to catch up on some of the best content Schaechter, Merry Youle and their cohort of associate bloggers have produced for the year. The collection has been organized by categories, such as methodology, ecology, symbiosis, etc. Which makes for easy skimming. | 12/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Prof. Racaniello's Viral Vaccines and the Principles of Immunization (Lecture) | Below is a lecture by Vincent Racaniello, Professor of Microbiology at Columbia University Medical Center and host of the popular This Week in Virology podcast, he presented on viral vaccines for the Immunology course at the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University. Racaniello uses poliovirus and influenza virus vaccines to illustrate general principles of immunization. {flvremote}http://www.virology.ws/CUvaccines2009.flv{/flvremote} Visit "source" if you would like to download the lecture as a .mov or .wmv. Plus you can check out Prof. Racaniello's great virology blog. | 12/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bacterial protein mimics its host to disable a key enzyme | Bacteria use all sorts of cunning to trick hosts into doing their bidding. One con in their bag of tricks: the molecular mimic. In this ruse, bacteria or their agents look for all purposes like some native molecule in a cell, but then do not behave accordingly. Working with H. pylori, the bacterium responsible for gastric ulcers and cancer, researchers have revealed one way bacteria pull this off, deciphering the structure of a piece of CagA, a bacterial protein that impersonates a human protein in order to disable a key enzyme. | 12/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| NHLBI Funding $13.8M Study for TB Latency, Reactivation | The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute will spend up to $11.5 million over four years on grants that use 'omics data and other systems biology approaches to develop computational models for use in studying lung response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and host-microbe reactions that cause disease latency and reactivation. Via GenomeWeb.com | 12/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bacteria provide new insights into human decision making | Scientists studying how bacteria under stress collectively weigh and initiate different survival strategies say they have gained new insights into how humans make strategic decisions that affect their health, wealth and the fate of others in society. Their study, published this week in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was accomplished when the scientists applied the mathematical techniques used in physics to describe the complex interplay of genes and proteins that colonies of bacteria rely upon to initiate different survival strategies during times of environmental stress. Using the mathematical tools of theoretical physics and chemistry to describe complex biological systems is becoming more commonplace in the emerging field of theoretical biological physics. The authors of the new study are theoretical physicists and chemists at the University of California, San Diego's Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, the nation's center for this activity funded by the National Science Foundation, and Tel Aviv University in Israel. They say that how genes are turned on and off in bacteria living under conditions of stress not only shed light on how complex biological systems interact, but provide insights for economists and political scientists applying mathematical models to describe complex human decision making. "Everyone knows the need to try to postpone important decisions until the last moment but apparently there are simple creatures that do it well and therefore can really teach us—the bacteria," said Eshel Ben Jacob, a physics professor at Tel Aviv University and a fellow of the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics. He co-authored the study with three other scientists at the center: José Onuchic, a professor of physics at UCSD and a co-director of the center, Peter Wolynes, a professor of physics and chemistry at UCSD and Daniel Schultz, a postdoctoral researcher at UCSD. In nature, bacteria live in large colonies whose numbers may reach up to 100 times the number of people on earth. Many bacteria respond to extreme stress—such as starvation, poisoning and irradiation—by creating spores, dormant states that are highly resistant to the outside environment and that can germinate into fully functioning bacteria once the environment improves. The response involves more than 500 genes and takes about 10 hours in Bacillus subtilis, the bacterium used by the scientists in their study. Each bacterium in the colony communicates via chemical messages and performs a sophisticated decision making process using a specialized network of genes and proteins. Modeling this complex interplay of genes and proteins by the bacteria enabled the scientists to assess the pros and cons of different choices in game theory, a branch of mathematics that attempts to model decision making by humans, in which an individual's success in making choices depends on the choices of others. When bacteria form spores, the mother cell dies, but not before it stores a copy of its DNA in a special capsule called the spore. The mother cell then breaks open and its DNA and remaining proteins are released to the environment. The bacteria on the road to spore formation don't always form spores. They can change their fate and escape into a different state called "competence." In this state, the bacteria change their membranes to allow the easy absorption of material from the dying cells. This allows for the creation of a "competence intermediate state," in which the bacteria hope to survive even under these unfriendly conditions. When normal conditions are restored, bacteria return to normal life without having to make a spore. The advantage of this situation is the ability of quickly returning to normality, but there is also a disadvantage: Likely death if the conditions get even worse. As a result, each bacterium has a dilemma. "It pays for the individual cell to take the risk and escape into competence only if it notices that the majority of the cells decide to sporulate," explained Onuchic. "But if this is the case, it should not take this chance because most of the other cells might reach the same conclusion and escape from sporulation. Observations have shown that indeed only about 10 percent of the bacteria enter into competence. But how they make this decision and which cells take this chance have been a mystery." The researchers discovered in their study that the bacteria's game theory decision making process is far more advanced than the well-known game theory problem known as the Prisoner's Dilemma. Classic Prisoner's Dilemma, when applied to two prisoners, gives them the following offer: If only one prisoner pleads guilty, the one that cooperates gets two years in jail while the other one gets six years. If both of them admit guilt, then they will be imprisoned for four years. However, if none of them pleads guilty, they go free with no punishment. The temptation is not to admit anything, but the prisoners never know whether or not the other prisoner cooperated and pled guilty. Because the number of participants in a bacterial colony can be up to 100 times the number of people on earth, the bacteria need to construct a more complex form of game theory. The rapidly changing environmental conditions they face means also bacteria have limited time to decide. "Prisoner's Dilemma for bacteria is more complex," said Ben Jacob. "Each bacterium must decide whether to become a spore; that is, to cooperate, or escape into competence, or take advantage of the others, while it has a limited time to decide while a clock is ticking. We discovered that each cell has an internal timer whose pace changes according to the stress it experiences—the pace goes up for higher stress decisions such as in humans. Our internal clock speeds up under danger because of the secretion of adrenaline and therefore we have the sensation of time slowing down. In addition to internal stress, each bacterium adjusts the pace of its timer accordingly to the stress of its peers and their intention to sporulate or to go into competence." According to Onuchic, bacteria usually do not cheat their friends and inform them by sending chemical messages about their true intensions. "We have developed for the first time a system level model of a large gene network to decipher the underlying principles of the bacteria game theory and how an internal network of genes and proteins is used to calculate risks in this complicated situation," he said. This has applications to human society because many people encounter similar dilemmas during their own lives. For example, should people ignore side effects and vaccinate against a new potentially lethal virus or should they not vaccinate and take the risk of being infected with the possible consequences? If the majority of the population is going to get vaccinated, then it is better for each individual not to get vaccinated. However, if most people will not be vaccinated then it is better to be vaccinated. "What each bacterium is doing is the equivalent if each individual on earth was able receive the exact information about the rate of spread of this new virus, the exact information about the intensions, to be vaccinated or not, by each person on the planet, and in addition the exact information about the health risks of side effects or being infected," said Ben Jacob. "A decision is then made in the context of this vast amount of information." "We have shown how the bacteria do this complex calculation according to well-defined principles," added Onuchic. "We learned a simple rule: Anyone who needs to make a decision under pressure in life, especially if it is a possible death decision, will take its time. She or he will review the trends of change, will render all possible chances and risks, and only then react." "Another interesting fact is that the same cells in the same environment, in this case, bacteria in the colony, can actually in a statistical matter choose two different outcomes: sporulation or competence. This leads us to speculate whether similar ideas can be extrapolated to explain the decisions of cells to develop cancer: Can a similar cell in a tissue make the decision to duplicate normally or to modify into a cancer cell? How does this stochastic process affect life, biology, evolution and disease is an interesting challenge that will be at the center of questions answered at the interface of the physical and life sciences." | 12/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 fatalities top 10,000 | Federal health officials said Thursday that almost 10,000 people had died of swine flu since April, a significant jump from mortality numbers released last month. Officials also said that 50 million Americans, one sixth of the country, had caught the disease, and that 213,000 people had been sick enough to be hospitalized. | 12/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Virtual Microbiology - Through the microscope, A look at all things small | Timothy Paustian, Faculty Associate in the Dept. of Bacteriology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been working on an online microbiology textbook entitled "Through the Microscope, A Look at all Things Small." According to Paustian's "textbook publishing manifesto," Through the Microscope is a complete textbook, including chapters on structure, metabolism, disease, the immune system, environmental microbiology and applied microbiology. It is appropriate for an introductory microbiology course for majors or advanced non-majors. However, Paustian's work is more than just a textbook. It is a statement against the textbook industry's high prices and current business model. In addition he believes "most publishers are too tied to the physical book and this weighs down their thinking, causing them to not use all the amazing tools available in an electronic book." Through the Microscope is designed to be a "living work," meaning that frequent updates to the textbook, a rewrite, correction or a new piece of data, can be added at any time. This also ensures students and educators have the most recent information. Click "source" to check out the entire textbook. Through the Microscope can also be purchased via a yearly $30 subscription or as a print-on-demand book for $59.88 from www.lulu.com. | 12/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Karen E. Nelson, Ph.D., Named Director of J. Craig Venter Institute Rockville, MD Campus | The J. Craig Venter Institute announced today that Karen E. Nelson, Ph.D. has been named Director of the JCVI Rockville, MD campus. Dr. Nelson and Robert Friedman, Ph.D., Director of the San Diego, CA facility since 2008, are senior leaders of the two campuses of the JCVI and report directly to J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., Founder and President, JCVI. She replaces Robert Strausberg who is leaving JCVI January 8, 2010 to join the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) Ltd as Director for Collaborative Sciences. Dr. Strausberg will maintain a joint position at JCVI and will continue cancer genomic collaborations between JCVI and LICR. "Karen's impressive career accomplishments -- from the Thermotoga genome sequencing program she first undertook when she came to JCVI, to her more recent work on the human microbiome, coupled with her long tenure at the Institute made her a logical choice to lead JCVI's Rockville headquarters," said Dr. Venter. "I look forward to working with her in this new role as she helps expand the innovative research programs at our Maryland campus." Dr. Nelson, who joined JCVI's legacy organization, The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) in 1996, has steadily risen to become one of the leaders in the fields of microbial and metagenomics research. As Director of JCVI's Human Microbiology and Metagenomics group, Dr. Nelson has significantly advanced the emerging field of human metagenomics by cataloging and understanding the microbes that inhabit the human body. She is a key investigator on the large, multi-center grant from the National Institutes of Health's Human Microbiome Project. The goal of this project is to sequence and understand the microbes that live in the human body and their contribution to human health and disease. Dr. Nelson and her group were part of a national team of researchers who completed the first comprehensive survey of the human gastrointestinal tract. She and her team continue this groundbreaking work and will be publishing new results in the near future. Dr. Nelson has extensive experience in microbial ecology and genomics, and microbial physiology. In 1999 at TIGR she led the whole genome sequencing of Thermotoga maritima MSB8, a bacterium isolated in water from a thermal vent off the coast of Italy. This was a landmark publication which provided key evolutionary insight into bacteria such as Thermotoga by proving the notion of lateral gene transfer. Dr. Nelson has also led other important genome sequencing and analysis projects including a Pseudomonas putida KT2440 genome, the comparative analyses of Listeria monocytogenes strains, and Campylobacter species, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, Salinibacter ruber and Arthrobacter aurescens. Dr. Nelson has authored or co-authored more than 90 publications, and is currently Editor-in-Chief of the journal Microbial Ecology. She is also a standing member of the NRC Committee on Biodefense, and a member of the American Society for Microbiology Communications Committee. Dr. Nelson received her B.Sc. in Animal Science from the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, her M.Sc. in Animal Science from the University of Florida, Gainesville and her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Cornell University. Dr. Strausberg began his career with JCVI in 2003 as Vice President for Research at TIGR after leaving the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute. After that he joined JCVI and led the Human Genomic Medicine team in their efforts to sequence, analyze and publish in 2007 the first diploid human genome. He was also instrumental in leading several important sequencing grants and contracts. In his new role at LICR, Dr. Strausberg will be overseeing initiatives on melanoma, brain, breast and colon cancers as part of the Institute's leadership. He will work directly with the LICR Scientific Director, Dr. Andrew Simpson, and with the LICR Scientific Advisory Committee. Dr. Venter commented, "I am grateful to Bob for his years of service to the Venter Institute, especially his work on the human genomics program and his leadership on the many important grants and contracts awarded to JCVI. I look forward to continuing collaborations with him and LICR on our cancer genomics projects." | 12/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Half of ICU patients with infections are twice as likely to die compared to those without infections, study says. | Just over half of all patients in intensive care units around the world have infections, and they are more than twice as likely to die in the units as patients who are not infected, a new study has found. The study surveyed the infection status of more than 13,000 patients from 1,200 noncardiac intensive care units in 75 countries on a single day — May 8, 2007. It found that 51 percent of patients had infections, most commonly of the lung, while 71 percent were being treated with antimicrobial agents. One-fourth of those with infections died, compared with just over one-tenth of infection-free patients. Via NYTimes.com | 12/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Eradication of Guinea Worm in Nigera May be Working | Nigeria, once the worst-afflicted country in the world, has been free of the parasitic infection Dracunculiasis, aka guinea worm, for the past 12 months according to the Carter Center. People can become infected with guinea worm when they drink pond water infested with microscopic fleas, in which the worm larvae live. The worms grow to resemble translucent three-foot strands of spaghetti and finally emerge by exuding acid that bursts the skin. The pain cause by guinea worm infection can be crippling for months. | 12/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| More than 20% of U.S. Water Treatment Systems Violate Key Provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act | More than 20 percent of the nation’s water treatment systems have violated key provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act over the last five years, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. That law requires communities to deliver safe tap water to local residents. But since 2004, the water provided to more than 49 million people has contained illegal concentrations of chemicals like arsenic or radioactive substances like uranium, as well as dangerous bacteria often found in sewage. Less than 6 percent of municipal water treatment plants that broke the law were ever fined or punished by state or federal officials, including those at the Environmental Protection Agency. | 12/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Dr. Jesse Lazear, Yellow Fever and the Mosquito Hypothesis | In recognition of a new campaign aimed at vaccinating 12 million persons in Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone by WHO’s Yellow Fever Initiative, Welkin Johnson, Associate Blogger for Small Things Considered and Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School, has a new post that focuses on Dr. Jesse Lazear, a member of the U.S. Army’s Yellow Fever Commission in Cuba, a team headed by U.S. Army surgeon Walter Reed Walter, and his human test subject experiments to discover how malaria is spread. "Lazear experimentally transmitted yellow fever to a handful of human subjects by exposing them to the bites of mosquitoes that had previously fed on patients with yellow fever. Experiments conducted by others had failed and the mosquito hypothesis, championed since 1881 by the Cuban physician Carlos Findlay, had fallen out of contention. Although Lazear’s notes are unclear on the point, Reed and others believe he played a hand in his own death, intentionally including himself among the experimental subjects. Reed's experimentally transmitted yellow fever to a handful of human subjects by exposing them to the bites of mosquitoes that had previously fed on patients with yellow fever." Click "source" to read more. | 12/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| 'Rational drug design' identifies fragments of FDA-approved drugs relevant to emerging viruses | A massive, data-crunching computer search program that matches fragments of potential drug molecules to the known shapes of viral surface proteins has identified several FDA-approved drugs that could be the basis for new medicines -- if emerging viruses such as the H5N1(avian flu) or H1N1/09 (swine flu) develop resistance to current antiviral therapies -- according to a presentation at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) 49th Annual Meeting, Dec. 5-9, 2009 in San Diego. The compounds were identified through a "rational drug design" project in the laboratory of Andrew McCammon, Ph.D., HHMI investigator at the University of California at San Diego. The McCammon lab honed the search algorithms that helped identify the second generation of anti-HIV drugs. Like fitting a key to a lock, computer search algorithms take the known shapes of drugs and match them, one after another, to the known shapes of disease-related proteins. In the study presented at the ASCB conference, Daniel B. Dadon, a member of the McCammon lab, will explain how the search targeted the neuraminidase proteins, one of the two major sets of glycoproteins on the outer surface of influenza viruses. Because biomolecules don't sit still -- they're moving targets -- scientists must consider how the protein can slightly shift position or shape. Dadon said, "A single picture of a sleeping cheetah, for example, might suggest that the animal is always lethargic. In reality, a cheetah is dynamic, spending much of its time sitting, running, climbing, attacking, and walking." The successful capture of cheetahs or influenza viruses requires an understanding of their motions over time. A search algorithm that accounts for the flexibility of the molecular docking sites is at the core of the McCammon group's relaxed complex scheme (RCS). After studying neuraminidase flexibility, the researchers created a virtual library of drug-like molecules by mixing and matching parts of various FDA-approved drugs. The information gained from the RCS simulations was used to identify molecules in this new library that would best inhibit neuraminidase function. Six compounds were predicted to inhibit neuraminidase better than FDA-approved drugs such as oseltamivir, peramivir and zanamivir. The computer data also suggests that some of these compounds may target other parts of the neuraminidase protein. The ability to target these additional parts of the neuraminidase protein could prove useful if the new viruses develop resistance to current therapies. | 12/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| KLM Airlines Complete First Passenger Flight Powered by Biofuel | "Dutch airline KLM has completed a fifth jet biofuel test flight—and the first with passengers other than flight crew. Using a 50–50 blend of regular jet fuel and biofuel refined from camelina oil in one of its four engines, the flight carried 42 "observers" for an hour on November 23 from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, enough to fill business class, according to chemist Jennifer Holmgren, who was on board. The test flights are part of an aviation industry plan to derive 1 percent of jet fuel from petroleum alternatives by 2015, or roughly 600 million gallons a year. Already, biofuel producers are gearing up production. Camelina grower Sustainable Oils—which provided the camelina oil to make the 1,000 gallons of jet fuel needed for the KLM flight—plans to cover more than 20,000 hectares in Montana with the weedy relative of canola, enough to deliver some 9.5 million liters of raw oil. And algae grower Solazyme recently won a contract to supply more than 75,500 liters of fuel derived from algae oil to the U.S. Navy, which would be a first for the industry." | 12/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC's FluSurge 2.0 update available for download | The CDC has announced FluSurge 2.0 a spreadsheet-based software modeling oprogram which provides hospital administrators and public health officials estimates of the surge in demand for hospital-based services during the next influenza pandemic. FluSurge can estimate the number of hospitalizations and deaths during an influenza pandemic (whose length and virulence are determined by the user) and then compares the number of persons hospitalized, the number of persons requiring ICU care, and the number of persons requiring ventilator support with existing hospital capacity. FluSurge 2.0 is a new version of FluSurge 1.0, which was originally released in July, 2004. With FluSurge 2.0, users can now change variables that impact estimates of the number and duration of influenza-related hospitalizations. Variables that can be altered by the user include the assumed average length of hospital stay for an influenza-related illness, and the percentage of influenza-related hospital admits that will require a bed in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The user can also change the total number of persons requiring hospitalization. | 12/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC FluView - U.S. influenza activity decreases for November 22-28, 2009 | During week 47 (November 22-28, 2009), influenza activity continued to decrease in the U.S.: * 956 (15.4%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories and reported to CDC/Influenza Division were positive for influenza. * Over 99% of all subtyped influenza A viruses being reported to CDC were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses. * The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold for the ninth consecutive week. * Seventeen influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported. Twelve of these deaths were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and five were associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype was undetermined. * The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was 3.7% which is above the national baseline of 2.3%. Eight of the 10 regions reported ILI at or above region-specific baseline levels. Regions 6 and 10 reported ILI below their region specific baselines. * Twenty-five states reported geographically widespread influenza activity, 17 states reported regional influenza activity, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and six states reported local influenza activity, and Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two states reported sporadic influenza activity. Click Source for more. | 12/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| Researchers find a novel mechanism by which drugs block HIV-1 from entering host cells | "Publishing in PLoS Pathogens, researchers at from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have found a novel mechanism by which drugs block HIV-1 from entering host cells. Cellular invasion by HIV-1 requires the concerted action of two proteins on the viral surface: gp120 and gp41. The function of gp41 is to get the viral contents into the interior of the host cells. This requires the association of two distinct regions of gp41 called N-HR and C-HR. Anti-HIV-1 agents known as fusion inhibitors target the N-HR or C-HR and disrupt their association, which prevents the virus from entering into the host cell. One drug that works like this is Fuzeon (Roche), and there are other agents in the pipeline. But blocking the N-HR/C-HR association is not only mechanism by which fusion inhibitors prevent HIV-1 entry, according to Michael Root, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. The inhibitors also induce irreversible deactivation of gp41." | 12/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| Colorado College Students Take First Place at ASM Rocky Mountain Branch Meeting | Colorado College students Nicole Laniohan ’09 and Nguyen Nguyen ’11 took first prize for the best undergraduate poster presentation at the Rocky Mountain Branch meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Laniohan and Nguyen, who worked with CC Associate Biology Professor Phoebe Lostroh, presented a poster on “Effects of Oxidative and Nitrosative Damaging Agents on Vibrio fischeri” in Denver in late November. | 12/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Attendee's Guide to Scientific Meetings | Julian Davies, Professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and a Fellow of the Royal Society, has authored a humorous post on the Small Things Considered blog on the various methods an attendee of a scientific meeting can employ to enhance "maximum satisfaction and poise" one gets out of such gatherings. "It is also essential that you pin your name tag in a place where your full name is not readily visible—partly behind your lapel, for example. When you arrive at the reception, circle the outside of the room and pick out a few people that you do recognize and whose name you can recall. Stride boldly up and greet each of them in turn using their name. If you are of the same approaching-senior age group, there is a 50% chance that they will recognize you but not remember your name. Since they cannot see your whole name card, you will likely witness their desperate efforts to decipher your name. You will then begin to feel good!" Click source for more. | 12/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Review Shows Safety of H1N1 Vaccine, Officials Say | An extensive review of adverse effects from the swine flu vaccine indicates that the vaccine is safe, with side effects no different from those of seasonal flu vaccines, health officials reported on Friday. The information comes from two monitoring networks. One is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which receives reports about problems from doctors and other health workers, manufacturers and the public. Anyone can file a report, so there is no way of knowing if the problems are actually related to the vaccine until reports are investigated. The second system is the Vaccine Safety Datalink, which has information on 438,376 people who were vaccinated for H1N1 in managed-care organizations. According to the new report, “no substantial differences between H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccines were noted in the proportion or types of serious adverse events reported.” | 12/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Cholera Epidemic Infects Thousands in Kenya | A cholera epidemic is sweeping across Kenya, with 4,700 cases reported in the past month and 119 deaths in what Kenyan officials are calling “one of the worst outbreaks in a decade.” The most stricken areas are the arid swaths of northern Kenya, which were hit this year by a devastating drought. The scant rains have meant that many people are surviving off dirty, germ-infested water, which is how cholera spreads. The drought has also left thousands of people malnourished and weak, making them vulnerable to infectious diseases. Because of the remoteness of many of the infected areas, aid workers say they believe that the officially reported numbers of cases and deaths may vastly understate the severity of the outbreak. Via NYTimes.com | 12/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Soda fountain machines could make you sick, | "Drinking a beverage from a restaurant's soda fountain machine could make you sick, claims a research team at Hollins University. Water, Coke, Pepsi and these soda's diet versions, when dispensed through fountain machines, contained bacteria that have the potential to cause gastrointestinal illness for people who consume them, according to research by a five-person team of faculty members and students. Their research, which tested beverages served from 31 soda machines at Roanoke Valley fast-food establishments, suggests that the interior tubing inside these machines harbors harmful bacteria. No food-borne illnesses have been linked to these machines in Virginia. Even so, this group of professors and students hopes that the findings, which appeared online last month in the International Journal of Food Microbiology, will encourage restaurants and public health officials to take a closer look at contaminants that may lurk inside these machines." | 12/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Singing about Toxoplasma gondii | Musical group Dan Kahn and the Painted Bird perform their song "Parasite" live in Philadelphia. The first set of lyrics are about Toxoplasma gondii which is mentioned by name in the song, although it's hard to make all of the vocals out, the rest of the track refers to other parasites too. If someone has the lyrics, please post them in the comments thread. You can check out more music by Dan Kahn and the Painted Bird at http://www.myspace.com/thepaintedbird. | 11/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Red wine 'prevents tooth decay' | Here's another reason to drink red wine: "Drinking red wine in moderate amount helps to rinse teeth clean of bacteria during and after meals, says a new study. Earlier studies have linked moderate red wine intake with everything from improved longevity to diminished risk of cardiovascular and neurological diseases. And because the new study was conducted with non-alcoholic red wine, even teetotallers can enjoy dental benefits, reports ABC Science. Co-author Professor Gabriella Gazzani, of Pavia University in Italy, said that alcohol''s cavity-preventing benefits are already well known and that’s why they investigated "de-alcoholised red wine to verify if substances different from ethanol with anti-strep properties occur in this beverage." | 11/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| New method of sterilizing medical equipment - with a plasma bag | "The practice of sterilising surgical tools and devices has helped radically improve healthcare. Researchers in the Netherlands are trying a new method, using plasma to kill bacteria inside sealed containers. But the old mainstay is a 130-year-old device called an autoclave, which is something like a pressure steamer. Its advantage is that the unsterile tools can be packed into sealed containers and then processed, staying sealed and sterile after they are removed. Norbert Koster and his colleagues at TNO Science and Industry, an independent research organisation in the Netherlands, are developing a new way to sterilise medical devices. By sealing them inside plastic bags and then using electromagnetic fields to create plasmas -- partially ionised gasses that contain free electrons and reactive ions. Scientists have known that plasmas have the ability to kill bacteria and sterilise objects, but the major problem has always been that plasma-sterilised objects still had to be packed into a sealed container afterwards. There was no way to sterilise them inside sealed containers. Now Koster and his colleagues found a way to sterilise medical tools by sealing them inside vacuum bags and then placing them in chambers that are at even lower pressure." | 11/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Gangs of Your Gut - A Microbiology Blockbuster Trilogy | YouTube user JohnnyElRady has created the following three-part microbiology blockbuster movie that is embedded below. It's a campy, low-budget, student production, but it's fun nonetheless. According to the YouTube description, the film was created by a group of 12 students in his MCB 3020 Class in Spring 2009. In his own words, director JohnnyElRady hopes you give it "Two Flagella Up!". {youtube}xotJiiJOk7E{/youtube} {youtube}I7Lsy96V4gk{/youtube} {youtube}5pAfUe3haYI{/youtube} | 11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Aston University's Microbiology Roadshow (UK) | Here's a promo video for Aston University's microbiology course, "The World of Microbiology, Mastering the Invisible, Invincible, Treatable & Preventable," for school children that's funded by the Wellcome Trust. Aston University is located in Birmingham, UK. | 11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| In 2008, HIV cases in the EU increased, while AIDS cases continued to decline (except in the Baltics) | HIV infections remain to be of major public health importance in Europe, with evidence of increasing transmission in several European countries. A total of 25,656 diagnosed cases of HIV infection were reported for 2008 by the countries of the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) (data were not available from Austria, Denmark or Liechtenstein.) The highest rates were reported by Estonia, Latvia, Portugal and the United Kingdom. In the EU/EEA, the predominant mode of transmission for HIV infection was sex among men who have sex with men (MSM, 40%) followed by heterosexual contact (29%), when cases in persons originating from countries with generalised epidemics were excluded. Injecting drug use accounted for 6% of the reported cases. Overall, despite incomplete reporting, the number of HIV cases in 2008 has increased while the number of reported AIDS cases continued to decline except in the Baltic States. The data presented have some limitations, due to missing data from a number of countries, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn with respect to the size of the HIV and AIDS epidemics in Europe. | 11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Could seaweed farming prove a boon for biofuels? | Researchers at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. and the Seattle-based Bio Architecture Lab (BAL) have secured $9 million from the Department of Energy to explore seaweed's potential as a feedstock for biobutanol, an advanced biofuel. Their venture appears to have largely cornered the current market. Though more than 200 companies have looked into algae-based biofuels, DuPont and BAL say most others have shied away from using macroalgae, like kelp. | 11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Egypt confirms new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) | The Ministry of Health of Egypt has reported a new confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N1). The case is a 3 year-old male from Minia Governorate. His symptoms started on 21 November 2009. He was admitted to hospital on 22 November and his condition is stable. Investigations into the source of infection indicated that the case had close contact with dead and/or sick poultry. The cases were confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories. Of the 89 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 27 have been fatal. | 11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| WHO suggests swine flu mutations do not warrant cause for alarm | The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has informed WHO of a mutation detected in three H1N1 viruses. The viruses were isolated from the first two fatal cases of pandemic influenza in the country and one patient with severe illness. Norwegian scientists have analysed samples from more than 70 patients with clinical illness and no further instances of this mutation have been detected. This finding suggests that the mutation is not widespread in the country. And while worldwide, laboratory monitoring of influenza viruses has detected a similar mutation in viruses from several other countries, including Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine, and the US, no evidence currently suggests that these mutations are leading to an unusual increase in the number of H1N1 infections or a greater number of severe or fatal cases. | 11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Public Domain Images of the H1N1 Influenza Virus | The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has just published a page that offers several public domain images of the H1N1 virus and several 3D graphical representations of seasonal influenza virus. There is also an image of the CDC developed PCR diagnostic test to detect novel H1N1 virus. The images are offered in a wide variety of options. Click "source" to get them all. |
11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientists are poised to redefine underlying conditions in a more profound way based on individual immune response | Attending physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and professors at Harvard Medical School Jerome Groopman and Pamela Hartzband, author an op-ed in the New York Times that considers why in the midst of an epidemic some people become severely ill and die while others remain unscathed. "In an epidemic, each one of us wants to know our personal risk for illness. The current definition of underlying conditions communicates only a level of increased risk, not individual susceptibility. For the first time in history, though, scientists are poised to redefine underlying conditions in a more profound way based on individual immune response. " Click "source" for more. | 11/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Knockouts in human cells point to pathogenic targets | Whitehead researchers have developed a new type of genetic screen for human cells to pinpoint specific genes and proteins used by pathogens, according to their paper in Science. In most human cell cultures genes are present in two copies: one inherited from the father and one from the mother. Gene inactivation by mutation is therefore inefficient because when one copy is inactivated, the second copy usually remains active and takes over. In yeast, researchers have it easier: they use yeast cells in which all genes are present in only one copy (haploid yeast). Now Carette and co-workers have used a similar approach and used a human cell line, in which nearly all human chromosomes are present in a single copy. In this rare cell line, Carette and co-workers generated mutations in almost all human genes and used this collection to screen for the host genes used by pathogens. By exposing those cells to influenza or to various bacterial toxins, the authors isolated mutants that were resistant to them. Carette then identified the mutated genes in the surviving cells, which code for a transporter molecule and an enzyme that the influenza virus hijacks to take over cells. Working with Carla Guimaraes from Whitehead Member Hidde Ploegh's lab, Carette subjected knockout cells to several bacterial toxins to identify resistant cells and therefore the genes responsible. The experiments identified a previously uncharacterized gene as essential for intoxication by diphtheria toxin and exotoxin A toxicity, and a cell surface protein needed for cytolethal distending toxin toxicity. "We were surprised by the clarity of the results," says Jan Carette, a postdoctoral researcher in the Brummelkamp lab and first author on the Science article. "They allowed us to identify new genes and proteins involved in infectious processes that have been studied for decades, like diphtheria and the flu. In addition we found the first human genes essential for host-pathogen interactions where few details are known, as is the case for cytolethal distending toxin secreted by certain strains of E. coli. This could be important for rapidly responding to newly emerging pathogens or to study pathogen biology that has been difficult to study experimentally." Brummelkamp sees the work as only the beginning. "Having knockout cells for almost all human genes in our freezer opens up a wealth of biological questions that we can look at," he says. "In addition to many aspects of cell biology that can be studied, knockout screens could also be used to unravel molecular networks that are exploited by a battery of different viruses and bacteria." | 11/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| School closures can have a substantial impact on the spread of newly emerging infectious diseases | A survey carried out in eight European countries has shown that closing schools in the event of an infectious disease pandemic could have a significant role in reducing illness transmission. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Infectious Diseases compared opportunities for infection on school days and weekends/holidays, finding that they were reduced when schools are shut. Niel Hens, from Hasselt and Antwerp University, Belgium, led a team of European researchers in using previously published data from Belgium, England & Wales, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, Poland and The Netherlands to estimate the effects of school closure on the number of close contacts people make in a day. He said, "Mathematical models of how infectious diseases spread from person to person through close contacts rely on assumptions regarding the underlying transmission process. One of these assumptions is that school closure will result in reduced exposure for children. Until now, however, the exact impact of this measure has not been proven". Hens and his colleagues found that, in general, contacts are reduced by about 10% when schools are closed. On weekends between-generation mixing becomes more frequent (eg, through family gatherings), and same age mixing becomes relatively less frequent. According to Hens, "Children are important spreaders of many close contact pathogens due to their frequent and intimate social contacts, their general hygiene, and perhaps their increased shedding. The reduced opportunity for contact we describe here would be a great benefit in a pandemic situation". The researchers conclude, "If we can assume that school closure in a pandemic situation resembles school closure during holiday periods, then our results show that such a strategy would have significant impact on disease transmission, of about 21%. Of course, this is a conservative estimate as, during a pandemic, typical weekend activities with a strong social component such as team sports and cultural outings may not take place. On the other hand, the expected large macroeconomic costs of school closures would have to be balanced against these benefits". Via EurekAlert. Click source for a pdf of the paper. | 11/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Leopard and the Mouse: A Microbiologist's Take | The Small Things Considered blog has a post by Fred Neidhardt, F.G. Novy Distinguished University Professor, Emeritus, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School at Ann Arbor, that looks at two photos snapped by 19-year-old Casey Gutteridge at the Santago Rare Leopard Project in Hertfordshire, UK. The amazing photos capture a mouse eating a leopard's food with the leopard present. Neidhard suspects the mouse may be infected by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that has the ability to change the behavior of rats and mice, making them drawn to rather than fearful of the scent of cats. Click "source" for more. | 11/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| How to Catch a Cold - A 1951 Walt Disney/Kleenex Production | A rare educational Disney animated short film from 1951 with a character called Common Sense who warns about the dangers of the common cold. | 11/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Using Bacteria to Turn Sand Dunes into Architecture | Architecture student Magnus Larsson details his bold plan to transform the harsh Sahara desert using bacteria and a surprising construction material: the sand itself. | 11/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| Benson, Minnesota, gives thanks for turkey poo | Turkeys are not just good for Thanksgiving. They can help power a town and create jobs using just their waste. A company in Benson, Minnesota called Fibrominn has come up with an ingenious way to turn that litter into energy - generating close to 55 megawatts! This has made Fibrominn the very first biomass power plant in the country designed to burn poultry waste as its main source of fuel. | 11/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Germ Wars! Protect, don't infect. | Staph Sergeant and his army of germs try to take over the world. | 11/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| San Diego Living - Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips | Food Safety Tips from Heather Buonomo, Dept of Environmental Health, San Diego. | 11/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| How to Thaw a Frozen Thanksgiving Turkey | Practical advice from K-State Research and Extension food safety specialist Karen Blakeslee . | 11/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Edible Food Wrap for Thanksgiving Leftovers | Your Thanksgiving leftovers might get wrapped in plastic, or stored in a container, but before long they'll go bad. Now researchers have created new technology that could significantly extend the life of your food, and improve food safety overall. And as this ScienCentral News video explains, it's also environmentally friendly. | 11/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Self-healing concrete | A video of Henk Jonkers of Delft University of Technology, recipient of the Delft Design & Engineering Award, describing self-healing concrete made with bacteria that will lead to enormous savings on building and structural maintenance and repair costs. | 11/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Malaria Gaining Resistance in Southeast Asia | "Malaria that is resistant to the best available drug is more widespread in Southeast Asia than previously reported, new research shows. The worrisome finding poses a risk that travelers could carry this strain of the malaria parasite to other parts of the globe and unwittingly spread it, scientists reported Nov. 19 at a meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. The frontline drug in question is called artemisinin, the most potent medication currently in use against malaria. Signs of malarial resistance to artemisinin have surfaced over the past several years in Cambodia (SN: 11/22/08, p. 9). The new findings confirm that resistant malaria has now cropped up beyond a spot on the border of Thailand and Cambodia where it was initially detected. Now it has appeared in Vietnam and in two spots along the Burma border with Thailand and China. “Things are changing. There’s no doubt the signs are concerning,” said Robert Newman, director of the Global Malaria Programme at the World Health Organization in Geneva. But he added that these signals are early and need further verification." | 11/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Differentiation of two distinct clusters among currently circulating influenza A(H1N1)v viruses | Analysis of all complete genome sequences of the pandemic influenza A(H1N1)v virus available as of 10 September 2009 revealed that two closely related but distinct clusters were circulating in most of the affected countries at the same time. The characteristic differences are located in genes encoding the two surface proteins - haemagglutinin and neuraminidase - and four internal proteins – the polymerase PB2 subunit, nucleoprotein, matrix protein M1 and the non-structural protein NS1. Phylogenetic inference was demonstrated by neighbour joining, maximum likelihood and Bayesian trees analyses of the involved genes and by tree construction of concatenated sequences. Click "source" for more. | 11/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine flu kills four in Saudi Arabia on Hajj pilgrimage | "Four pilgrims have died of swine flu as they take part in this year's annual Mecca pilgrimage, Saudi officials say. Three of the victims - a woman from Morocco and men from Sudan and India - were in their seventies. The fourth was a 17-year-old girl from Nigeria. The Health Ministry said none of the four foreign victims had been vaccinated against the H1N1 virus. The latest figures from the World Health Organization show the virus has so far killed 6,750 people worldwide. An official statement released by the ministry said all had underlying health problems, including cancer and respiratory illness, AFP news agency reported." | 11/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| The amateur scientist (that's us) | Marketing guru Seth Godin has made some interesting observations on why many New Yorkers avoided getting in line for the H1N1 vaccine. "The news here is not that people are irrational, giving too much credence to the dramatic and the local and the short-term (that's not news), but that people have added a veneer of scientific rationality to their irrational decisions. Armed with Zagats or internet data or some rumor off Snopes, we act as though now we're supremely rational choicemakers." Click "source" to read more and see how Godin would market the Swine Flu vaccine. | 11/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| Molecular Biology Animation by VIB | A detailed animation from VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, a nonprofit research institute conducting pioneering research in the life sciences. More than 1000 scientists explore the molecular mechanisms responsible for the functioning of the human body, plants and microorganisms. | 11/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 Infections in the U.S. May have 'Peaked' | Although federal health officials decline to use the word “peaked,” the current wave of swine flu appears to have done so in the United States. Flu activity is coming down in all regions of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday, though it is still rising in Hawaii, Maine and some isolated areas. The World Health Organization said Friday that there were “early signs of a peak” in much of the United States. | 11/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| Nanoparticles used in common household items cause genetic damage in mice | Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, found in everything from cosmetics and sunscreen to paint and vitamins, caused systemic genetic damage in mice, according to a comprehensive study conducted by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles induced single- and double-strand DNA breaks and caused chromosomal damage, as well as inflammation, all of which increase the risk of cancer. The UCLA study is the first to show that the nanoparticles had such an effect, said senior study author Robert Schiestl, UCLA professor of pathology, radiation oncology and environmental health sciences and a Jonsson Cancer Center scientist. Click "source" for more. | 11/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| Outbreak of Salmonella Infection (1954) | A film commissioned by the U.S. Air Force that shows a demonstration of what happens during the course of a Salmonella outbreak. The video examines source and means of contamination, factors aiding the survival and transfer of the organism, conditions of environment and general food handling practices. This microbiology motion picture classic was published in 1954. Found by Cesar Sanchez at www.twistedbacteria.com. | 11/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| How to Debate a Creationist | Here's a pocket reference guide on how to debate a creationist that was created by Michael Shermer, Executive Director of the Skeptics Society. The guide contains a list of arguments put forth by creationists and answers put forth by evolutionists. For example, answers address such arguments as: *Creation-science is scientific and therefore should be taught in public school science courses. *Evolutionary theory is the basis of Marxism, communism, atheism, immortality, and the general decline of the morals and culture of America, and therefore is bad for our children. Click "source" for a .pdf of the reference guide. | 11/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| Procter and Gamble recalls Vicks Sinex nasal spray | CNN is reporting Procter & Gamble is recalling Vicks Sinex nasal spray in the United States, Britain and Germany after finding it contained bacteria, the company said. Procter & Gamble said it announced the voluntary recall after finding the bacteria in a small amount of product made at a plant in Germany. There have been no reports of illness from the bacteria, but it could cause serious infections for people with weakened immune systems or those with chronic lung conditions such as cystic fibrosis, Procter & Gamble said late Thursday. | 11/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| The future of the doctor's necktie may be at stake (or, what to get your doctor for the holidays) | Mounting evidence has emerged in recent years that doctors wearing ties might actually cause as much harm to patients as doctors who don't wash their hands. In one 2004 study of 42 doctors and medical staffers at the New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, almost 50 percent of the neckties were host to bacteria that can cause pneumonia, blood infections, and more. But because many doctors are publicly pushing for the preservation of the necktie, April Strider of SafeSmart in Florida has put her money on a compromise: the high-tech, antimicrobial tie. (cliik "source" for more.) | 11/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Hey, Today is World Toilet Day (Big Squat) | Sponsored by the WTO, that's World Toilet Organization, November 19 is World Toilet Day. The event seeks to increase awareness of the importance of toilet sanitation and each individual's right to a safe and hygienic sanitary environment. One of their activities for this year is The Big Squat. Check out the big squat toolkit here - http://www.worldtoiletday.com/squat/toolkit.html. There are also many events occurring today such as:
In case you want to get in on the fun, here's an instructional video on how to squat: {youtube}6bO2-odrWdY{/youtube} |
11/19/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Startling Epidemiology of H1N1 | Science cartoonist Jay Hosler drafted this comic for the cover of the program for The Allegheny Branch of The American Society for Microbiology (ABASM) meeting at Juniata College this weekend (November 20th and 21st). Amusing. To see more of Hosler's work visit http://www.jayhosler.com | 11/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Winged Scourge featuring the Seven Dwarfs | Here's a fine Walt Disney Production from 1943 about the Anopheles genus of mosquitos and how it transmits the Plasmodium parasite from human to human. Our heros in this "motion picture" are the seven dwarfs who use a variety of methods to eliminate the "winged scourge." One not-so-green method is to spray oil in the water areas Anopheles breeds in. Another, is to spray the poison Paris Green in their breeding environment. "That-a-boy Dopey! Kill her good and dead!" | 11/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Walt Disney's Insects as Carriers of Disease | Published in 1946 as a motion picture, Walt Disney Productions shows how the fly, the mosquito and the louse are carriers of dysentery, malaria and typhus, and tells how to get rid of these carriers through sanitary measures. This was found by @TwistedBacteria on Twitter | 11/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Larry Brilliant Speaks About Bird Flu at Google | A candid conversation with Larry Brilliant about pandemic bird flu (H5N1), the risks we face, the uncertainties, and to talk about the accuracy and inaccuracies in the mass media. This talk was presented in May of 2006, but it's interesting to watch in light of the current media environment around H1N1 (Swine Flu) | 11/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| All about oomycetes - fine reading | The Small Things Considered blog has just started a three-part series on oomycetes, also known as water molds. The first piece (published today) describes oomycete biology, the other two will focus on a particular oomycete: the late potato blight pathogen. Here's a clip: "As you know, the potato blight caused widespread famine in potato-dependent, mid-19th century Ireland. You may also be aware of a current malady, sudden oak death, that affects large numbers of trees in the Pacific coastal states of the USA. And if you are involved in agriculture in any way, you have likely heard of the downy mildews of lettuce, onions, spinach, strawberries, and other crops. Likewise, those concerned with aquaculture are alert to a variety of "fungal" diseases, including one called saprolegniasis that causes about a 10% mortality in pond-grown salmon. What do these diseases have in common? They are all caused by oomycetes, a large group of organisms that resemble fungi morphologically but are distant from them phylogenetically. " Click "source" to read more. | 11/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Twittering the student experience (aka Microblogging Microbiology) | Alan Cann, senior lecturer at the University of Leicester, and colleagues Jo Badge, Stuart Johnson and Alex Moseley, have just published an article/paper on a small experiment involving student use of the microbloging service Twitter and its role in academia. Specifically, Cann and colleagues looked at the rate of use of the service by participating students, interaction, and ultimately peer support. "Peer support became a key feature of this student network, with activity rising just prior to assessment deadlines or during revision for exams. Content analysis of the messages indicated clear evidence of the emergence of personal learning networks. Students used these networks when preparing assessed work or revising for tests, often in situations when they were physically isolated from their peers." Apparently, the academic departments at the University who were involved with this exercise were so impressed with Twitter that many plan to incorporate Twitter as a "lightweight communications channel" in the coming year. Click "source" to view the full article. (Alan Cann is also the author of www.microbiologybytes.com/blog.) |
11/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| University of Kansas researchers harvest fuel from sewage | "University of Kansas researchers are working to turn microbes from treated sewage into a commercially viable biofuel, fluid that one day could be used to power the nation's cars, trucks, airplanes and other modes of transportation. But for now, the future grows in four farm tanks at Lawrence's Wastewater Treatment Plant, and inside another four at a research station northeast of the Lawrence Municipal Airport. The project takes advantage of millions of algae cells fattened up with treated waste from the city's sewer system, then harvested after absorbing organic pollutants and yielding oil for transformation into clean-burning biodiesel." | 11/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Google Flu Trends | Each week, millions of users around the world search for health information online. Google has found a close relationship between how many people search for flu-related topics and how many people actually have flu symptoms. Of course, not every person who searches for "flu" is actually sick, but a pattern emerges when all the flu-related search queries are added together. Google compared query counts with traditional flu surveillance systems and found that many search queries tend to be popular exactly when flu season is happening. By counting how often Google sees these search queries, they can estimate how much flu is circulating in different countries and regions around the world. To learn more watch this Google Tech Talk presentation given by Corrie Conrad on Google Flu Trends: {youtube}YE6ZQijRqLA{/youtube} | 11/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Biotorrents | BioTorrents.net is a web service built by Dr. Morgan G.I. Langille, a bioinformatics researcher at UC Davis Genome Center, that allows scientists to rapidly share their results, datasets, and software using BitTorrent P2P file sharing technology. Some of the service's features include: Researchers can download large datasets much faster. A central listing of results, datasets, and software that can be browsed and searched. Data can be located on several servers allowing decentralization and availability of the data if one server becomes disabled. Click "source" for more information. | 11/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| 2011 Raw Oyster Ban Shucked | The Gainsville Sun is reporting that opposition has put a stop for now to a federal proposal that would have halted the sale of raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico unless they were treated for a potentially deadly bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration announced last month that effective in 2011, fresh Gulf Coast oysters harvested during warm months would have to be treated with processes such as flash freezing, warm-water pasteurization or low-dose irradiation. The treatment would be aimed at preventing deaths related to raw oysters infected with the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. But the FDA backed off from that proposal. "It is clear to the FDA from our discussions to date that there is a need to further examine both the process and timing for large and small oyster harvesters to gain access to processing facilities or equivalent controls in order to address this important public health goal," the FDA reported in a statement Friday. | 11/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| How to make a styrofoam-like packing material with fungi | A new form of biodegradable shipping material by a company called Ecovative is created by filling a reusable mold with agricultural waste like rice husks and is then sprayed with mushroom root cells. The cells eat the husks and grow to form a dense network that packs the mold. After baking, the lightweight material comes out similar to Styrofoam, but its production uses one eighth the energy. This creative concept was designed by Ecovative and was named one PopSci's "Best of What's New" for 2009. Here's a "how it's made" video: {youtube}_-_VPkAN7xY{/youtube} | 11/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Holy water dispenser combats spread of swine flu | Luciano Marabese, an Italian inventor has combined his Catholic faith and ingenuity to create the electronic terracotta holy water dispenser. It functions like an automatic soap dispenser in public lavatories - a churchgoer waves his or her hand under a sensor and the machine spurts out holy water. It is currently in use in the northern town of Fornaci di Briosco. | 11/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Government-developed honeybees are equipped with a keen sniffing ability to root out a deadly parasite | "In an effort to stem a massive bee die-off, government scientists have developed a population of honeybees that can root out a main culprit in the epidemic -- a parasite that feeds on pupae in nests and spreads viruses within hives. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists hope the population of Varroa mite-detecting honeybees could potentially improve the health of the overall honeybee population." Via Discovery's new news site. | 11/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Washington DC H1N1 Mass Vaccination Poster 2009 | H1N1 Mass Vaccination Clinic poster from a high school located in NorthWest, DC, November 6, 2009. | 11/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| 1976 Swine Flu Vaccination via Jet Injector | Use of a jet injector during the 1976 New Jersey Influenza A immunization project. 45 million adults in the United States received a vaccine containing the A/New Jersey/76 influenzavirus ("swine flu" virus). Image via the CDC's Flickr site. | 11/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Animation depicting the life cycle of H1N1 influenza-A | Here is an amazing animation depicting the life cycle of H1N1 influenza-A. It was created by a company called XVIVO for a firm called Zirus whose mission is to "provide keys to conquer viruses." According to Zirus' site their new classes of antivirotics are being used to cure and manage viral diseases. {viddler}3ed62efe{/viddler} Click "source" to watch the video. | 11/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| A remarkable diversity of bone-eating worms | The females of the recently discovered Osedax marine worms feast on submerged bones via a complex relationship with symbiotic bacteria, and they are turning out to be far more diverse and widespread than scientists expected. Californian researchers investigating the genetic history of Osedax worms have found that up to twelve further distinct evolutionary lineages exist beyond the five species already described. The new findings about these beautiful sea creatures with unusual sexual and digestive habits are published in the online open access journal BMC Biology. Click "source" to view the abstract. | 11/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| 41 Nobel Prize Winners sign open letter to Congress in support of the Federal Research Public Access Act | "As scientists and Nobel Laureates, we write to express our strong support for S. 1373, the Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA). This bi-partisan legislation, sponsored by Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Cornyn (R-TX), would enhance access to federally funded, published research articles for scientists, physicians, health care workers, libraries, students, researchers, academic institutions, companies, and patients and consumers. Broad dissemination of research results is fundamental to the advancement of knowledge. For America to obtain an optimal return on our investment in science, publicly funded research must be shared as broadly as possible. Yet, too often, research results are not available to researchers, scientists, or members of the public. We believe Congress can and must act to ensure that all potential users have free and timely access on the Internet to peer-reviewed federal research findings. This ultimately magnifies the public benefits of research by promoting progress, enhancing economic growth, and improving the public welfare. " Click "source" to read the full letter. Found by @phylogenomics via Facebook. | 11/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| One fish tank, two discoveries - archaea ammonia eater | It's not every day you find clues to the planet's inner workings in aquarium scum. But that's what happened a few years ago when University of Washington researchers cultured a tiny organism from the bottom of a Seattle Aquarium tank and found it can digest ammonia, a key environmental function. New results show this minute organism and its brethren play a more central role in the planet's ecology than previously suspected. The findings, published online today in the journal Nature, show that these microorganisms, members of ancient lineage called archaea, beat out all other marine life in the race for ammonia. Ecologists now assume that ammonia in the upper ocean will first be gobbled up by phytoplankton to make new cells, leaving very little ammonia for microbes to turn into nitrate. "Our data suggests that it's the other way around," said co-author Willm Martens-Habbena, a UW postdoctoral researcher. "Archaea are capable of stealing the ammonia from other organisms and turning it into nitrate. Then it's the phytoplankton that take up that nitrate once again." Ammonia is a waste product that can be toxic to animals. But plants, including phytoplankton, prize ammonia as the most energy-efficient way to build new cells. Click "source" for more. Found by @phylogenomics on Twitter. | 11/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Limitations of the Luria-Bertani Medium | Hiroshi Nakaido, PBD Faculty Scientist, Structural Biology Department, and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UC Berkeley, has authored a guest post on the Small Things Considered Blog regarding the limitations of LB medium. "LB broth contains, per ml, 10 mg tryptone (a mixture of peptides formed by the digestion of casein with the pancreatic enzyme, trypsin), 5 mg yeast extract (an autolysate of yeast cells), and 5 or 10 mg NaCl... While this may appear a tasty dish for many bacteria of research interest, it is an inappropriate choice for physiological studies wherein reproducibility is required. Since only bacterial cultures in balanced growth (achieved by sufficient time in exponential growth) have a reproducible average cell size and chemical composition, none of the components of liquid media should become exhausted during growth of the culture. Is this the case with LB broth? To answer this question, we must know what limits bacterial growth in LB broth." Click "Source" for the full story. |
11/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| 10 Ways Companies Are Cashing In On Swine Flu | The Business Insider outlines 10 ways companies, legitimate and not-so-legitimate, are cashing in on H1N1. "As we head into flu season, the hysteria is ramping up all over again, and what that really means is profit! From body suits, to vaccines, emergency food packs, and underground bunkers...." Click source to read more. | 11/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| Podcasts as Tools in Introductory Environmental Studies | A recent paper in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education by Christine Vatovec and Teri Balser examines the effectiveness of using podcasts as an educational tool. Out of 209 survey respondents, the authors found: "The majority of students reported enjoying using the podcasts in the assignment (87%), found them to be both easy to use (96%) and a useful tool for learning (92%), and agreed that they would like to use podcasts in more course assignments (81%), we feel confident in recommending the use of this technology to enhance student learning." The authors argue that "educators should expand course materials to include prepublished podcasts to engage students with both course topics and a broader skill set for evaluating readily available media." Click "source" for the complete pdf file." Image thumbnail via Flickr user "Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center" under CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative | 11/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Test 2 | Chicken Mushroom 2 | 11/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Test | Chicken Mushrooms | 11/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Lab Safety Song | A musical extravaganza on the importance and execution of laboratory safety as presented by puppets. | 11/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Larry Brilliant - Help stop the next pandemic | Dr. Larry Brilliant talks about how smallpox was eradicated from the planet, and calls for a new global system that can identify and contain pandemics before they spread. | 11/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Conversations With History: A Microbiologist’s Intellectual Odyssey | "Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Lucy Shapiro, Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research in the School of Medicine, Stanford University, for a discussion of her career in the biological sciences. Topics discussed include unraveling the mystery of bacterial DNA, creativity in the sciences, the interdisciplinary nature of biology, the policy challenges posed by the increasing threat of infectious disease and the diminishing efficacy of antibiotics, and the problem of bioterrorism." Via UCTV {mp4remote}http://podcast.uctv.tv/vod/16455.mp4{/mp4remote} | 11/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| 'Stormy' the ferret dies from H1N1 infection in Nebraska | A news station in Hastings, Nebraska (KHAS) has reported that Stormy the ferret, one of four ferrets in a family of humans sick with the flu, has died from the H1N1 virus. Ferrets have respiratory systems similar to humans and are known to be susceptible to human flu viruses. {flvremote}http://new.khastv.com/uploads/8b37dfe2-70bd-3ab1.flv{/flvremote} | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| FDA to ban sale of raw oysters from Gulf of Mexico | "Federal officials plan to ban sales of raw oysters harvested from the Gulf of Mexico unless the shellfish are treated to destroy potentially deadly bacteria _ a requirement that opponents say could deprive diners of a delicacy cherished for generations. The plan has also raised concern among oystermen that they could be pushed out of business. The Gulf region supplies about two-thirds of U.S. oysters, and some people in the $500 million industry argue that the anti-bacterial procedures are too costly. They insist adequate measures are already being taken to battle germs, including increased refrigeration on oyster boats and warnings posted in restaurants. About 15 people die each year in the United States from raw oysters infected with Vibrio vulnificus, which typically is found in warm coastal waters between April and October. Most of the deaths occur among people with weak immune systems caused by health problems like liver or kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, or AIDS." | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Five Questions about Microsporidia | An article published in PLoS Pathogens by Patrick Keeling, scholar of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Evolutionary Biology Program, and assistant professor, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, answers 5 basic questions about microsporidia. What Are Microsporidia? Are They Protists, Fungi, or What? Are They Really “Amitochondriate”? What Are Microsporidian Genomes Like? How Do Microsporidia Depend On Their Host? Click "source" to view. | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| When science is lacking, good leadership is critical | Laura Kahn, research scholar at Princeton University's Program on Science and Global Security, has written a column on how leaders' decisions on infectious disease policy can impact world health for better or worse. "Since the middle of the twentieth century, more than 330 novel infectious diseases have emerged in human populations. The majority of these new diseases spread from animals to humans--take, for example, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (commonly known as "mad cow disease," or BSE). Some political leaders chose to respond to these dangerous diseases by ignoring or downplaying the problem. Others consulted scientific and medical experts in order to make informed decisions to combat the threats. Whichever path a leader chooses, his or her decisions can profoundly impact societal health and well-being." Click "source" for more. | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| A MRSA strain five times more lethal than other strains | A strain of MRSA that causes bloodstream infections is five times more lethal than other strains and has shown to have some resistance to the potent antibiotic drug vancomycin used to treat MRSA, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study. The study found that 50 percent of the patients infected with the strain died within 30 days compared to 11 percent of patients infected with other MRSA strains. The average 30-day mortality rate for MRSA bloodstream infections ranges from 10 percent to 30 percent. Researchers say the strain USA600 contains unique characteristics that may be linked to the high mortality rate. But they say it is unclear whether other factors like the patients' older age, diseases or the spread of infection contributed to the poor outcomes collectively or with other factors. The average age of patients with the USA600 strain was 64; the average age of patients with other MRSA strains was 52. The study is being presented at the 47th annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America Oct. 29-Nov.1 in Philadelphia. "While many MRSA strains are associated with poor outcomes, the USA600 strain has shown to be more lethal and cause high mortality rates," says Carol Moore, PharmD., a research investigator in Henry Ford's Division of Infectious Diseases and lead author of the study. "In light of the potential for the spread of this virulent and resistant strain and its associated mortality, it is essential that more effort be directed to better understanding this strain to develop measures for managing it." MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacterium that is resistant to common antibiotics like penicillin. It can cause skin, bloodstream and surgical wound infections and pneumonia. The majority of infections occur among patients in hospitals or other health care settings, though a growing number of infections are being acquired by otherwise healthy people outside those settings. MRSA strains can be resistant to many drugs, though they are typically susceptible to the antibiotic vancomycin. MRSA infections are often treated with vancomycin administered intravenously. The USA600 strain in this study was shown to be more resistant to vancomycin. | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| P. aeruginosa and its antibiotic and host immune response shield | Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark along with other collaborators in Denmark and the US found that the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa can 'switch on' production of molecules that kill white blood cells – preventing the bacteria being eliminated by the body's immune system. P. aeruginosa is responsible for many hospital-acquired infections and also causes chronic infections in those with pre-existing medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF). The bacteria cause persistent lung infections by clumping together to form a biofilm, which spreads over the lungs like a slime. Such biofilms are generally resistant to antibiotics as well as the host immune response. The study showed that P. aeruginosa uses a well-studied communication system called quorum sensing (QS) to detect approaching white blood cells and warn other bacteria in the biofilm. In response to this signal, the bacteria increase their production of molecules called rhamnolipids. These molecules sit on the biofilm surface to form a shield that destroys any white blood cells that encounter it. Interrupting quorum sensing to halt the "launch a shield" response could be a way of treating these bacteria that can resist antibiotics as well as the host immune system. Professor Michael Givskov from the University of Copenhagen who led the study believes there are significant clinical benefits to this research. "The ultimate goal [of this research] is to eradicate the present day's antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are involved in the bulk of chronic infections," he says. "Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious emerging health problems in the world today. More than 70% of the disease-causing bacteria are resistant to at least one of the currently available antibiotics. Studying interactions between P. aeruginosa and the innate and adaptive immune response will provide valuable information for the design of novel antimicrobials". Via EurekAlert | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Flu Shot Locator | Flu.gov is launching a zip code based seasonal flu vaccine and H1N1 vaccine locator that works in collaboration with State health information websites. Currently, Flu.gov has a by-State only locater available now. While most States are posting new information every day about availability, distribution to priority groups and where to get vaccinated, not all State information is up to date yet, for example Maryland's information is current while Iowa and Montana have no information on H1N1 vaccine availability. There is also information on State planning and preparation efforts, as well as general flu information. Hopefully the zip code locator will be functional soon. | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| An Epidemic of Fear: How Panicked Parents Skipping Shots Endangers Us All | Amy Wallace, freelance writer and editor-at-large at Los Angeles Magazine, has published a in-depth feature in Wired exploring why many Americans shun vaccinations and place trust in the pseudoscience around topics such as autism, H1N1 and many other illnesses. While a good chunk of this article focuses on Paul Offit, coinventor of a rotavirus vaccine, another interesting perspective is Wallace's take on the Autism One conference, a group built around the strongly held belief that autism is caused by vaccines. "At this year’s Autism One conference in Chicago, I flashed more than once on Carl Sagan’s idea of the power of an “unsatisfied medical need.” Because a massive research effort has yet to reveal the precise causes of autism, pseudo-science has stepped aggressively into the void. In the hallways of the Westin O’Hare hotel, helpful salespeople strove to catch my eye as I walked past a long line of booths pitching everything from vitamins and supplements to gluten-free cookies (some believe a gluten-free diet alleviates the symptoms of autism), hyperbaric chambers, and neuro-feedback machines. To a one, the speakers told parents not to despair. Vitamin D would help, said one doctor and supplement salesman who projected the equation “No vaccines + more vitamin d = no autism” onto a huge screen during his presentation. (If only it were that simple.) Others talked of the powers of enzymes, enemas, infrared saunas, glutathione drips, chelation therapy (the controversial — and risky — administration of certain chemicals that leech metals from the body), and Lupron (a medicine that shuts down testosterone synthesis)." There are also several shorter side stories by others that provide information like, "A Short History of Vaccine Panic" and "How to Win an Argument About Vaccines." The article's staunch pro-vaccination stance has resulted in being one of Wired's most commented on stories and Amy Wallace is now chronicling the best emails and comments she's received from both pro and anti-vaccination camps. Click "source" to read the entire piece. | 11/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Petri Dish Dream Vacation | "The famous tropical sunset scene by Nobel Prize-winner Dr. Roger Tsien, University of California San Diego, USA. This image was created using transgenic bacteria expressing fluorescent protein genes." Via MicrobialArt.com | 10/30/2009 | |||||||||||
| E.coli Grocery | There is a new set of photographs on the Small Things Considered blog that are quite interesting. All of them look as if they originate from the 1950's to 1960's decades. A few microscopic images resemble actions and figures in popular culture, one shows a well known microbiologist smoking in his office. And one features the E.coli Grocery from the Four Corners of Utah. | 10/30/2009 | |||||||||||
| Could H1N1 take down the Internet? | An article in The Washington Post considers the possible impact the H1N1 pandemic could have on the Internet. "As the spread of the H1N1 flu keeps more Americans away from work and school, a federal report warns that all those people logging on to the Web from home could overwhelm Internet networks. The Government Accountability Office reported earlier this week that if the flu reaches a pandemic, a surge in telecommuting and children accessing video files and games at home could bog down local networks. And if that were to happen, it is not clear whether the federal government is prepared to deal with the problem, the GAO said." | 10/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Tuberculosis: A Persistent Threat to Global Health - Part 4 | John D. McKinney, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), provides an overview of the natural history of TB infection and the global impact of TB on human health. "All pathogens must acquire and assimilate nutrients from their hosts in order to grow and multiply -- our tissues are literally their food -- yet surprisingly little is known about this fundamental aspect of the pathogenic lifestyle. Accumulating evidence suggests that M. tuberculosis might utilize fatty acids as its principal carbon and energy source during infection. The fourth part of this lecture describes work in our laboratory that is focused on identifying the metabolic pathways that are essential for growth and persistence of M. tuberculosis in vivo." | 10/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Tuberculosis: A Persistent Threat to Global Health - Part 3 | John D. McKinney, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), provides an overview of the natural history of TB infection and the global impact of TB on human health. "The principal obstacle to successful treatment of tuberculosis is the lengthy duration of current regimens, which require administration of multiple drugs for 6-9 months. The requirement for prolonged therapy is attributed to sub-populations of bacillary "persisters" that are refractory to antimicrobials. The persisters are not drug-resistant in the conventional (heritable) sense and it is a mystery why they are spared whilst their genetically identical siblings are killed. The third part of this lecture describes recent work in our laboratory using microfluidics and time-lapse microscopy to analyze the behavior of drug-stressed bacteria at single-cell resolution. These studies challenge conventional views of how antimicrobials kill (or fail to kill) bacteria." | 10/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Tuberculosis: A Persistent Threat to Global Health - Part 2 | John D. McKinney, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), provides an overview of the natural history of TB infection and the global impact of TB on human health. "Tuberculosis remains one of the most important causes of human disease and death despite the introduction of vaccination in 1921 and chemotherapy in 1952. Although these interventions are inexpensive and widely available their impact is limited. The effectiveness of vaccination is unclear; in clinical trials, the protection conferred by vaccination has been variable and generally poor. Although chemotherapy can be highly effective, multiple drugs must be administered for 6-9 months to provide a reliable cure; the majority of tuberculosis patients are unable or unwilling to complete such a demanding regimen unless closely supervised. The second part of this lecture will discuss the challenges facing development of more effective vaccines and drugs for prevention and treatment of tuberculosis." | 10/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Mad Dogs and Microbiologists | Guest blogger William C. Summers, Yale University School of Medicine, authors a post at Small Things Considered about the potential for a new rabies vaccine as evidenced in a recent PLoS paper titled "Effective preexposure and postexposure prophylaxis of rabies with a highly attenuated recombinant rabies virus." "Both Pasteur's dilemma and the need for miracles, however, may soon be relegated to the dustbin of medical history. A recent report in PNAS by Bernhard Dietzchold and his colleagues at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia suggests that a new approach to rabies vaccines may make it possible to treat rabies infections effectively even after some time has elapsed. Drawing on new understanding of the pathogenesis of rabies, including its replication and its expression of the relevant immunity-inducing antigens, these workers designed a highly attenuated—but highly effective—vaccine strain of rabies that shows promise as a significantly improved post-exposure treatment for rabies." Click "source" for more. | 10/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Microsoft's H1N1 Flu Self-Assessment Test | Microsoft has licensed an online H1N1 self assessment test from Emory University. "During flu season this year, emergency rooms and doctors' offices might become crowded with patients seeking help for flu symptoms. This assessment is based on material licensed from Emory University. It is meant to tell you what some experts think about whether you should visit a doctor for H1N1 flu. You will get guidance based on your answers to the questions. This can help you make a more informed decision, but you are responsible for your own health decisions. This assessment is not medical advice. Microsoft can’t say whether the guidance from this assessment will be right for you. This self-assessment is intended for residents of the United States only." Click "source" to take the assessment. | 10/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| What if everything we think we know about fighting the flu is wrong? | An interesting, and sure to be controversial, article in November's Atlantic magazine asks: "What if everything we think we know about fighting influenza is wrong? What if flu vaccines do not protect people from dying—particularly the elderly, who account for 90 percent of deaths from seasonal flu? And what if the expensive antiviral drugs that the government has stockpiled over the past few years also have little, if any, power to reduce the number of people who die or are hospitalized? The U.S. government—with the support of leaders in the public-health and medical communities—has put its faith in the power of vaccines and antiviral drugs to limit the spread and lethality of swine flu. Other plans to contain the pandemic seem anemic by comparison. Yet some top flu researchers are deeply skeptical of both flu vaccines and antivirals. Like the engineers who warned for years about the levees of New Orleans, these experts caution that our defenses may be flawed, and quite possibly useless against a truly lethal flu. And that unless we are willing to ask fundamental questions about the science behind flu vaccines and antiviral drugs, we could find ourselves, in a bad epidemic, as helpless as the citizens of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina." The impetus for this Atlantic piece seems to be sparked by a recent editorial in BMJ's Clinical Evidence by Tom Jefferson, head of the Vaccines Field at the Cochrane Collaboration, a highly respected international network of researchers who appraise medical evidence. Jefferson suggests, after looking at data from the control arms of 95 influenza vaccine trials involving 1 million subjects over the course of four decades, that influenza is a relatively rare cause of influenza-like illnesses and is therefore "a relatively rare disease." He further observes vaccines may not be appropriate preventive interventions for either influenza or influenza-like illnesses. Click "source" to read more. | 10/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Obama declares H1N1 national emergency | "President Obama on Saturday declared a national emergency to deal with the "rapid increase in illness" from the H1N1 influenza virus. The move allows Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements" to help health care facilities enact emergency plans to deal with the "pandemic." Via CNN. Click source for more info. | 10/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Fungus-treated Violin Outdoes Stradivarius | "At the 27th “Osnabrücker Baumpflegetagen” (one of Germany’s most important annual conferences on all aspects of forest husbandry), Empa researcher Francis Schwarze’s "biotech violin" dared to go head to head in a blind test against a stradivarius – and won! A brilliant outcome for the Empa violin, which is made of wood treated with fungus, against the instrument made by the great master himself in 1711. Violins made by the Italian master Antonio Giacomo Stradivarius are regarded as being of unparalleled quality even today, with enthusiasts being prepared to pay millions for a single example. Stradivarius himself knew nothing of fungi which attack wood, but he received inadvertent help from the “Little Ice Age” which occurred from 1645 to 1715. During this period Central Europe suffered long winters and cool summers which caused trees to grow slowly and uniformly – ideal conditions in fact for producing wood with excellent acoustic qualities. Horst Heger of the Osnabruck City Conservatory is convinced that the success of the “fungus violin” represents a revolution in the field of classical music. “In the future even talented young musicians will be able to afford a violin with the same tonal quality as an impossibly expensive Stradivarius,” he believes." | 10/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Infectious Disease in the Age of Google - 10-22-09 at Koshland Science Museum (DC) | Tonight, at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., Amy L. Sonricker, MPH, Project Coordinator for the HealthMap project based at the Children's Hospital of Boston, and William Warshauer, Executive Vice President, Voxiva, will present a hands-on exploration of how computers, the internet, and phones are providing the new hi-tech and low cost tools of the future to track and prevent infectious disease outbreaks. Starts at 6:30 P.M. ET. The Koshland Science Museum is located on the corner of 6th and G Sts. NW in downtown Washington, D.C. Click "source" for more information. | 10/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine Flu News Gets Politicized - Less than Half of Americans Want the Jab | Pew Research Center for the People & the Press' latest weekly News Interest Index survey, conducted Oct. 9-12 among 1,003 adults, finds that fewer than half (46%) say news reports are presenting the swine flu's danger about right, while nearly as many (43%) say news reports are overstating the danger; just 7% say the press is understating the potential threat from the swine flu. More than half of Republicans (54%) say news reports are overstating the swine flu's danger, compared with 42% of independents and just 35% of Democrats. Click "source" to read more. | 10/19/2009 | |||||||||||
| The differences between adaptive and random genetic changes during the evolution of E. coli | After Twenty-one years and 40,000 generations of bacteria later, Richard Lenski, professor of microbial ecology at Michigan State University, reveals new details about the differences between adaptive and random genetic changes during evolution in E. coli. "Sequencing genomes of various generations of the bacteria, which had been frozen periodically over the years, Lenski and his team found that adaptive and random genomic changes don't necessarily follow the same patterns." The results have lead the authors to state that calculating rates and types of evolutionary change may be even more difficult to do without a rich data set. "The fluid and complex coupling observed between the rates of genomic evolution and adaptation even in this simplistic system cautions against categorical interpretations about rates of genomic evolution in nature without specific knowledge of molecular and population-genetic processes." Click "source" for more. | 10/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| Three Hogs in Minnesota test positive for H1N1 | In late August of this year, three hogs at the Minnesota State Fair tested positive for H1N1, aka Swine Flu, according to the Department of Agriculture's veterinary lab in Ames, Iowa. "The department said the test results were preliminary and would not be confirmed for a few days. But if the results are confirmed, the pigs will be the first in this country found to harbor the virus. Infected pigs have been found in eight other countries." "It is not clear what the findings mean for public health, scientists said. The virus is already spreading widely among people, and in fact is far more common in humans than in pigs, so people seem far less likely to catch it from pigs than from one another." | 10/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| HAART treatment protects against HIV transmission to newborns, study says | Mothers receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to treat HIV-1 infection are less likely than untreated mothers to transmit the virus to their newborns through breastfeeding, according to a new study. The findings, now available online in the Nov. 15 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, suggest HAART regimens should be initiated as early as possible in eligible mothers in areas with limited resources, such as Africa, where most infant HIV-1 infections occur, and breastfeeding is common. Via EurekAlert! | 10/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientists call for paradigm shift in how we approach infectious disease and population mobility | When people travel, pathogens often hitch a ride with them. As about a billion people cross international borders each year, microbes are being spread farther and wider than ever before. In a paper published in Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID), a journal of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Douglas MacPherson, an associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, explores the relationship between population mobility, globalization and antimicrobial drug resistance. In collaboration with a team of international scientists, MacPherson examined the link between human travel and the international movement of drug-resistant infectious diseases around the world. "Citing published data, the authors conclude that population mobility affects the spread and distribution of resistant organisms. But despite this, it has not been considered a primary factor in developing approaches for disease control. The authors propose a paradigm shift is needed to tackle the problem, as well as greater international collaboration and standardization across borders." | 10/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Supply Status | In an era of transparency, the CDC is doing it's part by posting every Friday the H1N1 vaccine supply status for all states and U.S. territories. Click "source" to view the status of allocations, orders and shipments. | 10/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Obscure gut microbe keeps mice immune systems in check | Medical researchers have long suspected that obscure bacteria living within the intestinal tract may help keep the human immune system in balance. An international collaboration co-led by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center has now identified a bizarre-looking microbial species that can single-handedly spur the production of specialized immune cells in mice. This remarkable activation of the immune response could point to a similar phenomenon in humans, helping researchers understand how gut-dwelling bacteria protect us from pathogenic bacteria, such as virulent strains of E. coli. The study, published in the Oct. 30, 2009, issue of Cell, also supports the idea that specific bacteria may act like neighborhood watchdogs at key locations within the small intestine, where they sense the local microbial community and sound the alarm if something seems amiss. Click "source" for more. | 10/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Student research raises hope for future | Here's a nice story from the Rider News, the student newspaper of Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ, on how the American Society for Microbiology supports undergraduate research. "The research of two senior biology majors may have an effect on the medicines of the future, and they have the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) to thank for the opportunity. Seniors Daniel Graham and Megan Kozlowski applied for and were awarded Undergraduate Research Fellowships by ASM last spring and spent their summers at Rider conducting their research, using a $5,000 stipend to support it. Only 10 to 15 percent of applicants receive the grants." The ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship (URF) is aimed at highly competitive students who wish to pursue graduate careers (Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D) in microbiology. Students have the opportunity to conduct full time research at their home institutions with an ASM member and present research results at the ASM General Meeting the following year. Cut n' Paste this link into your browser address bar for more information http://www.asm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4319 | 10/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| New AAM Report out Now - Antibiotic Resistance: An Ecological Perspective on an Old Problem | The American Academy of Microbiology has just published a colloquium report entitled "Antibiotic Resistance: An Ecological Perspective on an Old Problem." According to the report, it is possible to co-exist with resistance by- developing new strategies to prevent resistance from spreading and, where it already exists, identify the strains we need to protect against; find new ways to treat resistance infections effectively in patients; and manage reservoirs of antibiotic strains in the environment. The report summarizes the current scientific understanding of antibiotic resistance, the scope of the problem, and methods at our disposal for detecting emergence and preventing spread. The knowledge gaps about the prevalence of resistant strains and resistant infections are highlighted as are the unique problems and challenges in developing countries. The American Academy of Microbiology convenes colloquia on issues of critical importance in microbiology. Each colloquium brings together an invited group of scientific experts for several days of structured, directed deliberations on a specific topic. Published reports synthesize conclusions reached during these important meetings, providing analysis of the scientific issues and practical recommendations for the future. Information in colloquia reports should be considered a part of an evolving framework of knowledge dependent on data available at the time of the specific colloquium. Click "source" to download the report. | 10/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Earlier exposure to influenza may provide some immunity to current H1N1 strains | University of California, Davis, researchers studying the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus have identified a group of immunologically important sites on the virus that are also present in seasonal flu viruses that have been circulating for years. These molecular sites appear to result in some level of immunity to the new virus in people who were exposed to the earlier influenza viruses. More than a dozen structural sites, or epitopes, in the virus may explain why many people over the age of 60, who were likely exposed to similar viruses earlier in life, carry antibodies or other type of immunity against the new virus, immune responses that could be attributed to earlier flu exposure and vaccinations. Researchers Zheng Xing, a project scientist, and Carol Cardona, a veterinarian and Cooperative Extension specialist, both of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, report their findings online in the journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases. The report will appear in the November print edition of the journal, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "These findings indicate that human populations may have some level of existing immunity to the pandemic H1N1 influenza and may explain why the 2009 H1N1-related symptoms have been generally mild," Cardona said. "Our hypothesis, based on the application of data collected by other researchers, suggests that cell-mediated immunity, as opposed to antibody-mediated immunity, may play a key role in lowering the disease-causing ability, or pathogenicity, of the 2009 H1N1 influenza," Xing added. He noted that immune responses based on production of specific cells, known as cytotoxic T-cells, have been largely neglected in evaluating the efficacy of flu vaccinations. In this type of immune response, the T-cells and the antiviral chemicals that they secrete attack the invading viruses. - Via EurekAlert | 10/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Don't be quick to blame the whiskey and smokes for throat cancer, HPV may be the new culprit | Oncologist Maura Gillison at Ohio State University and researchers from the National Cancer Institute estimate that 4,000 people, 75% of them men, develop a new form of tonsil cancer each year caused by the human papillomavirus. "The old cigarettes-and-alcohol form of the disease is being eclipsed by a new form, caused by the same human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer. The tumors grow in the tonsils or in the tissue that remains after a tonsillectomy. The only good news is that the prognosis for these patients is better than that for the old disease." Gillison is now working with Merck on a study to see if Gardasil can help prevent HPV infection in the throat. Click "source" to read more. | 10/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| UMD's Center for Vaccine Development chart genetic variability in malaria parasite | Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) have charted the extreme genetic differences that occur over time in the most dangerous malaria parasite in the world. While there is no approved vaccine for malaria, various experimental vaccines are in development. The CVD study suggests that developing a broadly protective vaccine for malaria may be challenging because the parasite's genetic makeup is so variable, constantly changing. If a vaccine targets only a single protein in the parasite, and there are many different versions of that protein, the parasite becomes a moving target for vaccine development. | 10/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Canadian Government Invests $2.4 million in H1N1 Research | The Government of Canada through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) today announced support for five new research projects designed to help further understand and address the H1N1 flu virus. "Canada is a global leader in H1N1 flu virus research, including research with our international partners on a safe and effective H1N1 vaccine," said Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. "The scientific research we are funding today will help ensure that our knowledge, approach and planning remain among the best in the world." The research announced today – a total $2.4 million over 2 years - is being funded through CIHR's Catalyst Grant program, which provides short-term funding for targeted health research activities. The projects were selected through a rigorous, independent peer review process following a call for applications issued in July 2009. "In terms of research into the H1N1 flu virus, Canada and the international community have come a long way in a short time. However, important questions remain," said Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of CIHR. "The funding announced today will help ensure that Canada continues to contribute to the body of H1N1 knowledge in areas such as immunity and health care response." The five research projects announced today are: *Dr. Robert Fowler at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto will lead a team of researchers studying how to best manage health-care resources during a pandemic. His work will focus on determining who is most likely to get sick and how can institutions better prepare to help them. *Dr. Allison McGeer from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and her team will be studying the impact of H1N1 on pregnant women. This will include looking at the best ways to reduce infection and why only some pregnant women develop complications. *Dr. John Schrader from the University of British Columbia and his team will look into the rapid development of new drug therapies to treat patients with severe H1N1 infections. *Dr. Satyendra Sharma from the University of Manitoba and his team will seek to determine why some patients with H1N1 go on to develop Serious Respiratory Illness. The team will closely study how the immune system fights the virus, and how this response differs in persons who develop severe illness after being infected with H1N1. The team will also track the long-term outcome of people who have developed Severe Respiratory Illness. *Dr. Cécile Tremblay from the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal and her team will look at various immune responses to the vaccine with a view to develop immune-based preventative and therapeutic strategies for those at a higher risk of severe illness. This research builds on the work being done by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the CIHR Influenza Research Network. | 10/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| National Museum of Natural History plans a new hall exhibit on the story of human evolution | The National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., has announced it is dedicating a new hall to the story of human evolution that will partly focus on how changes in the natural world affected human development. "To tell the biological, cultural and ecological story, exhibitions will include 75 cast reproductions of skulls from the past 6 million years, a reconstructed face of Sahelanthropus (one of the oldest known hominids), fossils of early apes and humans, a large exhibit devoted to the human family tree, and a bone bed where visitors can learn about different kinds of fossil evidence." The hall is scheduled to open March 17, 2010 (St. Patrick's Day). | 10/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| H3N8 Dog Flu | First identified at a greyhound racing kennel a few years ago, canine influenza is now cropping up all over the U.S. In this episode of Discoveries & Breakthroughs Inside Science, Cynda Crawford, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville, is interviewed about this emerging disease. {flvremote}http://ivanhoe.com/viewers/videos/DBIS626.flv{/flvremote} | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Peter C. Doherty - Overview of the Immune System | Peter C. Doherty, Laureate Professor (Nobel Medicine 1996), Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Australia, gives a general presentation of the complex immune system we have inherited throughout evolution at BioVision from Lyon, France. | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Seas in Danger - Documentary | Over-fishing, newly introduced species, the destruction of natural habitats, chemical substances and heavy metals, tank-flushing at sea, and microbiological pollution are just a few of the problems facing Europe's seas. This 10 min documentary is about the state of Europe's marine environment and the announcement of The European Commission's intention to draw up an entire strategy for protecting the sea. | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| NIH funds new virus database at UT Southwestern | The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $15.7 million contract to UT Southwestern Medical Center and Northrop Grumman Corp. to develop an open-access national online database and analysis resource center that will help scientists study and combat viruses such as those that cause hepatitis, encephalitis, smallpox, acute respiratory distress and dengue fever, as well as newly emerging pathogenic viruses. | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Fact Sheet - What You Should Know About Flu Antiviral Drugs | Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu in your body. While CDC recommends flu vaccine as the first and most important step in preventing flu, antiviral drugs are a second line of defense against the flu. Click "source" to read the CDC's new fact sheet on antiviral drugs. | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Could Influenza-like illnesses misrepresent the gravity of actual influenza? | In a guest editorial published in BMJ's Clinical Evidence by Tom Jeffereson, Coordinator for the Cochrane Vaccines Field, Rome, Italy, he concludes, after looking at data from the control arms of 95 influenza vaccine trials involving 1 million subjects over the course of four decades, that influenza is a relatively rare cause of influenza-like illnesses and is therefore "a relatively rare disease." He suggests vaccines may not be appropriate preventive interventions for either influenza or influenza-like illnesses. Number-wise, Jefferson reports while the incidence of influenza is estimated at around 7% of the population, the control arms of the 95 studies identified evaluate people with influenza-like illness. "Therefore, 7% is not the absolute incidence of influenza in the general population, but is rather the portion of influenza-like illness that is caused by influenza, making the incidence of influenza itself in the general population much smaller (approximately 0.5%). A brief review of pie studies published in the past decade and available in the Cochrane database paints a remarkably similar picture to that of control arms, with an incidence of influenza of 0.5% to 1% of influenza-like illnesses." The Cochrane Vaccines Field was founded to facilitate the gathering of evidence on vaccines and their effects with the end goal of developing a Vaccines Register comprising all relevant studies on the effectiveness, the safety and the economical aspects of vaccines. Click "source" to read the full editorial. | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Tracking Counterfeit Anti-malarial Drugs in Southeast Asia | Smithsonian magazine has published a feature on tracking counterfeit malarial drugs and attempts to shut down the black market industry. "Southeast Asia is awash in counterfeit medications, none more insidious than those for malaria, a deadly infectious disease that is usually curable if treated early with appropriate drugs. Pharmacies throughout the region are stocked with the fake malaria medicine, which is generally cheaper than the real thing." "Nobody knows the full scope of the crime, although the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that counterfeit drugs are associated with up to 20 percent of the one million malaria deaths worldwide each year. Reliable statistics in Southeast Asia are hard to come by, partly because the damage seldom arouses suspicion and because victims tend to be poor people who receive inadequate medical treatment to begin with." | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Oct 15 is Global Handwashing Day | Global Handwashing Day starts October 15, 2009. This international awareness day is brought to you by the Academy for Educational Development, CDC, UNICEF and several other partners. The strategy for the United States is being led by the U.S. Coalition for Child Survival which is preparing a media blitz around the release of a UNICEF report on childhood diarrhea, which will include special press releases, and a viral strategy using channels such as Twitter and Facebook. A commentary piece will be published on The Huffington Post, on global health journals, and on several NGO websites. "The challenge is to transform handwashing with soap from an abstract good idea into an automatic behavior performed in homes, schools, and communities worldwide. Turning handwashing with soap before eating and after using the toilet into an ingrained habit could save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention, cutting deaths from diarrhea by almost half and deaths from acute respiratory infections by one-quarter. A vast change in handwashing behavior is critical to meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths among children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015." Here's the video... {swfremote}http://digitalmedia.worldbank.org/flash/singleplayer/multigallery/handwashing.swf{/swfremote} | 10/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Understanding cell organization | Franklin M. Harold, Department of Microbiology, University of Washington has authored an interesting guest post on www.SmallThingsConsidered.us that examines the process of cell structural organization and assembly: "Structural organization is one of the most conspicuous features of cells, and possibly the most elusive. No one really doubts that that cell functions commonly require that the right molecules be in the right place at the right time; or that spatial organization is what distinguishes a living cell from a soup of its molecular constituents. But the tradition that has dominated biological research for the past century mandates a focus on the molecules, and so our first step is commonly to grind the exquisite architecture of the living cell into a pulp. Few molecular scientists have asked whether anything irretrievable is lost by this brutal routine. Such questions as how molecules find their proper place in a framework orders of magnitude larger, or how spatial order is transmitted from one generation to the next, have been largely neglected until recently." - Read more at www.smallthingsconsidered.us | 10/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Interview with Paul Turner - The Evolution of Disease | "Paul Turner received his Ph.D. in 1995 from the Center for Microbial Ecology, at Michigan State University. He did postdoctoral work at the National Institutes of Health, University of Valencia in Spain, and University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Turner is currently Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, and a faculty member in the Microbiology Program at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Turner currently serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Evolution, and as the Chair of American Society for Microbiology’s Division R: Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology. Dr. Turner’s work involves basic research in evolutionary biology and the evolution of disease, often harnessing laboratory populations of microbes to study their evolution-in-action. He also conducts applied research on novel approaches to treat infectious diseases of humans and other organisms. Dr. Turner heads a research group with diverse interests; current members are using microbes to address questions relating to the evolution of genetic exchange (sex), host-parasite interactions, pathogen emergence, biogeography, the ecology and evolution of infectious disease, and development of novel antimicrobials. His research program is highly inter-disciplinary, employing techniques from microbiology, population genetics, genomics, molecular biology and mathematical modeling." Via Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on SciVee.tv | 10/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| All for one, and one for all! Symbiosis in a warming world | In what appears to be a warming world, understanding how plants can tolerate and prosper at elevated temperatures is an intriguing topic. Small Things Considered's Associate Blogger Mark O. Martin looks at the symbiosis between panic grass, a virus, an endophytic fungus, and elevated temperatures in geothermal soils. "The story began in 2002 when it was found that a type of grass growing in the geothermal zones of Yellowstone National Park—panic grass, Dichanthelium lanuginosum—was able to survive intermittent high temperatures in geothermal soils (up to 65 °C.) due to its association with an endophytic fungus, Curvularia protuberata. The fungus is essential to the plant's ability to tolerate temperatures that are lethal to the non-colonized plant." "Endophytic fungi are quite common among plants and have been implicated in a number of mutualistic associations that display enhanced stress tolerance. But the story was far stranger than this. It turns out that the "thermal tolerance" trait conferred by the endophytic fungus is actually due to a specific RNA virus onboard." Click "source" for more. | 10/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Can we domesticate microbes? | Evolutionary biologist Paul Ewald discusses germs. Why are some more harmful than others? How could we make the harmful ones benign? Searching for answers, he examines diarrhea. | 10/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Dr. Satyajit Rath of India's National Institute of Immunology discusses the AIDS vaccine trial in Thailand and its success. | Dr. Satyajit Rath of India's National Institute of Immunology discusses the recent AIDS vaccine trial being conducted in Thailand and its success. Via Newsclick.in | 10/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Chicago family seeks answers in Malcolm Casadaban's death by plague | ABC News video on the late Malcom Casadaban, a University of Chicago researcher who passed away after exposure to Yersinia pestis. "The tragic irony is that Professor Casadaban had been trying to develop a vaccine so that thousands of people around the world wouldn't die a painful, ugly death from a bacterial infection related to the plague. But it was that bacterium that appears to have killed him." | 10/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Naval scientist Patricia Guerry is the Partnership for Public Service 2009 Science and Technology Medal Recipient for her work on Campylobacter | If you’ve ever suffered through a bad case of food poisoning, you’ll be glad to know that Naval scientist Patricia Guerry has made a breakthrough that may dramatically reduce the odds that you’ll have to relive this miserable experience. | 10/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Anatomy of a Pandemic | CBCNews.ca has a really great interactive time line that "illustrates some key dates in the evolution of the first pandemic of the 21st century." Click "source" to view. | 09/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| Pets can get MRSA from their owners | MRSA, the microbe also known as the flesh eating bacterium, not only infects humans, but can also be transmitted from people to animals and then back again. "In a study this summer in The American Journal of Infection Control, Elizabeth A. Scott and her colleagues at the Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community at Simmons College in Boston swabbed household surfaces like kitchen and bathtub drains, faucet handles, toilets, high chairs, trash cans and kitchen sponges at 35 randomly selected addresses to see what germs they would find. They found MRSA in nearly half of the homes they sampled. When they tried to figure out what might make it more likely to have the bacteria at home, they ruled out many supposed risk factors, including working out at a gym, having children who attended day care, having a recent infection or recent antibiotic use, and even working in a health care facility. The one variable that overwhelmingly predicted the presence of the germ was the presence of a cat. Cat owners were eight times more likely than others to have MRSA at home. “There are a number of papers coming out now showing that pets pick up MRSA from us,” Dr. Scott said, “and that they shed it back into the environment again.” Click "source" for more. | 09/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| Dr. Clarke's H1N1 Rap | The H1N1 Rap was written, composed, produced, and performed by John D. Clarke, MD, FAAFP, for the HHS' www.flu.gov public service announcement contest. Out of the over 200 entries submitted, a panel of 12 video communication and public health experts determined the top 10 entries. These were put on the HHS YouTube Channel and put to a public vote. The winner will be announced Sept. 22. | 09/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| Campylobacter outbreak linked to raw milk in Wisconsin | DNA test results and other evidence have now established that an outbreak of illness involving at least 35 people, the majority children and teens, was linked to drinking unpasteurized milk. Wisconsin food safety officials are cautioning consumers not to drink raw milk and farmers not to sell it to the public. An epidemiologic investigation conducted by DATCP and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has found 35 confirmed cases of Campylobacter jejuni infection, including 21 patients under age 18. One person was hospitalized. All the patients had consumed unpasteurized milk. Thirty of the patients identified Zinniker Family Farm, Elkhorn, as the source of the raw milk. The farm sells raw milk through a “cow-share” program. Twenty-seven of the confirmed cases were in Walworth and Waukesha counties; the rest were in Racine and Kenosha counties. Additional testing showed that the Campylobacter jejuni isolated from 25 of the patients – all linked to Zinniker Family Farm – had the same DNA fingerprint. Manure samples obtained directly from milking cows on that farm also tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni with the same DNA fingerprint. Manure on the cows’ udders or in the milking barn environment can contaminate milk. Pasteurization kills Campylobacter jejuni and other disease-causing bacteria in milk. Campylobacter jejuni are bacteria that cause symptoms including diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, nausea and vomiting. | 09/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| Farm runoff and well water pollution | A New York Times ongoing series about the state and impact of polluted waters in the United States features a story about farm waste in Morrison, WI and it's impact on local well water. "In Morrison, more than 100 wells were polluted by agricultural runoff within a few months, according to local officials. As parasites and bacteria seeped into drinking water, residents suffered from chronic diarrhea, stomach illnesses and severe ear infections. “Sometimes it smells like a barn coming out of the faucet,” said Lisa Barnard, who lives a few towns over, and just 15 miles from the city of Green Bay. Tests of her water showed it contained E. coli, coliform bacteria and other contaminants found in manure. Last year, her 5-year-old son developed ear infections that eventually required an operation. Her doctor told her they were most likely caused by bathing in polluted water, she said. Yet runoff from all but the largest farms is essentially unregulated by many of the federal laws intended to prevent pollution and protect drinking water sources." | 09/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| Less than one third of healthcare workers in Germany and elsewhere have themselves vaccinated against influenza | Less than one third of healthcare workers in Germany and elsewhere have themselves vaccinated against classic influenza. This reluctance is astounding, firstly because vaccination against influenza viruses is considered safe and effective and secondly because it has been proved to prevent nosocomial transmission of disease to patients—provided at least 50% of employees have been vaccinated. In the new issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2009; 106(36): 567-72), Sabine Wicker of Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt and her co-authors reveal why vaccination rates have stayed so low and how they can be improved. The attitudes of healthcare personnel to influenza vaccination were investigated by means of several anonymous questionnaires. Those who opted for vaccination did so principally to protect themselves and their family, friends, and colleagues. Concern for patients was relegated to third place. The most frequent reasons given for refusing vaccination were low estimation of the risk of infection, fear of adverse effects, and scepticism whether the vaccine offered adequate protection. In the influenza season 2008/2009, the vaccination rate at Frankfurt University Hospital was greatly improved by making it mandatory for all unvaccinated employees to wear a protective mask in order to break chains of infection in the hospital. Within 10 days the vaccination coverage rose from 33% to 57.7%. The authors conclude that satisfactory vaccination rates obviously cannot be achieved by means of voluntary, free-of-charge vaccination programs and information campaigns. They recommend, therefore, that hospital authorities consider compulsory vaccination for employees who care for immune-compromised patients. Click "source" for the full paper (it's in English). via EurekAlert | 09/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Good-Enough Clockus of Prochlorococcus | Fine Reading: The Good-Enough Clockus of Prochlorococcus by Elio Schaechter from the Small Things Considered blog reviews a recent report from Ilka Axmann's lab in Berlin that concerns the marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus and it's biological clockworks. "The authors propose that their data provide biochemical support for the observed evolutionary reduction of the clock locus in Prochlorococcus and are consistent with a model in which a mechanism that is less robust than the well-characterized KaiABC protein clock of Synechococcus is sufficient for biological timing in the very stable environment that Prochlorococcus inhabits. This makes for an interesting variation on the theme, expanding the established notions about biological clockworks." | 09/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| Universities use social media to get flu and handwashing messages to students | An interesting article on how colleges and universities are using traditional media in combination with social media to get out H1N1/swine flu prevention tips to their student commuities. "Most cases of that strain (sometimes called “swine flu”) have been mild to moderate so far, but with so many students in close quarters, university communicators have their hands full trying to get messages about prevention guidelines—and, soon, about vaccines—out to everyone. Absolute saturation is key, communicators say. Not every student reads official university e-mails, picks up the school newspaper, or pays attention to signs around campus. For some schools, such as the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, tried-and-true methods get the message out. For others, like Loyola University Chicago, technology and social media have taken the reins. With a Twitter feed and more than 30 TV screens around campus, bite-size prevention messages can be repeated easily and often—hand-washing is the No. 1 way to prevent illness, says Diane Asaro, director of Loyola University Chicago's Wellness Center, so it’s important to repeat it. The blog can offer more detail: One recent post explained how to wash hands effectively. With the potential for the pandemic message to change rapidly, Asaro says these avenues are easier to use than posters, which are hard to take back. For example, the CDC recently started recommending that people get a seasonal flu shot, a message that was quickly added to Loyola’s digital communications." | 09/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| 'Team Diarrhea' tracks foodborne pathogens | The investigative work of a group of public health graduate students who work for the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has helped find the sources of the country's two most recent major salmonella outbreaks, in peanuts earlier this year and in jalapeño peppers (previously blamed on tomatoes) in 2008. Dubbed "Team Diarrhea," or "Team D," the students' work has played a major role in solving cases that had kept health officials in other states stumped for months and sickened thousands of people. Click "source" to read more. | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Treating IBD with probiotics? Use caution. | Researchers from the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy, analyzed three strains of the common probiotic Lactobacillus for their immunological properties and efficacy to treat or prevent inflammatory bowel disease in mice. The results suggests that each probiotic strain should be characterized for their immune activity before being proposed for clinical applications. Background While the use of probiotics to treat or prevent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been proposed, to this point the clinical benefits have been limited. In this report we analyzed the immunological activity of three strains of Lactobacillus to predict their in vivo efficacy in protecting against experimental colitis. Methodology/Principal Findings We compared the immunological properties of Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB8826, L. rhamnosus GG (LGG), L. paracasei B21060 and pathogenic Salmonella typhimurium (SL1344). We studied the stimulatory effects of these different strains upon dendritic cells (DCs) either directly by co-culture or indirectly via conditioning of an epithelial intermediary. Furthermore, we characterized the effects of these strains in vivo using a Dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) model of colitis. We found that the three strains exhibited different abilities to induce inflammatory cytokine production by DCs with L. plantarum being the most effective followed by LGG and L. paracasei. L. paracasei minimally induced the release of cytokines, while it also inhibited the potential of DCs to both produce inflammatory cytokines (IL-12 and TNF-α) and to drive Th1 T cells in response to Salmonella. This effect on DCs was found under both direct and indirect stimulatory conditions – i.e. mediated by epithelial cells - and was dependent upon an as yet unidentified soluble mediator. When tested in vivo, L. plantarum and LGG exacerbated the development of DSS-induced colitis and caused the death of treated mice, while, conversely L. paracasei was protective. Conclusions We describe a new property of probiotics to either directly or indirectly inhibit DC activation by inflammatory bacteria. Moreover, some immunostimulatory probiotics not only failed to protect against colitis, they actually amplified the disease progression. In conclusion, caution must be exercised when choosing a probiotic strain to treat IBD. | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Climate Change, Marine Mucilage and Microbial Pathogens in the Mediterranean Sea | A recent paper published in PLoS suggests that the warming of the Mediterranean Sea's surface water is turning "marine snow," mostly organic detritus falling from the upper layers of the water column, into marine mucilage, a gelatinous evolving stage of marine snow, which can reach huge dimensions and cover areas of hundreds of kilometres of coastline . The authors believe that this mucilage creates an ephemeral and extreme habitat in which pathogenic bacteria can survive and spread significant distances. Background Marine snow (small amorphous aggregates with colloidal properties) is present in all oceans of the world. Surface water warming and the consequent increase of water column stability can favour the coalescence of marine snow into marine mucilage, large marine aggregates representing an ephemeral and extreme habitat. Marine mucilage characterize aquatic systems with altered environmental conditions. Methodology/Principal Findings We investigated, by means of molecular techniques, viruses and prokaryotes within the mucilage and in surrounding seawater to examine the potential of mucilage to host new microbial diversity and/or spread marine diseases. We found that marine mucilage contained a large and unexpectedly exclusive microbial biodiversity and hosted pathogenic species that were absent in surrounding seawater. We also investigated the relationship between climate change and the frequency of mucilage in the Mediterranean Sea over the last 200 years and found that the number of mucilage outbreaks increased almost exponentially in the last 20 years. The increasing frequency of mucilage outbreaks is closely associated with the temperature anomalies. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that the spreading of mucilage in the Mediterranean Sea is linked to climate-driven sea surface warming. The mucilage can act as a controlling factor of microbial diversity across wide oceanic regions and could have the potential to act as a carrier of specific microorganisms, thereby increasing the spread of pathogenic bacteria. | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Smart phone apps may enhance epidemiological or ecological data collection | PLoS One has published an interesting paper that considers using smart phones for scientific field data collection and suggests mobile apps could also be beneficial for recruiting ‘citizen scientists’ to contribute data easily to central databases through their mobile phone. Here's the abstract: Background Epidemiologists and ecologists often collect data in the field and, on returning to their laboratory, enter their data into a database for further analysis. The recent introduction of mobile phones that utilise the open source Android operating system, and which include (among other features) both GPS and Google Maps, provide new opportunities for developing mobile phone applications, which in conjunction with web applications, allow two-way communication between field workers and their project databases. Methodology Here we describe a generic framework, consisting of mobile phone software, EpiCollect, and a web application located within www.spatialepidemiology.net. Data collected by multiple field workers can be submitted by phone, together with GPS data, to a common web database and can be displayed and analysed, along with previously collected data, using Google Maps (or Google Earth). Similarly, data from the web database can be requested and displayed on the mobile phone, again using Google Maps. Data filtering options allow the display of data submitted by the individual field workers or, for example, those data within certain values of a measured variable or a time period. Conclusions Data collection frameworks utilising mobile phones with data submission to and from central databases are widely applicable and can give a field worker similar display and analysis tools on their mobile phone that they would have if viewing the data in their laboratory via the web. We demonstrate their utility for epidemiological data collection and display, and briefly discuss their application in ecological and community data collection. Furthermore, such frameworks offer great potential for recruiting ‘citizen scientists’ to contribute data easily to central databases through their mobile phone. | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Badge sensor alerts health-care workers of need to wash hands | A wireless, credit-card-sized sensor that can detect whether health care workers have properly washed their hands upon entering a patient's room is being studied at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. The device could greatly reduce the number of hospital acquired infections nationwide since most are transmitted through contact due to poor hand-washing practice. The VCU Medical Center was chosen as a study site because of its higher-than-average rate of hand hygiene compliance, nearly twice the national average. The sensor is worn like a name badge and is programmed to detect the presence of ethyl alcohol, the most common ingredient in hand cleansing solutions used in hospitals. When a health care worker enters a patient's room, a small, wall-mounted sensor sends a signal to the badge to check for the presence of alcohol. The worker places their hands near the badge to obtain a reading. Lights on the badge glow red if no alcohol is present, indicating the need to wash hands. A green light indicates alcohol is present. Via EurekAlert | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| 10 year US project to fight malaria builds thriving African mosquito net industry | In a decade-long initiative to protect millions of families from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, a U.S. government-funded project helped sell 50 million bed nets in seven countries, crafted a voucher system to allow the poor to receive them for free or partial cost, and created enough incentives for private companies that they invested $88 million to expand their businesses, according to results released today by AED at a conference held at the National Press Club. This new commercial approach also helped reduce the price of insecticide-treated mosquito nets by 30 to 70 percent. Now, those nets sell for between US$4 and US$7. The NetMark project, a $67 million, USAID-funded public-private partnership to prevent malaria, ends September 30, but the bed net market continues to thrive in seven countries where it operated—Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Zambia. Not only did the U.S. investment help spur major spending by private companies—for every $1 in public funds, African and international businesses spent $1.30—the new commercial sector now exists. Via EurekAlert | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC Releases Small Business H1N1 Preparedness Planning Guide | Small businesses play a key role in protecting employees’ health and safety as well as limiting the impact to the economy and society during an influenza pandemic. Advance planning for pandemic influenza, a novel infectious disease that could occur in varying levels of severity, is critical. Companies that provide critical services, such as power and telecommunications, have a special responsibility to their community to plan for continued operations in a pandemic and should plan accordingly. Community strategies that delay or reduce the impact of a pandemic (also called nonpharmaceutical interventions) may help reduce the spread of disease until a vaccine is available. Over the past several years, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the CDC, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have developed guidelines, including checklists, to assist businesses, industries, and other employers in planning for a pandemic outbreak as well as for other potential disasters. The Department of Homeland Security, the CDC, and the Small Business Administration have developed this booklet to help small businesses understand what impact a new influenza virus, like 2009 H1N1 flu, might have on their operations, and how important it is to have a written plan for guiding your business through a possible pandemic. Click "source" to download the guide. | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Low levels of key antibodies may lead to severe cases of H1N1 | Australian researchers may have uncovered a clue as to why some people who catch swine flu suffer life-threatening illness. And if they are right, there is an existing weapon in the treatment arsenal that could help reduce the pandemic death toll. The group found that pregnant women who became severely ill with the new H1N1 virus had low levels of a particular antibody that is known to fight off viruses and help the body respond to vaccine. Moderately ill women were much less likely to have significantly suppressed levels of the antibody, the researchers reported. "We all believe we may have stumbled onto something very interesting," said Dr. Lindsay Grayson, director of infectious disease at Austin Health, a network of three hospitals in Melbourne. "To our knowledge it's the first time that a correlation or an association is being noted between severe influenza of any sort and a subtle but potentially important immune deficiency." | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Efforts to Reduce Gulf's 'Dead Zone' May be Hampered by Increase in Biofuel Production | Scientists in Pennsylvania report that boosting production of crops used to make biofuels could make a difficult task to shrink a vast, oxygen-depleted "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico more difficult. The zone, which reached the size of Massachusetts in 2008, forms in summer and threatens marine life and jobs in the region. Christine Costello and W. Michael Griffin and colleagues explain that the zone forms when fertilizers wash off farm fields throughout the Mississippi River basin and into the Gulf of Mexico. The fertilizers cause the growth of algae, which eventually depletes oxygen in the water and kills marine life. Government officials hope to reduce fertilizer runoff and shrink the zone to the size of Delaware by 2015. But that goal could be more difficult to reach due to federally-mandated efforts to increase annual biofuel production to 36 billion gallons by 2022, the study says. | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Eradicating dormant TB bacteria | Researchers have found a pair of compounds that kill dormant tuberculosis bacteria in monkey and lab-grown human cells, according to a study to be published on Thursday. The discovery could lead to new drugs that disable the microbe, which lies inactive in approximately two-thirds of the world's population. The discovery could lead to new drugs that disable the microbe, which lies inactive in approximately two-thirds of the world's population. Up to now, attempts to eradicate Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bug that causes TB, have been stymied by a clever mechanism within the bacteria that allows it to withstand attacks by the body's immune system. | 09/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| New airline air filtration system promises to eliminate 99.9% of airborne pathogens | A new airline air filtration system promises to eliminate 99.9% of airborne pathogens in the passenger cabin. "The aerospace giant BAE Systems has joined forces with Quest International, a small company based in Cheadle, near Manchester, to develop a machine that destroys up to 99.9 per cent of infectious viruses and bacteria as well as pollutants that can circulate in the confines of an aircraft, especially on long-haul flights. The device, called AirManager, uses a controlled electric field to filter out and destroy any airborne particles or germs as they pass through an aircraft’s air conditioning system, emitting only clean, sterilised air. After four years of development and tests, BAE says it has received its first orders from a major European airline and announced the technology is also being considered for use in NHS hospitals as a way to stop the spread of “superbugs” such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile. " | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Doctors warn online antibiotic purchases are a growing problem | "Think you need antibiotics to fight that cough or cold? Numerous Web sites are willing to sell them to you without a doctor's prescription — a loophole, researchers say, that could undermine efforts to curb the problem of bacteria that shrug off powerful antibiotics. In a simple Internet search, investigators found 138 online vendors that sell antibiotics without a doctor's prescription. More than one third supplied the drugs with no questions asked, while 64 percent made their own prescriptions after having prospective customers fill out an online health survey. The problem, the researchers report in the Annals of Family Medicine, is that these antibiotics are likely to be used inappropriately. And that, in turn, could contribute to the major and growing problem of antibiotic resistance — where populations of bacteria become immune to the drugs that once controlled them." Click "source" for more. | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Ileostomy patients harbor different gut microbes | UPI reports that researchers from the University of California-Davis and Georgetown University Medical Center studied bacterial DNA in patients with an ileostomy -- an opening into their small bowel -- and patients with closed ileostomies. The research team found in ileostomy patients, the gut bacteria were mostly lactobaccilli and enterobacteria -- bacteria that can use oxygen in their metabolism. But in patients whose ileostomies had been closed, the bacterial population was made up mostly of bacteroides and clostridia -- bacteria to which oxygen is toxic. In their study, the researchers were able to follow changes in the gut bacteria of 17 transplant patients for up to two years by taking periodic samples from the small bowel through the ileostomy opening. | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Genomic Analyses Could Lead to “Field Guide to Microbes” | The swell of enthusiasm for analyzing microbial genomes continues, with keen interest in doing more and more genomes in smaller analytic formats at lower costs. Even while greater numbers of microbiologists jump into this fray, some continue to fret over what to make of these expanding findings, sharing thoughts and insights during several sessions, including the symposium "Microbial Single-Cell Genomics" and the colloquium "The $1 Bacterial Genome," convened during the 109th ASM General Meeting, held last May in Philadelphia, Pa. "Single-cell genomics is a reality," says symposium participant Paul Blainey of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. He described an approach that depends on microfluidic devices and other comparably scaled manipulative procedures for plucking single bacterial cells, including from human anatomic sites such as the skin and oral cavity, for genomic analysis. "You need 1 pg or less of DNA to carry out a sequencing run, even though manufacturers recommend samples containing 1,000 times more material," he says. Microbial genomic sequencing is not merely driving miniaturization and other innovative technologydevelopment projects. It is also leading some experts in the field to ponder new means for collating and analyzing the volumes of sequencing data being produced, and also to identify which segments of the microbial world are underanalyzed and thus still poorly appreciated in the new genomicscentric scheme, according to colloquium participant Jonathan Eisen of the University of California, Davis, Genome Center. For instance, a genomic encyclopedia project sponsored by the Department of Energy lays out which phyla include species whose genomic sequences are already analyzed, which are not, and which ones are "sparsely populated," Eisen points out. Such collections can provide a valuable "scaffold" for sorting genomic data and also for "annotating predicted functions," he says, suggesting such efforts could lead to a "field guide to microbiology." Click "source" for more. | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| 'Make your own ethanol' refineries hit US market | "Dallas-based Allard Research and Development LLC has unveiled mini ethanol refineries for small businesses and farms capable of producing 100, 200, 500 or 1,000 gallons of ethanol per day, depending on the model. "The fully automated versions include 15in touch-screen LCD monitors and iPhone remote control monitoring capability. The systems also feature stainless steel fermentation, output collection and cooling water tanks, as well as a feature that captures and stores carbon dioxide produced from the fermentation process. Advanced sensors track temperature, pressure and liquid levels; the systems also have integrated fire suppression technology. The company said it is aiming to create a closed-loop system for growing food and producing fuel and is working on a book that describes how a 300sq ft swath of land can sustain one person utilising in-ground fish tanks, hydroponically grown vegetables, a greenhouse and other technologies." Click play below to listen to an interview about this technology with Adam Allard, President of Allard Research and Development from www.biofuelsjournal.com. {mp3remote}http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/audio/articles/75811.mp3{/mp3remote} | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| NZ company converts waste gases from steel mills into biofuel | New Zealand biofuel company LanzaTech says it has developed a microbe that can convert waste gases from steel mills into high-octane ethanol. LanzaTech claims to be the first company to work with steel mills to develop a waste gas-to-ethanol process capable of capturing the carbon monoxide that is typically released by the industry. The LanzaTech process captures steel mill waste gases and removes particulates, nitrogen and oxygen before sending the resulting gasses to a bioreactor. The carbon component of the gas is then fermented by the company's proprietary microbes to produce ethanol. | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Clinical trial of antiretroviral-based HIV prevention strategies for women now under way | A new, large-scale clinical trial is examining whether antiretroviral medications normally used to treat HIV infection can also prevent HIV infection in women when applied as a vaginal gel or taken as oral tablets once daily. The study, called Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) or MTN-003, will involve up to 5,000 HIV-uninfected women at risk for HIV infection in four African countries. The trial will test the safety and efficacy of two different HIV prevention strategies: an investigational microbicide gel containing the antiretroviral drug tenofovir, and oral tablets containing tenofovir or a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine known by the brand name Truvada. The tablets would be taken prior to exposure in an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Testing a microbicide and PrEP in the same trial will enable scientists to directly compare the two strategies in terms of their safety and acceptability. Notably, the VOICE study is the first efficacy study of an investigational microbicide in which participants apply the gel once daily rather than shortly before sexual intercourse. If found effective, this approach would allow participants to choose whether to use the gel in association with sexual activity or at another time of day, permitting greater privacy and convenience of use. Via EurekAlert | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Novel antibiotic stops traveler's diarrhea with once-daily dosing | The novel antibiotic prulifloxacin effectively stopped traveler's diarrhea with once-daily dosing in the second phase III trial of the drug, researchers reported here. A three-day course of the experimental fluoroquinolone reduced the duration of diarrhea compared with placebo (P | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| FDA approves vaccines for H1N1 | The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the long-awaited vaccines for the H1N1 "swine" flu virus this afternoon. It is expected to be available in a month at about 90,000 locations nationwide, the Associated Press reported. "We will have enough vaccine available for everyone," Kathleen Sebelius, Health and Human Services Secretary, said in an address to Congress today, the AP reports. The government, which does not expect everyone to get the vaccine, has an order out for 195 million doses, but only about 45 million are expected to be available by mid-October. The announcement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) last week that one dose is sufficient to protect against the virus means supplies will be more robust than they might otherwise have been. Nevertheless, the government is prepared to order more if necessary. | 09/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| How to make chicha beer with real spit! | This is the story of how to brew chicha beer with a saliva starter as told by the Dogfish Head brewer. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Greenland microbe revived after 120,000 years | A tiny bacterium has been coaxed back to life after spending 120,000 years buried three kilometres deep in the Greenland ice sheet. Officially named Herminiimonas glaciei, the bug consists of rods just 0.9 micrometres long and 0.4 micrometres in diameter, about 10 to 50 times smaller than the well-known bacterium, Escherichia coli. Researchers in the team coaxed it back to life by keeping it at 2 °C for 7 months, then at 5 °C for a further four-and-a-half months, after which they saw colonies of very small purplish-brown bacteria. They speculate it can survive in minute veins in the ice, scavenging sparse nutrients that were buried along with the ice. It also has extensive tail-like flagella to help it manoeuvre through the veins to find food. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Ethanol plants using hops to eliminate bacteria | An increasing number of ethanol companies are using hops to fight off nasty bacteria that can harm ethanol plant operations, according to Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul, Minn. Though antibiotics work well they have become a public relations problem as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it was finding antibiotic residue in dried distillers grains. Hops have been a long-time ingredient for the beer industry, and are known for anti-bacteria qualities. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Study involving 21 Spanish hospitals states 50% of swine flu, ICU patients had no previous health problems | A Spanish study of ICU patients with H1N1, the largest ever conducted in Europe on influenza cases requiring intensive care, presented on the website of the medical journal ‘Critical Care,’ contradicts one of the messages on influenza A released by Spain's Ministry of Health and Department of Health, which have reported that patients with influenza A cases had previous health problems. "The findings contain important messages for both the general population and for health authorities and medical intensivists. For the general population, an appeal to healthy people without risk factors to avoid falling prey to overconfidence in regard to influenza A. Although the vast majority of those affected will overcome the flu without complications, a small percentage will have pneumonia and should be hospitalized." "The natural symptoms of the disease is usually three or four days of fever, generally over 38 degrees with a steady improvement in the following days. But a minority of patients, around the fourth or fifth day, get worse," reports Jordi Rello , head of the intensive care unit of Tarragona Joan XXIII Hospital and coordinator of the study. Therefore, if a sufferer experiences breathing difficulties after contracting the flu, they should seek medical attention urgently but the main point of the study is that no risk factors or diseases have made them particularly vulnerable." | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Tasmania sparrow die-off and the possible connection with human salmonella infections | There is mounting concern about whether humans have caught a strain of salmonella discovered in Tasmania's sparrow population which is experiencing a notable decline. "Four cases of the salmonella in humans this year has Australian investigators wondering if there may be a link between a wide spread die-off of sparrows in Tasmania and the human infections. "An investigation by veterinarians, pathologists and the University of Tasmania's School of Medicine has found the bacteria is the likely cause of the deaths of large numbers of sparrows in recent months. Bird watcher Sylvia McClay was one of the first to report the decline in the state's sparrow population. "By about July/August the numbers were about half," she said. Veterinarian Dr David Obendorf headed an investigation into the deaths. He found many of the dead sparrows were carrying a form of salmonella." | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Methane mining may set off CO2 timebomb in Rwanda | The New Scientist reports that a "gold rush" to extract valuable methane from the depths of lake Kivu in Rwanda may trigger an outburst of gas that could wash a deadly, suffocating blanket over the 2 million people who live around the lake's shores. "The lake, which is almost half a kilometre deep in places, is on Rwanda's north-west border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and contains a vast reservoir of dissolved methane. Many companies are extracting the gas to burn for electricity production, and the governments of both nations are aggressively courting further investment in extraction plants. Now a group of biochemists warns that if unregulated extraction continues unabated, it could trigger a catastrophic outgassing of carbon dioxide - another dissolved gas abundant in the lake's depths. Such a disaster occurred at Lake Nyos in Cameroon in 1986, killing 1700 people. Kivu contains 300 times more CO2 than Nyos did, warns Alfred Wüest, a bio-geochemist based at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). Like Nyos, Lake Kivu is permanently stratified: a deep layer of dense water laden with CO2, methane, salt and nutrients is locked away beneath a surface layer of fresh water. Methane is generated by lake-bed bacteria that feed on a stream of dead algae sinking from the surface. The CO2 enters through volcanic seeps." | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC: General Questions and Answers on 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Vaccine Safety | The CDC has just released a general question and answers document on 2009 H1N1 influenza A vaccine safety. "We expect the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to have a similar safety profile as seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record. Over the years, hundreds of millions of Americans have received seasonal flu vaccines. The most common side effects following flu vaccinations are mild, such as soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be closely monitoring for any signs that the vaccine is causing unexpected adverse events and we will work with state and local health officials to investigate any unusual events." Click "source" for more. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Backgrounder on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) | The CDC just released a Guillain-Barré syndrome fact sheet and addresses how they will be closely monitoring the safety of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine in relation to this illness. In 2003 The Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted a thorough scientific review and concluded that people who received the 1976 swine influenza vaccine had a slight increased risk for developing GBS. "GBS is a rare disorder in which a person’s own immune system damages the nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. GBS can cause symptoms that last for a few weeks or several months. Most people recover fully from GBS, but some people have permanent nerve damage. In rare cases, people have died of GBS, usually from difficulty with breathing. In the United States, for example, an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop GBS each year on average, whether or not they received a vaccination. This is about 1 to 2 cases of GBS per 100,000 people." Click "source" for the fact sheet. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Valomaciclovir may be effective in treating mono | In a study presented at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in San Francisco, University of Minnesota researchers found that students who receive an antiviral medication early in the course of the illness become less sick than those offered the standard advice to rest for several weeks. The study involved 23 university students who had mononucleosis and had been sick for less than two weeks. They were given either an experimental antiviral drug called valomaciclovir or a placebo for three weeks. The study showed the students receiving the drug had less of the virus in their mouths and recovered faster than did those who received no treatment. The students taking the antiviral medication reached a 50% improvement in symptoms in 7.6 days compared with 11.1 days for the placebo group. Click "source" to read more. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 patients may be infectious 10+ days | USA Today reports two studies presented at ICAAC "by researchers in Canada and Singapore found that roughly one in five patients continue shedding the new H1N1 virus, or swine flu, with one study suggesting that patients may still shed virus despite treatment with Tamiflu. The research suggests that the current prevention guidelines for "self-isolation" may not be long enough, says one investigator, Gaston De Serres of the National Institute of Public Health in Canada. Guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that it's safe for flu patients to mingle with others 24 hours after fever abates. With seasonal flu, people are not believed to be infectious after a week, De Serres says. The new studies indicate that some patients may still be infectious for a longer period after they fell ill with flu." | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Open-Access Flu Research Web Site Is Relaunched Amid Controversy | A database designed to help researchers worldwide develop vaccines for avian and seasonal influenza viruses, not to mention the prolific H1N1 "swine flu," is now at the center of an ugly rift between its co-creators. Both the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) Foundation that initiated the effort and the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) that built the actual influenza gene sequence "EpiFlu" database claim ownership of the project, thanks to legal and financial entanglements that the courts will now have to sort through. Click "source" to read more. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Sickle-Cell Anemia: Vaccines in Wealthy Countries May Save Lives of Children in Africa | The New York Times reports that "a new study, published last week in the British journal Lancet, showed that invasive bacteria were an important cause of those children’s deaths and that many of the bacteria were the same kinds that affect children in wealthy countries, which have vaccines against them. Those findings suggest that new antibacterial vaccines used in the wealthy world could save the lives of many African children, the authors wrote. (Old vaccines against measles, mumps and polio are cheap, but newer antibacterial ones like Hib and Prevnar are usually much more expensive, limiting their use in poor countries.) Researchers also said that using antibiotics among these children as a preventive measure, which is controversial because of fears of creating antibiotic resistance, could save lives." Click "source" to read more. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Morning Shower, aka Bacteria Bath | Norman R. Pace of the University of Colorado and colleagues have found that the morning shower is essentially a bath in bacteria. "As part of a project to measure microbes in the indoor human environment, they looked at shower water, in part because in showers bacteria are incorporated into fine droplets that can be breathed deep into the lungs. The bacteria get into shower heads from the water and build up there, so the dose is highest when the shower is first turned on. Running the water for 30 seconds before stepping in would mean fewer bacteria in one’s face, Dr. Pace observed. Also, the bacteria seem to find metal shower heads a less hospitable niche than plastic ones. He has turned up more than 15 kinds of bacteria in showers across the country, from Tennessee to Illinois, Denver and New York City, he reports this week in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." For New Yorkers, Pace found that the water carries a particularly high dose of Mycobacterium avium, a microbe related to tuberculosis. | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Hand-washing: Your best bet to ward off the flu | An article in the New York Times by Tara Parker-Pope analyzes several recent hand-washing studies and concludes that soap and water, or alcohol-based hand sanitizing gels, are your best bets to stave off the flu. "It sounds so simple as to be innocuous, a throwaway line in public-health warnings about swine flu. But one of the most powerful weapons against the new H1N1 virus is summed up in a three-word phrase you first heard from your mother: wash your hands. A host of recent studies have highlighted the importance and the scientific underpinning of this most basic hygiene measure. One of the most graphic was done at the University of California, Berkeley, where researchers focused video cameras on 10 college students as they read and typed on their laptops. The eyes appear to be a particularly vulnerable port of entry for viral infections, said Mark Nicas, a professor of environmental health sciences at Berkeley. Using mathematical models, Dr. Nicas and colleagues estimated that in homes, schools and dorms, hand-to-face contact appears to account for about one-third of the risk of flu infection, according to a report this month in the journal Risk Analysis. Hand-to-face contact has a surprising impact on health. Germs can enter the body through breaks in the skin or through the membranes of the eyes, mouth and nose." | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| New 'adjuvant' could hold future of vaccine development | Scientists at Oregon State University have developed a new "adjuvant" that could allow the creation of important new vaccines, possibly become a universal vaccine carrier and help medical experts tackle many diseases more effectively. Adjuvants are substances that are not immunogenic themselves, but increase the immune response when used in combination with a vaccine. However, due to concerns about safety and toxicity, there's only a single vaccine adjuvant – aluminum hydroxide, or alum – that has been approved for human use in the United States. It's found in such common vaccines as hepatitis B and tetanus. But even though widely used, alum is comparatively weak and will only work with certain diseases. The new adjuvant is based on nanoparticles prepared with lecithin, a common food product. In animal models, it helped protein antigens to induce an immune response more than six times stronger than when alum was used. Researchers also showed that the lecithin nanoparticles were able to help induce a reasonable antibody response after only one shot, whereas it took at least two shots for the alum adjuvant to work. Based on their studies, researchers believe the lecithin nanoparticles have wide potential applications and possibly a good safety profile. Their findings were just published in the Journal of Controlled Release, a professional journal in the field of pharmaceutics, in work supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. via EurekAlert | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Tuberculosis patients can reduce transmissability by inhaling interferon through a nebulizer | A new study published in the September 15, 2009, issue of PLoS ONE found that patients with cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis receiving anti-TB medications supplemented with nebulized interferon-gamma have fewer bacilli in the lungs and less inflammation, thereby reducing the transmissibility of tuberculosis in the early phase of treatment. Tuberculosis, often called TB, is an infectious disease that usually attacks the lungs and infects one-third of the world's population, resulting in 9.2 million active cases per year. TB is usually spread between family members, close friends and people who work or live together. With estimates that nearly 1 billion people will become newly infected between now and 2020, the World Health Organization has set the goal of halving the prevalence and mortality of the disease by 2015. The study shows that patients who inhale interferon through a nebulizer can reduce their disease's transmissibility during the first few weeks of treatment. "Our findings create an opportunity to combat TB bacilli in the lungs and reduce inflammation in the early stages of the disease when the tuberculosis is transmissible," says William N. Rom, MD, MPH, the Judith and Sol Bergstein Professor of Medicine and Environmental Medicine, director of the Bellevue Chest Service, and director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Nebulized interferon doesn't replace medications used to fight tuberculosis, but it shortens the time when the disease is spread – which could be critical for control of the spread of the disease." In the study, researchers recruited 89 eligible patients with active tuberculosis in Cape Town, South Africa, and performed a randomized, controlled clinical trial. One group of the patients took anti-TB medications supplemented with nebulized interferon-gamma over a four-month period, and another took TB mediations alone. Dr. Rom and his colleagues found that those patients that inhaled interferon had a significant decrease in the amount of tubercle bacilli from the sputum smear at four weeks and fewer symptoms of cough, night sweats, fever and wheezing. Scientists also found that this group also had fewer inflammatory cytokines in lung cells recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage after four months. via EurekAlert | 09/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Authorities in Papua New Guinea fight to contain simultaneous outbreaks of cholera, influenza and dysentery | Click "source" to view the video. | 09/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| University of Utah tests H2O disinfection on International Space Station | Space is not a fun place to get a stomach bug. To ensure drinking water is adequately disinfected, University of Utah chemists developed a two-minute water quality monitoring method that just started six months of tests aboard the International Space Station. "Now they bring water back on the space shuttle and analyze it on the ground. The problem is there is a big delay. You'd like to be able to maintain iodine or silver [disinfectant] levels in real time with an onboard monitor," says Marc Porter, a University of Utah professor of chemistry and chemical engineering. The new method involves sampling space station or space shuttle galley water with syringes, forcing the water through a chemical-imbued disk-shaped membrane, and then reading the color of the membrane with a commercially available, handheld color sensor normally used to measure the color and glossiness of automobile paint. The sensor detects if the drinking water contains enough iodine (used on U.S. spacecraft) or silver (used by the Russians) to kill any microbes. The International Space Station has both kinds of water purification systems. "Our focus was to develop a small, simple, low-cost testing system that uses a handheld device, doesn't consume materials or generate waste, takes minimal astronaut time, is safe and works in microgravity," says Porter. As a spinoff, the test is being modified so it can quickly check water for the level of arsenic – a natural pollutant in places like Bangladesh and the U.S. Southwest and Northeast – and it can be adapted to quickly, inexpensively test for other pollutants. Via EurekAlert | 09/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Is a $10 Wal-Mart gift card worth a syphilis test? | "For more than 60 years, syphilis was largely on the decline. But in recent years, the venereal disease has been on the rise again — particularly in the post-recession South. In Forsyth County, N.C., where the number of cases so far in 2009 — 140 — is more than triple all those reported in 2008, health officials have chosen an unlikely weapon to fight against it: Wal-Mart gift cards. To tamp down the biggest outbreak the state has seen in years, health workers from that county spent a recent weekend canvassing neighborhoods, asking people to get tested for syphilis and HIV in exchange for a $10 card." via MSNBC.com. Click "source" for more. | 09/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| New drug Peramivir fights flu as well as Tamiflu does | Business Week reports "researchers delivered a double dose of good news Sunday in the fight against flu: successful tests of what could become the first new flu medicine in a decade, and the strongest evidence yet that such drugs save lives, not just shorten illness. A single intravenous dose of the experimental drug, peramivir, cleared up flu symptoms as well as five days of Tamiflu pills did, a large study in Asia found. An IV treatment is badly needed because many sick people can't swallow pills and because illness hinders the body's ability to absorb oral medicines." Click "source" for more. | 09/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Master gene creates natural-born killers | The New Scientist reports that the discovery of the master gene behind the front-line troops of the body's immune system could promise a host of new treatments for disease. Called E4BP4, the gene kick-starts production of natural killer (NK) cells in the bone marrow. Mice genetically engineered to lack the gene were able to make all other components of the immune system – such as B cells which produce antibodies and T cells which attack pre-selected targets – but not NK cells. This suggests that E4BP4 is indispensable for their production. | 09/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Taking Swine Flu fashion to the streets | With school back in session but swine flu vaccine not yet available and various reports suggesting high fatalities from H1N1 while others say there is nothing to worry about, a New York Times reporter took to the streets wearing a $69 suit called the Pandemic Emergency Defense System manufactured by Flu Armour to gauge public reaction. "On the subway, passengers were careful not to stare (at least not while they thought I could see), though when the doors opened at Penn Station, people waiting on the platform rushed to the next car. At that point, I thought I really might pass out. It wasn’t the embarrassment. It was the mask, which seemed to be filtering out all the oxygen. My goggles were completely fogged up and my paper outfit was working like the foil wrap on a baked potato. After a few stops, I escaped aboveground, found a bench on Broadway and caught my breath. From 30 yards away, an older woman fixed me in her sights. She started walking toward me, stopping every few steps to stare, hard. Then she’d walk closer. And stare. Finally, standing right in front of me, she uttered one withering question: “Is this for any reason?” | 09/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| School-Located Vaccination Planning Materials and Templates | Documents designed by the CDC to provide information for planning and conducting school-located 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination clinics that target school-aged children enrolled in school and potentially other groups in the community. The targeted audience for these materials is primarily state and local public health department immunization and preparedness staff who are responsible for carrying out 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination, but also education officials, school nurses, and others who are interested in planning and carrying out such activities. Click "source" to view the documents. | 09/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Disaster Plans Get a Second Look for Fall's Predicted Swine Flu Influx | "Even if swine flu remains a mild infection, the pandemic could be the tipping point for an emergency medical system teetering on the edge. "The worry is, the health-care delivery system could be overwhelmed by people who are sick or think they are sick," said Kim Elliott of Trust for America's Health, a nonpartisan think tank and advocacy group. In response, officials across the country are rewriting disaster plans and stocking up on masks, gowns, drugs and other supplies -- and inventing new strategies. One key line of attack will be encouraging people who are not really sick or are suffering only mild symptoms to recover at home. And in a move creating intense debate, experts are searching for ways to help health-care providers quickly screen those who do seek help and separate bad cases from less-severe ones." | 09/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| An hour on the life of Charles Darwin with E.O. Wilson and James Watson | An hour on the life and work of Charles Darwin with James Watson, chancellor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and E.O. Wilson, professor emeritus, Harvard University. This aired on the Charlie Rose show on PBS. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Potato Blight has the Genome of Death | Researchers have sequenced the genome of the mould that causes blight and found it keeps a huge arsenal of potato-destroying genes, ready to evolve around whatever defences taters can muster. On the plus side, the sequence also suggests ways to fight back. Blight is caused by an oomycete or water mould, Phytophthora infestans, related to brown algae. Sophien Kamoun of the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, UK, and colleagues report that P. infestans has a genome three times as large as its closest relatives, because it keeps many different variants of its "attack" genes (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature08358). These code for enzymes that kill potato cells, on which the mould then feasts. There are numerous variations, with many bits of DNA that jump around the genome, allowing the continual generation of more variation. This means the blight can make new enzymes as fast as potatoes evolve ways to neutralise the old ones. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Defying expert expectations, clinical trials of H1N1 vaccine show one dose is effective | "Defying the expectations of experts, clinical trials are showing that the new H1N1 swine flu vaccine protects with only one dose instead of two, so the vaccine supplies now being made will go twice as far as had been predicted. That means it should be possible to vaccinate — well before the flu’s expected midwinter peak — all the 159 million people that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate are in the high-risk groups: pregnant women, people under 24 years old or caring for infants, people with high-risk medical conditions and health-care workers." | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Nitric Oxide May Be Key to Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance | A new study, co-authored by Evgeny Nudler, professor of biochemistry at New York University Langone Medical Center in Manhattan, and published online yesterday in Science, shows that stopping the creation of bacterial nitric oxide synthases (bNOS), enzymes that contribute to the production of NO, may leave microbial pathogens more vulnerable to antibiotic treatment. If researchers could adapt NOS inhibitors, which are already commercially available, to be safe and effective in antibiotic treatments, even the toughest MRSA or Bacillus anthracis strains (which cause anthrax) might not be able to stand up to a drug's oxidative stress load. Click "source" to read more. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Puting a virus in two overlapping quantum states | Researchers from Germany and Spain are proposing a real experiment to probe whether a virus can exist in a superposition of two quantum states. Such superpositions are typically the domain of smaller, inanimate objects such as atoms. But the team believes that their technique, using finely tuned lasers, will soon allow for the superposition of something much closer to a living organism. At its most fundamental level, quantum mechanics says that particles can only exist in discrete states. For example, researchers can measure the direction a particle spins as either 'up' or 'down', but nothing in between. Yet, as long as no one is looking, the particle exists in a combination of both states simultaneously, a strange blend known as a superposition. The team hope to trap a virus in a vacuum using an electromagnetic field created by a laser. Then, with another laser, the team would slow down the virus's movement until it sits motionless in its lowest possible energy state. Once the virus is fixed, the team will use a single photon to put the virus into a quantum superposition of two states, where it is either moving or not. Until it is measured, the virus should exist in a superposition of motion and stillness. The team suggest that tobacco mosaic virus, a rod-shaped plant virus measuring about 50 nanometres wide and almost 1 micrometre long, would be an ideal candidate for the experiment. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Gardasil - It's just not for girls anymore | A medical advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted today that the use of Gardasil to prevent HPV, a sexually transmitted disease, in males ages nine to 26 would be both safe and effective. The panel's decision could open up a large market for Gardasil maker, Merck, which has been approved to market the vaccine in the U.S. to females ages nine to 26 since 2006 and has distributed more than 50 million doses globally. A market analyst told Forbes, however, that sales of Gardasil to males will likely be remain below 20 percent of the vaccine's total. But even that nudge could bring in upward of an additional $300 million a year, said Seamus Fernandez, an analyst at health care investment company Leerink Swan. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Killer T cells: power unleashed | "Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have found that killer T cells -- the sentinels of the immune system – possess a hidden strength that may be used to improve vaccine design for tough-to-beat bugs, such as Staphylococcus aureus. The new experiments show that killer T cells can attack bacteria that attach to the outside of cells. Prior to this work, immunologists thought that killer T cells only attacked cells that had been invaded by bacteria and other pathogens, said Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Ralph Isberg, who is at Tufts University." | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Study shows most students aren't protecting themselves from H1N1 | As public health experts warn of potential widespread outbreaks of H1N1 flu this school year, a new study from North Carolina State University shows that students do not comply with basic preventative measures as much as they think do. In other words, the kids aren't washing their hands. "Hand washing is a significant preventative measure for many communicable diseases, from respiratory diseases like H1N1 to foodborne illness agents, such as norovirus," says Dr. Ben Chapman, assistant professor of family and consumer sciences and food safety extension specialist at NC State. The new study, which examined student compliance with hand hygiene recommendations during an outbreak of norovirus at a university in Ontario, finds that only 17 percent of students followed posted hand hygiene recommendations – but that 83 percent of students reported that they had been in compliance. Norovirus causes gastrointestinal problems, including vomiting and diarrhea. Every year there are 30 to 40 outbreaks of norovirus on university campuses, affecting thousands of students. Chapman, who co-authored the research, says this is the first study to observe student hygiene behavior in the midst of an outbreak. Previous studies examined self-reporting data after an outbreak – and the new research shows that the self-reporting data may be inaccurate. "Typically, health officials put up posters and signs and rely on self-reporting to determine whether these methods are effective," Chapman says. "And people say they are washing their hands more. But, as it turns out, that's not true. "The study shows that while health authorities may give people the tools we think they need to limit the spread of an outbreak, the information we're giving them is not compelling enough to change their behavior. Basically, it doesn't work. But we do it again with every outbreak, and we're doing it now with H1N1." Chapman says the study shows that health officials need to target specific audiences, such as students in a particular dorm or who eat at a particular cafeteria, and tailor their information to those audiences. For example, telling them where the nearest washrooms are, or pointing out where hand sanitizer units are located. "The more specific the information is for an audience, the better off you are," Chapman says. Chapman adds that health authorities also need to use language appropriate to their target audience. "For example, don't refer to something as a 'gastrointestinal illness,'" he says, "instead, tell them 'this could make you puke' or 'dude, wash your hands.' The idea is to craft compelling messages that create discussion in that audience. Make them talk about it." Chapman also says that health officials should take advantage of social media, such as text messaging and Facebook, to raise awareness. "If your audience consists of students," he explains, "you should use media that students use. "Campuses need to expect outbreaks will happen and plan accordingly. Have the response tools in hand." Via EurekAlert | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Four-fifths of businesses foresee problems maintaining operations during an H1N1 outbreak | In a national survey of businesses that looks at their preparations for a possible widespread H1N1 outbreak, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that only one-third believe they could sustain their business without severe operational problems if half their workforce were absent for two weeks due to H1N1 (also known as "swine flu"). Just one-fifth believe they could avoid such problems for one month with half their employees out. The survey also found that while 74% of businesses offer paid sick leave for employees, only 35% of businesses offer paid leave that would allow employees to take care of sick family members, and even fewer would allow paid time off to care for children if schools/daycares were closed (21%). | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Vaccination of 70 percent of US population could control swine flu pandemic | An aggressive vaccination program that first targets children and ultimately reaches 70 percent of the U.S. population would mitigate pandemic influenza H1N1 that is expected this fall, according to computer modeling and analysis of observational studies conducted by researchers at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VIDI) at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Published in the Sept. 11 issue of Science Express, the early online edition of the journal Science, the study – which includes the first estimate of the transmissibility of pandemic H1N1 influenza in schools – recommends that 70 percent of children ages 6 months to 18 years be vaccinated first, as well as members of high-risk groups as identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These groups include health care and emergency services personnel and those at risk for medical complications from pandemic H1N1 illness such as persons with chronic health disorders and compromised immune systems. Two doses of vaccine, delivered three weeks apart, may be needed to confer adequate protection to the virus. Corresponding author Ira Longini, Ph.D., and colleagues emphasized that a combination of factors – the availability of an effective vaccine to protect people against pandemic H1N1, coupled with the timing of the outbreak – will determine how quickly the epidemic can be slowed. The researchers estimate that to bring the epidemic under control aggressive vaccination of the population must begin at least a month before the epidemic peak, concentrating on children as much as possible. Via EurekAlert | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Video on how Swine Flu/H1N1 Spread | A Bayesian phylogeographic reconstruction of the early H1N1 spread. “This helps reveal hidden information about the spatial spread of the virus,” said Marc Suchard, a University of California at Los Angeles biomathematician and co-author of the analysis, which was published last week in Public Library of Science Currents. The researchers ran 242 viral genomes, collected around the world between late March and mid-July, through algorithms that determined their most likely evolutionary path. From hundreds of trillions of possible configurations, the program arrived at the model above. Found at Wired.com | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 Vaccine Supplies May Miss the Peak of Fall's Flu Season | According the New York Times, "several prominent epidemiologists are warning that even though the new swine flu vaccine works much better than expected, it will still come too late to blunt the peak of this season’s pandemic. The epidemiologists said Friday that they expected the peak to come as early as next month, long before enough vaccine to protect all 159 million Americans who need it most will be ready." Click "source" for more. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| ASM to launch mBio, a new open access online journal, in 2010 | The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) today announced plans to launch mBio®, a new open access online journal designed to make microbiology research broadly accessible, in mid-2010. The focus of the journal will be on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. "The microbial world is a highly interconnected one in which microbes interact with living and nonliving matter to produce outcomes that range from symbiosis to pathogenesis, energy acquisition and conversion, climate change, geologic change, food and drug production, and even animal behavioral change. The goal for mBio® will be to publish the very best science in microbiology for all individuals interested in any aspect of the microbial world," says Editor in Chief Arturo Casadevall. Casadevall is the Leo and Julia Forchheimer Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York One unique feature of mBio® will be that every published research article will be accompanied by a brief non-technical summary written by the author in language that conveys the importance of the work to non-specialists in that area of research. "I strongly feel that scientists need to communicate their work to everyone in society," says Casadevall. "Connecting with the public is an important investment in maintaining the scientific enterprise." A new term "ASM Access®" has been coined to reference mBio®'s particular definition of Open Access, which otherwise varies among scientific publications. Full text of mBio® articles and supplemental materials will be accessible by the public immediately upon publication. Full text of mBio® articles also will be deposited in PubMed Central with access immediately upon publication. mBio® authors will be asked to sign a licensing agreement granting publishing rights to ASM and permitting unrestricted non-commercial reuse by others. The new journal will be linked with the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM), the honorific leadership arm of the ASM. The relationship will allow mBio® to draw on the considerable expertise of the Academy's members to serve in an editorial capacity. "The Academy envisions mBio® as inclusive and all-embracing, reflecting the greatly expanding and diverse knowledge base of the 21st century," says John Collier, Chair of the AAM Board of Governors. Author of more than 440 scientific research papers, Casadevall is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Association of Physicians, and was elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology. Until July 2009, he served as an editor of the ASM journal Infection and Immunity. He continues to serve on the editorial boards of the Journal of Clinical Investigation and the Journal of Experimental Medicine. "With his deep understanding of microbial processes and his broad research interests, Professor Casadevall was the obvious choice for Editor in Chief of mBio," commented Thomas Shenk, chair of the ASM Publications Board. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine Flu and the Next Pandemic with Palese, Worobey, Bloom, Koplan and Hoffman | {bigthink}14MWxxOnJ2KKzso81UzUdujVskLE2tJ_{/bigthink} Bigthink.com has posted a 45 minute panel discussion on swine flu and the next pandemic. Moderator and editorial chairman for Bigthink.com, Paul Hoffman prefaces the discussion by saying: "The reason we are here today is of course to discuss swine flu, and understand what the latest thinking is about whether it’s a threat to public health, to understand what we learned from it, meaning what medical scientists have learned from it, what our public health system has learned from it. So we will ever be more prepared when we have the next public health crisis." The event featured the following academics: Michael Worobey - Ecologist and Evolutionary Biologist, University of Arizona Barry Bloom - Professor of Public Health, Harvard University Jeff Koplan - Vice President for Global Health, Emory University Peter Palese - Chairman, Dept. of Microbiology, Mt. Sinai Medical Center Note: The first segment with Peter Palese was already posted on MicrobeWorld. This video also includes a presentation by Michael Worobey and a panel discussion with the other scientists mentioned above. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Mycodiesel | Here is another great article, closing out "Fungi Week" on Elio Schaechter and Merry Youle's Small Things Considered blog. "Huge amounts of money and effort are going into making automotive fuels using biological processes, but a fully satisfactory answer is not yet at hand. Well, fungi may come to the rescue. Strobel et al. found that a fungus called Gliocladium roseum actually makes a complex mixture of volatile hydrocarbons and derivatives that resemble those found in diesel fuels. Not only that, this fungus decomposes cellulose without needing any help. It sounds just right, but before you talk to your broker about your Exxon Mobile stock, read on." Click "source" above to see the full blog post. | 09/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Global warming and how the spread of a rare algae species may benefit coral reefs | "A rare opportunity has allowed a team of biologists to evaluate corals and the essential, photosynthetic algae that live inside their cells before, during, and after a period in 2005 when global warming caused sea-surface temperatures in the Caribbean Ocean to rise. The team, led by Penn State Assistant Professor of Biology Todd LaJeunesse, found that a rare species of algae that is tolerant of stressful environmental conditions proliferated in corals as the more-sensitive algae were being expelled from corals. "Symbiodinium trenchi is normally a rare species of micro-alga in the Caribbean," said LaJeunesse. "Because the species is apparently tolerant of high or fluctuating temperatures, it was able to take advantage of the warming event and become more prolific. In this way, Symbiodinium trenchi appears to have saved certain colonies of coral from the damaging effects of unusually warm water. As ocean temperatures continue to rise as a result of global warming, we can expect this species to become more common and persistent. However, since it is not normally associated with corals in the Caribbean, we don't know if its increased presence will benefit or harm corals in the long term." The results will be published in the online version of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B on 9 September 2009. | 09/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Wolbachia and the evolution of butterflies | Scientists at the University of Liverpool have traced the evolution of a species of tropical butterfly, infected with a bacterium that kills males, by comparing current butterfly populations with more than 200 museum specimens. The bacteria, called Wolbachia, are a parasitic microbe and are known to significantly alter the reproductive capabilities of a high proportion of insect species, including wasps and fruit fly. The team found that in some butterfly populations a gene had evolved that suppresses the effects of the bacteria so that infected males survive, but in other populations in the South Pacific for example, the frequency of the bacterium varied greatly and could rise to extreme levels. The result was that the sex-ratio of a population changed rapidly from a balanced male/female population to female-biased, which can alter the butterfly's behavior and reproductive biology. | 09/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Metabolism Harnessed To Produce Fuel | NSF-supported researchers use synthetic biology technology to engineer the next generation of biofuels. Jay Keasling, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, is leading a team of scientists in an effort to manipulate the chemistry within bacteria so they will produce fuel from sugar. Keasling is utilizing synthetic biology techniques involving chemistry, genetic engineering and molecular biology. Foundational work being done at the Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC), where Keasling is director, will underpin the research at JBEI. SynBERC is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). | 09/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| File Under 'Cool Art Department' - Glass Microbiology | UK Artist Luke Jerram has created a series of glass sculptures of microbes, including E. coli and the Smallpox virus. In fact, a colored image of an earlier HIV sculpture he made that was taken by photographer David Sayer won an award from the Institute of Medical Imaging in 2007. Several works in the series of sculptures were designed in consultation with virologists from the University of Bristol using a combination of different scientific photographs and models. From Luke Jerram's site: "Its great to be exploring the edges of scientific understanding and visualization of a virus. Scientists aren't able to answer many of the questions I ask them, such as how the RNA is exactly fitted within the Capsid? At the moment, the technology isn't there to answer all these questions for certain. I'm also pushing the boundaries of glassblowing. Some of my designs simply can't be created in glass, Some are simply too fragile and gravity would cause them to collapse under their own weight. So there's a very careful balancing act that needs to take place, between the limitations of current scientific knowledge and glassblowing techniques." Here's a video of Jerram making a glass HIV piece {youtube}hhWgq8622Mw{/youtube} | 09/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| NIAID launches H1N1 influenza vaccine trials for pregnant women | The first trial testing a candidate 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in pregnant women is launching this week, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced today. "Women are at higher risk of developing severe illness if they become infected with influenza virus while pregnant, which is why they are strongly encouraged to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine every year," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "Data indicate that pregnant women are at higher risk for complications from the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus as well, so this trial will provide critical information for public health planning." The trial is being conducted through the NIAID-funded national network of Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs). "The American public has shown once again its remarkable willingness to step up and help during an emergency. The interest in this trial has been extraordinary, and participating medical centers expect to fill all the available slots for volunteers soon," Dr. Fauci adds. Up to 120 women 18 to 39 years of age who are in their second or third trimester (14 to 34 weeks) of pregnancy will be enrolled into this initial trial. Volunteers will receive 15 micrograms or 30 micrograms of a candidate 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur. All women will receive an initial injection and a second injection 21 days later. Safety data will be collected and assessed continuously throughout the trial by the study investigators and by an independent safety monitoring committee. Study investigators will take blood samples to determine how the immune system responds to the vaccine (for example, by producing antibodies) at set time points before and following each injection. Cord blood will also be collected to measure maternal antibodies transferred to the infants through the placenta. Because the vaccine contains inactivated virus, it is impossible to become infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus by receiving this vaccine. The vaccine contains no thimerosal, a preservative, or adjuvant, a substance added to some vaccines to improve the body's response to vaccine. Via EurkAlert | 09/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Pandemic H1N1 can infect cells deep in the lungs, say researchers from the Imperial College London | Pandemic swine flu can infect cells deeper in the lungs than seasonal flu can, according to a new study published today in Nature Biotechnology. The researchers, from Imperial College London, say this may explain why people infected with the pandemic strain of swine-origin H1N1 influenza are more likely to suffer more severe symptoms than those infected with the seasonal strain of H1N1. They also suggest that scientists should monitor the current pandemic H1N1 influenza virus for changes in the way it infects cells that could make infections more serious. Influenza viruses infect cells by attaching to bead-like molecules on the outside of the cell, called receptors. Different viruses attach to different receptors, and if a virus cannot find its specific receptors, it cannot get into the cell. Once inside the cell, the virus uses the cell's machinery to make thousands more viruses, which then burst out of the cell and infect neighbouring ones, establishing an infection. Seasonal influenza viruses attach to receptors found on cells in the nose, throat and upper airway, enabling them to infect a person's respiratory tract. Today's research, which was funded by the Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, shows that pandemic H1N1 swine flu can also attach to a receptor found on cells deep inside the lungs, which can result in a more severe lung infection. The pandemic influenza virus's ability to stick to the additional receptors may explain why the virus replicates and spreads between cells more quickly: if a flu virus can bind to more than one type of receptor, it can attach itself to a larger area of the respiratory tract, infecting more cells and causing a more serious infection. Professor Ten Feizi, a corresponding author of today's paper from the Division of Medicine at Imperial College London, said: "Most people infected with swine-origin flu in the current pandemic have experienced relatively mild symptoms. However, some people have had more severe lung infections, which can be worse than those caused by seasonal flu. Our new research shows how the virus does this - by attaching to receptors mostly found on cells deep in the lungs. This is something seasonal flu cannot do." The researchers found that pandemic H1N1 influenza bound more weakly to the receptors in the lungs than to those in the upper respiratory tract. This is why most people infected with the virus have experienced mild symptoms. However, the researchers are concerned that the virus could mutate to bind more strongly to these receptors. "If the flu virus mutates in the future, it may attach to the receptors deep inside the lungs more strongly, and this could mean that more people would experience serious symptoms. We think scientists should be on the lookout for these kinds of changes in the virus so we can try to find ways of minimizing the impact of such changes," added Professor Feizi. The researchers compared the way seasonal and pandemic H1N1 flu viruses infect cells by identifying which receptors each virus binds to. To do this, the researchers used a glass surface with 86 different receptors attached to it, called a carbohydrate microarray. When viruses were added to the glass surface, they stuck to their specific receptors and the corresponding areas on the plate 'lit up'. This meant the researchers could see which receptors the different viruses attached to. Pandemic H1H1 influenza could bind strongly to receptors called α2-6, which are found in the nose, throat and upper airway, and it could also attach more weakly to α2-3 receptors, which are found on cells deeper inside the lungs. However, seasonal H1N1 influenza could only attach to α2-6. "Receptor binding determines how well a virus spreads between cells and causes an infection," said Professor Feizi. "Our new study adds to our understanding of how swine-origin influenza H1N1 virus is behaving in the current pandemic, and shows us changes we need to look out for." Via EurekAlert | 09/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Where in the body does bacteria go? Use bioluminescence | By attaching light-emitting genes to infectious bacteria in an experimental system, researchers at University College, Cork, Ireland, have been able to track where in the body the bacteria go – giving an insight into the path of the infection process leading to the development of more targeted treatments. At the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Dr Cormac Gahan described how his research team had manipulated the infectious food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes to emit enough light for an ultra-sensitive camera system to detect these bacteria during infection of living mice in real time. This non-invasive procedure allowed individual animals to be analysed over the course of a lengthy infection and therefore reduced the numbers of animals required for infection studies. This bioluminescence technology showed the researchers that Listeria bacteria migrated to the kidneys and gall bladders of normal mice during infection. In mice with cancer, the bacterium migrated very efficiently to the tumour tissue. The team went on to investigate the possibility that Listeria could be used to kill tumour cells by delivering DNA containing the codes for proteins to kill the tumour. "Bioluminescence imaging in bacterial infections has great potential to provide information on the cause of infectious diseases," said Dr Gahan, "The technology allows the researcher to pinpoint exactly where in the body the bacteria reside during infection. We have also demonstrated that the technology can indicate which bacterial genes are switched on during infection. The use of this approach will underpin the development and testing of new vaccine and DNA-delivery vectors for protection against bacterial diseases." Via EurekAlert | 09/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| ExxonMobil plans to spend $600 million to engineer 'superior' algae | "The production of biofuels from algae gained new prominence this summer when ExxonMobil announced that it will invest up to $600 million in the technology. ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics Inc. (SGI) formed a research and development alliance in July to explore the production of biofuels from photosynthetic algae. Photosynthetic algae—such as single-celled "microalgae" and blue-green algae—are organisms that use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into cellular oils and some long-chain hydrocarbons that can be processed into fuels and chemicals. SGI researchers plan to take a systematic approach to find, optimize, and engineer superior strains of algae, seeking to develop the systems for large-scale cultivation of algae and conversion of the organisms' products into biofuels. ExxonMobil expects to spend $300 million on the project internally, while potentially awarding more than $300 million to SGI. " | 09/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Coxsackievirus in Infants May Persist Long-term in the Central Nervous System | A new study suggests that coxsackievirus, a significant human pathogen that commonly infects the central nervous system of newborns, may persist in the body as a low-level, long-term infection causing ongoing inflammatory lesions. This discovery disputes previous beliefs that while acute, coxsackievirus is also self-limiting. The researchers report their findings in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Virology. Coxsackievirus is a commonly occurring childhood infection that afflicts the central nervous system. It is often diagnosed in newborns and can lead to complications such as meningitis, encephalitis, and death. Prior research indicates that infection of the central nervous system at an early age may result in severe physical and intellectual disabilities, deficiencies in scholastic performance, and even the development of neurological disorders such as schizophrenia later in life. A large percentage of polio victims are now experiencing new symptoms, known as postpolio syndrome, some fifty years after the primary infection suggesting we may be underestimating the lasting effects of childhood infections on the central nervous system. In a previous study the researchers utilized a neonatal mouse model of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) to determine that stem cells in the central nervous system were preferentially targeted by the virus. The later stages of infection were the focus of this study in which the researchers examined the ensuing inflammatory response and lesions remaining in the adult central nervous systems of surviving mice from the previous model. Results showed high levels of interferons and chemokines up to 10 days postinfection as well as chronic inflammation and lesions in the brains of surviving mice up to 9 months postinfection. Additionally, CVB3 RNA was detected in the central nervous system at high abundance up to 3 months postinfection. "These data suggest that CVB3 may persist in the CNS as a low-level, noncytolytic infection, causing ongoing inflammatory lesions," say the researchers. "Thus, the effects of a relatively common infection during the neonatal period may be long lasting, and the prognosis for newborn infants recovering from acute infection should be reexplored." | 09/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Can Gene Expression Profiling make it Possible to Predict Deadly Infections in Cattle? | A new study suggests that gene expression profiling may allow researchers to track the progression of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle and ultimately predict their infectious status. The researchers from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, United Kingdom and Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany detail their findings in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Virology. Prion diseases are transmissible, and inevitably fatal, neurodegenerative disorders that are responsible for BSE in cattle, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, and scrapie in sheep and goats. The first cases of BSE were reported in the United Kingdom in 1986 and reached epidemic proportions by 1992 at which point up to 185,000 cattle had succumbed to the disease. Contaminated meat and bone meal, common dietary supplements, are believed to be the cause of oral infection in cattle and BSE is considered to be the origin of the human disease variant of which there have been approximately 200 cases worldwide. Current research suggests that an abnormality of the cellular prion protein is essential to the infectivity of prion disease, indicating a correlation between BSE pathogenesis and gene expression. In the study brain tissue samples were collected from cattle orally infected with BSE at varying time points following postinfection and monitored for changes in gene expression. Researchers found that 114 genes were differentially regulated over the course of infection, many of which encode proteins involved in functions such as immune response, stress response and cell adhesion. The largest number of differentially regulated genes was detected at 21 months postinfection indicating many pathogenic processes in the animal brain prior to detection of BSE in the central nervous system. "Gene expression profiling in the BSE time course study revealed a broad correlation between the expression of genes and the progression of BSE," say the researchers. "Evidence is presented to suggest that it is possible to predict the infectious status of animals using the expression profiles from this study." | 09/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Peter Palese on H1N1/Influenza, Porcine and Otherwise | Peter Palese, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Mt. Sinai, explains H1N1/swine flu, the natural herd immunity that all humans share against it, and the reasons why the elderly stand at a lesser risk of contracting the virus. {bigthink}E2ZWdxOteNwv3VcNY0gZeFlnic13i5GE{/bigthink} | 09/ 9/2009 | |||||||||||
| Saliva-brewed Beer | Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales' founder Sam Calagione has commercially produced several unique beers over the years, including the Midas Touch, created from sediment found on drinking vessels in the tomb of King Midas in Turkey, and Chateau Jiahu, inspired by trace ingredients from a 9,000-year-old dig in China. His latest endeavor will be to recreate chicha, a Latin American corn beer, traditionally made by chewing and moistening the corn in the maker’s mouth. Yes, that's right, the fermentation process is initiated by the brewer's spit. "You need to convert the starches in the corn into fermentable sugars,” the always entertaining Mr. Calagione said by phone from his headquarters in Rehoboth Beach. “One way is through the malting process. But another way — there are natural enzymes in human saliva and by chewing on corn, whether they understood the science of it, ancient brewers through trial and error learned that the natural enzymes in saliva would convert the starch in corn into sugar, so it would ferment. It may sound a little unsavory. ...” | 09/ 9/2009 | |||||||||||
| Paul Ehrlich's Magic Bullets | AJ Cann from the Microbiology Bytes blog recommends an article in Wired on Paul Ehrlich's magic bullets. | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Mighty Microbes and Waste Clean Up | At the Society for General Microbiology's meeting in Edinburgh, the Scientific American is reporting on two interesting examples of researchers using microbes for bioremediation. The first one is a mixed ecosystem of particular bacteria that can survive—and clean up—one of the most lethal man-made environments: the residue from extracting petroleum from oil sands. The second shows how E. coli does a pretty good job of cleaning up iuranium, in conjunction with a cheap, widely available chemical (inositol phosphate), from the polluted waters of mines. Click "source" for more. | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Puerto Rico considers island-wide fumigation plan to avoid spread of dengue fever | Senator Luis Daniel Muniz asked today [28 Aug 2009] of the newly appointed secretary of the Department of Health, Lorenzo Gonzalez, that he promote a massive fumigation plan for the entire island to avoid the spread of dengue [virus transmission]. Muniz's demand comes after seeing the most recent Health report relating to dengue, according to which in the past week there were a total of 150 new suspected dengue cases, bringing the total of possible carriers of the virus in Puerto Rico so far this year, to 3256. | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Wheat streak mosaic virus on the increase in North Dakota this fall | The North Dakota State University Diagnostic Lab and field scouts are reporting an increase in wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) this year. This disease has been reported statewide in winter and spring wheat, plus durum. The levels of severity range from slight to severe. There are three possible reasons for the increase: * Fall 2008 was wet, so many green grasses, volunteers and corn were present late into the season. This allowed for a continuous green bridge for the survival of the mite vector and virus. * A heavy snow cover in many areas gave the mites and virus better chances of surviving. * A cool, wet spring hampered the herbicide "burn-down" of weeds and volunteers and delayed spring planting. To reduce the risk of carrying this disease into winter wheat this fall and subsequent spring crops next year, management steps must be taken now to break the green bridge that allows the mites and virus to survive, according to Joel Ransom, NDSU Extension Service agronomist and Marcia McMullen, NDSU Extension Service plant pathologist. The green bridge consists of host plants, such as wheat, corn, volunteer wheat and grassy weed hosts. | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Eastern equine encephalitis confirmed in Northern Virginia | Northern Virginia's first-ever confirmed case of a rare mosquito-borne disease called Eastern equine encephalitis that is fatal to most horses is spreading concern among health officials who worry that the virus is somehow moving beyond its normal stamping grounds. EEE is a noncontagious virus spread by mosquitoes, not unlike West Nile Virus, and was diagnosed last month in a 28-year-old mare from Middleburg in eastern Loudoun County's vaunted horse country. "About 240 cases have been reported in humans in the United States since 1964, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with fewer since 1984 because of the decreasing number of people living near marshland. Since 2003, there have been five human cases in Virginia. The fatality rate for humans is lower than that for horses, but those who survive the disease can be left with mild to severe brain damage. Transmission of the virus is most common in and around freshwater hardwood swamps in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states. " | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| New York State rolls out HIV "widget" to emergency rooms | A computer application, or widget, developed by a team of doctors from St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan with financing from the state’s AIDS Institute will be distributed to more than 200 emergency departments in New York state this week. Since time is of the essence in treating someone who may have been exposed to the AIDS virus, the new computer application provides concise guidelines for starting prompt drug treatment that can reduce the risk of becoming infected. "The doctors who developed the widget call it a “one-stop shopping” approach to PEP, or post-exposure prophylactic treatment. It walks users through a screening process to determine whether they are candidates for treatment, provides specific information about the 28-day course of antiretroviral drugs, and even links to consent forms in 22 languages, including Creole, Laotian and Yoruba." | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Preparing for a Stressful Flu Season | Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times has prepared some questions and answers about the upcoming flu season for parents with young children. Click "source" to view. | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Harnessing Bacteria to Make Protein Production Factories | "By adapting a single protein on the surface of the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, researchers at the University of British Columbia have turned it into a protein production factory, making useful proteins that can act as vaccines and drugs. Dr. John Smit presented the findings at the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, today (7 September). C. crescentus is a harmless bacterium that has a single protein layer on its surface. Dr Smit's team adapted the system that secretes this protein, which self-assembles into a structure called the "S-layer", to secrete instead many proteins that are useful for vaccines and other therapeutic purposes. Or, by keeping the S-layer protein intact and genetically inserting new things inside it, they produce a very dense display of useful proteins on the cell surface and then expect to use the entire bacterium in a therapeutic application. Bacteria are commonly used in biotechnology to produce useful protein products. If the bacteria secrete the protein rather than keep it contained within the cell, purification costs are greatly lowered. The researchers have developed a commercially available kit based on this technology, which could be especially useful in developing countries as it might be used to manufacture HIV-blocking agents very cheaply and with little specialist expertise." Via EurekAlert | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Infections may lead to faster memory loss for people with Alzheimer's disease | "Getting a cold, stomach bug or other infection may lead to increased memory loss in people with Alzheimer's disease, according to research published in the September 8, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found that people who had respiratory, gastrointestinal or other infections or even bumps and bruises from a fall were more likely to have high blood levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, a protein involved in the inflammatory process, and were also more likely to experience memory loss or other types of cognitive decline than people who did not have infections and who had low levels of the protein." Via EurekAlert | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Designing Probiotics to Ambush Gut Pathogens | "Researchers in Australia are developing diversionary tactics to fool disease-causing bacteria in the gut. Many bacteria, including those responsible for major gut infections, such as cholera, produce toxins that damage human tissues when they bind to complex sugar receptors displayed on the surface of cells in the host's intestine. At the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, today (8 September), Professor James Paton and colleagues from the University of Adelaide explained how they had added molecular mimics of these host cell receptors onto the surface of harmless bacteria capable of surviving in the human gut. If given during an infection caused by a toxin-producing bacterium, these "receptor-mimic probiotics" will bind the toxins in the gut very strongly, thereby preventing the toxins from interacting with receptors on host intestinal cells and causing disease. Effective vaccines are not yet available for many diarrhoeal diseases; and trying to control or treat these diseases with antibiotics can lead to the development of drug-resistance. One advantage of this approach to treatment is that the pathogenic bacteria are unlikely to develop a resistance to it, as that would destroy the basic mechanism by which they cause disease." Via - EurkAlert | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| DOE Awards $21 Million to Five Projects for Biomass Processing | "DOE announced on August 31 that it will award up to $21 million to five projects for handling and delivering high-tonnage biomass feedstocks to producers of cellulosic biofuels. The awards were selected as the best projects to stimulate the design and demonstration of a comprehensive system to handle the harvesting, collection, preprocessing, transport, and storage of sufficient volumes of sustainably produced feedstocks. Potential biomass feedstocks include agricultural residues, energy crops (switchgrass, miscanthus, sugarcane, sorghum, poplar, and willow), forest resources (forest thinnings, wood chips, wood wastes, and small diameter trees), and urban wood wastes. The awards are part of DOE's ongoing efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, spur the creation of the domestic bio-industry, and provide new jobs in rural areas of the country." | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Preparing for the Flu: A Childcare Communications Toolkit | The CDC has just published "Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Child Care and Early Childhood Programs." A .pdf document that provides information and communication resources to help center-based and home-based child care programs, Head Start programs, and other early childhood programs. The kit includes: * Questions and Answers about CDC’s Guidance on Helping Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Respond to Influenza during the 2009-2010 Influenza Season (PDF File Adobe PDF file) * Fact Sheet for Early Childhood Program Providers * Fact Sheets to Inform Parents * Posterfor Child Care Centers to Remind Parents to Keep Sick Children at Home * Template Letters (or E-mails) to Send to Parents * Additional Communication Resources for Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Click "Source" to download the kit. | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| A scrap from a childhood virus may save soldiers' lives | A harmless shard from the shell of a common childhood virus may halt a biological process that kills a significant percentage of battlefield casualties, heart attack victims and oxygen-deprived newborns, according to research presented Sunday, September 6, 2009, at the 12th European meeting on complement in human disease in Budapest, Hungary. Introducing the virus's shell in vitro shuts down what's known as the complement response, a primordial part of the immune system that attacks and destroys the organs and vascular lining of people who have been deprived of oxygen for prolonged periods, according to researchers at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD) and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), in Norfolk, Va. The complement response kicks in after the victim has been revived, in what is known as a reperfusion injury. It does its work slowly but unrelentingly, killing soldiers, infants or heart attack victims over the course of days. "To find a way to manipulate the complement system pharmacologically has been like a search for the Holy Grail," said one of the lead researchers, Dr. Kenji Cunnion, an infectious disease physician at CHKD and an associate professor of pediatrics at EVMS. While Cunnion and Neel Krishna, Ph.D., a pediatric virologist at CHKD and assistant professor of microbiology at EVMS, focus on pediatric research, they see clear military applications. "The complement reaction is one of the major causes of death of the battlefield," said Krishna. "By the time you get a victim to the hospital, it may be too late." - Via EurekAlert | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Fungi Week on Small Things Considered | This is the second annual Week of the Fungi on www.smallthingsconsidered.us. Elio Schaechter and Merry Youle plan to "hail the start of the fall mushroom collecting season" by highlighting interesting stories, observations and musings about the various facets of Mycology. The first post for the week is called "Myco-kleptomaniacs" and is about how small bark beetles in the forests of Papua New Guinea "sponge off the larger species rather than collecting and hauling their own spores." This particular beetle uses fungi to provide itself "not only with nutrients but also with the steroids needed to make the hormones that regulate the beetle's metamorphosis, a most unusual relationship between nutrition and development." | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Can American business survive H1N1? | A recent op-ed in the Washington Times by Asa Hutchinson, former congressional representative from Arkansas and chairman of the ReadyCommunities Partnership advisory board, and Michael Schmidt, MUSC Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, calls for the private sector to consider the role of the "crisis officer," in the wake of this past summer's H1N1 pandemic. "The crisis officer concept is not new to government and military operational commands. However, recent disasters and this most recent public health crisis illustrate the need for this important position to be staffed and developed within the private sector to support response and recovery efforts. " Click "source" to read more. | 09/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Loyola University Chicago's Department of Microbiology & Immunology Promo Video | A promotional video for Loyola University Chicago's Department of Microbiology & Immunology. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Tour of the Microbiology Lab | {youtube}_AA_ZM2ryaE&NR{/youtube} {youtube}gjaQEbqGYnc{/youtube} | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Even during a high-profile outbreak, students followed recommended hand hygiene procedures 17 percent of the time | The path to poor hand sanitation is paved with good intentions, according to researchers from Kansas State and North Carolina State Universities. As college campuses prepare for an expected increase in H1N1 flu this fall, the researchers said students' actions will speak louder than words. "Many students say they routinely wash their hands," said Douglas Powell, an associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University. "But even in an outbreak situation, many students simply don't." In February 2006, Powell and two colleagues -- Ben Chapman, an assistant professor at North Carolina State University, and research assistant Brae Surgeoner -- observed hand sanitation behavior during an outbreak. What was thought to have been norovirus sickened nearly 340 students at the University of Guelph in Canada. Hand sanitation stations and informational posters were stationed at the entrance to a residence hall cafeteria, where the potential for cross-contamination was high. The researchers observed that even during a high-profile outbreak, students followed recommended hand hygiene procedures just 17 percent of the time. In a self-reported survey after the outbreak had subsided, 83 of 100 students surveyed said they always followed proper hand hygiene but estimated that less than half of their peers did the same. The results appear in the September issue of the Journal of Environmental Health. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Report to the President on U.S. Preparations for 2009-H1N1 Influenza | Click "source" to view the full "Report to the President on U.S. Preparations for 2009-H1N1 Influenza" from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Here is the Council's "planning scenario": Indeed, the 2009-H1N1 influenza is already responsible for significant morbidity and mortality world-wide — from its appearance in the spring, its continued circulation in the U.S. this summer, and its spread through many countries in the Southern Hemisphere during their winter season. While the precise impact of the fall resurgence of 2009-H1N1 influenza is impossible to predict, a plausible scenario is that the epidemic could: • produce infection of 30–50% of the U.S. population this fall and winter, with symptoms in approximately 20–40% of the population (60–120 million people), more than half of whom would seek medical attention. • lead to as many as 1.8 million U.S. hospital admissions during the epidemic, with up to 300,000 patients requiring care in intensive care units (ICUs). Importantly, these very ill patients could occupy 50–100 percent of all ICU beds in affected regions of the country at the peak of the epidemic and could place enormous stress on ICU units, which normally operate close to capacity. • cause between 30,000 and 90,000 deaths in the United States, concentrated among children and young adults. In contrast, the 30,000–40,000 annual deaths typically associated with seasonal flu in the United States occur mainly among people over 65. As a result, 2009-H1N1 would lead to many more years of life lost. • pose especially high risks for individuals with certain pre-existing conditions, including pregnant women and patients with neurological disorders or respiratory impairment, diabetes, or severe obesity and possibly for certain populations, such as Native Americans. There is an important issue with respect to timing: • The fall resurgence may well occur as early as September, with the beginning of the school term, and the peak infection may occur in mid-October. • But significant availability of the 2009-H1N1 vaccine is currently projected to begin only in mid-October, with several additional weeks required until vaccinated individuals develop protective immunity. This potential mismatch in timing could significantly diminish the usefulness of vaccination for mitigating the epidemic and could place many at risk of serious disease. PCAST emphasizes that this is a planning scenario, not a prediction. But the scenario illustrates that an H1N1 resurgence could cause serious disruption of social and medical capacities in our country in the coming months. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Chinese company Sinovac gets greenlight to mass produce H1N1 vaccine | Click "Source" to view the video via Scientific American/Reuters. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Animal breeders and suppliers of food rats may increase spread of Cowpox | German researchers suspect that a recent increase in human Cowpox infections in Germany may be spread through the handling of food rats (rodents used for feeding pets or zoo animals) and a decrease in small pox vaccinations among the general public in a PLoS One paper entitled "Cowpox Virus Outbreak in Banded Mongooses (Mungos mungo) and Jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) with a Time-Delayed Infection to Humans." Abstract Often described as an extremely rare zoonosis, cowpox virus (CPXV) infections are on the increase in Germany. CPXV is rodent-borne with a broad host range and contains the largest and most complete genome of all poxviruses, including parts with high homology to variola virus (smallpox). So far, most CPXV cases have occurred individually in unvaccinated animals and humans and were caused by genetically distinguishable virus strains. Methods Generalized CPXV infections in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) and jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) at a Zoological Garden were observed with a prevalence of the affected animal group of 100% and a mortality of 30%. A subsequent serological investigation of other exotic animal species provided evidence of subclinical cases before the onset of the outbreak. Moreover, a time-delayed human cowpox virus infection caused by the identical virus strain occurred in a different geographical area indicating that handling/feeding food rats might be the common source of infection. Conclusion Reports on the increased zoonotic transmission of orthopoxviruses have renewed interest in understanding interactions between these viruses and their hosts. The list of animals known to be susceptible to CPXV is still growing. Thus, the likely existence of unknown CPXV hosts and their distribution may present a risk for other exotic animals but also for the general public, as was shown in this outbreak. Animal breeders and suppliers of food rats represent potential multipliers and distributors of CPXV, in the context of increasingly pan-European trading. Taking the cessation of vaccination against smallpox into account, this situation contributes to the increased incidence of CPXV infections in man, particularly in younger age groups, with more complicated courses of clinical infections. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Don't be the Fifth Guy | When it comes to washing their hands, Americans say they are getting the message, but their actions speak otherwise. While nine out of ten (92%) Americans, in a recent telephone survey, said they always washed their hands after using a public restroom, an observational survey in 5 cities found the actual number to be more like 3 out of 4 (77%). That’s down nearly 10% from a similar study done in 2005, and it’s all the men’s fault! This amusing and effective video, filmed and submitted to YouTube by Ben Spring, highlights the importance of hand washing in the workplace. Ben's work was nominated for Florida's Suncoast Regional Emmy, which he won for this piece. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Activation of a Macrophage by an Effector T Lymphocyte | Major histocompatibility (MHC) molecules enable T lymphocytes to recognize epitopes of antigens and discriminate self from nonself. Unlike B-cell receptors on B lymphocytes that are able to directly bind epitopes on antigens, the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of T lymphocytes can only recognize epitopes, typically short chains of amino acids called peptides, after they are bound to MHC molecules. There are two classes of MHC molecules: MHC-I and MHC-II. MHC-I presents epitopes to CD8 (T8) lymphocytes while MHC-II presents epitopes to CD4 (T4) lymphocytes. This is a two part animation. In the first animation in this series, a macrophage is shown processing an exogenous antigen for eventual presentation to a Th1 lymphocyte. In the second animation in this series, the activation of a macrophage by a Th1 lymphocyte is shown. Click "source" to view | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Dengue Fever PSA (Queensland, Australia) | An animated public service announcement from Queensland, Australia on how to prevent catching Dengue Fever. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bananas accross central Africa under attack from two diseases | Two diseases, banana bunchy top virus and bacterial wilt, are infecting banana crops across central Africa, putting about 30 million people at risk in regions where it is a staple. "At a meeting in Tanzania last week on the crisis, agricultural experts urged farmers to use pesticides or switch to resistant varieties, according to reports from the meeting by BBC News and Reuters. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, the world’s leading network of agricultural research centers, recommended “excavating entire banana fields and treating them with pesticides, or burning the plants.” | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Choosing the Less Traveled Road | Lars Jansen from the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (Gulbenkian Institute for Science) in Oeiras, Portugal, is featured In the Career Profile section of the AAAS Science journal. According to the article, Jansen's career started with a presentation at the 1999 ASM Conference on DNA Repair and Mutagenesis. "Lars Jansen was halfway through his Ph.D. at Leiden University in his native Holland when he presented his work in a plenary session at the 1999 American Society for Microbiology conference on DNA repair and mutagenesis at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. The talk won Jansen accolades and postdoc offers, but the most valuable thing it gave him was "a chance to talk to even senior scientists that would normally never talk to a Ph.D. student," Jansen says. It was, he says, "a turning point" in his scientific career. From then on, "I knew that I was actually made to do this." But "this" turned out to be something other than the field of DNA repair. By the time he finished his Ph.D., Jansen didn't see many more exciting questions to solve, so he decided to move to the emerging area of epigenetics, where he cracked another long-standing problem during a postdoc at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Today, Jansen, at 36, heads his own Laboratory for Epigenetic Mechanisms at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in Portugal, a move he supported with a Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant from the European Commission and an Installation Grant from the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). " Click "source" to read more. | 09/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC's 2009 H1N1 Vaccination Recommendations (Podcast) | Dr. Tony Fiore discusses who should be vaccinated against 2009 H1N1 flu during the 2009-2010 season. He explains the target groups for vaccination, and how these groups differ from those recommended for seasonal flu vaccination. | 09/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| HIV Weak Spot Gives Hope to Vaccine Makers | "The discovery of antibodies that bind to a hitherto unknown "weak spot" on HIV has revived hopes that a potent vaccine is within reach. Now that the weak spot – common to many strains – has been discovered, researchers can aim for vaccines that trick people into making their own antibodies to target it. Vaccine developers have been beset by one failure after another. One explanation for the failures is that HIV rapidly mutates to escape detection by the immune system. As a result, many of the mutated strains are no longer recognised by antibodies. But lab tests show the new antibodies bind to many more strains and variants of HIV than usual, potentially giving patients protection against any new strains they're infected with, or any new mutants that evolve in their own bodies." | 09/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Home Food Safety Mythbusters | Fightbac.org, the website of the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), has created some fun resources around common home food safety myths for educators and organizations to distribute, and they are allowing groups to add their own logos to them. In addition to the educators kit and downloadable .pdf files they also have a YouTube video. {youtube}rVq20nvdAiU{/youtube} | 09/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine-flu vaccine trials in Leicester reveal a strong immune response after just one dose | Results from the first swine-flu vaccine trials taking place in Leicester reveal a strong immune response after just one dose. The pilot study, run by the University of Leicester and Leicester Hospitals, was trialled with 100 healthy volunteers, aged between 18 and 50. Dr Iain Stephenson, who led the trial at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, said: "The clinical trial of Novartis MF59-adjuvanted cell-based A (H1N1) vaccine indicates that the "swine flu" vaccine elicits a strong immune response and is well-tolerated. "Results showed that the serum antibody responses were highest among subjects who received two doses of vaccine, however a single vaccine dose also induced responses associated with protection against influenza. "The findings showed that it is possible to induce protective antibody against A(H1N1) infection within two weeks of administration of a single low-dose adjuvanted vaccine." Non-adjuvanted formulations were not evaluated in this part of the study and will be evaluated shortly. | 09/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| The case for biocentric microbiology | An interesting commentary by Ramy Karam Aziz, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, published in the journal Gut Pathogens claims "current microbiology is contaminated with anthropocentric convictions, many of which are irrational and negatively affect the objectivity of this science." The definition of "Anthropocentric" according to Merriam-Webster is: 1 : considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe 2 : interpreting or regarding the world in terms of human values and experiences Following is Aziz's abstract: "Microbiology is a relatively modern scientific discipline intended to objectively study microorganisms, including pathogens and nonpathogens. However, since its birth, this science has been negatively affected by anthropocentric convictions, including rational and irrational beliefs. Among these, for example, is the artificial separation between environmental and medical microbiology that weakens both disciplines. Anthropocentric microbiology also fails to properly answer questions concerning the evolution of microbial pathogenesis. Here, I argue that an exclusively biocentric microbiology is imperative for improving our understanding not only of the microbial world, but also of our own species, our guts, and the world around us." Click "source" to read the entire piece. Found via www.smallthingsconsidered.us | 09/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Study Suggests an Unidentified Source as Cause of Residual Viremia in HIV-1 Patients on HAART | A new study suggests that an unidentified cellular source may be responsible for residual viremia in HIV-1 patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This discovery disputes previous theories that attributed residual viremia to latent proviruses in resting CD4+ T cells and could significantly impact eradication efforts. The researchers from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; The University of Texas, Austin; and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland report their findings in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Virology. | 09/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| The ABC's of E.coli | Dr. Christine Hoang, Assistant Director of The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Scientific Activities Division responds to a five minute Q & A about E.coli from a consumer/food safety perspective. {mp3remote}http://www.avmamedia.org/manage/mediaimg/s214-e.%20coli%20(huang).mp3{/mp3remote} | 09/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Former AVMA President to Head National Health Commission | Roger Mahr, DVM, former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), was named chief executive officer of the newly formed One Health Commission, a multi-disciplinary group established to highlight the connections between human, animal, and environmental health. Dr. Mahr was appointed CEO at the group's first board of directors meeting on August 14 in Washington, D.C. It is estimated that 75 percent of all emerging diseases are zoonotic, meaning that they can be transferred between animals and humans. The One Health Commission will address new and existing zoonotic diseases, such as avian influenza and West Nile Virus, through unified, collaborative efforts between veterinary medicine, human medicine, and environmental sciences. | 09/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| “I Can’t Live Without You!” A Close-up Examination of Microorganisms Involved in Mutually Beneficial Symbiotic Relationships | In this activity, students learn about mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships that exist between microbes and other microbes, plants, and animals, prepare samples for microscopic observation from a termite hindgut, a lichen, and a legume root nodule, and use a microscope to observe and identify the microbial symbionts in each of the samples. By completing this activity, the student will be able to: 1. Describe different types of symbiotic relationships. 2. Identify three mutually symbiotic relationships involving a microbe and another microbe, an animal or a plant. 3. Describe the microbial symbionts in the termite gut, a lichen, and a legume. 4. Identify how these symbiotic relationships benefit both partners. 5. Transfer and apply the principles presented in this activity to other examples of symbiosis. 6. Prepare a wet mount slide of termite hindgut to observe endosymbionts. 7. Use the squash technique to prepare lichen and root nodules. | 09/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Homeland Security Secretary Says Big Influx of H1N1 Infections Likely this Fall | The AP reports Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is saying people should expect "a big influx" of swine flu cases this coming fall and to prepare yourself by remembering to wash your hands and to cough into the sleeve. | 09/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Microbes and Odor | Even if recognizing that microorganisms cause bad breath and "most" other bad odors, microbiologists who study odor makers have "never gotten together, and we're not sharing information on how to sample and characterize [these phenomena]," says Mel Rosenberg of Tel-Aviv University in Tel-Aviv, Israel. However, he and other similarly minded experts are ready to delve into the intricacies of which microorganisms are responsible for what odors and the tough consequences that may be associated with those strong smells-judging from their formal and informal odor-information swap during the symposium, "Odors in Microbiology: Human and Animals," that was convened at the 109th ASM General Meeting, held last May in Philadelphia, Pa. Thus, the microbially generated odor outlook is changing not only in terms of bad breath from the mouth and other anatomic sites, but also in terms of strong smells from farms. Click "source" for more. | 09/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Free Swine Flu Shots for NYC Kids | All primary school-age children in New York City will be offered free vaccines for seasonal and H1N1 flu this year under a plan announced on Tuesday by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The vaccines are part of the city's strategy to combat the new H1N1 swine flu strain that hit the city hard during the spring, infecting an estimated 750,000 to 1 million people or about 10 percent of the population. | 09/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Mosquito capabale of spreading West Nile virus found in Switzerland | Swiss scientists say a mosquito capable of spreading the deadly West Nile virus has been detected in central Europe for the first time. Zurich University researchers say the Asian rock pool mosquito has colonized an area of 1,400 square kilometres (540 square miles) in central Switzerland. | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Aug. 31, 1909: First Chemotherapy Drug Treats Syphilis | After searching through hundreds of potential chemicals, German immunologist Paul Ehrlich discovers a compound that can selectively kill the parasitic spirochete that causes syphilis. The following year, he sends 65,000 free samples of the drug, now known as the first modern chemotherapy agent, to doctors all over the world. Click "source" to read more about Ehrlich | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Viruses may help keep the Earth's oxygen levels high | Oxygen is made possible in part by ocean viruses. The viruses which infect single-celled algae called cyanobacteria, are hyperefficient photosynthesisers thanks to a unique set of genes. "Previous work had shown that cyanophage viruses have some photosynthesis genes, apparently used to keep the host cyanobacteria on life support during the infection, which otherwise knocks out the cells' basic functions. Now Oded Béjà from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa says that the cyanophages' photosynthetic proficiency doesn't stop there. While screening DNA sequences in water samples collected during Craig Venter's Global Ocean Sampling Expedition, his team discovered seven more photosynthesis genes coding for a complex of proteins collectively named photosystem I. They believe the viral complex has a unique shape that makes cyanophage photosynthesis hyperefficient." | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Auto-brewery syndrome as a legal defense for a DUI | In 2000, researchers from the University of Washington's toxicology department published a paper that looked at the validity of "auto-brewery syndrome," a tactic lawyers apparently have used to get their clients off of a DUI charge. "The concentration of ethanol in blood, breath or urine constitutes important evidence for prosecuting drunk drivers. For various reasons, the reliability of the results of forensic alcohol analysis are often challenged by the defense. One such argument for acquittal concerns the notion that alcohol could be produced naturally in the body, hence the term 'auto-brewery' syndrome. Although yeasts such as Candida albicans readily produce ethanol in-vitro, whether this happens to any measurable extent in healthy ambulatory subjects is an open question." Unfortunately for those of you tempted to use "auto-brewery syndrome" as a defense, the researchers' had some disappointing results: "The notion that a motorist's state of intoxication was caused by endogenously produced ethanol lacks merit." - Via www.ncbirofl.com | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| One Health Commission Formed to Promote Collaboration Across Human, Animal, and Environmental Health Sciences | A new national commission, the One Health Commission, has been established to spotlight the connections between human, animal, and environmental health, as well as the benefits of proactive and collaborative approaches toward better health for all. The formation of the Commission comes at a time of heightened concern by policy makers and public health officials about the potential spread of newly emerging infectious diseases such as H1N1 Influenza, as well increasing threats posed by other emerging zoonotic diseases, food- and water-borne diseases, and environmental change. The Commission represents a call for greater cooperation across multiple disciplines at the local, national, and global level to achieve optimal health for people, domestic animals, wildlife, and the environment. To that end, the Commission's goals include developing an integrated public health strategy; raising awareness of the value of "one health" nationally and internationally; developing an interdisciplinary research agenda for the "one health" movement; and implementing "one health" principles into demonstration research and educational projects. According to Dr. Ronald Atlas, who was elected chair of the Board of Directors and who represents the American Society for Microbiology, "The One Health Commission brings together eight of the major professional organizations involved in health research, education, and practice. Given that 75% of newly emerging human infectious diseases originate within wildlife and domesticated animals, and that global warming and other environmental changes are likely to have significant health impacts, it is essential that the medical, veterinary, and public health sectors join forces." Other members of the Board of Directors are Dr. Albert Osbahr III, vice-chair, representing the American Medical Association; Dr. Michael Cates, secretary-treasurer, representing the American Veterinary Medical Association; Elizabeth Bishop, representing the Association of Academic Health Centers; Dr. John Fischer, representing the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; Dr. James Fox, representing the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges; Dr. Susan Polan, representing the American Public Health Association; and Dr. Wile "Chip" Souba, representing the Association of American Medical Colleges. Dr. Roger Mahr, past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association and a longtime advocate for the "one health" concept, will serve as chief executive officer of the new Commission. "The convergence of human, animal, and environmental health dictates that we embrace the 'one health' concept now," Dr. Mahr said. "We live in a changing environment populated by humans and animals living increasingly interconnected lives. This creates unique health challenges which require integrated solutions and more collaboration across health science professions, academia, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industry." That interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health is playing out in back yards, farms, and health facilities around the world. In addition to the many infectious diseases shared by animals and people, some of the most serious health issues affecting society and driving up healthcare costs -- including obesity, diabetes, and cancer -- are common to pets and people. And, a number of health conditions -- including respiratory ailments -- have a direct link to the quality of our environment. The Commission's initial action plan calls for hosting a national One Health Summit this fall and conducting a National Academies study on "one health" in 2010. The study will examine the interactions of humans, animals, and the environment in broad terms, which can lead to improvements in human health, animal health, and environmental quality. The One Health Commission incorporated as a nonprofit organization on June 29, 2009, and held its first Board of Directors meeting on August 14, 2009. Initial funding for the creation of the One Health Commission includes a grant provided by The Rockefeller Foundation. | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1/Swine Flu found in Chilean Turkeys - First reported case of human to avian transfer | On 23 Aug 2009 the Institute of Public Health (Chile) announced the first isolation of a A(H1N1) swine virus in turkeys. The finding was done by the Chilean farming agency SAG and the confirmation and genetic studies are being done in Chile's national reference laboratory. The conclusion of the initial genetic sequencing studies is that the influenza virus (H1N1) isolated from turkey corresponds to a variant of the influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus that has been circulating in Chilean people. "I think that now we are facing a new scenario where the chances of the influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus passing to birds is not just a possibility but a reality," said Julio Garcia Moreno MD, MSc Head, Biomedical Department, Instituto de Salud FAblica de Chile, in published email on ProMed Mail. Click source to view more. | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Enzymes from bacteriophages can be used to fight multi-drug-resistant bacterial pathogens | "Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have shown that enzymes from bacteria-infecting viruses known as phages could have beneficial applications for human and animal health. Phage enzymes called endolysins attack bacteria by breaking down their cell walls. Unlike antibiotics, which tend to have a broad range, endolysins are comparatively specific, targeting unique bonds in the cell walls of their hosts. This is significant because it means non-target bacteria could be less likely to develop resistance to endolysins. Researchers at the ARS Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., in collaboration with federal, university and industry scientists, have developed and are patenting technology to create powerful antimicrobials by fusing genetic material from multiple cell-wall-degrading endolysins. Now the researchers are collaborating with biopharmaceutical companies to evaluate and further develop the technology." | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| The California Battle against the Asian Citrus Psyllid | In California, tests are under way on at least 100 insects that can carry a deadly citrus bacterium that were found inside a FedEx package . "The finding this week by a sniff dog in Sacramento is the latest bad news for the state's $1.6 billion citrus industry, which has seen the Asian citrus psyllid jump quarantines in San Diego and Imperial counties and move into Orange and Los Angeles counties on a march from Mexico. Psyllids are a carrier of huanlongbing, a deadly bacteria that has devastated citrus industries across China, Brazil and Florida, where 200,000 acres of trees have died. Joel Nelson, executive director of California Citrus Mutual, appealed to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for better border inspections, which once was the domain of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but has been transferred by Congress to Homeland Security. In July, a sniff dog in Fresno found a package of curry leaves with infected psyllids in a FedEx package from India that had eluded inspectors at its Los Angeles point of entry." | 08/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Dead Probiotics - A Safer Bet | According to U.S. News and World Report, in 2008 some people got sick or died after receiving probiotics. "What role, if any, these bacteria played remains uncertain. Such events have, however, been giving some researchers and clinicians doubts about the safety of this ostensibly benign and "all natural" germ therapy." The article goes on to highlight several studies that recently explored the benefits between beneficial dead bacteria compared with beneficial live cultures: "Joseph Neu of the University of Florida School of Medicine and his colleagues reviewed several studies that compared health impacts using live microbes versus those that had first been killed by heat or ultraviolet radiation. The dead bugs were just as effective as live ones, they report, but “considerably safer for the host.” For instance, they appeared less likely to provoke an overzealous immune response. One study worked with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, better known as LGG. Researchers administered high doses of the bacterial strain to human cells that normally line the interior surface of the gut. When stimulated in a way that simulated the presence of a pathogen, the gut cells revved up a bigger inflammatory response than when the probiotics were absent. Both live and dead LGG induced fairly comparable responses — ones that would be expected to improve the gut’s ability to fight infection. Then the researchers repeated the experiment, this time with gut cells that appeared healthy — i.e. not under siege by pathogens. Here, live LGG triggered significant inflammation. Which is not a beneficial response, since healthy cells might be slammed by deadly chemical shrapnel unleashed by immune cells. A similarly big dose of dead LGG caused only mild inflammation. Probiotics are conventionally defined as live microbes, Neu’s team notes. However, these researchers argue, at least in some circumstances, dead microbes or elements of their carcasses “may be a safer alternative.” | 08/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Enzyme may be the target for novel antibiotics | Researchers at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and University of Maryland have demonstrated that an enzyme that is essential to many bacteria can be targeted to kill dangerous pathogens. In addition, investigators discovered chemical compounds that can inhibit this enzyme and suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria. These findings are essential to develop new broad-spectrum antibacterial agents to overcome multidrug resistance. The research was published in the Cell journal Chemistry & Biology on August 27. | 08/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| E.O. Wilson: Help build the Encyclopedia of Life | As noted entomologist E.O. Wilson accepts his 2007 TED Prize, he makes a plea on behalf of his constituents, the insects and small creatures, to learn more about our biosphere. Wilson states that as we're still discovering tiny organisms indispensable to life we're steadily, methodically, and vigorously destroying nature. In this talk, Wilson identifies five grave threats to biodiversity and asks people to work together on the Encyclopedia of Life, a web-based compendium of data from scientists and amateurs on every aspect of the biosphere. | 08/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| The coevolution of an ant and a fungi | "This segment from a PBS program entitled "Evolution: Evolutionary Arms Race" illustrates the coevolution of the leafcutter ant and the fungi on which it feeds. Leafcutters have been "farming" this fungus for millions of years by feeding, fertilizing, weeding, and harvesting it. Learn how one graduate student's seemingly far-fetched idea led to the discovery that this symbiotic relationship involved at least two more, previously unaccounted for, species." - Ishta5, YouTube | 08/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| Extract DNA from a Banana (Experiment) | The soft flesh of a banana provides a ready source of DNA. Using a few simple purification steps in a classroom setting, students can yield loads of crudely prepared DNA. To begin, the banana is mashed in a detergent/salt solution to lyse the cellular and nuclear membranes. Cellular lysate is strained, then the solubilized DNA is cleansed with a meat tenderizer (which contains an enzyme that breaks apart proteins). Lastly, ethanol is added to generate soft, white, globs of DNA and perhaps – with careful technique – slender threads that may be wound onto a glass rod. Learning Objectives By completing this activity, the student will: 1. have successfully extracted DNA from a banana, given the materials provided. 2. observe, handle, and describe a crude preparation of life’s hereditary material. 3. have the opportunity to use prior and newly acquired knowledge to draw conclusions regarding the structure and function of DNA. 4. have separated cellular components according to the standard scientific approach of exploiting chemical differences between the molecules of the cellular milieu. Necessary Student Background Students may have prior knowledge of DNA's structure and function. For students who have prior knowledge of the nature of DNA, the addition of cold ethanol at the end of the protocol provides an impressive moment when the white goo of DNA appears so suddenly and in such quantity. Contrasting starkly with the clear liquid extract from the cells, students may be pleased to be able to see for themselves this substance that they know to control life’s processes. For students who have no prior knowledge of the nature of DNA prior to beginning the activity, their own preparation of DNA may serve as an intriguing lead-in to a more conceptual discussion about the structure and function of the genetic material. National Science Education Standards Addressed Standard A: Science as Inquiry- In completion of this activity, students will investigate cell structure and the methods to extract DNA. Standard C: Life Sciences- In completion of this activity, students will examine eukaryotic cell structure and investigate the function and the structure of DNA in living organisms. Students. Students explore DNA as being the molecular basis of heredity Click "source" to download the .pdf file Thumbnail from _bonnie_ via Flickr | 08/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| USDA grant to educate people with AIDS about food safety | Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health have received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to educate AIDS patients on food safety. The three-year, $600,000 award will be used to develop a better way to disseminate information to AIDS patients who are at high risk of developing infections from the foods they eat. Nearly half a million people in the United States are living with AIDS, and the number is increasing. AIDS patients whose immune systems have been severely suppressed by the HIV virus to a T-cell count below 200 cells per microliter are at risk of developing life-threatening infections from food-borne illnesses. In addition to their compromised immune systems, people with AIDS may have low stomach acid, which is the first barrier against germs, said Dr. Mark Dworkin, UIC associate professor of epidemiology and principal investigator of the study. Stomach acid normally kills most of the germs that enter the body through the mouth. For example, such patients can become infected with salmonella bacteria from eating fresh fruits and vegetables that are not washed properly. Dworkin said most people with AIDS are probably not aware that food safety recommendations for them may include heating lunch meat. Listeria, a foodborne pathogen that has been attributed to eating lunch meat and soft cheeses, can cause meningitis and sepsis in AIDS patients. Other risks include: Toxoplasmosis, a pathogen transmitted by ingesting raw or partly cooked meat, which can cause encephalitis. Cryptosporidiosis, spread through contaminated water and beverages, which causes severe diarrhea that lasts for weeks or months. Mycobacterium avium complex (known as MAC), which can cause bacteremia, anemia, fatigue and wasting. The researchers will interview 300 AIDS patients in Chicago, New Orleans and Bayamón, Puerto Rico, to determine the biggest knowledge gaps in food safety. "During the first wave of interviews, we'll ask questions about behavior and risk," said Dworkin. "Do they eat a lot of lunch meat? Do they eat pâté? Do they cook their own food? Do they go out to eat frequently?" Using information gathered from those interviews, the researchers will create an entertaining and educational comic book that has the theme of a menu. The book will be disseminated at AIDS clinics in the three cities. Researchers will return a month later to assess patients' knowledge of food safety issues. Researchers will also survey health care providers in the three cities to determine if they have food safety educational material for AIDS patients and to raise awareness about the new evidenced-based intervention. Traditional food-borne disease surveillance does not take AIDS into account. It is unknown among the various food-borne outbreaks how many of these illnesses are occurring in AIDS patients. Dworkin said the greatest risk for disease from food-borne pathogens is likely among the newly diagnosed AIDS patients who are not yet receiving anti-retroviral therapy; those who have resistant virus; and those who have other difficulties with their HIV medication and stay in the low AIDS range. Dworkin has received two previous grants totaling $1.5 million from the USDA to create evidence-based educational materials for restaurant food handlers in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. | 08/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| ASM Press - New Edition of Infections of Leisure Now Available | Many leisure activities, however enjoyable they may be, expose us to a growing list of pathogenic microbes, some new and many increasingly resistant to current therapies. The latest edition of the ASM Press book Infections of Leisure, Fourth Edition continues to compile information on leisure-associated infections into one unique, user-friendly volume, with updated data and new chapters. "Time away from work or school affords us the chance to travel, swim, sail, climb, camp, hike, garden and taste exotic foods. We continue to pamper our (sometimes unusual) pets and play increasingly challenging sports. However, all these activities expose us to an expanding list of pathogenic microbes, some of which are entirely new and others of which are increasingly resistant to current therapies," says Editor David Schlossberg of Temple University School of Medicine and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. The fourth edition of Infections of Leisure has been thoroughly updated with the latest infectious threats, treatments, and preventive measures. In addition, three new chapters have been added to help manage the risk of infection associated with air travel, petting zoos, and cruise ships. Designed for ease of use, each chapter focuses on the infection risks associated with a particular type of leisure activity. At the end of each chapter, Practical Tips, a new feature, underscores the most critical steps needed to prevent and manage the infections discussed in the chapter. "We hope this edition continues to provide a practical resource for this diverse, fascinating and challenging group of infectious diseases," says Schlossberg. Infections of Leisure, Fourth Edition has a list price of $69.95 and can be purchased through ASM Press online at http://estore.asm.org or through other online retailers. | 08/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Engineered protein-like molecule protects cells against HIV infection | In a fundamental study of how to control protein shape, a UW-Madison research team has created a set of peptide-like molecules that successfully blocked HIV infection of human cells in laboratory experiments. "By interacting with a piece of a crucial HIV protein called gp41, the synthetic molecules physically prevent the virus from infecting host cells. The idea shows promise as a new avenue for targeting other unwanted protein interactions as well, says Samuel Gellman, a chemistry professor at UW-Madison. The work, performed with a group led by John Moore and Min Lu at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, is described in a paper appearing online this week (Aug. 17) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." | 08/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Organic vs. Conventional Beef - No Major Difference in Antibiotic Susceptibility of E. coli | A new study suggests that when compared to conventionally raised beef cattle, organic and natural production systems do not impact antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli O157:H7. This discovery emphasizes that although popular for their suggested health benefit, little is actually known about the effects of organic and natural beef production on food-borne pathogens. The researchers from Kansas State University detail their findings in the August 2009 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Increased outbreaks of foodborne illness, as well as the growing awareness and popularity of organic and natural foods, have forced many cattle farmers to adopt new production methods to meet consumer demand for safe and healthy beef. Organic food sources receive only certified organic feed, are raised without the use of antibiotics, hormones, and other veterinary products, and are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Natural production guidelines completely restrict the use of antibiotics and hormones, but do allow nonorganic food sources and are only regulated by the brand name owner. Cattle are major reservoirs of E. coli O157:H7 and their feces are the main source of food and water contamination that lead to foodborne illness in humans. In the study fecal samples were collected from organically and naturally raised cattle and tested for the presence of E. coli O157:H7. Results showed prevalence rates of 14.8 % in organically raised and 14.2 % in naturally raised cattle. These E. coli O157:H7 levels were comparable to those previously identified in conventionally raised cattle. Additionally, the minimum inhibitory concentration of a variety of antibiotics for E. coli O157:H7 isolates were analyzed to determine the effects of all three production systems and no significant difference in antibiotic susceptibility was noted. “The prevalences of E. coli O157:H7 that we observed in organically and naturally raised beef cattle were similar to the previously reported prevalence in conventionally raised cattle,” say the researchers. “No major difference in antibiotic susceptibility patterns among the isolates were observed.” | 08/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Robert Koch by Giancarlo Martinez | A brief video history of Robert Koch, one of the founding fathers of Bacteriology and Microbiology who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his contributions and discoveries on Tuberculosis. | 08/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Automating the survey of protein locations: the trials and tribulations | An article by Alan Derman, Project Scientist in Joe Pogliano’s lab at the University of California at San Diego, published on the Small Things Considered blog presents a point-by-point analysis of a paper "Quantitative genome-scale analysis of protein localization in an asymmetric bacterium" published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science by researchers in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. This exhaustive review, in mostly lay person language, really explains the methodology, challenges and triumphs the researchers faced when conducting an encyclopedic survey of protein locations in the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus by automating several of the steps using self-customized technology and techniques. Click "source" to read the review on Small Things Considered. | 08/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Host-Pathogen Interaction and Human Disease (Part 2) by Stanley Falkow, Ph.D. | Stanley Falkow, Professor Microbiology and Immunology, Geographic Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine, presents the second part of a lecture on host-pathogen interaction. This one focuses on H. pylori (the ulcer bacterium) and the story behind its discovery by Australian pathologist Robin Warren and Australian physician Barry Marshall which won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2005. "Helicobacter pylori lives in the human stomach. It causes gastritis, ulcer disease and even gastric cancer. Some H. pylori can inject a protein, CagA, into gastric epithelial cells. CagA interacts with the tight junctions that bind cells together and with signaling molecules affecting motility and proliferation. CagA is associated with ulcer disease and cancer but we don't understand how it works to favor malignancy. Not long ago in history most humans carried H. pylori ; the incidence of carriage and gastric cancer is dropping but there is evidence that this microbe also had a protective effect on human health." Written by video_collector on SciVee.tv | 08/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Host-Pathogen Interaction and Human Disease (Part 1) by Stanley Falkow, Ph.D. | Stanley Falkow, Professor Microbiology and Immunology; Geographic Medicine; Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine, presents a lecture on host-pathogen interaction. "Ninety percent of the cells humans carry are microbes. Only a few of the bacteria we encounter are pathogenic and can cause disease. Pathogens possess the inherent ability to cross anatomic barriers or breach other host defenses that limit the microbes that make up our normal flora. A significant part of human evolution has gone into developing ways to thwart microbial intrusion. In turn, microbes have come up with clever ways to avoid and circumvent host defenses but human — microbe interactions is still a "Work in Progress." When we study pathogens we learn as much about ourselves as we do about them." - by video_collecter on SciVee.tv | 08/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Cell Organization and Cell Motility (Part 1) by Julie Theriot | This lecture covers the biochemical basis of actin-based motility (focusing on the pathogen Listeria as a model system for this process), the biophysical mechanism of polymerization-based force generation, and an evolutionary perspective of cell shape in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The first part covers our understanding of how cells use the actin cytoskeleton to crawl. The pathogenic bacteria Listeria (which causes food poisoning) uses the actin cytoskeleton to propel itself in the cytoplasm and also invade other cells. This system has been an important model for understanding the actin cytoskeleton at the leading edge of a motile cell and for understanding host-pathogen interactions. Found via @NYCmickey on Twitter | 08/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Evolution of a DNA Sequence Over Time | One of the basic requirements of evolution is variation in a population upon which selection can act. One of the sources of variation is mutation in DNA. These changes may or may not be reflected in the ensuing amino acid sequence of a protein. This exercise explores the additive effects of mutation on an amino acid sequence over several generations. The activity is also useful in that it addresses several of the components of Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection. There are three separate activities, one regarding sequence change over time, one regarding selective pressure on sequences, and one regarding divergence over time. By completing this activity, the student will be able to: 1. Understand that variation in a sequence can be generated through mutation. 2. See that successive rounds of mutation lead to further variation in a sequence. 3. Recognize that sequences that are most closely related in a temporal sense will share the highest degree of similarity. 4. Become familiar with the degeneracy in the amino acid code and how it may mask underlying changes in the DNA sequence. 5. Be able to use clustering programs to perform an analysis of similarity. 6. Recognize sequence similarity in organisms may indicate underlying evolutionary relatedness. Click "source" for the .pdf | 08/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| How disinfectants kill bacteria and viruses | The Hygiene Council, an international initiative based out of the UK, has produced a short CGI/computer animation on how disinfectants kill bacteria and viruses. The animation is superb and in there is no corporate branding in the piece which makes it an excellent resource for young students. Click "source" to view the video. The Hygiene Council’s aim is to revisit current infectious disease threats to society and formulate realistic and practical recommendations on simple hygiene measures to help the public improve levels of hygiene in the home and community and, in turn, help to prevent the spread of all kinds of infections. Visit their site to see other educational offerings for young children and higher level resource materials. | 08/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Duke Researchers Announce New Way to Treat UTIs | Researchers at Duke University Medical Center may have a new way to stop and even prevent the urinary tract infections (UTIs) that plague more than a third of all adults, some of them repeatedly. The researchers have discovered how cells within the bladder are able to sense the presence of E. coli bacteria hiding within compartments in the bladder's own cells. This starts a process that then kicks them out. Knowing how the bladder's own cells sense the bacteria and what they do to expel them are both processes the Duke scientists think they can exploit to do a better job of helping the bladder protect itself. New treatments based on their findings might be able to tackle antibiotic-resistant UTIs and perhaps even bacterial infections in other parts of the body, said Soman Abraham, a professor of pathology at Duke. The findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. | 08/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| WHO states healthly people with H1N1 have no need for Tamiflu | The BBC reports the World Health Organization has said healthy patients who catch swine flu do not need to be treated with Tamiflu. Antiviral drugs should be used in patients who are severely ill or those in high-risk groups including the under fives and pregnant women, it said. Click source for more detail | 08/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| Smuggling Genomes for Synthetic Life | Genome-sequencing pioneer Craig Venter and his team have devised a way of smuggling an "alien" genome into unwitting bacterial cells. The new technique takes the scientists one step closer to their goal of creating novel microorganisms with entirely synthetic genomes. | 08/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Google Knol, PLoS and NCBI Join Forces on Influenza Research | Google Knol is a website similar in idea to wikipedia in which it encourages experts to "share what they know and a write a knol." What's a knol? Well it's a unit of knowledge, of course! (Disclaimer: I had to look it up myself). What's interesting is that the Public Library of Science is now teeming up with Google Knol on furthering influenza research. From Google's Blog: The successful development of open access publishing by organizations including the Public Library of Science (PLoS) in recent years is a dramatic illustration of how the Internet is revolutionizing scientific communication. Today, after several months of work, I’m delighted to announce that PLoS is launching PLoS Currents (Beta) — a new and experimental website for the rapid communication of research results and ideas. In response to the recent worldwide H1N1 influenza outbreak, the first PLoS Currents research theme is influenza. PLoS Currents: Influenza, which we are launching today, is built on three key components: a small expert research community that PLoS is working with to run the website; Google Knol with new features that allow content to be gathered together in collections after being vetted by expert moderators; and a new, independent database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) called Rapid Research Notes, where research targeted for rapid communication, such as the content in PLoS Currents: Influenza will be freely and permanently accessible. To ensure that researchers are properly credited for their work, PLoS Currents content will also be given a unique identifier by the NCBI so that it is citable. Brought to my attention by @phylogenomics on Twitter. | 08/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Better BBQ Through Chemistry | Here's one for backyard grill-meisters and food safety experts: Recently the American Chemical Society, as part of its semiannual meeting, staged a chemistry-themed barbecue reception on August 17 for reporters and other guests. (Great idea for getting press coverage, BTW) "Cooking is as much a science as an art, so understanding the chemistry that happens on the grill helps ensure barbecue success. The heat of a fire triggers “browning reactions” in which amino acids and sugars — either those already present in the food or those added via sauces or marinades — combine to yield the color change that signals a dish is done. But grill something for too long or at too high a temperature, said Sara Risch, a food chemist and consultant based in East Lansing, Mich., and the end result is the dreaded “blackening” reaction. “Unfortunately, if you ask the [food] safety people they’ll tell you to cremate everything,” said Shirley Corriher, a food chemist and cookbook author from Atlanta. Meats should be cooked long enough to kill bacteria, she noted, but they don’t need to be cooked beyond medium to be truly safe. For one thing, carcinogenic chemicals called heterocyclic amines form when creatine — a substance found in muscle tissue — reacts at high temperatures with amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. The amount of HCAs formed in grilled meats typically triples if meats are cooked well done rather than medium well, she noted." Other research-proven tricks for reducing HCAs, as noted in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, include using marinades, garlic and onion, said Risch. A marinade of red wine, for instance, can reduce the formation of HCAs by 88 percent, she noted. Although scientists aren’t sure exactly how these techniques work, moisture from marinades may ensure that the meat directly in contact with the grill remains at a relatively low temperature, she said. Click "source" to read more. | 08/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Video of Fungus Gnat Larvae | It's not necessarily microbiology, but the fungus gnat does feed on algae and can be controlled in the garden with Bacillus thuringiensis, the bacterium that makes Mosquito Dunks effective. Nevertheless it's a cool video. What I would like to know, and can't seem to find with a Google search, is why they are called fungus gnats as all the research I've read doesn't mention fungi at all. | 08/19/2009 | |||||||||||
| Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) Call for Abstracts | ABRCMS is the largest, professional conference for biomedical and behavioral students attracting approximately 2,900 individuals, including 1,800 students and 1,100 faculty and administrators. The conference is designed to encourage students to pursue advanced training in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, including mathematics and provide faculty mentors and advisors with resources for facilitating students' success. Abstract Submission Undergraduate, post baccalaureate and graduate students are invited to submit an abstract for the 2009 ABRCMS. Travel Award Applications ABRCMS provides up to $1,500 to cover registration, housing and travel to undergraduate and post baccalaureate students interested in presenting at the conference. Conference Registration Register early to take advantage of the discount fees. Fees are $400 (undergraduate students), $450 (graduate students and postdoctoral scientists) and $500 (non students). Fees cover conference materials, all scheduled meals and access to all sessions. Click "Source" for more info. | 08/19/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Science of Salsa: Antimicrobial Properties of Salsa Components to Learn Scientific Methodology (Experiment) | Most ethnic foods and cooking practices have incorporated the use of spices and other food additives. Many common spices have crossed cultural boundaries and appear in multiple ethnic cuisines. Recent studies have demonstrated that many of these ingredients possess antimicrobial properties against common food spoilage microorganisms. We developed a laboratory exercise that promotes the use of scientific methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of salsa components at inhibiting the growth of undesirable microorganisms. Tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño were tested for antimicrobial properties against a representative fungus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the common food spoilage bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Escherichia coli. Each component was ethanol extracted and a modification of the Kirby-Bauer method of antimicrobial sensitivity was employed. Garlic demonstrated the greatest inhibitory effects against all organisms tested. Onion demonstrated a slight inhibition of all four organisms, while cilantro showed some inhibition of all three bacteria but no effect against the fungus. Jalapeño may have slightly inhibited E. coli and S. aureus, as evidenced by a consistently measured increase in the zone of inhibition that was not statistically significant when compared to that of the control. Following the initial exercise, students were given the opportunity to repeat the exercise using other spices such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and coriander. Student learning outcomes were evaluated using preliminary and secondary surveys, mainly focusing on definitions of science and hypothesis as well as the process of science. Students enjoyed this exercise and met the learning goals of understanding the process and methodology of science, as well as the interdisciplinarity inherent in the sciences. Student learning was evidenced by an increase in the number of correct responses on the secondary survey in comparison to the preliminary. Thumbnail photo by Cooper Griggs via Flickr. | 08/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Phylogenomic Species Concept for Bacteria and Archaea | James Staley, Ph.D., suggests the phylogenomic species concept, which combines phylogenetic and genomic analyses, can be used to circumscribe species: "Bacteriologists have not yet adopted a concept for a species. Bacterial and archaeal species are defined on the basis of phenotypic properties and whole-genome DNA-DNA hybridization. Each species must have unique phenotypic properties and exhibit more than 70% DNA hybridization among strains. This combination of phenotype and genotype, sometimes referred to as the polyphasic species definition, was a breakthrough in bacterial taxonomy and has served microbiologists very well by stabilizing the field and bringing uniformity to classifying species of Bacteria and Archaea. The 1990s brought DNA, RNA, and protein sequencing to the fore, and they soon were adapted for use in phylogenetic analysis. The advantage of sequencing approaches from a taxonomic viewpoint is that sequences can be used to infer the evolution of lineages. The highly conserved 16S rRNA gene became the primary macromolecule for phylogeny because of its fidelity in deducing the relatedness of Bacteria and Archaea at taxonomic levels at and above the genus level. As a result, the entire second edition of Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology uses the phylogenetic approach for classifying Bacteria and Archaea (www.bergeys .org). Therefore, for the first time, there is a complete hierarchical taxonomy for the Bacteria and Archaea from the domain down to the genus. However, despite the wide acceptance of the phylogenetic approach for higher taxa, it has not yet been successfully applied at the species level." Click "source" to read more. | 08/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Call From Arms - Rethinking Antibiotics | Elio Schaechter of www.smallthingsconsidered.us has a thought provoking piece on the function of bacteria and the antibiotics they produce. Could it be that antibiotics have more to do with bacterial communication then as a defense mechanism? Snippets: "Antibiotics are now being thought about as benign compounds that, at least at low concentrations, have little to do with intraspecies warfare between organisms, and a great deal to do with the ways microbes communicate with one another. More and more examples are being reported of antibiotics that, at sub-inhibitory concentrations function, as community organizers, prodding bacteria into making protective biofilms." "Did microbes invent these compounds and then "make a pact" not to use them for what their name implies—killing other living things? Or did these compounds function first as signaling molecules helping the "conversation" between and within microbial species? Highly appealing is the notion put forth by Julian Davies that antibiotics are "fossil molecules" that played a key role as effectors in the early evolution of life, molecules still made today and still serving to shape microbial communities." | 08/18/2009 | |||||||||||
| When Zombies Attack!! | To the best of our knowledge zombies aren't real, but if there ever is a zombie outbreak in the future we now have an epidemiological model we can use for predictive analysis. Created by several Canadian mathematicians at the University of Ottawa, "When Zombies Attack! Mathematical Modeling of a Zombie Outbreak!," has been published in "Infectious Disease Modeling Research Progress" by Nova Science Publishers. Here's the abstract: Zombies are a popular figure in pop culture/entertainment and they are usually portrayed as being brought about through an outbreak or epidemic. Consequently, we model a zombie attack, using biological assumptions based on popular zombie movies. We introduce a basic model for zombie infection, determine equilibria and their stability, and illustrate the outcome with numerical solutions. We then refine the model to introduce a latent period of zombification, whereby humans are infected, but not infectious, before becoming undead. We then modify the model to include the effects of possible quarantine or a cure. Finally, we examine the impact of regular, impulsive reductions in the number of zombies and derive conditions under which eradication can occur. We show that only quick, aggressive attacks can stave off the doomsday scenario: the collapse of society as zombies overtake us all. Found at BoingBoing.net | 08/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Indigenous populations may be more susceptible from Swine Flu/H1N1 | SciAm is reporting that indigenous populations who live in relative isolation may be at more risk from Swine Flu/H1N1 infection than your average person. "Swine flu has been reported for the first time in Amazonian Indians, raising fears that the virus will cause more contagion and potential deaths in tribal groups around the world. Seven members of the Matsigenka tribe in the Peruvian Amazon have tested positive for H1N1, the first example of the virus in Amazonian peoples, according to the human rights group Survival International. Indigenous communities have little to no immunity to outside pathogens, which is why many Native Americans succumbed to disease when Europeans first arrived on the continent. Indeed, swine flu deaths are already stacking up in tribes around the world. Last month, H1N1 took its first casualty in Australia, a 26-year-old Aboriginal man in Kiwirrkurra, one of the country’s most remote Outback communities, the BBC reported. Aborigines are being hospitalized at five times the rate of the general population." | 08/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Q Fever Alert for Holland | The Netherlands is again facing a sharp increase in Q fever notifications, after the unprecedented outbreaks of 2007 and 2008. The most affected province of Noord Brabant has a high density of large dairy goat farms, and farms with abortion waves have been incriminated. Mandatory vaccination of small ruminants has started and should have an effect in 2010. A large multidisciplinary research portfolio is expected to generate better knowledge about transmission and additional control measures. Click "source" to read more. | 08/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| USB Microscope from Japan | File this under cool gadgets. "A Japanese company called esupply is selling a cool little microscope [JP] that can be hooked to computers via a microUSB port (Windows only). The device boasts a 2MP CMOS sensor made by Sanyo and features 5x to 150x zoom. Not powerful enough to be used on a professional level, but surely good enough for casual microscopic viewing of stuff. The device comes with a stand, a flexible arm and an LED light. A bundled piece of software (in Japanese) makes sure you can edit the material you captured on your PC. " | 08/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| NIAID scientists study past flu pandemics for clues to future course of 2009 H1N1 virus | A commonly held belief that severe influenza pandemics are preceded by a milder wave of illness arose because some accounts of the devastating flu pandemic of 1918-19 suggested that it may have followed such a pattern. But two scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, say the existing data are insufficient to conclude decisively that the 1918-19 pandemic was presaged by a mild, so-called spring wave, or that the responsible virus had increased in lethality between the beginning and end of 1918. Moreover, their analysis of 14 global or regional influenza epidemics during the past 500 years reveals no consistent pattern of wave-like surges of disease prior to the major outbreaks, but does point to a great diversity of severity among those pandemics. In their commentary in the Aug. 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, David M. Morens, M.D., and Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., Ph.D., note that the two other flu pandemics of the 20th century, those of 1957 and 1968, generally showed no more than a single seasonal recurrence; and in each case, the causative virus did not become significantly more pathogenic over the early years of its circulation. The variable track record of past flu pandemics makes predicting the future course of 2009 H1N1 virus, which first emerged in the Northern Hemisphere in the spring of 2009, difficult. The authors contend that characteristics of the novel H1N1 virus, such as its modest transmission efficiency, and the possibility that some people have a degree of pre-existing immunity give cause to hope for a more indolent pandemic course and fewer deaths than in many past pandemics. Still, the authors urge that the 2009 H1N1 virus continue to be closely tracked and studied as the usual influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere draws near. Like life, the authors conclude, paraphrasing Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, "influenza epidemics are lived forward and understood backward." Thus, the robust, ongoing efforts to meet the return of 2009 H1N1 virus with vaccines and other measures are essential responses to a notoriously unpredictable virus. | 08/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Cellular protein as a new target for treatment of chronic hepatitis C; | Dr. Ralf Bartenschlager, Director of the Department of Molecular Virology at the Hygiene Institute of Heidelberg University Hospital, has identified a protein in infected liver cells that is essential for hepatitis C virus replication. Inhibiting this protein is highly efficient in blocking virus replication. The study is to be published in the prestigious journal Public Library of Science Pathogens. Click "source" for more. | 08/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Dirty Doctor' Office? No Place is Safe | Dr. Manny Alvarez, online health personality and managing editor for foxnewshealth.com, invites Dr. Philip M. Tierno, Jr. Director of Clinical Microbiology & Immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center, into his office to hunt for microbes. | 08/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Can monolaurin crack the shell of flu virus and keep it from replicating | A recent article in The Examiner, an online and print paper from the DC area, asks if monolaurin, a food supplement extracted from lauric acid in coconut oil (that you can buy online or in a health food store) can keep the H1N1 flu virus as well as herpes simplex (facial herpes virus) from reproducing/replicating? Monolaurin, according to various studies, many from reputable sources, that are cited in the article is supposed to be effective against these viruses by breaking down the shell, membrane, or outer wall of the viruses so that they are chopped into bits, turned to liquid, and eventually are removed from your body. Does any experts know if this is truly the case? | 08/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Performance enhancing bug! Ulcer-causing bacterium alters resistance of mucus barrier for a smooth swim! | A team of researchers from Boston University, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently made a discovery that changes a long held paradigm about how bacteria move through soft gels. They showed that the bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, that causes human stomach ulcers uses a clever biochemical strategy to alter the physical properties of its environment, allowing it to move and survive and further colonize its host. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports the findings in its most recent issue. (Edit Note: Formerley titled "Researchers uncover how H. pylori form ulcers." New title created by NYCMickey via Twitter.) |
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| Biology By the Numbers | Elio Schaechter from the Small Things Considered blog has brought to our attention a new internet resource called Bionumbers. "It enables you to find in a minute (or less) any common biological number that might be important for your research, such as the rate of translation per ribosome, metabolite concentrations, or the number of bacteria in your gut. Along with the numbers, you'll find the relevant references to the original literature, useful comments, and related numbers." |
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| Put Your Hands Together and Scrub, Scrub, Scrub | CDC-TV has a hand washing video out that highlights the importance of this practice for the prevention of infectious disease. {swfremote}http://www.cdc.gov/CDCTV/HandsTogether/HandsTogether_emb.swf{/swfremote} Description: Scientists estimate that people are not washing their hands often or well enough and may transmit up to 80% of all infections by their hands. From doorknobs to animals to food, harmful germs can live on almost everything. Handwashing may be your single most important act to help stop the spread of infection and stay healthy. | 08/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Children's OCD may be related to Strep infection | A new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health's Center for Infection and Immunity indicates that pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette syndrome and/or tic disorder may develop from an inappropriate immune response to the bacteria causing common throat infections. The mouse model findings, published online by Nature Publishing Group in this week's Molecular Psychiatry, support the view that this condition is a distinct disorder, and represent a key advance in tracing the path leading from an ordinary infection in childhood to the surfacing of a psychiatric syndrome | 08/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Unlocking the secret of magnetic microbes | The smallest organisms to use a biological compass are magnetotactic bacteria, however mysteries remain about exactly how these bacteria create their cellular magnets. In a study published online in Genome Research, scientists have used genome sequencing to unlock new secrets about these magnetic microbes that could accelerate biotechnology and nanotechnology research. Tadashi Matsunaga of the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and colleagues recognized that by analyzing the genome of more distantly related magnetotactic bacteria, researchers may be able to clearly define the minimal gene set needed for magnetosome synthesis. Comparing the RS-1 genome sequence to the genomes of other magnetotactic bacteria, the team determined that all magnetotactic bacteria contain three separate gene regions related to magnetosome synthesis. Surprisingly, they also found that magnetosome-related genes are very well conserved across different classes of bacteria. Matsunaga explained that this suggests that the core magentosome genes may have been established in these bacteria by several horizontal gene transfer events, rather than being passed down through a lineage. | 08/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Who's fault is scientific illiteracy? | Peter Kareiva, chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, has authored a post on Cool Green Science, "the conservation blog of The Nature Conservancy," that looks at the current state of scientific illiteracy in the wake of Chris Mooney's new book "Unscientific America." Interestingly, Karevia makes the bold statement that the scientists are to blame for the public's lack of knowledge and understanding when it comes to science. Here's an excerpt: "The blame lies to some large extent with us scientists — not with the media, and not with an intellectually lazy public. As my Conservancy colleague Rebecca Goldman pointed out in a Cool Green Science post last month, scientists by and large do not know how to communicate. Even worse, when when one of us does communicate, it is viewed by other scientists as an indicator of some sort of lack of rigor, and “less serious science.” Too few scientists think about audience and how to reach it. We are boring instead of entertaining — in fact, we would probably be embarrassed if we were called entertaining. What is up with that? Instead of presenting just the facts, we need to be able to use our science to address the topics most people care about — job security, health, children, national security." Click "source" to read more. | 08/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Astrobiology: Life in Space with Daniel P. Glavin | "Daniel P. Glavin, an astrobiologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, says the possibility of extraterrestrial life in our solar system is not limited to Mars; other "habitable" worlds might exist including the icy Moons of Jupiter and Saturn, known as Europa and Enceladus. The challenge for scientists and engineers in the next couple of decades, he says, will be to design miniaturized instruments and technologies capable of detecting the signatures of life in our own solar system and beyond. Glavin, who is currently involved in the analysis of organic compounds in meteorites and in the search for extraterrestrial life, presented "Astrobiology: Are We Alone?" "In his talk, Glavin described the concept of a "habitable environment" and the conditions on Earth that led to the origin of life. Understanding the basic requirements for life and the prebiotic chemistry that led to the emergence of life on Earth will help guide the search for life beyond Earth. He also gave an overview of the Mars Exploration Program and future plans for sending instrumentation to Mars to explore habitable environments." Click "source" to watch the presentation. | 08/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Curing viral diseases before they have even evolved | The New Scientist has an interesting story out about Michael Goldblatt, who once led the biodefense program for the Pentagon's research arm, DARPA, and now heads Functional Genetics, a biotech company in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Goldblatt, along with a few other researchers, "are working on an entirely new class of antiviral drugs that should do something seemingly impossible: work against a wide range of existing viruses and also be effective against viruses that have not even evolved yet." "The conventional strategy for developing antivirals is "one bug, one drug" - finding a drug that blocks viral replication by binding to part of a viral protein. The trouble is, any minor mutation that slightly changes the shape of the protein can render these drugs useless, as is happening with Tamiflu." "Goldblatt's approach might sound too good to be true, but the first trials of these drugs are already producing encouraging early results. If just a few of them live up to their promise in full-scale human trials - no sure thing - they will be a medical breakthrough on a par with the discovery of penicillin. At last, doctors will be able to treat viral diseases as ably as they do bacterial ones." Click "source" to read more. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Spotter's Guide to Human Viruses | The New Scientist has published a nifty gallery of "psychedelic"-like images of human viruses. Many of them are from Government agencies so they are public domain. Click "source" to view the entire collection.
(Yellow Fever. CDC / Science Photo Library) |
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| Water filter turns filthy water drinkable | Much of the world lacks access to clean drinking water. Engineer Michael Pritchard did something about it -- inventing the portable Lifesaver filter, which can make the most revolting water drinkable in seconds. This is a pretty amazing demo. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| New DNA Vaccine Inhibits Deadly Skin Cancer in Mice | A new DNA vaccine inhibited malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, in mice by eliciting antibodies that target a gastrin-releasing peptide which is known to play a key role in cancer development. The researchers from China and the U.S. report their findings in the July 2009 issue of the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is an important human peptide that regulates gastric acid secretion and motor function as well as elicits gastrin release. Previous research has shown that GRP plays a significant role in human cancers through atypical expression of the GRP receptor and GRP binding that activates cellular signaling and results in increased cell production and tumor formation. Anti-GRP antibodies have displayed promising antitumoral activity and DNA vaccines targeting GRP are a hopeful therapeutic approach. In the study researchers developed a novel anti-GRP DNA vaccine including various immunoadjuvants (substances to improve the immune response) and monitored anti-GRP antibody levels in vaccinated mice. Intramuscular injections induced high levels of specific antibodies against GRP as well as suppressed the growth of melanoma cells. Additionally, researchers intravenously injected cells in the lungs and found that cells were highly diminished indicating that the vaccine may also inhibit cancer from spreading. “In conclusion, we have demonstrated for the first time that immune responses which are elicited by a novel anti-GRP DNA vaccine suppress the proliferation and growth of melanoma tumors in mice,” say the researchers. “The antiangiogenesis and antimetastastic activities of this DNA vaccine suggest a novel approach against various cancers, especially malignant melanoma.” (J. Fang, Y. Lu, K. Ouyang, G. Wu, H. Zhang, Y. Liu, Y. Chen, M. Lin, H. Wang, L. Jin, R. Cao, R.S. Roque, L. Zong, J. Liu, T. Li. 2009. Specific antibodies elicited by a novel DNA vaccine targeting gastrin-releasing peptide inhibit murine melanoma growth in vitro. Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, 16. 7: 1033-1039.) | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Nathan Wolfe's jungle search for viruses | Virus hunter Nathan Wolfe is outwitting the next pandemic by staying two steps ahead: discovering deadly new viruses where they first emerge -- passing from animals to humans among poor subsistence hunters in Africa -- before they claim millions of lives. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Thailand's Kasetsart University's Microbiology Department | You don't have to speak Thai to enjoy this promotional video from Kasetsart University's microbiology department in Thailand. (I like how they use "Micro World" in it.) | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Earth History: Time Flies, No Matter What the Scale (Experiment) | In this two-part activity, which uses discovery and an inquiry approach, the participants will be given cartoon drawings representing significant events in the history of the Earth and asked to place them on a timeline made of colored ribbon. Then they mathematically relate the geologic time scale to a yearly calendar. After the calculations, they return to the timeline to reassess the placement of the events. By completing this activity, the student will be able to: 1. Identify significant events in microbial evolution 2. Translate information from one mathematical scale to another 3. Understand the perennial dominance of microbes, past and present 4. Understand the order of key events in evolution relating to microbes 5. Gain an appreciation about the place of microbes in earth's history Necessary Student Background Students need mathematical (algebraic) skills, know how to use a calculator, and have some knowledge about the geological history of Earth. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| University of Utah develops a new 'molecular' condom for women that protects against HIV | University of Utah scientists developed a new kind of "molecular condom" to protect women from AIDS in Africa and other impoverished areas. Before sex, women would insert a vaginal gel that turns semisolid in the presence of semen, trapping AIDS virus particles in a microscopic mesh so they can't infect vaginal cells. A study testing the behavior of the new gel and showing how it traps AIDS-causing HIV particles will be published online later this week in the journal Advanced Functional Materials. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Muscle vs Mussels: California's Campaign to Reduce Quaggas | California and federal officials are sizing up diverse strategies in their campaign to contain trillions of quagga mussels, dime-sized invaders threatening water and power supplies in California and across the Southwest. Vivacious reproducers – a single quagga can produce 1 million eggs in a spawning season – the mussels quickly established colonies throughout the Metropolitan Water District's system tied to the Colorado River, as well as in San Diego County reservoirs, including San Vicente. Left unchecked, quaggas can take over freshwater lakes and rivers, threatening to clog or damage plumbing, potentially squeezing water deliveries and limiting hydropower production. Several solutions are currently being considered. Most promising and closest to approval is a strain of common bacteria that is safe for humans, but produces a toxin so well disguised that it can sneak past a quagga mussel's self-defense mechanism of clamming up to protect itself from ingesting anything deadly. Also being given tryouts are high-tech defenses, such as repellent coatings on pipes, ultraviolet light and quagga-trapping strainers with microscopic holes. As a last resort, officials may consider introducing quagga-munching black carp, an aggressive invasive species. Already, dogs with a nose for quaggas hitchhiking on watercraft have joined the fight. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Understanding Cicadas and their Bacterial Symbionts | How do cicadas gather the nutrients they need to survive, despite their low-nutrient diet? John McCutcheon, a molecular biologist at the University of Arizona, says that cicadas supplement their diet by maintaining complicated relationships with two species of specialized bacteria that live inside their cells. The bacteria produce essential nutrients for the cicadas that the animals neither receive from their sap diets nor produce themselves. McCutcheon's study builds on his post-doctoral research advisor Nancy Moran's previous work by characterizing the complete genome of one of the bacterial species living inside cicadas. His results revealed that these bacteria have extreme and unique features. For one thing, this organism has the smallest bacterial genome known to science. In other words, it has less genetic material than any other cellular organism that has, thus far, been identified. What's more, the genome of the cicada bacteria has a high average content of guanine and cytosine - two of the four chemical bases of DNA. This finding is surprising because scientists previously thought that the smaller a bacterial genome is, the less guanine and cytosine is usually present in its DNA. "We don't yet understand the significance of this exception," says McCutcheon. "But it goes against everything we thought we understood about the relationship between bacterial genome size and guanine and cytosine contents." The researchers believe their new findings suggest common life forms, like cicadas, can depend on complex symbiotic relationships with specialized, extreme microbes. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Half of Connecticut's Honey Bees Infected by American Foulbrood | The AP is reporting 10% of Connecticut's registered beehive population is seriously infected with the American foulbrood bacterium, Paenibacillus larva, another 40% of hives show a low level exposure in their brood chambers, where eggs develop into adults. Experts say the findings are troubling because the disease can kill entire bee colonies in a matter of weeks. | 08/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Windshield Splatter Metagenome | The blog www.ncbirofl.com is a great resource for amusing/interesting research papers that have been published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information's website. This week they highlight a paper on the regional differences in the metagenomic data of eukaryotes found in "bug splat." Taxonomy of Windshield Splatter: Contrasting Geographic Locations using Short Read Counts "How many species inhabit our immediate surrounding? A straightforward collection technique suitable for answering this question is known to anyone who has ever driven a car at highway speeds. The windshield of a moving vehicle is subjected to numerous insect strikes and can be used as a collection device for representative sampling... ...The main aim of our study was to contrast eukaryotic species differences between two distinct geographical location in northeastern United States. DNA, isolated from the material stuck to the tapped front bumper of a car driven in these locations, was sequenced using 454 (Roche) FLX pyrosequencing technology." | 08/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Genomic "signature" in blood can reveal exposure to colds or influenza, even before symptoms appear | Scientists have identified a genomic "signature" in circulating blood that reveals exposure to common upper respiratory viruses, like the cold or flu, even before symptoms appear. The tell-tale viral signature reflects a set of subtle but robust changes in genes that are activated as the body responds to infection. The signal from the signature is strong enough in symptomatic individuals to clearly reveal whether their infection is viral or bacterial. It can also discriminate between who has a viral infection and who does not - all from a single tube of blood. "This work is still in a relatively early phase of discovery, but we are optimistic that these findings may lead to a whole new way of diagnosing infectious disease," says Geoffrey Ginsburg, M.D., Ph.D., director of Duke University's Center for Genomic Medicine in the Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy and the senior author of the study appearing in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Via- EurekAlert | 08/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Finding the key to strengthening the immune response to chronic infections | A team of researchers from The Wistar Institute has identified a protein that could serve as a target for reprogramming immune system cells exhausted by exposure to chronic viral infection into more effective "soldiers" against certain viruses like HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B, as well as some cancers, such as melanoma. Effective response by key immune cells in the body, called T cells, is crucial for control of many widespread chronic viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. Virus-specific CD8 T cells, also known as "killer" T cells, often lose their ability to control viral replication and become less effective over time, a process known as T cell exhaustion. Understanding how optimal antiviral T cell responses are suppressed in these circumstances is crucial to developing strategies to prevent and treat such persisting infections. In the August 6 on-line issue of Immunity, the research team led by Wistar assistant professor E. John Wherry, Ph.D., describes how the protein Blimp-1 (B-lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1) represses the normal differentiation of CD8 T cells into memory T cells, which recognize disease-causing agents from previous infections and enable the body to mount faster, stronger immune responses. The team also reports that Blimp-1 causes exhausted CD8 T cells to express inhibitory receptors, which prevent recognition of specific antigens, further weakening immune response. The researchers describe how complete deletion of Blimp-1, which is overexpressed in CD8 T cells during chronic viral infection, reversed these aspects of T cell exhaustion. By identifying Blimp-1 as a transcription factor associated with T cell exhaustion the findings open the window for reprogramming exhausted killer T cells back into prime infection-fighting form. "We are very excited by the identification of Blimp-1 as a key transcriptional regulator of T cell exhaustion," says senior author Wherry. "Transcription factors like Blimp-1 are key molecules involved in global control of cell fate and differentiation, and Blimp-1 in particular prevents cells from de-differentiating or re-differentiating. "In other words," continues Wherry, "if we want to make an exhausted T cell a more effective soldier against an infection like HIV, we need to change its differentiation state. Much like scientists are now re-programming terminally differentiated tissues cells to become tissue stem cells, the identification of Blimp-1 in terminally differentiated exhausted T cells suggest that future therapeutics could target this molecule to help re-differentiate exhausted T cells into more functional antiviral effector and/or memory T cells." To determine whether Blimp-1 expression is associated with T cell exhaustion in chronic infection, the team examined Blimp-1 expression in mouse models of acute and chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). In the mice with acute infection, Blimp-1 decreased modestly after the first week of infection. Conversely, Blimp-1 was highly upregulated in CD8 T cells in chronically infected mice by 15 days post-infection, and remained highly expressed for at least one month. The pattern of Blimp-1 expression suggested a correlation between Blimp-1 expression and T cell dysfunction and/or terminal differentiation. In further studies to explore how Blimp-1 expression affects T cell differentiation, the team administered LCMV to mice in which a gene encoding Blimp-1 was conditionally deleted. Results showed increased numbers of antigen-specific CD8 T cells, restoration of some key aspects of normal memory CD8 T cell differentiation, and partial restoration of antigen-specific CD8 T cell populations that were otherwise terminally differentiated and deleted during chronic viral infection. Via- EurekAlert | 08/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Pinhead-size worms + robot = new antibiotics | Scientists in Massachusetts are describing successful use of a test that enlists pinhead-sized worms in efforts to discover badly needed new antibiotics. Thestudy appears in ACS' Chemical Biology. From the abstract: The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a unique whole animal model system for identifying small molecules with in vivo anti-infective properties. C. elegans can be infected with a broad range of human pathogens, including Enterococcus faecalis, an important human nosocomial pathogen. Here, we describe an automated, high-throughput screen of 37,200 compounds and natural product extracts for those that enhance survival of C. elegans infected with E. faecalis. Using a robot to dispense live, infected animals into 384-well plates and automated microscopy and image analysis, we identified 28 compounds and extracts not previously reported to have antimicrobial properties, including six structural classes that cure infected C. elegans animals but do not affect the growth of the pathogen in vitro, thus acting by a mechanism of action distinct from antibiotics currently in clinical use. | 08/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| ”Build a Bacterium” Scavenger Hunt | In this activity, each student is provided with a worksheet and three index cards. Each card indicates a different cell part (e.g. LPS, capsule, DNA). Students are placed in small groups and receive a written scenario regarding a bacterium with a certain goal it must carry out. They must work together to decide what cell parts are needed to form the basic structure of any cell as well as to carry out the specific functions required by their scenario. To “build” their bacterium they must negotiate and trade index cards with other groups to acquire their desired cell parts. By completing this activity, the student will be able to: 1. Indicate which cell parts belong to eukaryotes or prokaryotes. 2. Identify which cell structures or parts are common to all cells vs. cell structures only found in particular bacteria. 3. Identify specific cell structures associated with virulence, and their functions. 4. Define microbial virulence in terms of a structure-function approach. | 08/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Researchers describe the full genome structure for HIV-1 | In a paper published in Nature, a research team from the University of North Carolina described the full genome structure of HIV-1 for the first time. "The researchers used a high-throughput method called "selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension" (SHAPE) to glean structural information for nearly every nucleotide in the HIV-1 genome. The team also started identifying structural patterns that may offer clues about the virus' function and potential vulnerabilities — including an apparent link between RNA and protein structure." | 08/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Tokay gecko harbors 10 different strains of Salmonella | SciAm reports that the foot-long Tokay gecko from Indonesia with polka-dot skin and wide eyes is a mixing pot for 10 types of salmonella some which can be acquired from local livestock, poultry and rodents. The gecko is popular with pet stores, where it can sell for less than $20. "Research presented at the Ecological Society of America meeting in New Mexico by Katherine Smith at Brown University described results from a study of 150 wild-caught Tokay geckos imported from Indonesia. She found that 60 percent of the geckos tested positive for Salmonella, which was not too surprising considering that 10 percent of salmonella cases are caused by reptile pets, such as slider turtles and iguanas. "What was surprising," she said, "was the diversity ... we found." Most studies have identified one or two strains of salmonella in reptile species, but Smith found a total of 10 strains, called serotypes, in just these geckos. Two of the serotypes are well known from reptiles, but others came from livestock, poultry and rodents. One type is extremely rare in the U.S. and is primarily known from Asian samples." | 08/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| DOE Experiments with Synthetic Biofilms | Bacteria play a role in many industrial processes from fermentation to cleaning up environmental pollution. But floating freely in solution, the microbial cells constantly multiply, generating biomass that must be periodically removed. Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University have devised a way to encapsulate bacteria in a synthetic polymer hydrogel that could solve the problem. These new, stable, bio-hybrid materials maintain the microbes’ ability to exchange nutrients and metabolic products with their environment, and could find widespread applications as biosensors, catalysts, drug-delivery systems, or in wastewater treatment systems. 'Our goal is to develop synthetic biofilms in the form of bioactive materials that could be produced reliably on an industrial scale, and used or reused continuously. The generation of a very thin polymeric fibrous material in which microbes maintain their ability to function represents a significant step toward achieving that goal,' said Dev Chidambaram, Brookhaven Lab materials scientist. | 08/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Tamiflu Resistant Swine Flu Discovered in US | Newsmax.com is reporting a strain of swine flu that is resistant to treatment with the drug Tamiflu has been discovered near the U.S.-Mexican border, the Pan-American Health Organization said on Monday. "We have found resistance to Tamiflu on the border. We have observed some cases, few to be sure, in El Paso and close to McAllen, Texas," said Maria Teresa Cerqueira, head of the organization's local office. Cases of A(H1N1) that were resistant to the anti-viral medicine have now been found in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, and Japan. | 08/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Kefir and its high probiotic content may not be effective in preventing diarrhea in young children | Reuters health has reported that a research study funded by Lifeway Foods, a company that manufactures a probiotic product called ProBugs, which is essentially the cultured dairy beverage called Kefir, has found there is little difference between the beverage with active probiotics and without active probiotics when it comes to preventing diarrhea in children who are taking antibiotics. "Up to 35 percent of children who take antibiotics develop diarrhea, according to Dr. Daniel J. Merenstein at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC and colleagues, who performed the study. Sometimes the diarrhea is so severe that the children can't finish taking the medication." "Many sources report that kefir helps prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Kefir, a cultured dairy beverage that's a bit like drinkable yogurt, is rich with probiotics -- bacteria present naturally in the body and sometimes added to food or dietary supplements to boost immune function." "The researchers tested Probugs in a carefully controlled study that involved 125 children between the ages of 1 and 5 whose doctors had prescribed antibiotics for various reasons. For 10 days, while the children were taking the antibiotics, they also drank the kefir - but for half the children, the kefir had been heated in advance to kill off the probiotics." Overall, "there were no differences in the rates of diarrhea" between the two groups, the investigators report in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Furthermore, the real kefir did not provide any benefit in terms of stomach pain, vomiting, fever, irritability, lethargy, missed school days, or a variety of other factors. | 08/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Scientist 2009 Science Video Award Winners | The Scientist magazine has just announced the 2009 The Future of Science Video award winners. Click "source" to view the complete list of winners. Below are two examples of the several types of videos honored: The Tree of Life by The Wellcome Trust |
08/ 4/2009 | |||||||||||
| Are antibiotics overused on Pennsylvania dairy farms? | The Mercury, the Pottstown, PA, local/regional paper recently published a podcast about the use of antibiotics on Pennsylvania's dairy farms. You can listen to the embedded mp3 below. The interview is with Robert Martin of the Pew Environmental Group. {mp3remote}http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/Mercury/audio/antibiotics.mp3{/mp3remote} | 08/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study | A recent study published earlier this week from Washington State University suggests Nosema ceranae, a unicellular parasite, and pesticides embedded in old honeycombs are two major contributors to the bee disease known as colony collapse disorder. Now, the first descriptive epizootiological survey of honey bee colonies that considers 61 quantified variables has been published in PLoS. Following is the abstract (click "source" for the complete paper): Background Over the last two winters, there have been large-scale, unexplained losses of managed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in the United States. In the absence of a known cause, this syndrome was named Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) because the main trait was a rapid loss of adult worker bees. We initiated a descriptive epizootiological study in order to better characterize CCD and compare risk factor exposure between populations afflicted by and not afflicted by CCD. Methods and Principal Findings Of 61 quantified variables (including adult bee physiology, pathogen loads, and pesticide levels), no single measure emerged as a most-likely cause of CCD. Bees in CCD colonies had higher pathogen loads and were co-infected with a greater number of pathogens than control populations, suggesting either an increased exposure to pathogens or a reduced resistance of bees toward pathogens. Levels of the synthetic acaricide coumaphos (used by beekeepers to control the parasitic mite Varroa destructor) were higher in control colonies than CCD-affected colonies. Conclusions/Significance This is the first comprehensive survey of CCD-affected bee populations that suggests CCD involves an interaction between pathogens and other stress factors. We present evidence that this condition is contagious or the result of exposure to a common risk factor. Potentially important areas for future hypothesis-driven research, including the possible legacy effect of mite parasitism and the role of honey bee resistance to pesticides, are highlighted. | 08/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| A bar code standard for plant DNA | "An international panel of scientists has agreed to a bar-code standard for plant DNA that will allow the precise identification of most of Earth's 300,000 species of plants, according to a research report due to be published this week. The agreement is expected to generate a wide range of benefits, from checking the purity of herbal supplements to exposing illegal logging operations and helping to protect fragile plant ecosystems, observers said. In the animal and plant kingdoms, technicians use a short DNA sequence called a region to identify species. The one region chosen for animals has proven highly effective in identifying such diverse organisms as butterflies and birds. But researchers have found it far more difficult to establish a single bar-code standard for plants. It must contain a sequence that is universal to all plants yet unique to a species "over a tremendous variation of groups, from mosses and liverworts to flowering plants over several hundred millions of years," said David Schindel, executive secretary of the Washington-based Consortium for the Barcode of Life. The 52-member Plant Working Group has recommended that two regions be used, after four years of scientific haggling that whittled the number to seven candidates. The recommendation is made in a research report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." While this is not really the microbial news you can expect from MicrobeWorld it does raise the question if something like this could be done for microbes? My guess is that it may be next to impossible. What do you think? | 08/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Strain of HIV Jumps from Gorillas to Humans | A recently published paper in Nature Medicine reports that a new strain of HIV has jumped from gorillas to humans. So far, only one person, a 62-year-old French woman from Cameroon, has been found to be infected with the virus, which closely resembles strains of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) recently discovered in western gorillas in the wild. Until 2004, the infected woman lived in a suburb of Cameroon's capital city Yaoundé, where she didn't come into contact with apes or eat their meat – SIV's primary route to humans. This means that she probably acquired the infection from another human, likely through sexual contact. The woman hasn't yet shown any sign of a compromised immune system – the hallmark of AIDS – but tests on laboratory-cultured human cells suggest that the virus can replicate in the same white blood cells as other strains of HIV. | 08/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Tropical Fungus Creates Zombie Ants To Do Their Bidding | Scientific American has a great read on how Ophiocordyceps unilateralis takes control of ants as way to create an ideal growing environment for the fungus. "A tropical fungus has adapted to infect ants and force them to chomp, with surprising specificity, into perfectly located leaves before killing them and taking over their bodies" Click "source" to read the full story. | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Untangling the Roots of Colony Collapse Disorder | "A microscopic pathogen and pesticides embedded in old honeycombs are two major contributors to the bee disease known as colony collapse disorder, which has wiped out thousands of beehives throughout the United States and Europe over the past three years, new research at Washington State University has confirmed." Many researchers are investigating colony collapse disorder because domestic honeybees are essential for a variety of agricultural crops in the United States. Beekeepers truck their hives cross country to pollinate almond groves in California, field crops and forages in the Midwest, apples and blueberries in the Northeast and citrus in Florida. Unlike other diseases that have plagued bees in the past, colony collapse disorder does not kill bees within the hive. It leaves a hive with a few newly hatched adults, a queen and plenty of food. " The researchers at WSU suggest an easy method beekeepers can use to help prevent the disorder. "One easy solution is for beekeepers to change honeycombs more often. In Europe, for example, apiarists change combs every three years. "In the U.S., we haven't emphasized this practice and there's no real consensus about how often beekeepers should make the change," said Steve Sheppard, entomology professor at WSU's Agricultural Research Center. "Now we know that it needs to be more often." Please click "source" to read more about the interesting research by WSU as reported by the Environmental News Service. (By the way, the Discovery Channel is currently airing an interesting documentary on CCD) | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Staph's Virulence and Resistance Genes Can Transfer in Pairs | Scientists studying Staphylococcus bacteria, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), have discovered a potent staph toxin responsible for disease severity. They also found the gene for the toxin traveling with a genetic component of Staphylococcus that controls resistance to antibiotics. The study, now online in PLoS Pathogens, shows for the first time that genetic factors that affect Staphylococcus virulence and drug resistance can be transferred from one strain to another in one exchange event. One of the ways Staphylococcus bacteria become drug-resistant is through horizontal gene transfer, whereby resistance genes move from one bacterium to another. Staph bacteria also can exchange virulence genes using the same mechanism, but this was previously assumed to occur separately from the transfer of antibiotic resistance. Scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health, led the study. They collaborated with researchers at the University of Tubingen in Germany and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. "The discovery that bundled genes determine virulence and antimicrobial resistance suggests a new research focus for scientists trying to better prevent and treat serious staph infections," says Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID director. Via EurekAlert | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| NIH Grants Univ. of Pittsburgh $13.4 Million for Computer Simulation Studies of Disease Spread | As the world prepares for a probable resurgence of H1N1 in the coming months, University of Pittsburgh researchers are controlling the spread of infectious diseases virtually with a $13.4 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to establish a Center of Excellence in Modeling of Infectious Diseases. The five-year grant, part of the NIH's Modeling of Infectious Disease Agent Study (MIDAS) program, funds the development and testing of computer simulations that will ultimately enable public health officials and policymakers to evaluate intervention strategies to contain infectious disease outbreaks. Projects funded by the grant include: developing statistical tools to define the features of a pathogen and its spread through a population; identifying personal health behaviors and the social factors that influence decision-making related to prevention; tracking the evolution of infectious diseases over time; studying the impact of the seasons and variations in climate on infectious disease trajectories; putting a system in place to effectively implement an intervention; and providing new computational tools to local health officials. Via EurekAlert | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Sign Up for the Scrub Club | The Scrub Club created by NSF International is designed for children who are 3 to 8 years of age. The web site is a fun, interactive and educational resource that teaches children about the microbes that make them sick and the proper way to wash their hands. The site is a hodgepodge of fun flash animations, interactive games, music, downloadable activities and educational materials. There are also sections for parents and teachers on how to incorporate these materials in the classroom or home. | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Anthrax and bacteria that form spores | Interview with Dr. Adam Driks, from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Loyola University Medical Center, on the ability of anthrax to form spores. | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Communication breakdown: A new way to overcome antibiotic resistance | Interfering with communication among bacteria can prevent them from mounting a unified and perhaps deadly assault on their host organism, research by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigators shows. The finding suggests a different kind of medicine that could be less likely than traditional antibiotics to promote the development of drug-resistant bacteria. The new research, published July 30, 2009, in Molecular Cell, targeted a bacterial communication process known as quorum sensing, which triggers bacteria to act collectively only once they reach sufficient numbers to make their common activity worthwhile. In the case of disease-causing bacteria, that collective action is often the release of toxins. “If you cut off those lines of communication, you have just individuals acting and you don’t get the benefit of the collective, coordinated behavior,” said Bonnie Bassler, professor of molecular biology, Princeton University. The experiment shows that interfering with quorum sensing may provide an alternative to traditional antibiotics, Bassler says, and circumvent the problem of resistance that antibiotics foster by killing off susceptible bacteria but allowing resistant ones to survive and propagate. (Note: MicrobeWorld is currently working on a video production about this based on a presentation Bonnie Bassler gave recently at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C.) Here's Bassler's TED presentation on the subject. {youtube}TVfmUfr8VPA{/youtube} | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Could zinc be the new miracle supplement? | Scientists from Florida have found that zinc not only supports healthy immune function, but increases activation of the T cells responsible for destroying viruses and bacteria. Scientists administered either a zinc supplement or a placebo to healthy volunteers to assess the effects of zinc on T cell activation. After isolating the T cells from the blood, scientists then simulated infection in laboratory conditions. Results showed that T cells taken from the zinc-supplemented group had higher activation than those from the placebo group. Specifically, cell activation stimulated the zinc transporter in T cells called "ZIP8," which transports stored zinc into the cell cytoplasm where it then alters the expression of a T cell protein in a way needed to fight infections. | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| A novel immunization method against malaria delivers protection via mosquito bites | In this week's New England Journal of Medicine, scientists in Singapore, The Netherlands and France report that they have developed a novel immunization method that will induce fast and effective protection in humans against the life-threatening malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which infects 350 to 500 million people world-wide and kills over one million people each year. "It is not practical to apply the experimental method used in our study as a means of vaccination," said Laurent Renia, Ph.D., principal investigator at the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN). "But, this method of immunization could be applied successfully to similar investigations to find biological markers which would indicate the extent of protection against malaria. It would thus advance the currently limited knowledge of what constitutes protective anti-malaria immunity in humans," added Dr. Renia, who played a pivotal role in the research project by conceptualizing the experimental protocol and designing and conducting the follow-up experiments. The scientists' experimental approach involved exposing two groups of healthy human subjects to mosquitoes once a month over a three-month period at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in The Netherlands. One group (vaccine group) was exposed to mosquitoes infected with the malaria parasite, P. falciparum, and the second group (control group) to uninfected mosquitoes During the period of exposure, the study participants were treated with chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug that prevented P. falciparum from multiplying in the blood. Eight weeks after the last round of immunization and four weeks after the discontinuation of chloroquine administration, the participants in both groups were re-exposed to infected mosquitoes and tested for protection against P. falciparum. The four-week period was considered to be sufficient for chloroquine levels to drop below that which might inhibit parasite multiplication and malaria development. The scientists found that all individuals in the vaccine group had acquired complete protection against the parasite, while those in the control group who did not receive immunization developed parasitemia (parasites in their blood). This unique method of immunization allowed the human immune system to direct its response to eliminating the P. falciparum parasite at the earlier, liver stage of its life cycle. (Chloroquine kills the parasite at the later blood stage.) To induce an immune response, the scientists used malaria parasites that were whole and intact. Other methods have used genetically inactivated parasites or parasites that had been weakened by radiation to induce anti-malaria immunity. The unique immunization method demonstrated a significant improvement over other experimental malaria vaccines that are currently used in clinical trials and that could induce up to only 50% protection in humans. Using their novel approach, the scientists examined and gained important insight into the protective anti-malaria immune response in humans, which is difficult to acquire, whether through previous exposure or vaccination. (Naturally acquired immunity to malaria develops over a period of 10 to 20 years and with repeated exposure to malaria parasites.) By studying the antibodies, biological substances and cells present in the human subjects from the time of pre- to post-immunization, the scientists identified a specialised group of parasite-specific immune cells that indicated protection against P. falciparum in humans. These immune cells, known as pluripotent effector memory T cells, which can mediate the removal of pathogens from the body, were found in the blood samples of subjects who had been immunized and re-exposed to P. falciparum. The control group did not have these specialized cells. These results indicate that these cells could serve as a biological indicator to check for malaria protection in humans during the stages of vaccine development. "This is an elegant study which uses nature itself to tell us the answer to some basic questions regarding what can induce protective immunity against malaria," said Raymond Lin, M.D., senior consultant and Head of Microbiology at the Department of Laboratory Medicine of Singapore's National University Hospital. "It shows that exposure to whole unmodified malarial parasites can protect against subsequent infection, while minimizing adverse events through the use of anti-malarial drugs," he added. "This provides hope for future vaccines and offers prospects of alternatives to conventional vaccine approaches. Also, the remarkable experiment studies infection in humans, using real parasites and real mosquitoes yet in a controlled and safe clinical trial setting. Future vaccine researchers will doubtless refer to this paper for guidance. Malaria is a major health threat in this region which Singaporeans are vulnerable to, so having world-class malaria expertise here is important to us." SIgN Scientific Director Paola Castagnoli, Ph.D., said, "Professsor Renia has made some very significant findings that will contribute to a better understanding of the anti-malaria immune response in humans. His links with important international research centres and hospitals also demonstrate how collaborations that cross national borders can lead to fruitful and meaningful research outcomes. Certainly, such partnerships will help SIgN build up a strong platform in basic human immunology research that will better translate results into medical applications, and advance the search for cures to urgent medical problems." Before joining SIgN, which is part of Singapore's A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), in 2007, Dr. Renia was research director at France's INSERM ,and held appointments as co-director and director of the Department of Immunology at the Institut Cochin in Paris from 2001 to 2006. At SIgN, Dr. Renia heads the Laboratory of Malaria Immunobiology and works closely with scientists and physicians at hospitals and centres in countries such as Thailand, where malaria is still a burden to public health authorities. Dr. Renia and his lab members travel to the border of Thailand and Myanmar, to conduct follow-up experiments to better understand the molecular basis of the disease. Of the five malaria parasite species that can cause malaria in humans, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) is the most common cause of infection and is responsible for about 80% of all human malaria cases and about 90% of the deaths from malaria. The other four parasites are P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi. - Via EurekAlert press release | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Is there a link between a newly discovered virus and skin cancer? | A virus discovered last year in a rare form of skin cancer has also been found in people with the second most common form of skin cancer among Americans, according to researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. The researchers examined tissue samples from 58 people with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a highly curable form of skin cancer that is expected to affect more than 200,000 Americans this year. They identified the virus in more than a third of the patients and in 15 percent of the tumors tested. In addition, all of the virus found in tumor cells had a mutation that could enable the viral DNA to integrate into the DNA of the host cell. The findings are published in a recent issue of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| The European Academy of Microbiology | On June 29,2009, the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) was established in the Swedish city of Gotenborg. The objective of the academy is to provide a voice for European microbiology and to foster its quality and dissemination within Europe. Its goals include the expansion of scientific knowledge regarding key issues of microbiological relevance, fostering meetings and congresses, and establishing advanced courses. The EAM will include microbiologists with a notable record of publication, patents or inventions, significant achievements in clinical work or teaching, and contributions to the microbiological community. - Via Smallthingsconsidered.us | 07/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| Blame it on the economy: neglected swimming pools are to blame for rise in human West Nile virus cases | Blaming it on the economy, local health experts from the Chicago area say the number of neglected swimming pools is on the rise, creating a haven for mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile virus. "The number of desolate pools in Lake County has doubled in just a few years, said George Balis of Clarke Mosquito Control, whose company is contracted to perform aerial inspections locally for the Lake County Health Department and for the Southlake Mosquito Abatement District. Buffalo Grove also has seen an estimated twofold jump, said Brian Sheehan, deputy building commissioner and health officer for the village." And, from a recent article in the New Scientist, "California has struggled with this issue from the early days of the foreclosure crisis. Neglected swimming pools were associated with a 276 percent increase in the number of human West Nile cases during the summer of 2007, according to a study published this past November in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. " It's interesting to see how even economic fluctuations in a developed country can impact disease spread. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Quebec finds pandemic H1N1 in hog herd | Can hogs catch swine flu from humans? An isolated case of the pandemic H1N1 influenza has been confirmed in a Quebec hog herd. Pathologist Dr. Alain Laperle with Quebec's provincial agriculture, food and fisheries ministry (MAPAQ) claims that while the vector by which the disease came to the farm may never be known, the "most probable hypothesis" is that it came through a human carrier. In a MAPAQ release issued Tuesday the ministry reported the strain had been identified Friday at the labs of the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg. MAPAQ emphasized that no other case has been reported on any other hog farm in Quebec and no people have caught the virus from the herd, saying "there is no human case related to this situation." | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Henipavirus RNA found in African Bats | A new study in PLoS suggests that positive tests for Henipaviruses in African Straw-colored fruit bats in Ghana may indicate that one of the most pathogenic virus genera known in humans that is usually found in Australia and Asia may also be endemic in Africa. PloS Abstract: Henipaviruses (Hendra and Nipah virus) are highly pathogenic members of the family Paramyxoviridae. Fruit-eating bats of the Pteropus genus have been suggested as their natural reservoir. Human Henipavirus infections have been reported in a region extending from Australia via Malaysia into Bangladesh, compatible with the geographic range of Pteropus. These bats do not occur in continental Africa, but a whole range of other fruit bats is encountered. One of the most abundant is Eidolon helvum, the African Straw-colored fruit bat. Feces from E. helvum roosting in an urban setting in Kumasi/Ghana were tested for Henipavirus RNA. Sequences of three novel viruses in phylogenetic relationship to known Henipaviruses were detected. Virus RNA concentrations in feces were low. The finding of novel putative Henipaviruses outside Australia and Asia contributes a significant extension of the region of potential endemicity of one of the most pathogenic virus genera known in humans. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Pain-free Rapid Result Chlamydia Test for Men | A new urine test developed with funding from the Wellcome Trust will allow doctors to diagnose chlamydia infection in men within the hour, improving the ability to successfully treat the infection on the spot and prevent re-transmission. {flvremote}http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/stellent/groups/corporatesite/@msh_publishing_group/documents/video/WTX052908.flv{/flvremote} The Chlamydia Rapid Test, a urine test developed by Dr Lee and colleagues at Diagnostics for the Real World (DRW) and the University of Cambridge, can be used with minimal training. It is designed to be used in conjunction with FirstBurst, a device for collecting the first voided urine from men. FirstBurst collects six times the amount of Chlamydia bacteria compared to a standard urine sample. The test then uses a unique signal amplification system developed by DRW to boost the test's sensitivity and gives the results in less than an hour. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Malaria in Uganda - Education and Prevention | Videographer/artist Polly Green from New Zealand self produced this mini documentary on Professional kayaker Dr. Jessie Stone and her work with Soft Power Health in hopes to educate and raise awareness of malaria in Uganda. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Julie Bianchini - The role of cysteine-rich secretory proteins in yeast | Julie Bianchini talks about her research into understanding the functions of cysteine-rich secretory proteins, using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism. Julie was advised by Dr. Andrew Vershon, Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry in the Waksman Institute of Microbiology at Rutgers University. This is a good video for people interested in a career in science and microbiology. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Immune System: T Cells | Interview with Makio Iwashima, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology on the function of T cells in the immune system. This is a concise three-minute explanation with excellent visuals. Great for the classroom. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| An American Girl Traped in China's Swine Flu Dragnet | Hundreds of Americans suspected of carrying H1N1 have been quarantined in China this summer. Here is a transcript from one American family between the mother and her daughter who was caught up in China's swine flu dragnet this summer. The authors are Sheryl Gay Stolberg, White House correspondent and former science writer for The New York Times, and her daughter Olivia Robinson. Here's an excerpt from the NY Times: "Friday, July 24. It has been nearly a week now, and Olivia is still trapped in her hospital room. Food is passed to her through a double set of windows, like prison. On the bright side, she has a British roommate, Jessica, also 14; they have declared themselves “friends for life.” My Beijing colleagues delivered a laptop and some movies. She hasn’t had fever for four days, but she won’t be released until she tests negative for H1N1. We have had an endless e-mail stream of conflicting test results. The kids who were quarantined in the hotel were released today; they went out touring." Click "source" to read more. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| New test will help determine the right antibiotics required to treat serious, chronic infections | A new test developed by Edmonton-based Innovotech™ Inc. will now allow doctors to more accurately identify the right antibiotics required to treat serious, chronic infections such as Cystic Fibrosis that are biofilm based. With more than 80 per cent of infections in the developed world caused by biofilms, the potential for this new breakthrough test, called bioFILM PA™, is of immense significance to the medical community. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| First genetically-engineered malaria vaccine to enter human trials | Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists have created a weakened strain of the malaria parasite that will be used as a live vaccine against the disease. The vaccine, developed in collaboration with researchers from the US, Japan and Canada, will be trialled in humans from early next year. Professor Cowman said similar vaccines had been tested in mice and offered 100 per cent protection against malaria infection. He said it was hoped the vaccine would produce similar results in humans. "Although two genes have been deleted the parasite is still alive and able to stimulate the body's protective immune system to recognize and destroy incoming mosquito-transmitted deadly parasites," Professor Cowman said. This approach to vaccine development – using a weakened form of the whole organism that causes a particular disease – has proven successful in eradicating smallpox and controlling diseases such as flu and polio. The human trials of the vaccine will take place at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Maryland, US. | 07/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| When Germ Relationships Go Bad | Cartoon of a couple of bacteria having marital problems. Via Wikipedia Commons. Illustration by Gaspirtz. | 07/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine flu threat greater than terrorism, says UK's Home Secretary | Swine flu is now a greater threat to Britain than terrorism, according to Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary. The government is now advising pregnant women to avoid unnecessary travel. To date, more than 650 people have been taken to hospital with the virus in England, including more than 200 children. Under-fives have been three times more likely than older patients to be hospitalized. And there have been 29 swine flu related deaths. | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Ocean's Skin | Carl Zimmer of the NY Times has written an interesting article on researchers who have confirmed that there is a very thin film of microbes covering the ocean surface. They claim that the top hundredth-inch of the ocean is an ecosystem all unto its own. Michael Cunliffe, a marine biologist at the University of Warwick in England "and his colleagues have identified bacteria in the microlayer that devour important chemicals like methane and carbon monoxide. The microlayer is also crucial to the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas." Click "source" to read more. | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Study: Predicting Hospital Surge after a Large-Scale Anthrax Attack | According to a study in a special issue of Medical Decision Making, a large-scale, covert anthrax attack on a large city would overwhelm hospital resources even with an extremely effective public health response, primarily because of expected delays in detecting the attack and initiating a response to it. The article "Predicting Hospital Surge after a Large-Scale Anthrax Attack: A Model-Based Analysis of CDC's Cities Readiness Initiative Prophylaxis Recommendations," examines one of the CDC's principal bioterrorism-response programs, the Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI), a program that recommends the medical countermeasures necessary to minimize the hospital surge resulting from anthrax-related illness and response in the first two days after a major bioterrorism attack. The researchers found that a CRI-compliant prophylaxis campaign starting two days after exposure would protect as many as 86% of exposed individuals from illness. However, each additional day needed to complete the campaign would result in as much as 3% more hospitalizations in the exposed population. Unsustainable levels of hospitalizations would result from delays in detecting and initiating response to large-scale, covert aerosol anthrax releases in a major city, even with highly effective mass prophylaxis campaigns. Via - EurekAlert, Click "source" for the study. | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientists consider biobutanol a more efficient alternative to corn-based ethanol | "A group of researchers at Tulane University is working to develop biological methods for producing butanol that might ultimately lead to widespread use of the chemical as a fuel generated from waste materials rather than nonrenewable fossil fuels. Once the researchers determine the best bacteria for producing biobutanol, they intend to genetically modify them to produce higher yields of the chemical and to digest cellulose so biomass sources that might have otherwise wound up in landfills can be used to produce fuel. Eric Smith, associate director of the Tulane Energy Institute, said butanol could offer a way around many of the problems that plague ethanol, an alcohol already in widespread use as a fuel source. " | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| The International Probiotics Association Moves to Zurich, Switzerland | According to Nutra-ingredients.com, the International Probiotics Association (IPA) is relocating its headquarters to to Zurich, Switzerland, a move that is designed to bring the organization closer to regulatory action related to the healthy bacteria. This relocation comes just a few months before the group expects to be accepted into the Codex Alimentarius. "IPA, which represents the international probiotics industry, has been based in Illinois, USA, since it was founded in 2005. The association counts some of the leading probiotic firms amongst its members, and aims to be a network between academia, researchers and industry. " |
07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Wealthy Countries Stock Up On H1N1 Vaccine | According to AFP, countries are scrambling to buy up hundreds of millions of doses of the H1N1 vaccine. However, health experts from WHO are warning that developing nations may not get adequate supplies if wealthy nations grab up the all the vaccine it can. Click "source" for the full story. | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| First real-time video of bacteria infecting a living host | Scientists at the University of Bath and University of Exeter have developed a new technique that allows them to make a movie of bacteria infecting their living host. And, according to the researchers, the first film to follow the progress of infection in real-time with living organisms. Using developing fruit fly embryos as a model organism, they injected fluorescently tagged bacteria into the embryos and observed their interaction with the insect's immune system using time-lapse confocal microscopy. The researchers can also tag individual bacterial proteins to follow their movement and determine their specific roles in the infection process. The scientists are hoping to use this system in the future with human pathogens such as Listeria and Trypanosomes. By observing how these bacteria interact with the immune system, researchers will gain a better understanding of how they cause an infection and could eventually lead to better antibacterial treatments. {flvremote}http://media.eurekalert.org/multimedia_prod/pub/media/15594.flv{/flvremote} The insect immune cells known as hemocytes (green) rapidly engulf the bacteria following infection and this can be studied in real-time using timelapse microscopy. Credit: Isabella Vlisidou, University of Bath | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| New accreditation process for laboratories across Africa pushed by leading health authorities | Government health officials from 13 African countries today launched the first-ever push for accreditation of the continent's medical laboratories, starting a process that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Government believe will be an historic step to strengthen health systems and lead to better care for patients. Just a handful of Africa's laboratories are now accredited, in part because the existing international accreditation process is so time-consuming. Many laboratories lack equipment, proper funding, adequate training for lab workers, and systematic management of work. This new effort will operate under the guidance of the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), implemented through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HHS/CDC). The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) will assign dozens of volunteer American lab professionals and the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative will help implement action-oriented training programs to boost and standardize the quality of African laboratories. via - EurekAlert | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| GAO Says Tornado Alley Is Not the Best Place for DHS Infectious Disease Research Facility | The Washington Post is reporting "the Department of Homeland Security relied on a rushed, flawed study to justify its decision to locate a $700 million research facility for highly infectious pathogens in a tornado-prone section of Kansas, according to a government report." "The department's analysis was not "scientifically defensible" in concluding that it could safely handle dangerous animal diseases in Kansas -- or any other location on the U.S. mainland, according to a Government Accountability Office draft report obtained by The Washington Post. The GAO said DHS greatly underestimated the chance of accidental release and major contamination from such research, which has been conducted only on a remote island off the United States." | 07/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Mean Gene Evolution Machine | Researchers at Harvard Medical School have created a new genome engineering machine officially called MAGE (multiplex automated genome engineering) that can tweak dozens of genes to create billions of unique microbial strains in a few days. "MAGE relies on the tendency of cells to incorporate little bits of laboratory made DNA into their dividing chromosomes. Researchers can customize those bits so they modify specific genes and even parts of genes." "This technique allows us to do some amount of rapid evolution," says Harris Wang, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, who led the project along with colleagues Farren Isaacs and George Church. "The general motivation behind what we're trying to do is develop a set of techniques that will allow us to write into the genome of any organism with the same ease that we are able to read from the genome by DNA sequencing," he adds." Using MAGE's technology, scientists are now teaming up with biofuels and chemical manufacturers in hopes of creating engineered strains that could eventually be used on an industrial scale. | 07/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| UT Houston research identifies microbe that could trigger colic in babies | Published in the online edition of the Journal of Pediatrics, a study authored by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston suspect an organism called Klebsiella, a normally occurring bacterium that can be found in the mouth, skin and intestines as the cause for babies with colic. Colic is defined as unexplained and severe crying in an otherwise healthy newborn In the study of 36 babies, half of which had colic, researchers found the bacterium and gut inflammation in the intestines of the babies with colic. “We believe that the bacterium may be sparking an inflammatory reaction, causing the gut inflammation,” said J. Marc Rhoads, M.D., professor of pediatrics and lead investigator for the study. “Inflammation in the gut of colicky infants closely compared to levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Colic could prove to be a precursor to other gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease and allergic gastroenteropathies.” Babies in the study were fed breast milk and/or formula. Previous research articles have not shown significant data supporting the theory that breastfeeding protects infants against colic. The babies in the study were recruited from UT Physicians’ pediatric clinics and Kelsey-Seybold clinics. | 07/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Rabies the third-biggest infectious disease killer in China | Despite economic and healthcare advances, the majority of China has not had easy access to human rabies vaccines and the disease has risen in recent years from fewer than 200 cases in the 1990s to 3,302 in 2007. This statistic makes rabies the third-biggest infectious disease killer in China after AIDS and tuberculosis. From SciAm: "What's causing the outbreak? Money, for one, says Charles Rupprecht, head of rabies research at the CDC. Dogs are prized in some areas of China both as a delicacy and as personal protection. Many families have enough income to raise semiferal animals but not enough to cover complete veterinary care. The country is now home to 200 million dogs, less than 10 percent of which are vaccinated for rabies. Pampered pets, they are not. Although China's Ministry of Agriculture is in charge of annual rabies vaccination campaign, scientists say local governments periodically skip the program to save money. And even if they were diligent in their efforts, a 2008 study showed that two locally produced vaccines were so weak they only conferred protection to 10 to 20 percent of animals. " | 07/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 may cause seizures in children | The NY Times is reporting that CDC officials are alerting doctors that H1N1/swine flu may cause seizures, after four children were hospitalized in Texas for neurological complications. All four children fully recovered without complications after being treated at a Dallas hospital. "The announcement does not surprise doctors accustomed to seeing complications in the brain caused by the seasonal flu viruses that circulate every year. “It’s completely to be expected given that so far this novel H1N1 flu is behaving like the seasonal flu that we are familiar with,” said Dr. Anne Moscona, a professor of pediatrics and microbiology at the Weill Cornell Medical Center ." | 07/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Interview with Craig Venter on designing algae to produce oil and partnering with Exxon Mobil | This is a short but interesting interview in the New Scientist that explores Craig Venter's partnership with Exxon Mobil to turn living algae into oil producing factories. When asked what the desired outcome will be, Venter says: "Our aim is to have a real and significant impact on the billions of gallons [of oil] that are consumed worldwide. Materials used to make a vast range of products - clothing, carpets, medicines, plastics - come from oil. The goal is to try and replace as many of these as possible. The expectation is that doing it on this scale will take five to 10 years." | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| All Your Biomass Are Belong to Us | "When Robotic Technology, Inc., and Cyclone Power Technologies announced earlier this month they had completed the first phase of their project to build a robotic vehicle that could scavenge sticks, grass, leaves and other biomass to fuel itself, the companies had no idea that their proposed machine would set off one of humanity's worst fears: the dawn of an artificially intelligent race of self-sufficient mechanical devices with a hunger for organic meals (including people). The companies quelled last week's clamor that their Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR) was being developed as a carnivore by pointing out that it will, in fact, be a vegetarian." | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Could Bacteria-Filled Balloons Stop the Spread of the Sahara? | While many are supporting the idea of building a green wall of vegetation (i.e. trees) to prevent the march of sands on the creeping southern border of the Sahara, Architect Magnus Larsson is proposing that we also solidify the dunes using bacteria-filled balloons. At a recent TED conference, Larsson suggests we can flood the Sahara with Bacillus pasteurii, a bacterium which chemically produces calcite - a kind of natural cement, by filling giant balloons with the microbe and placing them in the way of the moving dunes. Essentially, once the balloons pop under the dunes' weight, this would turn the edges of the Sahara into stone. Unfortunately, the video of Larsson's presentation is not posted yet. But when it is, MicrobeWorld will be sure to link to it. | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| 150 Dead in Nepal Due to Cholera Outbreak | "The causative agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, has been detected in stool samples collected from the Jajarkot district in Nepal where more than 150 persons died of diarrhea in recent weeks. When five suspected samples were subjected to laboratory test in Kathmandu following the Ministry of Health and Population directives, the cholera causing bacterium was detected in three. Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that is caused by enterotoxin-producing strains of the bacterium. It is transmitted by contaminated water and food. " | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Discarded chicken parts may provide an abundant source of biodiesel fuel | "Scientists in Nevada are reporting development of a new and environmentally friendly process for producing biodiesel fuel from "chicken feather meal," made from the 11 billion pounds of poultry industry waste that accumulate annually in the United States alone." Here's the secret recipe: 1. Extract fat from chicken feather meal using boiling water (70 °C) 2. Transesterifie the fat into biodiesel using KOH and methanol 3. This should produce 7−11% of biodiesel According to the research paper "ASTM analysis of the prepared feather meal biodiesel confirmed that the biodiesel is of good quality and comparable to other biodiesels made from other common feedstocks. Given the amount of feather meal produced by the poultry industry, it is estimated that this process can create 150−200 million gallons of biodiesel in the United States and 593.2 million gallons worldwide." | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| 5 percent of penguins in the Galapagos may harbor malaria parasite | Biologists studying the penguins of Galapagos islands have found evidence that the animals harbor the malaria parasite plasmodium. "Iris Levin of the University of Missouri at St Louis and her colleagues took blood samples from 362 Galapagos penguins – already listed as being threatened with extinction – on nine islands in the Galapagos archipelago. All of the birds appeared healthy, but the tests revealed that 19 of the penguins, 5 per cent, carried the Plasmodium parasite, which causes malaria. The infected birds were spread across the archipelago, suggesting the parasite is not restricted to one small colony of penguins. Galapagos penguins move around the islands, so the parasite is likely to spread further, say the researchers." | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| AIDS-like disease found in wild chimpanzees | An international consortium has found that wild chimpanzees naturally infected with Simian Immunodeficiency Viruses (SIV) – long thought to be harmless to the apes – can contract an AIDS-like syndrome and die as a result. The findings are published in the July 23 edition of the journal Nature. Scientists have known that the AIDS virus, HIV-1, first entered the human population after transmission from chimpanzees. The precursor virus, SIV, has many different forms, most of which infect various African monkey species. While there are data for only a few of these species, all of the evidence so far has indicated that monkey SIVs are not pathogenic in their natural hosts. "We all assumed that the same was true of SIV infection in chimpanzees, but that turns out not to be the case," said Dr. Beatrice Hahn, a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who led the investigation. "But of course chimps are not monkeys. Chimpanzees and humans are very similar genetically, so perhaps we should not be surprised that these closely related viruses cause disease in both hosts." via- EurekAlert | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| New vaccine blocks malaria transmission in lab experiments | Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute have for the first time produced a malarial protein (Pfs48/45) in the proper conformation and quantity to generate a significant immune response in mice and non-human primates for use in a potential transmission-blocking vaccine. Antibodies induced by Pfs48/45 protein vaccine effectively blocked the sexual development of the malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium, as it grows within the mosquito. Sexual development is a critical step in the parasite's life cycle and necessary for continued transmission of malaria from mosquitoes to humans. The study is published in the July 22 edition of the journal PLoS ONE. Click "source" to view. | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| NIAID to start clinical trials of H1N1 vaccine | Scientists in a network of medical research institutions across the United States are set to begin a series of clinical trials to gather critical data about influenza vaccines, including two candidate H1N1 flu vaccines. The research will be under the direction of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. "With the emergence of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, we have undertaken a collaborative and efficient process of vaccine development that is proceeding in stepwise fashion," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. After the isolation and characterization of the virus, the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generated and distributed a 2009 H1N1 seed virus to vaccine manufacturers for the development of vaccine pilot lots for testing in clinical trials. "Now, NIAID will use our longstanding vaccine clinical trials infrastructure—the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units—to help quickly evaluate these pilot lots to determine whether the vaccines are safe and to assess their ability to induce protective immune responses," says Dr. Fauci. "These data will be factored into the decision about how and if to implement a 2009 H1N1 flu immunization program this fall." via EurekAlert! | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Syphilis making comeback, gonorrhea more treatment resistant | According to Dr. David H. Martin, Professor and Chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, "the number of cases of the asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis, the most common reportable infectious disease in the US, is growing; gonorrhea, the second most common reportable infectious disease in the US, is growing more resistant to treatment; syphilis is making a comeback which could wipe out the gains made in syphilis control following the epidemic of the late 1980s; and M. genitalium has the potential to become a public health target as recent work has now linked it to pelvic inflammatory disease in women along with being a known cause of nongonococcal urethritis in men. " | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| The CDC stops reporting confirmed and probable H1N1 flu cases | Instead of reporting confirmed and probable novel H1N1 flu cases, the CDC has transitioned to using its traditional flu surveillance systems to track the progress of both the novel H1N1 flu pandemic and seasonal influenza. The CDC believes "confirmed and probable case counts represent a significant underestimation of the true number of novel H1N1 flu cases in the U.S., so the true benefit of reporting these numbers to track the course of the epidemic is questionable. In addition, because of the extensive spread of novel H1N1 flu within the United States, it has become extremely resource-intensive for states to count individual cases." | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Milking Algae to Produce Biofuel | Researchers from Canada and India have published a thorough paper in the American Chemical Society’s bi-monthly journal Industrial Engineering & Chemical Research on various approaches, challenges and benefits of “milking” oil from single-cell algae known as diatoms. "In this communication, we propose ways of harvesting oil from diatoms, using biochemical engineering and also a new solar panel approach that utilizes genomically modifiable aspects of diatom biology, offering the prospect of “milking” diatoms for sustainable energy by altering them to actively secrete oil products. Secretion by and milking of diatoms may provide a way around the puzzle of how to make algae that both grow quickly and have a very high oil content." | 07/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Call for 2010 Research Mentors for the ASM Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship | Want to be a host mentor? Your influence can have a wonderful impact on a minority science student. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) seeks partnership with research mentors at research intensive institutions to leverage support of the fellowship program. The research mentor must be an ASM member and support the fellows' research project for a minimum of ten weeks. Click "source" above to apply today. | 07/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Reported Dengue Fever Infections Quadruple in Sri Lanka for 2009 | ChinaView.cn is reportiong that the number of dengue deaths in Sri Lanka has risen to 180 while 18,030 cases have been reported this year, according to officials from the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry. "They said of the 18,030 cases the highest number of patients was reported from June totaling 7,005. This represents a sharp increase as 4,156 dengue cases and 85 deaths were reported for the whole year of 2008. Government officials said dengue virus has hit the countrywide this year affecting mostly the youth, many of them students." | 07/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| New DNA Vaccine Inhibits Deadly Skin Cancer in Mice | A new DNA vaccine inhibited malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, in mice by eliciting antibodies that target a gastrin-releasing peptide which is known to play a key role in cancer development. The researchers from China and the U.S. report their findings in the July 2009 issue of the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is an important human peptide that regulates gastric acid secretion and motor function as well as elicits gastrin release. Previous research has shown that GRP plays a significant role in human cancers through atypical expression of the GRP receptor and GRP binding that activates cellular signaling and results in increased cell production and tumor formation. Anti-GRP antibodies have displayed promising antitumoral activity and DNA vaccines targeting GRP are a hopeful therapeutic approach. In the study researchers developed a novel anti-GRP DNA vaccine including various immunoadjuvants (substances to improve the immune response) and monitored anti-GRP antibody levels in vaccinated mice. Intramuscular injections induced high levels of specific antibodies against GRP as well as suppressed the growth of melanoma cells. Additionally, researchers intravenously injected cells in the lungs and found that cells were highly diminished indicating that the vaccine may also inhibit cancer from spreading. "In conclusion, we have demonstrated for the first time that immune responses which are elicited by a novel anti-GRP DNA vaccine suppress the proliferation and growth of melanoma tumors in mice," say the researchers. "The antiangiogenesis and antimetastastic activities of this DNA vaccine suggest a novel approach against various cancers, especially malignant melanoma." (J. Fang, Y. Lu, K. Ouyang, G. Wu, H. Zhang, Y. Liu, Y. Chen, M. Lin, H. Wang, L. Jin, R. Cao, R.S. Roque, L. Zong, J. Liu, T. Li. 2009. Specific antibodies elicited by a novel DNA vaccine targeting gastrin-releasing peptide inhibit murine melanoma growth in vitro. Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, 16. 7: 1033-1039.) | 07/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| Infection-Causing Amoeba May be Resistant to Multiple Contact Lens Solutions | A new study suggests that some contact lens solutions do not properly disinfect against Acanthamoeba, a free-living organism in the environment that can cause a painful vision-threatening infection. The researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia, report their findings in the July 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. Acanthamoeba are found in a variety of environmental sources including soil, freshwater, brackish water and seawater, as well as hot tubs and Jacuzzis. The species is associated with many different human diseases such as central nervous system infections and Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), an infection of the cornea that can ultimately lead to blindness. 85% of AK cases in the United States are attributed to contact lens wear, with some specific risk factors being improper contact lens care and contact with nonsterile water during wear. Insufficient anti-Acanthamoeba activity in Advanced Medical Optics Complete MoisturePlus multipurpose contact lens solution was brought to attention following a recent multistate outbreak of AK. While investigating that outbreak, researchers also compared the effectiveness of 11 other contact lens solutions against cysts of Acanthamoeba castellanii, Acanthamoeba polyphaga, and Acanthamoeba hatchetti, all of which were sample specimens collected during the outbreak. Results indicated that only the two contact lens solutions containing hydrogen peroxide showed any disinfection ability against A. castellanii and A. polyphaga after 6 or 24 hours. No significant disinfection efficacy was noted among the 11 solutions against A. hatchetti. "The prevention of future cases of AK will require contact lens solutions that are effective against Acanthamoeba species and continued emphasis on proper lens care hygiene," say the researchers. "Educating contact lens wearers about the risk factors for AK, including the improper use of contact lens solutions, is important; but a systematic method for evaluating contact lens solutions will reduce the chance that inefficacious solutions are available." (S.P. Johnston, R. Sriram, Y. Ovarnstrom, S. Roy, J. Verani, J. Yoder, S. Lorick, J. Roberts, M.J. Beach, G. Visvesvara. 2009. Resistance of Acanthamoeba cysts to disinfection in multiple contact lens solutions. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 47. 7: 2040-2045.) | 07/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| "Single-Shot" Vaccines May Protect Against H5N1 Influenza Virus | Two newly developed "single-shot" H5N1 influenza vaccines protected ferrets against lethal infection with the H5N1 influenza virus and may allow for mass vaccination in humans in the event of a pandemic outbreak. The researchers from Australia report their findings in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of Virology. As the highly infectious H5N1 influenza A virus continues to persist in bird populations and infect humans through poultry, concerns of a pandemic outbreak remain high. Although human-to-human transmission has remained limited, the fatality rate among those reported human cases is greater than 60%. The threat that the virus will mutate and achieve efficient human-to-human spread emphasizes the need for effective preventative therapies. Vaccination is considered the optimal method for controlling an influenza pandemic. Vaccines must be rapidly available to reach mass populations and they must include the minimal antigen dose (substance that promotes the generation of antibodies) to result in full immunity. The use of adjuvants (substances to improve the immune response) in vaccine development may lower the antigen dose required and ultimately ease the demand on vaccine supply during a pandemic. Clinical trials on prepandemic vaccines containing adjuvant suggested that two injections were necessary to induce protective immunity. In this study researchers first inoculated ferrets twice with two H5N1 influenza virus adjuvant vaccines (Iscomatrix and AIPO4) and observed for protective efficacy following a lethal challenge with the H5N1 virus. Results showed that ferrets were completely protected against death and disease for at least 15 months. More significantly, a secondary study found that both adjuvant vaccines also protected ferrets from death following only a single inoculation. Specifically, ferrets receiving a single shot of the Iscomatrix adjuvant vaccine displayed fewer signs of infection and remained highly active. "Our data provide the first indication that in the event of a future influenza pandemic, effective mass vaccination may be achievable with a low-dose 'single shot' vaccine and provide not only increased survival but also significant reduction in disease severity," say the researchers. (D. Middleton, S. Rockman, M. Pearse, I. Barr, S. Lowther, J. Klippel, D. Ryan, L. Brown. 2009. Evaluation of vaccines for H5N1 influenza virus in ferrets reveals the potential for protective single-shot immunization. Journal of Virology, 83. 15: 7770-7778.) | 07/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Alaska Ocean Blob Mystery Revealed - It's an Algal Bloom | Several media outlets from Time Magazine to local Alaska papers have confirmed that the 15 mile long organic blob floating in the Chukchi Sea, the waters between Alaska and Siberia, is indeed an algal bloom. But how common are algal blooms so high up in the northern hemisphere? Apparently, if the conditions are right, nutrients, temperatures, currents, etc., they can form. In fact, a quick google search uncovered a paper (pdf) by R. Gradinger from the Institut fur Polarokologie in Germany that describes an algal bloom under arctic pack ice. To get an idea of the magnitude of the Curkchi Sea algal bloom watch the YouTube Video below: {youtube}WvBWEaYjgIU{/youtube} And, for entertainment purposes only, here's the original trailer for the 1958 movie The Blob starring Steve McQueen. {youtube}XhyRpvgm03g{/youtube} |
07/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| New book from ASM Press, The Elusive Malaria Vaccine: Miracle or Mirage? | Malaria is one of humankind's greatest killers, yet despite the best efforts of scientists, an effective vaccine is still not available to prevent it. A new book from ASM Press, The Elusive Malaria Vaccine: Miracle or Mirage? tells the story of the search for a still unrealized vaccine. Chronicling a 100-year quest, this book tells the fascinating story of the hunt for the still-elusive malaria vaccine. Its clear, engaging style makes the book accessible to a general audience and brings to life all the drama of the hunt, celebrating the triumphs and documenting the failures. Authored by Irwin W. Sherman of the University of California, Riverside, The Elusive Malaria Vaccine: Miracle or Mirage? is based on his thorough investigation of the scientific literature as well as his first-hand interviews with today's pioneers in malaria vaccine research. As a result, the book offers remarkable insights into the keys to a successful malaria vaccine and the obstacles hindering its development. Malaria currently afflicts some 300 to 500 million people. Moreover, malaria infections have begun to spread and surge in places previously free from the disease. With the book's easy-to-follow coverage of such topics as immunity, immunology, recombinant DNA, and monoclonal antibodies, readers gain a new understanding of the disease itself, the importance of microbe hunters, and the need for responsible leadership to face the challenges that lie ahead in the battle against malaria. "The hunt for a malaria vaccine has been unfolding for a century. It has been punctuated by periods of intense activity and excitement followed by inaction and boredom. The quest has been enlivened by controversy; there have been wars of words, and errors have been made, some honest but sometimes not. Ideas have been stolen, credit for discovery has gone unacknowledged, and there have been and continue to be intense rivalries with clashes of ego and even scandals. This book tells of slow and erratic research, the promises of success and the disappointing failures, and the fierce competition between microbe hunters who have had as their single goal a protective malaria vaccine able to reduce morbiditiy and mortality by one of the world's most notorious assassins," says Sherman. | 07/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Cleaning Office Environments of Microbial Contaminants | Here's a poster presentation by Luke Johnson from Canada's Carleton University on "Cleaning Office Environments of Microbial Contaminants," or how to best clean up an office space after a biothreat incident such as anthrax. Johnson was this year's recipient of the American Industrial Hygiene Association's Ken Dillon Award. The award, which entails a plaque and honorarium, is made to the best student poster a topic germane to the areas of Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology. | 07/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Know Your Mushrooms - The Documentary | Larry Evans, president of Western Montana Mycological Association, along with fellow mycologist, Gary Lincoff, introduce film audiences to the weird world of mycology in the new documentary "Know Your Mushrooms." With a psychedelic soundtrack produced by The Flaming Lips, director Ron Mann's documentary lends an investigative eye into the world of fungi, culminating at the Telluride Mushroom Festival in Colorado, where mushroom fans converge to celebrate thousands of varieties — from button and Portobello to the hallucingenic psilocybin. Upcoming screenings include: Maine International Film Festival: July 10 - 19 The Hollywood, Portland, OR: July 17, 18, 19, 25 & 26 Alamo Ritz, Austin, TX: July 29 Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, NY: Sept. 2 For more information visit www.knowyourmushrooms.com | 07/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Science on Twitter | An article about scientists' use of Twitter appears on BioOne's website. Of particular interest is how evolutionary biologist Jonathan Eisen approaches this communications technology: One scientist who is exploring Twitter's potential utility for his work is evolutionary biologist Jonathan Eisen, of the University of California, Davis. Eisen, who is also the academic editor in chief of PLoS Biology and an avid cyclist, first joined Twitter in February so he could follow Lance Armstrong in the Tour of California. After a while, Eisen began using Twitter to communicate and share information with other scientists. “To do science, you have to know what's going on in science,” Eisen says. “I found Twitter…most useful for becoming informed of what other people are doing in science.” By sharing comments, links, information, and notes about new scientific developments with trusted sources, Eisen says, he is better able to keep up with the vast amount of information in his fields of interest. Twitter and other social networks such as FriendFeed, he says, enable “real-time highlighting and ranking and tracking of what's going on in the world of science.” Twitter is also useful for networking and finding collaborators. By the way, BioOne is a global, not-for-profit collaboration that brings together scientific societies, publishers, and libraries to provide access to critical, peer-reviewed research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. Looks like an interesting resource. | 07/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Microbiology Curriculum for K through 12 Grades | Bact to school time is on the horizon and I am sure many teachers, educators and professors are looking for supplemental course material or new ideas. A quick search on the web resulted in this comprehensive Microbiology curriculum for K-12 that was presented at the 1997 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Miami, FL. From the curriculum's mission statement - In order to make science more real and exciting for our students, we propose that microbiology be introduced into the science curriculum as early as kindergarten. We suggest the use of microbiology as no other biological field interfaces so readily with other disciplines. Consider the ties: the impact of disease on history, the use of large numbers, logs and exponentials. Also "micro" can facilitate development of observational skills as well as many of the higher thinking skills in Bloom's Taxonomy. The discussion of everyday issues about health and sociology, the biochemistry and molecular biology revolution can also be initiated through the study of microbiology. We believe that the addition of microbiology will increase interest in science and help head off a personnel deficit in the scientific fields. Furthermore, exposing all students to microbiological concepts at an early age will create a public better educated in many modern issues. They will be better able to understand that many microbes have a positive impact on our lives, and contrast this knowledge with media reports on medical issues such as HIV/AIDS, the rapid spread of diseases in developing countries, and emerging diseases. Click "source" for a developmental series of curriculum enrichment ideas to aid the introduction of microbiology into existing curricula. | 07/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Codex confirms “alternative approach” for listeria monocytogenes in ready to eat food | From Food Production Daily - The Codex Alimentarius Commission has moved quickly to clarify a newly ratified standard on permitted levels of listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in ready-to-eat (RTE) food after being challenged by the UK’s Chilled Food Association (CFA). On Monday, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) released a statement summarizing the main provisions of some of 30 new safety measures targeting dangerous bacteria and chemicals - including listeria monocytogenes in RTE products The joint announcement from the UN bodies triggered alarm in the RTE industry after saying that while a maximum level of listeria has been set for certain foods where the bacteria cannot grow, a zero tolerance approach had been adopted in RTE products where growth of the bacteria was possible. The announcement failed to mention, however, a third additional measure contained in the detailed Codex document allowing for an “Alternative approach” to zero tolerance to be taken. This stipulation, agreed at a Codex Committee for Food Hygiene (CCFH) meeting in Guatemala last December, gives individual countries the flexibility to extend the maximum level of 100 colony forming units (cfu)/g across the board to include foods where growth of the bacteria can occur. | 07/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Probiotics can help gastric-bypass patients lose fat, says study | Use of probiotics after a gastric bypass can help obese patients lose weight at a faster pace and avoid vitamin-B deficiency, according to the latest study. Probiotics are the so-called 'good' bacteria found in yoghurt as well as in over-the-counter dietary supplements that help in digestion of food. John Morton, associate professor of surgery at the Stanford University School of Medicine (SUSM), found that patients who take probiotics after the gastric-bypass, tend to shed more pounds than those who don't take them. The researchers followed 44 patients on whom Morton had performed the surgery from 2006 to 2007. Patients were categorized into either a probiotic or a control group. "Surprisingly, the probiotic group attained a significantly greater per cent of excess weight loss than that of the control group," said Morton. The paper is published in the July issue of the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. | 07/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| FDA Wants to Limit Use of Antibiotics in Livestock | The Food and Drug Administration believes antibiotics should be used on livestock only to cure or prevent disease and not to promote growth, a common use, said Principal deputy FDA commissioner Joshua Sharfstein. "The FDA also believes that the use of medications for prevention and control should be under the supervision of a veterinarian," he said. This would mean no over-the-counter sales of antibiotics to farmers and ranchers. Restrictions on livestock use would reduce the opportunity for bacteria to develop resistance to drugs used by humans. Sharfstein told reporters afterward that his testimony was a statement of FDA principles. He said there was no administration or FDA position on a bill that would phase out nontherapeutic use in livestock of seven classes of antibiotics -- penicillins, tetracyclines, macrolides, lincosamides, streptogramins, aminoglycosides, sulfonamides -- and any other drug used to treat bacterial illness in people. | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine Flu Death Statistics May Be Flawed Say Researchers | Estimates of the proportion of people who will die if infected with swine flu are flawed, say UK researchers. Currently, the death rate in the UK and the US is estimated at about 0.5 per cent of people who have been infected with the virus. And, accurate estimates are needed so that health authorities can best target treatment and vaccination strategies. However new analysis purport three reasons why current estimates may be off. 1. The unknown number of infected people, who recover at home without notifying their doctors that they are ill, or receiving a diagnosis. 2. The possibility that deaths from swine flu are being attributed falsely to other causes of death, such as heart attacks or pneumonia from other causes. 3. Statistics are distorted by a time-lag between the point at which someone is infected and the time they die. Click "source" to read the article in more detail. | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine Flu Parties | According to the BBC, "reports have emerged of people intentionally mixing with friends who have flu. Their reasoning is that it is best to be infected before the winter when the virus could become more deadly. But public health expert Dr Richard Jarvis, chairman of the British Medical Association's public health committee, said such behavior could undermine the fight against swine flu and stressed while it was a mild flu, people would still be putting their health and the health of their children at risk." | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Exxon partners with Synthetic Genomics to Invest Millions in producing biofuel from algae | "On Tuesday, Exxon plans to announce an investment of $600 million in producing liquid transportation fuels from algae — organisms in water that range from pond scum to seaweed. The biofuel effort involves a partnership with Synthetic Genomics, a biotechnology company founded by the genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter." "The agreement could plug a major gap in the strategy of Exxon, the world’s largest and richest publicly traded oil company, which has been criticized by environmental groups for dismissing concerns about global warming in the past and its reluctance to develop renewable fuels." There is a lot of research being done with algae and the manufacturing of biodiesel/ethanol/rocket fuel these days. | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| A new liquid vaccine to protect children from ear infections | A new study could introduce a pain-free vaccination strategy that works against ear infections developed by Lauren Bakaletz, PhD, director of the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in collaboration with John Clements, PhD, at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Ear infections are typically treated through antibiotics or, if they occur often enough, through surgery. “The emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and the invasive nature of the surgical procedure raise the need to develop different ways to treat or, preferably, prevent ear infections,” said Dr. Bakaletz, who is also a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. The data from researchers at Nationwide Children’s is the first to show immunization as an effective way to prevent ear infections. The vaccine was recently tested by placing a droplet of formula on the outer ears of chinchillas and then rubbed into the skin. Dr. Bakaletz said that it was extremely effective, and that her research team is excited about the ability to immunize without needles. via Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio press release | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Solving Darwin's Dilemma | An interesting article in the New Scientist looks at solving Darwin's Dilemma, that is, in Darwin's words from the first edition of origin of Species, "If my theory be true, it is indisputable that before the lowest Silurian stratum was deposited... the world swarmed with living creatures. To the question why we do not find records of these vast primordial periods, I can give no satisfactory answer." "Why did animals evolve so late in the day? And why did the ancestors of modern animals apparently evolve in a geological blink of an eye during the early Cambrian between about 542 and 520 million years ago? A series of recent discoveries could help explain these long-standing mysteries. These findings suggest that the first animals evolved far earlier than we thought, perhaps more than 850 million years ago. The really extraordinary part, though, is that these early animals may have completely transformed the planet, paving the way for the larger and more complex animals that followed them." If you read the article in full you find many expert's informed opinions on the matter. Not surprisingly, bacteria play a strong role in almost all of the theories. | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Researchers explain why HIV-1 progresses faster in women than in men | One of the continuing mysteries of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is why women usually develop lower viral levels than men following acute HIV-1 infection but progress faster to AIDS than men with similar viral loads. Now a research team based at the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), MIT and Harvard has found that a receptor molecule involved in the first-line recognition of HIV-1 responds to the virus differently in women, leading to subsequent differences in chronic T cell activation, a known predictor of disease progression. Their paper, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Nature Medicine, is receiving early online release. Via - Massachusetts General Hospital press release | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine may have played a big role in the 1918 Flu pandemic | A study published in Monday's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences makes the case that the last century's deadliest pandemic, the 1918 Flu, may not have emerged from a sudden leap from birds to humans. Instead the authors theorize that swine played a big role in the virus' evolution up to 15 years before the pandemic. The authors of the paper suggest that by looking more closely at the evolution of all eight gene segments that make up influenza viruses, virologists can learn to understand what types of changes are most important on the path to virulence and hopefully identify any potential red flags that they can monitor with the current H1N1 pandemic strain. | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| WHO Recommends Countries to Reduce Lab Tests for H1N1/Swine Flu | Bloomberg news is reporting that the World Health Organization will recommend countries should stop trying to test all suspected cases of swine flu, according to Keiji Fukuda, the agency’s assistant director-general of health security and environment. The WHO suggests countries that have reported pandemic flu cases should focus on diagnosing patients by their symptoms. This change in procedure will free up laboratories to test samples in unusual or severe cases, clusters of illnesses and cases with odd symptoms. | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| UK Health Experts Surprised by Rapid Spread of Summer Swine Flu/H1N1 | Dr Alan Hay, director of the London-based World Influenza Centre, said the extensive summer outbreak in Britain had not followed expected patterns and warned the Department of Health needed to be prepared for a more deadly form of the disease. "We have been a little surprised by the degree of spread of this virus. A few weeks ago we anticipated that this was going to be a short series of outbreaks that would probably peter out before reappearing in the autumn or winter and that has proved not to be the case." | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1/swine flu could "severly disrupt" London transport | The UK's Business Continuity Institute and The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union claima UK swine flu epidemic could severely disrupt transportation in London. "There have now been 17 swine flu-related deaths in the UK, including six-year-old Chloe Buckley, from west London, who died on 9 July." "RMT general secretary Bob Crow said transport workers are at greater risk of contracting swine flu as they tend to work in close contact with the public, often in confined spaces such as trains, buses and on the London Underground." "Mr Crow said: "If the predicted development of the swine flu is accurate it will have a devastating impact on transport services and will expose both the shortage of staff and the inadequate planning across our fragmented system." | 07/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Unleashing the Power of Beer | German and Slovakian researchers are attempting to solve two problems at once, the volatile market for grain waste and the growing demand for biofuel. Not to long ago beer manufacturers in Europe simply sold their waste to farmers who either fed it to their animals or used it as fertilizer, "but that isn't easy nowadays given reductions in cattle breeding in Europe and stricter regulations on the content of waste allowed on land." This has create an unstable market situation for grain waste according to manufacturers. Inspired by this situation,Wolfgang Bengel, the technical director at German biomass company BMP Biomasse Projekt, "saw a business opportunity in solving the breweries' headache. He reasoned that the leftover grain could be used to create steam and biogas, which would provide energy for the breweries, cheapening their energy costs as well as their costs of transporting grain to farms." Bengal has successfully done this for rice and sugar plants in China and Thailand and is now trying to do this for Europe's beer companies. | 07/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Fine Reading: In the Company of Ciliates | Merry Youle from From the Small Things Considered Blog points readers to an article by Hans-Dieter Görtz on the fascinating relationships between ciliates and bacteria. "Organisms such as ciliates that dine daily on bacteria run the risk of getting an infection. Indeed, ciliates—large, complex cells—are host in nature to gazillion different bacteria that they acquire primarily through phagocytosis at their "mouth." Resident bacteria are generally termed symbionts even though only a few of them have been studied enough to reveal the nature of their intimate relationship. The stories of those chosen few are recounted in an engrossing review by Hans-Dieter Görtz" | 07/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| T4 bacteriophage targets E. coli | T4 bacteriophages targeting E. coli bacteria. Bacteriophages are small viruses that infect bacteria and kill them by multiplying and essentially filling the bacterial cell to bursting. This is a great animation. | 07/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Life at the Extremes: Microbes, Salt and Pressure (Part 6) | Adrienne Kish, an astrobiologist with an interest in the microbiology and molecular biology of extremophiles exposed to the types of environmental conditions found on planetary bodies such as Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, presents a lecture entitled "Life at the Extremes: Micerobes, Salt & Pressure" at The Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory. | 07/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Life at the Extremes: Microbes, Salt and Pressure (Part 5) | Adrienne Kish, an astrobiologist with an interest in the microbiology and molecular biology of extremophiles exposed to the types of environmental conditions found on planetary bodies such as Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, presents a lecture entitled "Life at the Extremes: Micerobes, Salt & Pressure" at The Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory. | 07/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Life at the Extremes: Microbes, Salt and Pressure (Part 4) | Adrienne Kish, an astrobiologist with an interest in the microbiology and molecular biology of extremophiles exposed to the types of environmental conditions found on planetary bodies such as Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, presents a lecture entitled "Life at the Extremes: Micerobes, Salt & Pressure" at The Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory. | 07/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Life at the Extremes: Microbes, Salt and Pressure (Part 3) | Adrienne Kish, an astrobiologist with an interest in the microbiology and molecular biology of extremophiles exposed to the types of environmental conditions found on planetary bodies such as Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, presents a lecture entitled "Life at the Extremes: Micerobes, Salt & Pressure" at The Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory. | 07/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Life at the Extremes: Microbes, Salt and Pressure (Part 2) | Adrienne Kish, an astrobiologist with an interest in the microbiology and molecular biology of extremophiles exposed to the types of environmental conditions found on planetary bodies such as Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, presents a lecture entitled "Life at the Extremes: Micerobes, Salt & Pressure" at The Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory. | 07/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| Life at the Extremes: Microbes, Salt and Pressure (Part 1) | Adrienne Kish, an astrobiologist with an interest in the microbiology and molecular biology of extremophiles exposed to the types of environmental conditions found on planetary bodies such as Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, presents a lecture entitled "Life at the Extremes: Micerobes, Salt & Pressure" at The Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory. | 07/ 6/2009 | |||||||||||
| 3 cases of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 (Swine flu) now on the radar | Yesterday Denmark announced the first known case of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1. Today Hong Kong announced a teen who flew in from San Francisco tested positive for a resistant strain. Also, Japan announced a woman from Osaka also is resistant after a 10 day course of the medication. "This marks the first known case of Tamiflu resistance in a swine flu patient not treated with the drug, which has been stockpiled by governments worldwide to fight pandemic influenza. The specimen was collected from a 16-year-old girl who flew from San Francisco and was intercepted by officials at Hong Kong International Airport on June 11, according to the statement." “Picking it up in a patient who was not treated is a cause for concern,” Malik Peiris, professor of microbiology at Hong Kong University, said in an interview. “One case doesn’t change the world, but if we are seeing more and more cases in patients who are not treated, then I think it would be more serious.” “The key point is whether the strains will become dominant and then we will have a problem,” Peiris said. “At this moment, I don’t think there is cause for alarm. There is certainly cause for heightened surveillance.” | 07/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Genetics 101 | 23andme, "the world's trusted source of personal genetic information", has produced a great animation series about genes and genetics. The films will be aired during Gene Screen, a night of film on health and genetics in Washington, D.C. on July 16. Watch an animated guide to your genes, SNPs, phenotype, and more by clicking "source" above. For more info about the Gene Screen event cut n' paste the following URL into your browser: http://www.geneticalliance.org/ws_display.asp?filter=gene.screen | 07/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Methane-producing molecule can also repair DNA | Archaea are single-celled organisms and a domain unto themselves, quite apart from the so called eukaryotes, being bacteria and higher organisms. Many species live under extreme conditions, and carry out unique biochemical processes shared neither with bacteria nor with eukaryotes. Methanogenic archaeans, for example, can produce methane gas out of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The underlying chemical reaction, a reduction, involves the cofactor known as F0 or F420 which is the tiny molecule deazaflavin. It has previously been found only in methanogenic bacteria, and has accordingly been considered the signature molecule for those species. A research group working with Professor Thomas Carell, however, has now shown that this cofactor is also common in eukaryotes, where it performs an entirely different function: deazaflavin is involved in DNA repair processes. (PNAS Early Edition online, 1 July 2009) | 07/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Gene Expression of Listeria During Infection in Real Time | "Scientists in Portugal and France managed to follow the patterns of gene expression in food-poisoning bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) live during infection for the first time. The work about to be published in PLoS Pathogens shows how the bacterial genome shifts to better adapt to infection by activating genes involved in virulence and subversion of the host defences, as well as adaptation to the host conditions. This is the first time that the molecular interactions between L. monocytogenes and its host, as they occur during the different steps of infection, are followed in real time paving the way, not only to the development of new therapies against this potentially lethal bacterium, but also for the study of other pathogen/host interactions." What follows is a brief but interesting interview with one of the lead authors Didier Cabanes. | 07/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Combining Agriculture with Microbial Genomics To Make Fuels | This article looks at key challenges when using agricultural waste as a sustainable source for biofuels to meet worldwide energy needs. Subjects include dealing with diverse cellulosic sugars and finding ways to recycle carbon dioxide back into useful biomass. Why plants such as sugar cane and Hibiscus varieties from the Malvaceae family are good sources of cellulosic biomass that do not require highly productive agricultural lands. Why microbes associated with termites and shipworms might harbor useful enzymes for processing biomass and yeasts associated with Malvaceae plants are also worth investigating. And, how microalgae varieties from the Caribbean coast are being evaluated as potential producers of oils that could be used for fuel. | 07/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Calling All Media - ICAAC 2009 Press Registration Now Open for San Francisco | News media registration for the annual infectious disease meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) is now open. The 49th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) will be held September 12-15, 2009 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. Known as the preeminent world meeting for presenting new information on clinical and basic research in infectious diseases and anti-infective therapy, ICAAC has also traditionally served as a forum for the introduction of new antimicrobial agents. It is the largest infectious disease meeting held in the United States. The ASM Office of Communications will host a full-service press room with Internet access, telelphones, computers, photocopy and fax machines, and refreshments. Streaming audio and video of daily press conferences will be available over the Internet for reporters covering from a distance. Programs and abstracts, as well as an embargoed online press kit featuring tipsheets, lay-summaries of selected presentations and the press conference schedule will be available in advance of the meeting. For media registration and housing please go to "source" above. | 07/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Stomachache Tonight - Animated Food Saftey Music Video | Dr. Carl Winter, a food toxicologist at University of California, Davis, sings this parody of The Eagles' "Heartache Tonight." | 07/ 1/2009 | |||||||||||
| Emerging Diseases - Conversations from Penn State | From malaria to e-coli to newly evolved strains of swine flu, infectious diseases are on the rise worldwide. Peter Hudson, founding director of the Penn State Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the director of the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences at Penn State, discusses the dynamics of infectious diseases, their spread, and their transmission from animals to humans. | 06/30/2009 | |||||||||||
| Researchers estimate 9 million bacterial genes in the human gut | While estimates of the number of genes in the human genome is said to be around 20,000, new research estimates that if you take into account our microbiota there may be as many as 9 million genes in the human gut. "A new concept is to consider human as a super-organism containing those microbes in or on human body as well [7]. There are more than 100 trillion bacterial cells in human gut, which are about 10 times more than cells in human itself [8]. Those bacteria can help digest food and harvest nutrition and energy that otherwise cannot be collected by the human body directly [9]–[11], i.e., human has obtained many genes needed for itself though these genes did not evolve in human genome." "By combining completed genomes currently available and culture-independent sequencing data, we built a model to estimate the number of genes in human gut bacterial community. The total number of genes is estimated to be about 9 million. Although this number is huge, we believe it is underestimated. This is an initial step to tackle this gene counting problem for the human super-organism. It will still be an open problem in the near future." | 06/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| PLoS paper on citation impact analysis takes into account social networks | From the abstract - The impact of scientific publications has traditionally been expressed in terms of citation counts. However, scientific activity has moved online over the past decade. To better capture scientific impact in the digital era, a variety of new impact measures has been proposed on the basis of social network analysis and usage log data. Here we investigate how these new measures relate to each other, and how accurately and completely they express scientific impact. | 06/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Want to be a Microbiology Mentor? | Beginning in 2010, undergraduate students from colleges and universities with limited resources will be offered research experience at research-intensive, resource-rich host institutions under the guidance of members from the American Society for Microbiology. This paper (click "source") explains the history and evolution of the ASM-MURF program since its beginning in early 1980s and its future direction for 2010 and beyond. Want to be a host mentor? Don't wait - apply today. Your influence can have a wonderful impact on a minority science student. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) seeks partnership with research mentors at research intensive institutions to leverage support of the fellowship program. The research mentor must be an ASM member and support the fellows' research project for a minimum of ten weeks. The deadline is August 15, 2009 | 06/25/2009 | |||||||||||
| Histamine H3 Receptor-Mediated Signaling Protects Mice from Cerebral Malaria | A new paper submitted to PLoS One shows histamine plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of experimental cerebral malaria (CM) in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. Histamine exerts its biological effects through four different receptors designated H1R, H2R, H3R, and H4R. In humans, as well as in murine models of malaria, increased plasma levels of histamine are associated with severity of infection. The researchers suggest that histamine regulation through the H3R in the brain suppresses the development of CM. Thus modulating histamine signaling in the central nervous system, in combination with standard therapies, may represent a novel strategy to reduce the risk of progression to cerebral malaria. | 06/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| New HR Report: Discrimination, Denial, and Deportation of Migrant Workers with HIV | About a third of the world’s countries limit people living with with H.I.V. from entering or staying in their nations, even if the individual's disease is under control with drugs. Some even restrict their access to health care. "Hundreds of millions of people cross borders annually, travelling and migrating for work or school, for family reasons, or to flee persecution or natural disasters. Millions of others move within countries. Yet, even while pledging to achieve ‘universal' access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support by 2010, nations have largely failed to remove barriers and ensure that internal and international migrants have access to HIV services. Instead, many countries have discriminatory laws and policies that restrict the entry, stay, or residence of persons living with HIV and limit the access of internal and international migrants to treatment. Many countries deport migrants without considering whether HIV treatment will be available in their country of origin." Click Source to view the report from Human Rights Watch | 06/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| PLoS Journals Projected to be 100% Self-Sufficient by 2010 | The Public Library of Science's open access journals just release its 2009 June Progress Report in which they project "a publishing business model projected to be 100% self-sufficient in 2010." "PLoS journals use a business model that recovers expenses — including administration of peer review, journal production, and online hosting and archiving — by charging a publication fee to authors or research sponsors for each article that passes the peer-review process. " "During the last three years, PLoS has seen a fivefold increase in operating revenue. As a result, the organization has dramatically increased the proportion of expenses covered by revenue. In 2007 PLoS was self-funding roughly 50% of its operating expenses. By the end of 2009, PLoS predicts that the organization’s funding model will cover approximately 90% of its operating expenses." This is particularly encouraging news as many have questioned the business viability of the open access movement. In essence PLoS believes in: Unlimited access - everyone with an an interest can access the research without paying expensive subscription costs. Accelerated progress - providing access to all research ultimately accelerates discoveries New opportunities - open acces unlocks the potential of scientific knowledge through sharing and collaboration. Click "source" above for the PDF of the 2009 Progress Report. | 06/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Pavlov's Bacteria | Bacteria can anticipate a future event and prepare for it, according to new research at the Weizmann Institute of Science. In a paper that appeared today in Nature, Prof. Yitzhak Pilpel, doctoral student Amir Mitchell and research associate Dr. Orna Dahan of the Institute's Molecular Genetics Department, together with Prof. Martin Kupiec and Gal Romano of Tel Aviv University, examined microorganisms living in environments that change in predictable ways. Their findings show that these microorganisms' genetic networks are hard-wired to 'foresee' what comes next in the sequence of events and begin responding to the new state of affairs before its onset. E. coli bacteria, for instance, which normally cruise harmlessly down the digestive tract, encounter a number of different environments on their way. In particular, they find that one type of sugar - lactose - is invariably followed by a second sugar - maltose - soon afterward. Pilpel and his team of the Molecular Genetics Department, checked the bacterium's genetic response to lactose, and found that, in addition to the genes that enable it to digest lactose, the gene network for utilizing maltose was partially activated. When they switched the order of the sugars, giving the bacteria maltose first, there was no corresponding activation of lactose genes, implying that bacteria have naturally 'learned' to get ready for a serving of maltose after a lactose appetizer. Another microorganism that experiences consistent changes is wine yeast. As fermentation progresses, sugar and acidity levels change, alcohol levels rise, and the yeast's environment heats up. Although the system was somewhat more complicated that that of E. coli, the scientists found that when the wine yeast feel the heat, they begin activating genes for dealing with the stresses of the next stage. Further analysis showed that this anticipation and early response is an evolutionary adaptation that increases the organism's chances of survival. | 06/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Electromicrobiology | An interesting presentation given by Yuri Gorby, an electromicrobiologist at the J. Craig Venter Institute in San Diego, at CalIT2 at UCSD on electronmicrobiology. Here's part of the description from SciVee.tv: Respiratory microorganisms capture energy for growth and maintenance as they transfer electrons from energy sources to appropriate electron acceptors. Controlling the availability of electron donor and acceptor pairs provides opportunities for investigating fundamental aspects of energy transformation and distribution in defined and un defined microbial cultures. | 06/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Acid Fast Stain | Here's a movie from the University of Madison-Wisconsin depicting the steps for creating an acid fast stain. {movremote}http://inst.bact.wisc.edu/inst/images/book_3/chapter_3/3-18.mov{/movremote} | 06/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Study Says Children Should Receive Swine Influenza H1N1 Vaccine First | Targeting children may be an effective use of limited supplies of flu vaccine, according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust and the EU. The study suggests that, used to support other control measures, this could help control the spread of pandemics such as the current swine flu. As the World Health Organization declares a pandemic global H1N1 swine flu, countries are looking at measures to control the spread of the disease. These measures include the use of antiviral treatments, such as oseltamivir, social distancing (for example, closing schools and stopping public transport) and quarantining infected individuals. Pharmaceutical companies have also stepped up production of vaccines effective against this particular strain of the virus. However, if the spread of the disease increases significantly in the autumn, as some scientists predict, it is unlikely that supplies of the new vaccine will be sufficient to vaccinate entire populations. In research published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection, Dr Thomas House and Professor Matt Keeling from the University of Warwick have used computer modelling to predict the spread of pandemic influenza and to look at ways of controlling it effectively, particularly where supplies of vaccine are not sufficient for universal coverage. The researchers showed that, as might be expected, the disease is likely to spread fastest in densely-populated conurbations, suggesting that these should be priority areas for tackling the spread. However, they showed that vaccinating entire households at random was an inefficient use of resources; instead, vaccinating key individuals offered sufficient protection to others in their household. | 06/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| BAC Down! Give bacteria the cold shoulder. | BAC Down! Give bacteria the cold shoulder. Keep your refrigerator at 40° F or below. Use a thermometer to monitor. The bacterium Listeria monocyotogenes can grow at refrigerator temperatures. Pregnant women, young children and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of Listeriosis. For more information visit the source link above for a collection of wonderful resources, including: BAC Down! Fact Sheet - Downloadable 2-page version of the 4-color brochure for easy in-house reproduction. FDA Fact Sheet USDA Fact Sheet These resources come from The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), a not-for-profit organization that unites industry associations, professional societies in food science, nutrition and health, consumer groups, and the U.S. government to educate the public about safe food handling. | 06/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Elederly People in the UK more likely to Gamble with Food Safety | This comes from the UK's Food Standards Agency: People over the age of 60 are more likely to take risks with 'use by' dates than younger people, according to new research published today by the Food Standards Agency. The research coincides with the launch of an Agency campaign to focus on this age group during Food Safety Week. Eating food beyond its 'use by' date increases the risk of food poisoning from the listeria food bug, which can be life-threatening for this age group. A recent sharp rise in the number of people taken ill with listeria has seen more older people affected. The number of cases rose by 20% in 2007 and has doubled since 2000, this increase occurring predominantly among people over 60. The research published today shows that less than half of this age group recognise 'use by' dates as an important indicator of whether food is safe or not, and so they could be putting themselves at risk of serious illness. | 06/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| Interview with Brian Malow, Science Comedian | Al Gore's interactive, old school broadcasting meets new media, website Current.tv has highlighted a recent interview on deliatheartist.com with science comedian Brian Malow. Two years ago, MicrobeWorld actually caught up with Malow at an event at the Koshland Museum in DC in which he presented an act on infectious disease. The video is below. {youtube}PiXfP_Nswgg{/youtube} | 06/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC YouTube Response to WHO's Pandemic Declaration | The Secretary of Health and Human Services issued this video statement in response to the WHOs decision to raise the pandemic threat level on the novel H1N1 virus. | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Very Special Couple: Emma and Charles Darwin | Just when you thought that everything conceivable has been written about Charles Darwin on his bicentennial, a revealing perspective on his wife, Emma, appeared in the journal International Microbiology. Written by the distinguished science writer Mercé Piqueras, the article sheds light on many aspects of the relationship between Charles and Emma, including their correspondence while he was traveling on the Beagle. Of particular interest is the clash between her theistic beliefs and his agnosticism. They both learned to live with it. Via Elio Schachter at www.smallthingsconsidered.us | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Statements by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano on WHO Decision to Declare Novel H1N1 Virus Outbreak a Pandemic | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano issued the following statements today in response to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) decision to raise the pandemic threat level on the novel H1N1 virus. 'Today’s decision by the WHO was expected and doesn’t change what we have been doing here in the United States to prepare for and respond to this public health challenge. Once we saw how fast this virus was spreading, we activated our pandemic plans and started doing all the things we needed to do to keep the public as safe and secure as possible,” said Secretary Sebelius. “What this declaration does do is remind the world that flu viruses like H1N1 need to be taken seriously. Although we have not seen large numbers of severe cases in this country so far, things could possibly be very different in the fall, especially if things change in the Southern Hemisphere, and we need to start preparing now in order to be ready for a possible H1N1 immunization campaign starting in late September.” “We responded to the H1N1 outbreak from the outset with the presumption that a pandemic was likely, so this decision comes as no surprise. We acted aggressively to stay ahead of the virus as it spread across the country. Now our challenge is to prepare for a possible return in the fall,” said Secretary Napolitano. “The Obama Administration has been working together across the government and will continue to do so over the weeks and months ahead to keep the American people safe. We are reaching out to our partners in state and local government, in school districts and the private sector to urge them to modify and update their pandemic plans. We are working with our scientists to test and prepare a possible vaccine. And we are working with governments around the world to share what we know and learn from what is happening in their countries.” | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Over 60 million Vietnamese people have parasitic worms in their bodies | A government report on food hygiene and safety said that many vegetables and fruits contain pesticides and chemicals, meats and meat products contain bacteria and over 60 million Vietnamese people have parasitic worms in their bodies. Random tests of fruits and vegetables in Hanoi and Vinh Phuc province in the north, Tien Giang province and HCM City in the south in April 2008 revealed 20 of 154 vegetable samples and three of 60 fruit samples containing pesticides in excess of the permitted level. 72 out of 76 vegetable samples were infected with coliform bacterium, 40 E.coli bacterium and six salmonella, all exceeding the permitted thresholds. If the CIA Factbook is correct about Vietnam's population numbers, that means approximately 70% of people in the country are infected with parasitic worms. Wow! | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Strain of Listeria Can Carry Medicines And Vaccines | Scientists have used genetic engineering to tame one of the most deadly food poisoning microbes and turn it into a potential new way of giving patients medicine and vaccines in pills rather than injections. The study is in the current issue of ACS’ Molecular Pharmaceutics, a bi-monthly journal. The scientists describe development of a new strain of Listeria monocytogenes, bacteria that normally cause food poisoning, but which have been genetically engineered to be harmless. Instead of causing disease, the new microbes can be loaded with medicine or vaccine, and deliver that beneficial cargo by “infecting” cells. After entering cells, the bacteria burst and die, leading to Pouton’s term “suicidal strain” for the microbes. Via RedOrbit.com | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| A soil microbe uses 'implausible' chemistry to produce herbicidal compound | A soil microbe that uses chemical warfare to fight off competitors employs an unusual chemical pathway in the manufacture of its arsenal, researchers report, making use of an enzyme that can do what no other enzyme is known to do: break a non-activated carbon-carbon bond in a single step. Their study, appearing this week in the journal Nature, provides the first three-dimensional structure of the enzyme, hydroxyethylphosphonate dioxygenase (HEPD) and proposes a mechanism by which it performs its task. University of Illinois researchers first reported the enzyme in Nature Chemical Biology in 2007, said Wilfred van der Donk, an author on both papers with microbiologist William Metcalf. "Our team discovered this very implausible chemical reaction," van der Donk said. "And the more we learned about it the more unusual it became. The enzyme is unusual because it breaks a carbon-carbon bond without needing anything except oxygen." | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| The microbial hydrocarbon diet | Bioremediation of industrial sites and petrochemical spillages often involves finding microbes that can gorge themselves on the toxic chemicals. This leaves behind a non-toxic residue or mineralized material. Writing in the International Journal of Environment and Pollution, researchers in China describe studies of a new microbe that can digest hydrocarbons. Hong-Qi Wang and Yan-Jun Chen College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, working with Bo-Ya Qin of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China, have investigated the activity of enzymes from the bacterium Bacillus cereus DQ01, which can digest the hydrocarbon n-hexadecane. The bacterium was initially isolated from the Daqing oil field in North East China where it had evolved the ability to metabolize this chemical. Bioremediation of hydrocarbons usually involves the application of a cultured bacterium that has been optimized to feed on the specific contaminants, such as particular hydrocarbons. The microbes are cultured first in the presence of sugar or another standard feedstuff in conjunction with a small amount of the pollutant material. Successive generations are fed an increasing proportion of the pollutant until their growth is optimized for digestion of that compound rather than the sugar. | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| H1N1 | Swine Flu Officially a Pandemic, Says WHO | Breaking News from the WHO via SkyNews: In a statement to member countries, the WHO said it decided to raise the pandemic alert level from phase five to six, meaning that a global outbreak of swine flu has begun. The decision was made after the UN health agency held an emergency meeting on swine flu with its experts. It is the first global pandemic for 41 years. The virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has now spread to 74 countries with a reported 27,000 cases and 141 deaths. Moving to phase six will trigger a large scale production of vaccines and prompt governments to devote more money towards efforts to contain the virus. It will also raise questions about why the step was delayed for weeks as the virus continued to spread. | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Mapping and Predicting Swine Flu|H1N1 Spread | Here's a video from the New Scientist on how experts are tracking and predicting the spread of Swine Flu. The video is originally sourced from Northwestern University. Unfortunately the New Scientist doesn't tell you who's speaking or what research group is doing this work, but it's interesting none-the-less. | 06/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| P.S.I. – Are my soybeans wearing different genes? | At points this student made video borders on the absurd, but that's what makes Plant Science Investigations fun to watch. "The video PSI – Are my soybeans wearing different genes? is inspired by the popular TV show “CSI-crime scene investigations”. Here, however, the investigators are solving cases in the field of plant science investigations (PSI). The stunning phenomenon that soybean plants can survive herbicide treatments and grow on fields without weed competition is investigated using DNA extraction, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gene analysis etc." | 06/ 9/2009 | |||||||||||
| Super-Resolution Microscopy Captures Molecules in Motion | A new electron microscopy technique called structured illumination microscopy for filming cellular processes, developed by scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Farm Research Campus, captures up to 11 images per second at twice the resolution. {movremote}http://www.hhmi.org/news/media/gustafson1.mov|400|240{/movremote} Above: Live Imaging of Microtubules in Action. Left clip is from SIM, right is conventional fluorescence microscopy (Llinked from HHMI, Kner, P., Chhun, B.B., Griffis, E.R., Winoto L., and Gustafsson M.G.L., Nature Methods 6 (2009). ) Visit the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to read more about this technique and see other videos. | 06/ 9/2009 | |||||||||||
| Disease Prevention is Top Priority for Americans, says Poll | More than 70 percent of Americans rank prevention as the most important health care reform priority, and overwhelmingly support increasing funding for prevention programs to reduce disease and keep people healthy. "In a new public opinion poll released today by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, we found that Americans from coast to coast and across the political spectrum are overwhelmingly in favor of investing in disease prevention. They clearly see the value of prevention for reducing disease, improving quality of life, and lowering health care costs. More than three-quarters of Americans (76 percent) said that they support increasing funding for prevention programs that provide people with information and resources and creating policies that help people make healthier choices. Investing in prevention is popular across the political spectrum, with 86 percent of Democrats, 71 percent of Republicans, and 70 percent of Independents supporting investing more in prevention." | 06/ 9/2009 | |||||||||||
| Interview with a Biohacker: Meredith Patterson | h+ magazine is a new web-based periodical that covers "technological, scientific, and cultural trends that are changing — and will change — human beings in fundamental ways." In the Summer 09 issue, which you can view by clicking source above, there are many interesting articles and interviews on a wide range of subjects. One that caught my eye is an interview with "biohacker" Meredith Patterson, a computer science doctorate, who is trying to solve issues with food contamination with bacterial warning systems in her home lab. Other interesting pieces include an interview with Pete Worden, Director of the NASA Ames Research Center, about life on mars and one with John Allen, the man behind the life sustaining ecological system dubbed Biosphere 2. | 06/ 9/2009 | |||||||||||
| Should the MRR Vaccine be Compulsory? | A very interesting blog post over on the Nature Network by editor Henry Gee that's sparking lots of comments and debate. "The Man is now so worried about the decline in take-up of the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine that some clinicians are suggesting they be made compulsory – that no child should be admitted to school unless they’ve had the vaccination. Such is the level of desperation in clinical circles about the threat posed by the spread of these diseases." What's your take on this? Do you think vaccinations should be mandatory? | 06/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Saving Frogs from Fungus: How a Probiotic Skin bacterium May Help | Research presented by Reid Harris, Department of Biology, James Madison University, at the American Society for Microbiology's General Meeting in Philadelphia provides hope for the world's declining frog population. "Many amphibian species in relatively pristine habitats are experiencing dramatic population declines and extinctions due to the skin disease chytridiomycosis, which is caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Using a randomized, replicated experiment, we show that adding an antifungal bacterial species, Janthinobacterium lividum, found on several species of amphibians to the skins of the frog Rana muscosa prevented morbidity and mortality caused by the pathogen." | 06/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Extremophile Hunter Searches for 'Impossible' Life | This is from NSF's Science Nation videocast program. The search is on for extremophiles, living things that thrive where life would seem to be impossible -- from the glaciers of the Alaskan arctic, to the ice sheets of Antarctica, that may provide insights about life elsewhere in cosmos. | 06/ 3/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bioengineering synthetic microorganisms with a programmable shelf life | "Synthetic biology has already delivered engineered organisms that can churn out a malaria drug, cook up an ideal biofuel or act as biosensors, but questions remain about how such organisms can be eliminated from the environment after they have performed their task. A team of US biotechnologists now thinks it has the answer: gene networks that can count. Endowing cells with this ability could lead to strains with a programmable shelf life, they say." This is some pretty interesting stuff, especially if you consider the fears and suspicions surrounding synthetic biology. | 05/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| New FDA Rules on E.coli contamination and bottled water | From December 1, all manufacturers must test source water for the germs each week as is currently required for finished bottled water products. If tests prove positive for E. coli, companies must explain in writing how they eliminated the bacteria and retest samples before use. According to a notice posted on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website: “Bottled water containing E. coli will be considered adulterated, and source water containing E. coli will not be considered to be of a safe, sanitary quality and will be prohibited from use in the production of bottled water.” Hmmm, I wonder how the marketing departments will spin this into a benefit factor for health | 05/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Can geography trump other factors that influence the makeup of genes an organism hosts? | This is an interesting story from RedOrbit on how geographic factors influence the genes of the acid loving extremophile Sulfolobus islandicus. Sulfolobus islandicus, a microbe that can live in boiling acid, is offering up its secrets to researchers hardy enough to capture it from the volcanic hot springs where it thrives. In a new study, researchers report that populations of S. islandicus are more diverse than previously thought, and that their diversity is driven largely by geographic isolation. The findings open a new window on microbial evolution, demonstrating for the first time that geography can trump other factors that influence the makeup of genes an organism hosts. S. islandicus belongs to the archaea, a group of single-celled organisms that live in a variety of habitats including some of the most forbidding environments on the planet. Once lumped together with bacteria, archaea are now classified as a separate domain of life. (There is also an interview with the lead researcher Rachel Whitaker on the Meet the Scientist part of this site.) | 05/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Grand Challenge of Biology | I was at a tech meeting hosted by Amazon Web Services to see how I may use some of their cloud computing services for this site. One segment of the presentation was devoted to customers who use AWS for their sites or work. The slide you see in this image comes from Michael Schatz, Researcher at the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, and developer of CloudBurst, "a parallel read-mapping algorithm optimized for mapping next-generation sequence data to the human genome and other reference genomes, for use in a variety of biological analyses including SNP discovery, genotyping, and personal genomics." I just thought I'd share the slide because I was surprised to see this type of work featured at the meeting and the quote by Jonathan Eisen is worth sharing. | 05/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Stinky Tofu | I am a sucker for all microbe-related food items. I have never had stinky tofu before. Apparently, it is made by marinating the tofu in a brine of fermented vegetables. Here's a description of it from Wierd Asia News: "From a distance, it is said that rotting garbage is as close as one can come to describing the smell of stinky tofu. Some also say “baby poo” and “hellacious” come a bit closer. Its flavor is very mild, and some claim it is similar to blue cheese (on non-garbage, pick-up days), Afficianados swear that the worse it smells, the better the flavor. Stinky tofu can be steamed, eaten cold, stewed or fried, which is the most common form of preparation. Usually served with a chili sauce on the side, the color of stinky tofu varies from golden fried to the black typical of Hunan-style preparation." Has any one tried this stuff? And what is your opinion of it? | 05/28/2009 | |||||||||||
| Ultra Sound Weapons Knock Out Algal Blooms | Scientists at the University of Hull, UK, think they have found a way to put a stop to red tide by exposing them to blasts of ultrasound. Michiel Postema and his colleagues tested three different frequencies on a particularly harmful species of blue-green algae, Anabaena sphaerica, which can cause respiratory disease and liver cancer in humans who come into contact with it. Although all three frequencies worked to some extent, the most effective was close to 1 megahertz. That value matches the expected resonant frequency of this alga's buoyancy cell, which is about 6 micrometres across (Applied Acoustics, DOI: 10.1016/j.apacoust.2009.02.003)." "These high frequencies are absorbed rapidly as they travel through water, and at 1 megahertz the effective radius is less than 20 metres, says Postema. So the technique may be more practical for clearing algal blooms in lakes and ponds than for large-scale red tides that can cover hundreds of square kilometres of sea." | 05/19/2009 | |||||||||||
| Oregon researchers isolate RNA from specific cells using fruit flies | A team of University of Oregon biologists, using fruit flies, has created a way to isolate RNA from specific cells, opening a new window on how gene expression drives normal development and disease-causing breakdowns. While DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) provides an identical genetic blueprint in every cell, RNA (ribonucleic acid) decodes genetic instructions that turn protein molecules on and off in different cell types. The new tagging method, tested in a variety of subsets of Drosophila brain cells, is described in a paper put on line ahead of regular publication by the journal Nature Methods. Instead of scientists needing to physically separate cell types, they now can inject a chemically modified gene from the one-celled organism Toxoplasma gondii and activate it in only one cell type within a tissue. Only newly generated RNA in this cell type is then tagged and isolated. | 05/19/2009 | |||||||||||
| Milestones in Microbiology: Bergey's Lab | Alison O'Brien, President at American Society for Microbiology and professor and chair of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, in Philadelphia. |
05/17/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Solar Powered Micro-machine Commands Bacteria Movement | "Researchers in Canada have created a solar-powered micro-machine that is no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence. The tiny machine can carry out basic sensing tasks and can indirectly control the movement of a swarm of bacteria in the same Petri dish." "On such a small device there is little room for batteries, sensors or transmitters. So the solar cell on top delivers power, sending an electric current to both a sensor and a communication circuit. The communication component sends tiny electromagnetic pulses that are detected by an external computer." "The sensor meanwhile detects surrounding pH levels--the higher the pH concentration, the faster the electromagnetic pulses emitted by the micro-machine. The external computer uses these signals to direct a swarm of about 3,000 magnetically-sensitive bacteria, which push the micro-machine around as it pulses. The bacteria push the micro-machine closer to the higher pH concentrations and change its direction if it pulses too slowly." I have to see this seems pretty cool, but I think there is a long way to go before we can control bacteria with any finesse. | 05/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Termites and Protozoa Discovered Together in 100 Million-year-old Amber | The analysis of a termite entombed for 100 million years in an ancient piece of amber has revealed the oldest example of "mutualism" ever discovered between an animal and microorganism, and also shows the unusual biology that helped make this one of the most successful, although frequently despised insect groups in the world. When the termite's abdomen was dissected, out spilled a range of protozoa, which even then were providing a key function for the termite – they helped it to digest wood. Between animals and microorganisms, this is the earliest example ever discovered of "mutualism," which is one type of symbiotic relationship in which two species help each other. | 05/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Plague Doctor | Doctors in the 17th Century wore penguin-like masks stuffed with flowers and herbs to protect themselves from the Plague. Image from NIH. | 05/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| 17th Century Doctors Wore Pengiun-like Masks to Treat Plague Patients | I've always scene these types of masks featured in freaky movies, but had no idea that they were used by doctors in the 17th century to treat people who got infected by the plague. "Scientists thought the plague was caused by breathing harmful gases emitted from the ground, and doctors put flowers, fragrant spices and perfumes in the mask’s beak to shield them from patients contaminated with those gases, a new exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Natural History shows. Bubonic plague was characterized by painful swelling and body sores that caused the body to turn black when they burst. Doctors now know the so-called “black death” — people often died within a week or two of being infected — was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis." “Microbes: Invisible Invaders, Amazing Allies” runs through Sept. 13. It will take museum visitors on an interactive journey to learn about how microbes both sustain life on Earth and harm our health — and perhaps even threaten our existence, according to museum Marketing and External Affairs Director Ryan Barber. | 05/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Chemist shows how RNA may have been the first building blocks of life | This is an exciting discovery for chemists, biologists and microbiologists alike. It's a great read. John D. Sutherland, a chemist at the University of Manchester, has solved a problem that for 20 years has thwarted researchers trying to understand the origin of life — how the building blocks of RNA, called nucleotides, could have spontaneously assembled themselves in the conditions of the primitive earth. The discovery, if correct, should set researchers on the right track to solving many other mysteries about the origin of life. It will also mean that for the first time a plausible explanation exists for how an information-carrying biological molecule could have emerged through natural processes from chemicals on the primitive earth. | 05/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine flu vaccine may not be ready for next wave | The World Health Organization is now considering whether to advise the world's vaccine makers to switch from ordinary flu vaccine to the swine flu one. While a pandemic declaration is still probable, and the WHO gives the go-ahead, the swine flu vaccine will arrive too late for many. Here's what the vaccine makers have to say: "If we make ordinary vaccine and the pandemic comes instead, we will be blamed," says Norbert Hehme, chair of the industry's flu vaccine task force. "If we make pandemic vaccine and get ordinary flu, we will have a shortage of ordinary vaccine, so we will also be blamed." | 05/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| UC Davis researchers get $2 million to develop the first electron microscope capable of filming | A proposal by a team of UC Davis scientists to develop the world’s first electron microscope capable of filming live biological processes has been awarded a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The team’s plan is to extend the capabilities of a powerful new imaging tool called the dynamic transmission electron microscope or DTEM. These instruments can snap 10 to 100 images per millionth of a second, while capturing details as small as 10 nanometers, or about four times the diameter of a DNA molecule. Just think how amazing this would be to capture footage of microbes in action. | 05/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Cholesterol-busting bug with a taste for waste | I wonder if this could replace Lipitor? A novel species of bacteria with cholesterol-busting properties has been discovered by scientists at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. Dr Oliver Drzyzga and colleagues isolated the new bug, called Gordonia cholesterolivorans, from sewage sludge. Their findings are reported in the current issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. A steroid found in all body tissues, cholesterol is used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries as stabilizer, emollient and water-binding agent. As a consequence, steroids - including cholesterol - are a major group of contaminants in urban sewage residues. Dr Drzyzga and co-workers are studying the genetics of this novel bacterium to genetically modify strains that might also be used to synthesise new and industrially useful breakdown products of cholesterol. | 05/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| Microbial RNA Ocean Catch Surprises MIT | Press release from MIT - An ingenious new method of obtaining marine microbe samples while preserving the microbes' natural gene expression has yielded an unexpected boon: the presence of many varieties of small RNAs - snippets of RNA that act as switches to regulate gene expression in these single-celled creatures. Before now, small RNA could only be studied in lab-cultured microorganisms; the discovery of its presence in a natural setting may make it possible finally to learn on a broad scale how microbial communities living at different ocean depths and regions respond to environmental stimuli. | 05/14/2009 | |||||||||||
| E.coli May Promote Bowel Cancer | Scientists at Edinburgh University have found a "strong" suggestion the bacteria is able to hamper the body's fight against bowel cancer. They now hope the findings from their pilot study will lead to more research into the causes of the disease. "Our laboratory work does strongly suggest that the bacteria are able to influence colon cells in a way that might predispose them to cancer," said Dr. Oliver Maddocks, Edinburgh University | 05/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Addressing Biosecurity Concerns Related to the Synthesis of Select Agents | DNA synthesis technology, in combination with other rapidly-evolving capabilities in the life sciences, such as directed molecular evolution and viral reverse genetics, has galvanized segments of the scientific community.1 It also has captured the attention of the general public and policymakers, and prompted far-reaching questions about the potential uses of these techniques—including the synthesis of novel forms of life. These techniques promise to accelerate scientific discovery and provide access to previously-unexplored biological and molecular diversity.. This technology also is employed in the field of Synthetic Genomics 2 to create sophisticated live vaccines and to discover new therapeutics for infectious diseases. However, this same technology can be misused to generate dangerous pathogens de novo that are subject to oversight, thus circumventing the extant regulatory framework for controlling the possession and use of such organisms. This dichotomy illustrates the dual use nature of synthetic genomics and underscores the need to develop strategies to address the possibility that knowledge and technologies emanating from vitally important biological research will be misused to threaten public health or national security. This report describes the biosecurity concerns identified by the NSABB Working Group on Synthetic Genomics that are raised by the ability to reconstruct Select Agents de novo, the Working Group’s assessment of the adequacy of the current regulatory framework to safeguard against the misuse of this science and its recommendations for addressing these concerns. These recommendations were approved by the NSABB on October 25, 2006 for submission to the USG. | 05/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Serious Sediment | Rutgers' Donna Fennell is reclaiming chlorine-contaminated sediments in New Jersey 's urban Meadowlands through smart environmental engineering and microbiological enrichment. Serious Sediment is a segment from CSREES' Partners Video Magazine's 19th episode, The Soil Explorers. To view the entire episode, go to http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/partners/soil_explorers.html. | 05/12/2009 | |||||||||||
| Trading Futures on the Swine Flu (H1N1) | Just as the media chatter about H1N1 influenza reached a fever pitch, traders were expressing a more sober outlook. At least that's the word from the Iowa Electronic Health Markets, which opened H1N1 futures contracts on April 28th to assess the breadth, speed and severity of the outbreak. "Overall, the conclusion to draw from the market is that the outbreak would spread quickly and broadly but not be too serious," says economist Forrest Nelson of the University of Iowa in Iowa City, who helps run the site with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Apparently the Iowa Electronic Health Markets have been very accurate in the past | 05/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Global Call to Action From HIV Co-Discoverers Robert Gallo and Luc Montagnier | HIV co-discoverers Drs. Robert C. Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Luc A. Montagnier, president of the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention, called on international organizations and governments to immediately implement six objectives to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. "Globally, many are acting as though HIV and AIDS are no longer the threat they were 25 years ago when the HIV virus was first discovered. However, in fact they remain an unparalleled global health threat, and despite progress in treatment, could worsen unless determined action is taken. We believe the recommendations we are making today are key to reducing and ultimately minimizing the devastation of HIV and AIDS," said Drs. Gallo and Montagnier. | 05/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Analysis of swine flu spread supports pandemic plan | H1N1 swine flu is spreading fast enough to justify the preparations for a pandemic, say epidemiologists who've analysed the pattern of spread so far. "The message is that the epidemic is spreading very much as expected based on past flu epidemics," says Christophe Fraser of Imperial College London, and co-leader of the analysis team. | 05/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Iran's Salt Mummies Find a New Home | Iran's four saltmen, unique salt mummies, have found a new resting place is one of the most advanced display cases in the world. The vacuum chamber in Zanjan can precisely control humidity and airflow and is provided with a nitrogen-rich mixture deadly to known bacteria and mold. I had no idea these salt mummies existed until I stumbled on the article. | 05/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| Hunting for sudden oak death disease | The University of California-Berkeley is incorporating volunteers to help pinpoint the flash points of sudden oak death syndrome. "The furtive, runaway disease earned its name by killing oaks from the inside. After about a year, infected oaks succumb to the disease. Sudden oak disease has killed thousands of trees — most vulnerable is the coast live oak — in 14 counties from Monterey to Humboldt. the leaves of the bay tree have become a host for Phytophthora ramorum, the microbe that causes sudden oak death syndrome. Scientists believe Phytophthora ramorum was introduced to California several years ago from foreign rhododendrons grown or sold in local nurseries. Once the microbe finds a home on a bay tree leaf, usually during spring, it will swim downstream on rainwater to the tip of the longish leaf. Once there, it "burns" the leaf's tip, giving it the look of burned toast and an odd-looking yellow halo. When these leaves rub up against an oak, they can pass on the microbe, which then burrows into the oak's trunk and begins its dirty work. The bay trees, however, go on living unharmed." | 05/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| New paint shows germ-fighting potential | Scientists have created a new antimicrobial paint kills disease-causing bacteria, mold, fungi and viruses. Apparently it can be "recharged" using a simple chlorination process. "The paint contains a new antimicrobial polymer with a type of N-halamine, a bleach-like substance that kills germs. The polymer has no negative effects on the quality of latex paints. Tests showed that it kills a wide range of disease-causing microbes, including those that are resistant to multiple antibiotics, Yuyu Sun and Zhengbing Cao, the South Dakota-based researchers who developed the paint, said in a news release." I am always curious and suspicious of these products because as I understand it, no one really knows how these antimicrobial properties get out of the paint or other surface coatings to fight microbes. This simple chlorination process to "recharge" the paint is also interesting to me. How does chlorine, which is antimicrobial in nature, recharge an antimicrobial paint? Can any one enlighten me? | 05/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| ASM Launches new Laboratory Capacity Building Program Website | In resource-limited countries, a lack of training, proper reagents, supplies, and equipment has impacted their laboratories' ability to identify key pathogenic bacteria and detection of antimicrobial resistance. This has led to an environment of syndromic diagnosis by clinicians who have little confidence in the accuracy and quality of laboratory test results. The ASM LabCap Program is addressing this issue by strengthening and expanding clinical microbiology services in these regions, primarily through the training of laboratory staff. The program began in 2005. | 05/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Mitochondria Song | Over at the World's Fair Science blog David Ng has come up with this song about mitochondria. {mp3remote}http://scienceblogs.com/worldsfair/mitochondria.mp3{/mp3remote} It sort of reminds me of a Social Distortion song. | 05/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Digital Disease Detection — Harnessing the Web for Public Health Surveillance | Wow, the NEJM is really knocking out some great "perspectives" in their most recent issue. The Internet has become a critical medium for clinicians, public health practitioners, and laypeople seeking health information. Data about diseases and outbreaks are disseminated not only through online announcements by government agencies but also through informal channels, ranging from press reports to blogs to chat rooms to analyses of Web searches (see Digital Resources for Disease Detection). Collectively, these sources provide a view of global health that is fundamentally different from that yielded by the disease reporting of the traditional public health infrastructure.1 This article also has a great list of online disease tracking resources. | 05/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Researchers have developed a formula to reduce methane gas in cattle | The air smells cleaner in Canda thanks to thanks to University of Alberta researchers who have developed a formula to reduce methane gas in cattle. By developing equations that balance starch, sugar, cellulose, ash, fat and other elements of feed, a Canada-wide team of scientists has given beef producers the tools to lessen the methane gas their cattle produce by as much as 25 per cent. | 05/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Viruses represented as lace doilies | Artist Laura Splan has created lace doilies, aka ornamental mats, of the herpes and SARS viruses. Excerpt from Artists's Bio: My work explores perceptions of beauty and horror, comfort and discomfort. I use anatomical and medical imagery as a point of departure to explore these dualities and our ambivalence towards the human body. Viruses, blood, and x-rays of bones and viscera can be at once unsetting and enticing. I often combine scientific images and materials with more domestic or familiar ones. | 05/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Salmonella | A photomicrograph of Salmonella bacteria. Courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. | 05/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Raw milk bill moves to Vermont's Senate | Raw milk is often criticized as a vessel for foodborne pathogens, but advocates claim when handled and consumed correctly it's as safe as pasteurized milk. Artisan cheese makers in particular are in favor of raw milk because in their view it makes better, tastier and unique cheeses. Vermont, which is a big dairy product producing state (think Cabot Cheese and Ben & Jerry's), is considering more regulations on the sale of raw milk as a bill just passed the state's House of Representatives and is now on track for the Senate. Rep. Bill Botzow, D-Pownal/Woodford, said that, currently, dairy farmers can sell up to 12 gallons of unpasteurized milk per day with no special regulations. The Farm-Fresh Milk Restoration Act regulates sales of under 12 gallons, and has added rules for sales of up to 40 gallons. | 05/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| F.B.I. to Pay for Anthrax Inquiry Review of Bruce Ivins Investigation | Interesting, the FBI is paying the National Academy of Sciences almost $1M for a scientific review of their Anthrax investigation of Bruce E. Ivins, who is accused of sending the deadly letters in 2001. The academy panel will review genetic fingerprinting that led agents to Dr. Ivins’s Maryland laboratory, as well as clues to how and where the anthrax was grown and dried. Ivins' apparently committed suicide last July. | 05/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| Conserved amino acid markers from past influenza pandemic strains | A recent paper published on Biomedcenteral by Jonathan E Allen , Shea N Gardner , Elizabeth A Vitalis, and Tom R Slezak discovers that new genetic markers for human host-specificity and high lethality in influenza viruses were identified by considering combinations of amino acids conserved among past pandemic strains and may be useful in predicting the severity of new influenza strains. | 05/ 7/2009 | |||||||||||
| World's Largest, Unique Virus Photographed for First Time | These images are amazing and beautiful. From Wired - "A virus so large and strange that it’s redefined the very concept of a virus has been photographed for the first time. It’s even weirder than expected." | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Help Spread the Flu (and learn about viruses at the same time) | The Welcome Trust has funded an interactive Flash game that can be played on the web that teaches young people how the flu is spread. You start off as a flu virus and the goal is to infect others. Along the way, you get educational information about viruses. Here are some of the instructions: You are a virus infecting humans. Survive by making your human host sneeze and infect other humans. Infect the target percentage of the population to reach the next round. You can sneeze only ONCE in each round. Move your human with the arrow keys, then press the Space Bar to sneeze. Choose your sneeze carefully. The likelihood of infection and speed of virus transmission varies depending on the ages of your targets – and affects your score! Each round ends when there are no longer any infected people left to sneeze and pass the virus on. | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bacteria that inspires artificial photosynthetic systems discovered | An international team of scientists has determined the structure of the chlorophyll molecules in green bacteria that are responsible for harvesting light energy. The team’s results could one day be used to build artificial photosynthetic systems such as those that convert solar energy to electrical energy. The scientists found that the chlorophylls are highly efficient at harvesting light energy. | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bonnie Bassler on the secret, social lives of bacteria | This recent talk at TED by Bonnie Bassler on bacterial communication (aka quorum sensing) was a viral hit among the science geeks on Twitter. It is a very educational and well thought out presentation that is great for personal viewing or showing in the classroom. It's a must watch! | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Disrupting Quorum Sensing | An interesting article on the challenges facing researchers who are developing the second generation of antibiotics. "Quorum sensing is now known to be widespread in the bacterial world, and many researchers hope to develop ways to disrupt it. Kim Janda, a chemical biologist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., calls this strategy a “stealth approach.” Antibiotics kill bacteria or prevent them from growing, enabling resistant mutants to thrive; drugs that disrupt quorum sensing, on the other hand, would spare the microbes’ lives, simply preventing them from causing disease or building biofilms. The problem is that good quorum-sensing inhibitors have been hard to find. " | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Common Sense Advice for People Concerned About H1N1 (Swine Flu) | The New York Times has published a nice FAQ ,if you will, about H1N1 and what the general public should keep in mind in terms of worry, protection and symptoms. The article also talks about what public health response is feasible and should be expected. | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC Audio/MP3 Public Service Announcements for H1N1 (Swine Flu) | The CDC has provided and updated MP3s of three H1N1/swine flu-related PSAs for broadcasters, radio stations or the public to use. The latest versions now use the name Influenza A/H1N1 as opposed to swine flu. Hopefully this won't confuse people. | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine Flu Portraits from Mexico City | Freelance photographer Nicola “Okin” Frioli has taken a collection of photographs/portraits of people wearing surgical masks in Mexico City. It's an interesting art project that looks at the impact swine flu has on the city's residents. | 05/ 5/2009 | |||||||||||
| Outbreak focuses attention on flu treatments | There is no vaccine for the current strain of swine flu - at least not yet. However, federal health authorities said two antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, may play a key role in the response to the outbreak because they are in wide supply and, based on laboratory tests, appear to be effective in treating swine flu infections or preventing them in the first place. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday it was sending 11 million courses of the drugs to California and other states that have reported swine flu infections. That represents one-quarter of a stockpile the United States built in recent years in response to fears of a deadly avian flu. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC Swine Flu Site | The CDC's all in one Swine Flu website with resources, updates, guidelines and data. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| French Researchers Challenge Effectiveness of Antibiotics Targeting Fatty Acid Biosynthesis | "The importance of fatty acid biosynthesis to bacterial survival has made the pathway fertile ground for antibiotic targets, and at least three companies are pursuing compounds that block the process. French researchers, however, have challenged the approach with a paper in Nature that describes how Gram-positive bacteria can assimilate host fatty acids to ensure bacterial survival." | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine Flu is all pork, not avian or human, claims researchers | Turns out reports that Swine Flu is a combination of pig, human and avian influenza strains may be inaccurate. Frome Wired.com - "The deadly H1N1 influenza virus that’s fueling fears of a global pandemic is a hybrid of two common pig flu strains, scientists who have studied the disease told Wired.com Tuesday. Earlier reports called it a combination of pig, human and avian influenza strains. The findings may resolve some uncertainty about the nature of the virus, but much is still unknown about its origins and effects." | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| The search for a fast swine flu vaccine proves elusive | From Sciam: "Influenza's unpredictability has stymied efforts to create a universal vaccine that could be mass-produced in advance of a pandemic threat and used to treat a variety of different virus strains. Instead, drug companies annually try to predict which strains are most likely to circulate and then make enough of a particular flu vaccine to address those strains. Unfortunately, the wrong type of influenza vaccination provides little protection." | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| The New Scientist's Swine Flu Resources Page | The New Scientist has put together a nice collection of articles and information about the swine flu on it's site. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Ghost Map - Author Steven Johnson on the 1854 Cholera Outbreak in London | Author Steven Johnson discusses The Ghost Map, his book about a cholera outbreak in 1854 London and the impact it had on science, cities and modern society. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Swine Flu Music Mash Up! Using the genomic sequence of swine flu hemagglutinin, FJ966952 | Blogger Stephan Zielinski has taken the decoded genomic sequence for Swine Flu and has set it to music using a complicated algorithm. "Each beat corresponds to one amino acid, and the piece is in 3/4 time, so each six measures would correspond to five turns around the alpha structure. Amino acids with side chains that are neither aromatic not aliphatic control the piano and organ: the nine non-hydrophobics the piano, and the four hydrophobics the organ. The three amino acids with aliphatic side chains control the low synthesizer, while the four with aromatics control the percussion. Listen to the song by visiting Zielinski's blog at www.stephan-zielinski.com | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Too much knowledge can exaggerate the danger of a pandemic | Amid the uncertainty over whether this swine flu outbreak will expand from a serious Mexican epidemic into the global pandemic long expected by public health authorities, one thing is certain. As events unfold, the public will know more about the viral disease, its progress through human populations, what authorities are doing in response and what individual citizens can do for themselves, their families and their neighbors than at any time in human history. This can be both a blessing and a curse. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Flies may be the vector that transmitted swine flu to humans | The swine flu virus that is smoldering in this country and triggering a full-blown outbreak in Mexico is one of a growing number of animal pathogens to jump the species barrier -- and may be the microbe that jumpstarts the first globe-circling pandemic of the 21st century, experts said Tuesday. Scientists are considering flies as one possible vector that may have transmitted the virus from pigs to people. Flies, experts said Tuesday, hover over vast lagoons that hold feces and other waste, byproducts of factory hog farming in Mexico. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Temperature scanners give cold comfort during flu outbreak | Alarmed by the spread of a new swine flu virus, airports around the world have rushed to install temperature scanners to pick out the sick, but the microbe is proving too clever for modern technology. Experts say an infected person can easily pass through these heat sensors without detection as the incubation period for influenza ranges anywhere between one and three days. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Millennium Network - Facebook Cause to Support AIDS/HIV, Malaria, Global Warming, etc. | Inspired by President Clinton’s vision to encourage the next generation of leaders and philanthropists to address the challenges of global interdependence, the William J. Clinton Foundation Millennium Network seeks to engage individuals, age 45 and younger, in the work of the Clinton Foundation. Through the Clinton Foundation, President Clinton continues to advance the principles he has stood for all of his life: solving problems, improving lives, and helping people to realize a better future. The Clinton Foundation’s seven initiatives deliver tangible results to tackle pressing issues including HIV/AIDS, global warming, economic opportunity worldwide, and the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States. Building the Millennium Network: The Millennium Network will hold a series of events in major cities across the United States and eventually around the world, to bring together a diverse group of leaders committed to making a difference through their own philanthropy and the work of the Clinton Foundation. The Millennium Network will be an international community of individuals from all walks of life and will provide a forum for like-minded global leaders to discuss how each can have a positive impact on shaping our future. President Clinton’s goal is to make the work of his Foundation tangible; and to give each contributor the maximum return on his or her individual investment | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Collection of Microbial Discovery Activities for K-12 | The American Society for Microbiology has posted a collection of Microbial Discovery Activities designed for K-12 teachers to facilitate the incorporation of microbiology within science courses. Activities come from the community at large. All submissions are reviewed by the ASM Committee on K-12 Education for scientific and educational content, pedagogical (e.g. active learning) processes, alignment with the National Science Education Standards, and clarity and completeness of instructional materials and assessment plans. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| First US Death from Swine Flu in Texas | France calls to suspend all flights from EU to Mexico | A Mexican toddler who came to the United States with his family on a visit has died in Texas of the swine flu, Texas officials said, as President Obama recommended that schools with confirmed or suspected cases of the disease “strongly consider temporarily closing.” In France, the health minister took the extraordinary step of calling for a suspension of all flights from the European Union to Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, even as a Mexican health official said that the death toll appeared to be stabilizing. | 04/29/2009 | |||||||||||
| Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs | Common sense information from the CDC on how you can prevent flu transmission and prevent getting sick yourself. | 04/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Interim CDC Swine Flu Guidance for States, Territories and Communities | This document provides interim planning guidance for state, territorial, tribal, and local communities that focuses on several nonpharmaceutical measures that might be useful during this outbreak of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus aimed at reducing disease transmission and associated morbidity and mortality. | 04/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC: Key Facts About Swine Influenza | Good basic info on Swine Flu in humans and pigs. | 04/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC: Swine Flu & You | Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people. | 04/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| In Mexico City, The Infection Is Fear | Journalist and blogger Daniel Hernandez talks about the mindset of people in Mexico City during the swine flu outbreak. Often scientists and researchers skip over the psychological impact of infectious disease. It's an important factor in my opinion and I think this piece highlights the consequences of fear - "“We're afraid of the swine flu, of course, but also of each other, and of our government. Some patients here are convinced the government is not telling us the whole truth, while many others are just as sure the authorities are making the whole thing up for draconian political purposes.” | 04/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Follow the Pigs! - Swine Flu, Factory Farms, Mapping and Public Health | Janet Ginsburg at TrackerNews.com has a great read on the recent evolution/mutation of swine flu and public health dilemmas from a one health perspective. | 04/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Local Economic Impact of Swine Flu in Mexico City | Freelance reporter Deborah Bonello looks at the impact swine flu is having on the local economy in Mexico City. To visit her site for the full story go to http://www.mexicoreporter.com/?p=2080. This video is in English. | 04/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| A Guide to Malaria | In observation of World Malaria Day this April 25, 2009 Scientific American has published a great online resource for people interested in malaria. "The international community has just two years to meet the United Nations's 2010 goal of providing protection and treatment to every person threatened by malaria. Can it be done?" | 04/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Canadian man treated for mysterious illness, possible relation to swine flu? | The mysterious Swine Flu is all the rage in the papers today. New report from Canada - A Cornwall Crown attorney who returned from Mexico with a mysterious illness is believed to be one of a handful of people in Ontario who may be linked to an outbreak that is confounding health authorities, provincial officials say. The outbreak has Canadian public health officials scrambling to discover the nature of the deadly flu-like illness that has already killed 20 people in Mexico and has left that country’s medical authorities without any answers. | 04/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| CDC Press Conference at 2:30 p.m. EST April 23, 2009 on Swine Flu | CDC will host a press briefing to discuss an update in the investigation of cases of swine influenza in California and Texas. CDC issued an MMWR dispatch on Tuesday April 21. The briefing will update information included in the dispatch. | 04/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| A First! Genome of Foodborne Pathogen Arcobacter Exposed | This comes from the ARS... "Agricultural Research Service microbiologist William Miller and colleagues have deciphered the sequence of the bacterium’s genetic material. This scientific coup—a first for any of the world’s Arcobacters—may speed discovery of innovative ways to control the microbial miscreant." | 04/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Could Llama Blood Save Your Life in a Bioterror Attack? | This week's guest blogger on BoingBoing.net Maggie Koerth-Baker has an interesting post about the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's research into using specific antibodies from Llama blood as a possible detection measure for Small Pox, Anthrax and other harmful agents. "Llama blood may one day be able to help soldiers, scientists and city officials set up an early-warning system against the tiniest weapons of terror--biological agents like anthrax and smallpox. Authorities have long worried that, were these diseases to get loose, it would be difficult to know anything was wrong until innocent people started dying. Llama blood might provide a better detection method." Image thumbnail from http://www.eyewashweb.com/ | 04/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bacterial biocontrol product improves potato yields | Now if only Ireland had this product in 1845... Injecting beneficial bacteria into the furrow when planting potatoes could help increase marketable yields and decrease skin blemishes, according to trials. The microbes in Omex's Biomex Starter - a liquid formulation of the naturally-occurring plant-friendly bacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens - improve the release of nutrients from fertilisers, while at the same time help develop rooting and provide the plant with a defence against infection, according to Neil Fuller of Soil Solutions, who has been developing the concept for a number of years. | 04/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Study Says Cannabinoids Show "Exceptional" Antibacterial Activity Against MRSA | Not sure if I buy into this idea, especially since the press release doesn't definitively say anything. However, it is interesting... Dr. Robert Melamede, PhD., Director and Chief Science Officer, reported to the Board on the current state of research into the use of natural plant cannabinoids to reduce the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA), and the prospects for development of topical whole-cannabis treatments. | 04/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Strange new flu virus strikes 7in the U.S. | Seven people have been diagnosed with a strange and unusual new kind of swine flu in California and Texas, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday. All seven people have recovered but the virus itself is a never-before-seen mixture of viruses typical among pigs, birds and humans, the CDC said. | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| FDA clears human trials for malaria vaccine from mosquito spit | A unique malaria vaccine extracted from the saliva of infected mosquitoes this week received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration to be tested in people. Unlike other malaria vaccines under development, the one from saliva is a weakened version of the entire parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which causes malaria. Sanaria, the company developing the vaccine in Rockville, Maryland, weakens the parasite by feeding human, infected blood to mosquitoes, then exposing the mosquitoes to enough irradiation to cripple the parasite. | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientific American Reorganizations puts it within the Nature Publishing Group | Looks like the recession is starting to strike home at popular science news mediums. This blog post is currently breaking the story... "The recession has finally come to Scientific American. Editor in chief John Rennie and half a dozen or so of his underlings are leaving amid a major reorganization of the 164-year-old magazine's operations, according to sources." | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Syracuse University professors make a breakthough in biofilm formation | SU professors Dacheng Ren and Yan-Yeung Luk have created a platform to control biofilm formation in specific patterns over extended periods of time. They can now manipulate and confine biofilm growth four times longer than previous technologies. | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Diagnostic for Deadly Listeria | Scientists in Indiana are reporting development of a new biosensor for use in a faster, more sensitive test for detecting the deadliest strain of Listeria food poisoning bacteria. | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| A new electrical farting machine could improve fuel cell technology | I think Discovery.com just used the word "fart" to drive traffic, but it's a notable story nonetheless - It sounds like a gag gift instead of serious science, but a new electrical farting machine could improve fuel cell technology by turning C02 in the atmosphere into methane. The technique won't combat global warming directly, since both CO2 and methane are potent greenhouse gases, but it could help store alternative energies such as wind and solar more efficiently. | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| 3 Vials of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Missing from Fort Detrick | From CNN - The Army's Criminal Investigation Command agents have been visiting Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland, to investigate the disappearance of the vials. Christopher Grey, spokesman for the command, said this latest investigation has found "no evidence of criminal activity." | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Of Terms in Biology: Obligate Parasite | Here's an interesting blog post from www.smallthingsconsidered.us about the definition of Obligate Parasite. | 04/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bacteria Galore by Sunday at Four | This is a great online children's book about the role of bacteria in our lives by Dr. Mel Rosenberg for ages 3+. | 04/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Curse of the Pharaohs: Truth, Myth or Microbiology? | The Curse of Pharaohs that made headline in the 70's and 80's may be microbiology-related in origin. Scientists are starting to believe in the curse --or at least in an explanation for why the series of curse-like coincidences could have happened. Here’s a recipe for a curse: Take one coffin filled with human remains. Add in enough food and drink to sustain a person in the afterlife. Bury it in a tomb and let it sit for several thousand years. The result? Deadly, toxic mold and bacteria. | 04/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| Life without Sex: An Evolutionary Scandal | Life without sex?!?! An evolutionary scandal?!?! Science pron?! Do Tell!! (OK, maybe I embellished a bit here, LOL) Sexually reproducing organisms that abandon sexual reproduction are typically doomed to early extinction. This phenomenon, it has been said, is the chief reason that evolutionary biologists think that sex is essential. ☺ Reports of "ancient asexuals"—eukaryotes that have lived without sex for millions of years—have often not held up to close scrutiny. But then there are the bdelloid rotifers, an "evolutionary scandal." The status of these tiny freshwater invertebrates as ancient asexuals has been confirmed repeatedly. And that’s but one of their remarkable quirks. | 04/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Ebola Vaccine on the Horizon | A new experimental Ebola vaccine is one step closer to realization, having proven its ability to protect against lethal infections in animal models. The researchers report their findings in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of Virology. “Our study demonstrates the potential of the EbolaÄVP30 virus as a new vaccine platform,” say the researchers. "As with other EBOV vaccine candidates, our vaccine would be of value to health care personnel, laboratory workers, and military personnel, as well as those at risk during outbreaks." | 04/22/2009 | |||||||||||
| Sugar on bacteria surface serves as base for a web of resistance | The bacteria responsible for chronic infections in cystic fibrosis patients use one of the sugars on the germs' surface to start building a structure that helps the microbes resist efforts to kill them, new research shows. Scientists have determined that the bacterial cell-surface sugar, a polysaccharide called Psl, is anchored on the surface of the bacterium as a helix, providing a structure that encourages cell-to-cell interaction. When multiple bacterial cells join together with the help of such a structure, they form what is called a biofilm, a persistent community of bugs that is able to resist the effects of a human immune response, as well as antibiotic drugs. | 04/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| Silent Human Cases of H5N1|Avian Flu May be Lurking in Egypt | An unusual pattern of avian flu cases in Egypt — almost all are in toddlers, all of whom have survived — has led some flu-tracking Web sites to speculate that dozens of silent cases are circulating there. However some experts like Dr. Robert G. Webster, say “I hope to hell it’s not happening, because it would mean the virus is adapting to humans. But there’s not a shred of data.” | 04/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Polio Outbreaks in Africa and India Prompt Aid Organizations to Plea for Cash | The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has made an emergency appeal for millions of dollars to fight a new polio outbreak across Africa. Despite more than 20 years of eradication efforts, two strains of polio have spread out from northern Nigeria and northern India — both places where many Muslims have resisted vaccines because of rumors that vaccine efforts are a Western plot to sterilize them. | 04/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| Rollover Beethoven Here Comes Hip Hop Darwin | UK microbiologist Mark Pallen has commissioned a rap version of Darwin's theory of evolution by Baba Brinkman, a former English literature student and Canadian hip hop artist. The idea is that the music can serve as a pedagogical tool for students. There is also a nice video of it on YouTube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPOr2jRNDg. Here are some lyrics "No I wasn't born in Ghana but Africa is my mama 'Cause that's where my mama got her mitochondria You can try to fight if you wanna, but it's not gonna change me 'Cause it's plain to see, Africans are my people And if it's not plain to see then your eyes deceive you I'm talkin' primeval; the DNA in my veins Tells a story that reasonable people find believable But it might blow your transistors; Africa Is the home of our most recent common ancestors Which means human beings are all brothers and sisters." | 04/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| A recipe for sustainable biofuel | Take 1 part brewer's yeast, add a gene from a salt marsh plant, grow it with an obscure microbe from a French landfil and viola! Biofuel. Christopher Voigt, a synthetic biologist at UCSF, "and colleagues had assembled the perfect microbial team – A. fermentans converts cellulose into acetate, which is in turn made into methyl halides by the engineered yeast. It is a low-temperature, cheap process that produces the methyl halides that are readily converted into fuel." | 04/21/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Dances of Algae | Freshwater algae can dance around each other in stable groups, held together only by fluid flows in the surrounding water. In fact they have two dances, the waltz and the minuet. There is a nice video that accompanies this article as well. | 04/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientists for a Better PCR | Another great science music video find. An amusing take on We are the World from Bio Rad who manufactures PCR machines. This is what I would call a viral science video. Obviously they have the money to make this a stellar production. Best lyric "PCR... When You Wanna Know Who Your Daddy is." | 04/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Regulatin' Genes Y'all | This is a very fun video about regulating genes done hip hop style. | 04/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| New antibacterial paint may provide superior protection from superbugs | I am always skeptical about products that claim to be antibacterial because even though they may have antimicrobial compounds in them, their efficacy is often questionable. Mainly, because their shelf life is limited and no one has really proved how these compounds get out to fight the microbes. However, this is an interesting paper on a new kind of emulsion for use in antibacterial paint. The author says the paint is effective for one year. Not sure when this product will hit the shelves but it will probably take many years as do most things of this nature. | 04/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bacteriophage Can Turn a Harmless E.coli into a more virulent one | A researcher from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science has found that transmission of bateriophage between bacteria can occur, and that in the case of E. coli it can transform a harmless bacterium into one capable of causing disease in man. | 04/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Microbe Robots for Biomedical Applications | Researchers from ETH Zurich have built E.coli sized robots that they hope will be used for various biomedical applications. "They look like spirals with tiny heads, and screw through the liquid like miniature corkscrews. When moving, they resemble rather ungainly bacteria with long whip-like tails. They can only be observed under a microscope because, at a total length of 25 to 60 µm" | 04/20/2009 | |||||||||||
| Coxiella Escapes from Cell! | Surprise! Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, has been grown in cell-free media. This is news because, along with rickettsiae and a few others, C. burnetii is the stereotypical obligate intracellular bacterial parasite. Until now, coxiellae could only be grown within a host or in host cells in culture. So how did researchers at the NIH's Rocky Mountain Laboratory come up with a complex—but otherwise fairly ordinary—laboratory medium that supports their growth? It wasn't just trial-and-error, as you might suppose. | 04/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Boston's BSL-4 Delayed Again | The opening of a biosafety laboratory level 4, built by Boston University for the study of dangerous microbes, has been delayed again after the National Institutes of Health asked for more time to complete a safety analysis, The Boston Globe reported. The National Institutes of Health now estimates that it will not be able to submit the safety analysis to US District Court Judge Patti B. Saris until spring or summer 2010. | 04/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Ozone in a Bag | Ozone in a bag. That's the novel method being developed by the food process engineer Dr Kevin Keener, of Purdue University, Indiana, to eliminate harmful bacteria on packaged foods such as spinach, tomatoes, and whole fruit. But rather than use an ozone generator to pump it in, Keener creates the ozone inside the bags only after they are sealed. | 04/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Egyptions Spiked Wine with Herbal Remedies | We all know that wine is the result of a microbiological process involving fermentation and yeast, but what's interesting about this story is the evidence that suggests Egyptians fortified their wine with certain herbs to treat disease symptoms. Some of the trace elements that have been found are savory, balm, senna, coriander, mint, sage, and thyme. | 04/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Waste Treatment May Spur Antibiotic Resistance Traits in Bacteria | New study suggests waste treatment process can have an unintended consequence of spreading of extra-hardy bacteria. "To determine if sewage-treatment plants might be a source of resistant bugs, Chuanwu and fellow researchers collected several species of the common bacteria Acinetobacter from a plant in Ann Arbor, Mich. that dumps its effluent into the Huron River. They exposed the bacteria to various antibiotics and cocktails of drugs, and found a significant increase in the percentage of Acinetobacter that were resistant after each stage of treatment. And while the final treatment process killed all but a tiny fraction of the bugs before releasing the water to the environment, the proportion of resistant bacteria was much higher among those that made it back to the river than those collected upstream from the plant." | 04/16/2009 | |||||||||||
| Antonie van Leeuwenhoek | Here's a nice historical video about Antonie van Leeuwenhoek from AJ Cann of the Microbiologybytes podcast at Microbiologybytes.wordpress.com. | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| 'Two-handed' Marine Microbes Point To New Method For Isolating Harmful Forms Of Chemicals | Scientists studying how marine bacteria move have discovered that a sharp variation in water current segregates right-handed bacteria from their left-handed brethren, impelling the microbes in opposite directions. This finding and the possibility of quickly and cheaply implementing the segregation of two-handed objects in the laboratory could have a big impact on industries like the pharmaceutical industry, for which the separation of right-handed from left-handed molecules can be crucial to drug safety. "This is a remarkable example of how basic research, initially focused on understanding how bacteria interact with their environment, can lead to discoveries far beyond that initially envisioned," said David Garrison, director of the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Biological Oceanography Program, which funded the research. | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Geoengineering the High Seas | Would adding iron to the Southern Ocean's Drake Passage promote planktonic growth that in turn would help reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and curb global warming? Researchers on the high seas are considering the options in a post on Wired's Science blog. "While we concern ourselves with the elements above water, iron-seeding proponents are gearing up for a storm over events below water. If they're right, this region could be key to effective climate-change mitigation." | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| A new test for bioterror agent ricin | Scientists say they have developed a fast and super-sensitive new test for ricin, a poison found in castor beans that scientists say is a prime candidate for use in bioterrorism attacks. The new method, described in research recently published in Analytical Chemistry, takes only three minutes to detect ricin and is 100 to 1,000 times more sensitive than tests currently available, according to study co-author Vern Schramm, a biochemist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in the Bronx, New York. | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Treatment Benchmark for Starting AIDS Treatment | Researchers have identified a new benchmark for starting drug treatment for AIDS. "The question of when to start therapy has been a “swinging pendulum,” notes an editorial accompanying the study. The marker in question is the CD4 count, which represents how many of the cells that the AIDS virus attacks are found in a microliter of blood." | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Q: Are we men or microbes? | Great post on the symbiotic relationship between humans and microbes (aka The Microbiome). "there’s a growing consensus among scientists that the relationship between us and our microbes is much more of a two-way street. With new technologies that allow scientists to better identify and study the organisms that live in and on us, we’ve become aware that bacteria, though tiny, are powerful chemical factories that fundamentally affect how the human body functions. They are not simply random squatters, but organized communities that evolve with us and are passed down from generation to generation." | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Vinegar may aid in groundwater cleanup | A University of Leeds research team found adding dilute acetic acid - vinegar - to groundwater sites contaminated with harmful chromium compounds boosts the growth of naturally-occurring bacteria by providing an attractive food source. This is turn halps the bacteria to biodegrade the harmful compounds. | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bill on drug-resistant infections advances in Washington state | A bill in Washington State's legislature designed to cut the spread of drug-resistant staph infections passed the Senate Monday. It requires health professionals to note on death certificates when the deadly bacteria played a role in a patient's demise. The bill is designed to aid the state in monitoring efforts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates almost 19,000 people died nationwide in 2007 from MRSA. | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bacteria protect soybeans from aphids | U.S. entomologists claim a careful choice of nitrogen-fixing bacteria might provide soybean farmers protection against an invasion of soybean aphids. "Our results demonstrate that plant-rhizobia interactions influence plant resistance to insect herbivores and that some rhizobia strains confer greater resistance to their mutualist partners than do others," the researchers said, noting they do not yet know what the natural nitrogen-fixing bacteria do to repel aphids. | 04/15/2009 | |||||||||||
| Custom Made Steam Collector Isolates Bacteria from Hydrothermal Vents | This video shows a demonstration of how to use a custom made steam collector designed to condense steam from geothermal vents (aka., fumaroles). This device was used used to collect samples of halophilic Archaea from fumaroles around the world, work which was published in: Ellis, D., R.W. Bizzoco, and S.T. Kelley. (2008) Halophilic Archaea identified in fumarole steam vapor from vents around the world. Environmental Microbiology, 10: 1582-1590. | 04/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Fracas Erupts Over Climate Change and Potential for Disease Spread | A fray has broken out among ecologists over a study suggesting that climate change might not spread tropical diseases far and wide after all. When the paper triggered an uproar, editors at the journal Ecology decided to publish not one but six responses alongside the original research. The collection appears in the April issue. | 04/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| In Georgia, Rain Increases the Risks of Salmonella in Waterways | Researchers at the University of Georgia in Athens (U.G.A.) have found that rain ups the risk of salmonella in rivers and streams—and, in turn, in products nourished by and washed in tainted runoff waters. The scientists report in Applied and Environmental Microbiology that 79 percent of water samples from rivers and streams in southern Georgia collected and tested over a year contained the rod-shaped bacteria; concentrations were highest in specimens gathered in the summer months and right after it rained. | 04/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Foodborne illnesses hold steady in U.S. | Cases of food-borne illnesses, including infections such as salmonella and Escherichia coli that have been at the center of recent outbreaks, have held steady for the past four years, federal health officials said today. The good news is that this is after several years of falling case numbers. | 04/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Long-term care facilities harbor reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria | The prevalence of a certain form of drug-resistant bacteria, called multidrug-resistant gram-negative (MDRGN) organisms, far surpassed that of two other common antimicrobial-resistant infections in long-term care facilities, according to a study conducted by researchers at Hebrew SeniorLife's Institute for Aging Research. | 04/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Bonnie Bassler: Discovering bacteria's amazing communication system | Bonnie Bassler, ASM President-elect, gave a rousting presentation on how bacteria communicate at TED that has Twitter and the rest of the online science-interested community buzzing. | 04/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Scientists fight bluetongue by hunting midges | A good video on YouTube shows how UK scientists are combining ingenious ways to trap and monitor midges, one of the vectors of bluetongue virus, with cutting edge computer modeling and weather predictions. | 04/13/2009 | |||||||||||
| Smoking HIV Meds to Get High?!?! What will the Kids Think of Next? | This is crazy. People South Africa have found a new use for efavirenz , an antiretroviral drug that prevents HIV from making copies of itself in the body, by crushing it up and smoking it to get high. "When taken as prescribed, efavirenz can cause side effects, including drowsiness and vivid, colorful dreams, but when smoked, it induces hallucinations and is highly addictive. "Once you've first started, there's no turning back," a 17-year-old addict told ABC News." | 04/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| PEPFAR Efforts May Prevent Death from AIDS, But Hasn't Halted Spread of HIV | According to an evaluation study of the The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in Africa released in the May 19, 2009 edition of the Annals of Medicine, the difference in the annual change in the number of HIV-related deaths was 10.5% lower in the focus countries than the control countries. However, "the difference in the change in HIV prevalence did not significantly differ throughout the study period." | 04/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Easter Chocolate in Peril!!! | The Easter bunny may not be bringing chocolate to the tots this year according to an article in the New Scientist that say a viral infection is impacting cacao trees on the Ivory Coast and a fungal infection called Witches Broom is doing the same for the cacao tree in Brazil. Thumbnail by Lexnger on Flickr. | 04/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| Researchers Believe HIV is Becoming more Virulent | A press release from the Infectious Disease Society states "damage to patients’ immune systems is happening sooner now than it did at the beginning of the HIV epidemic, suggesting the virus has become more virulent," according to a new study in the May 1, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. The release also points to evidence in Europe of an increase in HIV virulence. I wish the journal article itself was freely available, but you have to pay to get access. | 04/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| New MRSA Diagnostic Test - No Cultures, No DNA Amplification | A sensitive new diagnostic test for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)--a drug-resistant bacterium that can run rampant in hospitals--could help broaden access to fast, cheap testing. The test, being developed by Adnavance Technologies, a startup in San Diego, is simpler to perform than existing molecular diagnostics, potentially making it accessible to hospitals without sophisticated labs. | 04/ 8/2009 | |||||||||||
| DC Science Writers - Professional Development Day, April 18, 2009 | The theme for this year's Professional Development Day is "renewing your career." Sessions include a plenary on coping with change, the ever-popular pitch slam, a panel on how to shoot and edit video, and another on why you might want to, and a plenary on harnessing social media. The cost (which includes continental breakfast and lunch) is $50 for members, $25 for students, and $60 for non-members. AAAS has generously allowed us to use its space for free this year, so Professional Development Day will again be conveniently located at 1200 New York Avenue NW (near Metro Center). Get the full run-down on sessions--and register--on the DCSWA home page. | 04/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| Canadian Hospitals Cautioned Against Using | More than 70% or Quebec's health care facilities use environmentally safe cleaning products to keep germs at bay, but health officials are warning that these products are ineffective at preventing the transmission of pathogens. "With little regulation in the area, many manufacturers are marketing products that are simply diluted versions of more traditional chemicals, and have limited cleaning power, microbiologists and industry spokesmen say." | 04/ 2/2009 | |||||||||||
| XDR TB May Be A Ticking Time Bomb | At a conference in Beijing, China, World Health Organization officials announced that "the growing prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis is a potentially explosive situation." Countries participating in the talks are expected to commit themselves to scale up their TB diagnosis and treatment programs. | 04/ 1/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Power of Citizen Scientists Needs to be Realized | I found this very interesting post over at www.scienceprogress.org. Here's an excerpt "The Scientists and Congress should trust the public’s capacity to learn, draw conclusions, and contribute. Invite the public to do more, and put a process in place so citizens and researchers can work together to impart sound policy advice to Congress. In short, they should help bridge the divide." What's interesting here is that there are some examples of this already occurring on the internet, for example Cornell's Ornithology lab has a citizen bird watchers program that helps them to track bird-related disease in North America. | 04/ 1/2009 | |||||||||||
| Flickr Group for Microbiology Lab Training | This is a great visual resource for learning and teaching microbiology lab techniques. You have to join Flickr.com and then sign up to access the groups contents. | 04/ 1/2009 | |||||||||||
| How to streak a plate | I found this video on YouTube of a teacher showing a class how to streak a plate. Thumbnail photo by musicalwds on Flickr. | 04/ 1/2009 | |||||||||||
| ASM Sets up Shop in Pakistan | The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has set up its country liaison office in Pakistan at the Jinnah University for Women (JUW) and Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi, Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Dean Faculty of Science, University of Karachi (KU) has been appointed the First Country Liaison officer. | 04/ 1/2009 | |||||||||||
| The Two Faces of Photorhabdus | The Small Things Considered blog has an interesting post on the insect pathogen Photorhabdus , the only land-based bacterium which carries out bioluminescence, and nematodes. What I found interesting is that the bacterium also infects wounds. From STC - "This is the stuff of legends, with stories going back to the American Civil War. It seemed that soldiers with wounds that glowed in the dark were more likely to recover." | 03/31/2009 | |||||||||||
| San Diego Science Festival - Dr. Stanley Maloy on Salmonella | Dr. Stanley Maloy discusses microbiology and Salmonella with the students of High Tech Middle in Pt. Loma during the San Diego Science Festival. | 03/30/2009 | |||||||||||
| Sweet Home Microbiology?! | Found this little southern rock classic reworked for the microbiology-minded via YouTube. It's pretty funny, if not outright ridiculous. Here are the lyrics: Big spores keep on drifting Carry me to my new hosts skin Contact airborne isolation Its time to infect someone again I know its a sin Methicillin resistant staph aureus Vancomycin resistant enterococcus Multidrug resistant Tuberculosis MDR Klebsiella Sweet intestinal flora Stain them with methylene blue Clostridium difficile enterocoliits Lord, its coming after you Ventilator acquired Acinetobacter baumannii Only sensitive to Polymyxin A Intermediate sensitivity to piperacillin tazobactam Tigecyclines useless today Mississippi river valley Histoplasmosis capsulatum Blastomyces Dermatitidis Coccidioides immitis In the Southwest AIDS defining infections Cryptococcus Neoformans Mycobacterium Avium Complex Pneumocystis jirovecci Cytomegalovirus Toxoplasmosis, gondii Sweet intestinal flora Stain them with methylene blue Clostridium difficile enterocoliits Lord, its coming after you And it aint the flu Rickettsia Rickettsii Borrelia Burgdorfi Bartonella Henselae Rickettsia tsutsugamushi Nosocomial Pneumonia Living in the ICU Progressive Mutifocal Leukencephalopathy Lord its comin after you And youre screwed | 03/26/2009 | |||||||||||
| Beneficial Bacteria at Risk from Sunscreen | A study by University of Toledo researchers discovered that nano-titanium dioxide used in personal care products reduced biological roles of bacteria after less than an hour of exposure. The findings suggest that these particles, which end up at municipal sewage treatment plants after being washed off in showers, could eliminate microbes that play vital roles in ecosystems and help treat wastewater. | 03/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| New Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV Research Created in South Africa | A groundbreaking partnership between the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa will establish an international research center focused on making major scientific contributions to the worldwide effort to control the devastating co-epidemic of tuberculosis and HIV and on training a new generation of scientists in Africa. | 03/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Death Nets and Premature Babies | When locked in mortal combat with infection, some mature white blood cells have a formidable weapon: they literally cast a DNA net—called a neutrophil extracellular trap (NET)—that captures and kills bacteria that invade the human body. But the ability to form this "death" NET is missing in the white blood cells of newborn infants, born either at term or prematurely, and that, in part, may explain why millions of newborns worldwide are at higher risk for a potentially deadly blood infection, University of Utah medical researchers have discovered. | 03/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Flies May Spread Drug-resistant Bacteria From Poultry Operations | Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found evidence that houseflies collected near broiler poultry operations may contribute to the dispersion of drug-resistant bacteria and thus increase the potential for human exposure to drug-resistant bacteria. The findings demonstrate another potential link between industrial food animal production and exposures to antibiotic resistant pathogens. - From ScienceDaily | 03/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| World Tuberculosis Day 2009 | Today is World Tuberculosis Day. "World TB Day, 24 March 2009, is about celebrating the lives and stories of people affected by TB: women, men and children who have taken TB treatment; nurses; doctors; researchers; community workers--anyone who has contributed towards the global fight against TB." Check out www.stoptb.org for more information. Sponsored by the World Health Organization. | 03/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| No Phosphorus? No Problem! (There’s More Than One Way to Skin a Phytoplankton) | A recent post from the Small Things Considered blog comments on an interesting paper on how phytoplankton in the ocean use non-phosphorus lipids in response to phosphorus scarcity. "A recent paper revisits an earlier finding that marine cyanobacteria and small eukaryotes (the “phytoplankton”) make do in a phosphate-deficient oceanic environment by simply replacing much of their phospholipids with sulfolipids. In other words, a sulfur-for-phosphate swap. This works OK for lipids, but not so well for nucleic acids, which are essentially irreplaceable. (However, in the case of RNA at least, the amount made is modulated by the growth conditions and can be decreased during hard times.)" | 03/24/2009 | |||||||||||
| Algal blooms dump toxins on the ocean floor | Toxic algal blooms are bad enough on the ocean surface, but now it turns out that the toxin in them sinks to the ocean floor – where it persists for weeks. Far from degrading soon after the bloom, as previously assumed, new research suggests that the neurotoxin that causes shellfish poisoning, domoic acid, sinks to the ocean floor and could poison marine mammals, birds and humans. | 03/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Fungus Time-lapse Video | I have no idea why this video was posted to StupidVideos.com, but it is a fantastic time-lapse video of slime molds, stinkhorn mushrooms, and many more types. This is well worth viewing. | 03/19/2009 | |||||||||||
| Open Science: The Risks, Challenges and Rewards | The landscape of science communication is changing rapidly. On the horizon we are starting to see the birth of online science-related social networks and movement towards "open science," a concept in which scientists and researchers can collaborate on projects, communicate results, share data, and publish papers with the same recognition afforded to colleagues who are published in print journals. This raises many issues that are still murky. Concerns such as citation, peer review, accuracy, scooping, and accountability resound even among its strongest supporters. But this hasn't stopped microbiology-related researchers and other scientists from engaging one another online through wikis, social networks, podcasts, blogs, and video sharing sites. At this year's American Society for Microbiology's General Meeting, ASM's Communications Committee will present a round table discussion that will explore what open science really means, the risks and rewards of sharing unpublished or preprinted research, and what this movement means for traditional publication methods. Attendees will hear all sides of the debate surrounding open science, from those who currently embrace this new paradigm to those who maintain that traditional publication methods are the only way to ensure sound science. A well-rounded discussion of this phenomenon will provide attendees with a clearer sense of what new online communication tools are available and how these tools can be best used to promote research and science responsibly.
Date, Time & Location |
03/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| This Week in Virology Live at ASM's General Meeting | Please join hosts Vincent Racaniello, Professor of Microbiology at Columbia University Medical Center, Dick Despommier, Professor of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences and Microbiology at Columbia University Medical Center, and Alan Dove, science writer, for a live web broadcast of This Week in Virology. This Week in Virology (TWiV) is a podcast about viruses. It was begun in September 2008 with the goal of having an informal yet informative conversation about viruses which would be accessible to everyone, no matter what their science background. TWiV focuses on current virology-related news items and publications and often brings other virologists and researchers into the conversation, to make it more varied and interesting. At ASM's General Meeting, TWiV plans to highlight news and research related to the meeting and will invite a few special guests to join them on stage. Who: Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, Alan Dove, and more. What: Live Performance and Webcast of This Week in Virology When: Tuesday, May 19, 2008, 2-3 p.m. EST Where: Philadelphia Convention Center, Press Conference Room If you are unable to attend in person, This Week in Virology will be streamed live on UStream.tv at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/microbeworld and www.microbeworld.org. | 03/11/2009 | |||||||||||
| MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) | Image of MRSA from the CDC | 03/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Microbe-Made-Chemicals Could Save Empty Ethanol Plants | Genomatica has come up with a new microbe that can turn sugar into an industrial solvent with a $2 billion worldwide market – and it believes idled ethanol plants will be perfect places to do it. | 03/10/2009 | |||||||||||
| Secrets Of C. Difficile's Protective Shell Revealed, Paving The Way For New Superbug Drugs And Vaccines | The detailed structure of a protective 'jacket' that surrounds cells of the Clostridium difficile superbug, and which helps the dangerous pathogen stick to human host cells and tissues, is revealed in part in the 1 March issue of Molecular Microbiology. | 02/27/2009 | |||||||||||
| Nanotechnology drafts plant viruses for drug delivery | Researchers at North Carolina State University have successfully modified a common plant virus to deliver drugs only to specific cells inside the human body, without affecting surrounding tissue. These tiny “smart bombs” - each one thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair - could lead to more effective chemotherapy treatments with greatly reduced, or even eliminated, side effects. | 02/23/2009 | |||||||||||
| Borrelia Species | 02/17/2009 | ||||||||||||
