-
New Technology Found to Treat Broad Range of Viruses
Scientists at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts have designed a class of therapies to identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus — from the common cold to Ebola — then kill those cells to terminate the infection. Their findings appear in the journal PLoS One. The technology targets a type…
-
Fewer Drug-Resistant Bacteria in New Organic Poultry Farms
A study of mid-Atlantic poultry farms that switched to organic practices shows significantly lower levels of drug-resistant enterococci bacteria that can spread to humans. The findings by researchers from University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, and Pennsylvania State University appear online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The research, led by Amy Sapkota with the…
-
Banned Flame Retardants Found in Pregnant California Women
In a pilot study of pregnant women in California, researchers at University of California in San Francisco have found high levels of flame-retardant chemicals that have been outlawed in the U.S. and Europe. The team’s findings appear online in the journal Environmental Science and Technology (free registration required). The researchers, led by Tracey Woodruff, director…
-
Bio-Based Resins, Coatings Developed from Common Crops
Researchers at North Dakota State University in Fargo have developed a family of resins from renewable raw materials that eliminate hazardous components yet perform as well the originals. The team reported its findings earlier this year in the journal Biomacromolecules (paid subscription required). The researchers led by Dean Webster, professor in the NDSU Department of…
-
Bacteria Metabolism Reversed to Produce High-Speed Biofuel
A new method developed by researchers at Rice University in Houston turns simple glucose into biofuels and petrochemical substitutes by reversing a metabolic process called beta oxidation using genetically modified bacteria. Engineering professor Ramon Gonzalez and colleagues published their findings online in the journal Nature (paid subscription required). The beta oxidation process is a basic…
-
Top European Corporate R&D to Increase 5 Pct a Year
Leading R&D investing companies based in the EU expect their global research and development investments to grow by five percent annually from 2011 to 2013, according to a survey released today by the European Commission in Brussels. The findings by the EC’s Joint Research Centre are based on survey responses from 205 mainly larger companies…
-
Energy Dept Funding Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cost Models
The U.S. Department of Energy is funding four projects to better determine the costs of making fuel cells and hydrogen storage systems. The awards, totaling $7 million over five years, will cover studies to provide data that help the department focus future research and development funding on fuel cell components and manufacturing processes. The Energy…
-
Challenge Seeks Process for Low-Abundance Protein Measures
A challenge at InnoCentive seeks a sample processing technology or process that will reduce the concentration of high-abundance proteins in serum and plasma samples. The competition has a prize of $30,000 and requires a written proposal. The deadline for entries is 1 October 2011. InnoCentive in Waltham, Massachusetts is a company the conducts open-innovation crowd-sourcing…
-
New Measure Developed of Irrigation Water Requirements
The Agricultural Research Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has devised a new method for measuring the water requirements of crops, based on the yield per drop of water actually taken in by the crops. A company is now developing instruments and software to measure and manage the amounts of water absorbed…
-
DNA Biomarker Blood Test Aids Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Researchers at University of Cincinnati and Harvard University have identified a blood test for a DNA biomarker that bolsters the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test used to screen men for prostate cancer. Their findings appear online in the British Journal of Cancer; paid subscription required. The study led by Cincinnati molecular epidemiologist Tianying Wu (pictured left)…