All Editorial articles – Page 17
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NewsManagement practices can enhance soil microbiome functions in plant defense
Researchers analyzed surveys and soil samples from 85 organic farmers in New York to investigate the interaction between beliefs, management practices, and soil microbiome functions.
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NewsBack from blight: Genomics offers a faster path to restoring the American chestnut
After more than a century of devastation from deadly blight, the iconic American chestnut tree could be brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to novel genomic tools and carefully bred hybrids, a new study finds.
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NewsWhat drives a mysterious sodium pump?
The enzyme Na⁺-NQR is a sodium pump that drives the respiration of many marine and pathogenic bacteria, powering the transportation of sodium ions across the membrane. A new study found that the sodium pump changes its structure in response to electron transfer inside the protein.
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NewsHPV cancer vaccine slows tumor growth, extends survival in preclinical model
Scientists discovered that systematically changing the orientation and placement of a single cancer-targeting peptide can lead to formulations that supercharge the immune system’s ability to attack HPV-driven tumors.
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NewsSeashells and coconut char: A coastal recipe for super-compost
Researchers have developed a calcium-modified biochar that speeds up waste recycling and creates nutrient-rich soil, boosting specialized microbial communities that break down tough materials like lignin and convert them into stable humus.
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NewsStiff gels slow germs: New study maps hydrogel properties that control bacterial growth
Scientists has found that firmer, lower water content hydrogels limit bacterial growth, with implications for designing antibacterial coatings, infection models, and advanced medical materials.
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NewsResearchers develop new inhalable treatment for TB
Researchers have developed an inhalable, immunomodulating, biocompatible nanoparticle system encapsulating rifampin, one of the most important TB drugs.
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NewsResearchers solve mystery behind rare clotting after adenoviral vaccines or natural adenovirus infection
Scientists have uncovered why a small number of people developed dangerous blood clots after either receiving certain COVID‑19 vaccines or experiencing a natural adenovirus infection - the answer lies in an unexpected case of misdirected targeting by the immune system.
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NewsRoot microbes could help oak trees adapt to drought
Microbes could help oak trees cope with environmental change. A study observing oaks growing in a natural woodland found that the trees’ above- and below-ground microbiomes were resilient to drought, nutrient scarcity, and exposure to pathogenic beetles and bacteria.
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NewsVirus-based therapy boosts anti-cancer immune responses to brain cancer
A study has shown that a single injection of an oncolytic virus—a genetically modified virus that selectively infects and destroys cancer cells—can recruit immune cells to penetrate and persist deep within brain tumors.
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NewsHow food shortages reprogram the immune system’s response to infection
When food is scarce, stress hormones direct the immune system to operate in “low power” mode to preserve immune function while conserving energy. This reconfiguration is crucial to combating infections amid food insecurity.
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NewsBacterial hitchhikers can give their hosts super strength
Molecular hitchhikers living within bacteria can make their hosts extra resistant to medical treatment by corralling them into tightly packed groups. The study introduces a previously unknown avenue through which bacterial infections can become more difficult to treat.
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NewsShorter treatment regimens are safe options for preventing active tuberculosis
A study comparing one- and three-month antibiotic treatments to prevent active tuberculosis (TB) finds that a high percentage of patients successfully completed both regimens and suffered few adverse side effects.
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NewsUS study finds declining perception of safety of COVID-19, flu, and MMR vaccines
A sizable majority of Americans think the three vaccines that combat potentially deadly illnesses flu, Covid-19 and measles are safe to take, although perceptions of the safety of all three vaccines showed a statistically significant drop over the past three years.
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NewsRapid response launched to tackle new yellow rust strains threatening UK wheat
The UK’s wheat is under threat from a newly identified strain of the yellow rust pathogen, prompting an urgent mobilisation of research institutes to protect harvests. The new strain has overcome a key resistance gene that was protecting many major UK wheat varieties from yellow rust infection.
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NewsGenotype-specific response to 144-week entecavir therapy for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B
HBV genotype B demonstrates superior histological responses to ETV therapy compared with genotype C, supporting the clinical value of HBV genotyping for personalized CHB management. These findings highlight the importance of considering viral genotype when evaluating treatment outcomes.
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NewsResearchers identify strategies for preventing the most infectious strains of S. aureus in the NICU
A new study has identified which strains of Staphylococcus aureus – commonly known as staph – are commonly transmitted in neonatal intensive care units and which specific strains are most likely to cause invasive and serious infections.
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NewsResearchers rebuild microscopic circadian clock that can control genes
Researchers have solved how the circadian clocks within microscopic bacteria are able to precisely control when different genes are turned on and off during the 24-hour cycle.
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NewsStudy reveals how chills develop and support the body’s defense against infection
Researchers in Japan have identified the neural mechanism behind chills and the instinct to increase body temperature during infection.
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NewsLong COVID linked to Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms
The increased size of, and lesser blood supply to, a key brain structure in patients with Long COVID tracks with known blood markers of Alzheimer’s disease and greater levels of dementia, a new study finds.