All USA & Canada articles – Page 48
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NewsOpen water swimmer contracts Legionnaires’ disease from lake dip
Swimming in some lakes with still water can lead to infection with Legionella, bacteria that can cause pneumonia, and people who engage in open water swimming should be aware of this risk, a new paper warns.
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NewsResearch team identifies carbonate-dissolving microorganisms
Researchers have identified new microscopic players in the global carbon cycle, a discovery that paints a clearer picture of carbon flow through the environment and provides key information for the sustainable development of bioenergy sources.
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NewsStalled microbiomes: cystic fibrosis disrupts early gut development in infants
A new study highlights key differences in the gut microbiome (communities of bacteria) of infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) compared to that of healthy infants, and how these alterations may adversely affect their health.
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NewsEvolutionary tradeoffs: Research explores the role of iron levels in COVID-19 infections
Iron has been found to be essential to both human physiology and pathogen replication. The richer the iron availability, the more likely to be susceptible to infections, such as COVID-19. A balance of iron levels is thus critical for homeostasis and preventing pathogenic infections.
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NewsKilling H5N1 in waste milk — an alternative to pasteurization
Researchers have found that acidification can kill H5N1 in waste milk, providing dairy farmers an affordable, easy-to-use alternative to pasteurization of waste milk.
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NewsMarine fungi that degrade plastic can train to do it faster
Researchers recently discovered that many species of fungi isolated from Hawai‘i’s nearshore environment have the ability to degrade plastic and some can be conditioned to do it faster.
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NewsResearchers explore Spanish flu’s impact on Appalachia
A new book examines how the 1918 influenza pandemic disproportionately impacted Appalachian communities, exacerbating long-standing health disparities. Those included limited health care access, poor working conditions and systemic poverty.
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NewsResearchers unlock new potential porcine virus treatment
Researchers have identified a novel small molecule for the development of preventative treatment for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).
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NewsNew modeling approach could help design antivirals for shape-shifting viruses
New research utilizes an innovative computational modeling approach to capture the complex and diverse shapes that viral proteins can adopt.
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NewsSymbiotic bacteria ride along with marine cells in ocean’s upper layer
Symbiotic bacteria often accompany single-celled protists in the ocean’s upper layer. Some of these symbionts, scientists have discovered, are close relatives of bacteria pathogenic to animals, including humans.
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NewsProtein shuttling mechanism helps bacteria pump out antibiotics
By a joint-university effort, the mechanism of a bacterial efflux pump complex to remove molecules, including antibiotics, has been determined and the extent of bacterial toxin resistance by the complex has also been evaluated with a cutting-edge device.
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NewsBacterial cellulose promotes plant tissue regeneration
Researchers have successfully uncovered the molecular mechanisms by which bacterial cellulose patches stimulate the regeneration of plant wounds, offering potential applications in grafting, pruning, and ornamental flower cutting for enhanced plant healing.
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NewsDiabetes can drive the evolution of antibiotic resistance, study reveals
A new study shows that people with diabetes are more likely to develop antibiotic-resistant strains of Staph. The results show how the diabetic microbial environment produces resistant mutations, while hinting at ways antibiotic resistance can be combatted in this patient population.
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NewsBiosensing platform simultaneously detects vitamin C and SARS-CoV-2
A portable and sensitive biosensing device has been developed by engineering researchers to detect both SAR-CoV-2 and vitamin C simultaneously, to monitor and boost health for the general public.
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NewsLong-term yogurt consumption tied to decreased incidence of certain types of colorectal cancer
A new study finds that yogurt consumption over time may protect against colorectal cancer through changes in the gut microbiome. Long-term consumption of two or more servings per week of yogurt was tied to lower rates of proximal colorectal cancer positive for Bifidobacterium.
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NewsCold temperatures promote spread of a bird pink eye pathogen at winter feeders
A pathogen for bird pink eye remains viable on bird feeders in winter conditions much longer than in summer conditions without losing any of its severity, according to a study.
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NewsStudy reveals direct gut-brain communication via vagus nerve
A new study in an animal model provides direct evidence for the role of the vagus nerve in gut microbiome-brain communication, addressing a critical gap in the field.
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NewsResearchers engineer biological reaction crucibles to rapidly produce proteins
Biomedical engineers have demonstrated a new synthetic approach that turbocharges bacteria into producing more of a specific protein, even proteins that would normally destroy them, such as antibiotics.
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NewsHarvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute announces launch of Center for Sepsis Epidemiology and Prevention Studies (SEPSIS)
The new Center for Sepsis Epidemiology and Prevention Studies (SEPSIS) is a pioneering center of excellence dedicated to advancing understanding, prevention, and management of sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated immune response to infection.
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NewsBlood test eases diagnosis of invasive mold disease
A newly developed blood test, as a non-invasive alternative, could be used to provide a rapid and safe diagnosis for invasive mold infections of the immunocompromised. It can also be applied for other infectious diseases, e.g. tuberculosis.