Newts are renowned for their outstanding regenerative capability, which allows them to repair damaged tissue, but the mechanism behind this ability had long remained unexplained. However, studies using the latest genome analysis techniques have revealed a regeneration gene that is specifically expressed in certain red blood cells. Accounting for around 25% of all red blood cells, these cells circulate throughout the body alongside the other red blood cells. Red blood cells —— also known as erythrocytes —— play a part in gas exchange by transporting oxygen to body tissues and receiving carbon dioxide in return. Scientists are achieving progress in research into newt-type regenerative medicine, which will facilitate human regenerative medicine through the application of this mechanism.

2023 saw the first use in clinical practice of anti-amyloid drugs, which inhibit the worsening of Alzheimer's disease symptoms by acting on the substance that causes the disease. While the move was reported as offering a long-awaited ray of hope in regard to dementia, for which there is no effective cure, one has to consider the fact that these drugs are indicated solely for mild, early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Accordingly, scientists are making haste to develop biomarkers that will enable the disease to be diagnosed accurately at an early stage. In particular, hopes are high that an efficient, noninvasive, and cheap blood biomarker could be put to widespread use in routine medical checkups and the like.

Platelets are a type of blood cell that stops bleeding. However, they are also involved in the pathologies of arterial thrombus formation. Although there are various causes of thrombocytopenia, inflammatory stress, such as viral or bacterial infection, rapidly decreases platelet production. Studies using mice have shown that inflammatory platelets are produced by a pathway different from normal under inflammatory stress. Furthermore, scientists have raised the possibility that a decline in platelet count and the production of inflammatory platelets may contribute to the sequelae of COVID-19 infection (long COVID).

Almost all creatures have blood, but not all creatures' blood is red. The red color of our blood results from the iron in the hemoglobin of red blood cells binding with oxygen. Oxygen is carried through our bodies via this process. Blood also fulfills numerous other roles essential to life, such as transporting nutrients and hormones, and recovering carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and other waste products. In addition, blood is equipped with outstanding defensive mechanisms that maintain its stable circulation; a particularly important example of this is hemostasis, which is directly involved in life-threatening situations. Blood is one of the organs fundamental to sustaining life.

The term "human augmentation" tends to call to mind images of the kind of devices you find in science fiction that allow people to exhibit superhuman abilities, like a robot suit that enables you to fly through the sky or gives you the strength to lift objects that would normally be too heavy for a person to carry. However, human augmentation is already supporting our work and our daily lives; for example, at building sites, remotely controlled construction machinery is lessening the burden on workers. In rehabilitation settings, too, assistive exercise equipment based on artificial muscles are reportedly now enabling people to bring out their innate abilities.

Scientists have discovered that, rather than operating independently, our five senses —— sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell —— affect each other while creating a single sensation. Research now underway aims to use virtual reality (VR) technology to shed light on and apply the "cross-modal perception" gained in this way. Scientists say that making various senses intersect makes it possible to create an environment in which people can demonstrate their abilities more readily. They have also found that this gives rise to positive psychological effects.

Operating machinery by the power of thought alone —— what sounds like technology out of a science fiction novel is starting to become a real possibility. Brain —— machine interface (BMI) is a technology that aims to make up for deficiencies in human neural function through the direct exchange of signals between the brain and a machine. Regarded as being particularly effective in promoting social engagement by patients with spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), BMI could, in the future, potentially be combined with artificial intelligence (AI) and engineering technology to enable people to operate electric wheelchairs, powered exoskeletons, smart devices, home appliances, and all kinds of other devices by the power of thought alone.

A new technology called "human augmentation" is attracting attention. Rather than simply using hi-tech machinery to assist with activities and daily life, it will need to give humans the feeling that they themselves are actually operating a machine or device, while also providing the sensation that their actions are influencing their surroundings. The key point is computer-mediated interaction between one human and another, or between humans and society. Scientists say that, if humans' ability to operate machinery based on this approach increases, it might one day be possible to engage in completely different endeavors than has been the case until now, even in the fields of health and nursing care.

Honeybee products have been a familiar part of people's daily lives since ancient times. Most notable among them is honey, which has a high sugar content and is often used as a sweetener in drinks and in cooking. Additionally, honey is rich in minerals and has an antibacterial effect, so it is also used as a preserved food. Another honeybee product is royal jelly, which is fed solely to queen bee larvae. Containing a high level of protein, as well as certain fatty acids, royal jelly is very nutritious and is not only added to health foods, but also to cosmetics as a moisturizing ingredient. With a lineup that also includes propolis and beeswax, the blessings of honeybees are bountiful indeed.

Like humans, honeybees have gut microbes. However, recent studies found the gut microbiota of a honeybee has a highly distinctive feature: whereas the human gut microbiota is said to consist of 100 trillion microbes across 1,000 species, 95% of the gut microbiota in honeybees is composed of no more than 8-10 genera of bacteria. This small number of gut bacterial species is beneficial to honeybees: for example, some of the bacteria assist in breaking down several pollen components that honeybees themselves can't easily digest. Several studies also suggest that gut bacteria also play a role in the behavior of honeybees.