Researchers have developed a new nanomechanical technique for fast, one-step, immune-affinity tests, which can quantify the immune response induced by different COVID-19 variants in serum. Their technique provides a new tool for tracking infection immunity over time and for analysing new vaccine candidates.
Immune system keeps the intestinal flora in balance
Trillions of benign bacteria live in the intestine. They are kept in a continuous balance by the immune system, which thereby makes them harmless to humans. Researchers have been able to show how certain natural antibodies keep these bacteria in check. The findings could make an important contribution to the...
Catching malaria evolution in the act
Researchers can now detect brand new mutations in individual malaria parasites infecting humans. Such high resolution could help us understand how parasites develop drug resistance and evade immune responses, and suggest potential treatment targets.
Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is affecting all of us – what can we do about it?
Illegal or unsustainable wildlife trade affects biodiversity, ecosystem services, people's livelihood, and economies all over the world. Worldwide experts warn about the perils related to this activity and provide a roadmap for curbing its growth.
Warm milk makes you sleepy — peptides could explain why
According to time-honored advice, drinking a glass of warm milk at bedtime will encourage a good night's rest. Milk's sleep-enhancing properties are commonly ascribed to tryptophan, but scientists have also discovered a mixture of milk peptides, called casein tryptic hydrolysate (CTH), that relieves stress and enhances sleep. Now, researchers have...
Lack of power grids sealed fate for early electric cars
New research shows that insufficient infrastructure was key in American car manufacturers choosing gasoline cars over electric cars in the early 20th century. If electricity grids had spread just 15 or 20 years earlier, a majority of producers would have likely opted for electric cars, according to the study.
Living near oil and gas wells increases air pollution exposure
Researchers found increased concentrations of air pollutants downwind from oil and gas wells in California, likely affecting millions of Californians who live near them.
Urban areas more likely to have precipitation-triggered landslides, exposing growing populations to slide hazards
Urban areas may be at greater risk for precipitation-triggered landslides than rural areas, according to a new study that could help improve landslide predictions and hazard and risk assessments. Researchers found that urban landslide hazard was up to 10 times more sensitive to variations in precipitation than in rural areas.
‘Selective promiscuity,’ chaperones and the secrets of cellular health
A team of researchers has announced a major new advance in understanding how our genetic information eventually translates into functional proteins -- one of the building blocks of human life. The research elucidates how chaperones display 'selective promiscuity' for the specific proteins -- their 'clients' -- they serve. This property...
An eco-friendly toxic cocktail could be a new weapon against malaria
Researchers have demonstrated that blood-seeking mosquitoes can be directed to feed on a toxic plant-based solution, which in turn kills them. This result could be one solution for the global problem of diseases like malaria or dengue fever by specifically targeting the mosquitoes while other species like bees won't be...