Kyoto, Japan -- Amphibian larvae -- often known as tadpoles -- exhibit a behavior known as social aggregation, where they gather together as a way to avoid predators. These interactions are evidence of their association preferences, or their tendency to recognize members of their own species. Some varieties of tadpoles have even shown a preference for their siblings.

These association preferences and kin recognition in tadpoles have become a key topic in understanding the evolution of social behavior. Recent studies have suggested that microorganisms may be influencing communication through animal body odors, indicating the possibility that pond water rich in microbes may also affect social behavior. Yet whether this sociality is innate, shaped by early life experiences, or the aquatic environment, has remained unclear.

This uncertainty motivated Kazuko Hase at Kyoto University to investigate how early-life social experiences and the aquatic environment influence the development of sociality.

Researchers have developed an injectable supramolecular carrier that co‑encapsulates two hydrophobic anti‑inflammatory drugs within a hyaluronic acid matrix via Schiff‑base chemistry. The system achieves pH‑responsive release, suppresses inflammatory cytokines, promotes cartilage repair in a rat osteoarthritis model, and avoids the systemic toxicity of oral medications.

In vivo immune cell engineering directly reprograms endogenous immune cells, bypassing individualized ex vivo manufacturing and opening a path toward more accessible and scalable cell therapies. This review summarizes cell-specific engineering strategies, compares viral and non-viral delivery platforms, highlights emerging applications in cancer, autoimmune and degenerative diseases, and discusses the key challenges that must be overcome for clinical translation.

Researchers have developed an injectable supramolecular carrier that co‑encapsulates two hydrophobic anti‑inflammatory drugs within a hyaluronic acid matrix via Schiff‑base chemistry. The system achieves pH‑responsive release, suppresses inflammatory cytokines, promotes cartilage repair in a rat osteoarthritis model, and avoids the systemic toxicity of oral medications.

Researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), have identified a promising antiviral compound that can inhibit a range of enteroviruses, including Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), an emerging respiratory virus linked to severe respiratory illness and acute flaccid myelitis, a condition that can cause paralysis.

A study led by Flinders University and published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found requests by GPs for anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) tests increased more than 13-fold between 2011 and 2021, despite growing evidence that the test cannot predict whether a woman will become pregnant naturally - not now or in the future.