A new study reveals that water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) from air-dried soils can effectively estimate microbial biomass, offering a safer alternative to traditional methods. This approach reduces the use of toxic solvents, simplifies sampling, and shows a strong correlation between WEOM and microbial biomass carbon. The findings open new doors for accessible and scalable soil microbiology research. This innovative method provides a safer, more efficient alternative to traditional chloroform fumigation extraction, enhancing soil microbiology research.

When and where the earliest modern human populations migrated and settled in East Asia are relatively well known. However, how these populations moved between islands on treacherous stretches of sea is still shrouded in mystery. In two new papers, researchers from Japan and Taiwan led by Professor Yousuke Kaifu from the University of Tokyo simulated methods ancient peoples would have needed to accomplish these journeys, and they used period-accurate tools to create the canoes to make the journey themselves.

Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan studied what happens when macrophages—a type of immune cell—encounter dying cancer cells in tumors and discovered a mechanism that accelerates tumor growth. When cancer cells begin to die within tumors, they expose signals on their surface that indicate they are dying. Macrophages then detect these signals and engage in phagocytosis, where they eat dying cancer cells. Using fruit flies as a model organism, the scientists found this triggers production of proteins called cytokines, which activate growth signals in remaining cancer cells. These cells then produce more cytokines, causing an unexpected chain reaction that promotes tumor growth.  

As we age, our skin naturally becomes thinner and more fragile due to a decline in cell production. Now, researchers have found that vitamin C (VC) can help counteract this aging process. Using a 3D human skin model, they showed that VC boosts epidermal thickness by activating genes linked to cell growth through DNA demethylation. These findings suggests that VC may help prevent age-related skin thinning and support healthier, stronger skin in aging individuals.

Parental egg-care in fish traps them in an evolutionary dead-end through the loss of the chorion-hardening system, find scientists from the Institute of Science Tokyo. Fish have diverse egg-caring strategies that have independently emerged multiple times across lineages. Comparative whole genome analysis of 240 fish species revealed a strong correlation between loss of the chorion-hardening system and parental egg-care, revealing the mechanisms behind the evolutionary bias that restricts egg-caring fish from becoming non-egg-carers.

Aggressive forms of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remain challenging to treat, especially in patients with FLT3-ITD mutations. Researchers from Japan have identified SETD1B as a key epigenetic regulator that promotes leukemia cell growth by promoting MYC activation through H3K4me3 modification. Using laboratory models, they demonstrated that disrupting SETD1B significantly slows cancer cell proliferation. These findings offer promising new avenues for developing therapies against treatment-resistant AML.  

The molecular arrangement of thalidomide in its crystalline form significantly influences its behavior at high temperatures. Comparative analysis of its different crystal forms revealed distinct differences in thermal expansion and molecular motion, driven by symmetry. These findings highlight the critical role of crystal packing in determining solid-state properties and provide a valuable framework for enhancing the stability and performance of pharmaceuticals through targeted crystal engineering strategies.

A groundbreaking study led by a global research consortium offers new hope for patients with mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease. Researchers using an insect model and transcriptome analysis have unravelled the mechanism of iron regulation between host tissue and the mycetoma grain, a fungal mass characteristic of the disease. This discovery illuminates how the causative fungus invades and develops these protective grains within subcutaneous tissue, paving the way for new drug development and less invasive treatment strategies beyond surgical removal, potentially reducing the burden on patients significantly.

It’s common knowledge that preventing diabetes decreases the chance of mortality. But even within those with “normal” blood glucose levels, is there an optimal number for reducing the risk of other diseases such as heart disease or cancer? A small farming community in the Tohoku region may have provided medical researchers with the clues they have been looking for. 

A new study by a research group led by Dr. Keisuke Obara, Dr. Kento Yoshioka, and Professor Yoshio Tanaka from the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University has revealed that gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid commonly found in plant oils such as evening primrose and borage, can directly relax constricted coronary arteries by blocking a key receptor involved in blood vessel contraction. This discovery offers promising implications for the prevention of coronary spasms and angina.