All Research News articles – Page 2
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NewsIsland birds reveal surprising link between immunity and gut bacteria
Scientists have uncovered a hidden link between gut health and the immune system, all thanks to a tiny island bird. They collected the poo of the Seychelles warbler to analyse their gut bacteria – and found that their immune genes influence which gut microbes thrive.
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NewsSeaweed has the potential to create a shield to block norovirus infection
Seaweed has certain properties which have the ability to create a shield within the human body, effectively blocking norovirus infection. Fucoidan, from brown seaweed, showed the strongest and most consistent blocking activity against two major norovirus strains, GII.4 and GII.17.
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NewsAntibiotics can affect the gut microbiome for several years
Researchers have found strong links between a person’s history of antibiotic use and the composition of their gut microbiome, including the diversity of bacterial species.
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NewsSpecific gut bacteria species linked to muscle strength
A species of gut bacteria called Roseburia inulinivorans is specifically associated with human muscle strength and improved muscular performance in mice, finds new research. R inulinivorans changes certain metabolic processes in muscle, and converts muscle fibres to ‘fast-twitch’ (type II).
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NewsNew African species confirms evolutionary origin of magic mushrooms
A long-standing debate about the evolutionary origin of the world’s most widely cultivated ’magic mushroom’ – Psilocybe cubensis – may now have been settled. Scientists describe the discovery of a new species of magic mushroom from the grasslands of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
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NewsBuilding protection against infectious diseases with nanostructured vaccines
Researchers have leveraged a recently developed highly versatile DNA origami nanotechnology that is both vaccine and adjuvant, named DoriVac, as an alternative to current vaccine platforms.
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NewsGut bacteria drive process that protects colon tissue
Researchers have shown that the identity of distinct regions of the colon are regulated by the gut microbiome. They identified nicotinic acid, a molecule produced by certain bacteria in the gut microbiome, as a main driver of these regional differences in the colon’s sections.
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NewsResearchers uncover hidden genetic world in Antarctic Waters
Researchers have completed the most comprehensive survey to date of DNA associated with Southern Ocean microbes, paving the way for a better understanding of their role in climate change. At least a third of the genes identified are missing from existing marine gene catalogs.
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NewsMachine learning reveals when biochar helps or harms soil life
Researchers have shown that biochar can either help or harm soil organisms depending on how it is produced and applied. The research analyzed results from dozens of previous experiments to better understand how biochar affects plants, microbes, and soil animals.
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NewsNew study finds deep ocean microbes already prepared to tackle climate change
A new study demonstrates that the microbe Nitrosopumilus maritimus may already be adapting well to warmer, nutrient-poor waters. Researchers predict that these adaptable iron-dependent ammonia-oxidizing archaea will play an important role in reshaping ocean-nutrient distribution in a changing climate.
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NewsAntibiotic resistance can vary depending on where the bacteria live
Antibiotic susceptibility in resistant bacteria is not static. New research shows that bacteria harbouring resistance genes may respond differently to antibiotics if they are tested under conditions other than those used in standard laboratory assays.
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NewsScientists trace crop viruses back to the last Ice Age
Long before humans cultivated crops or sailed between continents, a group of plant viruses was already evolving among wild plants in Eurasia. Tthe ancestors of modern tymoviruses likely emerged before the last Ice Age, a new study reveals.
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NewsStay or stray? Scientists discover why some gut microbes persist after fecal transplants
Scientists have identified why some gut microbes successfully stay in the gut after faecal transplants, whilst others are much more transient. They tracked key genetic features of gut bacteria in 86 healthy adults over the course of a year.
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NewsStudy investigates how microbes use ancient carbon
Researchers investigated a hydrothermal vent system at a depth of about ten meters off the coast of Kueishantao island in Taiwan. They tracked the path of this carbon in the surrounding sea and its uptake by microorganisms and other living things.
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NewsWhen rats run, their gut bacteria rewrite the chemical conversation with the brain
A new study suggests that exercise stimulates a molecular link between gut bacteria and the brain. The research examined what happens to the gut microbiota, circulating metabolites, and hippocampal gene expression when rats are given free access to a running wheel for eight weeks.
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NewsRecent pandemic viruses jumped to humans without prior adaptation, study finds
A large-scale evolutionary analysis shows most zoonotic viruses emerge without prior adaptation, while passing through a laboratory leaves detectable genetic signatures, offering a new tool to interpret outbreak origins.
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NewsTiny vesicles, big risk: Environmental sweeteners trigger antibiotic resistance transfer
A new study reveals that mixtures of artificial sweeteners can stimulate soil bacteria to release microscopic extracellular vesicles that carry antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
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NewsHitchhiking bacteria can alter marine snow's role as a carbon sink
Researchers have found that when bacteria hitch a ride on marine snow particles, the microbes can eat away at calcium carbonate, which is an essential ballast that helps particles sink.
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NewsStudy highlights gut–brain axis in pituitary tumor–related cognitive decline
Researchers conducted a prospective cross-sectional study to evaluate cognitive function in patients with pituitary neuroendocrine tumors and examine associations among tumor lineage, hormonal abnormalities, and gut microbiota composition.
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NewsShifting from biotic to abiotic drivers of urban microbial multifunctionality under drought and rehydration
Scientists conducting microcosm experiments on Zoysia japonica, a common urban turfgrass, simulated four drought intensities and recovery by rehydration. They analyzed alteration in microbial communities and biochemical cycling to pinpoint the drivers of urban microbial multifunctionality.