All The Microbiologist articles in Web Issue – Page 49
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Newsβ-ionone shows promise in preventing ulcerative colitis through gut barrier protection and microbiota regulation
New research demonstrates that β-ionone can alleviate ulcerative colitis symptoms in mice by protecting the gut barrier and restoring the gut microbiota, offering hope for future dietary supplements or therapeutics aimed at managing UC.
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FeaturesMicrobiome research and a paradigm shift in urban building design
There is increasing evidence that this association between a host and its microbes not only determines health and disease but also influences the behaviour of humans and other animals.
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NewsKim Barrett named as winner of John Snow Public Health Innovation Prize 2024
Dr Kim Barrett, vice dean for research and distinguished professor of physiology and membrane biology at the UC Davis School of Medicine, has been named as this year’s winner of the John Snow Public Health Innovation Prize 2024.
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NewsFederal needle exchange programs are cost-effective to reduce health care costs, blood-borne infections
Needle exchange programs are evidence-based strategies that prevent transmission of blood-borne viruses, reduce injection-related infections, improve access to medical care, and facilitate entry into substance dependence programs for people who inject drugs, says a new study.
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CareersMaking connections: the story behind the Centre for Microbial Interactions
This year saw the launch of the Centre for Microbial Interactions, representing one of the world’s largest concentrations of microbiologists on a single site at Norwich Research Park. Project manager Dr Sam Rowe reveals the journey to this point.
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NewsDiverse phage populations coexist on single strains of gut bacteria
A new study shows that a single bacterial species, the host of a phage, can maintain a diverse community of competing phage species. Several phage species coexist stably on a population of a genetically uniform strain of E. coli.
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NewsBreakthrough of the Year: A drug that prevents HIV infection, providing six months of protection per shot
As its 2024 Breakthrough of The Year, Science has named the development of lenacapavir – a promising new injectable drug that prevents HIV infection. The award also recognizes related work surrounding gaining a new understanding of the structure and function of HIV’s capsid protein.
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NewsResearchers call for global discussion about possible risks from ‘mirror bacteria’
A group of researchers has published new findings on potential risks from the development of mirror bacteria — synthetic organisms in which all molecules have reversed chirality (i.e. are ‘mirrored’).
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NewsCould we engineer stability in the microbiome? New research opens the door
New work could revolutionize our understanding of how the composition of the gut microbiome is determined and open the door to microbiome engineering.
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NewsHidden threats to soil revealed in sewage sludge research
Hidden threats from the agricultural use of contaminated sewage sludge could be contributing to already diminished poor soil health, according to a new report.
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NewsMore attention should be paid to the health of deep soil in low-yield farmland
A recent study identified that a higher soil health index in low-yielding fields may be an important factor to maintain wheat yield as food demand grows rapidly.
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NewsNew, simple, and natural method for producing vitamin B2
Researchers have succeeded in developing a natural and simple method for producing vitamin B2: by gently heating lactic acid bacteria. This could be a game-changer in developing countries, where many suffer from vitamin B2 deficiency
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NewsNew super-enzyme could revolutionize CO₂ capture
Scientists have developed new metagenomic analysis tools to identify a super heat-resistant enzyme of biotechnological interest. The enzyme specializes in enhancing the dissolution of CO₂ in water and exhibits unprecedented stability under industrial conditions.
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NewsResearchers uncover how bat-origin pathogenic viruses manipulate human cell death and inflammation
A new study offers insights into cell death regulation by viruses like SARS-CoV-2, and how bats and humans respond differently to tricks that such viruses use to manipulate the host’s defense.
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NewsIdentifying amino acids that prevent sporulation in food poisoning
Scientists who examined how amino acids are involved in Clostridium perfringens spore formation have identified serine as an inhibitor. They found that serine inhibits the pathogen’s cell wall from remodeling, which is necessary in the process of becoming a spore.
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NewsNew study highlights efficiency in detecting infectious diseases
In an effort to make large-scale disease testing faster and more affordable, researchers have developed an optimized approach to pooled testing, which could transform public health screening for infectious diseases.
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NewsUrgent need for integrated detection strategies for AMR in water environments
A new review calls attention to the urgent need for integrated detection strategies that combine the precision of molecular tools with the cost-effectiveness of traditional methods which could enable more efficient, accessible, and scalable AMR monitoring.
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NewsInitiative to start HPV vaccination at age 9 improved completion rates
A quality improvement program designed to increase earlier uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine raised vaccination rates significantly, according to a study.
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NewsA new class of antivirals could help prevent future pandemics
A new study introduces a proof-of-concept for a novel class of antivirals that would target a type of enzyme essential not just to SARS, but also many RNA viruses, including Ebola and dengue, as well as cytosolic-replicating DNA viruses, including Pox viruses.
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NewsStudy finds widening inequalities in child vaccination rates across England
Vaccine uptake was found to be consistently lower among children in areas of higher deprivation, while the number of children susceptible to measles at age 5 increased 20-fold in the most deprived areas.