All Asia & Oceania articles
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NewsHow E. coli eavesdrops and senses Bifidobacterium
Gut bacteria may be quietly listening in on one another’s metabolism. Researchers have discovered that E. coli can detect chemical signals released by Bifidobacterium, allowing it to sense what nearby bacteria are doing and adjust its own metabolism in response.
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NewsTwo paths to healthier soils: Scientists reveal how straw and biochar store carbon differently
Researchers discovered that combining manure with straw or biochar significantly increased soil organic carbon, but through two distinct pathways. Straw primarily stimulated microbial activity and carbon transformation, while biochar improved soil structure and the physical protection of carbon.
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NewsTurning agricultural waste into soil-building substances: Manganese-modified biochar gives fungi a powerful boost
A new study reveals how manganese-modified biochar helps beneficial fungi break down agricultural residues and accelerate the formation of valuable humic substances, offering a promising approach to sustainable organic waste recycling and soil improvement.
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NewsStudy finds Helicobacter pylori exposure may be associated with more than one in five colorectal cancer cases worldwide
An international collaborative research study has found that exposure to Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium known to cause stomach ulcers and gastric cancer, may be associated with approximately 22% of colorectal cancer cases globally.
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NewsCoral heat tolerance depends on species and location
Not all corals cope with rising ocean temperatures in the same way. New research shows that heat tolerance can vary sharply between species and even between nearby populations, with some corals from cooler, more exposed reefs proving unexpectedly resilient to thermal stress.
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NewsPL-5 spray improves healing in infected burn wounds, phase IIIb trial finds
A late-stage clinical trial found that a topical spray called peceleganan (PL-5) helped adults with mild infected burn wounds heal better than placebo. It enrolled 348 adults and compared the spray with a placebo. The study tested once-daily treatment for 14 days and tracked wound closure, bacterial clearance, and safety.
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NewsScientists discover ‘D-rex’, a giant fungus from Chinese forests whose unique lineage dates back 65 million years
Deep in the forests of Yunnan, China, scientists have discovered a ‘fungal giant’ that challenges our understanding of how large fungi can become. The newly described species, Dianjunus rex, produces vertical fruiting bodies up to 50 cm high and weighing up to 2.2 kg – the largest known within the phylum Ascomycota.
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NewsAn approach for novel antiviral compound discovery
Researchers in India have used an AI-based molecule generation platform to design a novel compound that computationally blocks one of the most conserved and functionally essential enzymes of SARS-CoV-2 — the main protease — with drug-like properties, no predicted toxicity, and a binding profile that compares favourably with clinically studied inhibitors.
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NewsLong-term viral hepatitis control and changing patterns of liver cancer mortality in Japan
A review paper investigated how coordinated policy frameworks and robust epidemiological infrastructure have been associated with reductions in viral hepatitis–related HCC in Japan, and what gaps remain toward achieving hepatitis elimination.
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NewsSalicylic acid helps apples fight blue mould after harvest
A natural plant signalling compound could help apples fight one of their most common storage diseases. Researchers found that salicylic acid slowed blue mould development while reshaping the fruit’s phenolic metabolism, revealing chemical changes that may help explain how apples resist fungal decay.
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NewsStudy maps antimicrobial resistance across major drinking water sources
Rivers, reservoirs and lakes can act as reservoirs for antibiotic residues and antimicrobial resistance, but the risks are not evenly distributed. A new study of drinking water sources in the Poyang Lake basin found that rivers and certain lake sites carried higher resistance-gene burdens, with mobile genetic elements emerging as a key factor linked to their spread.
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NewsMachine learning links water quality measurements to potential pathogen risks
A study of drinking water prediction systems shows that environmental measurements could support predictions of multiple microbial targets and generate potential health risk estimates broadly consistent with calculations based on measured pathogen concentrations.
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NewsMultitarget compound strengthens tomato defenses against TYLCV with layered response
Scientists testing compounds against tomato yellow leaf curl virus found that one antiviral appears to protect tomato plants by coordinating several defensive routes rather than depending on one narrow antiviral action. It strengthens resistance-associated gene activity while also engaging host proteins that may support viral infection.
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NewsNon-profit offers new front in the fight against pandemics
From AI-powered disease detection to stronger global health networks, Eric and Wendy Schmidt launch a new nonprofit to help the world identify emerging threats and respond before outbreaks escalate.
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NewsTiny marine microbe sheds new light on how little genetic machinery a cell needs to survive
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown microorganism, which has the smallest genome ever found, that is possibly able to replicate and express its own genetic information. Candidatus Sukunaarchaeum mirabile belongs to the archaea, a group of single-celled organisms that are fundamentally different to bacteria.
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NewsFrom warning signals to action: Closing a critical gap in infectious disease preparedness
Between the first sign of an unusual event and an effective public health response lie several critical steps: verifying the signal, identifying the pathogen, assessing the risk, making a decision, and translating that decision into action. A new Perspective asks: how can infectious disease risk assessment better support timely and actionable public health decisions?
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NewsCould a vaccine adjuvant help prepare for future pandemics?
A study in mice shows that K3-SPG can activate innate immunity, offering potential temporary defense against respiratory viruses while vaccines are developed.
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NewsA newly discovered membrane defence help explain antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Scientists have uncovered how Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major multidrug-resistant superbug, helps block antibiotics from entering its cells. The study identifies two proteins that act like plugs inside a membrane channel, revealing a potential new target for treatments designed to weaken bacterial defenses.
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NewsUniversity of Stirling secures £2.4M grant for major aquaculture project
Antibiotic resistance is becoming an increasing challenge for Vietnam’s vast pangasius catfish industry, where farmers often have few practical alternatives when treatments stop working. A new £2.4 million project will bring scientists, farmers and policymakers together to develop more sustainable ways to control disease and reduce reliance on antibiotics.
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NewsHow deep-sea clams and bacteria survive shifting energy supplies
Deep-sea clams living at cold seeps survive in an environment where their main energy source can rise and fall dramatically. New research shows that the clams and their bacterial partners respond together, switching metabolic pathways, adjusting symbiont populations and reallocating resources to remain stable under changing conditions.