bioterrorism

New strategy for broad spectrum anti-viral drugs

harminka — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:44:47 -0600

Bavituximab, an anti-viral drug developed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers, shows promise as a new strategy to fight viral diseases, including potential bioterrorism agents.

Biosensing nanodevice to revolutionize health screenings

harminka — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:48:57 -0500

One day soon a biosensing nanodevice developed by Arizona State University researcher Wayne Frasch may eliminate long lines at airport security checkpoints and revolutionize health screenings for diseases like anthrax, cancer and antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Is cup of tea really answer to everything

harminka — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:41:40 -0500

A cup of black tea could be the next line of defence in the threat of bio-terrorism according to new international research.

Faster, sensitive method for detecting anthrax

harminka — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:44:57 -0600

Amid continuing concerns that anthrax might be used as a bioterrorism weapon, government researchers report development of a faster, more sensitive blood test for detecting the deadly toxins produced by the anthrax bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. The test produces results in only 4 hours and could save lives by allowing earlier detection of infection, they say.

Plant viruses from past provide ecological clues

harminka — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:43:24 -0500

Taking the medical history of a grassland may seem a bit esoteric – after all, how sick can grass be? However, scientists have discovered plant viruses from as early as 1917 containing information crucial not only for plant scientists, but for those in ecology, human health and bioterrorism.

Nanotech materials, start-ups highlighted at ACS symposium

harminka — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:29:33 -0500

Your annual physical examination of the future may include a blood “barcode” scan, which instantly provides the doctor with information to diagnose a wide-range of diseases. New generations of novel polymers will be available to replace damaged blood vessels. And in a security-minded world outside, tiny but ultra-sensitive sensors will monitor the environment for bioterrorism agents.

Computers help chemists fight emerging infections

harminka — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:36:26 -0500

Computer analysis of existing drugs may be key to fighting new infectious agents and antibiotic-resistant pathogens like deadly tuberculosis strains and staph ‘superbugs.’ Researchers in Canada say the use of such “emergency discovery” technology could save time, money and lives during a sudden outbreak or a bioterrorism attack. They reported here today at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Easy-to-use nasal emulsion could protect after bioterror attack

harminka — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:30:31 -0500

A vaccine against anthrax that is more effective and easier to administer than the present vaccine has proved highly effective in tests in mice and guinea pigs, report University of Michigan Medical School scientists in the August issue of Infection and Immunity.

Anthrax bacterium's deadly secrets probed

harminka — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:42:39 -0500

New insights into why the bug that causes anthrax behaves in the unusual way that it does have come to light thanks to a development under the UK e-Science Programme. Researchers at the North East Regional e-Science Centre have found that the proteins the anthrax bacterium secretes equip it to grow only in an animal host and not in the soil.

Jefferson Scientist’s Patent Dramatically Improves DNA Analysis

harminka — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 11:18:02 -0500

A basic scientist in the Department of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College and the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson has shared a patent on what may someday be a ubiquitous tool in DNA analysis. The discovery could have a range of applications, from forensics to cloning to bioterrorism.

Antibodies protect mice from developing respiratory tularemia

harminka — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 06:34:17 -0500

The respiratory form of tularemia, a potentially serious bacterial disease, is a significant public health concern because it is highly infectious, it has a high mortality rate if untreated, and it could be introduced into a population in an intentional act of bioterror. Though much research is focused on developing drugs and vaccines targeted to the bacterium that causes tularemia, Francisella tularensis, little is known about the role that antibodies play in protecting against infection.

Will plague pathogen become resistant to antibiotics?

harminka — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:05:19 -0500

A small piece of DNA that helps bacteria commonly found in US meat and poultry resist several antibiotics has also been found in the plague bacillus Yersinia pestis, gene sequence researchers report.