Japan

A groundbreaking study led by a global research consortium offers new hope for patients with mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease. Researchers using an insect model and transcriptome analysis have unravelled the mechanism of iron regulation between host tissue and the mycetoma grain, a fungal mass characteristic of the disease. This discovery illuminates how the causative fungus invades and develops these protective grains within subcutaneous tissue, paving the way for new drug development and less invasive treatment strategies beyond surgical removal, potentially reducing the burden on patients significantly.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that both inhibitory and activating killer immunoglobulin-like receptors on natural killer (NK) cells were able to bind repetitive interspersed family proteins expressed on the surface of malaria-infected red blood cells. The role of these proteins in triggering both inhibitory and stimulatory responses from NK cells makes them extremely promising targets for the development of therapies and vaccines for malaria.

Stress-responsive gene pushes pancreatic insulin-producing cells toward dysfunction, fueling diabetes

How halogens uncover the hidden history of lunar crust formation and the striking lunar surface dichotomy.

Using iPS cells, veterinary medicine has made a step forward in creating a stable MSC supply

Researchers from The University of Osaka have developed a way to efficiently prepare the “magic states” necessary for quantum computers to be resistant to errors. Their technique, called “zero-level distillation,” involves working with qubits at the physical or zeroth level as opposed to higher, more abstract levels. The spatial and temporal overhead of quantum computers prepared from these states using this technique is around several dozen times lower than that of those prepared from conventional methods.

Serendipitous discovery of djerfisherite in Ryugu grain challenges current paradigm of the nature of primitive asteroids.

An international team of researchers including Kavli IPMU has for the first time observed a new class of exotic atomic systems—highly charged muonic ions.

A research team from The University of Osaka and Institute of Science Tokyo has developed a groundbreaking class of mRNA medicines that can sense changes in the body and autonomously adjust their therapeutic effect. This innovation paves the way for precision treatments that are not only more effective, but also safer—by producing just the right amount of medicine based on real-time biological signals.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that Oxr1 and Ncoa7 regulate the vacuolar-type proton pump ATPase on the membrane of the Golgi apparatus and trans-Golgi network to maintain their luminal pH. Inhibition of Oxr1 and Ncoa7 function disrupts glycosylation, a key enzymatic process that takes place in these organelles, providing new insight into the mechanisms underlying congenital disorders of glycosylation.

A research team at The University of Osaka has unveiled the molecular mechanism behind genome ejection from adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, a crucial delivery vehicle in gene therapy. The study reveals that the N-terminal region of the VP1 protein, a component of the AAV capsid, undergoes structural changes upon heating, facilitating the release of the therapeutic genetic material. This discovery offers new guidelines for vector design and stability assessment, promising more efficient and safer gene therapies.

Mixing two or three alkyl-π liquids can achieve the right combination of functions for soft electronics.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University observe and model how the enzyme ADAR1 interacts with double-stranded RNA, which may be useful for future cancer treatment strategies.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that EGR1-expressing CD14+ monocytes and CD8+ T cells with a type II interferon signature are associated with scleroderma renal crisis and interstitial lung disease, respectively, in patients with systemic sclerosis. Understanding the specific immune cell abnormalities underlying different clinical manifestations of the disease could help predict and prevent serious complications.

Improved production of compounds from methanol and Komagataella phaffii yeast achieved through DNA alteration

Researchers developed a safe and simple sublimation method that produces sheets of atomically-thin semiconductor crystals. This could streamline the process for creating faster, more efficient computers.

Solvent polarity controls drug-loading capacity of metal–organic framework carriers

The Kaiser effect, which is known as a stress memory effect, predicts that seismic events occur only when the previous maximum stress is exceeded. However, the Kaiser effect has only been tested at room temperature in laboratories. Here, we performed deformation experiments on natural olivine at high pressures and high temperatures. We have successfully confirmed a stress memory effect in strongly deformed olivine at high pressures and high temperatures.

A new study reveals striking international differences in how doctors approach the sensitive issue of tracheostomy invasive ventilation (TIV) for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Cultural norms and healthcare systems appear to significantly influence physician attitudes and, consequently, patient choices regarding this life-sustaining treatment.

Moved by how Hiroshima’s memorials transformed unspeakable loss into a global call for peace, a Hiroshima University historian turns his gaze to Southeast Asia—unpacking what stories their war monuments enshrine, what they leave out, and what that means for peace and justice, as the world marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing this year.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have shown the crucial role of iron metabolism in sex determination in mice. In male embryos, activation of the Sry gene, responsible for the correct development of testes, is dependent on the intracellular iron levels. Insufficient iron reduces the activation of Sry and can even cause some genetically male embryos to develop as female. This study indicates the importance of adequate iron levels in pregnant mothers for healthy embryonic development.

Suppression of de novo fatty acid synthesis with ethyl p-methoxycinnamate found to inhibit tumor cell growth

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, track and control levels of key flavor compounds in cultured beef

Researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, produce tiny transistors with high performance and reliability through the use of an innovative material and design

Researchers at the RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI) / RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have successfully used insects as mini molecule-making factories.

Researchers at Tohoku University found a method to break down specific contaminants in water in order to help replenish one of our most precious resources: fresh water.

Continuous 24-hour observations clarify time these fish engage in courtship, spawning

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, discover just how crucial the molecular structure of water is to ice formation

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that PM2.5 air pollutants negatively affect mucociliary clearance, a protective mechanism of the respiratory tract. Air pollution led to the formation of lipid peroxide-derived aldehydes, known to damage protective cells in the airway and increase the risk of infections. ALDH1A1 was found to play an important role in protection against aldehydes, making it a potential therapeutic target to diminish the negative effects of air pollution.

A team of researchers used a machine learning model to predict unknown chemical pathways, and bring us one step closer to efficiently storing next-generation hydrogen fuels.