PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Big data approach identifies Europe's most dangerous human and domestic animal pathogens

2014-08-27
(Press-News.org) The pathogens posing the greatest risk to Europe based upon a proxy for impact have been identified by University of Liverpool researchers using a 'big data' approach to scientific research.

The researchers from the University's Institute of Infection and Global Health ranked the top 100 pathogens affecting humans and the top 100 affecting domestic animals using a system which, they believe, will help governments across the continent plan for risks associated with the spread of infectious diseases, including as a result of climate change, and for biosecurity.

The top risk for both humans and animals was E.coli and in humans this was followed by two forms of HIV, Hepatitis C and Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria which causes food poisoning and is increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

To compile the list, the researchers used the EID2 database developed at Liverpool. This is a comprehensive record of over 60 million scientific papers, electronic sources and textbooks associated with infectious diseases. They cross-referenced the number of papers which dealt with a particular pathogen with the number of citations it attracted to give a score based on the amount of interest and need for scientific research into it.

Dr Marie McIntyre led the study. She said: "Risk assessments are incredibly time consuming because of the number of diseases which must be taken into account and people having to start from scratch for each one. This approach enables us to gauge the level of interest in a huge number of pathogens or diseases very quickly."

The method used in the study is known as the Hirsch Index and while the study authors acknowledge factors such as there being high public interest leading to more studies of a particular illness, they believe that because it is objective and evidence-based it will be a useful complement and guide to more traditional methods of risk assessment and can be used to produce a shortlist of pathogens for authorities to focus on.

Dr McIntyre said: "The amount of work carried out by scientists on a particular disease is a good indication of how much of a threat it is. This approach is a quick and accurate method of aggregating the work carried out by thousands of scientists around the world and using it to guide policy at a continent-wide level."

INFORMATION:


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Drug represents first potential treatment for common anemia

2014-08-27
(WASHINGTON, August, 27, 2014) – An experimental drug designed to help regulate the blood's iron supply shows promise as a viable first treatment for anemia of inflammation, according to results from the first human study of the treatment published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology Anemia is a condition that occurs when red blood cells are in short supply or do not function properly. When an individual has anemia, the body does not get enough oxygen, since there are fewer red blood cells to carry the iron-rich protein hemoglobin ...

Pacific plate shrinking as it cools

Pacific plate shrinking as it cools
2014-08-27
HOUSTON – (Aug. 27, 2014) – The tectonic plate that dominates the Pacific "Ring of Fire" is not as rigid as many scientists assume, according to researchers at Rice University and the University of Nevada. Rice geophysicist Richard Gordon and his colleague, Corné Kreemer, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, have determined that cooling of the lithosphere -- the outermost layer of Earth -- makes some sections of the Pacific plate contract horizontally at faster rates than others and cause the plate to deform. Gordon said the effect detailed this ...

NOAA's Marine Debris Program reports on the national issue of derelict fishing traps

NOAAs Marine Debris Program reports on the national issue of derelict fishing traps
2014-08-27
Thousands of fishing traps are lost or abandoned each year in U.S. waters and become what are known as derelict traps, which continue to catch fish, crabs, and other species such as turtles. These traps result in losses to habitat, fisheries, and the watermen who depend on the resources--losses that are largely preventable, according to a newly published NOAA study. The report, published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, is the first of its kind to examine the derelict fish trap problem, and so-called "ghost fishing," nationally, and recommends actions to better manage ...

Taking aim at added sugars to improve Americans' health

2014-08-27
Now that health advocates' campaigns against trans-fats have largely succeeded in sidelining the use of the additive, they're taking aim at sugar for its potential contributions to Americans' health conditions. But scientists and policymakers are still wrangling over the best way to assuage the nation's insatiable sweet tooth, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society. In the article, Stephen Ritter, a senior correspondent at C&EN, notes that growing evidence suggests the overconsumption of ...

Participants of cardiac clinic trials do not represent real world patients, study finds

2014-08-27
A new analysis of clinical trial participation in the largest ongoing observational study of U.S. heart attack patients has found participants are not representative of the larger patient base, according to a study led by Women's College Hospital cardiologist Dr. Jay Udell. The study authors call into question the general applicability of the findings to the wider population, and suggest the use of broader enrollment criteria and existing patient registries to increase trial participation. "We know that clinical trials can be tremendously expensive and a huge burden on ...

Promising new cancer therapy uses molecular 'Trash Man' to exploit a common cancer defense

2014-08-27
While many scientists are trying to prevent the onset of a cancer defense mechanism known as autophagy, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center are leveraging it in a new therapy that causes the process to culminate in cell death rather than survival. The novel treatment strategy targets the p62 protein, which is often referred to as the "Trash Man" due to its role in disposing unwanted cellular proteins during autophagy. Results from preclinical experiments suggest this experimental treatment approach could be particularly effective against ...

Dartmouth isolates environmental influences in genome-wide association studies

2014-08-27
(Lebanon, NH 8/27/14)—Dartmouth cancer researchers developed and tested an advanced statistical model to evaluate the genetic and environmental interactions that contribute to disease as published yesterday in Human Genetics. The approach fills a gap in current analyses. Complex diseases like cancer usually arise from complex interactions among genetic and environmental factors. When many such combinations are studied, identifying the relevant interactions versus those that reflect chance combinations among affected individuals becomes difficult. In this study, the ...

Veld Fires in South Africa

Veld Fires in South Africa
2014-08-27
South Africa is entering what is described by the Volunteer Wildfire Services of South Africa as "Cape Fire Season." The Eastern Cape provincial government warned residents in certain parts of the province on Monday (8/25) of strong winds and veld fires. A high veld fire danger rating is expected in the north-western interior and along the coast in the Great Kei and Mnquma area. Strong winds often occurred along coastal regions, and during thunderstorms. The thunderstorms bring lightning strikes and subsequent fire and the wind serves to spread the fire from one place ...

Karina's remnants drawn into Hurricane Marie's spin

2014-08-27
Karina finally became a remnant low pressure area after roaming around in the Eastern Pacific for two weeks. Satellite data on August 27 showed that the now shapeless former hurricane was being drawn into nearby Hurricane Marie's circulation. The last bulletin on Karina was issued by the National Hurricane Center on August 27 at 0300 UTC (11 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 26). At that time, Karina's maximum sustained winds were near 30 mph (45 kph). It was centered near latitude 15.9 north and longitude 126.5 west. That's 1,185 miles (1,905 km) west-southwest of the southern ...

Group identity emphasized more by those who just make the cut

2014-08-27
People and institutions who are marginal members of a high-status or well-esteemed group tend to emphasize their group membership more than those who are squarely entrenched members of the group, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Research has long shown that people prefer to be in groups that are thought to have higher status or cultural value as a way of boosting self-image and projecting an impressive image to others. Despite the fact that separations between groups are often arbitrary, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Osteoporosis treatment benefits people older than 80

Consuming more protein may protect patients taking anti-obesity drug from muscle loss

Thyroid treatment may improve gut health in people with hypothyroidism

Combination of obesity medication tirzepatide and menopause hormone therapy fuels weight loss

High blood sugar may have a negative impact on men’s sexual health

Emotional health of parents tied to well-being of children with growth hormone deficiency

Oxytocin may reduce mood changes in women with disrupted sleep

Mouse study finds tirzepatide slowed obesity-associated breast cancer growth

CMD-OPT model enables the discovery of a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor as preclinical candidate for the treatment of acute liver injury

Melatonin receptor 1a alleviates sleep fragmentation-aggravated testicular injury in T2DM by suppression of TAB1/TAK1 complex through FGFR1

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction retards colorectal tumorigenesis by regulating the TMEM131–TNF signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of immunosuppressive dendritic ce

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 7 Publishes

New research expands laser technology

Targeted radiation offers promise in patients with metastasized small cell lung cancer to the brain

A high clinically translatable strategy to anti-aging using hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin co-crosslinked hydrogels as dermal regenerative fillers

Mount Sinai researchers uncover differences in how males and females change their mind when reflecting on past mistakes

CTE and normal aging are difficult to distinguish, new study finds

Molecular arms race: How the genome defends itself against internal enemies

Tiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design

KTU experts reveal why cultural heritage is important for community unity

More misfolded proteins than previously known may contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia

“Too much going on”: Autistic adults overwhelmed by non-verbal social cues

What’s driving America’s deep freezes in a warming world?

A key role of brain protein in learning and memory is deciphered by scientists

Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script

Erin M. Schuman wins 2026 Nakasone Award for discovery on neural synapse function and change during formation of memories

Global ocean analysis could replace costly in-situ sound speed profiles in seafloor positioning, study finds

Power in numbers: Small group professional coaching reduces rates of physician burnout by nearly 30%

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR

New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications

[Press-News.org] Big data approach identifies Europe's most dangerous human and domestic animal pathogens