Exercise can have a positive impact on various aspects of human health. However, we have a limited understanding of the changes that exercise can induce at a molecular level. This is mainly due to the fact that earlier studies have typically involved invasive procedures like muscle biopsies. Now, researchers have introduced two emerging fields–resistomics and enduromics–that use “omics” technologies to change our understanding of exercise-induced alterations in the body. 

β-1,2-glucans are rare bacterial carbohydrates involved in key biological processes, but their structural complexity has limited research progress. Now, a study led by researchers from Japan reports the discovery of new enzyme families that break down these molecules and proposes a new enzyme group called the “SGL clan.” These findings shed light on the molecular evolution of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes and open doors to engineering synthetic enzymes for producing novel carbohydrates. 

A team of researchers from Japan, China, and Brazil has announced the discovery of a new species of pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Japan, marking the first time a pterosaur has been named based on body fossils found in the country.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have shown the crucial role of iron metabolism in sex determination in mice. In male embryos, activation of the Sry gene, responsible for the correct development of testes, is dependent on the intracellular iron levels. Insufficient iron reduces the activation of Sry and can even cause some genetically male embryos to develop as female. This study indicates the importance of adequate iron levels in pregnant mothers for healthy embryonic development.

The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), headed by President Kazuhiro Hono(Open in a new window), has decided to present this year’s NIMS Award to: Prof. Tsutomu Miyasaka, Professor of Engineering, Toin University of Yokohama, Prof. Henry J. Snaith Professor of Physics, University of Oxford, and Prof. Nam-Gyu Park Professor of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University.

CAR-T cells are specialized immune cells genetically modified to recognize and attack cancer cells. Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan and their collaborators have developed new CAR-T cells to target malignant tumors. While similar treatments have worked well for blood cancers, treating solid tumors is more difficult. Their method targeted a protein found in high amounts on many types of cancer cells (Eva1) and successfully eliminated tumors in lab mice.

Baby talk, more formally referred to as infant-directed speech (IDS), often differs from adult-directed speech (ADS) in both pitch and vocabulary. The existing scientific evidence for the presence of vowel hyperarticulation in IDS is conflicting, however. Researchers recently performed a meta-analysis of all existing IDS vowel hyperarticulation research studies and found that the exaggeration of vowels in IDS is present in at least 10 different languages.

 

Sensors are used everywhere—from smartphones and wearable devices to industrial systems and logistics. But traditional sensors often rely on rigid components and batteries, limiting their applications in soft systems. To address this, researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, have come up with a smarter alternative. Using the paper-folding technique in combination with a triboelectric nanogenerator, they developed a novel energy-harvesting sensor with promising potential for next-generation soft devices.

Using SARS-CoV-2-infected obese mice as model for cytokine storm seen in COVID-19, Institute of Science Tokyo researchers demonstrate efficacy of iguratimod in reducing excess inflammation without reducing antiviral immune response. Iguratimod significantly improved survival in these mouse models compared to when steroids like dexamethasone were administered. Conventional steroids reduce the inflammation while also suppressing immune responses against SARS-CoV-2, leading to reduced viral clearance from the lungs. Iguratimod presents a promising therapy for COVID-19-related inflammatory syndrome. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) impacts many industries and professions in different ways. A recent study looking at taxi drivers in Yokohama, Japan, shows that AI demand forecasting, which is unrelated to autonomous driving, can improve productivity in less-experienced drivers, helping close the skill gaps. This finding challenges the assumption that AI only favors high-skilled workers in technology-dependent industries.