Peer Reviewed

Researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), at Osaka University demonstrated a method for drying cellulose nanofiber (CNF) that retains the unique properties of the thickening agent. High transparency, high viscosity, and controllable viscosity were restored with simple stirring after the CNF was dehydrated from an organogel. Our powder had a much smaller volume than freeze-dried CNF, which will facilitate more efficient transport and storage. The method is expected to have a significant impact on food and cosmetics manufacturing.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers succeeded, for the first time, in stabilizing the high-temperature phase of Li3PS4—a solid electrolyte material¬¬—thus attaining high ionic conductivity even at room temperature, using a method of rapid heating during its crystallization. This unprecedented achievement is expected to contribute to the development of materials for all-solid-state batteries with higher performance.

Researchers from Osaka University found that the binding of two proteins—Polydom and Tie1—is essential for lymphatic cell migration in the remodeling of lymphatic vessels, which transport molecules around the body. A better understanding of the development and remodeling of the lymphatic system will lead to better therapeutic options for diseases such as lymphedema, which is common in cancer patients and currently has no cure.

A joint research group led by Osaka Metropolitan University has clarified how pathogenic genes in some Providencia spp., which have gained attention as causative agents of food poisoning as well as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. O157 and Salmonella, are transferred within bacterial cells. Their findings are expected to provide new insights into the identification of infection routes of Providencia spp. and the establishment of preventive methods for food poisoning.

An international research group has engineered a new energy-generating device by combining piezoelectric composites with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a commonly used material that is both light and strong. The new device transforms vibrations from the surrounding environment into electricity, providing an efficient and reliable means for self-powered sensors.

A physicist from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP) led a team of researchers in pioneering a way to make a special kind of “dark” matter that can’t be observed using standard laboratory methods.

Metamagnetic shape memory alloys (MMSMA) have negated some of the common problems associated with shape memory alloys thanks to their ability to undergo phase transformation when exposed to an external magnetic field. Yet they still lose a large amount of energy when phase transforming. Now, a research group from Tohoku University has made a significant breakthrough, developing a palladium-based MMSMA that exhibits low energy loss.

Tam Pà Ling, a cave in northern Laos, reveals new secrets about our earliest human journeys from Africa through to Australia.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists synthesized a novel molecule by combining dynamic covalent reactions based on organic radicals and coordination reactions. They found that the two types of reactions do not inhibit each other. Their results suggest the possibility of synthesizing materials by combining different types of reactions, which is expected to lead to the construction of structures that have never existed before.

Water from the Pacific Ocean flows into the Indian Ocean via the Indonesia Archipelago thanks to a vast network of currents that act as a conveyor belt, transporting warmth and nutrients. Currents can sometimes form circular motions and these are known as eddies. An international group of researchers has modeled the impacts of eddies on the currents that carry water from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.

With the need for hardware to process large amounts of digital information ever growing, researchers are working hard to improve magnetoresistive devices. The magnetoresistance ratio indicates the efficiency of these devices, the higher the better. Most magnetoresistive devices comprise magnesium oxide and iron-based magnetic alloys. But a group of researchers from Tohoku University has unveiled a new material that also exhibits enormous magnetoresistance.

Researchers from Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo develop a nanosheet oxide semiconductor for electronic devices

A team led by researchers from Osaka University elucidated a molecular mechanism that is crucial for separating genetic material into daughter cells during cell division. A protein called CENP-C is part of a complex called the kinetochore, which supports the movement of chromosomes. Two portions of CENP-C, the CCAN-binding domain and Cupin domain, are needed for CENP-C to function. The Cupin domain repeats itself through oligomerization, which is essential for proper CENP-C function.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in ACS Nano how ultrathin layers of tin disulfide can be used to accelerate the chemical reduction of carbon dioxide — a finding that is highly relevant for our quest towards a carbon-neutral society.

Adaption and mitigation efforts might be improved with inclusivity and transparency

Ultrafast fluorescent imaging technology brings the molecular dynamics of living cells into clear view.

Researchers from Osaka University developed an in vivo CRISPR screen to analyze factors affecting Toxoplasma gondii fitness in healthy and immunodeficient mice. Mice were infected with Toxoplasma containing CRISPR libraries that targeted specific genes; genetic sequencing was then performed to identify which genes are important to fitness. The genetic screen clarified the contributions of host genetics and parasite genetics and can contribute to the development of strategies for toxoplasmosis treatment and prevention.

App leads to better birth preparation for pregnant women

Researchers at Tohoku University and Tsinghua University have introduced a next-generation model membrane electrode that promises to revolutionize fundamental electrochemical research.

Fragments of spherical ‘Buckyball’ molecules have stable electron-accepting ability with great practical potential.

SUTD researchers developed a fully knitted, circuit-embedded knee wearable for wireless sensing of joint motion in real-time. Compared to other knitted electronics, this model has fewer externally integrated components and a more sensitive sensor, making it less error-prone.

Tests could soon identify patients who will respond well to the available treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia and those who will be resistant to it—which could improve their chances of survival.

Scientists at Tohoku University have discovered a novel approach that improves the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade - a novel form of cancer treatment utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors - and minimizes the associated side effects. Using immune checkpoint blockades to target tumor-positive lymph nodes, they generated a robust anti-tumor response against both local and systemic metastases.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists investigated numerically the interaction between a quantized vortex and a normal-fluid. Based on the experimental results, researchers decided the most consistent of several theoretical models. They found that a model that accounts for changes in the normal-fluid and incorporates more theoretically accurate mutual friction is the most compatible with the experimental results.

Researchers from Osaka University show how their multilegged walking robot can be steered by inducing a dynamic instability. By making the couplings between segments more flexible, the robot changes from walking straight to moving in a curved path. This work can lead to more energy-efficient and reliable robotic navigation of terrain.

A research team, led by researchers from Osaka University, performed genetic screening of fission yeast lacking DNA repair gene Rad51 to identify genes that play a role in gross chromosomal rearrangement (GCR), a type of mutation that occurs at the centromere. Cells lacking Srr1 or Skb1 exhibited reduced GCR, indicating that these genes are important to the occurrence of GCR. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying centromeric GCR.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists found that Japanese and Chinese, who are considered to have high-context cultures with a high degree of reliance on information shared by the speaker and listener, are code-switching from high-context cultures to low-context cultures when communicating with people from each other’s country. Furthermore, the scientists found that the Japanese do not engage in much code-switching with Chinese students in Japan.

Graphene has revolutionized materials science since its discovery in 2004, with its high electron mobility, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity. But processing graphene at the micro/nanoscale is a challenging process that often involves large-scale equipment and complex operations. Now, Tohoku University researchers have applied their simple femtosecond laser technique to ultra-thin atomic layers of graphene, resulting in multi-point hole drilling without damaging the graphene film.

Eating fermented foods might be the secret to a healthy and long-lived society

Truck drivers unintentionally taking ‘microsleeps’ of a few seconds can cause terrible traffic accidents, but efforts and technologies aiming to prevent the problem have focused mainly on monitoring driver eye activity while missing a host of other key indicators of the problem.