Peer Reviewed

Early marine algae adapted their light-harvesting systems for weak blue-green light, suggesting how photosynthesis evolved.

ISGlobal, supported by Rockefeller Foundation, analyzed impact of severe global aid cuts in 93 countries, with 21 in Asia. New study published in The Lancet finds slashing global aid, particularly by US and European countries, will reverse decades of progress in fighting diseases.

Researchers from The University of Osaka compared psychological ratings of various words from humans and large language models (LLMs) along different dimensions in order to compare the ways in which they conceptualize words. Human and LLM ratings aligned closely for some attributes (such as concreteness) but diverged significantly for others (such as iconicity). This work reveals which linguistic features may be reliably estimated using LLMs.

Hiroshima University researchers developed a three-factor, 12-item, questionnaire-based scale to systematically assess nursing practices that support fertility preservation decision-making in women with cancer. They show that such decision-making can be clearly defined, measured, and improved.

Researchers have found duality can reveal hidden non-invertible symmetry protected topological phases, unlocking new quantum phases.

A new tool offers researchers a better way of exploring and understanding catalyst data.

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a wastewater treatment method to help clear pollution caused by toxic, non-biodegradable dyes. The method uses a 3D, sponge-like covalent organic network to purify wastewater in a sustainable manner.

Old trees are learning new tricks with the advent of composite materials. Made of biodegradable polymers and the waste bark of the Yakushima Jisugi tree, the green composite was developed by a research team at Tohoku University. When assessing the material, they found that simply testing its mechanical strength — in this case, its tensile strength or ability to resist pulling —could reliably predict the biodegradation process. Traditionally, in processes that are costly in time and money, scientists chemically test how much of a material remains after time has passed. Shifting assessment focus to how a material continues to safely function during the biodegradation process, the team said, could help better inform practical use of such products.

A new nanocomposite material made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers and piezoelectric materials can use vibrations to self-detect tiny cracks. This material could be used in the aerospace, automative, and construction industries to monitor structural health without the need of an external power source.

Iternational researchers have improved an ultrasonic phased array system, making it possible to see hidden defects in aging concrete infrastructure and potentially strengthening the efficiency of infrastructural maintenance.

Two-dimensional topological materials are widely studied because they can be efficient and cost-effective catalysts. Their unique electronic properties give rise to robust topological surface states. However, this assumption is often made under the premise that their surfaces remain clean and unchanged during reactions, which is rarely the case. Using quantum computing, a research team has recreated a 2D material’s true working surface under reaction conditions.

The University of Osaka study shows that declining clinical tests lead to an underestimation of COVID-19 cases. By analyzing wastewater, researchers found viral loads remained high even as reported cases dropped. This highlights wastewater surveillance as a crucial, objective tool for accurately monitoring community-wide infection levels. The findings advocate for a multi-layered public health approach that is not solely reliant on testing data, ensuring a more realistic assessment of infection risks.

Researchers from The University of Osaka report the development of two fluorescent indicators, Gachapin and Gachapin-C, that can be used to monitor cell–cell contacts and contacts between different processes of the same neuronal cell. Unlike split GFP indicators, the reversible and instant fluorescence from the Gachapin/Gachapin-C chromophore upon contact enables real-time imaging of dynamic contact events.

A collaborative team from National Taiwan University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University identified an alternative strategy to regulate an immune enzyme linked to cancer and inflammation.

Researchers have developed a method to reduce uncertainties in observational measurements of cosmic birefringence, which might help explain the Universe’s symmetry.

National Taiwan University researchers have developed an ultrahigh-solid-loading (83 vol%) yet highly flowable suspension for 3D printing that produces ceramic parts with extremely low shrinkage and 100% density, overcoming a major barrier in precision ceramic manufacturing.

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) and the Cancer Research Institute at Kanazawa University led have uncovered how targeted lung cancer drugs alter the shape and behavior of a key cancer-driving protein—revealing a hidden mechanism that helps explain why some treatments stop working over time.

Region-specific residential buildings solution optimizes energy-efficiency and thermal comfort

Researchers from The University of Osaka have developed a unique approach to delivering laser light through photonic circuitry for controlling the states of trapped ions, representing a potential novel method for overcoming challenges in quantum computing technology.

Researchers have developed a new strategy to overcome a long-standing limitation in plasmonic loss by reshaping light–matter interactions through substrate engineering.

This study demonstrated a new strategy for engineering the surface and functional properties of 2D SrTiO₃ perovskite nanoplatelets through the hydrothermal transformation of Aurivillius phase Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanoplatelets. We successfully synthesised both heterostructural SrTiO₃/Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ photocatalyst which exhibited significantly higher H2 evolution rate than those of traditional heterojunction photocatalysts.

• AI models can support doctors in making critical decisions and expand access to care in low-resource settings • However, gaps in infrastructure, skills and governance continue to limit safe and effective adoption • Researchers call for an international consortium to guide regulation and responsible use of AI in healthcare

A low-cost, portable radiation dosimetry system uses a smartphone and radiochromic film to provide immediate on-site dose assessments of radiation.

Skeletal muscle stem cells in hibernating Syrian hamsters preserve their ability to function by suppressing their activation during the hibernation period, a research team led by Hiroshima University has shown. This insight may lead to a broader understanding of the maintenance of muscle tissue under prolonged low temperature conditions and may eventually lead to therapeutic applications.

Lymphatic Drug Delivery System (LDDS) is an emerging type of cancer treatment, but its efficacy depends on how efficiently the drugs reach the lymphatic system. A research team from Tohoku University has clarified how the physical and chemical features of medicines affect how they move through the lymphatic and blood systems, helping to advance the clinical development of LDDS.

A recent review article explores how software-based AI systems are changing the design process of solid electrolytes, enabling faster development of solid-state batteries.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy before surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may produce major pathological response in about one-third of the surgical patients. The clinical and pre-clinical research highlighted that the formation of organized immune hubs within the tumor (tertiary lymphoid structure) after ICI therapy is critical for the induction of antitumor immunity.

Smokers could be at higher risk of post-COVID symptoms

Scientists at the National Taiwan University Cancer Center and National Taiwan University Hospital have shed light on rare but important situations where radiotherapy to one tumor is accompanied by cancer growth or metastasis at untreated sites.