Latest news with #bacteria
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Israeli hospital to join NASA, SpaceX mission to study microgravity's effects on diseases
For this experiment, Sheba will partner with the US firm SpaceTango to grow several bacterial species aboard the ISS using a specially designed Earth-controlled system. Sheba Medical Center's ARC Digital Innovation Center is joining a NASA and SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday for a study on the extreme conditions of space, Sheba announced on Wednesday. The experiment, dubbed the ARC Space Lab, is the second of its kind from Sheba, which remains the only hospital in Israel carrying out studies in space. How does microgravity impact diseases? One of the major barriers facing humankind's continued expansion into outer space is the unknown effects of long-term space travel on the human body. Finding out how to help astronauts adapt to challenges they may face when off planet for extended periods of time is a natural and essential step forward for medical science. For this experiment, Sheba will partner with the US firm SpaceTango to grow several bacterial species aboard the ISS using a specially designed Earth-controlled system. After growth under microgravity, the bacteria will be stabilized, frozen at -80°C and returned to Earth for molecular and transcriptional analysis and direct comparison to bacteria grown simultaneously in an identical lab setup on Earth. It is known that space has an impact on bacteria. For example, astronauts are more likely to develop infections, theorized to be due to a combination of microgravity, radiation, stress, and changes in the human microbiome. However, this goes both ways. In a previous ARC Space Lab study, it was found that bacteria in space are less likely to develop antibiotic resistance. This was a major discovery and went against the prevailing hypotheses of the time, and the findings of this study were published in the peer-reviewed academic journal Microbiology Spectrum. 'We know that space conditions affect bacterial behavior, including how they grow, express genes, and acquire traits like antibiotic resistance or virulence,' Sheba Infectious Diseases Unit head Prof. Ohad Gal-Mor said in a statement. 'This experiment will allow us, for the first time, to systematically and molecularly map how the genetic expression profile of several pathogenic bacteria changes in space. The insights we gain will augment our understanding of infectious disease risks in space travel, and also expand our knowledge of gene regulation and bacterial physiology in general.' Sheba ARC director Prof. Eyal Zimlichman added, 'To understand the limits of medicine, we sometimes need to go beyond the limits of Earth. Our experiment in space examines how bacterial behavior changes under extreme conditions and what that means for human health—not just for astronauts, but also here on Earth. This is part of ARC's mission to shape the future of medicine, wherever it's needed.' Solve the daily Crossword
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Swimmers told to avoid water at two Lake District bathing spots
Visitors are being advised not to swim at two Lake District beauty spots because of poor water Environment Agency (EA) said a high level of bacteria at Derwentwater, at Crow Park in Keswick and Coniston Water Boating Centre meant swimming was not was first designated as bathing water in 2024, but also received a poor water quality rating in the same year. The mayor of Keswick, Louise Dunn, said bacteria levels peaked during high rainfall, which meant it was not "all bad news" as levels were "fairly low" at other times. Dunn told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the EA was continuing to monitor the water, which would help landowners identify and investigate sources of pollution."In the mid to longer term the lake quality should improve and this will be really good for tourism," she said."Until now we have been swimming in the dark, so to speak. Swimmers can check the latest water quality readings on the Swimfo web site." A sample taken on 9 July at Derwentwater showed there were 1,200 colonies of Escherichia coli (E coli) per 100ml of water and 140 colonies of Intestinal Enterococci (IE) per 100ml of taken on 22 July from Coniston Water showed there were 410 colonies of E coli per 100ml of water and 240 colonies of IE per 100ml of presence of either bacteria indicates there is animal or human faecal matter in the water. 'Not leaving human poo' Dunn said the source of the pollution had not been confirmed but could have derived from human waste, animals or birds, sewage systems, septic tanks or agricultural said visitors to the area could help reduce pollution by "picking up after their dogs, not feeding the geese and ducks and disposing of campervan waste correctly"."And not leaving human poo on the lakeshore - yes, really that happens," she added. An EA spokesman said: "We are dedicated to ensuring that bathing water quality at Crow Park is improved."It is one of our newly designated bathing water sites. "Several factors could be impacting its water quality, and we are conducting investigations to understand what they are." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Germs: The dirtiest items are ones we might least expect but there are ways to protect yourself
One of the legacies of the Covid pandemic is an increased awareness of microbes. Many bacteria and viruses lurk on surfaces we touch everyday. Most are harmless, but a few of these bugs can make us seriously ill . Writing in The Conversation recently, Dr Manal Mohammed, senior lecturer in Medical Microbiology at the University of Westminister, looked at how some of the dirtiest items in our lives are ones we might least expect. With many of us travelling during the summer months, she highlighted the hidden dangers of items, such as hotel TV remote controls and airport security trays. I was surprised to read that hotel remote controls can be dirtier than toilet seats. Then again, they are rarely sanitised, with research showing they harbour common bacteria including E. coli and Staph. aureus. READ MORE So, how can we protect ourselves from becoming infected? We can either wipe the remote with an antibacterial wipe or place the remote in a transparent plastic bag before using it. Airport security trays are another source of potential infection. Despite being handled by hundreds of people daily, they are rarely cleaned. Research has found high levels of bacteria on the trays, including E. coli. And a study that looked for viruses on surfaces found in airports found that security trays had the highest concentration of respiratory viruses. Dr Niina Ikonen, a virology expert, and colleagues from the University of Nottingham and the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare collected surface and air samples from Helsinki-Vantaa airport. [ How your tongue and gait can give important clues as to your overall health Opens in new window ] Research has found high levels of bacteria on the airport plastic security trays, including E. coli. Photograph: Smith Collection/ Gado/ Getty Images Some 20 million passengers pass through Finland's busiest airport every year, making contact with surfaces such as armrests, escalator handrails, toys in the children's play area, trolley handles and luggage trays. Researchers swabbed these surfaces and tested them for viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and coronavirus. The results showed viruses were present on 10 per cent of the surfaces examined, with rhinoviruses - the culprit for the common cold - the most widespread. And while plastic security trays had the highest concentration of viruses, perhaps the most unusual positive swab location was the buttons on the credit card payment pad at the airport pharmacy. In terms of protection, either wash your hands after security or use hand sanitiser, especially before eating or touching your face. Shopping trolley handles are another potential source of infection. A US study found that more than 70 per cent of shopping trolleys were contaminated with coliform bacteria, a group that includes strains like E. coli, often linked to faecal contamination. A separate study found Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas species on trolleys. It would help if we could get into the habit of cleaning shopping trolley handles before use. Mobile phones have become a big part of travel, with airlines encouraging us to display boarding cards on their screens. Frequent handling and their warmth make them ideal for bacterial contamination. Research shows phones can carry harmful bacteria including Staph. aureus. Mohammed advises not using our phones in bathrooms and to clean them with a slightly damp microfibre cloth and soap. [ The way to a human's brain and immune system is through the gut Opens in new window ] Flushing a toilet releases a plume of microscopic droplets, which can land on nearby toothbrushes. Photograph: Getty Images When we are on the move, staying in hotels or Air BnBs, we have to use unfamiliar bathrooms. It's worth being careful how we store our toothbrushes in each new location as flushing a toilet releases a plume of microscopic droplets, which can land on nearby toothbrushes. Research found that toothbrushes stored in bathrooms can harbour E. coli, Staph. aureus and other microbes. If we rinse the toothbrush after each use, let it air-dry upright and store as far from the toilet as possible, we can protect ourselves from this source of microbes. Finally, take care if sharing nail and beauty tools with your travel companions. Nail clippers, cuticle pushers and other grooming tools can spread harmful bacteria if they're not properly cleaned. We can't avoid all germs. But with a few good habits you can help protect yourself and others. mhouston@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Science journal pulls controversial study about bizarre life form
A microscopic discovery in a Californian lake ignited significant scientific debate over a decade ago. Researchers claimed to have found bacteria utilising arsenic – an element lethal to known life forms – for growth. If validated, this would have profoundly expanded life's known parameters, on Earth and beyond. However, numerous research groups failed to replicate the findings, arguing it is biologically unfeasible for an organism to use such a toxic element for DNA and proteins. Some scientists have since suggested the original experiments were compromised by undetected contaminants. On Thursday, the journal Science, which first published the research, retracted it, though not because of misconduct on the researchers' part. 'If the editors determine that a paper's reported experiments do not support its key conclusions, even if no fraud or manipulation occurred, a retraction is considered appropriate,' the journal's editor-in-chief Holden Thorp wrote in the statement announcing the retraction. The researchers disagree with the journal's decision and stand by their data. It's reasonable to pull a paper for major errors or suspected misconduct — but debates and disagreements over the findings are part of the scientific process, said study co-author Ariel Anbar of Arizona State University. 'One doesn't retract a paper because the interpretation is controversial, or even because most disagree with the interpretation,' wrote Anbar in an email. 'At least, that hasn't been the case until now.' Science has more frequently retracted papers for reasons beside fraud in recent years, said Thorp and Vada Vinson, Science's executive editor, wrote in a blog post. NASA helped fund the original work. The space agency's science mission chief Nicky Fox said in a statement that NASA does not support the retraction and encourages Science to reconsider.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Scientists find that the bacteria behind the plague evolved to be less deadly
Research has found that the bacteria that cause the plague evolved to become less deadly over time. This allowed it to continue infecting people in three separate pandemics over more than 1,000 years. The first plague pandemic struck in the 500s and lasted for around 200 years. The Black Death began in the mid-1300s. It was the deadliest pandemic in human history. It killed up to half of the people in Europe, western Asia and Africa, with outbreaks continuing for centuries. The third plague pandemic broke out in China in the 1850s and continues today, with some cases still being recorded in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. 'It's important to know how these outbreaks spread,' said Javier Pizarro-Cerda. He is a microbiologist at France's Pasteur Institute and co-author of a study published in May. Pizarro-Cerda and his team studied Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that cause the plague. They looked at samples from every time the pandemic happened. In all three cases, the bacteria evolved to become weaker and less deadly. By causing less severe infections, the bacteria likely made the pandemics last longer, giving them more opportunity to spread from person to person. The researchers confirmed this theory by infecting rats with recent plague samples. They found that if the plague was less harmful, the rats stayed sick for a longer time. While antibiotics can now fight off the plague, the research could help us understand how other pandemics might evolve. This will allow scientists to come up with better ways to protect humans from future plagues.
