Medicine & Healthcare

Duke-NUS introduces 35 innovative pictograms to make medication instructions clearer, especially for seniors.

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

Scientists have discovered that blocking the activity of the hormone glucagon could treat a common and challenging type of heart failure that affects millions worldwide.

Scientists identified a protein that regulates cellular clean-up, could also hold the key to new treatments for age-related muscle loss and muscle wasting in cancer patients, enhancing quality of life.

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

• Two-year assessment provides critical insights and recommendations for strengthening genomic sequencing for infectious disease surveillance in 13 South and Southeast Asian countries. • Research helps to step up Asia’s preparedness across wide range of diseases.

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.

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.

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

A research group has developed a new COVID-19 testing system using Janus particles—microparticles with two sides possessing distinctive molecular properties. These particles are engineered to bind specifically to target antigens, such as viral proteins, creating a low-cost, accurate, and rapid means of testing for viral diseases. The system’s versatility means it can potentially be used to test for other diseases and biomarkers linked to other conditions.

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.

An international consortium led by Duke-NUS Medical School introduces an ethics checklist for systematic and standardised assessment for research involving generative AI technologies in healthcare settings, enhancing accountability

Learned society and publisher Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has announced a new partnership with science communicators SelectScience. The two organisations will be working together on SelectScience’s upcoming CLINICAL24 campaign and beyond.

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.

Med-DDPM, a diffusion model, generates high-resolution 3D brain MRIs from masks, addressing data scarcity and privacy concerns in medical imaging.

Whether immunotherapy or conventional chemotherapy carries less mortality risk depends on BMI

Researchers from Monash University and Osaka University find that administering regulatory T cells (Tregs) to a tissue injury can promote healing. The team locally treated mouse bone, muscle, and skin injuries with Tregs, resulting in significant tissue regeneration and wound healing compared with control treatments. Mechanistically, Tregs can promote tissue monocyte and macrophage switching to an anti-inflammatory state, specifically by secreting signaling molecules like interleukin-10. These data demonstrate the strong potential of using Tregs as a cell-based therapy for regenerative medicine.

Seaweed helps brain health, Whales in long-distance relationships, Jumpstarting male fertility, Demystifying black hole turbulence, Shrimp to steel & Mpox Resources. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Studied oxidative stress and Parkinson’s disease as a case study

Suppression of an enzyme might allow melanocytes to recover

Researchers from Osaka University have identified key immune cells that respond to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. These cells, known as activated atypical B cells, are increased in blood samples from people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, people with higher levels of these cells have more antibodies to fight the COVID-19 virus. These findings should help researchers assess how well people respond to the vaccine and help improve the design of new vaccines.

Feeder-free induced pluripotent stem cells hold hope in therapies for cats’ chronic kidney disease

A study highlights that children with ADHD frequently experience sleep problems, potentially linked to lower levels of melatonin, a hormone crucial for regulating sleep. Genetic variations that reduce melatonin levels at night are associated with more severe ADHD symptoms in children aged 8-9. The research suggests that improving sleep habits, such as increasing morning sunlight exposure and reducing evening screen time, could help manage ADHD symptoms. This underscores the importance of addressing sleep issues as a possible way to alleviate ADHD symptoms in children.

Survey of 10,000 Japanese adults reveal leading causes of burp-related disorders

Specific nucleosides hinder replication of tumor cells in step toward cancer prevention

Researchers from Osaka University found that voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP) is activated by electrical signals during sperm maturation and is crucial for establishing the optimal phosphoinositide environment to generate functional spermatozoa. Modulating VSP function to promote appropriate sperm maturation could be used to develop clinical treatments for infertility in the future.

A nonirritant, antibacterial solution to prevent oral inflammation may lie in citrus and coconut chemical compounds

A pioneering study titled “Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022,” published in Nature Human Behaviour, has conducted the most comprehensive investigation to date on the causal relationship between video gaming and mental well-being. This research, the first to demonstrate this relationship using real-life data, challenges commonly held views about the effects of gaming.