Mostly Microbes and Infection

 Editorial roles

  “The idea of working in my current field came from my original interest in microorganisms and how they affect the immune system of the host. Previously, I had worked on different pathogens in the body, not those found in the mouth. Most researchers are attracted to fields that are new where there is a lot still to be discovered and the oral microbiome is an area where there is still a lot we don’t know and so much to be learned.”

  “The industry I’m in is actually two in one: teaching and research. I love teaching and interacting with students. In many ways I learn as I teach them. I love their enthusiasm and their optimism. The thing about research is you are a student for life. You constantly have to learn new skills. It requires you to be a lifelong learner, which is something I enjoy.”

Climate change could increase likelihood of landslides due to more extreme rain events, more intense wildfires & rising sea levels.

A genomic analysis suggests that there are probably dozens of unknown species of horseshoe bats in southeast Asia, some of which could host new viruses. Study suggests ~40% of horseshoe bats in the region have yet to be formally described.

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Threatens Control of Drug-Resistant TB . Previous decades have seen an epidemic of MDR-TB in Russia & former Soviet countries, including Ukraine. Drug resistance thrives on fractured health systems & sporadic medicine supply

Experiments on sleep-deprived fruit flies suggest that reactive oxygen species build up in the gut & cut their lifespans in half.  

  Droughts & #wildfires are increasing due to #climate change. How to protect yourself

Exposure to #wildfire smoke altered DNA in monkeys, according to @UCDavis study. The results suggest that like the monkeys, young people breathing air from #wildfires may be more susceptible to respiratory illness & brain development issues later in life

3 recent preprints offer further evidence supporting the hypothesis that the #coronavirus spread from animals to people. A next step in the hunt for #SARSCoV2 ’s origin should be studying wildlife, such as foxes and raccoon dogs, on farms in China.

   Eating blue muffins can reveal health of gut microbiome . Eating a muffin dyed blue could reveal your gut transit time, which may help diagnose your gut health & act as an early warning. Gut transit times varied from ~ 12 hrs to > 72 hrs in a study.

A surge in people with discolored toes does not seem to be linked to COVID19. New report suggests that COVID toe could have been caused by something unrelated to the virus. For example, people in lockdown “being at home, not wearing shoes and socks”.

   China has revised the country’s pandemic guidelines to include the use of antiviral pills made by Pfizer, Paxlovid , as the country scrambles to contain its biggest outbreak since the early days of the COVID19 pandemic.

  Xylella fastidiosa has infected 20 million of Italy's 150 million olive trees. The bacterial pathogen has potential to kill 100,000s of ancient olive trees

Steven Leung, Michelle Sabin, Eve Cuny and David Ojcius As more vaccines are rolling out across the world, pandemic fatigue hits hard as we yearn for the life we had before COVID-19. But as vaccinations are being distributed, more and more questions arise. Are the days of the socially distanced “new normal” behind us? Can we finally remove the mask from our phone, wallet and keys repertoire? The answer is, not yet. 

by Jean Kanellopoulos and David Ojcius This special issue contains four review articles that analyze the development and biology of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which are the most recently-discovered group of innate immune cells. This unique group of lymphoid cells lacks the RAG gene and consequently does not express B cell nor T cell antigen-specific receptors. They are abundant at mucosal surfaces, where they play a role in immunity and homeostasis. The ILCs are the focus of intensive research efforts to understand their development and function.

   Europe thought it was done with COVID19 . The UK's daily case rate is still < 1/3 of what it was during the Omicron peak, but cases are rising as fast as they were falling just 2 weeks earlier. Daily cases are also rising in > 1/2 of European Union.

Researchers have found that body temperature exerts a greater effect on lifespan than metabolic rate.

Even a mild case of COVID19 can damage the brain, leading to shrinkage equivalent to up to a decade of aging , according to a new study. The findings represent more evidence of the coronavirus ' impact on the central nervous system.

Pink Australian lake gets its color from red & purple microbes. DNA sequencing has revealed that a bright pink lake on an island off Western Australia gets its color from a mix of salt-loving bacteria & algae.

Researchers found an association between the oral microbiota and the risk of hypertension in people who have experienced menopause. Specific bacteria were associated with both baseline blood pressure and the risk of developing hypertension.

  “The idea of working in my current field came from my original interest in microorganisms and how they affect the immune system of the host. Previously, I had worked on different pathogens in the body, not those found in the mouth. Most researchers are attracted to fields that are new where there is a lot still to be discovered and the oral microbiome is an area where there is still a lot we don’t know and so much to be learned.”

  “The industry I’m in is actually two in one: teaching and research. I love teaching and interacting with students. In many ways I learn as I teach them. I love their enthusiasm and their optimism. The thing about research is you are a student for life. You constantly have to learn new skills. It requires you to be a lifelong learner, which is something I enjoy.”

This page features research highlights and publications by the dental school faculty, staff, and students.  Contact: Dr.   David Ojcius, Assistant Provost for Research.

Verrucarin A, a secondary metabolite produced by the fungus Myrothecium spp, reduced the amounts of amyloid-beta in reprogrammed cortical neurons.

Co-editors-in-chief Miranda Hart and David Ojcius

Scientists in Canada discovered the 1st potential case of deer passing coronavirus to a human, according to a preprint. The discovery underscores importance of monitoring wildlife for diseases that could jump to humans but isn’t yet cause for panic.

EXPERT PROFILE David Ojcius Natural Sciences University of California, Merced Expertise:  sexually transmitted diseases, especially Chlamydia trachomatis Read more at: https://centerforhealthjournalism.org/resources/sources/david-ojcius

  by  Adriana Chan, Melissa Nguyen, Adam Acevedo and David Ojcius Wildfires and wildfire smoke have always been a natural feature of California’s environment. The data are clear – since 1980, the wildfire season increasingly shifts earlier in the year (from August to July) and lasts longer. In California, the average length of the fire season is estimated to have increased by 75 days, along with an increase in the size of the wildfires.

  “The industry I’m in is actually two in one: teaching and research. I love teaching and interacting with students. In many ways I learn as I teach them. I love their enthusiasm and their optimism. The thing about research is you are a student for life. You constantly have to learn new skills. It requires you to be a lifelong learner, which is something I enjoy.”

   “The idea of working in my current field came from my original interest in microorganisms and how they affect the immune system of the host. Previously, I had worked on different pathogens in the body, not those found in the mouth. Most researchers are attracted to fields that are new where there is a lot still to be discovered and the oral microbiome is an area where there is still a lot we don’t know and so much to be learned.”