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Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japanese Universities Eye U.S. Researchers Amid Trump's Science Budget Cuts; Money Earmarked for Recruitment
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo Tohoku University In response to cuts to scientific research by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, Japanese universities have strengthened efforts to acquire researchers who are finding difficult to continue their work at U.S. universities and other institutions. The University of Osaka has earmarked ¥600 million to ¥1 billion for accepting up to 100 U.S. postdoctoral researchers at its Graduate School of Medicine. The university will call for international applications in a few months and expects to receive some from young researchers in the medical field. 'We would like to see excellent researchers from the United States fully demonstrate their abilities at the University of Osaka,' said Masaru Ishii, dean of the Graduate School of Medicine, at a press conference Thursday. 'This would help boost Japan's national strength, too.' The initial employment period is expected to be one year, with continuation beyond that undecided. In order to make this a permanent initiative, Ishii said, 'We hope for support from the government.' Kyoto University has also begun its own preparations to accept U.S. researchers. The Institute of Science Tokyo will soon set up a contact point for inquiries from foreign researchers belonging to U.S. universities. Tohoku University held recruitment events for young researchers and others in the United States from May 19 to May 23. About 180 people participated in the events at institutions including Stanford University and hospitals affiliated with Harvard Medical School. At the events, the university provided consultation regarding research and the living environment. 'The difference in salary levels between the United States [and Japan] is significant. We will also need to provide support for researchers' families,' a Tohoku University official said. The university is said to be earmarking several billions of yen to attract excellent researchers. Tohoku University is an accredited 'University for International Research Excellence,' and aims to become a world-class research institution. It received ¥15.4 billion in government subsidies this fiscal year. 'We would like to strengthen our research capabilities by continuously attracting outstanding researchers from leading universities, including Harvard University,' said Hideo Harigae, executive vice president of Tohoku University.
New York Post
04-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Gonna hurl? ‘Sound spice' cures motion sickness through your ears: study
It's music to your inner ear — literally. A study out of Japan recently found sound waves could potentially help you lose weight. Now, another study courtesy of Japanese scientists has unveiled a type of sound therapy that could soon have motion sickness sufferers singing a different tune. 3 zinkevych – Advertisement Dubbed 'sound spice,' this innovative treatment involves a unique sound wave that stimulates the inner ear, effectively reducing symptoms like nausea and dizziness. In the study — published in the journal Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine and conducted by researchers at Nagoya University's Graduate School of Medicine — participants exposed to this specific 100 Hz frequency experienced significant relief from motion-induced discomfort. Advertisement The sound targets the otolithic organs in the inner ear, which are responsible for detecting linear acceleration and gravity, thereby enhancing balance and stability. 'Our study demonstrated that short-term stimulation using a unique sound called 'sound spice' alleviates symptoms of motion sickness,' said lead researcher Takumi Kagawa. 'The effective sound level falls within the range of everyday environmental noise exposure, suggesting that the sound technology is both effective and safe.' Participants were subjected to motion sickness-inducing scenarios, such as reading in a moving vehicle or using a driving simulator, after receiving the sound therapy. Advertisement 3 The sound targets the otolithic organs in the inner ear, which are responsible for detecting linear acceleration and gravity, thereby enhancing balance and stability. Dmitrij – Assessments showed a marked reduction in symptoms, indicating the potential of this non-invasive treatment. While traditional remedies for motion sickness include medications and behavioral strategies like controlled breathing and listening to music, this new approach offers a promising alternative. Advertisement Previous studies have explored the benefits of music and auditory cues in mitigating motion sickness, but the targeted stimulation of the vestibular system using specific sound frequencies marks a significant advancement. As the demand for effective, non-pharmacological treatments for motion sickness grows, especially with the rise of virtual reality and autonomous vehicles, 'sound spice' could become a game-changer. 3 'Our study demonstrated that short-term stimulation using a unique sound called 'sound spice' alleviates symptoms of motion sickness,' said lead researcher Takumi Kagawa. Patrick – Further research and development are underway to bring this therapy to practical applications across various modes of transportation. 'The health risk of short-term exposure to our unique sound is minimal,' Kagawa said. 'Given that the stimulus level is well below workplace noise safety standards, this stimulation is expected to be safe when used properly.' So if you've tried everything from ginger candies to acupressure bands without success, this auditory intervention might just be the harmonious solution you've been seeking.
India Today
22-04-2025
- Health
- India Today
Colder temperatures increase stomach issues in Rohingya refugee camps: Study
Colder temperatures have shown to be linked to a rise in gastroenteritis cases among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, according to a is when your stomach and intestines get irritated or inflamed, usually leading to diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. People often call it the "stomach flu," but that name is misleading because it's not caused by the flu virus. It can happen due to viruses, bacteria, parasites, or even from certain spreads rapidly in overcrowded areas with poor sanitation, contaminated shallow wells, and limited access to clean water, particularly during the dry season. The research published in JAMA Network Open shows that even small changes in temperature can lead to a rise in diarrhoea cases in some of the world's most crowded refugee from Hokkaido University, Japan, looked at more than 64,000 cases of gastroenteritis reported between 2019 and 2021 in two major Rohingya camps, Kutupalong and Nayapara in Bangladesh. Gastroenteritis is when your stomach and intestines get irritated or inflamed. () In Kutupalong camp, cases of gastroenteritis rose whenever temperatures dropped below or exceeded 26 degress Celsius. In Nayapara, the risk of infection increased steadily as temperatures fell, without a clear temperature threshold or turning both camps, cases didn't spike right away. People usually started getting sick about 18 days after the cold weather hit, showing that low temperatures had a delayed impact on the spread of the than 9,18,000 Rohingya currently live in 34 camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, following decades of displacement. Some areas within these camps have population densities exceeding 60,000 people per square kilometre, significantly increasing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks."Viral gastroenteritis, such as that caused by norovirus and rotavirus, tends to be more prevalent in colder months and can last for up to two weeks," said Xerxes Seposo of the Department of Hygiene, Graduate School of Medicine at Hokkaido University. Children pose for a photo in the camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. More than a million Rohingyas, who were displaced due to the long-standing oppression in Myanmar, continue to live in the makeshift camps. () "In contrast, warmer temperatures create favourable conditions for bacterial infections like Salmonella and Campylobacter, which typically cause illness for a few days to a week," Seposo co-author, Takuya Takata, highlighted that health systems in refugee settings must prepare for climate-sensitive challenges. "Temperature extremes, especially cold spells, are not typically factored into disease surveillance in camps, but they should be," he stressed the urgency of strengthening sanitation, water access, and surveillance in climate-vulnerable regions, especially in displaced global temperatures continue to shift, health systems must adapt quickly to protect those already at heightened risk.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
AI's medical hits and misses: Some patients get relief from years of suffering; others are misdiagnosed
OpenAI president and cofounder Greg Brockman has claimed that artificial intelligence is beginning to make a meaningful difference in people's lives, particularly in areas such as medical diagnoses. In a recent post on X, Brockman said, 'I'm hearing more and more stories of ChatGPT helping people fix longstanding health issues.' He followed up with an anecdote involving a ChatGPT user, who had suffered from chronic back pain for over a decade. Despite trying physiotherapy and other treatments, relief had remained elusive. — gdb (@gdb) With all else failing, the individual fed detailed information into ChatGPT — including history, pain triggers, and exercises tried. The user claimed this led to a breakthrough, with pain levels decreasing by 60–70%. Not just ChatGPT Back in November, Elon Musk 's AI chatbot Grok made headlines for similar reasons. Users had begun uploading medical scans, including MRIs and X-rays, seeking diagnostic insights. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Musk had encouraged this and urged users to 'try submitting x-ray, PET, MRI, or other medical images to Grok for analysis', adding that the tool 'is already quite accurate and will become extremely good'. Some reported helpful feedback. However, others were misdiagnosed, highlighting the risks of relying solely on AI for medical interpretation. Promise vs precision The role of AI in healthcare remains a widely debated topic, raising questions about its potential and its pitfalls. A study led by Dr Hirotaka Takita and Associate Professor Daiju Ueda at Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Medicine explored the diagnostic performance of generative AI. Their research, reported by IANS, found that the average diagnostic accuracy was 52.1%, with newer models performing on par with non-specialist doctors. However, specialists still outperformed AI significantly, maintaining a 15.8% higher diagnostic accuracy. Meanwhile, a Reuters-reported study revealed troubling disparities. AI systems were shown to recommend different treatment paths for the same condition based purely on a patient's socioeconomic and demographic profile. For example, advanced tests such as CT scans or MRIs were more often suggested for high-income patients, while low-income patients were more frequently advised against further testing — a mirror to the current inequalities in healthcare. On the other hand, in October last year, ET reported that Mumbai-based AI startup successfully assisted in diagnosing tuberculosis in a patient, whose symptoms had confused several doctors. Experts agree that AI has a role to play in assisting medical professionals, but its impact hinges on the quality and diversity of the data it is trained on. Caution is advised when using AI for self-diagnosis. 'Imperfect answers might be okay for people purely experimenting with the tool, but getting faulty health information could lead to tests or other costly care you don't actually need,' said Suchi Saria, director of the machine learning and healthcare lab at Johns Hopkins University.
Japan Times
18-04-2025
- Health
- Japan Times
University of Osaka team develops miniature livers from iPS cells
A University of Osaka team said it has become the world's first to make elaborate miniature livers from human induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cells. The small livers, called liver organoids, each about 0.5 millimeters in size, can function as well as the liver of a human newborn. The team expects that the organoids can be used to treat patients with end-stage liver disease. The research results were published in the online edition of the British journal Nature on Thursday. Regions in the liver have their own functions, such as synthesizing and breaking down sugar and fat, making it difficult to reproduce such a complex structure when creating a liver from iPS cells. To make the organoids, the team — including professor Takanori Takebe of the university's Graduate School of Medicine — decided to use bilirubin, produced when red blood cells are broken down, and vitamin C because both substances control liver functions. When iPS cells and the two substances were put in a container under certain conditions and cultured, an organoid with a complex structure of about 0.5 millimeters was formed. In experiments on rats with severe liver failure, more than 50% of rats implanted with several thousand liver organoids were still alive after 30 days, far higher than the survival rate of less than 30% for rats without such treatment. The team expects that the liver organoid production technology can be applied to the development of bioartificial liver devices, such as for dialysis. "Treatment using organoids has become quite realistic," Takebe said.
