A virus that disrupts the sex routines of roundworms
Viruses influence the sex life of the roundworm C. elegans. Male roundworms of this non-parasitic nematode species are less sexually attracted to females infected with the Orsay virus. The virus also eventually leads to more male offspring and theref.....»»
Scientists discover new phage resistance mechanism in phage-bacterial arms race
One of the most abundant and deadliest organisms on Earth is a virus called a bacteriophage (phage). These predators have lethal precision against their targets—not humans, but bacteria. Different phages have evolved to target different bacteria an.....»»
Hong Kong monkey encounter lands man in ICU with rare, deadly virus
The man had recently visited a country park known for its macaque monkeys. Enlarge / This photo taken in August 2014 shows macaque monkeys in a country park in Hong Kong. (credit: Getty | Alex Ogle) A 37-year-old man is.....»»
Must mRNA be cloaked in a lipid coat to serve as a vaccine?
The Uchida Laboratory of Innovation Center of NanoMedicine has demonstrated that intradermal administration of mRNA alone (naked mRNA) without protection by nanoparticles induced robust vaccination against SARS CoV-2, a virus causing COVID-19, in mic.....»»
Tracking the virus behind India"s lumpy skin cattle crisis
In May 2022, cattle across India began dying of a mysterious illness. Since then, about 1,00,000 cows have lost their lives to a devastating outbreak of what scientists have identified as lumpy skin disease. The outbreak has severely affected India's.....»»
New York City owl Flaco was exposed to pigeon virus and rat poison before death, tests show
New York City's celebrity owl Flaco was suffering from a severe pigeon-borne illness and high levels of rat poison when he crashed into a building and died last month, officials at the Bronx Zoo said Monday......»»
Bird flu is causing thousands of seal deaths. Scientists aren"t sure how to slow it down
Avian influenza is killing tens of thousands of seals and sea lions in different corners of the world, disrupting ecosystems and flummoxing scientists who don't see a clear way to slow the devastating virus......»»
Climate change disrupts vital ecosystems in the Alps
Reduced snow cover and shifting vegetation patterns in the Alps, both driven by climate change, are having major combined impacts on biodiversity and functioning of ecosystems in the high mountains, according to new research published today......»»
Nanoparticles target multiple COVID variants through the twist in the spike protein
Teardrop-shaped particles designed to inactivate multiple strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could one day complement existing treatments for COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan and Jiangnan University in.....»»
Researchers use an edible blue-green algae to protect honey bees against viruses
Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have developed an edible antiviral treatment that can be used to protect honey bees against deformed wing virus (DWV) and other viruses, according.....»»
Ebola: Scientists reveal a new way it replicates
Scientists in Canada and the U.S. have discovered a new way in which Ebola—an often deadly virus affecting people mostly in sub-Saharan Africa—reproduces in the body......»»
In vivo production of CAR-T cells using virus-mimetic fusogenic nanovesicles
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are synthesized membrane proteins that enable lymphocytes to recognize and respond to the specific antigens of target cells. Despite the impressive efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy in treating B-cell lymphoma or leukem.....»»
New bioengineered protein design shows promise in fighting COVID-19
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have been racing to develop effective treatments and preventatives against the virus. A recent scientific breakthrough has emerged from the work of researchers aiming to combat SARS-CoV-2, the virus re.....»»
Male roundworms are picky when choosing a mate, new research finds
A piece of rotting fruit is likely covered in hundreds if not thousands of microscopic roundworms, including C. elegans—a popular experimental model system for studying neurogenetics. With a lifespan of only a few weeks, C. elegans must reproduce q.....»»
Early experiments show Ebola-fighting potential of engineered bacteria
Since its 1976 emergence in Africa, the Ebola virus has proven an especially lethal contagion, killing roughly 50% of the people who contract it. The 2019 FDA approval of a vaccine, combined with the subsequent development of two antibody-based drugs.....»»
Researchers reveal how a virus hijacks insect sperm: May help control disease vectors and pests
A widespread bacteria called Wolbachia and a virus that it carries can cause sterility in male insects by hijacking their sperm, preventing them from fertilizing eggs of females that do not have the same combination of bacteria and virus......»»
First atom-level structure of packaged viral genome reveals new properties and dynamics
A computational model of the more than 26 million atoms in a DNA-packed viral capsid expands our understanding of virus structure and DNA dynamics, insights that could provide new research avenues and drug targets, University of Illinois Urbana-Champ.....»»
Lumpy skin disease is a threat to Australian cattle industries. We need to know how it could enter and spread
Australian authorities are on high alert amid the spread of lumpy skin disease in cattle and buffalo across South-East Asia. While Australia remains free of the disease, the virus is likely to breach our borders at some stage......»»
Enhancing statistical reliability of weather forecasts with machine learning
A global team of researchers has made strides in refining weather forecasting methods, with a specific focus on addressing the persistent issue of "quantile crossing." This phenomenon disrupts the order of predicted values in weather forecasts and ar.....»»
Study shows climate change disrupts seasonal flow of rivers
Climate change is disrupting the seasonal flow of rivers in the far northern latitudes of America, Russia and Europe and is posing a threat to water security and ecosystems, according to research published in Science......»»
Avian influenza virus is adapting to spread to marine mammals
The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has adapted to spread between birds and marine mammals, posing an immediate threat to wildlife conservation, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, and the National Institute of.....»»