Japan

AXL and EGFR inhibitors combined hold promise in fighting certain head, neck, and lung cancers

Researchers from Osaka University have revealed that the expression of a specific isoform of GREB1 Is4 is induced in malignant melanoma cells by the melanocyte-specific transcription factor, MITF. They revealed that GREB1 Is4 stimulates pyrimidine biosynthesis and promotes cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, the anti-tumor effect of antisense nucleic acids against GREB1 showed a potential new modality for malignant melanoma.

In recent years, an emerging zoonotic pathogen called E. albertii, transmitted by wild animals such as raccoons, has garnered attention due to its remarkable similarities to several strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli), including O157, and its potential to cause severe illness, particularly in children. A research group at Osaka Metropolitan University has developed a novel culture medium that allows for the selective cultivation of E. albertii from raccoon fecal samples. This enabled the successful isolation of E. albertii even from samples with very low quantities of this bacterium. Their findings are expected to further elucidate the bacteriological characteristics of E. albertii and to contribute to the control of foodborne illnesses.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Cell Reports how alterations in the nuclear pores lead to the degradation of anti-tumor proteins.

Survey observations with the Subaru Telescope have led to the discovery of 22 quasars in the very distant universe. Their space density indicates the rapid emergence of supermassive black holes soon after the Big Bang, providing strong constraints on models of when, where, and how they formed and grew in cosmic space-time. The results also indicate a small quasar contribution to cosmic reionization, a major phase transition of the early universe.

Machine learning model provides quick method for determining the composition of solid chemical mixtures using only photographs of the sample.

A long-lived monocarpic species of bamboo, Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis, only flowers once every 120 years before it dies. The upcoming flowering event for this species does not bode well for its continued long-term survival, as most flowers are not producing viable seeds.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have verified the anticancer effects of Kencur, a tropical plant of the ginger family, mainly grown in Southeast Asia, in cell and animal experiments. They found that Kencur extract and its main active components significantly inhibit cancer cell growth at the cellular and animal levels. Furthermore, the involvement of TFAM in the mechanism of action was confirmed.

The search for innovative materials will be greatly assisted by software that can suggest new experimental possibilities and also control the robotic systems that check them out.

Quantum physicists have found that the outcomes of measurements are shaped by the complex dynamics of measurement interactions, questioning our usual understanding of observable reality.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers conducted a 5-year claims-based study of 655 non-frail or pre-frail older adults who were certified as having low care needs to investigate the relationship between the risk of frailty and two types of care services. The results showed that users of community-based adult care services had a 40% reduced risk of developing frailty compared to non-users. This suggests that utilizing appropriate support and services can prevent the progression of frailty.

Researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research) at Osaka University and two other universities used topological data analysis to improve the predictions of physical properties of amorphous materials by machine-learning algorithms. This may allow for cheaper and faster calculations of material properties.

Anti-estrogenic therapies can suppress the growth of cancer that does not express estrogen receptors; when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies, they halt tumor progression in mice models.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in STAR Protocols procedural details and tips for nanoendoscopy-AFM, for capturing images of nanoscale structures inside living cells.

In a study recently published in the journal Nanoscale, researchers from Kanazawa University and AGC Inc. use three-dimensional atomic force microscopy to study the hydrated form and structure of commonly occurring oxide crystals.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Nature Communications how calcium ions can block sodium ion channels located in cell membranes. Structural analysis and computer simulations made it possible to identify where and why calcium ions get stuck.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have developed an AI model that accurately estimates a patient’s age, using chest radiographs of healthy individuals collected from multiple facilities. Furthermore, they found a positive relationship between differences in the AI-estimated and chronological ages and a variety of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, hyperuricemia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the future, it is expected that AI biomarkers will be developed to predict life expectancy, estimate the severity of chronic diseases, and forecast surgery-related risks.

Hokkaido University researchers found that tiny nematode worm larvae surf electric fields to hitch rides on passing insects.

Researchers from Osaka University clarified the interactions of the proteins Tejas (Tej), Vasa (Vas), and Spindle-E (Spn-E) in the formation of cellular compartments known as nuage and the processing of PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) precursors in Drosophila melanogaster ovaries. piRNAs help prevent the transmission of genetic mutations through reproductive cells, and insight into the dynamics of piRNA formation and processing may contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying reproductive disorders, including infertility.

A team led by researchers at Osaka University and University of California, San Diego has conducted simulations of creating matter solely from collisions of light particles. Their method circumvents what would otherwise be the intensity limitations of modern lasers and can be readily implemented by using presently available technology. This work might help experimentally test long-standing theories such as the Standard Model of particle physics, and possibly the need to revise them.

Rheology of hexagonal close-packed iron determined by high-pressure and high temperature deformation experiments

Researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo use computer simulations of glass-forming particles to discover a new type of exotic ordering impacting the fate of the material.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, provide physical insights into ion hydration in water-based solutions, which will aid electrolyte design for energy storage technologies.

Researchers at Tohoku University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have unveiled new information about the anomalous dynamics at play when an electric current is applied to a new class of magnetic materials called non-collinear antiferromagnets.

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.

Tohoku University geophysicist Yuto Katoh led a study into the activity of high energy electrons and clarified the unexpected role of the geomagnetic field surrounding the Earth in protecting.

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.

Soft metal-organic polymer networks can adsorb selected molecules from gas mixtures by opening pores when the molecules bind.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have shown that within the helium-8 nucleus (with two protons and six neutrons), there are two clusters of two neutrons each, existing around the helium-4 core. Furthermore, they demonstrated the shape these clusters take. Nuclei with an imbalance of protons and neutrons, such as in helium-8, do not naturally exist on Earth but are believed to be abundantly generated in cosmic environments like the interiors of stars through the process of nucleosynthesis. This study’s findings provide new insights into the still largely unknown binding forms of neutrons and deepen our understanding of the origins of the elements that surround us.