Medicine & Healthcare

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists tested the antiobesity effects of Mallotus furetianus extract native to Hainan Island, China, using obesity model mice. As a result, body weight and adipose tissue weight of obesity model mice were significantly reduced by the intake of Mallotus furetianus extract. Fatty liver was suppressed and adipocyte size reduction in adipose tissue was observed. Further investigation into the mechanism revealed that fat synthesis is inhibited by suppressing the expression of several transcription factors involved in differentiation into adipocytes.

A research team from the Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science at Osaka Metropolitan University investigated the electrophysiological benefits of working in the presence of others from the perspectives of brain and autonomic nervous system activity. The researchers found that parasympathetic activity—which indicates relaxation—was significantly higher when two individuals were working separately than when one individual was working alone. This suggests that arranging the former condition in occupational therapy for individuals with high levels of tension or anxiety in clinical settings may potentially help alleviate these feelings.

The researchers from Osaka University showed how bone erosion caused by cholesteatoma occurs. This study showed that a subset of cells called osteoclastogenic fibroblasts expresses a protein, activin A, which causes the breakdown of the bones. Because of this discovery, novel medical treatments can be developed as first-line management for cholesteatomas.

Researchers from Osaka University found that patients with persistently high levels of urinary albumin excretion in the long term are at high risk of new-onset heart failure. Preventive treatment associated with the lowering of urinary albumin excretion levels in these patients could reduce the risk of later heart failure or mortality.

Comprehensive study to understand the health, social, and psychological wellbeing of older individuals aims to provide insights for effective policies and programs that support Singapore’s ageing population.

What does healthy aging look like? For answers, Hiroshima University environmental health expert Dr. Saori Kashima taps into a new science dedicated to Earth’s longevity.

The consortium’s multidisciplinary executive committee comprises of both local and international oral health researchers.

The Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development (CDD) of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has made significant progress in developing novel Chinese medicine for treating chronic constipation. With its success in the Investigational New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDD has been authorised to conduct a phase I clinical trial of the new drug. This is the first time that a new botanical drug developed in Hong Kong was authorised to conduct a clinical trial in the US.

Lactate is a byproduct of exercise and metabolism, fueling our brain when oxygen is limited. More recently, scientists have become aware of the many roles it plays in developing our nervous system. Now, researchers from Tohoku University have unearthed the cellular mechanisms by which lactate helps our brains develop.

A joint research group at Osaka Metropolitan University conducted a survey on prevalence of obesity and factors associated with low obesity among 423 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19 living in Harare, Zimbabwe. The results revealed that 15.8% were obese or overweight. The study also revealed that 27.1% of the participants had low obesity awareness, which was significantly related to parents/guardians' lack of formal education and insufficient knowledge about eating habits.

Highlights from the first two days of the 23rd International Congress of Genetics, Melbourne Australia For the next six days we will hear how genetics has transformed medicine, food, conservation, and almost every area of human activity.

Researchers from Osaka University have developed a fluorescent sensor that may be useful for understanding how cells recognize themselves versus other cells when making connections in the brain. Specifically, their sensor can be used to visualize not only connections between cells, but also the disassociation of these interactions. Because neuronal self-connectivity has been implicated in brain disorders like epilepsy and autism, a better understanding of this process may result in improved therapies.

The physiological mechanisms underlying severe burns are not well understood. Researchers at Osaka University used mass spectrometry to identify key blood proteins associated with burn mortality. Ultimately, three proteins (HBA1, TTR, SERPINF2) were very highly correlated with morality rates. Further research into these proteins and their pathways may lead to better drugs to treat people with life-threatening burns.

The entire biosynthetic pathway of actinopyridazone has been unveiled, revealing that an unprecedented carrier protein-mediated ring-forming step is key to its synthesis.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have successfully developed a model that utilizes AI to accurately classify cardiac functions and valvular heart diseases from chest radiographs. The Area Under the Curve, or AUC, of the AI classification showed a high level of accuracy, exceeding 0.85 for almost all indicators and reaching 0.92 for detecting left ventricular ejection fraction—an important measure for monitoring cardiac function.

- A research team led by Professor Hyuk-jun Kwon, a DGIST Professor, successfully developed a graphene-metal organic framework hybrid structure with hierarchical porosity - A technology capable of detecting extremely low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide at the level of one billionth in real-time... Expected to be applied to next-generation healthcare devices

A group of researchers at Osaka University used a noninvasive method to evaluate Cerebrovascular Autoregulation (CVAR) in patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The mortality rate increased significantly with the duration of time that CVAR was undetectable. It has been suggested that CVAR, a function that is normally present in the normal state, may be impaired after cardiac resuscitation. However, the relationship between CVAR function and patient prognosis has been unclear. The research examined CVAR over time, using the moving Pearson correlation coefficient calculated from regional cerebral oxygen saturation and mean blood pressure data, and performed a survival analysis using the presence or absence of CVAR as a time-dependent covariate. The findings of this study may first be useful in predicting neuroprognosis after cardiac resumption and may help avoid early withdrawal of treatment in those who may recover. In addition, they suggest that treatment and management that maintains proper CVAR after cardiac resumption may improve patient prognosis, which may be applied to the management of post-cardiac arrest resuscitation based on cerebral circulation to optimize treatment for each individual patient.

Researchers from Osaka University have revealed the mechanism by which increased signaling through a pathway associated with a molecule called Wnt leads to the development of liver cancer. They identified a gene called GREB1 as a target of Wnt specifically in liver cancer. This gene alters the function of a protein called HNF4α, leading to the development of cancer. They also showed that treatment of mice with antisense oligonucleotides against GREB1 had significant anti-cancer effects.

What scientists learned about the rare antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2’s Achilles’ heel could help fine-tune our COVID-19 vaccine strategy for longer-lasting immunity.

A combination of radiotherapy followed by immunotherapy is a promising strategy for the treatment of oral malignant melanomas in dogs.

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A joint research group led by Osaka Metropolitan University has clarified how pathogenic genes in some Providencia spp., which have gained attention as causative agents of food poisoning as well as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. O157 and Salmonella, are transferred within bacterial cells. Their findings are expected to provide new insights into the identification of infection routes of Providencia spp. and the establishment of preventive methods for food poisoning.

Researchers from Osaka University developed an in vivo CRISPR screen to analyze factors affecting Toxoplasma gondii fitness in healthy and immunodeficient mice. Mice were infected with Toxoplasma containing CRISPR libraries that targeted specific genes; genetic sequencing was then performed to identify which genes are important to fitness. The genetic screen clarified the contributions of host genetics and parasite genetics and can contribute to the development of strategies for toxoplasmosis treatment and prevention.

App leads to better birth preparation for pregnant women

SUTD researchers developed a fully knitted, circuit-embedded knee wearable for wireless sensing of joint motion in real-time. Compared to other knitted electronics, this model has fewer externally integrated components and a more sensitive sensor, making it less error-prone.

Tests could soon identify patients who will respond well to the available treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia and those who will be resistant to it—which could improve their chances of survival.

Scientists at Tohoku University have discovered a novel approach that improves the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade - a novel form of cancer treatment utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors - and minimizes the associated side effects. Using immune checkpoint blockades to target tumor-positive lymph nodes, they generated a robust anti-tumor response against both local and systemic metastases.

Eating fermented foods might be the secret to a healthy and long-lived society

Truck drivers unintentionally taking ‘microsleeps’ of a few seconds can cause terrible traffic accidents, but efforts and technologies aiming to prevent the problem have focused mainly on monitoring driver eye activity while missing a host of other key indicators of the problem.

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