Science News 10/19/2013

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[b] Why Scientists Are Trying Viruses To Beat Back Bacteria[/b]

Not all viruses are bad for us. Some of them might even help up us fight off bacterial infections someday.

Naturally occurring viruses called bacteriophages attack specific types of bacteria. So researchers at the University of Leicester decided to try and take advantage of phages' bacteria-destroying powers to treat infections with [i]Clostridium difficile[/i], a germ that that can cause severe diarrhea and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.

There's no guarantee the approach will work, and so far it hasn't been put to a rigorous test in humans infected with [i]C. difficile[/i]. Still, there are some good reasons to check it out.

[i]C. difficile[/i] is difficult to treat with antibiotics and is resistant to many of them. Another problem is that the germ often strikes when people take antibiotics to treat other infections. The antibiotics kill good bacteria along with the bad, weakening the gut's defenses against [i]C. diff[/i].

Doctors are using fecal transplants and as possible solutions. But Clokie says that phages could be a useful alternative. "We're simply harnessing the natural enemy of the bacteria," she tells Shots.

Unlike bacteria, Clokie says, phages are very specific about what they attack—right down to the sub-species. In fact, a single phage wouldn't be able to take on all the strains of [i]C. difficle[/i]. So Clokie is working to develop a cocktail of viruses that would be able to kill the most common strains.

There's also the question of intellectual property. Phages are naturally occurring, and therefore they're difficult to patent, which could discourage pharmaceutical companies.
Martha Clokie ---> Microbiologist. (Full Story NPR)

[b] Gravitational Waves Reveal How Supermassive Black Holes Gain Weight[/b]

[font=Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif]Supermassive black holes are located in the centers of large galaxies. For years, though, astronomers have wondered exactly how these black holes grow to be so big. Now, scientists may have discovered the answer behind their astounding size by using CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope in eastern Australia.[/font]

[font=Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Black holes are almost impossible to observe directly, but armed with this powerful new tool we're in from some exciting times in astronomy. One model for how black holes grow has already been discounted, and now we're going to start looking at others." [/font]

[font=Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif]Gravitational waves, which are ripples in space-time that are generated by massive bodies changing speed or direction, can be cause by pairs of black holes orbiting each other.[/font]

So what did the scientists find? They've been able to discover how low the background rate of gravitational waves is. In fact, they were able to test four models of black hole growth. In the end, they ruled out that black holes gained mass only through mergers; however, the other three models are still a possibility.

The findings reveal a little bit more about black hole growth. More specifically, they provide another step toward understanding exactly how these supermassive black holes grow so large.
[b] China enters global vaccine marketplace[/b]

A Chinese-made vaccine has been given a stamp of approval by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the first time. The move could herald a step towards China becoming a global vaccine maker.

The vaccine protects children against Japanese encephalitis (JE), a viral brain infection spread by mosquitoes that is common in parts of east and south Asia. The vaccine, formally known as SA 14-14-2, was added to the WHO's prequalified medicines list last week, giving it a WHO quality and safety endorsement. The practical implication is that it can be used by United Nations agencies.

[b] [url="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/oct/08/nobel-laureate-peter-higgs-boson-elusive"]Peter Higgs proves as elusive as Higgs boson after Nobel success[/url] [/b]

The media spotlight has often been too harsh for [url="http://www.theguardian.com/science/peterhiggs"]Peter Higgs[/url], the [url="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/edinburgh"]Edinburgh[/url] physicist, who disappeared off on holiday without a mobile phone this week to escape the inevitable rush of journalists that bears down on every winner of a Nobel prize.