New research from the University of St Andrews has shown that higher extinction risk is associated with higher frequency of decreasing local prevalence of species, in an analysis of one of the most comprehensive long-term databases ever created, BioTIME – a major tool to study biodiversity change also developed at the University of St Andrews. Researchers from the School of Biology alongside a team of international partners, analysed over 60 000 populations of 2362 species across 978 marine and terrestrial assemblages. These populations have been sampled comprehensively over at least 20 years. The picture that emerged was of complex links between the two factors, but a clear signal also emerged that decreasing temporal trends were associated with higher extinction risk compared to the other trends. Overall, fewer than 10% of populations showed either increasing or decreasing prevalence over time 

UCLA scientists are calling for a large-scale initiative to understand how human cells influence one another — a missing layer of biology that could reveal how cellular interactions drive disease and inform new therapies.

A new Editorial published in Translational Exercise Biomedicine (ISSN: 2942-6812), an official partner journal of International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS), argues that physical inactivity can no longer be described merely as a public-health crisis. Instead, the authors contend, it represents a persistent implementation failure of modern societies to align with fundamental human biology with consequences that strain global health systems, economic sustainability, and long-term human resilience. The editorial was authored by Yannis P. Pitsiladis, Daria Obratov, Fabio Pigozzi and Ugur Erdener.

A novel metabolic engineering strategy enhances riboflavin production by manipulating intracellular guanine levels through transporter engineering, demonstrating that overexpression of the NupG transporter can increase riboflavin titers by 15.3%.

A new genomic study by researchers from the HKU School of Biological Sciences (SBS) has found that Hong Kong’s introduced population of Yellow-crested Cockatoos retains unexpectedly high genetic diversity and could serve as a genetic reservoir for this critically endangered species. Published in Evolutionary Applications, the study also underpins a new conservation initiative with local schools to install artificial nest boxes and monitor this rare urban population.

A comprehensive genetic toolkit was developed for engineering Streptococcus species, addressing a critical need for better regulatory tools in these industrially important lactic acid bacteria. The study introduces short synthetic promoters and efficient sRNA-based repressors that enable streamlined control of gene expression.

A new mechanism based on Murraya exotica L. extract to ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis by simultaneously inhibiting the NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways to suppress synovial hyperplasia, inflammation, and oxidative stress is provided, and a new strategy for multi-targeted phytotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis is opened.

 

A new mechanism based on Silibinin meglumine (SM) to ameliorate hepatic encephalopathy (HE) by directly targeting uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) to inhibit oxidative stress and suppress excessive mitophagy-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction is provided, and a new strategy for HE therapy is opened.