Medicine & Healthcare

Although psychosomatic medicine is regarded as a branch of psychiatry in many countries, some of its diagnostic concepts are not fully encompassed by mainstream psychiatric diagnostic systems. When these two systems are integrated, the interrelationships among various diagnoses and their associations with psychopathologies remain to be elucidated.

Ateneo de Manila University researchers warn that young Filipinos graduating with a degree in nursing or medicine face an uphill battle for stable employment, fair pay, and meaningful roles in the local public health system.

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

Patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) exhibit a higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared to those without MASLD following HCV cure using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Moreover, MASLD mediates all cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) contributing to HCC development. Lifestyle modification, effective control of CMRFs, and judicious HCC screening for at-risk populations are essential to reduce and enable early detection of HCC during post-HCV cure follow-up.

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.

Duke-NUS Medical School’s Class of 2025 graduates 121 medical and doctoral students, including MDs, MD-PhDs, PhDs, and masters’ degrees; Landmark first batch of Masters in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality graduates, unique to Southeast Asia; Inaugural graduates from conditional admissions pathways with National University of Singapore and Singapore University of Technology and Design; 41% of MD and MD-PhD graduates made bold mid-career shifts from fields such as law, PR, accounting and mental health support

Singapore’s first nationwide research initiative dedicated to sarcopenia aims to revolutionise diagnosis and treatment for Asian patients.

Cosmic hide-and-seek, Controlling quantum light, Thinking face robot, Live DNA folding & Menopause-dementia link. Plus latest SciCom Coffee talk. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Examines how patient voices impact decision-making

Scientists have identified a brain molecule called NEAT1 that appears to play a central role in triggering light sensitivity (photophobia), a common and debilitating symptom of migraines

The Philippines faces a chronic shortage of nurses and physicians, and many health graduates are unprepared for real-world public health work.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that the Wnt5a protein, secreted by inflammatory fibroblasts within cancerous tumors, inhibits angiogenesis and consequently promotes hypoxia within tumors. Hypoxic conditions help sustain the inflammatory fibroblasts, which also secrete the growth factor epiregulin, thereby promoting tumor growth. This newly proposed mechanism for tumor growth offers a promising new target for cancer therapies and possibly other conditions linked to inflammation, such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Higher maternal selenium levels during pregnancy were associated with a lower risk of streptococcal infections in children, suggesting a potential protective effect.

A research team at The University of Osaka has identified a crucial brain region involved in motor learning during reaching movements. The parvocellular division of the red nucleus, a small but specialized structure in the midbrain, was found to generate and transmit “error signals” necessary for adapting hand movements. This discovery clarifies a long-standing question in neuroscience about how the brain detects and corrects motion inaccuracies, with potential applications in developing new rehabilitation methods.

The combination of estrogen-blocking treatment with immunotherapy enhanced immunotherapy efficacy in ER+ metastatic breast cancer.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that mass photometry can accurately distinguish full and empty rAAV particles in cell lysates and conditioned medium, without prior purification. This convenient and rapid approach is likely to improve manufacturing of rAAV-based gene therapy products by accelerating the screening steps.

A research team from The University of Osaka has made a significant breakthrough in cancer radiotherapy by identifying conditions under which carbon ion beams—delivered at ultra-high dose rates (uHDR)—can protect normal cells. This phenomenon, known as the “FLASH effect,” could revolutionize cancer treatment by reducing side effects and improving patients’ quality of life.

Space-saving version of Paralympic sport increases motivation, mobility among older adults

New research shows that the gum disease bacterium P. gingivalis can slip into the bloodstream and infiltrate the heart. There, it quietly drives scar tissue buildup—distorting the heart’s architecture, disrupting electrical signals, and raising the risk of atrial fibrillation.

How does obesity affect insulin production? Researchers at Tohoku University are shining light on new stages of the ERK pathway.

A breakthrough to tackle the long-standing challenges of heterogeneity and scarcity in extracellular vesicle (EV) research.

Method’s anticancer effects verified at cellular and organismal levels without obvious side effects

Smart neural electrode, "Rhinoceros beetle" robot, Halting the thief of sight, Together at last & Lighting hardy plants. Plus latest SciCom Coffee talk. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

A set of digital interventions can spur consumers to pick healthier options and reduce their intake of calories and nutrients that should be consumed sparingly when implemented in online grocery stores. Public health bodies and retailers could leverage these tools to improve diet quality and reduce rising rates of non-communicable diseases

Raccoons considered to be a source of zoonotic pathogens were monitored

Functional cure, defined as durable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA titers below the lower limit of detection (LLOD), is associated with better clinical outcomes of chronic HBV infection and regarded as the preferred treatment endpoint of novel therapeutic agents against HBV. Scientists from the College of Medicine of National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital identified that the Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in childhood, high-genetic-barrier nucleos(t)ide analogue(s) therapy before HBeAg seroconversion, and the HBsAg titer < 1000 IU/mL after HBeAg seroconversion are predictors of functional cure. Findings demonstrated the merit of the follow-up and treatment of chronic HBV infection from childhood.

Colder temperatures are linked with increased risk of diarrhea among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, emphasizing the need for climate-sensitive health strategies in refugee settings.

Meta-analysis of medical research with LLMs reveals diagnostic accuracy

Widespread contamination by emerging foodborne pathogen detected in retail chicken meat