Japan Archives

Peatlogy in tropical peatland: A new transdisciplinary science

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an innovative transdisciplinary peatland science – Peatlogy

The Earth Anomaly – climate change, global warming, and ecological and environmental (E&E) degradation of land – presents a complex existential crisis for mankind. Based on field studies in tropical peatlands, Professor Mitsuru Osaki and his collaborators have developed an innovative transdisciplinary peatland science – Peatlogy – to address this complexity. Peatlogy in tropical peatland offers a holistic approach that […]

Conundrum in pharmacoepidemiology: Contextualising biases in case-crossover studies

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Dr Kiyoshi Kubota has pioneered innovative methods for analysing data with biases inherent to case-crossover studies.

Dr Kiyoshi Kubota, physician and pharmacoepidemiologist based at the NPO Drug Safety Research Unit Japan, has pioneered innovative methods for analysing data in case-crossover studies. By tackling biases inherent to case-crossover studies, including within-subject exposure dependency and lack of pair-wise exchangeability, his methodologies offer a clearer lens for evaluating medication safety and effectiveness. The contributions of Kubota and his collaborator, […]

Spiking of urinary biomarker with exercise: A marker of muscle inflammation?

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Seeking a sensitive biomarker of inflammation, Emeritus Professor Isao Okayasu of Kiryu University and Kitasato University, Japan and his colleagues have spent over two decades investigating chronic organ inflammation and its links to cancer. They have developed methods to measure prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) as a surrogate marker, which has opened the door for its investigation in different physiological […]

Identification of a novel key player in lupus disease opens the door to treatment

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Professor Shiozawa identified a key inducer of lupus disease.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease, the precise cause of which is still unclear. Through dedicated work, Professor Shunichi Shiozawa from Kobe University, Japan, uncovers the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of systemic autoimmunity and identifies a novel key player. Shiozawa demonstrates that overstimulation of the host’s immune system by an immunogenic pathogen kickstarts the generation of […]

Challenging established theory: History of Japanese basketball

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Following the discovery of an intriguing photo of a basketball hoop, Professor Tetsuji Kakiyama began his investigations into the history of basketball. His work questions current theories and suggests that basketball was introduced to girls Japan six years earlier than for boys.

Basketball was introduced to Japan as early as 1902 as a sport in mission schools, according to new research by Dr Tetsuji Kakiyama, Professor of Sports and Health Sciences of Fukuoka University, Japan. His research overthrows established theories about the transfer of the game to Japan and shows how basketball was first played by girls in Japan who were taught […]

Predicting and managing flood risks from extreme rain events in Japan

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Shakti P.C. uses flood inundation mapping, hydrological modelling, and other advanced techniques based on a near real-time approach to improve flood resilience and adaptation to extreme rain events.

Japan has seen an increase in extreme rain events in recent years, resulting in catastrophic flooding with substantial loss of human life and destruction of property. As climate change is likely to increase the severity and frequency of flooding, governments and other organisations are rightly becoming more concerned. Research conducted by Shakti P.C. and colleagues at Japan’s National Research Institute […]

Triharmony/Trilemma of Nutrients Assets in tropical peatland

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Osaki and colleagues have developed an innovative nutrient management system for tropical peatland in high groundwater levels, known as AeroHydro culture.

Peatland soils and water are characterised by low nutrient concentrations. Despite this, biomass in native tropical peatlands is abundant and has adequate nutrients. At Hokkaido University, Sumitomo Forestry Co Ltd, Japan, and BRIN, Indonesia, scientists studying nutrient cycling in peatlands have developed an innovative nutrients management system for agriculture. Their approach – AeroHydro culture – involves cultivation using high groundwater […]

Foot-and-mouth disease: A new antiviral stops the super-spreader in its tracks

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Tatsuya Nishi and Kazuki Morioka tested the effectiveness of antiviral drug T-1105 against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in pigs.

Dr Tatsuya Nishi and Dr Kazuki Morioka from the National Institute of Animal Health at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan, have been testing a promising treatment against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Feeding pigs an antiviral drug (T-1105) may prevent any outbreak from spreading since it inhibits pigs from producing virus particles. Pigs are currently thought to be […]

Triharmony/Trilemma of Water Assets in tropical peatland

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In tropical peatland, the three key elements Water, Carbon, and Nutrients are interrelated, interconnected, and interact. When these elements are in balance, a Triharmony state arises. Conversely, a Trilemma state occurs when these elements are out of balance. Here, we focus on Water Assets in the context of tropical peatland. To achieve Triharmony, scientists at Sumitomo Forestry Co, Ltd, and […]

Meet the Editorial team: Eva Murtzen

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An interview with Eva Murtzen, Senior Editor at RPI and Research Outreach, about her interests, background and work with the publication

Get to know Eva Murtzen, Senior Editor at Research Publishing International (RPI). She’s been working with Research Outreach since 2020 and hasn’t looked back! Can you start by telling us about your background and how you came to be working with RPI? I moved to Bristol just before the pandemic because my partner had found a position as a postdoc […]