All Research News articles – Page 40
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NewsStudy: Microbes show almost universal potential for biodegrading plastics
Researchers have identified more than 600,000 microbial proteins capable of breaking down natural and synthetic plastics, revealing a far broader biodegradation potential across microbes than previously known.
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NewsSelf-propulsion or slow diffusion: How bacteria, cells, and colloids respond to stimuli
One enables them to quickly leave an environment; the other helps them move toward where they are needed. In microorganisms, as well as in artificial structures, these are the movements triggered in response to incoming and outgoing signals.
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NewsFirst continent-wide map of dominant avian influenza strain explains its spread
Scientists provided the most complete view of bird flu’s spread through wild bird populations across North America, explaining how the dominant strain advanced, maintaining the risk of human infections.
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NewsStudy reveals genome-wide host–virus genetic interactions in cancer risk
Researchers report a major advance in understanding how interactions between human and viral genomes shape disease risk. They found that variations in the Epstein–Barr virus, together with a specific immune-related gene (HLA-A*11:01), strongly influence the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer.
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NewsMBL scientist Alexandra Z. Worden honored with a Guggenheim Fellowship
Alexandra Z. Worden, Senior Scientist in the Bay Paul Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory and a Professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship this week, in recognition of her groundbreaking research in ocean biogeochemistry.
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NewsGut microbiome serves as key driver for bacterial infection outcomes for fatty liver disease
Researchers found that metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease dramatically worsens outcomes following infection with Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially life-threatening foodborne bacterium commonly associated with seafood consumption.
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NewsExtend vaccination opportunities and involve community members in communicating about vaccines to boost uptake, say researchers
Extending vaccination opportunities, involving community members alongside healthcare professionals in communicating about vaccines, and providing financial incentives are among the most effective ways to increase vaccine uptake.
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NewsAfrican swine fever is quietly spreading across Nepal’s pig sector
A new study provides the first comprehensive analysis of African swine fever outbreaks in Nepal, revealing a disease that has quietly dismantled livelihoods, disrupted food security, and exposed deep gaps in the country’s animal health system — with no vaccine in sight.
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NewsHow soil microbes adapt to life in lakes
Researchers have analyzed the genome of bacteria living in Lake Zurich to conclude that microbes employ two different strategies to colonize new habitats. Some acquire new traits – but others reduce the size of their genome and lose some functions in order to successfully move to a new home.
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News‘Safe’ fertilizer linked to extreme water quality loss in Canadian Prairies
Research has found that widespread application of the common farm fertilizer, urea, severely degrades water quality in the Canadian Prairies. Urea added to farm ponds increased growth of algae to levels 10 times higher than seen in other damaged ecosystems, such as Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba.
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NewsIn developing immunity to allergens, a little ‘dirty’ goes a long way
Exposure to diverse microbes and proteins early in life creates broad immune memory and a specific antibody that helps block allergic reactions later in life. Rather than overreacting to harmless allergens, an experienced immune system responds in a balanced way.
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NewsGene sheds light on how parasites exit host cells
Researchers have elucidated the parasite exit process - known as egress - after identifying an essential gene, MIC11. To clearly explain egress, the behaviors of Toxoplasma gondii were assessed.
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NewsA closer look at immune ‘memory’ - and how long it lasts
A new review shares recent advances from the field of immune memory and highlights key steps we might take to develop even more effective, longer-lasting immunity against deadly diseases.
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NewsA built-in ‘hairpin’ prevents rogue CRISPR RNAs
A new study reveals that many CRISPR-Cas13 systems utilize an RNA to prevent the formation of extraneous CRISPR RNA. With the first repeat, this protective RNA forms a stable structure resembling a hairpin. It points to a remarkable case of convergent evolution.
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NewsFunctional traits, not phylogeny, drive gut microbial assembly in estuarine fish
By examining the gut microbiota of 61 sympatric fish species within the ecologically diverse Pearl River Estuary, researchers utilized this “natural laboratory” to disentangle complex biological drivers without the interference of geographical variation.
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NewsGlobal strategy to combat drug‑resistant fungi is about to change
An increasing number of fungi are becoming resistant to medication, posing serious risks for patients with weakened immune systems. That is why fifty researchers from around the world are calling for action against drug‑resistant fungi.
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NewsAI spots hidden behavior patterns in self-organizing bacteria
A custom-built artificial intelligence system has helped to uncover how bacterial communities organize themselves, showing that the earliest moments of a biological transition carry far more information than previously considered.
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NewsCat viruses offer window into human oncogenesis
Cats are not just beloved companions; they are emerging as key “research partners” in unravelling viral cancer mechanisms. A new review explores how feline tumour viruses offer vital insights into human oncology and viral carcinogenesis from a comparative oncology perspective.
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NewsIntegration of two genes: A valuable strategy for developing virus-resistant tomatoes
Researchers have demonstrated that integration of Ty-1/Ty-3 and Ty-6 resistance genes in tomato plants can confer highly robust resistance to begomoviruses.
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NewsUltrasensitive test reveals evidence of previously undetected tuberculosis in Boston Hospital patients
Researchers have discovered an unexpectedly high prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA (TB DNA) in patients hospitalized in Boston, suggesting that tuberculosis disease may be significantly underdiagnosed in the United States.