All Research News articles – Page 26
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NewsRevealing the invisible: a new baseline for Salish sea diatoms answers a global call
Diatoms are powerful in driving roughly 20% of global photosynthesis and forming the very base of marine food webs. Scientists have published a new checklist of 924 diatom taxa alongside a curated dataset of 11,469 records, providing a long-needed foundation for environmental monitoring across the Salish Sea bioregion.
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NewsNew research offers practical biosecurity tools to limit poultry disease spread
New research could help producers better protect poultry flocks from disease outbreaks while reducing costs. By identifying where contamination occurs and how to interrupt those pathways, the research helps move biosecurity from theory to action, offering tools that can protect animal health and support a more stable food supply.
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NewsA common disinfectant could affect how well your liver works
Common household cleaners and pharmaceutical products contain benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), a type of disinfectant. A new study shows that exposure to these compounds caused changes in gut microbiome composition in mice, as well as the genes that encode for liver enzymes that metabolize drugs.
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NewsCOVID racism driven by more than fear of infection
Anti-Asian discrimination and violence increased during COVID, and new research has revealed one key psychological driver. Rather than being driven by a fear of infection, aggressive forms of discrimination appeared to be more strongly associated with anger.
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NewsStudy reveals “bet-hedging” strategy that helps gut bacteria survive and recover
Researchers have discovered that many gut bacteria use a flexible survival strategy to withstand disruptions such as antibiotics and diet changes. Microbes can switch between functional states, rather than relying solely on genetic mutations, to try to survive shifting conditions.
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NewsOral spray neutralizes smelly dog breath with plant extracts
An oral spray derived from molasses, a by-product of sugar cane refining, reduced bad smells, odor-producing compounds and harmful bacteria from 10 dogs’ mouths.
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NewsMolecular net boosts the power of natural biopesticides
Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that helps a widely used biological pesticide become more effective. The study reveals how bacteria produce ultra-strong protein fibers that form a molecular net, trapping infectious spores and toxins into a sticky film that enhances their ability to kill insect pests.
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NewsClimate change and emerging diseases pose challenges for physicians
Climate change is affecting the local ecology in Canada, contributing to emerging tick- and mosquito-borne diseases and infections in humans, argue scientists.
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NewsNew molecules can offer breakthrough in fight against antibiotic resistance
Researchers have shown how TriPcides can target the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including antibiotic‑resistant strains such as MRSA. The compounds disrupt the bacteria’s ability to cause infection and can also kill dormant bacterial cells, which are often difficult to treat with existing antibiotics.
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NewsAs day turns to night, blue-green algae undergo a molecular rewiring
Traditionally, biotechnology researchers have modified genes when engineering microbes. But researchers are using predictive phenomics to uncover additional layers of biological control, tracking how environmental changes reshape molecular activity inside a cell and how those shifts translate to function.
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NewsCorn diseases cost farmers $13.8 billion from 2020 to 2023
Corn diseases cost farmers an estimated $13.8 billion USD from 2020 to 2023, according to a new multiyear analysis led by plant disease specialists from across the United States and Ontario, Canada.
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NewsSweeping up dust to detect emerging viruses
Gathering dust from buildings may hold promise as a more efficient way to track viral outbreaks in indoor settings, according to a new study. After collecting nearly 30 vacuumed dust samples from different buildings, researchers simultaneously identified the presence of 54 distinct viruses.
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NewsTiny ocean life helps scientists estimate whale prevalence off the California coast
Using an innovative alternative method, researchers examined microbial “ecological habitats” as highly accurate predictors of how many filter-feeding whales were occupying the California coast between 2014 and 2020 from San Diego to Morro Bay.
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NewsNewly discovered microbial world helps protect developing lobsters
As ocean temperatures rise and marine ecosystems change, scientists are working to understand how valuable species like the American lobster will respond. Scientists suggest one source of resilience may come from the microscopic bacterial communities living on lobster embryos.
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NewsClimate warming causes bleaching in key Arctic lichen, study finds
Long-term climate warming is causing a bleaching effect in a key Arctic lichen species, according to new research. Prolonged warming caused significant bleaching in the dominant lichen species Cetrariella delisei, reducing its ability to photosynthesise and grow.
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NewsHidden small RNA determines if cholera bacterium can infect humans
Scientists have uncovered what gives Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, the ability to colonize the human gut. They found that a small RNA embedded within another gene controls where cholera thrives, a discovery that could improve prediction and prevention strategies.
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NewsAntibiotic proves ineffective in treating wheezing in young children in the emergency room
A study has shown that giving the antibiotic azithromycin did not help preschool children seen in the hospital emergency room with bouts of severe wheezing. It provides more definitive answers to longstanding questions and inconclusive studies about the role of some types of bacteria in wheezing and asthma.
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NewsStudy reveals hidden diversity of algae in farmland
Researchers discovered unexpectedly strong seasonal variation in algae in the surface soils of farmland. Xanthophyceae were the most abundant when it was colder, at the time points in spring and autumn; whereas Cyanobacteria and green algae were prevalent shortly before crop harvest in summer.
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NewsProtein engineering and testing condensed to a single day
Engineered proteins must be created in the real world and tested for performance - a labor-intensive process that involves constructing the DNA instructions for each protein in yeast or bacteria and growing individual clones for protein production and testing. Researchers say they have condensed the time-intensive protein building and testing process to just 24 hours.
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NewsOne-fifth of pregnant women aren’t properly screened for syphilis
A new study found that 1 in 5 pregnant women in Ontario did not receive timely syphilis screening, which is critical for preventing syphilis infection in newborns. Sociodemographic and behavioural risk factors associated with being screened late may be related to an increased likelihood of inadequate prenatal care access.