All Asia & Oceania articles – Page 44
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NewsGlobal Virus Network issues scientific guidance on new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 and vaccine protection
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is closely monitoring the emergence of a newly identified SARS-CoV-2 variant, NB.1.8.1, a sublineage of the Omicron family first identified in January 2025 and which has rapidly spread across Asia and into other regions.
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CareersMeet the Global Ambassadors: our Q&A with Arsalan Zaidi
The Microbiologist gets to know our new Global Ambassador for Pakistan, Dr Arsalan Zaidi, who is Principal Scientist at the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering.
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NewsFecal transplants: Promising treatment or potential health risk?
New research shows that transplanting microbes from only one section of the digestive tract can have long-lasting, unintended consequences.
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NewsGlobal study: COVID-19 and adenoviral vaccines tied to GBS risk, not mRNA vaccines
A large-scale study in a population covering more than 230 million people sheds light on the relationship between Guillain-Barré syndrome after COVID-19 vaccines or SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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NewsDiatoms could be key to creating farming systems on the Moon
Diatoms hold immense potential to revolutionize space agriculture, offering a transformative solution for sustainable extraterrestrial ecosystems and a key role in enabling humanity to establish sustainable living environments on the Moon and other planets, a new study argues.
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NewsNanoparticle smart spray helps crops block infection before it starts
As climate change fuels the spread of plant diseases worldwide, a new nanoparticle smart spray could help crops defend themselves by blocking harmful bacteria from entering through tiny pores in their leaves.
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NewsFungal resistance in wheat: preserving biodiversity for food security
Researchers have found traditional wheat varieties from Asia that harbor several genes that confer resistance against yellow rust. They may serve as a durable source of yellow rust resistance in commercial varieties in the future.
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NewsBacteria hitch a ride on yeast puddles to zoom around
Researchers found that bacteria can speed up by using the fluid pockets shaped by neighboring yeast cells. These microscopic moisture trails allow bacteria to swim farther and spread faster—revealing a new way for microbes to travel through soil, plants, and the human body.
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NewsCannabis extracts show remarkable effectiveness against fungal pathogens
Two cannabis-derived compounds have shown remarkable effectiveness against fungal pathogens in laboratory tests, according to new research.
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NewsResearchers uncover genetic keys to the increasing threat of H9N2 avian influenza
A new study has uncovered significant genetic and antigenic diversity among H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) circulating in poultry across China, highlighting the growing public health risk posed by H9N2 AIVs.
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NewsMicrobes revealed as missing link in potato cyst nematode cycle
Potatoes produce a molecule that is converted by microbes and causes potato parasites to hatch. The discovery of this three-way relationship not only adds a new perspective to how plants interact with their environment, it also opens a path to countermeasures.
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NewsStudies probe how novel inhibitors can switch efflux pumps off in TB bacteria
Two new studies aim to both identify and understand how novel inhibitors can switch efflux pumps off in the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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NewsScientists deploy multi-scale features and attention mechanisms to optimize apple disease identification
A new machine learning algorithm-based disease recognition model elevated the accuracy of apple leaf disease identification to 96.76%, significantly outperforming mainstream models. It allows farmers to swiftly implement targeted treatments via mobile apps.
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NewsNew cell-sorting platform accelerates discovery of high-value microbes
Researchers have developed an advanced, high-throughput single-cell sorting platform that enables direct isolation of living cells with targeted metabolic profiles from large mutant libraries.
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NewsReal-time 3D visualization of leech peptide reveals potent antibacterial and antibiofilm activity
Researchers have discovered a novel natural antimicrobial peptide, ‘Hirunipin-2,’ from the salivary glands of the medicinal leech using cutting-edge imaging technology, demonstrating that it has high potential as a new therapeutic effective against superbacteria.
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NewsTen new microfungal taxa and nine new species found in Tibet
Researchers conducting a microfungal survey in the Xizang Autonomous Region reported the discovery of ten new taxa and clarified the phylogenetic relationships of these fungi. They proposed one new genus, Neotriplosphaeria, and nine new species.
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NewsInsect protein blocks bacterial infection
A protein that gives fleas their bounce has been used to boot out bacteria cells, with lab results demonstrating the material’s potential for preventing medical implant infection.
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NewsScientists target viral enzymes to strengthen brain immunity against HSV-1
A new study uncovers how HSV-1 disables the brain’s antiviral defense—and how this defense can be restored. The study offers a promising new therapeutic strategy for treating HSV-1 encephalitis by reactivating the host’s intrinsic immune system.
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NewsSynthetic compound shows promise against multidrug resistance
Researchers have synthesized a new compound called infuzide that shows activity against resistant strains of pathogens. In lab and mouse tests, infuzide reduced bacterial populations, suggesting it might be useful as a new treatment for drug-resistant infections.
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NewsResearchers uncover a unique light-harvesting structure in marine algae
Scientists conducted a high-resolution analysis of a photosynthetic complex found in a marine alga, Chrysotila roscoffensis. The photosystem II–FCPII complex could shape the future of artificial photosynthesis.