Could microbes solve Russia's chemical weapons conundrum?
One of nature's most versatile microorganisms ?a bacterium called Pseudomonas putida ?could help mop up the toxic by-products caused by the destruction of the chemical weapon mustard, write Russian researchers in Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jctb) this month. At 40,000 tonnes, Russia houses the world's largest stockpile of chemical wa...Venom doc tracks down snake bioweapons
Bryan Grieg Fry, Ph.D., a scientist from the University of Melbourne, Australia, has conducted the first comprehensive analysis of the origin and evolution of one of nature's most sophisticated bioweapons: snake venom. His results are reported in the March issue of the journal Genome Research. Venomous snakes, all of which belong to the superfamily Colubroidea, evolved glands for the stora...Encoded metallic nanowires reveal bioweapons
When dangerous infectious diseases or biological weapons are suspected, fast help is required. The first step is a reliable, sensitive, and unambiguous, yet also fast and simple, identification of the pathogen; preferably, this test should be carried out on the spot, not in a laboratory. Portable miniature biodetection systems that can detect multiple pathogens simultaneously would be ideal for t...Smallpox as Biological Weapons?
As biological weapons go, anthrax is nowhere as terrifying as several others, says Jim Matthews, an associate professor of pharmacy at Northeastern University. Smallpox would be a lot worse. The government now has about 15 million doses of smallpox vaccine on hand. Experiments are getting underway to see whether it can be diluted so it could be administered to more people, and still be ef...Turmeric and Onions-Weapons against Colon Cancer
A pill that combines chemicals in turmeric and onions has been found to help prevent colon cancer according to a new study by Johns Hopkins investigators.// The research was led by Dr. Francis M. Giardiello of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Dr. Marcia Cruz-Correa of Johns Hopkins and the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. Giardiello says, “We...Tougher Gun Show Controls in California Slash Sales of Weapons Linked to Crime
California has succeeded in drastically reducing anonymous and undocumented gun sales and sales of military-style weapons by introducing tighter controls to gun shows reveals a study in the June issue of Injury Prevention. Eight gun shows in California and 20 shows in Arizona, Nevada, Texas and Florida were monitored. These states are major outside sources for guns used in crime in...Using Drugs as Weapons can Never Be 'non Lethal', Say Doctors
In a report [Thursday, 24 May 2007] the BMA says it is extremely concerned at the growing interest of world governments in using drugs in law enforcement situations, in the belief that these can be non lethal. The use of drugs as weapons1, produced by the BMAs Board of Science, concludes that it is impossible to deliver the right drug in the right dose to the right individuals in a...Experts to Develop New Weapons Against Food Poisoning
University of Nottingham experts have joined forces with Canadian biotech company GangaGen Life Sciences Inc to develop new weapons in the fight against food poisoning . They are engaging in a major research project to develop methods for the control of Campylobacter the commonest cause of infectious bacterial intestinal disease in England and Wales, according to the Health Protect...