Health

News

11 Jul 2023
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.
07 Jul 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a way to avoid biopsies by catching free-floating DNA, a large dip in the Earth’s surface under the Indian Ocean, and how people who brush their teeth before bed seem to have healthier hearts.
06 Jul 2023
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.
04 Jul 2023
- 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
04 Jul 2023
The use of veterinary antibiotics is not uncommon in the fields of animal husbandry and fisheries to speed up growth and prevent disease. However, residual antibiotics may damage human gut microbiota, promote antibiotic resistance, and even delay the growth and development of brain cells, posing hazards to human health.
30 Jun 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are whether octopuses have dreams, an app that can tell you if your cat is in pain, and interchangeable arms for cyborg dancing.
28 Jun 2023
Researchers from Osaka University analyzed discussions on research governance of human genome editing in the Expert Panel on Bioethics in Japan and identified the positive roles played by related research communities, the government, and the general public in the policy-making process. It is expected to provide more effective and practical guidance for countries and organizations seeking to work with diverse stakeholders in the governance of emerging medical technologies.
27 Jun 2023
Have you ever studied hard for a test the night before, only to fail miserably the next day? Alternatively, you may have felt unconfident after studying the night before when, to your astonishment, you recall effortless the content on test day. This discrepancy may be down to the separate and independent way in which our brain processes short- and long-term memory, Tohoku University researchers have revealed.
26 Jun 2023
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.
Asia Research News Editor's Choice header
19 Jun 2023
A key protein for sperm maturation identified, Understanding gel formation, Urine test predicts organ diseases, A laser drills holes in a graphene film. Plus in our blog - The frogs of Borneo: more than just a race. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
16 Jun 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a potential answer to the question of which came first the chicken or the egg, vaginal seeding to boost baby microbiomes, and looking at remnants of the universe that used to be filled with gas.
The transfer of pathogenic genes between not only same bacterial species but also different species
15 Jun 2023
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.
08 Jun 2023
A stem cell therapy treatment developed by Duke-NUS Medical School researchers for heart failure has shown promising results in preclinical trials. These cells, when transplanted into an injured heart, are able to repair damaged tissue and improve heart function.
Mothers and babies in Tanzania
05 Jun 2023
App leads to better birth preparation for pregnant women
02 Jun 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a species of eel that is slowly losing its eyes, a new space mission to give astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station a break, and how having more muscular legs can help avoid heart failure.
01 Jun 2023
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.
01 Jun 2023
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.
29 May 2023
Zinc is essential for our health. Our bodies must constantly regulate its zinc levels, otherwise fatal diseases such as cancers, growth failures, ad immunodeficiency can occur. Now, a research group has unearthed how zinc transporter complexes regulate zinc ion concentrations in different areas of the Golgi apparatus.
26 May 2023
A research team, led by researchers from Osaka University, performed genetic screening of fission yeast lacking DNA repair gene Rad51 to identify genes that play a role in gross chromosomal rearrangement (GCR), a type of mutation that occurs at the centromere. Cells lacking Srr1 or Skb1 exhibited reduced GCR, indicating that these genes are important to the occurrence of GCR. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying centromeric GCR.
Influence of Bacillus subtilis var. natto intake
25 May 2023
Eating fermented foods might be the secret to a healthy and long-lived society
25 May 2023
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.
19 May 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a surprising antidote candidate for one of the deadliest mushrooms, why a certain species of spider walks like an ant, and the oldest primate embryos grown outside of the womb.
18 May 2023
It’s not unusual for many of us to reach for a cup of coffee or cup of tea whilst focusing our attention on a screen. Scientists have long pondered whether our hand movements influence our spotlight attention. And now a group of researchers from Tohoku University have discovered that our spotlight attention and the attention paid to our moving hands operates via independent mechanisms.
12 May 2023
Specially coated surfaces help scientists investigate what happens when cell clusters are turned upside down.
11 May 2023
A protein that helps bats survive viral diseases might offer lessons for developing new anti-inflammatory treatments.
11 May 2023
DGIST and New Life Group launched a research project on "Functional beauty and health products using the latest nanotechnology."
Damage to the liver induced by acetaminophen (dotted blue outlines) is almost completely mitigated by CoQ10-MITO-Porter (right), compared to the effect of phosphate buffered saline (left) and direct administration of CoQ10(center). (Mitsue Hibino, et al. Scientific Reports. May 10, 2023).
10 May 2023
A new drug delivery system delivers an antioxidant directly to mitochondria in the liver, mitigating the effects of oxidative stress.
08 May 2023
Osaka Metropolitan University scientists investigated the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in 678 bacterial isolates from 428 companion dogs and 74 companion cats at the Veterinary Medical Center, Osaka Metropolitan University. Two E. coli strains have both a mobile colistin-resistant mcr gene and a third-generation cephalosporin-resistant blaCTX gene. One of these strains, which is found in a dog, was resistant to both colistin and third-generation cephalosporins.
05 May 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a natural glue to hold stem cells in place, how cancer manipulates our immune cells, and the answer to Everest’s spooky nighttime noises.
05 May 2023
Scientists have found a lipid transporter crucial to regulating the cells that make myelin, the nerve-protecting sheath.

Events

Sorry, no events coming up for this topic.

Researchers

Sorry, no researchers coming up for this topic.

Giants in history

Filipina paediatrician and scientist Perla Santos-Ocampo (25 July 1931 – 29 June 2012) made important contributions to treatments and policies that curbed debilitating and sometimes deadly diarrhoea-related diseases and malnutrition in children.
Singaporean physician Oon Chiew Seng (1916 – 31 March 2022) advanced dementia care and research in Singapore, and co-founded the Apex Harmony Lodge, the nation’s first nursing home for residents with dementia.
Vietnamese surgeon Tôn Thất Tùng (10 May 1912 – 7 May 1982) developed a pioneering technique that reduced the risks and mortality rate of liver operations.
Chinese biochemist Chi Che Wang (1894 - 1979), one of the first Chinese women to study abroad, advanced to prominent research positions at American institutions including the University of Chicago and the Northwestern University Medical School.
Ruby Sakae Hirose (1904 – 1960) was a Japanese-American scientist whose research contributed significantly to our understanding of blood clotting, allergies and cancer.
Flora Zaibun Majid ( 1939–2018) was an accomplished Bangladeshi researcher in botany and nutrition science and the first female chairperson of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Iranian physician and bacteriologist Azar Andami (8 December 1926 – 19 August 1984) developed a cholera vaccine to combat an outbreak that swept through the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and Africa in 1937.
Irene Ayako Uchida’s (8 April 1917 – 30 July 2013) strides to understand genetic diseases such as Down syndrome paved the way for early screening of chromosomal abnormalities in foetuses.
Baron Kitasato Shibasaburo (29 January 1856 – 13 June 1931) was a Japanese physician and bacteriologist whose work led to a new understanding of preventing and treating tetanus, diphtheria and anthrax.
Maggie Lim (5 January 1913 – November 1995) was a Singaporean physician who promoted family planning and expanded the access to clinics to improve the quality of life for mothers and children in Singapore’s early days.
By isolating soil microorganisms and studying the compounds they produce, Satoshi Omura (born 1935) discovered almost 500 organic compounds with unique properties that were produced by these microorganisms, including many new antibiotics.
The founder of the Adyar Cancer Institute in India, Muthulakshmi Reddy (30 July 1886 – 22 July 1968), fought to uplift women and girls from impoverished situations.
Chinese-American virologist and molecular biologist Flossie Wong-Staal (27 August 1946 – 8 July 2020) was the first scientist to clone HIV and determine the function of its genes.
Maharani Chakravorty (1937 – 2015) was one of India’s earliest molecular biologists whose research paved the way for advances in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections.
Archana Sharma (16 February 1932 - 14 January 2008) conducted research into plant and human genetics that expanded the understanding of both botany and human health. In relation to botany, she uncovered the means by which asexually-reproducing plants evolve into new species.
The first Thai woman to receive a degree in medicine, Margaret Lin Xavier (29 May 1898 – 6 December 1932), is best remembered for her compassion towards her less privileged patients.
In 1915, pathologist Katsusaburo Yamagiwa and his research assistant Koichi Ichikawa became the first to prove that chronic exposure to chemicals can cause cancer.
Filipino chemist and pharmacist Manuel A. Zamora (29 March 1870 – 9 July 1929) is best remembered for his discovery of the tiki-tiki formula to combat beriberi, a disease caused by Vitamin B1 deficiency.
After witnessing death and suffering as a youth in his home village during World War II, Nguyễn Tài Thu (6 April 1931 – 14 February 2021) set his sights on alleviating pain by becoming a doctor. After studying Traditional Chinese Medicine in China in the 1950s, Thu returned to Vietnam to serve in military hospitals. Eventually, he became the country’s foremost practitioner of acupuncture, a technique he first learned by inserting needles into himself.
David T. Wong (born 1936) is a Hong Kong-born American neuroscientist who is best known for discovering the antidepressant drug fluoxetine, better known as Prozac.
Indian organic chemist Asima Chatterjee (1917 to 2006) studied the medicinal properties of plant products, especially compounds known as vinca alkaloids.
Hsien Wu (24 November 1893 – 8 August 1959) is widely regarded as the founder of biochemistry and nutrition science in China. He was the first to propose that protein denaturation was caused by the unfolding of the protein, instead of chemical alteration.
Umetaro Suzuki (7 April 1874 – 20 September 1943) was a Japanese scientist best remembered for his research on beriberi, a disease caused by vitamin B1 deficiency, characterized by limb stiffness, paralysis and pain.
Syed Qasim Mehdi (13 February 1941 – 28 September 2016) was a Pakistani molecular biologist who was a founding member of the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP), which assessed human diversity by studying human migration, mutation rates, relationships between different populations, genes involved in height and selective pressure.
Tsai-Fan Yu (1911 – 2 March 2007) was a Chinese-American physician and researcher who was the first female full professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She discovered that gout, a condition characterized by the painful inflammation of joints, was caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the bloodstream.
Min Chueh Chang (10 October 1908 – 5 June 1991) was a Chinese-American biologist who studied fertilization in mammalian reproduction.
A Japanese surgeon, Tetsuzo Akutsu (20 August 1922 – 9 August 2007) built the first artificial heart capable of keeping an animal alive.
Ogino Ginko (3 March 1851 – 23 June 1913) was the first registered female doctor to practise modern medicine in Japan.