All articles by Linda Stewart – Page 18
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NewsImmune system overreaction linked to deadly flu in pregnancy
Researchers have discovered why influenza can lead to life-threatening complications during pregnancy. In most people, influenza stays in the upper respiratory tract and clears without spreading further. But during pregnancy, the virus can extend into the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of severe complications for mothers and babies.
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NewsSynthetic biology leads to recyclable textiles: Engineered protein fibers for a cleaner future
Scientists have created protein-based materials, which are produced in bioreactors using genetically engineered microbes. These materials can be readily recycled after use and remade into the same fibers over multiple cycles. In addition, any microparticles, if released from these fibers during washing, would be biodegradable.
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NewsFarming with fish: A natural boost for soil phosphorus
Researchers have uncovered new evidence that rice fish coculture can improve soil nutrient cycling—particularly P—without relying on fertilizers. This reveals that introducing fish into rice paddies enhances the composition and function of phoD-harboring bacteria, which are known to facilitate P mineralization.
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NewsResearchers link human molecular, microbial diversity with geography, ethnicity
Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that ethnicity and geography may influence human molecular makeup — from metabolism and immunity to gut microbiota and biological aging. The findings, which published in Cell on May 14, illuminate the complex interplay between genetics and the environment, ...
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NewsReview highlights antimicrobial peptides as cross-seeding modulators at the neurodegenerative–infectious interface
In a comprehensive review, researchers synthesize emerging evidence that antimicrobial peptides and disease-related amyloids can influence one another through heterotypic cross-seeding interactions.
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NewsAI and supercomputer simulations reveal how a bacterial energy-converting enzyme pumps sodium ions
The Na+-NQR enzyme is vital for energy production in pathogenic bacteria, making it a highly promising target for new antibiotics. Researchers combined modified artificial intelligence techniques with extensive supercomputer simulations to visualize the hidden, dynamic movements of this enzyme during sodium transport.
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NewsUnderstanding and exploiting tuberculosis superspreading
A new perspective piece introduces the idea of “superspreading niches”, specific parts of community contact networks where highly infectious individuals intersect with highly susceptible contacts, as a key framework for understanding TB superspreading and designing new TB control interventions.
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NewsStudy is first to detect and track multiple cancer-causing viruses in wastewater
A study is the first comprehensive approach to detect all known cancer-causing or oncogenic viruses concurrently by analyzing viral genomes in wastewater. The work shows that it is feasible to monitor the presence and levels of cancer-causing viruses, enabling the possibility of public health interventions in the future.
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NewsImplantable living materials autonomously deliver therapeutics using contained engineered bacteria
Researchers have introduced an implantable “living material” that contains bacteria that sense infections. It can release these therapeutic molecules on demand, while keeping them physically separated from the surrounding tissue.
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NewsResearchers develop experimentally validated AI model to predict the virulence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus
A research team has developed DeepTYLCV, an accurate and interpretable artificial intelligence model for predicting the virulence of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV). DeepTYLCV uses viral genome-derived sequence information, enabling the model to identify mild and severe strains before symptom-based confirmation.
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NewsNew report charts path for climate-disease preparedness
Changing patterns of temperature and precipitation, along with sea level rise and more extreme weather events, are impacting the ecology, evolution, distribution and prevalence of infectious disease reservoirs, hosts, vectors and pathogens. As a result, new diseases are emerging, and others are reappearing in regions where they were once uncommon.
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NewsWhy babies are dying and how we can stop it
A study has identified that the vast majority of neonatal deaths caused by infections in South Africa and other low-and-middle-income countries could be prevented through improved clinical care and targeted medical interventions.
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NewsBacteria may hold a cancer treatment clue
A review argues that tumors with reproducibly poor prognosis outcomes may share an overlooked feature: bacterial infection within the tumor microenvironment. These bacteria may weaken treatment by altering local immunity, damaging tissue structure, and even inactivating chemotherapeutic drugs.
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NewsMeasuring SARS-CoV-2 diversity in wastewater improves disease surveillance
Tracking the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, rather than just viral abundance, dramatically improves the ability to monitor and predict COVID-19 outbreaks, researchers report.
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NewsInfluenza virus platforms: New hope for vaccines and cancer immunotherapy
Influenza virus is now being engineered to carry foreign genes and reduce virulence, serving not only for next-generation influenza vaccines but also as delivery vectors for heterologous antigens against other infections and cancers, supported by its ability to trigger robust mucosal and systemic immune responses.
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NewsSpecial collection explores emerging scientific evidence for land-based origins of life
A new special collection brings together leading researchers to examine growing evidence that life may have emerged within networks of terrestrial environments on early Earth.
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NewsIgG fucosylation linked to severe COVID-19 progression and traditional Chinese medicine therapy
A new study has uncovered that immunoglobulin G (IgG) fucosylation, a critical type of protein glycosylation, is closely associated with the progression of severe COVID-19, offering new insights into disease pathogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies.
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NewsTraditional dengue alerts are missing the mark as Vietnam’s climate shifts—researchers propose a one health solution
For decades, Vietnam’s dengue surveillance relied on a straightforward logic: when cases exceed the five-year average by a sufficient margin, sound the alarm. That logic is now breaking down.
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NewsProbiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus CMU-pb-7 shows promise in alleviating diabetic nephropathy via antioxidative pathway
Rats with diabetic nephropathy treated with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus CMU-pb-7 showed marked improvements in general condition and serum biochemical profiles, including significant reductions in cholesterol, triglycerides, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine.