All The Microbiologist articles in Web Issue – Page 187
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NewsChanges in soil organisms in crop rotation farmland accessed by DNA metabarcoding
Researchers using DNA metabarcoding to analyze changes in the composition of soil organisms in corn-cabbage rotation fields found that the soil biota are unexpectedly easily altered by the soil environment, cultivation history and crops.
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NewsGut fungi trigger long-lasting severe COVID-19 immune response
Researchers have found that the growth of fungi in the intestinal tract, particularly strains of Candida albicans yeast, trigger an upsurge in immune cells whose actions can exacerbate lung damage.
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NewsClimate change is increasing risk of high toxin concentrations in Northern US lakes
As climate change warms the Earth, higher-latitude regions will be at greater risk for toxins produced by algal blooms, with water temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius at greatest risk for developing dangerous levels of a common algae-produced toxin.
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NewsOral pathogen increases heart attack damage
Researchers have found that a periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, inhibits autophagosome–lysosome fusion, and can therefore worsen cardiac remodeling and cause cardiac rupture after myocardial infarction.
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NewsStudy supports potential for injectable ‘chemical vaccine’ for malaria using atovaquone
Researchers demonstrate in mouse model that key mutation that renders malaria parasites resistant to atovaquone also makes them non-transmissible via mosquitoes.
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NewsBroad-spectrum antiviral candidate targets dengue and SARS-CoV-2
A broad-spectrum antiviral drug candidate, 2-thiouridine, that targets positive-strand RNA viruses has been identified and characterized.
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NewsTechnique restores the function of a human cell surface protein in yeast cells
Scientists report a technique that could promote the use of yeast as a convenient platform to study human proteins and develop new drugs.
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NewsGut microbiota-derived 7-DHC tackles circadian rhythm disorders and IBD
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract categorized into ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Currently, aminosalicylates, glucocorticoids, immunomodulating drugs, and biological agents are common strategies for the treatment of IBD. The efficacy of these therapies is limited, however, and they are ...
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NewsPotato supplement modifies gut microbiome, with implications for bone marrow transplants
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Michigan conducted a phase I pilot study to assess the feasibility of using potato starch as a dietary intervention to modify the gut microbiome in bone marrow transplant patients. The study, which appears in the journal Nature ...
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NewsSoil carried on sea freight loaded with dangerous plant diseases
Soil collected from the external surfaces of sea freight was found to support live microorganisms, worms, seeds and insects,, confirming that shipping containers provide a pathway for the movement of exotic species.
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NewsAntimicrobial peptides modulate lung injury by altering the intestinal microbiota
Researchers have identified a gut-lung axis driven by intestinal antimicrobial peptide expression and mediated by the intestinal microbiota that is linked to lung injury in newborns.
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NewsDeep dive into the gut unlocks new disease treatments
Researchers say it’s not only possible to map just what species are in the gut microbiome but how they interact and how that can affect the whole body.
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NewsGenetic fingerprint suggests cutaneous leishmaniasis may be gaining foothold in US
Analysis reveals DNA evidence of a US-acquired strain of cutaneous leishmaniasis - the prospect of a growing threat comes amidst concerns that domestic sand flies could acquire a deadly form of the disease via dog imports.
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News‘Subway map’ of Lyme disease pathways IDs potential treatment targets
Researchers have developed a genome-scale metabolic model of key metabolic activities of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, successfully identifying two compounds that selectively target routes only used by Lyme disease to infect a host.
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NewsResearchers discover associations among PTSD, diet, and the gut microbiome
A new study suggests that adhering to a Mediterranean diet may alleviate or prevent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
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NewsTwo probiotics identified as promising hypertension treatments
A study has added 2 new strains to the list of potential antihypertensive probiotics. In experiments on hypertensive mice, treatment with Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus returned blood pressure to normal levels.
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NewsYeast speeds discovery of medicinal compounds in plants
Researchers have harnessed the power of baker’s yeast to create a cost-effective and highly efficient approach for unraveling how plants synthesize medicinal compounds, and used the new method to identify key enzymes in a kratom tree.
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NewsResearchers probe >10,000 drug combinations to beat AMR
In an extensive investigation, researchers have tested over 10,000 drug combinations against some of the leading pathogenic bacteria carrying antimicrobial resistance and causing mortality.
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NewsPromising results from E coli-produced HPV vaccine trials in female volunteers
Researchers conducting human trials of an E. coli-produced 9-valent HPV vaccine candidate found it was well tolerated and immunogenic, warranting further efficacy studies in larger populations.
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NewsGermicidal UV lights could be producing indoor air pollutants, study finds
While useful for killing pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, the lights may cause unwanted chemical reactions and should be used with ventilation, researchers say.