Bacteria do not colonize the gut before birth
Researchers examined prenatal stool (meconium) samples collected from 20 babies during breech Cesarean delivery. By including only breech caesarean deliveries in healthy pregnant women they were able to avoid the transmission of bacteria that occurs.....»»
Your Apple Watch band is likely covered in bacteria, new study says
In what will come as wholly unsurprising news for many people, your Apple Watch band is a breeding ground for bacteria. New research published in the Advances in Infectious Diseases journal goes more in-depth on the issue, finding a correlation betwe.....»»
Apple Watch bands harbor dangerous bacteria -- because no one cleans them
As it turns out, wristbands, like the one used with the Apple Watch, are the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria like Staphylococcus and E. coli. Here's why you should start disinfecting them.Apple Watch bandsIf you're like most smartwatch owners,.....»»
How gender inequality is hindering Japan"s economic growth
Japan's economy is under pressure from rising energy prices and defense costs and the impact of the pandemic. Plummeting birth rates and an aging population further threaten the sustainability of its labor market. A 2023 study by independent thinktan.....»»
Research gives new insights into the role food intake plays in fighting antimicrobial resistance
Cooking food thoroughly and avoiding some types of vegetables and salad during a course of antibiotic treatment could potentially reduce antibiotic resistance, by preventing bacteria carrying resistance genes getting into the gut, according to a new.....»»
Why group A streptococci affect some people more severely
Group A streptococci are fairly common bacteria that can cause, among other things, strep throat or impetigo. However, if the bacteria become invasive, the situation can become very dangerous. In this case, the name sometimes changes to flesh-eating.....»»
Beneficial bacteria sense gut mucus to stay in the right place, at the right time
Beneficial gut bacteria actively sense the mucus lining of the gut, using this information as a guide to stay in their proper place, new research from the University of Oregon shows. Breakdowns in that communication can lead to abnormal bacterial beh.....»»
A newly discovered immune strategy protects bacteria and more advanced species, from corals to bees
Every time we make a call, send a text message or watch a video, some of the energy stored in the cell phone battery is depleted. Living cells also store energy in "currencies" they can cash in when needed, in order to fuel life processes. The main e.....»»
Using glowing fish to detect harmful pesticides
Birth defects related to chromosomal abnormalities often stem from exposure to chemicals early in the mother's life. But determining which chemicals are at fault poses a serious challenge—akin to solving a hit-and-run case, decades after the fact......»»
Images of enzyme in action reveal secrets of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Bacteria draw from an arsenal of weapons to combat the drugs intended to kill them. Among the most prevalent of these weapons are ribosome-modifying enzymes. These enzymes are growing increasingly common, appearing worldwide in clinical samples in a.....»»
Anaerobic microbial iron corrosion due to conductive pili
Iron is well-known for rusting, but this doesn't just happen on contact with oxygen and water. Some bacteria are also able to able to decompose iron anaerobically in a process referred to as electrobiocorrosion......»»
Researchers engineer bacteria that can detect tumor DNA
Pushing into a new chapter of technologically advanced biological sensors, scientists from the University of California San Diego and their colleagues in Australia have engineered bacteria that can detect the presence of tumor DNA in a live organism......»»
Mechanism underlying bacterial resistance to the antibiotic albicidin revealed
A new analysis shows that infectious bacteria exposed to the antibiotic albicidin rapidly develop up to a 1,000-fold increase in resistance via a gene amplification mechanism. Mareike Saathoff of Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, and colleagues pre.....»»
Pivotal discovery in sensor technology eliminates faulty electronic sensors when measuring toxins in water
There is a global water crisis, and it is not only about the dwindling supply of clean water. Contaminated drinking water exposes hundreds of millions of people worldwide to toxins, such as bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides and coronaviruses. This c.....»»
Bacteria found in hot springs may be closest to mitochondria precursor
A group of genomic researchers at the Center for Genomic Sciences, in Mexico, working with a colleague from the Institute of Biotechnology, also in Mexico, has found a type of bacteria that might be the closest modern relative of the mitochondria pre.....»»
Study shows host adaptation drives genetic variation in Lyme disease bacteria
A study looks at the mechanisms behind genetic variation in the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Lyme disease is the most common vector-transmitted disease in the United States, with around 476,000 human cases annually. Most Lyme disease is caused b.....»»
New research shows the complexity of bacterial circadian clocks
Bacteria make up more than 10% of all living things but until recently we had little realization that, as in humans, soil bacteria have internal clocks that synchronize their activities with the 24-hour cycles of day and night on Earth......»»
Scientists discover how parasites of viruses drive superbug evolution
In a study published in Cell, scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Imperial College London have discovered a new way by which bacteria transmit their genes, enabling them to evolve much faster than previously understood......»»
Extreme Heat Threatens the Health of Unborn Babies
Exposure to excessive heat during pregnancy has been linked to everything from preterm labor to low birth weight, and those risks are rising as the world warms......»»
Organoids revolutionize research on respiratory infections
Biofilms are highly resistant communities of bacteria that pose a major challenge in the treatment of infections. While studying biofilm formation in laboratory conditions has been extensively conducted, understanding their development in the complex.....»»
"Virgin Birth" Engineered into Female Animals for First Time
Scientists altered the genomes of female fruit flies, allowing them to reproduce without any contribution from a male.....»»