Peer Reviewed

Many waterbird species which travel across hemispheres are affected by a wide range of environmental and anthropogenic factors. A first-of-its-kind study along the China coast, jointly conducted by the Science Unit of Lingnan University in Hong Kong (LU) and the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS), quantified the 20-year wintering population trends of 42 waterbirds species in the Deep Bay area to evaluate the impacts of different threats along the East Asian-Australasian flyway (EAAF), providing important baseline information and recommendations on conservation.

Perovskite colloidal quantum dots (Pe-CQDs) are highly promising nanocrystals for optoelectronic applications. However, the size of the crystals should ideally be equal to ensure a consistent energy landscape. In a recent study, scientists clarified the relationship between differences in particle size—polydispersity—and the optoelectronic characteristics of Pe-CQDs. They showed that using equally sized, or ‘monodisperse,’ quantum dots results in markedly better performance in Pe-CQD solar cells, paving the way for future optoelectronic devices.

A ring-expanded porphyrin with no meso-bridges comprised of an odd number of pyrroles was successfully synthesized via the oxidative coupling of the corresponding terpyrrole. This porphyrin showed a 34pi aromatic character and an intense absorption at the near-infrared region. We analyzed the optical and electronic structures using magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory calculations.

It is generally agreed that sperms “swim” by beating or rotating their soft tails. However, a research team led by scientists from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has discovered that ray sperms move by rotating both the tail and the head. The team further investigated the motion pattern and demonstrated it with a robot. Their study has expanded the knowledge on the microorganisms’ motion and provided inspiration for robot engineering design.

A research group has discovered a new gene that aids in the fight against type 2 diabetes. The gene, known as L-IST, reduces Selenoprotein P, too much of which increases insulin resistance, and can be increased through drinking tea.

A tiny device incorporates a compound made from starch and baking soda to harvest energy from movement.

Japan recorded a whopping 3459 #landslides in 2018. To reduce the risks of landslides, researchers have developed a new #mapping system that accurately predicts their damage.

Researchers at Osaka Prefecture University have established an approach to identify the orientation of molecules and chemical bonds in crystalline organic-inorganic hybrid thin films deposited on substrates using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and polarized infrared light with a 3D-printed attenuated total reflectance (ATR) unit. This inexpensive method with laboratory-grade equipment quickly reaches the crystal-structure model of even extremely thin films of less than 10 nm.

Researchers from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science develop a flood forecasting system that could help protect people and property during typhoons

A signalling protein thought to be able to treat liver damage in paracetamol toxicity could actually worsen it. Instead, Singapore scientists discovered, blocking its effects could be the way forward.

Cryo-electron microscopy and computer simulations uncover how a cellular protein helps transport omega-3 fatty acids to the brain and eye, with implications for drug development.

Researchers from Hiroshima University now have a better understanding of the mechanism underlying how certain bacteria can transfer genetic material across taxonomic kingdoms, including to fungi and protists. Their work, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, could have applications in changing how bacteria perform certain functions or react to changes in their environment.

Researchers from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science report colloidal spheres that can be used to determine the rotational dynamics of dense suspensions

A multi-institutional Japanese team has developed new magnetic design that has magic mirror-like properties. Based on organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite type compounds, the brightness of transmitted light changes depending on whether the material is viewed from the front or the back.

Hokkaido University researchers have developed a simple method that converts existing generic polymers into luminescent polymers using mechanical force.

Publication bias, or the tendency of researchers and journals to not publish uninteresting findings, plagues much of the natural sciences and especially biomedical research. Hiroshima University researchers have developed a meta-analytic technique exploiting publicly available transcriptome databases that avoids the problem—and in so doing, discovered four genes previously unknown to be associated with responding to low-oxygen stress.

Chemical rings of carbon and hydrogen atoms curve to form relatively stable structures capable of conducting electricity and more — but how do these curved systems change when new components are introduced? Researchers based in Japan found that, with just a few sub-atomic additions, the properties can pivot to vary system states and behaviors, as demonstrated through a new synthesized chemical compound.

The chances of restoring fertility through sperm stem cell transplant are as random as a coin toss. But a team of scientists developed a new strategy that serves as a “weighted coin” that can favorably rig the odds to achieve outcomes where fertility is successfully restored.

No one knows what happened in the Universe for its first 400,000 years, but a new paper suggests discovering the hypothetical particle axion could shed light on the early history of the Universe. What's more, current dark matter experiments may have already detected it in its data.

Coral insights into 1,000 years of seasonal changes in the Arabian Sea warn of significant impacts caused by global warming.

Scientists have found a way to make hydrogen move faster through a solid material at cooler temperatures, paving the way for more sustainable and practical energy storage devices.

Scientists have uncovered a summertime climate pattern in and around the Arctic that could drive co-occurrences of European heatwaves and large-scale wildfires with air pollution over Siberia and subpolar North America.

A new nanometer-scale proximity labeling system can target histidine residues quicker than conventional methods thanks to the inorganic chemical singlet oxygen. The discovery generates a new chemical tool in protein chemical modification.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science at The University of Tokyo, Kobe Steel, Ltd, and Kobelco Research Institute, Inc, develop high-density, energy-efficient 3D embedded RAM for artificial intelligence applications.

Researchers from Korea utilized LiNO3 pre-planted lithium particles to design a stable, long-lasting lithium metal battery

Carbon degassed from planetary mantles by volcanic activity plays an important role in the planetary surface environment. However, how the carbon content in the Earth’s mantle was established is still poorly understood. Here we show that the mantle of planetary embryos may have been nearly saturated with carbon by new high-pressure experiments and pointed out that the carbon solubility of magma is very consistent with the estimated carbon contents in terrestrial and lunar mantles.

High-resolution genome structural analyses combined with large-scale simulations show the arrangements of the genome’s spool-like structures affecting gene expression.

Scientists have shown that the population of the Yakushima sika deer has declined due to natural factors, suggesting that the population can be regulated without culling.

A look at Japan’s mimamoru approach suggests that adults’ non-intervention in kids’ fights allows children to nurture social and interpersonal skills on their own. Is it worth a try in other countries?

Contributing to embryogenesis and pathogenesis through long-term in vivo molecular imaging 1. Development of a two-photon excitation light-sheet microscope which achieves low phototoxicity, an extended field of view, and high resolution for the observation of the growth of living organisms 2. Applications of the microscope demonstrate long-term time-lapse observations for a three-day span of the embryonic development of medaka fish