Bacteria"s shapeshifting behaviour clue to new treatments for urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections are both very common and potentially very dangerous. More than half of all Australian women will suffer from a UTI in their lifetime, and nearly one in three women will have an infection requiring treatment with antibiotics b.....»»
Brewing kombucha in silicone bags makes for less alcohol, faster process
Using glucose instead of sucrose also results in less alcohol and less sour vinegar taste Enlarge / Brewing kombucha tea. Note the trademark gel-like layer of SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). (credit: Olga Pankova.....»»
New discovery highlights a potential stepping stone toward antibiotic resistance
A new study shows how heteroresistance, a transient resistance common in many bacteria, can act as a precursor to the development of antibiotic resistance. According to researchers at Uppsala University, this is the first time this link has been demo.....»»
Using a non-destructive, light diffraction fingerprint technique to detect viral infections in cells
A combined team of engineers from Jiangsu University and Harvard University used a non-destructive, light diffraction fingerprint technique to detect viral infections in cells. Their paper is published in the journal Science Advances......»»
Better kombucha brewing through chemistry
Kombucha is a fermented tea known for its health benefits and tangy kick. But brewers can find it challenging to keep kombucha's alcohol levels low because the bacteria and yeast used in the fermentation process vary from batch to batch......»»
Finally, engineers have a clue that could help them save Voyager 1
A new signal from humanity's most distant spacecraft could be the key to restoring it. Enlarge / Artist's illustration of the Voyager 1 spacecraft. (credit: Caltech/NASA-JPL) It's been four months since NASA's Voyager 1.....»»
Urban humans have lost much of their ability to digest plants
Rural populations still have lots of the gut bacteria that break down cellulose. Enlarge (credit: Nathan Devery) Cellulose is the primary component of the cell walls of plants, making it the most common polymer on Earth......»»
Nanozyme-enabled nanodecoys: A new strategy for fighting urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs), affecting millions worldwide, are predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). These infections are characterized by bacterial adhesion and colonization in the urinary tract, evading host immune resp.....»»
New bioengineered protein design shows promise in fighting COVID-19
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have been racing to develop effective treatments and preventatives against the virus. A recent scientific breakthrough has emerged from the work of researchers aiming to combat SARS-CoV-2, the virus re.....»»
New starting point discovered in the fight against P. aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen responsible for life-threatening infections that are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Researchers from TWINCORE, the Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Re.....»»
Alzheimer"s drug fermented with help from AI and bacteria moves closer to reality
Galantamine is a common medication used by people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia around the world to treat their symptoms. Unfortunately, synthesizing the active compounds in a lab at the scale needed isn't commercially viable......»»
Why eukaryotes, not bacteria, evolved complex multicellularity
Prokaryotic single-celled organisms, the ancestors of modern-day bacteria and archaea, are the most ancient form of life on our planet, first appearing roughly 3.5 billion years ago. The first eukaryotic cells appeared around 1–1.5 billion years la.....»»
Sugar-coated gold nanoparticles can quickly eliminate bacterial infections, no antibiotics required
If left to their own devices, bacteria on our teeth or wounded skin can encase themselves in a slimy scaffolding, turning into what is called biofilm. These bacteria wreak havoc on our tissue and, being shielded from antibiotic medication by the slim.....»»
Exploring the transferability of extracytoplasmic function switches across bacterial species
Extracytoplasmic function sigma factors (ECFs) have been successfully used for constructing predictable artificial gene circuits in bacteria like Escherichia coli, but their transferability between species within the same phylum remained unknown......»»
Researchers connect declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide levels to rise in Legionnaires" disease
Declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide levels might be related to the global rise in Legionnaires' disease—a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling the pathogenic bacteria Legionella. So reports a new University at Albany study, published today.....»»
Our bacteria are more personal than we thought, new study shows
The trillions of bacteria that call your body home—collectively known as the microbiome—appear to be unique to you, like a fingerprint. That's one conclusion of a detailed study of the gut, mouth, nose and skin microbiomes of 86 people. Over the.....»»
Scientists find that micronuclei are not the primary trigger of the cGAS/STING pathway
Cells possess an innate immune system that defends against invasive pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Previous studies have mapped out the cytoplasmic cGAS-STING pathway in the cytoplasm, known for responding to foreign nucleic acids, such as d.....»»
Exploring the bactericidal activity of T1-spanin against drug-resistant bacteria
Given the worldwide prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria, the research community is on the lookout for alternative bactericidal treatment approaches. In a recent study, Japanese researchers have now compared bacteriophage-derived enzymes for combati.....»»
Chimeric nanobody research looks to improve chemotherapy drug delivery
Finding the best method to deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to tumor cells can be tricky. Ideally, the treatments target tumor cells while leaving healthy cells alone......»»
5 Netflix movies to watch instead of the 2024 Oscars
Don't want to watch the 2024 Oscars? Have no clue what to watch? Then stream these five great Netflix movies starring Brad Pitt, Emma Stone, and more......»»
Designing nanoparticles for pregnancy-safe treatments
Too often, the lack of clinical trials means that pregnant women suffer because available medications are prescribed off-label for them or not at all. A new study offers proof of concept for the important parameters to develop pregnancy-safe gene the.....»»