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

Lesser-known Escherichia coli types targeted in food safety research

2011-04-13
(Press-News.org) This release is available in Spanish. Almost everyone knows about Escherichia coli O157:H7, the culprit behind many headline-making outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States. But the lesser-known relatives of this pathogenic microbe are increasingly of concern to food safety scientists.

That's according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) microbiologist and research leader Pina M. Fratamico. Researchers such as Fratamico, along with food safety regulators, public health officials and food producers in the United States and abroad, want to know more about these less-studied pathogens.

In the past few years, a half-dozen of these emerging E. coli species, also called "serogroups," have come to be known among food safety specialists as "the Big Six," namely E. coli O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145.

Fratamico and her colleagues are sorting out "who's who" among these related pathogens so that the microbes can be identified and detected quickly and reliably. The researchers are doing that by uncovering telltale clues in the microbes' genetic makeup.

Building upon this work, Fratamico and her Agricultural Research Service (ARS), university, and industry collaborators have developed gene-based PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assays for each of the Big Six. With further work, the assays might be presented as user-friendly test kits for use by regulatory agencies and others. Foodmakers, for example, might be able to use such kits for in-house quality control, while public health agencies might rely on them when processing specimens from patients hospitalized with foodborne illness.

Analyses of test results might help researchers determine whether certain strains of Big Six E. coli species cause more illness than E. coli O157:H7 does, and if so, why.

### Fratamico works in the ARS Molecular Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens Research Unit at the agency's Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa. ARS is the chief intramural scientific research agency of USDA, and this work supports the USDA priority of enhancing food safety.

Fratamico has collaborated in this work with Chin-Yi Chen, Yanhong Liu, Terence P. Strobaugh, Jr., and Xianghe Yan at Wyndmoor; Connie E. Briggs, formerly with ARS; and others. Their findings appeared in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, the Canadian Journal of Microbiology, and other scientific journals.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

3 new studies link eating red to a healthy heart

2011-04-13
WASHINGTON D.C., April 12, 2011 – Tart cherries have a unique combination of powerful antioxidants that may help reduce risk factors for heart disease, according to new research presented at the Experimental Biology annual meeting in Washington, DC. In a series of three studies, researchers from University of Michigan, University of Arizona and Brunswick labs studied the antioxidant levels and anti-inflammatory benefits of tart cherries. They found: Reduced Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk: Drinking eight ounces of tart cherry juice daily for four weeks significantly ...

Allen Institute for Brain Science announces first comprehensive gene map of the human brain

2011-04-13
SEATTLE, Wash.—April 12, 2011—The Allen Institute for Brain Science has released the world's first anatomically and genomically comprehensive human brain map, a previously unthinkable feat made possible through leading-edge technology and more than four years of rigorous studies and documentation. The unprecedented mappings are the foundation for the Allen Human Brain Atlas, an online public resource developed to advance the Institute's goal to accelerate understanding of how the human brain works and fuel new discovery among the global research community. In developing ...

The sentinel node dilemma in breast cancer surgery

2011-04-13
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, April 12, 2011 – The sentinel node (SN) procedure in breast cancer is based on the premise that if the first node into which breast tissue drains is clean, the remaining lymph nodes in the armpit are likely not involved, with no need for removal. This was developed to limit surgical overtreatment and reduce morbidities such as blockage of lymph vessels and shoulder dysfunction. However, in the initial years of the SN procedure, surgeries actually increased when isolated tumor cells were found. A special issue of Breast Disease presents an insightful ...

PI presents safety results in Neuralstem ALS Stem Cell Trial

2011-04-13
ROCKVILLE, Maryland, April 12, 2011 – Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CUR) announced that Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator of the Phase I safety trial of Neuralstem's human spinal cord stem cells (HSSC's) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and unpaid Neuralstem consultant, presented interim safety data on the first nine patients. Dr. Feldman reported yesterday at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting (http://www.aan.com/go/am11) that all nine ALS patients remain alive and that ...

Circadian rhythms spark plants' ability to survive freezing weather

2011-04-13
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Just as monarch butterflies depend on circadian cues to begin their annual migration, so do plants to survive freezing temperatures. All living things – humans, animals, plants, microbes – are influenced by circadian rhythms, which are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. In the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Michael Thomashow, University Distinguished Professor of molecular genetics, along with MSU colleagues Malia Dong and Eva Farré, has identified that the circadian clock provides ...

Breaking News for Veterans Now Feeds Directly to Top VA Specialty Lender Site

2011-04-13
iFreedom Direct, a national VA specialty lender, has added a veterans news page to its website, www.directvaloans.com. Military members can read top stories related to VA benefits, housing and finance in one reliable, convenient location. The veterans news section offers readers original stories relevant to those military members who are interested in staying up to date on their benefits and the VA home loan program. The articles are published daily and can help veterans stay informed with the latest trends and policies pertaining to their benefits. Many military ...

Radiation at time of lumpectomy may offer faster, more precise treatment for breast cancer patients

2011-04-13
CHICAGO- Northwestern Medicine physicians are currently utilizing a new treatment option for breast cancer that allows women to receive a full dose of radiation therapy during breast conserving surgery. Traditionally, women who opt to have a lumpectomy must first have surgery then undergo approximately six weeks of radiation. This schedule can be challenging for women who have busy schedules or do not have access to a center offering radiation therapy. In some cases, the demanding schedule causes women to not comply with the recommended course of treatment, increasing their ...

Social context matters in medical teaching and health care

2011-04-13
NEW YORK (April 12, 2011) -- Medical educators need to be aware of the cultural context in which they teach because these outside forces can affect what is taught and how information is received by students. Drawing upon their experiences teaching medical students the same formal curriculum, researchers at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York and in Doha, Qatar, urge other educators to pay attention to cultural patterns outside their medical schools to be sure that their lesson plans don't go astray because of missed cross-cultural signals. In the March issue ...

TVTopTen.com Announces The Top Ten Pet Products for February, 2011

TVTopTen.com Announces The Top Ten Pet Products for February, 2011
2011-04-13
TVTopTen.com announced today that the top ten best pet supply products for April 2011 have just been released, and are as follows: 1. Snuggie for Dogs 2. Emery Cat Scratcher 3. Pet Zoom Park 4. Pedi Paws 5. Sticky Sheets 6. Shed Ender 7. Crazy Critters 8. What Odor? 9. Doggy Steps 10. Mouse Chaser Cat Toy The #1 product, Snuggie for Dogs, was chosen not only because of the popularity of the Snuggie (for humans), but also for the high customer ratings, reviews, and popularity among all of the top best selling pet products. Its current rating on TVTopTen.com ...

When the pressure is on, product experts can get facts wrong: UBC study

2011-04-13
Buying a new car, camera or computer? New research from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia shows that seeking advice from expert acquaintances to choose between models of merchandise might not always be good idea. Sauder marketing researcher JoAndrea Hoegg discovered that experts with specific product knowledge can make mistakes when relying on their memories to compare complex goods – especially when they feel compelled to explain how they arrive at their decisions. "Ours results suggest that when experts use their memories to compare ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Scientists reverse Alzheimer’s in mice using nanoparticles

‘Good’ gut bacteria boosts placenta for healthier pregnancy

USC team demonstrates first optical device based on “optical thermodynamics”

Microplastics found to change gut microbiome in first human-sample study

Artificially sweetened and sugary drinks are both associated with an increased risk of liver disease, study finds

Plastic in the soil, but not as we know it: Biodegradable microplastics rewire carbon storage in farm fields

Yeast proteins reveal the secrets of drought resistance

Psychiatry, primary care, and OB/GYN subspecialties hit hardest by physician attrition

New Canadian study reveals where HIV hides in different parts of the body

Lidocaine poisonings rise despite overall drop in local anesthetic toxicity

Politics follow you on the road

Scientists blaze new path to fighting viral diseases

The mouse eye as a window to spotting systemic disease

AI and the Future of Cancer Research and Cancer Care to headline October 24 gathering of global oncology leaders at the National Press Club: NFCR Global Summit to feature top scientists, entrepreneurs

FDA clears UCLA heart tissue regeneration drug AD-NP1 for clinical trials

Exploring the therapeutic potential of cannabidiol for Alzheimer's

We need a solar sail probe to detect space tornadoes earlier, more accurately, U-M researchers say

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): Disease risk but not remission status determines transplant outcomes – new ASAP long-term results

Sperm microRNAs: Key regulators of the paternal transmission of exercise capacity

Seeing double: Clever images open doors for brain research

Inhaler-related greenhouse gas emissions in the US

UCLA Health study finds inhalers for asthma and COPD drive significant greenhouse gas emissions

A surgical handover system for patient physiology and safety

Cardiovascular health changes in young adults and risk of later-life cardiovascular disease

Nurse workload and missed nursing care in neonatal intensive care units

How to solve the remote work stalemate – dissertation offers tools for successful hybrid work

Chip-based phonon splitter brings hybrid quantum networks closer to reality

Texas Children’s researchers create groundbreaking tool to improve accuracy of genetic testing

Milken Institute, Ann Theodore Foundation announce more than $2.5 million in new funding for sarcoidosis research and launch new call for proposals

Boston University professor to receive 2025 Eugene Braunwald Academic Mentorship Award

[Press-News.org] Lesser-known Escherichia coli types targeted in food safety research