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Researchers link molecular dots between periodontitis and heart disease

Periodontitis is a risk factor for heart disease. Now a team of researchers has shown that a periodontal pathogen causes changes in gene expression that boost inflammation and atherosclerosis in aortic smooth muscle cells. The research is published ahead of print in Infection and Immunity, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

14 Sep 2015

Research opens up potential new pathways to vaccine development against HA-MRSA

New research led by NYU Langone Medical Center has uncovered why a particular strain of Staphylococcus aureus -- known as HA-MRSA -- becomes more deadly than other variations. These new findings open up possible new pathways to vaccine development against this bacterium, which the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions says accounts for over 10,000 deaths annually, mostly among hospital patients.

10 Sep 2015

Vestagen Technical Textiles completes $3.3 million convertible note bridge financing

Vestagen Technical Textiles, Inc., today announced that it has completed a $3.3 million convertible note bridge financing. Advent Life Sciences and HealthQuest Capital led the financing, and other existing Vestagen investors also participated.

9 Sep 2015

Pitt scientists find faster method to identify pathogens

There are plenty of ways in the lab to determine which bug is bugging you when you're sick. The University of Pittsburgh's Xinyu Liu, Sanford Asher, and colleagues may have found a faster method.

9 Sep 2015

University of Bonn researchers find how cells in the body can detect genetic material of retroviruses

Researchers at the University of Bonn have discovered how cells in the body can detect the genetic material of so-called retroviruses. The pathogen of the immunodeficiency disease AIDS, the HI-1 virus, also belongs to this group. At the same time, the HI virus appears to circumvent this important defense mechanism.

8 Sep 2015

Study demonstrates effectiveness of new approach to protect humans from infectious disease

There are two common approaches to protecting humans from infectious disease: Targeting pathogens and parasites with medicines like antibiotics, or dealing with the conditions that allow transmission.

8 Sep 2015

Researchers document accuracy of new tests for rapid diagnosis of drug-resistant forms of TB

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have documented the accuracy of three new tests for more rapidly diagnosing drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis (TB), which are much harder and more expensive to treat and which, experts say, represent a major threat to global public health.

4 Sep 2015

New computational method reveals links between bacterial growth rates and type II diabetes, IBD

It is increasingly clear that the thousands of different bacteria living in our intestinal tract - our microbiome - have a major impact on our health. But the details of the microbiome's effects are still fairly murky.

3 Sep 2015

Allergan announces positive results from AVYCAZ Phase III studies for treatment of cUTI

Allergan plc. today announced positive topline results from RECAPTURE 1 and 2, the pivotal Phase III studies evaluating the antibiotic AVYCAZ (ceftazidime-avibactam) as a treatment for adult hospitalized patients with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis.

2 Sep 2015

Bacterial litmus test provides low-cost method to measure blood micronutrients

A bacterium engineered to produce different pigments in response to varying levels of a micronutrient in blood samples could give health officials an inexpensive way to detect nutritional deficiencies in resource-limited areas of the world.

2 Sep 2015

Scientists provide specific recommendations to reduce health risks for beachgoers

Beach sand contains all kinds of microorganisms, including those that can harm human health. Yet current guidelines are focused exclusively on monitoring the levels of microbes in the water.

29 Aug 2015

Research: Mechanisms behind bacterial warfare could be harnessed to target pathogenic bacteria

Two UC Santa Barbara graduate students have demonstrated how certain microbes exploit proteins in nearby bacteria to deliver toxins and kill them.

28 Aug 2015

Researchers find that humans carry more antibiotic-resistant staphylococci than farm animals

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a concern for the health and well-being of both humans and farm animals. One of the most common and costly diseases faced by the dairy industry is bovine mastitis, a potentially fatal bacterial inflammation of the mammary gland (IMI). Widespread use of antibiotics to treat the disease is often blamed for generating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

25 Aug 2015

European chestnut leaves contain ingredients with power to disarm deadly staph bacteria

Leaves of the European chestnut tree contain ingredients with the power to disarm dangerous staph bacteria without boosting its drug resistance, scientists have found.

24 Aug 2015

Wyss Institute scientists develop improved blood-cleansing therapeutic device to treat sepsis

Last year, a Wyss Institute team of scientists described the development of a new device to treat sepsis that works by mimicking our spleen. It cleanses pathogens and toxins from blood circulating through a dialysis-like circuit. Now, the Wyss Institute team has developed an improved device that synergizes with conventional antibiotic therapies and that has been streamlined to better position it for near-term translation to the clinic.

21 Aug 2015

Surprising mechanism behind antibiotic resistant bacteria uncovered by TSRI scientists

Every year, more strains of bacteria develop resistance to the antibiotics we use to treat deadly infections. At The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) scientists have been working to develop new forms of these drugs, including an antibiotic called arylomycin—but tests have shown that it is possible for bacteria to become resistant to arylomycin, too.

20 Aug 2015

Researchers capture images of immune cell interactions rallying to destroy herpes simplex virus

Doctor Scott Mueller and colleagues from the University of Melbourne's Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Doherty Institute used state-of-the-art microscopy to painstakingly capture images of the interactions of three crucial types of immune cells rallying to destroy herpes simplex virus.

19 Aug 2015

Major gaps found in existing evidence for best practices for cleaning hospital room surfaces to prevent HAIs

Tray tables, bed rails, light switches, and toilets: All are common vectors for swapping germs between patients and health care workers. While a new systematic overview in this week's Annals of Internal Medicine points to several promising cleaning tactics of these "high-touch surfaces," there's a lack of evidence as to which is the most effective at reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

11 Aug 2015

Intrexon, Synthetic Biologics form ECC to develop and commercialize novel biotherapeutics for phenylketonuria

Intrexon Corporation, a leader in synthetic biology, and Synthetic Biologics, Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on developing therapeutics to protect the microbiome while targeting pathogen-specific diseases, today announced an Exclusive Channel Collaboration (ECC) to pursue the development and commercialization of novel biotherapeutics for the treatment of patients with phenylketonuria (PKU), a serious and debilitating metabolic disorder.

10 Aug 2015

Vaccine containing virus-like nanoparticles could be novel treatment option for RSV

A vaccine containing virus-like nanoparticles, or microscopic, genetically engineered particles, is an effective treatment for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to researchers at Georgia State University.

4 Aug 2015