All Research News articles – Page 8
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NewsScientists find that silencing bacteria can worsen heart infections
By studying a bacterium responsible for a severe heart infection, the scientists show that disrupting bacterial communication can be associated with adverse clinical outcomes. These findings open the door to more targeted therapeutic strategies against this type of infection.
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NewsResearch teams will develop automated compost monitoring system
Composting turns organic waste into nutrient-rich material, but improper temperature and moisture control can allow pathogens to survive and increase safety risks. Researchers have received a $362,000 grant to develop an automated sensor network to improve monitoring of compost piles.
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NewsScientists unlock magnetic secrets of bacteria with built-in compass
Some bacteria are miniature masters of navigation: A built-in “compass” made of magnetic nanoparticles helps them to reliably find the optimal habitat. Researchers have now unlocked the magnetic properties of individual bacteria — an important step toward harnessing the potential for technology.
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NewsHealthier, tastier kelp: food scientists boost nutrition and flavour of kombu
A team of food scientists has found a way to unlock the trapped nutrients in the edible seaweed, kombu, and replace the strong odours with more appealing scents, directly overcoming the two major challenges – limited nutrient bioaccessibility and poor sensory experience.
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NewsMicroplastics in soil may reshape microbial genes and threaten ecosystem stability
A new review highlights how microscopic plastic particles accumulating in soils can alter microbial genes that control essential ecosystem functions, potentially affecting food production, climate processes, and environmental health.
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NewsYou don’t need to be very altruistic to stop an epidemic
Researchers have used a mathematical model of epidemic behaviour to find that even people who are only barely altruistic - valuing their own life as equivalent to the lives of around 100,000 others – would still see it as rational to drastically reduce their social contacts when infected.
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NewsMethane’s missing emissions: The underestimated impact of small sources
Although efforts are being made to reduce the contribution of big polluters to methane in Japan, new research suggests that smaller sources are vastly underestimated in the Osaka metropolitan area. The team found unaccounted emissions from numerous small sources, including restaurants, commercial facilities, and private residences.
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NewsThe hidden infections that refuse to go away: how household practices can stop deadly diseases
A 13-year study reveals why a deadly parasitic infection targeted for elimination in China persisted in some areas even after decades of control. The research investigated some of the last pockets of schistosomiasis in the country, finding that farming practices and unsafe sanitation contributed to disease spread.
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NewsFirst evidence of fungal pathogen becoming more deadly when co-infected with tuberculosis
Co-infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, together with Cryptococcus neoformans, is a grave public health concern, increasing the risk of death significantly. Researchers have found that in the presence of Mycobacteria, the fungus changed its cell density, cell diversity, and capsule size.
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NewsPeatland lakes in the Congo Basin release carbon that is thousands of years old
Researchers have discovered that large blackwater lakes in the extensive peatlands of the central Congo Basin are releasing ancient carbon. How the carbon is mobilised from the peat to the lake, where it is finally released to the atmosphere, is still unknown.
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NewsNovel camel antimicrobial peptides show promise against drug-resistant bacteria
Researchers have identified three novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from dromedary camels that effectively target multidrug-resistant bacteria, offering potential alternatives to conventional drugs.
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NewsScrub typhus a threat in the home, study in South India finds
Most human scrub typhus infections could occur inside villages rather than during agricultural work, suggests new research conducted with the help of communities living in Tamil Nadu.
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NewsElevated E. coli, staph still detected in Potomac river 4 weeks after sewage spill
Nearly a month after a wastewater pipe broke and spewed hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River just north of Washington, D.C., the latest water testing results continue to show high levels of E. coli and S. aureus, including antibiotic-resistant MRSA.
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NewsScientists home in on Acinetobacter baumannii’s resistance evolution
Scientists have found a way to understand how Acinetobacter baumannii is evolving - and how best to strategize a fight against it. They have produced a huge whole-genome look at the rise of this resistance, pointing the way to new strategies in staying ahead of the pathogen.
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NewsHoly Grail: One vaccine may provide broad protection against many respiratory infections and allergens
In a new study in mice, researchers have developed a universal vaccine formula that protects against a wide range of respiratory viruses, bacteria and even allergens.
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NewsPersonalized predictions of probiotic and prebiotic therapy success by computer models
A new study demonstrated that computer models of gut metabolism can predict which probiotics will successfully establish themselves in a person’s gut and how different prebiotics affect production of health-promoting short-chain fatty acids.
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NewsNew findings on infection with the Epstein-Barr virus
Researchers have identified genetic and non-genetic factors that help the body fight the Epstein-Barr virus. Using a new technique, they were able to estimate the amount of EBV in the blood and find correlations in large health data sets – for example, an increased viral load in people with HIV infections, but also in smokers.
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NewsNew insights into how bacteria control DNA synthesis open the door to next generation antimicrobials
A new study combines structural biology, biophysical characterisation and functional assays to delineate how the bacterial transcriptional regulator NrdR’s quaternary structure responds to different nucleotide states and how these changes affect its regulatory activity.
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NewsMissed opportunity: Study shows low vaccination rates among expectant mothers in Norway against COVID-19 and influenza
A study of over 50,000 pregnant women in Norway during the 2023/24 influenza season found that only 29.9% were vaccinated against influenza and 12.1% against COVID-19 during pregnancy, remaining far below recommended targets.
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NewsNewly discovered virus linked to colorectal cancer
Researchers have discovered a previously undescribed virus in a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis. The virus appears more frequently in patients with colorectal cancer.