All Editorial articles – Page 32
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NewsRice research team creates universal RNA barcoding system for tracking gene transfer in bacteria
An interdisciplinary group of researchers at Rice University has developed an innovative RNA “barcoding” method to track gene transfer in microbial communities, providing new insights into how genes move across species.
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NewsNew ‘shy’ fungus found in old-growth forest
Although fungi of the genus Piloderma are common, scientists have now discovered five previously unknown species. One of these is one of the most widely distributed species in Northern Europe, while another is found only in old-growth forests.
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NewsImmature platelet fraction offers clinical predictor for enhanced platelet recovery in patients with dengue fever
Immature platelet fraction (IPF) is recognized as a marker for thrombopoiesis, but a new study indicates that IPF% can be utilized as a predictor of platelet increase in patients with dengue infection.
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NewsTunnel-building virus: How Zika transmits from mother to fetus
For the first time, researchers demonstrated the component involved in the tunneling nanotubes built by Zika virus to infect placental cells, an infection mechanism which is unique to the Zika virus alone.
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NewsWithout oxygen: How primordial microbes breathed
Scientists decode the fundamental mechanisms of a cell respiratory enzyme in ancient bacterial cells, with potential applications in removing greenhouse gases and drug development against pathogens.
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NewsNewly identified bacterial protein helps design cancer drug delivery system
Researchers have identified a previously unknown bacterial protein, the unique structure of which acts as an actin homolog that can be used to design protein nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs to tumors.
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NewsResearchers demonstrate new technique for boosting plant growth with bacteria
A single combined delivery system incorporating multiple active ingredients, including plant growth-promoting bacteria and agrochemicals, is developed to ensure beneficial bacterial survival and improve plant growths.
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NewsMagnetic microalgae on a mission to become robots
A team of researchers has developed a green algae-based biohybrid micro swimmer covered with magnetic material, whose swimming ability is largely unaffected by the coating.
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NewsResearch uncovers new strategy to reduce tissue damage from flesh-eating bacteria
A new study reveals a novel approach to mitigating tissue damage caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, the flesh-eating bacterium responsible for severe infections such as necrotizing fasciitis.
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NewsAdd some spice: Curcumin helps treat Mycobacterium abscessus
Researchers have found that adding curcumin boosts the efficacy of bedaquiline, an antimycobacterial used to treat tuberculosis, in combating M. abscessus infections. Curcumin is the compound that gives turmeric its characteristic bright orange color.
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NewsHelicobacter pylori treatment practices in the Asia-Pacific region
Researchers conducted an online survey of clinicians in the Asia-Pacific region to investigate treatment policies for H. pylori and confirmed that there is a growing consensus of the importance of primary and secondary prevention against H. pylori.
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NewsCurrent antivirals likely less effective against severe infection caused by bird flu virus in cows’ milk
Scientists found that in a preclinical model, two FDA–approved flu antivirals generally did not successfully treat severe H5N1 infections. Meanwhile, the route of infection, whether through the eye, the nose or the mouth, significantly impacts effectiveness.
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NewsMetagenomic analysis of tick-borne viruses in Inner Mongolia
A new study maps the landscape of TBVs in Inner Mongolia, but also highlights the potential spillover risk of TBVs. These findings underscore the urgent need for One Health strategies for monitoring emerging TBVs at the tick-human-livestock interface in northern China.
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NewsNIH-sponsored trial of Lassa vaccine opens
A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored clinical trial of a candidate vaccine to prevent Lassa fever has begun enrolling participants at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.
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NewsFrom order to chaos: Understanding the principles behind collective motion in bacteria
A new study has revealed how bacterial swarms transition from organized movement to chaotic flow. Combining large-scale experiments, computer modeling, and mathematical analysis, the team uncovered intermediate states that emerge between order and turbulence.
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NewsEpstein-Barr virus worsens ulcerative colitis by triggering macrophage pyroptosis through glycolysis
The study shows that EBV infection activates pyroptosis in intestinal macrophages by upregulating glycolysis. This process leads to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which further damage the intestinal barrier and worsen colitis symptoms.
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NewsCOVID-19 pandemic worsened mother and infant birth outcomes
Mothers who became pregnant after the start of the pandemic, those who experienced moderate-to-severe infections during pregnancy, and those who had infections during the third trimester were more likely to have adverse outcomes.
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NewsGenetic resistance factors and antimicrobial resistance phenotypes in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates of animals and humans
A new study identified three functional protein families in MRSA, through sequencing, that confer extensive antibiotic resistance independent of the known antibiotic resistance determinants, mecA and mecC.
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NewsThe key role of soil micro-food web complexity in agricultural productivity
Soils inoculated with micro-food webs have significantly higher levels of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), microbial biomass, and plant nitrogen and phosphorus compared to the control and untreated (unsterilized) soil, a new study shows.
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NewsNew method uncovers dynamic microbial community in coastal sediments
Scientists utilises single celll genomics and cell staining approaches to investigate the respiratory rates and metabolic activities of the diverse microbial communities in low biomass aqautic environments, such as Maine’s coastal sediments.