All articles by Linda Stewart – Page 4
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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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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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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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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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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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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.
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NewsThe maternal microbiome during pregnancy impacts offspring’s stem cells in mice
Gut microbiome composition during pregnancy has long-term effects on offspring stem cell growth and development, new research reveals.
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NewsWild bird's gut microbiome linked with its sexual ornamentation and body condition
A new study provides the first description of how a wild bird’s microbiome relates to its ornamentation and body condition. A Northern cardinal’s gut microbiome diversity can be predicted by its body condition, and the quality of its ornamentation – red plumage and beak.
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NewsFirst full characterization of kidney microbiome unlocks potential to prevent kidney stones
Low levels of bacteria like E. coli and Lactobacillus in our urine come from communities in our kidneys, where they promote or prevent kidney stone formation.
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NewsStudy shows how genetic defects in Toxoplasma are rescued by co-infection
Toxoplasma gondii parasites can use secreted factors to compensate for genetic defects in neighbouring parasites, highlighting a limitation of pooled CRISPR screens.
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NewsUpdated Hep B vaccine more effective for people with HIV
A newer vaccine against hepatitis B virus was clearly superior to an older vaccine type in inducing a protective antibody response among people living with HIV who didn’t respond to prior vaccination, according to an international study.
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NewsNew collaboration aims to optimize nutrient uptake and tolerance to environmental stress with crop boosting fungi
A joint program to develop methods to accelerate and optimize the in vitro growth of AMF (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) for more sustainable agriculture has been announced.
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NewsEl Niño increases infestations of mosquito that transmits dengue in São Paulo state, Brazil
A study by a group of scientists shows that larval infestations of Aedes aegypti in open-air disused containers increased in response to the effects of the weather phenomenon.
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News‘Superman’ bacteria offer a sustainable boost to chemical production
A new study is focused on making industrial bacteria more robust and useful by reducing the energy, time, and unwanted chemicals required to maintain bacteria, while also making them reusable so they can work longer before needing to be replaced.
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NewsNew review highlights variant-specific differences in long COVID
Alpha and Delta variants have been linked to a higher prevalence of cardiopulmonary symptoms, such as breathlessness and chest pain, while Omicron infections show fewer severe cardiopulmonary effects but relatively higher incidences of fatigue and brain fog.
