All USA & Canada articles
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NewsNew antimalarial drug candidate shows potential for fighting resistance and reducing malaria transmission
Researchers have developed a new antimalarial drug candidate designed to address the growing challenge of drug resistance and potentially reduce malaria transmission.
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NewsThe gut bacteria that put the brakes on weight gain in mice
Research has identified a specific type of gut bacteria, called Turicibacter, that improves metabolic health and reduces weight gain in mice on a high-fat diet. People with obesity tend to have less Turicibacter, suggesting that the microbe may promote healthy weight in humans as well.
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NewsStrengthening asphalt roads with a unique green ingredient: Algae
Researchers propose a figurative and literal green solution to improve the durability of roads and sidewalks: an algae-derived asphalt binder. For temperatures below freezing, results indicated that the algae binder reduced asphalt cracks when compared to a conventional, petroleum-based binder.
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NewsFor certain life-essential proteins in E. coli, repair is more likely
A new study shows that E. coli proteins containing a specific structure are more likely to misfold and, if they are required the bacteria’s survival, more likely to be repaired.
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NewsStudy reveals high stakes of early immune development—and a potential probiotic fix
Scientists find that certain gut bacteria are essential for building immune defenses during infancy, pointing to new strategies for protecting children’s health. They have identified a way to preserve healthy immune development even when infants need antibiotic treatment.
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NewsCancer-fighting bacterial product ‘cocktails’ may offer personalized treatment
Bacteria may be the next frontier in cancer treatment, according to researchers who devised a new approach of creating bacteria-derived mixtures — or cocktails — to help fight bladder cancer. They found that the cocktails significantly boost the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.
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NewsStudy showcases resilience and rapid growth of ‘living rocks’
South Africa is home to some of the oldest evidence of life on Earth, contained in rocky, often layered outcroppings called microbialites. Like coral reefs, these complex “living rocks” are built up by microbes absorbing and precipitating dissolved minerals into solid formations. Source: Rachel Sipler, Bigelow Laboratory for ...
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NewsSoil bacteria and fungi emerge as a top predictor of childhood allergic disease
The unique blend of fungi and bacteria in a region’s soil may be the strongest factor explaining its rates of childhood allergic disease, with certain assemblages of soil critters appearing linked with better health outcomes, according to new research.
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NewsNew one-two punch could knock out drug-resistant TB
Researchers found that pairing the antibiotic rifampicin with a second compound turned multidrug resistance into a weakness—providing proof of concept for using basic science to design life-saving dual-drug strategies.
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NewsA new way to diagnose deadly lung infections and save lives
Researchers have found a way to identify lung infections in critically ill patients by pairing a generative AI analysis of medical records with a biomarker of lower respiratory infections.
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NewsStudy uncovers new drug target for huge class of viruses
A study reveals how enteroviruses—including pathogens that cause polio, encephalitis, myocarditis, and the common cold—initiate replication by hijacking host-cell machinery.
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NewsResearchers see dramatic drop in HIV-infected immune cells in patient after cancer treatment received
Researchers report they may have taken an early step toward a more practical HIV cure. They focused on a patient undergoing cancer treatment and also living with HIV, who after receiving chemotherapy, had a significant reduction in the number of CD4+ T immune cells that contained an HIV provirus.
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NewsCOVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces risk to pregnant women and baby
Pregnant women who received a COVID-19 vaccine were far less likely to experience severe illness or deliver their babies prematurely, according to a major new study.
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NewsStrategic advancement of second-generation fungal vaccine VXV-01 through Phase 1 trials
The Lundquist Institute (TLI) and its start-up company Vitalex Biosciences (Vitalex) have announced that the second-generation fungal vaccine candidate known as VXV‑01 is poised to move forward in development up to and including Phase 1 clinical evaluation.
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NewsModulating key interaction prevents virus from entering cells
Researchers have found a way to modulate a common virus protein to prevent viruses from entering cells where it can cause illness. They were able to find and block an important interaction at the molecular level that allows the herpes virus to enter cells.
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NewsSmarter tools for peering into the microscopic world
In a pair of new studies, researchers introduce powerful tools that make it easier, more accurate and more scalable to figure out how microbes are related. One tool improves how scientists build microbial family trees. The other provides a software foundation used worldwide to analyze biological data.
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NewsNovel kirkovirus may be associated with colitis in horses
In a pilot study, researchers have found a novel kirkovirus that may be associated with colitis – and potentially small colon impactions – in horses. The study could offer a route to new therapies for horses with colitis symptoms from unknown causes.
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NewsFecal tests reveal active termite attacks
Termite pellets can linger long after the insects that dropped them have disappeared. By testing for microbes in the excrement, researchers can distinguish old droppings from fresh, and whether a colony is actively chewing its way through a home.
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NewsCould hidden infections be fueling long COVID?
For millions suffering from long COVID, their persistent breathlessness, brain fog and fatigue remain a maddening mystery, but microbiologists think they may have cracked the case. The review argues that co-infections acquired before or during COVID could cause symptoms to persist indefinitely for many people.
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NewsUnique bond identified as key to viral infection speed
Viruses are typically described as tiny, perfectly geometric shells that pack genetic material with mathematical precision, but new research reveals a deliberate imbalance in their shape that helps them infect their hosts.