All UCLA articles
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NewsSped-up evolution may help bacteria take hold in gut microbiome
A genetic mechanism inserts mutations into key DNA hotspots that enable bacteria to adapt to new environments, a new study finds.
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NewsHeadspace invaders: How mosquito-borne viruses breach the brain’s defenses
Using a stem cell-based model of the human blood-brain barrier, researchers compared two closely related Sindbis virus strains — one brain-invading and one not — and found that small changes in viral surface proteins called glycoproteins dictate whether the virus can cross.
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NewsDesigner microbe shows promise for reducing mercury absorption from seafood
Scientists who inserted DNA-encoding methylmercury detoxification enzymes into the genome of an abundant human gut bacterium found it detoxified methylmercury in the gut of mice and dramatically reduced the amount that reached other tissues.
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NewsAtomic imaging and AI offer new insights into motion of parasite behind sleeping sickness
Researchers applied leading-edge atomic imaging and AI-driven modeling to create the most detailed 3D map yet of the flagellum on Trypanosoma brucei, which causes sleeping sickness.
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NewsCould we engineer stability in the microbiome? New research opens the door
New work could revolutionize our understanding of how the composition of the gut microbiome is determined and open the door to microbiome engineering.
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NewsResearchers receive 9.5 million grant to study relationship between polyphenol intake, Alzheimer’s and the brain-gut-microbiome system
UCLA Health researchers, in collaboration with researchers from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, have received a $9.5 million award to study the effects of polyphenols on cognitive health and the brain-gut microbiome system.
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NewsResilience shaped by activity in the gut microbiome and brain
Resilient people exhibit neural activity in the brain regions associated with improved cognition and regulating of emotions, and are more mindful and better at describing their feelings - but also exhibit gut microbiome activity linked to a healthy gut.
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NewsUndocumented Latinx patients got COVID-19 vaccine at same rate as US citizens
For undocumented Latinx patients who sought care in the emergency room during the pandemic, the reported rate of having received the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be the same as U.S. citizens, a new UCLA Health study has found. These findings surprised researchers, given that COVID-19 disproportionately affected the Latinx ...
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NewsNew vaccine against a highly fatal tropical disease – and potential bioterror weapon – demonstrates efficacy in animal studies
In a mouse study, researchers tested a vaccine against the bacterium that causes melioidosis and found it was highly protective against the disease, which is endemic in many tropical areas.
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NewsUptake of HIV prevention medication doubles with mix of digital health interventions
A combination of interventions of one-on-one telehealth coaching, peer support forums, and automated text messages more than doubled the use of the HIV prevention strategy, called PrEP, among younger, at-risk Americans.
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NewsViral protein fragments may unlock mystery behind serious COVID-19 outcomes
‘Zombie’ virus fragments continue to cause inflammation after the virus is destroyed, a new study finds.
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NewsInfants born to COVID-infected mums have triple risk of developing respiratory distress
Vaccinating mothers prior to infection significantly reduced the risk for full-term infants developing a breathing disorder that most often strikes premature newborns.
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NewsSemen microbiome health may impact male fertility
The semen microbiota might play a crucial role in influencing sperm parameters and enhancing male fertility, a new study suggests.
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NewsA mother mouse needs a diverse gut microbiome to form a healthy placenta
Pregnant mice with no gut microbiome or diminished microbiomes aren’t able to form the healthy placentas necessary for proper fetal development, but supplementing these mice with short-chain fatty acids promotes healthy placental development.
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NewsDiscrimination alters brain-gut ‘crosstalk’, prompting poor food choices
Researchers found altered responses in certain brain regions, and changes in the gut associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and obesity.
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NewsMolecular biologists identify framework for understanding RNA editing in a disease-causing parasite
Researchers have determined the architecture of the molecular machines that harbour gRNA strands and allow those strands to engage mRNA in the single-celled, disease-causing parasite Trypanosoma brucei.