All USA & Canada articles – Page 7
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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.
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NewsScientists make groundbreaking discovery – and find a possible new ally – in the opioid crisis
Scientists analyzed used hypodermic needles from a needle exchange program to better understand what narcotics actually were in the needles and determine if any non-viral pathogens were present.
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NewsChemists use sea sponge bacteria to create new molecules for drug discovery
Chemists have synthesized new molecules derived from bacteria found in a Pacific Ocean sea sponge. They are the first to successfully synthesize two new marine natural products: tetradehydrohalicyclamine B and epi-tetradehydrohalicyclamine B.
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NewsHPV self-collection boosts cervical cancer screening rates
The first major U.S. rollout of HPV self-collection shows benefits for patients and providers, including fewer pelvic exams and better follow-up for HPV-positive results.
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NewsHospital wastewater reveals drug-resistant fungus strains months before patients show symptoms
A study reveals that sampling raw wastewater closer to the source — sewer lines that directly serve hospitals, retirement homes, and long-term care facilities — allows scientists to detect drug-resistant strains of Candida auris as many as five months before patients begin showing symptoms.
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NewsNew clinical study shows pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila MucT supports weight loss maintenance
A clinical trial demonstrates that supplementation with pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila MucT® significantly improved weight loss maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity following an initial weight loss intervention.
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NewsScientists harness T cells to help the body fight entire viral families
Scientists have discovered that combining key vaccine ingredients could give the body the tools it needs to fight the entire family of arenaviruses with a single vaccine, protecting against life-threatening infections from Lassa virus, Junin virus, and other arenaviruses with pandemic potential.
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NewsPatent targets viruses with a breakthrough from linseed oil
A common vegetable oil may hold the key to fighting some of the world’s most dangerous viruses. Scientists have patented a linseed oil polyol-derived compound shown to inhibit viral infections including HIV and SARS-CoV-2 as well as bacterial infections causing strep and staph.
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NewsTicks are ‘spreading like wildfire’ - and more of them are carrying Lyme
Not only are tick numbers growing in the US, but today’s ticks are more likely to carry Lyme disease bacteria and other dangerous pathogens. Researchers have noticed a greater diversity of ticks, suggesting a complex pattern of movement and perhaps the introduction or reintroduction of animals, including birds.