All articles by Linda Stewart – Page 6
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NewsCell-free DNA offers early warning for bloodstream infections in kids with leukemia
Researchers show that microbial cell-free DNA sequencing can predict bloodstream infections in children with leukemia days before the symptoms appear. Plasma microbial cell-free DNA sequencing (mcfDNA-Seq) offer a potential approach to protecting vulnerable patients by allowing treatment to start before the patient gets sick.
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NewsPeriphyton closes the nitrogen budget gap in rice paddies
Scientists identify a previously overlooked microbial N sink in rice paddies. Periphyton, a thin microbial community that develops at the soil–water interface, is composed of algae, bacteria, and extracellular polymeric substances, forming a dense microhabitat with strong capacities for nutrient uptake, transformation, and temporary storage.
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NewsNew study demonstrates universal newborn cCMV screening leads to earlier detection and increased identification of mild hearing loss
A new retrospective cohort study examining the impact of Minnesota’s first-in-the-nation mandated universal newborn screening for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) shows that universal screening significantly decreased the age at first audiology visit and increased identification of mild hearing loss in infants.
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NewsEpigenetic rewiring fuels potato susceptibility to late blight
Scientists performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and RNA sequencing on the widely cultivated potato cultivar Qingshu No.9 following Phytophthora infestans infection, uncovering dynamic DNA methylation shifts that correlate with large-scale transcriptional reprogramming and immune suppression.
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NewsAkkermansia muciniphila PROBIO therapy promotes arginine biosynthesis and reverses reproductive impairments in polycystic ovary syndrome rats
A research study investigated the therapeutic potential of Akkermansia muciniphila PROBIO (AP) in a dehydroepiandrosterone-induced PCOS rat model, revealing significant improvements in reproductive and metabolic parameters through modulation of gut microbiota and enhancement of arginine biosynthesis.
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NewsEnhanced inner ear tropism of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) vectors via peptide display on AAV1 capsid
Researchers improving efficiacy of AAV)-mediated gene therapy for the inner ear screened and inserted short peptide motifs onto the surface of the AAV1 capsid. These engineered vectors achieved markedly higher transduction rates in inner ear hair cells and supporting cells.
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NewsBiomarkers indicating higher liver cancer risk in chronic hepatitis B patients identified
Researchers have identified Hepatitis B RNA serum levels as a biomarker that more accurately stratifies risk of liver cancer in individuals who have been functionally cured of chronic hepatitis B.
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NewsWorld’s first rum brewed with high ginjo-aroma–producing fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicusponicus
Researchers at Kumamoto University have announced the world’s first rum produced using the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, marking a breakthrough in fermentation science and craft spirits innovation. The new product, “JAPONICUS RHUM AGRICOLE,” goes on sale February 27, 2026. Source: Kumamoto University Professor Tokio Tani (left) holds the ...
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NewsFungi could transform leftovers into lifelines
A new paper outlines an ’emerging circular fungal biorefinery’ – a system in which low-value agricultural byproducts are converted through fungal fermentation into high-protein, nutrient-rich foods.
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NewsMicrobes unlock a hidden natural source of mercury emissions from ‘stable’ minerals
A new study reports a previously overlooked natural mechanism that could contribute substantially to global mercury emissions. Researchers show that chemolithoautotrophic microbes can use mercury sulfide nanominerals as an energy source and, in the process, release volatile Hg0 into the air.
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NewsScientists develop new gut health measure that tracks disease
Scientists have found that healthy and diseased digestive systems behave like two distinct ecological states, driven not by individual microbes but by how entire bacterial communities compete and cooperate.
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NewsWater bears reveal potential for adapting and protecting Martian resources
Microscopic tardigrades help inform how simulated Martian soil might support plant life and mitigate contaminants shedding from human explorers, researchers report.
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NewsNanoplastics can interact with Salmonella to affect food safety, study shows
Researchers investigating what happens when nanoplastics (polystyrene) interact with Salmonella discovered an increased expression of virulence-related genes. The bacteria also formed thicker biofilms, which indicates they are becoming more virulent.
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NewsNative forest litter helps rebuild soil life in post-mining landscapes
Researchers investigating rehabilitated land near a former uranium mine in northern Australia found that introducing leaf litter from nearby native Eucalyptus woodlands rapidly reshaped soil microbial communities and improved their functional potential.
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NewsStudy reveals immune blueprint for next-generation malaria vaccine
New research has uncovered how the human immune system fights Plasmodium vivax, paving the way for the first effective vaccine against the most widespread form of malaria. It provides critical evidence of how protective immunity to P. vivax works, identifying specific targets on the parasite.
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NewsTackling tuberculosis systematically: How the environment shapes TB risk
Researchers introduce the concept of the “tuberculogenic environment”: the complex interplay of structures, rules, and living conditions that keep certain communities at high TB risk, even when care is available.
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NewsBacterial cellulose as a sustainable vehicle for the controlled release of nisin and mandelic acid: A clean beauty-based approach for acne treatment
A new study developed a bacterial cellulose-based delivery system loaded with nisin and mandelic acid, targeting acne treatment. Bacterial cellulose, derived from Komagataebacter xylinus, served as a biocompatible, biodegradable matrix to control the release of bioactive compounds.
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NewsTrust your gut to heal your brain
Researchers have found that short-term antibiotic treatment significantly reduced neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration following traumatic brain injury (TBI) by altering the gut microbiome in animal models.
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NewsA highly precise target for medications against tropical diseases
Researchers have discovered a critical vulnerability shared by the pathogens that cause African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. The PEX38 protein plays a crucial role in the formation of certain organelles of the trypanosomes that are essential for their energy supply.
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NewsFe₃O₄@mPEG-Ag nanoparticles: a new frontier in combating antibiotic resistance
A collaborative study introduces Fe₃O₄@mPEG-Ag nanoparticles (NPs) as a groundbreaking non-antibiotic strategy to combat drug-resistant bacteria, offering the antibacterial properties of silver (Ag) with the stability and biocompatibility of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) modified by methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG).