All Middle East & Africa articles – Page 2
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NewsStudy confirms effectiveness of medicinal plant against SARS-CoV-2 virus
A study has revealed that galloylquinic acids extracted from the leaves of Copaifera lucens Dwyer, a tree endemic to Brazil primarily found in the Atlantic Forest, have a multi-targeted effect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
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News“Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are”
New research reveals that when microbes live together, they can sense one another and actively reduce competition by shifting toward different roles instead of all doing the same thing. It shows that microbes do not just respond to their environment, they respond to each other.
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NewsResearch gaps and regional disparities revealed in global Lassa virus research landscape
A comprehensive bibliometric analysis spanning 55 years of Lassa virus (LASV) research has uncovered significant disparities in scientific output between high-income and endemic countries, while revealing a persistent shortage of studies addressing environmental factors influencing viral spread.
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NewsTick threats in the context of climate change: One Health response strategies in the Middle East and North Africa region
A new study examines the multifaceted dimensions of tick-borne disease management in the MENA region through the lens of the One Health approach. The research synthesizes insights from a symposium that brought together experts to assess current threats and identify pathways forward.
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NewsSeparating signal from noise: How African biostatisticians are reshaping the fight against malaria
Biostatistics is unlocking smarter malaria solutions, linking parasite diversity, vaccines, and human behaviour to drive more effective prevention and protection.
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NewsGene-sharing myth challenged as bacteria shown to police DNA exchange
A new study reveals that bacteria can actively limit the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, using a newly characterized mechanism that blocks DNA transfer between cells. It focuses on how bacteria exchange genetic material through tiny intercellular bridges known as nanotubes.
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NewsComputational approach takes the guesswork out of drug development for Chagas disease
Researchers have established a computational protocol that could accelerate the development of more effective treatments for life-threatening parasitic infections such as Chagas disease, by enabling scientists to accurately identify reactions that can result in successful drug candidates without the need for trial and error.
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NewsYellow food coloring changes gut microbiome in early life
Researchers found that the gut microbiotaof young rats changed with exposure to acceptable daily intake levels of the food coloring tartrazine. The males showed increases in bacteria linked to low-grade inflammation and they also did not gain as much weight as was expected.
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NewsScientists find a new way coronaviruses can get into human cells
An international team of researchers has identified an East African bat coronavirus capable of entering human cells. Whilst the virus can bind to a cell receptor found in the human lung, preliminary testing in Kenya suggests it has not spilled over into the local human population.
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NewsNasal spray could transform treatment of deadly cerebral malaria
Master’s student Taznita Kista is exploring whether a nano-enabled nasal spray could change how cerebral malaria is treated. Her work focuses on a nose-to-brain drug delivery system using niosomes.
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NewsResearchers combine polarized light and a magnetic field to spot malaria under the microscope
Researchers have developed a new microscopy method that uses a magnetic field and polarized light to provide quantitative measurements that could enable faster and more objective detection of malaria in blood.
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NewsEarly immune responses linked to protective HIV antibodies
In a new study of broadly neutralizing antibodies and their potential for an HIV vaccine, researchers analyzed fragments of cell-free RNA and DNA circulating in the blood. This makes it possible to track immune responses, viral genetic variation, and other microbes from the same blood sample.
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CareersQ&A: Meet Letters in Applied Microbiology Junior Editor Daniel Jesuwenu Ajose
We caught up with Daniel Jesuwenu Ajose, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga in South Africa, who is one of the newest Junior Editors with Letters in Applied Microbiology.
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NewsSevere childhood malaria linked to cognitive impairment later in life
New findings suggest children who survive cases of cerebral malaria and severe malarial anemia experience cognitive and academic impairment that persists into adolescence.
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NewsTwo research projects to study immune responses to dengue and Zika viruses
Dr. James Earnest, an assistant professor at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, is leading two new research projects to examine how humans build an immune response to dengue and the Zika virus over time, in pursuit of creating better preventative measures.
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NewsResearchers explore potential link between COVID-19 and lung cancer risk
New findings have identified a potential association between COVID-19 and increased lung cancer risk, driven by underlying biological mechanisms in the lung. The study integrates human clinical data with mechanistic research in animal and cellular models.
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FeaturesClear but not clean: the hidden life of drinking water in Nigeria
In many communities across Nigeria, clear water is assumed to be safe. Transparency, both literal and visual, has become shorthand for purity. My recent research in Ede, southwestern Nigeria, began with a simple but uncomfortable question: what are people actually drinking?
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NewsAir surveillance reveals hidden reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes
The air we breathe serves as a silent vector of antimicrobial resistance, calling for the need to integrate air monitoring into global public health strategies, according to a review by an international team of researchers.
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NewsThe tumor microbiota: A new frontier in cancer biology
A new study synthesizes evidence from different types of tumors, particularly those characterized by low microbial biomass, where conclusions require particularly rigorous validation. By outlining a roadmap of experimental and analytical standards, this work provides the basis for more robust research.
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NewsTurning algae waste into powerful filters: New biochar membranes clean wastewater more efficiently
A new study has developed a sustainable filtration technology that transforms microalgae waste into high-performance membranes capable of removing pollutants and bacteria from wastewater. The innovation could offer a greener and more efficient solution for municipal water treatment.