Peer Reviewed

Prof. Takashi Takebayashi and his colleague performed a retrospective analysis where they analysed the significance of varied assistance level when using robotic therapy among stroke survivors. They proved that the assistance level needs to be maximised for patients who had severe to moderate stroke whereas the assistance should be minimised for the moderate to mild stroke patients. They stressed on the need for future studies with more objective outcome tools and a larger sample using appropriate research methods.

In a retrospective study drawing data from 973 participants between 2018 and 2020, researchers find that cases of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) increased from 22 pre-pandemic to 44 mid. Additionally, univariate and multivariate analysis of lifestyle habits reveal late-night meals pre-pandemic and increased alcohol intake mid-pandemic as independent lifestyle predictors of developing the disease.

Researchers have discovered in mice an additional use of globins as an intravenous drug that can delay liver fibrosis progression. Last year, the application of recombinant human cytoglobin (CYGB) as a protein therapeutic agent against liver damage and cirrhosis was published in Hepatology (Hepatology 2021,73:2527-2545) by Professor Norifumi Kawada’s research group. Here, they studied the antifibrotic properties of the globin family members hemoglobin (HB), myoglobin (MB), and neuroglobin (NGB) in comparison with CYGB. All globins demonstrated greater antioxidant capacity than glutathione in cell-free systems. Interestingly, all globins, except HB, could enter the cells and inhibit the collagen synthesis leading to a suppression of fibrosis development both in vitro and in vivo. The study was published in the journal Redox Biology.

Electrical stimulation of nerve fibers could promote the growth of the myelin sheath, a protective layer around neurons that is crucial for transmitting nerve impulses. The finding, published in the journal Biofabrication, introduces a new paradigm in the treatment of diseases where the myelin sheath is progressively lost, leading to muscular atrophy, hand and foot deformities, gait abnormalities, and paralysis.

The small-scale, community-led Shiosai art fair embodies a revitalizing tourism approach that has breathed new life into the aging island village of Mitarai.

Adolescent carers in the UK were more at risk of experiencing psychological distress and poor mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic than their non-carer peers.

A research group has revealed that amyloid-β (Aβ) detected in blood is secreted from peripheral tissues (pancreas, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, liver, etc.) that are sensitive to glucose and insulin. Also, that Aβ secreted from peripheral tissues acts as a regulator on pancreatic β-cells to suppress insulin secretion. The results of this study indicate that blood Aβ levels fluctuate significantly with diet, and special care should be taken when using blood samples as a diagnostic marker for Alzheimer's disease, such as taking blood samples during fasting.

As a result of global warming in the 21st century, the Greenland ice sheet may contribute several metres to sea-level rise in the centuries to come; however, effective climate change mitigation measures will greatly reduce its decay.

Higher lead levels in a mother’s blood can increase the chance of her bearing male offspring, according to new research led by Japanese scientists at the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.

Researchers aim to streamline the time- and resource-intensive process of screening ligands during catalyst design by using virtual ligands.

The Global Navigation Satellite System associated with a Japanese cell phone carrier can enhance monitoring of crustal deformation changes for earthquake early warning models.

Scientists have developed a model that predicts six tropical fish species will expand into northern parts of Japan as sea temperatures rise.

Researchers discovered the gene expression regulation mechanisms that drive coral transition from a floating larvae to one that sits sedentary in reefs.

An analysis method for protein–protein interactions using proximity-dependent biotinylation for next-generation drugs

- New HPHAC analogues with an embedded nonbenzenoid aromatic ring have been synthesized. - The newly synthesized HPHACs exhibit multistep redox properties and their dicationic species showed an aromatic nature based on macrocyclic conjugation. - Methylation on the nonbenzenoid aromatic ring resulted in the development of "antiaromaticity".

Tests using a mouse model of Alport syndrome suggests that turning off a cell signalling protein may significantly prolong life by preventing kidney scarring.

A research team led by the National Institute for Physiological Sciences and joined by Hokkaido University explored the role of pain neurons in the regulation of endotoxic death. They found that peptide named Reg3γ acts as a pain neuron-enriched brain-targeted hormone that protects the host from endotoxic death.

Scientists develop a method to genetically label neurons with a single gene of interest in mice by combining the anterograde transsynaptic spread of adeno-associated virus serotype 1 (AAV1) with intersectional gene expression. In two distinct circuits: the retina/primary visual cortex to the superior colliculus and the bilateral motor cortex to the dorsal striatum, injections of AAV1 expressing either Cre or Flpo recombinases and the Cre/Flpo double-dependent AAV into two upstream regions and the downstream region, respectively, were used to label postsynaptic neurons receiving inputs from the two upstream regions.

An innovative sample preparation method for cellular proteomics and protein structural analysis

A team of researchers at Tohoku University have developed a simple lab-based system for growing human muscle cells that are capable of vigorously contracting.

Scientists developed a procedure to reproduce the double peak feature of x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) spectra in liquid water.

Our visual processing is facilitated by spaces near the hand in a process known as hand proximity attention. Using a visual phenomenon called the flash-lag effect, researchers showed that proprioceptive information of a hand contributed to hand proximity attention.

Scientists demonstrate an optical trapping technique using nanotextured black silicon that can efficiently trap polymer chains. By adjusting the laser intensity, these “optical tweezers” can control the florescence color emitted through a local concentration of a perylene-modified polymer solution. From a low intensity blue to high intensity orange, this reversible and fully remote technology can almost reach the entire RGB spectrum.

With the aid of mathematics, materials chemistry enables dimension travel, unveiling that all properties of materials are governed by their dimension.

A Detailed comparative study on the structures and electrical properties of related insulators and superconductors

Scientists have developed a prototype sensor that could help doctors rapidly measure adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and lactate levels in blood samples from patients, aiding in the rapid assessment of the severity of some diseases.

A Japanese research team created a new way to sort living cells suspended in fluid using an all-in-one operation in a lab-on-chip that required only 30 minutes for the entire separation process.

A recent study conducted by Lingnan University and the University of Oxford proposes finds that university graduates retain rewards despite their diminishing scarcity as long as they possess good cognitive skills.

Using electricity, a new method offers the possibility of recycling CO2 while also performing a notoriously difficult reaction, producing compounds potentially useful for drug development.

• Your chances of getting resuscitated by a bystander in Asia if your heart suddenly stops while in a public place depends on whether you’re a man or a woman. • Across nine Asian communities, in public locations, the bystander CPR rates were 31.2 per cent for females and 36.4 per cent for males. • For women, the chances of receiving bystander CPR when suffering a cardiac arrest in a public out-of-hospital setting is lower than for men; in homes or private places, the likelihood is reversed.