A gene in tuberculosis bacteria is found essential for siderophore secretion and virulence

Lei Zhang, Ph.D., and Michael Niederweis, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham have made what they call "a major step" in understanding how Mycobacterium tuberculosis acquires iron from its human host—a process essential for the pathogenesis of this bacterium. Tuberculosis kills more than 1 million people each year, but without iron, M. tuberculosis cannot grow.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/a-gene-in-tuberculosis-bacteria-is-found-essential-for-siderophore-secretion-and-virulence

Over 7 million Europeans estimated to have skin cancer, despite 'majority of cases' being preventable

Results of a new European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) survey presented today at EADV's Spring Symposium show that 1.71% of the adult European general population reported having skin cancer, meaning some 7,304,000 Europeans are estimated to have the disease.

Fish and humans: A new approach to Bloom syndrome research

Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) have created a new disease model that has contributed to a better understanding of Bloom syndrome and the sex determination processes of zebrafish. The study, linking two seemingly unrelated topics, was carried out by the research teams of Mihály Kovács (Department of Biochemistry) and Máté Varga (Department of Genetics) and published in the scientific journal Cell Death and Disease. In addition to providing important information on the cellular effects of Bloom syndrome, the new model could contribute to the development of compounds capable of mitigating symptoms and thus improve the quality of life of people living with the disease.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/fish-and-humans-a-new-approach-to-bloom-syndrome-research

Six lithium dose predictors for patients with bipolar disorder

Six predictors could help determine the amount of lithium needed to treat patients with bipolar disorder, according to a large study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The study, published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry, also pinpoints genetic markers that seem to influence how quickly the body eliminates lithium from its system.

NASA's ECOSTRESS detects 'heat islands' in extreme Indian heat wave

A relentless heat wave has blanketed India and Pakistan since mid-March, causing dozens of deaths, fires, increased air pollution, and reduced crop yields. Weather forecasts show no prospect of relief any time soon. NASA's Ecosystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station instrument (ECOSTRESS) has been measuring these temperatures from space, at the highest spatial resolution of any satellite instrument.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/nasas-ecostress-detects-heat-islands-in-extreme-indian-heat-wave

Stroke survivor caregivers face barriers to accessing care for themselves, study finds

When planning ongoing care for a stroke patient, the focus tends to rest on the patient with sometimes little consideration for the family member or friend who will be their caregiver.