All University of Minnesota articles
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NewsScientists reveal how deadly Marburg virus enters human cells, identify therapeutic vulnerability
Researchers found that the Marburg virus, one of the world’s deadliest pathogens, is unusually efficient at getting inside human cells. They also showed that the virus’s entry protein contains structural features that explain this efficiency and point to a strategy for blocking infection.
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NewsNew study demonstrates universal newborn cCMV screening leads to earlier detection and increased identification of mild hearing loss
A new retrospective cohort study examining the impact of Minnesota’s first-in-the-nation mandated universal newborn screening for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) shows that universal screening significantly decreased the age at first audiology visit and increased identification of mild hearing loss in infants.
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NewsStrategic changes in water treatment could prevent disease outbreaks
A breakthrough new study shows how strategic changes in water treatment effectively treated a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease. For the first time, the study provides evidence of an outbreak being stopped by introducing disinfection to previously untreated groundwater.
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NewsSepsis study IDs simple ways to save lives in Africa
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major unrecognized cause of deadly sepsis among people with HIV in Africa, a new study reveals. It found that more than half of the hundreds of patients enrolled in the study had TB and that immediate treatment increased their chances of survival significantly.
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NewsMetformin shown to prevent Long COVID across risk groups in multiple randomized trials
Multiple randomized clinical trials and electronic health record studies now show that metformin, a widely used and well-established medication, significantly reduces the risk of developing Long COVID when taken during or shortly after acute infection with SARS-CoV-2.
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NewsMicrobes in breast milk help populate infant gut microbiomes
A new study provides one of the most detailed portraits yet of how different combinations of bacteria in human milk contribute to the assembly of infants’ gut microbiomes.
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NewsFrom prey to predator: How carnivores spread beneficial fungi
New research reveals that carnivores play an important role in ecosystem function by providing a largely overlooked mechanism for long-distance dispersal of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi.
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NewsStudy reveals promising gut-targeted therapy for C. difficile infections
Researchers have uncovered how the body’s bile acids bind to block C. diff’s most dangerous toxin. The research has informed the development of a new compound that can protect against C. diff in preclinical models, offering hope for safer, more effective treatments.
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NewsFoxtail barley serves as a host for fungal pathogens attacking barley
Researchers report that foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum), a wild relative of the cultivated crop, can harbor several fungal pathogens and may play a role in the disease epidemiology of barley, potentially serving as reservoirs of inoculum to initiate some diseases.
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NewsResearchers partner on $28M initiative to build a precision phage platform for promoting public health
Researchers have embarked on a five-year initiative that aims to harness the natural predators of bacteria – known as phages – as precision tools to shape the human microbiome and promote health.
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NewsNew study finds dried blood spot test reliably detects congenital CMV at birth
New research confirms that testing for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) at birth using the routinely collected dried blood spot (DBS) is a reliable and effective method to identify newborns at risk for long-term developmental challenges.
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NewsResearchers uncover how COVID-19 may linger in cancer patients and affect treatment outcomes
New research is providing important insights into how COVID-19 persists in cancer patients even long after testing positive. Researchers studied three cancer patients who had undergone transplant therapies and were hospitalized with severe COVID-19 infections.
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NewsStructure of tick-borne virus revealed at atomic resolution for the first time
One emerging tick-borne virus in North America is the Powassan virus (POWV), which can cause encephalitis, seizures, paralysis and coma. Rates of POWV infections have increased in recent years and currently, there are no treatments available.
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NewsVirus transmission between bee species does not lead to new variants
A new study has found transmission of viruses between different bee species did not lead to the formation of new virus variants, a rare bit of good news for bee pollinators, which have been in decline for over 25 years.
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NewsScientists introduce new engineered drug candidate for Mycobacterium abscessus to save lives
Scientists have introduced a promising drug candidate engineered to target a deadly and emerging infection. They took a hyper-detailed look into the problem of Mycobacterium abscessus, and chemically re-engineered a widely-used rifamycin antibiotic.
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NewsNew study reveals how Sudan virus binds to human cells
The interaction between human NPC1 receptor and Sudan virus, closely related to Ebola virus, has been structurally characterised, and gives insight to the pathogenesis of other related filoviruses.
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NewsNew paper creates roadmap for the next generation of bioelectronic medicine
A new paper offers a roadmap to the future of bioelectronic medicine — which makes use of electrical signals instead of drugs to diagnose and treat disease.
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NewsScientists advance nanobody technology to combat deadly Ebola virus
Researchers have developed the first nanobody-based inhibitors targeting the Ebola virus. Their small size allows them to access areas of the virus and human tissues that larger antibodies cannot.
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NewsStudy assesses virulence of Cryptococcus strains, laying groundwork for improved treatment
A research group has just completed a six-year study to examine the virulence of 38 clinical isolates from various strains of Cryptococcus, taking us a step closer towards improved treatment of the fungal pathogen.
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NewsResearchers to deploy fungus to combat devilishly invasive tree-of-heaven
Researchers are examining if a natural fungus that kills the highly invasive tree-of-heaven could be spread to other trees-of-heaven by the spotted lanternfly, in turn reducing populations of this pest insect as well.