All articles by Linda Stewart – Page 8
-
NewsLife forms can planet hop on asteroid debris – and survive
The extremophile bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans can survive the pressures developed during ejection from Mars as a result of massive asteroid impact, a study shows. It means microorganisms can survive more extreme conditions than previously thought, including launch across space after major impacts.
-
NewsTestosterone increases severity of bacterial skin infections
Men are more susceptible than women to skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, but the biological basis for this disparity has remained unclear. A new study is the first to reveal testosterone, present at higher levels in males, as a key driver of infection.
-
NewsHuge toll: Bird flu rampant among black vultures
More than four out of every five dead black vultures examined by University of Georgia researchers tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to a new study. Their indiscriminate scavenging appears to sustain transmission of the virus beyond the typical bird flu season.
-
NewsFecal transplants from older mice significantly improve ovarian function and fertility in younger mice
A new study details how fecal transplants from older female mice significantly improve ovarian function and fertility in young mice. The surprising results reveal a direct link between the microbiome of the gut and ovarian health and function.
-
NewsUltrasound-activated ‘nanoagents’ kill superbugs hiding in biofilms
Scientists have designed nanoagents that act like smart drug‑delivery capsules – carrying an antibiotic deep into bacterial infection sites and releasing it only when activated by gentle ultrasound.
-
News10 Years, 70% shift: Wastewater upgrades quietly transform river microbiomes
Researchers investigated how the upgrade of a WWTP influenced nitrogen-cycling microorganisms and DNA viruses in its receiving river. The research compared the river whose WWTP was upgraded during the study period against the river whose upgrade occurred prior to the study.
-
NewsScientists identify therapeutic target that would curb the spread of coronaviruses
Coronaviruses not only use the machinery of the human cells they infect: they modify it to achieve optimal conditions to produce viral proteins and thus spread more quickly, according to a study identifying enzymes that modify transfer RNAs as key elements for coronavirus infection.
-
NewsAlgal blooms: New AI algorithm enables scientific monitoring of ‘blue tears’
‘Blue tears’ chasing has become a popular tourism activity along coasts to witness the spectacular natural phenomenon. However, the occurrence and movement of algal blooms are unpredictable - but scientists have developed an innovative real-time video monitoring algorithm named BT-YOLO.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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 ...
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.