A research group led by Associate Professor Takashi Kikuchi and Professor Wei Li from the Department of Pharmacognosy at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, along with Professor Atsushi Sugiyama from the Department of Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine and Industry-Academia Collaboration Advisor Katsuhiko Ito, has analyzed the chemical compounds of the roots of Codonopsis lanceolata (commonly known as “Tsuruninjin”) grown in Nagano Prefecture. Their findings have revealed the compounds of the plant and, in particular, demonstrated that its major compound, lancemaside A, exhibits vasodilatory effects, suggesting that Codonopsis lanceolata could be effectively utilized as a health-promoting material in the future.

This research was published in the academic journal Chemistry on January 6, 2025.

Chronic jet lag causes drastically different effects on male and female metabolism in mice, say researchers from Kyushu University. The study, published in the journal, Biology of Sex Differences, found that the body clocks of female mice are more easily disrupted than the clocks of male mice, and revealed opposing metabolic effects; jet-lagged male mice gained weight and developed glucose intolerance, while jet-lagged females lost weight compared to female mice without jet lag.

An international collaborative research group led by Prof. Masatoshi Kudo, MD (Chair, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine) conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 study and demonstrated that the combination of the molecular targeted agent lenvatinib and the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab in addition to the conventional treatment of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with unresectable non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) significantly extended progression-free survival and showed a trend toward extending overall survival compared to TACE alone. Based on the results of this study, it is anticipated that lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab, in combination with TACE, will become the standard of care for patients with unresectable non-metastatic HCC and may lead to a complete cure.

A study from Hiroshima University found that when people were told to imagine their virtual bodies in pain, their brains resisted the illusion of ownership. Their findings could provide insights into why some people may struggle with feeling connected to their own bodies, particularly in contexts involving depersonalization or negative physical states.

Kyoto, Japan -- The Mpemba effect, in which hot systems cool faster than cold ones under the same conditions, was first described by Aristotle more than 2,000 years ago. In 1963 it was rediscovered by Tanzanian student Erasto Mpemba, who observed it when preparing ice cream in a cooking class at school. Mpemba later collaborated with British physicist Denis Osborne on a paper that described its effect on water.

Since Mpemba and Osborne's influential research, further studies have demonstrated that the effect extends beyond simple liquids and can be observed in a variety of physical systems --even microscopic ones. Yet one fundamental challenge has persisted; the detection of the Mpemba effect depends on the choice of a specific distance measure.

An infinite number of distance measures exist, so observing the effect using one distance measure may not materialize within a finite time when evaluated with another. Conventional methods typically assess relaxation speed, which is the rate of return to equilibrium after a change in temperature -- by using a single monotone measure -- but this often leads to inconsistent results.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led medical research team has confirmed that ultrafine bubble showers significantly suppress inflammation in mice with atopic dermatitis due to external factors.

Despite decades of warnings about overfishing, Southeast Asia’s capture fisheries have proven remarkably robust.

Researchers have engineered yeast to efficiently convert methanol into D-lactic acid, a key compound for biodegradable plastics and pharmaceuticals. By optimizing gene and promoter combinations, they achieved the highest reported yield to date, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based production. Their findings advance eco-friendly chemical manufacturing.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for effective antiviral therapies that go beyond prevention. In a recent study, researchers from Japan used computational methods to screen natural compounds for their ability to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. They identified 11 promising candidates, including caffeine, which exhibited strong binding affinity and stability. Their findings highlight the potential of natural products as antiviral drugs and pave the way for the development of therapeutics and further experimental validation.