Public health

Strides made in fight against bird flu
International team of researchers finds that human blood samples from Vietnam contain antibodies capable of protecting mice from infection
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Canadians form research consortium for bioactive paper
Initiative leverages advances in biochemistry with current paper-production processes; researchers aim for food packaging capable of indicating contamination
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Rope offers low-tech solution to E. coli testing problems
Alberta scientists allow cattle a good chew the night before slaughter; on-site lab then tests the saliva for signs of infection
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Vaxgen cancels anthrax vaccine program
Twenty employees are let go as company looks to sell or license its vaccine
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U.K. researchers detail genome of C. botulinum
Effort helps explains the genetic differences between the various types of clostridia
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Greater role for private industry in foreign food safety
Worries about terrorism notwithstanding, the number of imported food inspectors at U.S. seaports continues to decline; private industry may have to pick up the slack
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Sandia and Tenix complete testing of water monitoring system
A Bay Area utility is temporary home for this innovative unattended water sensor; automated sample preparation technology permits rapid detection
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Israeli army under fire for unethical anthrax testing program
Troops were given an experimental vaccine but could not discuss the matter with their military physicians
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How many mosquitoes does it take to eradicate disease?
Stanford researchers offers a mathemtocal model to evaluate the effectiveness of geneticallymodified mosquitoes in eradicating disease
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Acambis smallpox vaccine shows promise
Tests of U.K. company Acambis’s new smallpox vaccine show it is as effective as the old vaccine Dryvax, which is no longer being produced
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Color-changing material indicates chemical weapons exposure
Tiny polymer spheres are melted into a shimmery sheet; technology could have appplications in food safety and anti-counterfeiting efforts
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US Genomics wins Phase III biodefense contract
$8.6 million deal will assist the company complete prototype development
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Hopkins students devise rotavirus vaccine on a dissolvable strip
Similar to Listerine PocketPaks, vaccine goes down easy for fussy children; unlike liquid vaccines, this one does not require refrigeration
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NASA tests space-bound rapid bacteria assay
Trips to Mars may expose astronauts and their equipment to dangerous bacteria and fungi
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Temple researchers smell success with biosensor project
Genetic engineering crosses a yeast with the olfactory chemical receptors of a rat
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