All University of Zurich articles
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NewsMember Q&A: Harta Wedari on how AMI has opened up new opportunities and communities
Dr Ni Luh Putu Harta Wedari, a medical doctor and Clinical Microbiology Specialist from Bali, Indonesia reveals how engaging with AMI has expanded her international network and unveiled new opportunities.
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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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NewsHPV vaccination uptake in adults shaped by knowledge and medical advice
A nationwide survey of HPV uptake in Switzerland found just over 27% of the approximately 3,850 adults aged 18 to 45 surveyed had received at least one dose of the vaccine. While nearly 59% of those aged 18 to 26 are vaccinated, the rate drops to around 16% among those aged 27 to 45.
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NewsPesticides significantly affect soil life and biodiversity
Seventy per cent of soils in Europe are contaminated with pesticides. A Europe-wide study shows that their effects on soil life are substantial, as pesticides suppress various beneficial soil organisms. To protect soil biodiversity, the findings should be taken into account in current pesticide regulations.
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NewsGenetic risk factor and viral infection jointly contribute to MS
One of the leading triggers for multiple sclerosis (MS) is an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. However, certain gene variants also play an important role. Researchers have shown that it is the molecular interaction between environmental and genetic risk factors that ultimately triggers the disease.
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NewsHow wheat protects itself from fungi
Researchers have conducted in-depth studies to establish how the powdery mildew fungus is able to infect wheat despite the presence of resistance genes. The researchers discovered a previously unknown interplay between resistance factors in wheat and disease factors in powdery mildew.
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NewsImmune system keeps mucosal fungi in check
Researchers investigating the mechanisms that keep the fungus under control on our mucosa shed light on how homeostasis is maintained through the fine-tuned interplay between Candida albicans and the epithelial barrier on the one hand, and the immune system on the other hand.
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NewsMicroplastics disrupt gut microbiome and fermentation in farm animals
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles pervasive in agricultural environments, interact with and disrupt the microbial ecosystem in the rumen – the first stomach chamber of cattle, reveals an international study.
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NewsFungal toxin offers colonization support - in small doses
The yeast fungus Candida albicans not only uses the toxin candidalysin to cause infections, but also to colonize the oral mucosa inconspicuously – but only in finely balanced amounts. Too little toxin prevents oral colonization, too much triggers the immune system.
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NewsSwiss genome of the 1918 influenza virus reconstructed
Researchers have decoded the genome of the virus responsible for the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic in Switzerland, revealing that it had already developed key adaptations to humans at the outset of the deadliest influenza pandemic in history.
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NewsFungal resistance in wheat: preserving biodiversity for food security
Researchers have found traditional wheat varieties from Asia that harbor several genes that confer resistance against yellow rust. They may serve as a durable source of yellow rust resistance in commercial varieties in the future.
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NewsIntestinal bacteria influence aging of blood vessels
Researchers have shown for the first time that intestinal bacteria and their metabolites can accelerate the ageing of blood vessels and trigger cardiovascular disease.
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NewsDual associations with two fungi improve tree fitness
Many tree species have formed a concurrent symbiosis with two different groups of mycorrhizal fungi. Those trees cope better with water and nutrient scarcity, which is an important trait for forestry in the face of climate warming.
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NewsPromising new class of antimalarial drugs discovered
A new study identifies an inhibitor of gene regulation that specifically kills the malaria pathogen. The chromatin remodeler PfSnf2L is a key regulator of genes that play an important role in various stages of the pathogen’s development.
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NewsNew method ‘fishes’ for bacterial STI DNA, revealing how Chlamydia spreads and adapts
Scientists have developed a cutting-edge “target enrichment” technology for bacterial STIs. Using specially designed molecular probes, they “fished” for bacterial STI DNA from clinical samples, enabling high-resolution genome analysis.
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NewsGlobal trust in science remains strong after pandemic
A post-pandemic global survey reveals that the general public remains to perceive scientists as trustworthy. They are also encouraged to actively engage in public communication and address the areas researches should prioritize in.
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NewsGlobal antibiotic consumption has increased by more than 21 percent since 2016
An analysis of antibiotic sales data from 67 countries from 2016-2023 shows a decrease in consumption in high-income countries countered by an increase in middle-income countries.
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NewsResearchers use AI to help detect antibiotic resistance
Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to help identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The team is the first to investigate how GPT-4, a powerful AI model developed by OpenAI, can be used to analyze antibiotic resistance.
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NewsNovel app tracks travel-related illnesses
Travelers fall ill surprisingly often during their travels, with health issues occurring on more than one-third of trips, reveals data collected by a novel travel app developed by researchers in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO).
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NewsInfluenza viruses can use two ways to infect cells, study finds
Scientists have discovered that certain human flu viruses and avian flu viruses can use a second entry pathway, a protein complex of the immune system, to infect cells, helping the viruses to infect different species.