More News – Page 31
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NewsBacteria encode hidden genes outside their genome - so do we?
A new study shows that bacteria can create free-floating and ephemeral genes, raising the possibility that similar genes exist outside of our own genome.
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NewsDengue vaccine is effective and safe, reveals first global meta-analysis
The study, conducted by cross-referencing data from 19 scientific studies, involving over 20,000 individuals, shows an efficacy rate of over 50% in reducing disease cases, with lasting effects and a high safety profile.
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NewsRaw meat based diets for pets are carrying multi-drug resistant pathogens
Raw meat-based diets for pets can serve as a vehicle for multi-drug resistant pathogens, posing significant risks to their owners, a new study has found.
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NewsPandemic stranding ended up helping to solve mystery of synthetic polymers and fungi
A chemistry PhD student who was stranded during the pandemic used the time for research on Candida albicans, leading to a successful collaboration between natural product researchers and infection biologists from Germany and Australia.
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NewsPrioritizing the elderly for COVID-19 boosters reduces overall deaths
When COVID-19 booster vaccines are in short supply, prioritizing the elderly over other age groups for booster vaccination results in the lowest loss of life, reports a new study.
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NewsNew two-step flu vaccine strategy shows promise in pig model
A new, two-step flu vaccination strategy that pairs intramuscular injection of a viral vectored flu vaccine with nasal spray administration of a novel attenuated live flu virus appears to be safe and effective in pigs.
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NewsInfected bacteria fight back with ‘hidden’ genes that halt cell growth, slow viral spread
Researchers have uncovered a surprising way bacteria defend themselves: when a bacterium is infected, bacterial enzymes that copy genetic information from RNA into DNA synthesize genes whose protein products help shut down cell growth.
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NewsMarine algae use massive enzymes of unprecedented size to biosynthesize fish-killing toxins
Marine algae Prymnesium parvum use massive enzymes dubbed PKZILLAs – some of the largest proteins ever to be identified in nature – to make large and complex prymnesin neurotoxins responsible for mass fish kills during harmful algal blooms worldwide.
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NewsAmid Covid-19 summer wave, new WHO/Europe study confirms the lifesaving impact of vaccines
From the time of their introduction in December 2020 through to March 2023, COVID-19 vaccines reduced deaths due to the pandemic by at least 59%, saving more than 1.6 million lives in the WHO European Region.
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NewsLens-free fluorescence instrument detects deadly microorganisms in drinking water
A new approach promises low-cost, real-time water quality monitoring for developing countries, disaster areas and rapid testing needs at events like the Paris Olympics.
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NewsAncient viral elements in RNA kickstart bone repair
A common transposable element - a DNA fragment originating from an ancient virus - plays a positive role in triggering bone repair, with potential applications in treating osteoporosis and many other diseases.
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NewsMulti-omics strategy reveals how insect parasite fungus ameliorates sepsis-associated acute kidney injury
Scientists have found that Cordyceps sinensis significantly ameliorates renal injury and inflammation in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (S-AKI) by regulating mitochondrial energy metabolism and macrophage polarization.
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NewsWHO pays tribute to polio-eradication leader Aidan O’Leary
The Director-General General of the World Health Organization has led tributes following the sudden death of Aidan O’Leary, who was leading global efforts to eradicate polio. Geneva-based Aidan O’Leary, the director of the WHO’s Polio Eradication Programme since 2021, died suddenly while on a family holiday on ...
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NewsNasal microbiome: friendly pirates deprive multi-resistant bugs of iron
A new study reveals that whether dangerous staphylococci survive in the nose depends on what other bacteria are present – and how they obtain iron.
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NewsReport on Great Barrier Reef shows coral cover was increasing before onset of serious bleaching, cyclones
Coral cover has increased in all three regions on the Great Barrier Reef and is at regional highs in two of the three regions according to a report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) - but the results come with a note of caution.
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NewsDisaster plant pathology: solutions to combat agricultural threats from disasters
Scientists have published a multidisciplinary perspective on current threats and solutions to plant health and food security, encompassing the risk from environmental factors such as climate change, while also including factors such as political instability and war.
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NewsSaliva indicates severity of recurrent respiratory infections in children
A saliva test can more accurately indicate the severity of recurrent respiratory infections in children than the standard blood test. If saliva contains too few broadly protective antibodies, a child is more likely to suffer from pneumonia episodes.
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NewsResearchers create new device for on-the-spot water testing
Applied Microbiology International expert Dr Zina Alfahl and colleague Dr Louise O’Connor have developed a new, portable technology for on-the-spot testing of water quality to detect one of the most dangerous types of bacteria.
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NewsFungi elude antifungal treatments by restructuring cell walls
A new multi-institutional study has characterized how fungi adapt to restructure their cell walls, effectively thwarting current antifungal medications. This new information opens opportunities to devise more effective use of antifungal drugs.
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NewsDo smells prime our gut to fight off infection?
A recent study shows that the nematode C. elegans reacts to the odor of pathogenic bacteria by preparing its intestinal cells to withstand a potential onslaught.
