All Editorial articles – Page 56
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NewsHow the plague bacillus became less virulent, prolonging the duration of two major pandemics
Scientists have discovered that the evolution of a gene in the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, may have prolonged the duration of two major pandemics. Modifying the copy number of a specific virulence gene increases the length of infection.
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NewsUncovered: A long-lasting history of leprosy in the Americas
A new study challenges the view that leprosy is a disease that was introduced into the Americas during European colonization. A strain of leprosy-causing mycobacterium, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, infected humans in the Americas before European contact.
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NewsResearchers engineer a herpes virus to turn on T cells for immunotherapy
Researchers have identified herpes virus saimiri, which infects the T cells of squirrel monkeys, as a source of proteins that activate pathways in T cells that are needed to promote T cell survival - a promising tool in the fight against cancer.
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NewsGut fungi breakthrough: Novel fungus offers hope for metabolic diseases
Scientists have unveiled a gut fungus that could transform treatment for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The fungus produces a compound that blocks CerS6, an enzyme responsible for producing ceramides, fat molecules linked to metabolic disorders.
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NewsGut bacteria may hold key to unlocking better cancer treatment
Scientists have discovered a range of microbial ‘biomarkers’ that could help to improve detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) such as gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
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NewsYeast produces human DNase1 for the first time
The protein DNase1 is used to treat cystic fibrosis but it takes considerable effort and cost to produce it in immortalized hamster cells. Researchers have now produced it in yeast cells for the first time.
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NewsIntestinal bacteria influence aging of blood vessels
Researchers have shown for the first time that intestinal bacteria and their metabolites can accelerate the ageing of blood vessels and trigger cardiovascular disease.
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NewsYeast-driven and bioimpedance-sensitive biohybrid soft robots
By synergizing bioinspired chemical modifications with microstructural topology, scientists developed a self-healing bioadhesive interface that eliminates reliance on external stimuli, overcoming the physiological incompatibility of traditional rigid encapsulation materials.
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NewsBiologist examines growth patterns in bacteria to help develop more targeted, effective antibiotics
Among the new investigative projects at the University of Texas at Arlington is one headed by Dr. Cara Boutte, who is studying how certain bacteria grow by examining how they build their cell walls, an effort that could lead to the development of more effective antibiotics.
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NewsMicrobial proteins reveal chemical signatures of body sites and inflammation
A new study shows that protein sequences associated with microbial communities in the human gut have uniquely low stoichiometric water content and undergo counterintuitive chemical shifts toward chemically reduced states during inflammation.
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NewsTrees vs. disease: Tree cover reduces mosquito-borne health risk
A new study shows that in Costa Rica, even modest patches of tree cover can reduce the presence of invasive mosquito species known to transmit diseases like dengue fever.
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NewsClaudin-11 plays a pivotal role in the clathrin-mediated endocytosis of influenza A virus
In a new study, researchers investigated a key host factor that promotes influenza virus infection. They found that claudin-11, a four-transmembrane protein encoded by claudin-11, plays an integral part in influenza virus clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
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NewsStudy links oral microbiome diversity with long sleep duration in teenagers and young adults
A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting found that oral microbiome diversity is positively associated with long sleep duration among teenagers and young adults.
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NewsFirmicutes gut bacteria boost metabolism and bone health, study found
A recent study has uncovered a significant connection between gut microbiota, aging, and bone health, particularly in relation to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and increases the risk of fractures.
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NewsOral microbiota transmission partially mediates depression and anxiety in newlywed couples
Given that bacterial transmission can occur between spouses, a new study aimed to investigate whether the transmission of oral microbiota between newlywed couples mediates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
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NewsUsing bacteria to improve microbiota resistance to pathogens
A new study aimed to identify the bacteria involved in the barrier effect shown by microbiota and prove their effectiveness in preventing the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria, with a view to developing a therapeutic strategy.
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NewsZika virus uses cells’ ‘self-care’ system to turn against host
A new study reveals the biological secret to the Zika virus’s infectious success: Zika uses host cells’ own ‘self-care’ system of clearing away useless molecules to suppress the host proteins that the virus has employed to get into those cells in the first place.
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NewsMirror molecules deliver a one-two punch to superbugs to fight infections
Researchers have created mirror-image molecules that both kill pathogens outright and rally the immune system—an advance aimed at the growing crisis of antimicrobial resistance.
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NewsCoral fusion teams with microbiology to advance coral reef restoration
A recent study suggests a novel framework that pairs fundamental biology with applied biology to innovate in coral restoration ecology.
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NewsPortable HIV monitoring device shows promise for remote settings
A newly developed microfluidic biosensor promises to reshape how CD4+ T cells — key indicators of immune function in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients — are detected.