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.

Climate models often overestimate ice clouds and underestimate supercooled liquid water (SLW) clouds in polar regions, skewing predictions of surface warming. To address this issue, researchers from Japan conducted a four-month observational study on the Southern Ocean. Through shipboard measurements, they found SLW clouds dominated as mid-level cloud layers, even at very low temperatures. These findings offer crucial data to improve the accuracy of climate models, which are critical in the face of climate change.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team has discovered that the main component of kencur ginger exhibits anti-cancer effects by suppressing fatty acid synthesis.

The stem cell-based embryo model (SCBEM) takes advantage of the flexibility of pluripotent stem cells (non-reproductive cells that can give rise to many different types of cells) to resemble that of embryos. While this model has helped to advance research in diseases and develop therapies or treatments, it has also sparked international debate on what regulations should be placed on this type of experimentation. Researchers reviewed what countries are doing to regulate SCBEM and proposed what regulation should look like for this field of stem cell research to move forward in a manner that everyone can agree is ethically sound.

Begomoviruses cause devastating yellow leaf curl disease in peppers, destroying up to 100% of fruit yield in affected farms and causing massive agricultural losses worldwide. In a recent study, researchers from Japan reported that combining two resistance genes through gene pyramiding creates robust protection against even the most challenging mixed begomovirus infections. This breakthrough offers hope for more resilient commercial pepper cultivars, addressing a critical gap in sustainable crop protection.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, measured changes in the levels of free amino acids, which are key to flavor, in cultured beef. Free amino acids increased during aging and were much higher than in conventional beef. The free amino acids in the cells depended on the amino acid content of the culture medium, a finding that could be used to improve the flavor of cultured meat.

Kyoto, Japan -- After the island of Madagascar drifted away from India 88 million years ago, isolating it from all other landmasses, its flora and fauna evolved in seclusion. As these transformed into plants and animals completely unique to their island, Madagascar became a biodiversity hotspot unlike anywhere else on Earth.

An important facet of this biodiversity is an ecological process called endozoochory, which is when animals eat plant seeds and then poop them out somewhere else, aiding in the spread of the plants. Most research on endozoochory has focused on the roles of birds and mammals as seed dispersers, but lizards, which are also known play a significant role, have remained largely overlooked.

This negligence inspired a team of researchers at Kyoto University to shine a spotlight on the humble lizard. Unlike many seed dispersers, lizards are not typically frugivores, animals that thrive on fruit and other fruit-like plant substances such as nuts and seeds. Fewer than 10% of lizard species have been reported to consume fruits, but those that do can play an important role, and some lizards are even known to act as primary seed dispersers for certain plant species.

Late-life mood disorders (LLMDs), such as depression and bipolar disorder, appearing after 40 years of age, may signal early neurodegenerative diseases. Using advanced PET scans and autopsy data, researchers from Japan revealed that many patients with LLMDs exhibit abnormal tau and amyloid protein accumulation—key markers of dementia—years before cognitive symptoms arise. Their findings highlight tau-PET imaging as a promising tool for detecting underlying brain pathologies, paving the way to early dementia diagnosis.