All articles by Linda Stewart – Page 84
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NewsLaser-powered device tested on Earth could help us detect microbial fossils on Mars
Scientists hoping to identify fossil evidence of ancient Martian microbial life have now found a way to test their hypothesis, proving they can detect the fossils of microbes in gypsum samples that are a close analogy to sulfate rocks on Mars.
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NewsStromatolite study provides new detail on the impact of volcanic activity on early marine life
Analysis of fossilised rocks known as stromatolites - layered rock formations created by ancient microorganisms, such as bacteria - from more than two-and-a-half billion years ago has provided new insights into the conditions on Earth before the evolution of oxygen.
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NewsLactobacillus-dominated uterus significantly boosts pregnancy outcomes
Researchers analyzed recent studies on the reproductive microbiome and its effects on fertility. They found that a Lactobacillus-dominated (LD) uterine environment significantly improves pregnancy outcomes. Similarly, pregnancy success rates were higher in LD environments.
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NewsBackyard poultry face HPAI risk when migrating mallards stop to rest
Knowing where, when and for how long mallard ducks – natural carriers of avian influenza – stop and rest as they migrate can help predict the probability that they will spread bird flu to backyard poultry flocks, according to a new study.
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NewsResearch suggests common viral infection worsens deadly condition among premature babies
Researchers say they found that infection with a common virus that can be transmitted from mother to fetus before birth significantly worsens an often-fatal complication of premature birth called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in experiments with mice.
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NewsStudy uncovers porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus’s impact on swine immunity
Scientists used single-cell RNA analysis to reveal key immune mechanisms in lungs of swine infected with PRRSV. They found higher numbers of protective anti-inflammatory M2-like macrophages (SPP1-CXCL14high) were observed in less virulent infections, suggesting a potential role in promoting lung healing.
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NewsScientists invent new drug candidates to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Researchers designed a new family of antibiotics that’s a variation of an existing drug called vancomycin, which is used as a last resort for extremely ill patients. The new version of vancomycin targets, bonds to and renders inactive two different parts of a molecule on the surfaces of pathogenic bacteria.
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NewsPromising antibody may prove useful against deadly Ebola virus outbreaks
New research reveals the workings of a human antibody called mAb 3A6, which may prove to be an important component for Ebola virus therapeutics.
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NewsKingdom of Saudi Arabia confirms US $500 million commitment to global polio eradication effort
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its US $500 million pledge to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in a signing event during the fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum.
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NewsNitrogen fixation on marine snow particles is widespread in the world's oceans
Researchers have shown that bacteria attached to marine snow particles can fix N2 over a wide range of temperatures in the global oceans, from the tropics to the poles, and from the surface to the abyss, accounting for about 10% of the overall N2 fixation in oceans.
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NewsPromising new class of antimalarial drugs discovered
A new study identifies an inhibitor of gene regulation that specifically kills the malaria pathogen. The chromatin remodeler PfSnf2L is a key regulator of genes that play an important role in various stages of the pathogen’s development.
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NewsStudy calls for better measures of poverty to strengthen tuberculosis research
A new review examines existing methods for assessing socioeconomic status in TB studies and highlights their shortcomings. The authors call for better, standardized poverty metrics to improve research and policy.
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NewsScottish bio-tech company secures £3.4m investment
Scottish biotech engineering company uFraction8 has secured £3.4m in new investment following the completion of a funding round led by Foresight Group.
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NewsChlorine plus UV light degrades toxins caused by harmful algae blooms
Scientists examining the combination of ultraviolet light and chlorine to detoxify water laden with toxins from cyanobacteria have demonstrated that this combination significantly enhanced the degradation of toxins compared to chlorine alone.
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NewsPaxlovid’s impact on hospitalization and death in COVID-vaccinated older adults far weaker than previously thought
A new study overturns the assumption that Paxlovid’s effectiveness in reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in unvaccinated adults also applies to vaccinated adults.
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NewsGroundbreaking study shows potential of new mRNA vaccine to help fight tuberculosis
A new vaccine that boosts immunity against tuberculosis (TB) has been shown to be effective in pioneering pre-clinical trials. The mRNA vaccine was successful in triggering an immune defence response that helped to reduce TB numbers in infected mice.
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NewsScientists warn of increased mpox transmission
International researchers warn that the ongoing mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has the potential to spread across borders more rapidly. The mpox virus has mutated, and the new variant, clade 1b, has become more infectious.
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NewsScientists uncover how bacterial resistance to synergistic drug treatments is arising
Scientists investigating the potential of combined and more powerful drug treatments have found that antimicrobial resistance to these is arising via the vitamin B2 synthesis pathway.
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NewsMachine learning framework can decipher immune system’s record of past infections
A novel machine learning framework can decipher an individual’s immune system’s record of past infections and diseases, providing a powerful tool with the potential for diagnosing autoimmune disorders, viral infections, and vaccine responses with precision.
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NewsDigging into a decades-old hepatitis B mystery suggests a new potential treatment
In their effort to answer a decades-old biological question about how the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is able to establish infection of liver cells, researchers have identified a vulnerability that opens the door to new treatments.