All USA & Canada articles – Page 3
-
NewsLoss of kelp forests reverberates down to microbial level
As one moves north, Maine’s kelp forests are being overtaken by dense mats of carpet-like turf algae. The steady decline of kelp, and transition into this new state, is altering the ecosystem all the way down to the microbial level, according to a new study.
-
NewsAntarctica is home to microbes found nowhere else on Earth
Researchers have found evidence that specific microbes in Antarctica’s soils are endemic — located on the continent and nowhere else on Earth.
-
NewsHeat-tolerant corals may be more vulnerable to disease, study finds
Corals that partner with heat-tolerant algae may be better equipped to survive warming oceans but that resilience comes with an unexpected trade-off. Such corals keep their stress response system in a heightened state - and that can backfire.
-
NewsPrimed and ready to fight: a nematode pheromone arms plants to battle pathogens
New research has found that a previously unrecognized natural compound can provide lasting protection against a broad range of plant pathogens.
-
NewsSurvival of the driest: Directed evolution boosts bacterial tolerance to industrial spray-drying by 1000-fold
Spray-drying is the preferred method for producing dry microbial inoculants for agriculture, offering low cost and easy transport. But many beneficial Gram-negative bacteria struggle to survive the rapid dehydration and heat involved.
-
NewsA bacterial protein fragment drives tissue fibrosis, but antibody treatment can help
A bacterial protein fragment called corisin drives the process of pulmonary fibrosis by infiltrating and disrupting the cell’s quality-control system, researchers found in a new study. Meanwhile, blocking corisin with an antibody impeded the damage.
-
NewsRECOVER-VITAL clinical trial finds no benefit of extended duration of PAXLOVID for Long COVID
Results from a clinical trial show that the antiviral drug, PAXLOVID, commonly prescribed to treat acute COVID-19, does not have an impact on Long COVID symptoms when compared to placebo.
-
NewsReview explores the presence, fate, and effects of pharmaceutical compounds in soil and air
Pharmaceutical contamination in soil and air has become a critical environmental concern due to its widespread sources, complex behavior, and long-lasting ecological impacts.
-
NewsMicrobiome signaling system could open new paths for treating IBS-related constipation
New research expands scientists’ understanding of how the gut microbiome communicates with the body, and how our gut bacteria work together to control intestinal movement.
-
NewsResearcher awarded two NIH grants to advance research on antibiotic-resistant infections
The research is focused on developing new strategies to combat two infectious diseases: catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and invasive Group A Streptococcus skin infections, both of which are increasingly difficult to treat because of antimicrobial resistance.
-
NewsResearchers clear major obstacle in genetic engineering of proteins
An unexpected discovery about tRNAs leads to tool that can drive faster, safer production of new medicines.
-
NewsT cells are a powerful force against Zika virus
Scientists tested two Zika vaccines in a study that brings them one step closer to a “pan-orthoflavivirus vaccine”, which could teach T cells to fight several viruses at once.
-
NewsImmune responses to urinary tract infection linked to birth outcomes
A new study shows that the increased risk of preterm pregnancies associated with urinary tract infection, is linked to the body’s immune response to the infection rather than to the bacteria themselves.
-
NewsFor Legionella bacteria, taking over a cell means playing by its rules
New research demonstrates how a protein produced by Legionella mimics the behavior of the host cell’s own proteins.
-
NewsTuberculosis transmission may hold the key to prevention
Scientists have discovered the specific mechanisms that enable the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis to not only survive drying but also to generate mutations linked to antibiotic resistance.
-
NewsNew approach cuts sepsis diagnosis from days to hours
A research team has developed a way to condense the days-long sepsis diagnosis timeline to just hours, a method which could help clinical decision-making that avoids worsening antibiotic resistance in the bacterial strains causing infections.
-
NewsSharpening an essential tool for biotechnology
Scientists develop a database of validated guide RNAs to improve engineering of microbes for manufacturing applications.
-
NewsResearchers use malaria strategy to target Chagas disease
Researchers have identified a new strategy to prevent the spread of Chagas disease, one which is already used in anti-malarial drugs.
-
NewsTiny ocean plankton holds clues to the future of Maine lobster
Researchers have discovered that planktonic baby lobsters, or larvae, preferentially feed on Calanus finmarchicus, a tiny, calorie-rich zooplankton species, during one of the most vulnerable stages of their lives.
-
NewsAnti-immigrant ‘public charge’ policy may have contributed to rise in HIV among Hispanic populations
Following the Trump administration’s 2018 announcement of changes to the public charge rule, antisanctuary counties in the US saw a 16.8% increase in HIV cases among Hispanic populations.