Babies born with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), due to infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy, are at more than 11x greater risk of dying during the first three years of life than those born without the syndrome, according to a new study. Of nearly 11.5 million live births in Brazil, 3,308 babies were born…

A new strain of the Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG probiotic is able to utilise both lactose and casein as well as reproduce in dairy products. The discovery can make it unnecessary to separately add the probiotic to dairy products, in addition to which it could fare better in the intestine, boosting gut health. In fact, attempts…

A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is known to benefit the human body in so many ways. Now a new study suggests that it may also play a role in lessening various menopause symptoms. Although hormone therapy has been proven to be an acceptable method for treatment of menopause-related symptoms for many women,…

Most sporadic colorectal cancers can develop over decades. Recent studies showed that the gut microbiome has possible diagnostic potential for health and disease. Researchers assessed fecal samples from patients who underwent colonoscopy to study the relationship between gut microbiota and colorectal cancer. They found specific markers that could discriminate cases of colorectal cancer from healthy…

For the first time, scientists have shown that the bacterium that causes the tick-borne disease anaplasmosis interferes with tick gene expression for its survival inside cells and to spread to a new vertebrate host. In the United States, new cases of tick-borne diseases, such as anaplasmosis, Lyme disease and babesiosis, are on the rise. There…

Sexual partnerships between individuals from different communities may help explain why some community-based HIV prevention efforts were moderately effective, shows a new study. The findings may help explain the results of some community-based prevention studies and help scientists develop better ways to track and prevent the spread of HIV. Early identification and treatment of HIV…

More than 380,000 babies are born prematurely in the United States each year, according to the March of Dimes. ‘Preemies’ can be severely underweight babies and struggle to get the nutrients they need from breast milk alone, so neonatal intensive care units provide an additional milk fortifier, either in the form of cow’s milk or…

It happens in the first hours after fertilization: The cells of the early embryo begin to independently produce proteins, the building blocks for cells and organs. Their own, uniquely composed genetic material serves as the blueprint. In vertebrates, the starting signal for this process comes from three maternal proteins that bind to the DNA of…

A dogma-challenging discovery reveals that highly adapted bacterial communities in the sinuses of people with cystic fibrosis become more fragmented and experience mutations that erode their genomes. So rather than targeting red herring mutations, researchers suggest paying attention to patterns of genomic adaptation versus erosion, which might better indicate a viable path towards the more…

Children and teens with epilepsy who were treated with pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) had much better seizure control than those who were treated with artisanal CBD, according to a preliminary study. CBD is a cannabis component that relieves stress and anxiety and has anti-seizure properties. It does not produce a «high» like another cannabis component called…