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How 'bad' bacteria gain an upper hand in the human gut

A study has revealed that the bacterium C. difficile gains a competitive advantage over protective bacteria in the human gut by producing para-cresol.

11 Sep 2018

Scientists develop first non-antibiotic drug to treat tuberculosis in animals

Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed the first non-antibiotic drug to successfully treat tuberculosis in animals.

11 Sep 2018

Researchers unravel how Zika virus manipulates the human immune system

Macrophages are immune cells that are supposed to protect the body from infection by viruses and bacteria. Yet Zika virus preferentially infects these cells. Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have now unraveled how the virus shuts down the genes that make macrophages function as immune cells.

11 Sep 2018

Hunterdon Medical Center uses LightStrike robot to quickly zap away pathogens

As germs and bacteria become increasingly resistant to cleaning chemicals and antibiotics, Hunterdon Medical Center recently deployed Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots that use pulsed xenon ultraviolet light to enhance traditional room cleaning procedures as a key part of the hospital's infection prevention program.

10 Sep 2018

Molecular switches are far more complex than previously assumed

The GTPases constitute a very large protein family, whose members are involved in the control of cell growth, transport of molecules, synthesis of other proteins, etc. Despite the many functions of the GTPases, they follow a common cyclic pattern.

10 Sep 2018

World Sepsis Day

A series of articles and thought leader interviews for World Sepsis Day on the 10th September 2018, aiming to raise awareness and improve understanding.

10 Sep 2018

New paper reports conserved collateral susceptibility to antibiotics in E. coli

LSTM's Dr Adam Roberts is a co-author on a new paper published in Nature Communications which reports conserved collateral susceptibility to antibiotics in the human pathogen Escherichia coli.

10 Sep 2018

Raising Awareness of Sepsis

An interview with Dr. Steven Simpson, MD, discussing the importance of raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis, and how Sepsis Alliance is helping to reduce the number of deaths caused by sepsis in the USA.

10 Sep 2018

RUDN biochemists describe previously unknown mechanism of autoimmunity regulation

The ability of a human body to resist pathogenic factors is under control of immune cells, the most important of which are lymphocytes.

7 Sep 2018

Superbugs often move between humans and animals

The MRSA staphylococcus is an example of a pathogen, the likes of which are often called superbugs. These are resistant to most antibiotics and can cause serious infections.

7 Sep 2018

Fiber strengthens intestinal barrier and counteracts gastrointestinal problems

Similar to patients with Crohn's disease, elderly people with stomach problems have a intestinal barrier that is not functioning optimally.

7 Sep 2018

Exeter’s new system can probe microscopic environments inside cells

A new system capable of probing microscopic environments inside cells has been installed at the University of Exeter's Bioimaging Centre.

7 Sep 2018

Probiotics do not really help says latest research

People have been swearing by routine intake of probiotics such as yoghurt and other good bacteria that are supposed to help in prevention of several diseases and maintain good health. A new study from a group of Israeli scientists says that these probiotics are in fact useless. The results of this study appeared in the latest issue of the journal Cell.

7 Sep 2018

Researchers synthesize new antibacterial polymers without hydrophobic alkyl chains

Artificial polymers, like antibiotic peptides, need both hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains in their molecular structure to exert antibacterial activity.

7 Sep 2018

Research uncovers how the immune system detects DNA damage

Our immune system is working every day to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and parasites, but it can also detect when our own cells are damaged.

6 Sep 2018

Good skin care practices can help teens to battle stubborn acne

Being a teenager can be tough. Teens must manage high school and the pressures of adolescence while at the same time battling stubborn acne.

6 Sep 2018

Researchers find bacterial DNA in intestine of newborn calves

Researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland have found bacterial DNA in the intestine of newborn calves, representing quite a diverse variety of bacterial species.

6 Sep 2018

Superbugs emerging from skin bacteria on the increase

A new study has shown that some of the sub-strains of the bacteria that commonly live on our skin have become resistant to common infections – or in other words turned into superbugs. Infections with these strains thus could become untreatable with the antibiotics available and may turn life-threatening, warn researchers.

6 Sep 2018

Weak antibiotic concentrations sufficient to increase antimicrobial resistance in laboratory conditions

Microbial communities are equipped with effective defense mechanisms against antibiotics. Existing antimicrobial resistance may become increasingly prevalent on its own - with no interference from antibiotics - in compact bacterial communities known as biofilms, or when protozoa hunt bacteria for food.

5 Sep 2018

Mechanical properties of viral DNA influence the course of infection, study finds

A new study reveals a previously unknown mechanism that governs whether viruses that infect bacteria will quickly kill their hosts or remain latent inside the cell. The discovery, reported in the journal eLife, also may apply to viruses that infect humans and other animals, the researcher said.

5 Sep 2018