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1,071 news posts
Featured news
29 Mar 2019
New drug resistance process found in bacteria
This is the research team in charge of the study. From left to right: Ivan Erill, Pilar Cortés, Jordi Barbé and Miquel Sánchez-Osuna. Credit: UAB. — by Autonomous University of Barcelona A team of researchers has discovered a new process capable of generating resistance to synthetic antibacterial drugs within bacterial populations long before they are put to clinical use. The research was led by Jordi Barbé, researcher at the Molecular Microbiology Group of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), and by Ivan Erill from the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). The findings were recently published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. Researchers analysed the large volume of bacterial genomes available with the aim of identifying the origin of mobile genetic elements carriers of a resistance to sulfonamides frequently detected in the superbacteria found in hospitals. Origin of the Mobile Di-Hydro-Pteroate Synthase Gene Determining Sulfonamide Resistance in Clinical Isolates► Read original article► Download original article (pdf) Through a comparative analysis of sequences and phylogenetic techniques, the researchers were able to establish that sulfonamide-resistant genes appeared in two ground bacteria families (Rhodobiaceae and Leptospiraceae) over 600 million years ago thanks to a mutation in the drug’s target gene. The […]
Featured news
27 Mar 2019
Can you ‘catch’ cancer?
Parasitic worms cause cancer – and could help cure it; Frontiers in Medicine
Engineering
26 Mar 2019
Will cyborg circuits be made from melanin?
Scientists have achieved a billion-fold increase in the electrical conductivity of melanin, that could unleash its potential in safe, sustainable bioelectronics; Frontiers in Chemistry
Featured news
25 Mar 2019
Superbugs have colonized the International Space Station – but there’s a silver lining
An antimicrobial coating made of precious metals reduced growth of bacteria on contamination-prone surfaces inside the ISS, where extreme conditions can foster antibiotic-resistant superbugs; Frontiers in Microbiology
Featured news
19 Mar 2019
Slower runners benefit most from high-tech shoes
Researchers re-examined treadmill studies of runners dating back decades, recalculating the effect of performance strategies to account for things like air resistance and oxygen uptake velocity; Frontiers in Physiology
Featured news
18 Mar 2019
Dormant viruses activate during spaceflight – NASA investigates
The stress of spaceflight gives viruses a holiday from immune surveillance, putting future deep-space missions in jeopardy; Frontiers in Microbiology
Featured news
15 Mar 2019
Brain training app improves users’ concentration, study shows
Cambridge researchers have developed and tested ‘Decoder’, a new game that is aimed at helping users improve their attention and concentration; Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Featured news
14 Mar 2019
A lawn is better than fertilizer for growing healthy blueberries
Intercropping with grasses is an effective and sustainable alternative to chemical treatments for maximizing blueberry yield and antioxidant content in limey soils; Frontiers in Plant Science
Climate action
12 Mar 2019
Toward more energy-efficient cruise ships
An EPFL researcher has developed a system based on fuel cells to reduce the carbon footprint and energy consumption of cruise ships, which are increasingly popular among vacation goers around the world; Frontiers in Energy Research
Featured news
11 Mar 2019
Tomato plant aroma to protect crops
Spraying crops with the tomato compound hexenyl butyrate could be a cheap, safe and straightforward means to prevent bacterial infection and improve drought tolerance; Frontiers in Plant Science
Featured news
08 Mar 2019
New method uses AI to screen for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Scientists have developed a new AI tool that can screen children for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder quickly and affordably: Frontiers in Neurology
Featured news
07 Mar 2019
Bedtime protein for bigger gains? Here’s the scoop
Downing a casein shake just before sleep increases muscle mass and strength gains from resistance training, without ‘making you fat’ — but is the effect any different to your regular post-workout protein supplement? Frontiers in Nutrition
Featured news
06 Mar 2019
Researchers discover a flipping crab feeding on methane seeps
Researchers have documented a group of tanner crabs vigorously feeding at a methane seep on the seafloor off British Columbia – one of the first times a commercially harvested species has been seen using this energy source; Frontiers in Marine Science
Climate action
05 Mar 2019
Want to save the planet? Stop trying to be its friend
People tend to judge their environmental impact using moral intuition that evolved to handle social exchange — but these tree huggers may be doing more harm than good, say researchers; Frontiers in Psychology
Featured news
04 Mar 2019
New target could help protect vision following optic nerve trauma
A new study sheds light on the mechanism of prolonged neuronal degeneration following optic nerve injury, which could provide treatment targets for preserving eyesight; Frontiers in Neuroscience