All articles by Linda Stewart – Page 46
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NewsVps21 signaling pathway regulates white-opaque switching and mating in Candida albicans
Researchers have discovered that the conserved Vps21 signaling pathway plays critical roles in the regulation of white-opaque switching and mating in Candida albicans, a major human fungal pathogen.
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NewsEnzyme-embedded PLA plastic can degrade in home-compost or methanization conditions.
A new enzyme-embedded material is proven to fully distintegrate and biodegrade at a much faster rate than the 26-week home-compost certification requirement and is shown to help produce more biomethane, another source of waste recovery.
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NewsReef pest feasts on cyanobacteria ‘sea sawdust’
Researchers have uncovered an under-the-sea phenomenon where coral-destroying crown-of-thorns starfish larvae have been feasting on blue-green algae bacteria known as ‘sea sawdust’.
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NewsMicrobes found to destroy certain ‘forever chemicals’
Scientists have discovered specific bacterial species that can destroy certain kinds of “forever chemicals,” a step further toward low-cost treatments of contaminated drinking water sources.
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NewsStudy shows ancient viruses fuel modern-day cancers
When reawakened, endogenous retroviruses can play a critical role in helping cancer survive and thrive. A new study also suggests that silencing certain endogenous retroviruses can make cancer treatments work better.
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NewsAncient microbes offer clues to how complex life evolved
A single-celled organism, a close relative of animals, harbors the remnants of ancient giant viruses woven into its own genetic code, shedding light on how complex organisms may have acquired some of their genes.
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NewsStudy identifies protein that helps COVID-19 virus evade immune system
Discovery of a new viral evasion mechanism, and of a monoclonal antibody that subverts it, is an advance in immunotherapy that offers the prospect of effective host-directed treatment to combat infections.
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NewsBartonella and babesia co-infection detected in patients with chronic illness
A small pilot study has found evidence of human co-infections from Bartonella and Babesia odocoilei, a protozoal tick-borne infection primarily found in deer, moose and other cervids.
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NewsHarnessing big data helps scientists hone in on new antimicrobials
Scientists have detailed a new method of identifying antimicrobial enzymes from large datasets of bacterial proteins, which could provide a solution to antibiotic resistance.
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NewsIntensive farming could raise risk of new pandemics
Intensive livestock farming could raise the risk of new pandemics, researchers have warned. A study examines the effect of social and economic factors – which are often overlooked in traditional assessments.
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NewsThe geometry of life: Physicists determine what controls biofilm growth
The fitness of a biofilm is largely impacted by the contact angle that the biofilm’s edge makes with the substrate - and this geometry has a bigger influence on fitness than anything else, including the rate at which the cells can reproduce.
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NewsResearchers develop a way to make lifesaving phages accessible, transportable and much easier to use
Researchers have developed a simple new way to store, identify, and share phages, making them more accessible to patients who need them.
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NewsScientists pioneer comprehensive derivative synthesis method for developing new antimicrobial drugs
A method to screen a wide variety of drug candidates without laborious purification steps could advance the fight against drug-resistant bacteria.
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NewsE. coli variant may cause antimicrobial resistance in dogs and humans
Researchers studying antimicrobial-resistant E. coli – the leading cause of human death due to antimicrobial resistance worldwide – have identified a mechanism in dogs that may render multiple antibiotic classes ineffective.
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NewsEarly life antibiotic increases risk of asthma: providing clues to a potential prevention adult asthma
Early exposure to antibiotics can trigger long term susceptibility to asthma, according to researchers who isolated a molecule produced by gut bacteria that in the future could potentially be trialed as a dietary supplement for children at risk of asthma.
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NewsStudy unveils complexity of zoonotic transmission chains
Researchers have dissected the complex interactions involved in zoonoses, introducing the concept of a “zoonotic web,” a detailed network representation of the relationships between zoonotic agents, their hosts, vectors, food sources, and the environment.
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NewsKenyan crop contamination outbreak inspires grad student to improve rice storage
A new study shows that proper rice storage conditions to reduce aflatoxin risk after harvest include a temperature below 20 degrees Celsius, or 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and relative humidity below 75 per cent.
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NewsScientists ID ‘unconventional’ new pathway for TB vaccines
Marginal zone B (MZB) cells are a natural response to TB infection which has been long overlooked - and which might be a welcome new target.
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NewsMost Salmonella illnesses from chicken caused by few products with high levels of virulent strains
A new study shows that few products with high levels of very virulent Salmonella strains are responsible for most of the illnesses from raw chicken parts, suggesting regulation efforts should focus on detecting and preventing high-risk contamination.
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NewsScientists build roadmap to bioengineer plants that produce their own nitrogen fertilizer
Nitrogen fertilizers make it possible to feed the world’s growing population, but they are also costly, harm ecosystems and require a lot of energy to manufacture. However, a few plants have evolved the ability to make their own nitrogen with the help of bacteria. A new study helps explain how ...
