Potent alpaca nanobodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a novel strategy for identifying potent miniature antibodies, so-called nanobodies, against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The approach led to the discovery of multiple nanobodies that in c.....»»
Research reveals how a single enzyme can boost soybean oil production
As a potent source of protein and oil, soybeans are a vital global crop for food, animal feed, industrial applications, and biofuel production. Even minor improvements in soybean seed content can therefore have far-reaching implications for agricultu.....»»
Double trouble: Infamous "eagle killer" bacterium produces not one, but two toxins
The cyanobacterium Aetokthonos hydrillicola produces not just one, but two highly potent toxins. In the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), an international team led by Martin Luther University Halle-Wi.....»»
3 iOS 0-days, a cellular network compromise, and HTTP used to infect an iPhone
Apple patches 3 zero-days after they were used in a sophisticated attack. Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Apple has patched a potent chain of iOS zero-days that were used to infect the iPhone of an Egyptian presidential c.....»»
PS5 launches a new range of metallic covers and DualSense controllers
This new range of metallic covers and controllers for PS5 go on sale next month and include blue, red, and silver variants......»»
FDA approves and authorizes updated COVID boosters for everyone 6 months and up
The fall boosters target XBB.1.5 and have shown effective against current variants. Enlarge / The Food and Drug Administration headquarters in White Oak, Maryland. (credit: Getty | Congressional Quarterly) The Food and D.....»»
Updated COVID boosters get green light from FDA ahead of CDC review
The fall boosters target XBB.1.5 and have shown effective against current variants. Enlarge / The Food and Drug Administration headquarters in White Oak, Maryland. (credit: Getty | Congressional Quarterly) The Food and D.....»»
COVID mutates rapidly in white-tailed deer, but here"s why we don"t need to worry—for now
At some point during the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, spread from humans to white-tailed deer in the US......»»
BA.2.86 fears fizzle as other variants drive up hospitalizations, deaths
Three preliminary studies suggest BA.2.86 may not be the scary subvariant some feared. Enlarge (credit: Getty | Justin Sullivan) Concern over the highly evolved omicron subvariant BA.2.86 is easing as the first batch of.....»»
Methane emissions in LA are decreasing more slowly than previously estimated
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, 80 times more potent at warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. In 2014, a California law required statewide methane emissions to be cut by 40% by 2030 from 2013 levels. Currently, the local natural gas utili.....»»
How incoming adenoviruses change their chromatin structure for efficient gene expression
Adenoviruses, known for their low pathogenicity and technological approachability, have become instrumental in many therapeutic applications, including as a vaccination vector platform during the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Central to their efficacy.....»»
Mapping the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein could provide insight into vaccine development
Although the COVID-19 pandemic was the first time most of humanity learned of the now infamous disease, the family of coronaviruses was first identified in the mid-1960s. In a new study, molecular biologist Steven Van Doren, a scientist in the Univer.....»»
Inhalable molecules neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in mice
Nanofitins, which are derived from a protein found in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius—an archaeal microorganism found in hot springs—successfully neutralized SARS-CoV-2 in mice and were well-tolerated. When inhaled by the rodents, the engineered nanofi.....»»
Newly-engineered versions of bacterial enzyme reveal how antibiotics could be more potent
Modern medicine depends on antibiotics to treat infections by disabling targets inside bacterial cells. Once inside these cells, antibiotics bind to certain sites on specific enzyme targets to stop bacterial growth. Randomly occurring changes (mutati.....»»
What makes Idalia so potent? It"s feeding on intensely warm water that acts like rocket fuel
Feeding on some of the hottest water on the planet, Hurricane Idalia is rapidly strengthening as it bears down on Florida and the rest of the Gulf Coast. It's been happening a lot lately......»»
Study: Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor promotes mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into cardiac progenitor cells
Cardiovascular diseases, particularly myocardial infarction (MI), are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity around the globe. Because cardiac tissue possesses very limited regeneration potential, use of a potent small molecule, inhibitor Wnt p.....»»
COVID-19 virus is evolving rapidly in white-tailed deer, new research finds
White-tailed deer across Ohio have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, new research has found—and the results also show that viral variants evolve about three times faster in deer than in humans......»»
SARS-CoV-2: How the history of human populations influences their immune response
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinical spectrum observed among people infected with SARS-CoV-2 ranged from asymptomatic carriage to death. Researchers at the Institut Pasteur, the CNRS and the Collège de France, in collaboration with researchers.....»»
BA.2.86 shows just how risky slacking off on COVID monitoring is
The variant has grabbed attention, but with such limited data, the risk is unclear. Enlarge / Transmission electron micrograph of a SARS-CoV-2 virus particle isolated from a patient sample and cultivated in cell culture. (credit.....»»
Mapping methane emissions from rivers around globe reveals surprising sources
Freshwater ecosystems account for half of global emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Rivers and streams, especially, are thought to emit a substantial amount of that methane, but the rates and patterns of.....»»
Crucial early-warning listserv for tracking disease outbreaks is in danger
ProMED, which broke news of COVID, SARS, and MERS, is short on cash and in turmoil. Enlarge (credit: Miragec/Getty Images) Internal dissent within the mostly volunteer disease-news network known as ProMED—which alerted.....»»