Plants can help fight the flu. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

Plants help fight the flu

31.07.2012

Researchers at the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory (NIMML) have discovered a plant component that could play a critical role in fighting the flu virus. The discovery of American scientists opens up new possibilities in the fight against influenza. In the US alone, between 3 and 49 people die each year from influenza complications. The infection is difficult to treat if therapy is not started immediately.

Based on previous work with abscisic acid (a plant hormone), scientists have found that this substance has anti-inflammatory effects in the lungs and intestines. The effect of abscisic acid on the intestines is well studied, but the effect on the respiratory tract has not really been tested. It turns out that the plant hormone not only reduces the severity of inflammatory lung diseases, but also helps mice infected with influenza to recover.

Most drugs to treat respiratory tract infections target the virus itself, not the inflammatory response it causes. Therefore, there is a risk of serious complications that can cause significant harm to the health of the patient. In addition, influenza resistance to antiviral drugs is a serious public health problem, especially in a mass epidemic.

Abscisic acid is most effective around day 7-8 of infection, making it very effective in reducing complications and death. It acts on the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, which reduces the severity of inflammation, and without side effects.

<< Back: Created a computer model of a bacterium 01.08.2012

>> Forward: In the United States will distribute land for the installation of solar panels 31.07.2012

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

Machine for thinning flowers in gardens 02.05.2024

In modern agriculture, technological progress is developing aimed at increasing the efficiency of plant care processes. The innovative Florix flower thinning machine was presented in Italy, designed to optimize the harvesting stage. This tool is equipped with mobile arms, allowing it to be easily adapted to the needs of the garden. The operator can adjust the speed of the thin wires by controlling them from the tractor cab using a joystick. This approach significantly increases the efficiency of the flower thinning process, providing the possibility of individual adjustment to the specific conditions of the garden, as well as the variety and type of fruit grown in it. After testing the Florix machine for two years on various types of fruit, the results were very encouraging. Farmers such as Filiberto Montanari, who has used a Florix machine for several years, have reported a significant reduction in the time and labor required to thin flowers. ... >>

Advanced Infrared Microscope 02.05.2024

Microscopes play an important role in scientific research, allowing scientists to delve into structures and processes invisible to the eye. However, various microscopy methods have their limitations, and among them was the limitation of resolution when using the infrared range. But the latest achievements of Japanese researchers from the University of Tokyo open up new prospects for studying the microworld. Scientists from the University of Tokyo have unveiled a new microscope that will revolutionize the capabilities of infrared microscopy. This advanced instrument allows you to see the internal structures of living bacteria with amazing clarity on the nanometer scale. Typically, mid-infrared microscopes are limited by low resolution, but the latest development from Japanese researchers overcomes these limitations. According to scientists, the developed microscope allows creating images with a resolution of up to 120 nanometers, which is 30 times higher than the resolution of traditional microscopes. ... >>

Air trap for insects 01.05.2024

Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the economy, and pest control is an integral part of this process. A team of scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI), Shimla, has come up with an innovative solution to this problem - a wind-powered insect air trap. This device addresses the shortcomings of traditional pest control methods by providing real-time insect population data. The trap is powered entirely by wind energy, making it an environmentally friendly solution that requires no power. Its unique design allows monitoring of both harmful and beneficial insects, providing a complete overview of the population in any agricultural area. “By assessing target pests at the right time, we can take necessary measures to control both pests and diseases,” says Kapil ... >>

The threat of space debris to the Earth's magnetic field 01.05.2024

More and more often we hear about an increase in the amount of space debris surrounding our planet. However, it is not only active satellites and spacecraft that contribute to this problem, but also debris from old missions. The growing number of satellites launched by companies like SpaceX creates not only opportunities for the development of the Internet, but also serious threats to space security. Experts are now turning their attention to the potential implications for the Earth's magnetic field. Dr. Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics emphasizes that companies are rapidly deploying satellite constellations, and the number of satellites could grow to 100 in the next decade. The rapid development of these cosmic armadas of satellites can lead to contamination of the Earth's plasma environment with dangerous debris and a threat to the stability of the magnetosphere. Metal debris from used rockets can disrupt the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Both of these systems play a key role in protecting the atmosphere and maintaining ... >>

Solidification of bulk substances 30.04.2024

There are quite a few mysteries in the world of science, and one of them is the strange behavior of bulk materials. They may behave like a solid but suddenly turn into a flowing liquid. This phenomenon has attracted the attention of many researchers, and we may finally be getting closer to solving this mystery. Imagine sand in an hourglass. It usually flows freely, but in some cases its particles begin to get stuck, turning from a liquid to a solid. This transition has important implications for many areas, from drug production to construction. Researchers from the USA have attempted to describe this phenomenon and come closer to understanding it. In the study, the scientists conducted simulations in the laboratory using data from bags of polystyrene beads. They found that the vibrations within these sets had specific frequencies, meaning that only certain types of vibrations could travel through the material. Received ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Touch control on disabled touchscreen 01.04.2013

Apple prides itself on its extremely simple interfaces and methods for managing mobile devices. To call most of the functions, it is enough to make a couple of elementary movements on the touch screen or press one of the few mechanical buttons. The company's competitors also like it, and, according to Apple, they willingly copy all the brightest ideas. Now Yabloko has decided to take another step forward.

A new patent application describes a control technique that simplifies already uncomplicated touch interfaces. Sometimes touch control can be carried out at all with the touchscreen turned off, without an image at all. The document is titled "Controlling Playback Using the Touch Interface". The application says that when working with a media player, you can touch the disabled touch screen and run your fingers over it, performing gesture commands and not seeing any images on the display.

As for the practical part of the question, this technology saves energy, since the display is turned off, as well as the user's time, because he does not need to look at the screen in search of the desired element. It is also possible that a similar management technique will be used on branded iWatch smart watches, if Apple really plans to release this gadget.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews