Latest news – Page 8
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NewsScientists link a phytoplankton bloom to starving dolphins in Florida
In 2013, 8% of the bottlenose dolphins living in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon died. Investigations have now revealed that the dolphins may have starved because key habitats for nutritious prey were destroyed by a phytoplankton bloom driven by the accumulation of fertilizer, effluent from septic tanks, and other by-products of human activity.
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NewsAMI members develop rapid test for bacterium that costs poultry industry billions globally
Scientists have developed a rapid, sensitive and specific test for a bacterial pathogen that is responsible for necrotic enteritis in poultry, a disease that causes billions in global economic losses annually.
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NewsHow a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus
New research shows how small shifts in the molecular makeup of a virus can profoundly alter its fate. These shifts could turn a deadly pathogen into a harmless bug or supercharge a relatively benign virus, influencing its ability to infect humans.
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NewsResearch uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections
By tracking Clostridium difficile through the hospital environment, rather than on patients alone, scientists have uncovered previously undetected movement of bacteria through hospital settings.
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NewsMolecular clock analysis shows bacteria used oxygen long before widespread photosynthesis
Researchers have constructed a detailed timeline for bacterial evolution and oxygen adaptation. Their findings suggest some bacteria could use trace oxygen long before evolving the ability to produce it through photosynthesis.
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NewsThe beginning of the end: Setting a global target for rubella eradication
Scientists discuss the 2024 World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation for universal introduction of rubella-containing vaccines (RCVs) into childhood vaccination programs in all countries – particularly in the remaining 19 countries that have yet to do so.
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NewsNew vaccine concept tackles harmful bacteria in the intestine
Scientists have demonstrated how highly effective oral vaccinations can be formulated against intestinal pathogens by not only administering the vaccine but also combining it with harmless bacteria that compete with the pathogenic microbes for food and therefore starve them out.
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NewsAntibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time
Scientists studying eight key bacterial species found that while antibiotic resistance initially rises in response to antibiotic use, it does not rise indefinitely. Instead, resistance rates reached an equilibrium over the 20-year period in most species.
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NewsMore than 500 delegates gather in Birmingham for Europe’s first Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum
More than 500 delegates gathered at the ICC in Birmingham over three days this week for the first ever Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum, which was supported by Applied Microbiology International.
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NewsSome gut bacteria could make certain drugs less effective
Researchers discovered that gut bacteria can metabolize oral administered drugs that target G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and potentially other chemicals and food compounds, leading to impacts on the effectiveness of medication to patients.
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NewsWestern diet causes inflammation, traditional African food protects
A study showed that traditional African diets, rich in fiber, fermented food and vegetables, have higher health benefits that boost immunity and reduce the risk of developing lifestyle diseases, compared to the high calorie and high saturated fats in the Western diet.
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NewsHidden signals in water reveal disease early in tomato plants
Researchers have developed an innovative method for the early detection of Fusarium wilt in tomato plants by monitoring subtle changes in the plants’ water use.
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NewsAn intelligent device for detecting infections using the temperature of the skin
Based on a flexible, self-sustaining thermoelectric system, scientists created an intelligent temperature-sensing device to detect inflammations and infections, which can assist clinical decisions upon monitoring wounds and lesions.
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NewsNew carrier birds brought avian flu to Europe, Americas
Unexpected wild species, from pelicans to peregrine falcons, are transporting the virus from poultry farms to new places around the world and changing where the risk of outbreaks is highest.
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NewsScientists create ‘fungi tiles’ with elephant skin texture to cool buildings
Scientists have developed ‘fungi tiles’ that could one day help to bring the heat down in buildings without consuming energy. These tiles have bumpy, wrinkly texture to the tile, mimicking an elephant’s ability to regulate heat from its skin.
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NewsMuseum collections reveal worldwide spread of butterfly disease
A new study of museum butterfly collections explore how these specimens can be used to track the spread of disease. Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) is a protozoan parasite that can hamper a butterfly’s growth and flight.
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NewsNew antibiotic for multidrug resistant superbug triggers suicide mechanism
Researchers have discovered a new class of antibiotic that selectively targets Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhoea.
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NewsA step towards life on Mars? Lichens survive Martian simulation in new study
For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that certain lichen species can survive Mars-like conditions, including exposure to ionising radiation, while maintaining a metabolically active state.
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NewsMulti-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model
An AI model can predict whether bacteria will become antibiotic-resistant. The study shows that antibiotic resistance is more easily transmitted between genetically similar bacteria and mainly occurs in wastewater treatment plants and inside the human body.
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NewsPrecision medicine could be possible in the fight against antibiotic resistance
The first-of-its-kind in-depth bacterial evolutionary map could pave the way for the development of precision treatments for certain antibiotic-resistant infections, such as urinary tract infections.