Two healthcare workers get COVID-19 vaccinations on the same day. Both show strong antibody responses initially, but six months later one stays healthy while the other contracts the virus. A new study published in Science Translational Medicine could help explain this difference. Researchers tracked individuals’ antibody levels after vaccinations and identified four distinct patterns of immune response after the first booster vaccination. Notably, the group that started with the highest antibody levels but experienced a faster decline were infected earlier. People with lower blood levels of IgA(S) antibodies, which protect the nose and throat, were also at higher risk. The findings suggest that monitoring how antibody levels change over time could assist in identifying individuals at greater risk of infection.

Increased consumption of high-fat foods has been linked to cognitive decline. The underlying mechanisms, however, remain unclear. A new study by researchers from Chiba University, Japan, finds that a high-fat diet (HFD) impairs intermediate-term memory formation in Drosophila by decreasing autophagic activity. Further, HFD-induced memory deficits can be reversed by enhancing autophagic activity, opening avenues for the development of preventive treatments and autophagy-promoting lifestyle interventions to preserve cognitive function.

Layered sodium manganese oxides (Na_2/3MnO₂) are promising cathode materials for developing high-capacity sodium-ion batteries. However, they suffer from severe capacity fading during cycling. In a new study, researchers systematically investigated how scandium doping can improve the cycling stability of P’2 polytype of Na_2/3MnO₂, revealing a new design strategy for developing long-life and high-capacity sodium-ion batteries for commercial applications.

New research shows how faint radio signals from the early Universe, soon to be detected by Moon missions, could reveal dark matter's secrets. Computer simulations revealed how gas cooled and formed clumps through gravitational interactions with dark matter during the cosmic Dark Ages.

Kyoto, Japan -- Online platforms promise connection, yet the social comparison, digital surveillance, and public criticism they foster can also heighten emotional instability. Recently, these platforms have even intensified global challenges by fueling misinformation-driven unrest and deepening emotional divides. These dynamics have been linked to rising levels of distress, fear, and trauma, often shaped by collective outrage and transient narratives.

While current psychiatry offers various approaches to address individual distress, the field remains relatively under-equipped to understand the networked nature of digital mental health. Buddhist philosophy, on the other hand, envisions reality as a fluid web of interdependent relationships: a view closely aligned with digital interconnectedness.

This realization inspired a team of researchers at Kyoto University to explore a perspective which has received limited attention in clinical psychology. They imagined it could serve as a meaningful bridge between therapeutic care and the shared complexities of virtual life.

In a world first, researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have successfully developed a resonant tunnel diode (RTD) that operates at room temperature made entirely from Group IV semiconductor materials. The development of an RTD that operates at room temperature means the device could be deployed at scale for next-generation wireless communication systems. The use of only non-toxic Group IV semiconductor materials also supports more sustainable manufacturing processes.

Researchers at Kyushu University in Japan have developed a mathematical model that recreates the muscle movements of the esophagus that occur during swallowing. The model, reported in Royal Society Open Science, also replicates muscle dynamics seen in various esophageal motility disorders, revealing insights into their underlying causes and opening up new avenues for treatment.

While the importance of rescue breathing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (RB-CPR) in pediatrics has long been recognized, its implementation declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its impact on the survival of pediatrics with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unknown. Now, researchers from the Okayama University revealed that a decline in RB-CPR is associated with an increased death rate, highlighting the importance of rescue breathing in pediatrics and the need for better training and public awareness.

Depression is often linked to changes in facial expressions. However, the link between mild depression, known as subthreshold depression, and changes in facial expressions remains unclear. Now, researchers have investigated whether subthreshold depression shows changes in facial expressions in Japanese young adults using artificial intelligence. The findings reveal distinct muscle movement patterns related to depressive symptoms which may help detect depression early, paving the way for timely and preventative mental health care.