The daisy world model describes a hypothetical planet that self-regulates, maintaining a delicate balance involving its biogeochemical cycles, climate, and feedback loops that keep it habitable. It's associated with the Gaia Hypothesis developed by James Lovelock. How can we detect these worlds if they're out there?

Recent advancements in experimental and computational methods for RNA secondary structure detection have revealed the crucial role of RNA structural elements in diverse molecular processes within living cells.

THERE'S a long list of health issues linked to COVID-19, from flu-like symptoms to serious heart problems.But now a new study has discovered COVID-19...

Coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has become increasingly clinically relevant as a cause of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) globally since 2008. However, most laboratories do not routinely determine the enteroviral type of positive samples.

This article reviews evidence that has emerged over the past two decades indicating that herpes simplex encephalitis in children can result from monogenic defects of brain immunity to herpes simplex virus 1.

SARS-CoV-2 disrupts cholesterol metabolism by using its ORF3a protein to sequester cholesterol in lysosomes, reducing BMP levels and optimizing viral survival. This novel mechanism offers insights into long-term metabolic complications of COVID-19.

Wastewater samples across several U.S. states have tested "very high" or "high" for levels of SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19. Between November 3 and November 9, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) detected "very high" levels of COVID-19 in New Mexico, with "high"…

The history of the chili pepper is in some ways the history of humanity in the Americas, says Dr. Katherine Chiou, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at The University of Alabama.

Physicists have long grappled with the question of why the universe was able to support the evolution of intelligent life. The values of the many forces and particles, represented by some 30 so-called fundamental constants, all seem to line up perfectly to enable it.

Scientists have found new evidence that desertification, potentially linked to global warming, leads to large amounts of nutrient-rich dust landing in the sea, causing ocean algae to grow rapidly. Biological oceanographer John A. Gittings and an international group of researchers have found an example of this phenomenon in the Indian Ocean south-east of Madagascar.

A study found that treatment with Paxlovid significantly reduced the duration and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection among high-risk patients, resulting in fewer hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths. The study included unvaccinated, high-risk adult patients with symptomatic COVID-19 who were randomized to receive either Paxlovid or a placebo every 12 hours for 5 days. Patients who […]

The initial presentation of COVID-19 to the world left many in the medical community perplexed about its true nature and potential impact on individuals. Many investigations into the pathology of the virus resulted from this; however, studies were limited in the obstetric community, especially in...

Researchers found that the COVID-19 virus triggers immune changes that may one day be harnessed to help fight cancer.

The emergence and re-emergence of pathogens with pandemic potential has been a persistent issue throughout history. Recent decades have seen significant outbreaks of zoonotic viruses from members of the Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Flaviviridae, and Togaviridae families, resulting in widespread infections. The continual emergence of zoonotic viral pathogens and associated infections highlights the need for prevention strategies and effective treatments. Central to this effort is the availability of suitable animal models, which are essential for understanding pathogenesis and assessing transmission dynamics. These animals are also critical for evaluating the safety and efficacy of novel vaccines or therapeutics and are essential in facilitating regulatory approval of new products. Rapid development of animal models is an integral aspect of pandemic response and preparedness; however, their establishment is fraught by several rate-limiting steps, including selection of a suitable species, the logistical challenges associated with sharing and disseminating transgenic animals (e.g., the time-intensive nature of breeding and maintaining colonies), the availability of technical expertise, as well as ethical and regulatory approvals. A method for the rapid development of relevant animal models that has recently gained traction, in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is the use of gene therapy vectors to express human viral receptors in readily accessible laboratory animals to enable virus infection and development of clinical disease. These models can be developed rapidly on any genetic background, making mechanistic studies and accelerated evaluation of novel countermeasures possible. In this review, we will discuss important considerations for the effective development of animal models using viral vector approaches and review the current vector-based animal models for studying viral pathogenesis and evaluating prophylactic and therapeutic strategies, with an emphasis on models of SARS-CoV-2 infection based on the vectorized expression of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2.

Viruses are lean, mean, infection machines. Their genomes are tiny, limited to a handful of absolutely essential genes, and they shed extra genomic deadweight extremely fast... usually.

A collaboration between The Wistar Institute and the University of Buea in Cameroon has uncovered the mechanisms for a medicinal plant with anti-HIV potential in Croton oligandrus Pierre & Hutch, a species of African tree that has been used in traditional healing in Cameroon to treat a variety of diseases and conditions including cancers and diabetes.

A single-cell study integrating data from lung tissues from patients with fatal COVID-19 from Malawi, the United States and Europe identifies shared and distinct immune and inflammatory mechanisms of response.

Adenoviral vectors (AdVs) are effective vectors for gene therapy due to their broad tropism, large capacity, and high transduction efficiency, making them widely used as oncolytic vectors and for creating vector-based vaccines.

Dear Editor The rising number of Mpox cases, particularly those caused by Clade 1b in Africa and globally, underscores the urgent need for the development and commercialization of rapid, cost-effective diagnostic tests [1]. Lateral flow immunoassays (LFAs) are particularly well-suited for diagnosing Mpox and differentiating between its clades. This challenge is within the capabilities of the diagnostic industry, which has already developed multiplex LFAs capable of reliably distinguishing SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A/B, and respiratory syncytial virus [2]. Given the projected widespread transmission of Mpox Clade 1b—potentially driven by its epidemiological advantages, particularly among younger populations [3]—the rapid development, commercialization, and clinical validation of clade-specific LFAs represent a timely and practical strategy to address this emerging public health challenge. The diagnostic industry must collaborate closely with the scientific community to address this critical gap effectively. References 1. Mahase E. Mpox: US reports first clade Ib case as campaigners call for cheaper tests. BMJ. 2024 Nov 19;387:q2576. doi: 10.1136/bmj.q2576. 2. Bayart JL, Gillot C, Dogné JM, et al. Clinical performance evaluation of the Fluorecare® SARS-CoV-2 & Influenza A/B & RSV rapid antigen combo test in symptomatic individuals. J Clin Virol. 2023 Apr;161:105419. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2023.105419. Epub 2023 Feb 28. 3. Sanchez Clemente N, Le Doare K, Mupere E, Nachega JB, Rulisa S, Titanji B. Hidden in plain sight: the threat of mpox to children and adolescents. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024 Oct 29:S2352-4642(24)00298-0. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(24)00298-0. Epub ahead of print. Competing interests: No competing interests

In most people, the lung-infecting pathogens known as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) trigger mild cold-like symptoms. But in infants and seniors, these viruses can cause severe pneumonia and even death.

Viruses are lean, mean, infection machines. Their genomes are tiny, usually limited to a handful of absolutely essential genes, and they shed extra genomic deadweight extremely fast.

The Canadian Space Agency announced a competition today to name Canada's first-ever rover mission to the moon. This unmanned mission will explore the south polar region of the moon to search for water ice and explore its unique geology.

The patches of lichen you've probably seen growing on tree trunks and park benches might be easy to overlook, but they're actually some of the world's strangest living things. While they're sometimes mistaken for moss, lichens are miniature ecosystems made up of a fungus and algae or bacteria that can make energy from sunlight, living together in one body.

Scientists from the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences found forty new freshwater viruses infecting aquatic microorganisms this year. The first one, which they isolated and described in detail, was named Budvirus after the South Bohemian capital České Budějovice. It belongs to "Giant Viruses" and it infects unicellular algae called cryptophytes.

The Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe disease in humans, and animal models are needed to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics. While non-human primate (NHP) and rodent EBOV infection models have been well characterized, there is a growing need for an intermediate model.