All Asia & Oceania articles – Page 8
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NewsCommon painkillers linked to antibiotic resistance
Ibuprofen and paracetamol are common over-the-counter medications that many of us reach for when we’re sick. But new research shows that these trusted staples are quietly fuelling one of the world’s biggest health threats: antibiotic resistance.
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NewsYogurt and hot spring bathing show a promising combination for gut health
Researchers have demonstrated that yogurt intake increases the diversity of gut microbiota and alters its composition. Furthermore, bathing in chloride hot springs after yogurt intake was found to improve defecation status more than yogurt alone.
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NewsUnicellular cyanobacterium UCYN-B significantly contributes to global oceanic nitrogen fixation
Researchers report that the cyanobacterium UCYN-B drives high N2 fixation rates in previously unrecognized hotspots accross the global ocean, making a significant contribution to the ocean’s nitrogen supply and productivity.
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NewsColibactin-producing E. coli linked to higher colorectal cancer risk in FAP patients
Researchers have found that patients carrying colibactin-producing Escherichia coli in their colon polyps were more than three times as likely to have a history of colorectal cancer compared to those without the bacterium.
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NewsNew study reveals phytoplankton’s contribution to centuries-long ocean carbon storage
Phytoplankton have long been viewed as transient players in the global carbon cycle, but researchers have discovered that these tiny organisms can directly pump “stubborn” carbon into the ocean, where it may persist for centuries.
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NewsKidney fibrosis linked to molecule made by gut bacteria
A molecule made by bacteria in the gut can hitch a ride to the kidneys, where it sets off a chain reaction of inflammation, scarring and fibrosis — a serious complication of diabetes and a leading cause of kidney failure.
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NewsMetabolic modeling unlocks diversity of yeast for industrial biotechnology
Scientists uncovered how yeast adapts to different environments at a systems level through strain-specific metabolic modeling.
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NewsStudy reveals the microbial battlegrounds within estuaries - and the part played by microplastics
Estuaries are known hotspots for biodiversity and are turbulent mixing zones where freshwater and seawater microbes confront one another. Source: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the Baltic Sea ...
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NewsScientists trace the evolution of the H5N1 virus
Researchers have discovered that the currently circulating 2.3.4.4b clade of H5N1 has specific mutations in its genome that increase its human adaptive potential.
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News4,000-year-old sheep reveals that livestock played a role in prehistoric plague infections
An ancient Yersinia pestis genome recovered from sheep sheds new light on a mysterious infectious disease that plagued prehistoric Eurasia for over 2000 years.
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NewsNatural shield: Licorice extract keeps ready-to-eat chicken safer and longer
Scientists who combined microbiological assays with mathematical growth models revealed that licorice extract demonstrates strong antimicrobial properties against one of the most resilient spoilage organisms in meat.
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NewsFrom east to west: How microbes orchestrate sausage flavor
A new review compares the microbial communities and fermentation strategies in Eastern and Western sausage styles, revealing how microbial succession—from lactic acid bacteria to yeasts and molds—plays a pivotal role in shaping characteristic flavors and textures.
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NewsNew hydrogel-based treatment accelerates infected wound healing and balances skin microbiota
A novel ε-poly-L-lysine-loaded sodium-alginate/gelatin hydrogel (PSG15) has shown exceptional promise in accelerating the healing of infected wounds. The injectable hydrogel delivers antibacterial properties while regulating macrophage polarization and stabilizing the skin microbiota.
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NewsInvestigating regional-specific gut microbial distribution: an uncharted territory in disease therapeutics
A new perspective highlights the critical role of region-specific gut microbial distribution across intestinal segments (e.g., duodenum, colon) in regulating host metabolism and immunity, challenging traditional fecal-centric approaches.
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NewsRevealed: New vaccine target to block malaria transmission
Researchers have visualised a key protein complex in malaria parasites for the first time, uncovering a new target for next-generation vaccines that could help stop the disease from spreading.
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NewsRNA immunity: A silent defender against viruses in mammals
Researchers propose that small RNA molecules play a direct and specific role in fighting viral infections in mammals. RNA immunity relies on the base-pairing precision of small RNA fragments, such as microRNAs, to recognize and suppress viral genetic material.
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NewsResearch probes the gut microbiome and its metabolite short-chain fatty acids in postmenopausal osteoporosis
Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is framed as a systemic bone disease driven by estrogen withdrawal, but a new review positions gut dysbiosis and its fermentation products—short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)—as equally influential regulators of skeletal fate.
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NewsAP2-domain transcription factor WRI5a-regulated MtABCB1 promotes arbuscule development in mycorrhizal symbiosis
A new study of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis suggests that the MtABCB1 gene likely influences arbuscule development by modulating the distribution and homeostasis of auxin within symbiotic cells.
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NewsDancing against the current: Microbial survival strategy
In scalding hot water rushing through narrow channels, some bacteria have evolved a surprising survival technique: they cling to surfaces, stand upright, and sway rhythmically—like tiny street dancers fighting the flow.
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NewsAnti-neuroinflammatory natural products from isopod-related fungus now accessible via chemical synthesis
Herpotrichone is valued for its ability to suppress inflammation in the brain and protect nerve cells, but could only be obtained in minute quantities from fungi that are symbiotic with isopods. Researchers have succeeded in chemically synthesizing this rare natural product.