All USA & Canada articles – Page 2
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News‘Bugs delivering drugs’ – new approach to colorectal cancer treatment using common food-borne bacteria
Researchers have published a novel approach to fight colorectal cancer, using modified bacteria as a courier to deliver potent cancer-killing proteins into tumor cells.
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NewsHitchhiking bacteria can alter marine snow's role as a carbon sink
Researchers have found that when bacteria hitch a ride on marine snow particles, the microbes can eat away at calcium carbonate, which is an essential ballast that helps particles sink.
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NewsMicrobe exposure may not protect against developing allergic disease
The “hygiene hypothesis” suggests exposure to diverse types of microbes may protect against developing diseases caused by allergens, but a new study in mice reveals that adults’ exposure to diverse microbes and allergens may in fact worsen certain allergic conditions.
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NewsNew studies reveal how Clostridioides difficile behaves inside the body
Researchers studying C. diff at multiple levels, from how individual bacterial cells behave inside the gut to the molecular switches that help them survive and spread, are revealing hidden vulnerabilities.
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NewsSoybeans recruit beneficial soil microbes to defend against major pest
Researchers report that resistant soybean varieties actively recruit beneficial soil microorganisms that help suppress soybean cyst nematode. Even more striking, those protective microbes can be transferred to soil to help defend susceptible soybean plants.
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NewsHerpes virus fluidizes cell nuclei to multiply faster
A new study finds that herpes simplex virus uses a protein called infected cell protein 4 (ICP4) to make the human nucleus more fluid-like, which in turn makes it easier for the virus to replicate itself. Blocking the ability of ICP4 to fluidize the nuclear compartment caused a drop in viral copy production.
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NewsScientists successfully harvest chickpeas from ‘moon dirt’
Scientists have successfully grown and harvested chickpeas using simulated “moon dirt,” the first instance of this crop produced in this medium. They added vermicompost and coated the chickpeas with the fungi arbuscular mycorrhizae before planting.
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NewsOne Health antimicrobial resistance modelling: from science to policy
Researchers have identified fundamental gaps in current mathematical modelling approaches that prevent translation of science into policy, including data limitations, knowledge gaps about AMU-AMR relationships, and the absence of international coordination mechanisms similar to climate change efforts.
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NewsNew compound stops common complications after intestinal surgery
Researchers have synthesized and tested a new compound in mice that shows promise in protecting the liver from damage and improving nutrient absorption after small bowel resection. They also found that the drug works only on the gastrointestinal tract.
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NewsScientists engineer ‘living eye drop’ to support corneal healing
A proof-of-concept study demonstrates that the harmless eye-dwelling microbe Corynebacterium mastitidis can be genetically modified to secrete an anti-inflammatory therapeutic that promotes healing following corneal injury in a mouse model.
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NewsStudy reveals how gut bacteria and diet can reprogram fat to burn more energy
A new study shows that a low‑protein diet activates a precise set of gut microbes that send chemical signals throughout the body, prompting fat tissue to burn energy instead of storing it. The findings uncover a previously unknown biological pathway linking diet, the gut microbiome and metabolic health.
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NewsNitrous oxide, a product of fertilizer use, may harm some soil bacteria
While some nitrous oxide is produced naturally at the plant root, agricultural practices can increase its levels. While it has long been believed that nitrous oxide doesn’t meaningfully interact with living organisms, a new paper shows that it may in fact shape microbial communities.
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NewsStudy warns of underrecognized Lassa Fever threat with global implications
A new study shows an urgent need for improved detection and treatment of Lassa fever. The study in Liberia found a high prevalence of Lassa fever among febrile admissions: 11% of patients with fever had Lassa fever despite not being suspected clinically.
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News Thermo Fisher Scientific launches new color-based culture media to help detect Candida infections faster
Thermo Fisher Scientific today announced the launch of Thermo Scientific™ Brilliance™ Candida 2 Agar and Spectra™ Candida Agar, new color-based (chromogenic) culture media to help laboratories quickly detect and differentiate clinically important Candida species.
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NewsBacteria found in mouth and gut may help protect against severe peanut allergic reactions
One of the big mysteries in food allergy is why two people with similar levels of peanut specific antibodies can react so differently. A new study shows for the first time how gut bacteria break down parts of an allergenic food and influence how a person reacts to peanuts.
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NewsGrowing buildings in space: researchers test fungi as construction material for moon, Mars
A NASA-funded project will investigate whether certain fungi can be combined with regolith — loose rock and soil found on the surface of the moon and other planets — to create materials that could one day support construction in places other than Earth.
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NewsStudy finds natural fungal supplement improves COVID-19 vaccine response
Researchers have found that a natural fungal supplement taken at the time of COVID-19 vaccination reduced short-term vaccine side effects and helped antibodies last longer in people who had not previously been exposed to the virus.
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NewsProlonged drought linked to instability in key nitrogen-cycling microbes in Connecticut salt marsh
A prolonged drought in southeastern Connecticut reduced the stability of microorganisms responsible for a critical step in the nitrogen cycle in a coastal salt marsh, according to new research.
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NewsNew tool reveals the secrets of HIV-infected cells
Scientists have developed a novel tool—named HIV-seq—for profiling the features of rare HIV-infected cells from people with HIV. Using the new tool, they’ve found key differences in people’s HIV-infected cells before versus after starting antiretroviral therapy.
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NewsResearchers find a gentler way to treat aggressive gum disease
Researchers have discovered that the primary bacterium driving gum disease carries an internal “genetic brake” that controls its own aggression. By locking this brake in place, future treatments could silence the pathogen while leaving beneficial bacteria untouched.