Medicine & Healthcare

Researchers from Osaka University have found that a brain disorder associated with flu (influenza-associated encephalopathy, or IAE) can be caused by the influenza virus entering the brain from the blood via endothelial cells. In these cells, the researchers observed viral protein accumulation, suggesting that antivirals targeting viral transcription/translation may be useful treatments for some patients. Given the lack of effective treatments for IAE, this finding will likely improve patient care and reduce IAE-related deaths worldwide.

Immune response from two doses of mRNA vaccines is sufficient to protect against COVID-19 in children. A third dose does not confer additional benefit, research conducted by the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine) and Duke-NUS Medical School has found.

Osaka University researchers discovered liver resident macrophages' pivotal role in defending against gut bacteria and related substances entering via the portal vein, particularly under compromised intestinal barrier conditions. Identified as "sentinel macrophages," they are activated by isoallo-lithocholic acid. This finding holds promise for developing preventive and therapeutic strategies for liver chronic inflammatory diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), by enhancing the function of these macrophages to mitigate inflammation and improve treatment efficacy.

Researchers from Osaka University examined how specific types of contextual changes, such as government recommendations and perceived behavior of others, influenced mask-wearing behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found a complex relationship between societal norms and individual behavior during the pandemic, indicating that future strategies for public health crises interventions should consider various factors and contexts, including cultural predispositions.

Bacteriophage therapy could be developed based on study’s results

Aiming to reduce fracture recovery times, an Osaka Metropolitan University-led research group is focusing on plasma irradiation as a treatment method

Algae, a kind of organism commonly found on the water surface, is a highly efficient carbon absorbent, which can capture more carbon dioxide (CO2) than trees. Alcarbo Technologies Limited (Alcarbo) is a biotechnology company incubated by the Seed Fund and Angel Fund of City University of Hong Kong (CityU)’s HK Tech 300. It cultivates microalgae using genetic mutation technology and uses its self-developed “photobioreactor system” (PBRs) and nanobubble technology to enhance the carbon capture capacity of microalgae. This allows microalgae to capture about 68 times the amount of CO2 of an equivalent area of ​​forest, making them “Super Carbon Capture” species.

A recent study by Tohoku University researchers has shed light on the association between dairy product consumption and odd-number carbon chain fatty acids (odd-FA) within the Japanese population, a correlation previously confirmed in Europe and Oceania but understudied in Asian countries.

Researchers from Osaka University found that a new activator called L687 induces cancer cells to accept delivery of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drugs. These drugs can treat cancer by blocking the transfer of messages from genes that encourage cancer growth. Previous methods to deliver ASOs into cells had only limited success. This research will help accelerate the development and delivery of novel ASO cancer therapies.

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Researchers from Osaka University found that tetracycline antibiotics stimulate T lymphocytes in the body’s immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells. The antibiotics work by blocking the action of galactin-1, a protein made by cancer cells that suppresses the immune system. Identification of this new target may lead to the development of novel cancer immunotherapies.

Researchers from Japan’s Osaka University and Switzerland’s University of Lausanne explored the ethical considerations and current status of cancer multigene panel testing access in their countries. Despite cultural and healthcare differences, they found common national barriers: limited test availability, insufficient patient information, and variable insurance coverage. The study underscores the need for more equitable genetic medicine, suggesting improvements in test access, patient education, and insurance policies.

New research could pave the way to develop cancer drugs targeting an enzyme that inhibits ferroptosis, a type of cell death. Cancer cells that are resistant to anticancer drugs are known to be vulnerable to ferroptosis. Therefore, agents that effectively induce or enhance the sensitivity of cancer cells to ferroptosis are expected to become novel anticancer agents.

Rapid, responsive, and readily-available antigen-antibody testing is crucial in the fight against infectious diseases, something driven home by the COVID-19 pandemic. To improve these tests, a Tohoku University research group has created a new method to form polymer particles that are adorned with gold nanoparticles.

Researchers from Osaka University found that exposure to environmental carcinogens and psychological distress significantly decreases happy life expectancy, a measure of the lifespan during which an individual experiences subjective emotional wellbeing. These findings suggest that developing public health policies to reduce exposure to these chemicals could help people live longer, happier lives.

Researchers from Monash University and Osaka University have unveiled a groundbreaking discovery regarding the pivotal role of sensory neurons in orchestrating tissue repair and regeneration, offering significant promise for patients with poorly healing tissues and diabetes.

Numerical basis found for picosecond laser endpoints in effective clinical treatments with fewer complications

Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School have identified a gene that plays a crucial role in regulating energy supply to cells that drive kidney failure. This discovery concerning the gene, named WWP2, offers a new target for therapies aimed at mitigating kidney scarring and damage.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) are neurodegenerative diseases that commonly occur in middle-aged people. FTD is second only to Alzheimer's disease in terms of dementia prevalence. Both ALS and FTD arise from neuronal degeneration through mechanisms that remain unclear. Dr. Yun-Ru (Ruby) Chen's team in the Genomics Research Center (GRC), Academia Sinica recently discovered a new pathological mechanism for neuronal degeneration using synthetic peptides. They also discovered that a disaccharide can increase neuronal survival and reduce degeneration. The result provides therapeutic strategies for future treatment of these neurodegenerative diseases. The study was published in the top international journal "Science Advances" on February 23, 2024.

Two rare skin conditions with similar symptoms can be mistaken for each other, so a scoring system has been formulated to aid physicians in distinguishing two diseases

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Peptides are short strands of amino acids that are increasingly used therapeutically, as biomaterials and as chemical and biological probes. The capacity to isolate, manipulate and label peptides and larger proteins is limited, however, by the ability to reliably attach functional molecules, such as fluorescent compounds, to peptides in locations that won’t affect the three-dimensional structure and function of the short amino acid strand. Researchers have developed a unique chemical reaction to attach two distinct functional molecules to the N-terminus of a peptide in an efficient, robust reaction under mild conditions.

research team from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine undertook a detailed examination of the medical validity of deep learning models using post-mortem imaging for diagnosing drowning. The results reveal an inconsistency between the deep learning models’ results and the medical professionals’ observations.

Magnetic nanorobots delivering nerve cells to targeted tissues could potentially be used to repair damaged brain tissue, as well as other organs.

MozzHub, a user-friendly dengue hotspot detector, could significantly assist the management and control of dengue.

Regenerative therapy to treat heart failure is more effective when the mitochondria of the regenerative cells are activated prior to treatment.

In a step forward for breast cancer treatment, researchers at Tohoku University have developed a novel monoclonal antibody which specifically targets a certain type of breast cancer cell.

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University assess why post-operative symptoms such as pins and needles, sudden cold, burning, itching, and numbness in the limbs remain in patients suffering from cervical spondylotic myelopathy, even after surgery. The researchers also evaluated the patients’ satisfaction with postoperative treatment. They found that it was lower for those who still had paresthesia in their hands and feet, regardless of whether their motor symptoms had improved or not.

Vaccines and therapies based on messenger RNA could be more readily delivered due to a non-toxic polymer that protects RNA and controls its release inside cells.

A new coating for tiny vaccine carriers allows vaccines to remain in the body for longer.