Kyoto, Japan -- For people with medical conditions, stigma is a real problem they must worry about on top of their health. Stereotypes about health conditions often cause discrimination even by healthcare providers, as many may assume those affected don't take care of their health, when in reality they likely have no control over their condition.

Diabetes affects nearly ten percent of the global adult population and causes almost two million deaths per year, yet the persistent stigma surrounding people with the disease is a global concern. Physicians may act as inadvertent perpetrators, but their level of awareness is still poorly understood.

To address this, it is essential to gauge the level of awareness of a diabetes stigma among future physicians and identify the need for strategic interventions in medical education. This approach motivated a team of researchers at Kyoto University to first assess awareness of stigma and advocacy among medical students in Japan.

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) in Japan report a link between deep sleep and cerebrospinal fluid, the clear liquid that surrounds and supports the brain and spinal cord. The study demonstrates how changes in cerebrospinal fluid signals during sleep—as measured by fMRI—are time-locked to slow brain waves and other neural events. These findings, published in PNAS, offer a clue as to why stable sleep is important for normal brain function, particularly within the brain network that controls learning and memory.

Stinkbug’s “ears on the legs” are actually “symbiotic organs” that nurture specific fungi for guarding eggs against enemies.

In the search for eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic herbicides, researchers from Kyushu University, Japan, have identified a potent, weed-inhibiting compound in the leaves of the Manchurian walnut tree (Juglans mandshurica Maxim.). The discovery of the compound, 2Z-decaprenol, and its unique mode of action on plants could lead to the development of more sustainable herbicides. The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Single-photon sources are key components of quantum communication technologies. However, conventional designs use decoupled single-photon emitters and photon transmission methods, resulting in high transmission loss, limiting practical applicability. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a new method, where a single rare-earth ion is used to generate and guide single photons directly within an optical fiber at room temperature. It is low cost and can become a key component of upcoming quantum communication technologies.

Feedback is central to teacher education, yet little is known about how it can be delivered in real-time. A new study of language teacher education in Japan and South Korea shows how educators transform feedback into “reflect-ables”: concrete moments from microteaching that prompt reflection and guide professional growth. The researchers, using conversation analysis, demonstrate how feedback practices not only help assess teaching but also create opportunities for developing classroom interactional competence.

Why are we able to recall only some of our past experiences? A new study at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan has an answer. Spoiler Alert! The brain cells responsible for stabilizing memories aren’t neurons. Rather, they are astrocytes, a type of glial cell that is usually thought of as a role player in the game of learning and memory. Published in Nature, the study shows how emotionally intense experiences like fear biologically tag small groups of astrocytes for several days so that they can re-engage when a mouse recalls the experience. It is this repeated astrocytic engagement that stabilizes memories.