Japan

Researchers from Osaka University have shown that the rare D-form of the amino acid alanine shows a clear circadian rhythm, and is able to affect the circadian clock and regulate gluconeogenesis, a method of glucose release, in the kidney. D-alanine upregulates genes linked to both gluconeogenesis and the circadian rhythm through the circadian transcriptional network. D-alanine is linked to many metabolic and immunological diseases, and this mechanistic insight could potentially lead to novel therapeutic approaches.

Researchers from Osaka University have discovered how amino acids activate a key cell, TORC1, which is a master regulator in living organisms that controls whether cells grow or recycle their contents in yeast. Notably, the team found that the amino acid cysteine is sensed by a protein called Pib2 and that the two bind together to trigger TORC1. This is important because faulty TORC1 has been linked to disease such as cancer.

We’re all familiar with our body’s internal clock: it gives us cues on when to wake and when to rest, but it also can determine the rate and time of day at which your body most effectively heals wounds.

A previously mysterious small RNA molecule in mice is found to play a crucial role in gene expression, and may be the first identified member of a new class of regulatory RNAs.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences a computational method to predict the placement of proteins on AFM substrates based on electrostatic interactions.

Researchers from Osaka University created an online space for conversation, collaboration and knowledge sharing among patients with rare diseases, their families, researchers and policymakers. A series of workshops generated evidence that could contribute to new policies in the field of rare diseases and explore ways that stakeholders could be involved in the process.

Researchers from Osaka University and collaborating partners have developed a new means of manipulating Mie scattering from nanostructures. By judicious choice of the laser illumination position with respect to the center of a nanostructure, one can strongly enhance optical responses that would not have been otherwise possible. This work is an important milestone in modern meta-photonics and will benefit computing and communication technologies.

Researchers from Osaka University investigated the thermal energy changes across nanopores that allow the selective flow of ions. Switching off the flow of ions in one direction led to a cooling effect. The findings have applications in nanofluidic devices and provide insight into the factors governing ion channels in cells. The nanopore material could be tailored to tune the cooling and arrays could be produced to scale up the effect.

A research team led by Osaka Metropolitan University focused on generative AI as an information-gathering tool in the medical field. The results showed that one of the generative AIs suggested mostly fictitious references, while the other suggested multiple references with the same level of accuracy as the researchers. The use of generative AI in literature search suggests the possibility of efficiently collecting a vast amount of medical information, provided that users are well aware that the performance of generative AI is still in its infancy and that not all information presented is necessarily reliable. It is advised to use different generative AIs depending on the type of information needed.

An international team of researchers led by Osaka Metropolitan University has elucidated the process by which the major flavonoids naringenin, apigenin, and genistein are metabolized in the body. These findings are fundamental in elucidating the correlation between the metabolism of flavonoids in the body and their potential health benefits.

Aids local governments in adapting to the threats of climate change

A new bacterial species discovered at the deep-sea hydrothermal vent site ‘Crab Spa’ provides a deeper understanding of bacterial evolution.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Nature Communications how they can control chirality inversion in α helical peptides.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Science Advances how they can accelerate and decelerate chirality inversion in large cage molecules using alkali metal ion binding.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Cancer Research how Kras and p53 mutations influence the tumor suppressor and promoter functions of a TGF- ß pathway. The findings may lead to a new approach for colorectal cancer therapy.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters high-speed atomic force microscopy studies that shed light on the possible role of the open reading frame 6 (ORF6) protein COVID19 symptoms.

A research team from Osaka Metropolitan University has successfully developed a novel pneumococcal vaccine by combining the team’s proprietary mucosal vaccine technology with pneumococcal surface proteins that can cover a wide range of serotypes. Experiments were conducted using mice and macaques and it was confirmed that pneumonia caused by pneumococcal infection was clearly suppressed in the target groups of animals inoculated with the vaccine.

Researchers from Osaka University found that HSP47, a collagen-specific chaperone, is a key determinant of body fat levels. HSP47 expression levels are upregulated with obesity and greater food intake and decreased with fasting, exercise, calorie restriction, bariatric surgery, and wasting syndrome, suggesting that HSP47 modulation has a profound effect on fat storage.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers and their colleagues have successfully detected an ultra-high-energy cosmic ray with an energy level comparable to the most energetic cosmic ray ever observed. The cosmic ray is set to be named after the Japanese sun goddess, Amaterasu. No promising astronomical object has been identified in the direction from which this cosmic ray originated, implying the potential existence of unknown astronomical phenomena and novel physical origins beyond the Standard Model.

Researchers from Osaka University have shown that lysosomes, key organelles for maintaining cellular stability, can be repaired once damaged by a process termed microautophagy. They identified molecules called STK38 and GABARAPs as key regulators of this process. Depletion of microautophagy regulators lead to increased cellular senescence and a shorter lifespan, indicating the importance of this process. This study is highly significant for the achievement of healthy aging and points toward new therapies for age-related diseases.

Glass is a fundamental material. Yet its atomic structure still baffles scientists to this day. Researchers have developed a new way to quantify ring shapes in chemically bonded networks of glass, chipping away at some of the mysteries behind glass’s atomic structure.

Researchers develop new method suppressing the distribution of drugs to healthy tissues, but also to rapidly removes the drugs once distributed in the body, which could improve the accuracy of imaging diagnosis of difficult cancers, reduce toxicity to healthy tissues, and furthermore improve the effectiveness of treatment.

Out of this living laboratory emerged unexpected insights on coexistence from an “unusual” source.

This paper highlights the underexplored potential of chiral self-sorting in the design of switchable and metastable discrete supramolecular structures.

Researchers from Osaka University found that Japanese people who used medical information were more likely to wear masks and disinfect their hands even before the COVID-19 outbreak, while those who exchanged information with acquaintances were more likely to newly start mask-wearing and hand disinfection post outbreak. This will assist in the development of risk communication strategies to promote infection-preventive behavior in a timely manner.

Rapid preparation and application of a panel of clinical antibodies armed with B-BiTE for refractory malignancies

Cancer stem cells cause the aging of macrophages in mice with healthy immune systems, creating conditions for the formation of tumors.

Steel and aluminum are key players in supporting economic growth, yet materials joining them remain unexplored due to their fusion zones’ brittleness. A new 3D printing method’s fix may be a step toward a steel-aluminum hybrid renaissance.

New insights on how individual immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, particularly in mutant strains, can influence the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines

A new study suggests that self-deception is the key to understanding irrational actions of national leaders in war, as exemplified by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.