All USA & Canada articles – Page 61
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NewsResearchers expand virus-based treatment options for antibiotic-resistant infections
Phages are extremely specific about which strains of a bacterial species they will attack. This has limited their effectiveness against the most antibiotic-resistant strains. To overcome this problem, the research team “trained” the phages by allowing them to evolve together with the bacteria in a controlled laboratory setting for 30 days.
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NewsDid US cities’ indoor vaccine mandates affect COVID-19 vaccination rates and outcomes?
New research reveals that despite widespread adoption of indoor vaccine mandates in major US cities during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no consistent evidence that these policies significantly increased vaccination rates or reduced COVID-19–related outcomes. The findings contrast with those from other countries, as national mandates abroad boosted vaccine uptake.
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NewsA microbial blueprint for climate-smart cows
Recent research has shown that feeding cows red seaweed can dramatically cut the amount of methane that is produced and released into the environment. A new study sheds light on that process and reveals which microbes in the cow’s gut might help reduce methane.
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NewsVaccine skepticism on social media can predict public health crises
Researchers have developed a new approach that could help public health officials predict where outbreaks might occur. By analyzing social media posts, the method identifies early signs of increasing vaccine skepticism — a warning signal that could emerge before any disease begins to spread.
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NewsMedications change our gut microbiome in predictable ways
A study shows that many of the changes to the gut microbiome are driven by competition for nutrients – medications reduce certain bacterial populations and change the availability of nutrients, and the bacteria most able to capitalize on those changes are the ones to survive.
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NewsPig disease vaccine effectiveness linked to T cell response
A new study shows that the effectiveness of current vaccines against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is due to the response of T cells against the disease, rather than the production of antibodies. The work is an important step in identifying specific targets for vaccines on a rapidly mutating virus.
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NewsAncient chemical clues reveal Earth’s earliest life 3.3 billion years ago
A new study uncovered fresh chemical evidence of life in rocks more than 3.3 billion years old, along with molecular traces showing that oxygen-producing photosynthesis emerged nearly a billion years earlier than previously thought. Researchers paired cutting-edge chemistry with artificial intelligence to reveal faint chemical “whispers” of biology locked inside ancient rocks.
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NewsTraces of bacteria inside brain tumors may affect tumor behavior
Scientists have uncovered unexpected traces of bacteria within brain tumors. This discovery offers new insights into the environment in which brain tumors grow and sets the stage for future studies seeking to improve treatment outcomes.
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NewsNext-generation microbiome medicine may revolutionize the treatment of Parkinson’s and similar disorders
Scientists have engineered the probiotic bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 as a drug-delivery system that continuously produces and delivers the gold-standard Parkinson’s drug Levodopa, which is converted to dopamine in the brain. E. coli Nissle strain was chosen for its century-long record of safely treating gastrointestinal disorders in humans.
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NewsWild birds are driving the current U.S. bird flu outbreak
Researchers traced the introduction and spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses during the first 18 months in North America using genomic sequencing and migratory flyway analysis, discovering that the viruses were spread primarily by wild migrating birds.
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NewsWomen are three times more likely than men to get severe long COVID: Here’s why
Researchers have identified a distinct immune signature in female long Covid patients versus male patients. They found evidence of ’gut leakiness’ in the women patients, including elevated blood levels of intestinal fatty acid binding protein, lipopolysaccharide, and the soluble protein CD14 — all signs of gut inflammation that can then trigger further systemic inflammation.
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NewsBiomedical Sciences researcher receives nearly $7 million in federal grants to fight STIs
Cynthia Nau Cornelissen, a Distinguished University Professor and associate director of the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University, has received nearly $7 million in two, five-year federal grants to develop vaccines and therapeutics to combat sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
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NewsExperts urge continued hepatitis B vaccine birth doses for newborns
In a new commentary, leading experts urge that all newborns in the United States continue to receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Hepatitis B vaccines are safe and effective with over one billion doses administered worldwide.
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NewsNew test could allow for more accurate Lyme disease diagnosis
Researchers have developed a new way to detect the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, allowing for faster and more accurate diagnosis.
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NewsNew test could speed detection of three serious regional fungal infections
Researchers have developed a new molecular test capable of detecting three major pathogenic fungi at once — and with a much quicker turnaround than traditional methods.
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NewsNew DNA analysis approach could transform understanding of disease evolution
By adapting techniques originally used to study ancient DNA from archaeological specimens, researchers were able to recover genetic information from nearly century-old medical samples.
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NewsManganese is Lyme disease bacterium’s double-edged sword
For decades, Lyme disease has frustrated both physicians and patients alike. Caused by the corkscrew-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the infection, if left untreated, can linger for months, leading to fever, fatigue and painful inflammation. Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention This digitally colorized scanning electron microscopic ...
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NewsImaging reveals bacterial symbionts in the ovaries of tiny, aquatic crustaceans
Researchers have imaged a heritable form of bacterial symbiosis inside the reproductive system of tiny crustaceans known as ostracods. Bacteria from the genus Cardinium live inside the egg cells and tissues of ostracod ovaries, transmitted from mothers to offspring.
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NewsScientists find way to find the gut microbiome into a longevity factory
A team of researchers has found a way to turn the bacteria living in the digestive tracts of animals into factories that can produce compounds that promote longevity in their hosts—showing a potential new drug development strategy.
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NewsFirst-in-North-America resource touts research into health benefits of fermented foods
A one-stop network, the first of its kind in North America, has begun sharing easily digested research, recipes and other resources about the health benefits of fermented foods. The new Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative (CFFI) launches officially on Nov. 17.