All articles by Basil Fok – Page 5
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NewsWorld first clinical trial will study specialized ‘poop pills’ to improve treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer
A world-pioneering fecal microbiota transplantation pill will undergo a clinical trial, aiming to improve immune responses by remodifying the gut microbiome in patients with advance pancreatic cancer.
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NewsA blueprint for making cereal crops more resistant to fungal disease
Researchers have uncovered the structural interactions between a type of barley immune receptor that helps the crop to fight against devastating fungal disease, powdery mildew and other plant pathogens.
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NewsGastric bacteria ‘leaking across stomach lining’ could indicate risk of gastric cancer
A new discovery in the roles of gastric microbiota bacteria and Helicobacter pylori across the stomach lining during pre-cancerous stage of gastric cancer development could be the missing link for engineering future therapeutic intervention.
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NewsNew 3D imaging approach reveals intricate steps of virus assembly
A new integrated 3D imaging approach combines cryo-light microscopy and cryo-soft X-ray tomography to reveal the intricate ultrastructure of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) assembly.
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NewsNew insights into how specific gut cells respond to bacterial toxins
Researchers have characterized a specific gut cell type, BEST4/CA7+ cells, with the ability to interact with immune cytokine interferon-γ (IFNγ), and its regulation in cellular electrolyte and water balance, in response to bacterial toxins.
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NewsNew insights into phage–bacteria interactions in the gut microbiome
Researchers studied the interactions between bacteria and phages within the gut microbiome and highlighted the significance of the phage community to shape the microbiome that contributes to host health and diseases.
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NewsDesigning self-destructing bacteria to make effective tuberculosis vaccines
Preclinical studies have demonstrated a more effective tuberculosis (TB) vaccine through engineering bacteria to self-destruct and swiftly stops the infection on cue, which activates a more robust immune response.
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NewsHeat-stressed reefs may benefit from coral-dwelling crabs
A species of branching coral is able to recover from heat stress and wounds due to its mutualistic relationship with crabs in the Great Barrier Reef Corals, a new study shows. This evolutionary partnership will inspire coral reef restoration strategies in the future.
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NewsBlocking plant immune responses gives colonizing bacteria a competitive advantage
Similar to pathogens, commensal bacteria of plant microbiota were found to possess the mechanism to suppress plant immunity that allows their competitive advantage over non-immunosuppressive bacteria amongst the root-associated bacterial community.
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NewsNew therapy may effectively control HIV in Uganda
Clinical trials showed an effective antiviral drug, known as lenacapavir, against HIV in Uganda, and has also been tested for drug resistance in different subtype strains.
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NewsFeed additives can reduce campylobacter in free-range broilers
Trials have demonstrated that adding biochar to chicken feed can significantly reduce campylobacter in chickens, which could potentially lead to fewer campylobacter-associated foodborne diseases in humans.
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NewsNeonatal HSV infections may lead to long-term cognitive impairment
A study has demonstrated that maternal vaccination against herpes simplex virus (HSV) could ameliorate neurological impairment from infected offspring in mice, providing insights for human clinical trials and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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NewsRapid diagnostic tests improve diagnosis access to indigenous Paraguayan community for Chagas disease
A study has shown that combining rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) with conventional serological tests proves to be a useful strategy for diagnosing Chagas disease in an indigenous community in the Paraguayan Chaco with its higher prevalence of the disease.
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NewsFungal compound could help protect against influenza
A preclinical trial uncovers how beta-glucan, a compound found in all fungal cell wall, can ‘reprogram’ immune cells to prevent lung inflammation from influenza and lower the risk of death by the host immune responses.
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NewsCould microRNAs help us understand why different birds react differently to being infected with bird flu?
Since microRNA was found to have a role in cell protein production, a connection between microRNA and birds infected with bird flu has been found in ruddy turnstones, which has significance with respect to the spread of bird flu due to their long distance flights.
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NewsAlgal blooms intensify in global large lakes over the past two decades
With climate change affecting algal blooms, researchers have discovered that the combined nutrient and meteorological factors have significant influence on bloom frequency in large lakes across the world.
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NewsUsing population-level characteristics for the surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhea
As the antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) gonorrhea poses a major threat to public health, there is an urgent need for expanding the surveillance of its prevalance to control the spread of the pathogen, through monitoring its association with the population density and HIV prevalence in cities.
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NewsStalled microbiomes: cystic fibrosis disrupts early gut development in infants
A new study highlights key differences in the gut microbiome (communities of bacteria) of infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) compared to that of healthy infants, and how these alterations may adversely affect their health.
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NewsEvolutionary tradeoffs: Research explores the role of iron levels in COVID-19 infections
Iron has been found to be essential to both human physiology and pathogen replication. The richer the iron availability, the more likely to be susceptible to infections, such as COVID-19. A balance of iron levels is thus critical for homeostasis and preventing pathogenic infections.
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NewsResearchers shed light on the mechanisms of bacterial flagellar motors
Researchers have determined the structure and mechanisms of the key components in the flagellar motor, which bacteria use to turn their flagella and move.