development | Common News Update

Mar252023 by adminNo Comments

Commercial development of gene-edited food now legal in England

Science

BBC NewsBy Pallab GhoshScience correspondentGene-edited food can now be developed commercially in England following a change in the law. Supporters of the technology say it will speed up the development of hardier crops that will be needed because of climate change.Critics say that the change could bring ''disaster'' to our food production and the environment.Gene editing involves making precise changes to an organism's DNA to enhance certain characteristics.What is gene-edited food and is it safe to eat?The new law also opens the door to the development of gene-edited farm animals, but a further vote by MPs will be required before it is allowed, again only in England. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have not permitted the commercial use of gene editing.BBC NewsGene edit...

Apr12021 by adminNo Comments

New vulnerable sites identified on surface of COVID spike protein that ‘could help future vaccine development’

Technology

Scientists have discovered new vulnerable sites on the surface of the COVID-19 spike protein for antibodies which could help in the development of vaccines.Coronavirus is surrounded by spike proteins that it uses to enter and infect human cells. COVID vaccines work by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the spike protein. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany, have developed a detailed model of the spike protein to identify potential target sites on its surface for the antibodies.They said previous models have not shown the flexibility of the spike protein or the movements of the protective glycans - which they describe as chains of sugar molecules - that coat it. ...

Mar122021 by adminNo Comments

North Korea sanctions slow, but don’t stop nuclear development, analyst says

World

March 12 (UPI) -- A former director at the International Atomic Energy Agency said international sanctions against North Korea worked to slow weapons development. Sanctions had a definite impact on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, but it has not stopped the Kim Jong Un regime from continued development, former IAEA deputy director general Olli Heinonen said, according to Voice of America's Korean service on Friday. Advertisement Heinonen also said economic embargoes had an indirect impact on the North's weapons program. Sanctions blocked sources of North Korean foreign currency earnings and hit the regime's exports. Those changes had an effect on state funding for the nuclear program, Heinonen said. While sanctions are not entirely ineffective, Heinonen said it alone does not prevent ...

Nov172020 by adminNo Comments

Childhood lead exposure linked to lower IQ, reduced brain development in midlife, researchers find

Health

Nov. 17 (UPI) -- People exposed to lead during childhood shows signs of reduced brain development -- and lower IQs -- well into adulthood, a study published Tuesday by JAMA found. The analysis of 564 adults with documented lead exposure at age 11 revealed that their IQ scores declined two points for every 5 micrograms per deciliter -- a little over 3 ounces -- of the substance in their blood, the data showed. Advertisement Study participants at age 11 years had an average of roughly 11 mcg. per deciliter of lead in their bloodstream, the researchers said. Lead levels of above 5 mcg. per deciliter are considered above normal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The lower IQ was attributed to lessened brain development caused by lead exposure, the researchers s...

Jul282020 by adminNo Comments

Madeleine McCann police search Hanover allotment in ‘dramatic development’

World

German police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are searching an allotment near Hanover.Footage from the scene shows forensic officers and heavy machinery being used in the search. The site is around 40 miles from the city of Braunschweig, where main suspect Christian B was last registered as living. Image: Around 100 police officers are said to be involved in the search Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said the search was a "dramatic development"."The public prosecutor's office and the federal police have confirmed to local media and to our own reporter in Germany that this is connected to the Madeleine McCann investigation," Brunt said. ...