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Bacterial viruses in intestinal tracts of children may play a role in stunting

New research spearheaded by McGill University has discovered that bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) found in the intestinal tracts of children may play a role in childhood stunting, a significant impediment to growth that affects 22% of children under the age of five around the world.

12 Feb 2020

Gum disease linked to stroke

A pair of new studies has revealed that gum diseases could be associated with a heightened risk of strokes and atherosclerosis of hardening of the arterial walls. The results of this new research are to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2020 between 19th and 21st of February 2020 in Los Angeles.

12 Feb 2020

Researchers engineer probiotics to safely deliver immunotherapies to tumors

Researchers at Columbia Engineering have engineered probiotics to safely deliver immunotherapies within tumors.

12 Feb 2020

Diets high in fat and protein exacerbate C. diff infections in mice

Popular diets low in carbs and high in fat and protein might be good for the waistline, but a new UNLV study shows that just the opposite may help to alleviate the hospital-acquired infection Clostridioides difficile.

12 Feb 2020

Researchers discover antibiotics with unique approach to attacking bacteria

A new group of antibiotics with a unique approach to attacking bacteria has been discovered, making it a promising clinical candidate in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

12 Feb 2020

Bacterial DNA promotes tau protein misfolding and aggregation, study shows

Researchers from Human Microbiology Institute and Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s disease at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston have discovered that bacterial extracellular DNA can trigger Tau protein misfolding into neurotoxic aggregates, a key process in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis.

12 Feb 2020

Recent progress in TB diagnostics and prevention approaches offers hope for future

In September 2018, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the NIH, issued its Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Research, which outlined research priorities to reduce and ultimately end the burden of tuberculosis.

11 Feb 2020

Blue Water Vaccines enters into agreement to develop Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccine with St. Jude

Blue Water Vaccines Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative vaccines solving global health challenges, has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement for the development of a Streptococcus Pneumoniae vaccine with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the nation's leading hospital dedicated to understanding, treating and curing childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

11 Feb 2020

First artificial enzyme with non-biological catalytic sites created

A new study published in the journal Nature Catalysis on February 10, 2020, reports the creation of a new artificial enzyme from two components, both non-biological in origin. This event marks the first such successful biological catalyst to contain a non-biological active site. The study shows that this type of synergistic combination of an amino acid not found in nature with a copper-based catalyst is capable of powerful catalytic action, unlike most other artificial enzymes.

10 Feb 2020

Chemical in veggies help heal fatty liver

A new study shows that a compound naturally occurring in a variety of commonly used vegetables as well as being produced by gut microbes is very useful in melting fat away from a fatty liver.

9 Feb 2020

High bacterial levels in half of lupus skin rashes

A new study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology reports that half the skin lesions present in patients with lupus show the presence of viable staph bacteria. This makes them more susceptible to skin infections and also increases the risk that the infection will spread to others.

9 Feb 2020

New strategies needed to reduce pneumococcal meningitis rates

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine have been highly effective in reducing pneumonia and other invasive infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.

9 Feb 2020

Developing new approaches to fight against multi-resistant pathogens

Developing fundamentally new approaches against multi-resistant germs: This is the goal of the new Bavarian research network bayresq.net which started in January 2020.

9 Feb 2020

Princeton's Bonnie Bassler awarded the 2020 Gruber Genetics Prize

The 2020 Gruber Genetics Prize is being awarded to geneticist Bonnie Bassler, Ph.D. of Princeton University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, for her groundbreaking work on how bacteria "talk" to each other using molecular "languages."

9 Feb 2020

Genomic sequencing technique helps understand gut microbiota one cell at a time

A population of microorganisms living in our intestine, known as the gut microbiota, plays a crucial role in controlling our metabolism and reducing the risk of conditions such as obesity and diabetes.

9 Feb 2020

Fly model could help lay the foundation for new therapies to fight 'difficult' pathogen

The Clostridium difficile pathogen takes its name from the French word for "difficult." A bacterium that is known to cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening colon damage, C. difficile is part of a growing epidemic of concern for the elderly and patients on antibiotics.

8 Feb 2020

Many household filters are only partially effective at removing PFAS from drinking water

The water filter on your refrigerator door, the pitcher-style filter you keep inside the fridge and the whole-house filtration system you installed last year may function differently and have vastly different price tags, but they have one thing in common.

5 Feb 2020

Titanium nanoparticles found in coal smog and ash can cause lung damage in mice

Virginia Tech scientists have discovered that incredibly small particles of an unusual and highly toxic titanium oxide found in coal smog and ash can cause lung damage in mice after a single exposure, with long-term damage occurring in just six weeks.

5 Feb 2020

Epiglottitis linked to teenager's use of e-cigarettes

A teenage girl with no hint of prior asthma or respiratory illness began to feel hoarseness in her throat and a feeling that she needed to clear her throat frequently.

5 Feb 2020

Targeting the microenvironment of cancer cells to inhibit tumor growth

The recognition of bacterial infections or foreign substances is mediated and controlled by the human immune system. This innate and adaptive immune system comprises the most important metabolic and cellulare processes to fight against infections and other diseases.

5 Feb 2020