Slippery toilet bowl treatment causes bacteria to slide right off
When entering public restrooms, it's hard not to dwell on what germs previous users have left behind in the toilet bowl. Imagine, instead, a self-cleaning system that doesn't require a brightly colored gel. Researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materi.....»»
Studies explore converting wastewater to fertilizer with fungal treatment
Creating fertilizers from organic waste can help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and promote sustainable production. One way of doing this is through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which converts biomass into biocrude oil through a high-temp.....»»
Study shows small animals use "stolen" genes from bacteria to protect against infection
Certain small, freshwater animals protect themselves from infections using antibiotic recipes "stolen" from bacteria, according to new research by a team from the University of Oxford, the University of Stirling and the Marine Biological Laboratory (.....»»
Understanding willingness to pay for nationwide wastewater surveillance in Japan
Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased likelihood of other such outbreaks in the future warrant the strengthening of epidemic surveillance systems. Among these, continuous wastewater surveillance at wastewater treatment plants is considere.....»»
Crown-of-thorns starfish larvae feast on toxic cyanobacteria, study finds
Researchers have uncovered an under-the-sea phenomenon where coral-destroying crown-of-thorns starfish larvae have been feasting on blue-green algae bacteria known as "sea sawdust.".....»»
Study identifies rhizobacteria to combat Striga and boost sorghum yields in Ethiopia
A research team has identified potential Striga-suppressing rhizobacteria associated with sorghum, which have been shown to significantly reduce Striga seed germination rates. This study highlights the value of soil-borne bacteria as bioherbicides to.....»»
Webcam monitors hundreds of rattlesnakes at a Colorado "mega den" for citizen science
They creep, slither and slide over and around each other by the dozen and now there's a webcam so that anybody can watch them online at any time, even at night......»»
Interdisciplinary approach provides new insights into molecular mechanisms of cholera infection
Cholera infections caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria can be life-threatening and the trigger is the cholera toxin produced by the bacteria. It binds to the surface of intestinal cells—more precisely, to certain "sugar lipids" (GM1 gangliosides, GM.....»»
Researchers develop library for RNA-based therapeutic approaches with polymer nanoparticles
RNA therapy with polymer nanoparticles is considered a promising approach for the treatment of various illnesses. It involves the use of polymers as "nanocarriers" to transport RNA drugs precisely to the correct target cells. Manufacturing such polym.....»»
Animals use physics? Let us count the ways
Cats twist and snakes slide, exploiting and negotiating physical laws. Enlarge (credit: Fernando Trabanco Fotografía via Getty Images) Isaac Newton would never have discovered the laws of motion had he studied only cats.....»»
New technology could open up gene therapies to more patients at less cost
A new technology aims to take gene therapies a step further, making it possible for the treatment to be used more widely, at lower cost, and with improved outcomes for patients......»»
A comprehensive derivative synthesis method for development of new antimicrobial drugs
Efforts to combat the increasing threat of drug-resistant bacteria are being assisted by a new approach for streamlining the search for antimicrobial drug candidates, pioneered by researchers at Hokkaido University, led by Assistant Professor Kazuki.....»»
Study: Targeted home systems to remove PFAS more cost-effective than system-wide solutions
PFAS, the potentially cancer-causing chemicals known as "forever chemicals," have become an increasing concern in home drinking water. Solutions to reduce the risk of exposure range from mandated municipal-level water treatment to under-the-sink home.....»»
Researchers spot potential hazard with private well water treatment
Systems designed to treat arsenic in private well water may be malfunctioning and endangering the health of people who count on them to keep their water safe, according to Rutgers researchers......»»
Respiratory bacteria "turn off" immune system to survive, study finds
Researchers from The University of Queensland have identified how a common bacterium is able to manipulate the human immune system during respiratory infections and cause persistent illness. The research was published in PLOS Pathogens......»»
NASA researchers battle biofilm in space
A small group of scientists on the biofilm mitigation team at NASA's Marshall Space Center in Huntsville, Alabama, study solutions to combat fast-growing colonies of bacteria or fungi, known as biofilm, for future space missions......»»
Study explores long-term impacts of ponderosa pine restoration treatment
In 1996, a group of researchers from NAU's Ecological Research Institute (ERI) embarked on an ambitious mission to study restoration across 5,224 acres of dense ponderosa pine forests on the Arizona Strip, a dry region of northern Arizona located bet.....»»
Nanoparticle-based delivery system could offer treatment for diabetics with rare insulin allergy
Up to 3% of people with diabetes have an allergic reaction to insulin. A team at Forschungszentrum Jülich has now studied a method that could be used to deliver the active substance into the body in a masked form—in the form of tiny nanoparticles......»»
Photosynthesis powers our world, but what fuels this fundamental process?
It's hard to overstate the importance of photosynthesis, the biochemical pathway by which plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert the sun's energy into the organic material that feeds the entire living biosphere. But there are still aspects of th.....»»
Unexpected phage protein function discovered in bacteria battle
An unexpected find has enabled important progress to be made in the battle against harmful bacteria. An international team of researchers, led by Professor Peter Fineran from the University of Otago, investigated a particular protein used by bacteria.....»»
The geometry of life: Physicists determine what controls biofilm growth
From plaque sticking to teeth to scum on a pond, biofilms can be found nearly everywhere. These colonies of bacteria grow on implanted medical devices, our skin, contact lenses, and in our guts and lungs. They can be found in sewers and drainage syst.....»»