More news from The Americas – Page 2
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NewsAcross eight Amazon countries, forests on Indigenous lands reduce spread of 27 diseases
New research finds that municipalities in the Amazon region closest to healthy forests on Indigenous lands face less risk from rising cases of two categories of disease: cardiovascular and respiratory diseases due to forest fires and illnesses.
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NewsSwitch on, switch off: the dynamic defense of a deadly plant disease
Even strains of Phytophthora infestans considered sensitive to mefenoxam can rapidly develop resistance after a single exposure to a low dose. Researchers have uncovered the dynamics of this defense mechanism, revealing a foe that is more adaptable than previously thought.
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NewsStudy detects multidrug-resistant KPC-producing bacteria in Chilean wastewater for the first time
A team of Chilean researchers has identified, for the first time in the country, the presence of KPC-type carbapenemase-producing bacteria in wastewater samples from the Greater Concepción Metropolitan Area.
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NewsDeadly infectious bone disease wiped out long-necked dinosaurs in Brazil
Researchers found sauropod bones with signs of osteomyelitis, an infectious disease that can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, or protozoa and that killed the animals quickly. The discovery suggests that favorable conditions for the disease existed.
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NewsNew bacterium discovered in the Amazon is closely related to Andean species that causes human bartonellosis
A new species of bacteria of the genus Bartonella has been found in the Amazon National Park in the state of Pará, Brazil, in phlebotomine insects, also known as sand flies. Its DNA is similar to that of two other Andean species of bacteria.
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NewsFermentation method transforms unripe fruits into specialty coffees
Normally discarded, green beans from the Arara cultivar were subjected to airless fermentation and produced high-quality beverages in blind tests. Researchers see potential for the product to be valued in domestic and foreign markets.
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NewsLaser therapy enhances treatment of fungus resistant to conventional medication
Researchers have managed to reduce Candida albicans’ resistance to fungicides by incorporating photodynamic inactivation techniques into the treatment. The technology can be used in both human healthcare and the prevention of food contamination.
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NewsCorals in Brazilian archipelago capture carbon equivalent to the burning of 324,000 liters of gasoline per year
A single species found in the Alcatrazes Archipelago, brain coral, produces around 170 tons of calcium carbonate annually. This represents the retention of approximately 20 tons of carbon in mineral form, which can last for centuries or millennia.
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NewsStudies confirm influence of country of origin on trust in COVID-19 vaccines
During the pandemic, a preference for domestic vaccines or those from countries such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom was observed for the first time. This phenomenon is known in marketing as the country of origin effect.
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NewsStealth genetic switch in mosquitoes halts malaria spread
Biologists have created a CRISPR-based gene-editing system that changes a single molecule within mosquitoes, stopping the malaria-parasite transmission process. Genetically altered mosquitoes are still able to bite those with malaria, but the parasites can no longer be spread to other people.
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NewsCassava witches’ broom disease takes flight in South America
Cassava witches’ broom disease is quickly spreading across Northeastern South America, threatening a critical food staple for millions of people in Brazil and the continent.
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NewsSubstances isolated from marine sponges show potential for treating malária
In pre-clinical tests, compounds called batzelladins were found to be effective even against strains of Plasmodium that are resistant to conventional antimalarial drugs.
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NewsHow plants build the microbiome they need to survive in a tough environment
New research points to the idea that under some conditions plants can “curate” their microbiomes—selecting good microbes and suppressing harmful ones—to adapt to their environments.
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NewsPuerto Rico launches first Microbiome Research Center in the Caribbean
The University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC) has been awarded an $11.3 million NIH-COBRE grant to establish the Puerto Rico Center for Microbiome Sciences (PR-CMS)—the first of its kind in the region.
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NewsA combination of exercise and omega-3 reduces the severity of tooth root infections
Rats that exercised and took fatty acid supplements responded better to bacteria and the inflammatory process of apical periodontitis, which can occur when caries reach the root canal and cause an infection.
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NewsNew study reveals bats are key players in cross-species spread of morbilliviruses
Researchers studying the spread of morbilliviruses in bats and monkeys in Brazil and Costa Rica have discovered new virus species and host switches from bats to other mammalian species.
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NewsBacterial species join forces to boost production in soybean - without disrupting soil microbiome
Combining a bacterial isolate with rhizobia can boost soybean production without disrupting the natural soil microbiome, a new study reveals.
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NewsMicroalgae remove antibiotic residues from wastewater, reducing environmental contamination
In the laboratory, the species Monoraphidium contortum removed some of the drugs added to the liquid and produced biomass with potential commercial value.
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NewsNew study shows obesity linked to long COVID
New research has found that people with excess weight are more likely to experience long-term neurological and mental health symptoms after COVID-19, including headache, vertigo, smell and taste disorders, sleep disturbance, and depression.
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NewsGlobal Virus Network meeting unites Caribbean and Latin America to tackle emerging viral threats
A two-day summit focused on collaborative strategies to bolster viral surveillance, diagnostics, vaccine research, and pandemic preparedness across Latin America and the Caribbean, challenges intensified by climate change and globalization.