Japan

Fungi don’t have eyes or a brain, but their intelligent behaviours may surprise you! Research at Tohoku University suggests that fungi may be able to recognize shapes.

An unprecedented rapid increase in anthropogenic fingerprints around 1952 in the global strata reflects the point in time when humanity began to overwhelm the Earth system

Researchers from Osaka University have created a high-performance polymer that can be chemically recycled without compromising its heat and chemical resistance. The revolutionary design includes a directing group that allows links in the polymer to be broken easily with a catalyst and the original polymer to be reformed in few steps. The directing group could be included in many polymers, potentially providing a new generation of high-performance plastics that can be recycled indefinitely.

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, demonstrate how morphogens combined with cell adhesion can generate tissue domains with a sharp boundary in an in vitro model system.

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a novel method using facet-selective, ultrafine cocatalysts to efficiently split water to create hydrogen – a clean source of fuel.

Researchers performed two studies to better characterize the effects of job embeddedness, or factors that influence an employee’s commitment to their job, on voluntary turnover in the face of job insecurity.

Successful selection of compounds inhibiting the function of a transcription factor

Surgery for discoid lateral meniscus in adolescence could lead to worsening complications and difficult solutions

Future of bioplastics made from carbon dioxide and biomass molecules could rely on more enzymes, shorter incubation periods

Solid electrolyte composed of nanoparticles embedded in an amorphous matrix shows high conductivity, formability, and electrochemical stability

A gene that limits cellular damage could be the key to surviving prolonged cold exposure.

Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence related to proper weight and diabetes regulation

Using real-world information written in Japanese, large language model displays accuracy on par with neuroradiologists

A study on factors that contribute to population changes based on city size

The discovery of a stable single-electron covalent bond between two carbon atoms validates a century-old theory.

The Androgen Receptor in Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells Drives Skeletal Muscle Mass Regulation

A research team led by Osaka University has developed Japan's first biomolecular sequencer prototype, crucial for gene-based cancer diagnosis and treatment. After 16 years of research, the team, led by Professors Taniguchi and Ohshiro, collaborated with H.U. Group Research Institute and Sony Global Manufacturing & Operations Corporation to overcome technical challenges. The team plans to enhance the device with AI for accurate diagnostics and to advance peptide drug discovery.

By targeting multiprotein molecule, antibody inhibits bacteria’s growth, pathogenicity

Analyzing fossils can be difficult – especially when they're so small that they can only be seen with a microscope. Researchers at Tohoku University have come up with a solution.

Study shows that ancient reef-building stromatoporoids survived the Late Devonian extinction and continued to thrive during the Carboniferous Period

Researchers from Osaka University studied the neurological control applied to human walking that maintains the correct relationship between the leg positions. They found that the rhythm of each leg continues independently unless they become too far out of phase. This work can lead to better care for people who have difficulty walking due to age or neurological issues.

Propylene production harnesses biodiesel waste byproduct

A research team from Osaka University has discovered a novel mechanism essential for initiating autophagy. The study highlights the role of ZDHHC13, an enzyme that palmitoylates ULK1, in triggering autophagy. This discovery sheds light on the molecular pathways involved in autophagy and their implications for diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and aging-related conditions.

Incidence, risk factors found for pulmonary aspergillosis, an invasive fungal infection of lungs, among COVID-19 patients

Light-induced immunoassay coated with novel coronavirus spike proteins found highly sensitive even with weak light like a laser pointer

Researchers from Osaka University found that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are fatter and shorter than their antibiotic-sensitive parental strains, and that these morphological changes correlate with changes in the expression of genes related to energy metabolism and antibiotic resistance. A machine learning approach was able to distinguish between antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-sensitive bacteria in the absence of drug treatment based on microscope images, suggesting that bioinformatics could be used to detect antibiotic resistance in patient samples.

A recent study from Osaka University reveals that intensive diabetes treatment can improve periodontal disease inflammation. Researchers found that two weeks of intensive diabetes treatment under hospitalization for patients with type 2 diabetes significantly improved not only blood sugar control but also PISA, an indicator of gum disease inflammation. Furthermore, the improvement in PISA was related to factors such as insulin secretion capacity and the severity of diabetes complications and comorbidities before diabetes treatment. These findings suggest that early intervention in diabetes is crucial for improving gum disease in diabetic patients.

Researchers from Osaka University found that T cells recognize neoself-antigens––abnormal, unfolded host proteins presented by major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II) lacking the invariant chain––as non-self antigens, leading to the development of autoimmunity. Reactivation of Epstein–Barr virus, a known risk factor for lupus onset and exacerbation, increases the presentation of neoself-antigens by MHC-II, which could help explain the link between viral infection and autoimmune disease.

A better understanding of how cells regulate their membranes could lead to new treatments for diseases such as epilepsy and anemia.

An international team of researchers has found a simple relationship between the rates of energy and information transmission across an interface connecting two quantum field theories.