A research team at Kumamoto University has developed a groundbreaking deep learning-based method for analyzing the cytoskeleton—the structural framework inside cells—more accurately and efficiently than ever before. This advancement, recently published in Protoplasma, could transform how scientists study cell functions in plants and other organisms.

Researchers from Science Tokyo have discovered that bacterial swarms transition from stable vortices to chaotic turbulence through distinct intermediate states. Combining experiments with bacterial swarms, computer simulations, and mathematical modeling, the team clarified the intricate process by which orderly swirling turns to disordered turbulence as the free space available to bacteria increases. These findings provide new insights into active matter physics and could inform future applications in micro-robotics, biosensing, and active fluid-based micro-scale systems.

Overuse of chemical pesticides has driven resistance in agricultural pests, including the adaptable two-spotted spider mite. Researchers from Japan have discovered novel elicitor proteins, Tet3 and Tet4, in mite saliva that could enhance sustainable pest control. They found that these proteins play a crucial role in modulating plant defense responses by acting as key players in the complex interactions between parasite and host, paving the way for new mite countermeasures.   

Exercise is widely recognized as beneficial for patients with heart failure, with current guidelines relying on introducing exercise after heart failure diagnosis. This leaves a noticeable lack of research on the impact of habitual physical activity before hospitalization on post-discharge outcomes. Now, researchers from Japan have found that even small but consistent amount of exercise before hospitalization could be associated with better health outcomes after discharge, making exercise more accessible and practical for older patients.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team has developed a deep learning model that uses AI image recognition to efficiently and accurately detect bubble-like structures in the universe, including many previously unlisted in astronomical databases.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have created a new self-assessment tool to support new nurses in learning their jobs.

Cancer metastasis, the spread of cancer to organs, is a major cause of cancer-related deaths. Once cancer spreads to multiple organs, conventional treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy become less effective. Scientists at Shinshu University School of Medicine have developed a synthetic mRNA that, when injected, revitalizes the immune system to recognize and attack metastasizing cancer cells. This breakthrough could lead to new therapies to improve survival rates for cancer patients.

Most animals exhibit external left-right (LR)-symmetric appearance and -asymmetric internal organs. A fundamental question in development is when and how the LR-asymmetry is established for the internal organs, keeping the external body plan bilaterally symmetric. Researchers from Kumamoto Univ., Univ. of Miami, and UCSF examined the initiation of LR symmetry breaking during embryonic development, by using chick embryos as a model system.

A research team at Osaka University, Japan has developed a new system to estimate a person’s biological age—a measure of how well their body has aged, rather than just counting the years since birth. Using just five drops of blood, this new method analyzes 22 key steroids and their interactions to provide a more precise health assessment. The team’s breakthrough study, published in Science Advances, offers a potential step forward in personalized health management, allowing for earlier detection of age-related health risks and tailored interventions.