All USA & Canada articles – Page 20
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NewsDog daycare leptospirosis outbreak in Los Angeles reveals broader public health risks
A 2021 outbreak of leptospirosis that sickened more than 200 dogs in Los Angeles County reveals critical gaps in vaccination practices and raises broader concerns about the spread of the disease between animals and people.
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NewsScientists determine how mysterious acids give bacteria their shape
Researchers have discovered how acids on the surface of bacteria give these microscopic organisms their characteristic “rod” shape—by keeping an enzyme at bay that would otherwise turn the cylindrical cells into shape-shifting blobs.
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NewsScientists identify nearly two dozen antiviral compounds that could treat Ebola virus
Recent advances in artificial intelligence have enabled scientists to identify nearly two dozen antiviral compounds that could potentially treat a rare species of Ebola virus (Bundibugyo virus) currently affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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NewsStudies point to new way to fight potentially deadly Valley Fever
To better understand why Valley Fever spreads in some individuals, researchers found that patients with severe illness had an abnormal immune response. In some cases, the immune system was overactive; in other cases it was underactive.
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NewsNew urine test for microbial metabolites offers simple way to screen for autism in children
Scientists have developed a new screening tool to test urine for 17 microbial metabolites in children ages 2 to 11 years. By measuring these compounds in urine, they discovered that they could distinguish children with autism from typically developing children in their study groups with high accuracy.
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NewsInternational award honors microbiology researchers for diatom research
Two microbiology researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are being honored with an international award that recognizes their insights into aquatic microbes that are vital to Earth’s ecosystems.
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NewsExperimental gene therapy shields brain from toxic protein damage
An experimental gene therapy could help protect the brain from the damage and cognitive decline linked to TDP-43-related proteinopathy, a type of neurodegeneration.
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NewsNP14 aptamer: A novel biosensing recognition element for mutation-resilient SARS-CoV-2 detection
New research investigated a novel DNA aptamer, NP14, and developed an innovative dual-mode biosensing platform to achieve highly sensitive, mutation-resilient viral detection.
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NewsAutomated EHR alert improved hepatitis B monitoring rates at a primary care clinic
In May 2024, an urban safety-net primary care clinic noted the appearance of a new “care gap” alert in their Epic electronic health record (EHR) system that flagged patients with hepatitis B who were overdue for one blood test, the hepatitis B DNA test.
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NewsYeast study uncovers how cells identify and silence unwanted jumping genes
Yeast cells sense abnormal RNA patterns produced by invading transposons and respond by activating pathways to silence them, a study shows. This process extends to any invasive DNA, provided it produces enough RNA disturbance for cells to detect.
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NewsRattlesnakes among most vulnerable to fungal disease and parasitic lung infection
Disease in snakes could pile up following a first infection, with some species in the US particularly affected by certain pathogens, a study of wild snakes shows.
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NewsNASCAR star’s death shows how sepsis can kill anyone if not caught
Kyle Busch won more races than any driver in NASCAR history. But his own race ended far too soon, cut short by sepsis at the age of 41 after a case of pneumonia.
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NewsNew immune system enhancer extends COVID-19 vaccine protection reducing need for repeated boosters
Researchers demonstrated that pairing the original COVID-19 mRNA vaccine with an adjuvant extended the duration of the vaccine’s protection in mice from a few months up to two years. The combo also showed a more pronounced response against omicron viral components than the vaccine alone.
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NewsResearchers investigate soil microbes from around the world for new antibacterial drugs
A team of researchers is looking to nature to find microbes that can be used to create new antibiotics to treat the growing threat of drug-resistant bacteria. They will screen soil microbes from around the world to hunt for sources of new antibacterial drugs.
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NewsNew study links gut bacteria to immunotherapy success in melanoma patients
Researchers have identified specific gut bacteria linked to better responses to cancer immunotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma. Patients who responded well to treatment were more likely to have a specific type of gut bacteria called Faecalibacterium.
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NewsStudy finds high prevalence of hantavirus in some areas of the Pacific Northwest
A recent study conducted in the Palouse region of Washington and Idaho found that nearly 30% of rodents showed evidence of past infection with the Sin Nombre virus. About 10% were actively infected, meaning they were carrying and could potentially shed the virus.
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NewsSurvey highlights persistent uncertainty on STI vaccines
A nationally representative survey of empaneled adults finds that while most Americans understand how STIs spread, there are significant gaps in public knowledge about which infections can be prevented through vaccination.
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NewsTrial tests virus-immunotherapy combination for neuroendocrine tumors
A phase I clinical trial is testing whether a tumor-targeting virus can help immunotherapy work more effectively against aggressive neuroendocrine tumors that often resist treatment. The ongoing study has completed its first three dose levels with no severe treatment-related side effects reported to date.
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NewsMicrobiome insights may help predict immunotherapy benefit in kidney cancer
City of Hope researchers report that gut microbiome composition may influence how patients respond to immunotherapy combinations in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, pointing to a potential biomarker that could help guide treatment selection in the future. The microbiome is a rising focus at City of Hope, highlighted ...
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NewsModern medicine makes gut microbial diversity plummet
Even minimal exposure to modern medicine can rapidly change the human microbiome. Researchers reveal that the gut microbes of remote Amazonian Indigenous communities began shifting toward patterns more commonly seen in urban, industrialized populations after only a few medical visits.