Medicine

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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.

To improve the therapeutic techniques to treat those with brain disorders, researchers have developed microscopic, thermally-drawn microelectronic fiber-based neural probes as a means to manipulate both electrical and chemical signals in the brain. Now, a researcher from Tohoku University’s Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences has led a group that increased the functionality of these fibers by equipping them with neurochemical sensing aptamers.

Researchers from Osaka University identified a new protein, R-spondin 3 (RSPO3), that has beneficial effects after ischemic stroke in mice. Specifically, RSPO3 activates the protein LGR4 to trigger a cascade of cellular reactions that decreases inflammation and stimulates the growth of neuronal extensions. Moreover, administrating RSPO3 to mice one day after stroke improved recovery of sensory and motor functions. These findings provide a new target for developing treatments to improve recovery after ischemic stroke.

Researchers from Osaka University identified a new protein, NICOL, and described its crucial role in the maturation of sperm, which itself is necessary for male fertility. Mice who lacked this protein were sterile. Such a discovery may have implications for the development of male contraceptives.

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.

HKBU joint research suggests that urine cytomegalovirus test facilitates early prediction of AIDS end-organ diseases

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular, lower the prognosis of ischemic strokes by causing inflammation in the brain.

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We typically think of robots as metal objects, filled with motors and circuits. But the field of molecular robotics is starting to change that. Like the formation of complex living organisms, molecular robots derive their form and functionality from assembled molecules stored in a single unit, i.e., a body. Yet manufacturing this body at the microscopic level is an engineering nightmare. Now, a Tohoku University team has created a simple workaround.

Doctors at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital have developed lightweight and easy-to-use Parkinson's gloves that can automatically reduce tremors, allowing patients to enjoy social life and reducing side effects from medication and risk from brain surgery.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has made us more aware of the aerosols that hang around in the air and spread certain infectious diseases. Common dental procedures can be potentially hazardous in this regard. Therefore, it is crucial for researchers to be able to measure how aerosols spread so they can reduce them. A recent study harnessed a high-sensitivity camera and a high intensity LED light source, along with a mannequin and dental air turbine, to measure the spread of aerosols and the effectiveness of various means to reduce them.

A tiny platform empowers scientists to examine how gut and liver cells interact in health and disease.

Ferroptosis is a recently discovered type of cell death associated with certain neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Whilst scientists have understood that accumulated iron and degenerated lipids trigger ferroptosis, the actual mechanisms at play have remained a mystery. A team of researchers from Tohoku University has identified where in the cells these accumulations take place, and what gets targeted as ferroptosis occurs.

Researchers from Osaka University found that the COMMD3/8 complex is implicated in the progression of the autoimmune response in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis. They identified celastrol, the active compound of a medicinal herb, as an inhibitor of the COMMD3/8 complex. Celastrol blocked the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, celastrol is a potential lead for developing treatments against rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine conducted an interoperative comparison of lateral disc meniscus injuries of young patients (aged 15 or less), that were treated with plastic sutures or subtotal resection, to see if there was a difference in postoperative cartilage degeneration. The research group observed that sub-total meniscectomies were more likely to show cartilage degeneration, being worst in lateral disc meniscus injuries. In addition, they found that even with higher levels of meniscus damage, preserving the meniscus with sutures was more effective in protecting the cartilage in young patients.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key factors in the tumor microenvironment, which have been implicated in cancer cell progression. It has also been reported that vesicles called exosomes produced by these CAFs play an important role in cancer progression. An Osaka Metropolitan University research group investigated the effect of CAF-derived exosomes on the growth of malignant melanoma cells. They found that CAF-derived exosomes express CD9 and CD63 transmembrane proteins, and that the CD9-positive exosomes may inhibit the growth of malignant melanoma cells.

Hailey-Hailey disease is a rare, inherited condition characterized by patches of blisters appearing mainly in the skin folds of the arm pits, groin and under the breasts. It is caused by a mutation in the gene that codes for a specific protein. Tohoku University scientists have uncovered some critical details of this protein’s structure, and the findings could build the foundation for developing treatment for Hailey-Hailey disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

A research group from Osaka Metropolitan University investigated the relationship between tobacco use, including heated tobacco products, with the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19. The researchers administered an online survey of living conditions in February 2022 to 30,130 participants aged 16-81 years, finding that heated tobacco product users had significantly higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to non-tobacco users. Furthermore, the research group found that among all tobacco users, those who used both heated tobacco products and traditional cigarettes had the highest incidence of requiring hospitalization or oxygen due to COVID-19.

Scientists from Alliance University, Bangalore, Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, Inha University, Hanyang University, South Korea, and Newcastle University in Singapore have developed a new and straightforward approach to turn used COVID-19 facemasks into potential absorbent materials that can be employed for carbon capture from atmosphere.

A study led by scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has identified a protease called MT1-MMP that is a major host factor behind the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the human body, which leads to the infection of COVID-19 and multi-organ failure. By applying a humanised antibody called 3A2 that can inhibit the activity of MT1-MMP, the viral load of infected mice was reduced by almost 90%. The research team also demonstrated that the protease is a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19.

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Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are employed to attack specific types of cancer cells. The downside to using TKs is that they can cause serious inflammation. A team of researchers has discovered the underlying mechanism that causes this inflammation.

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Researchers have revealed the modulatory effect of the anti-inflammatory metabolite itaconate on T helper and T regulatory cells, which may lead to new therapeutic approaches to treating some autoimmune diseases.

Atopic dermatitis skin lesions and the lesions produced by infectious complications of the disease look so similar that it makes it impossible for patients to spot the difference and know when to visit their doctor for treatment. But an AI-powered mobile app developed by dermatologists now puts the power of diagnosis in the hands of patients.

Researchers from Osaka University identified the role of a protein known as testis-specific kinase substrate (TSKS) in the process of spermiation, the release of mature sperm. Analysis of a gene-modified mouse model in which TSKS is disrupted revealed that TSKS is necessary for sperm to eliminate cytoplasm and become streamlined. These findings may lead to the development of diagnostic tests and male contraceptives.

Asia Research News met five female researchers to learn about their research, what drew them to Kavli IPMU, and their experiences there. These women, from diverse backgrounds, excel in their fields and show what can be achieved when women are not held back.

Researchers in Sarawak, Malaysia, measured the immunity responses of people who received different COVID-19 vaccines.