Peer Reviewed

Astronomers have uncovered a previously unknown, extreme kind of star factory by taking the temperature of a distant galaxy using the ALMA telescope. The galaxy is glowing intensely in superheated cosmic dust while forming stars 180 times faster than our own Milky Way. The discovery indicates how galaxies could have grown quickly when the universe was very young, solving a long-standing puzzle for astronomers.

Direct Observation of Energy Transfer in Organic Semiconductor Nanostructures with a Home-Built Femtosecond Microspectroscopy System

Human clinical trials reveal anti-obesity and heart-protective effects of black cumin

Researchers at The University of Osaka developed the Balloon-Assisted Bronchoscope Delivery (BDBD) technique and in a first-in-human clinical trial, the team successfully demonstrated that this technique is both safe and effective, enabling access to lesions smaller than 20 mm. By using a small balloon to gently widen airways, it allows endoscopes to reach deep, peripheral lung tumors, promising more accurate cancer diagnosis and new minimally invasive treatment options.

A seven-year study of 470 patients revealed that a severe fungal lung infection once mainly seen in specific high-risk groups is increasingly affecting elderly patients and those with common cancers who are not receiving traditional high-risk treatments, suggesting current prevention strategies may be missing vulnerable populations.

Researchers from The University of Osaka and Daikin Industries, Ltd. have discovered a key metric, "electrolyte lithium-ion chemical potential," that governs lithium-ion battery performance. This quantitative indicator shows that efficient charging occurs when lithium ions are sufficiently “unstable” in the electrolyte. This breakthrough replaces trial-and-error methods with a rational design approach, enabling faster development of safer, higher-performance batteries for applications like EVs and renewable energy storage.

Prof. Pi-Tai Chou’s group at National Taiwan University Department of Chemistry has created a catalyst that turns two challenges into one solution: it produces clean hydrogen with remarkable efficiency while breaking down urea with ease. This breakthrough not only lowers the energy cost of hydrogen but also helps eliminate harmful pollutants.

In their final year of life, older adults with advanced dementia undergo frequent hospitalisations and invasive interventions such as tube feeding and physical restraints. Family caregivers face heavy emotional and financial burdens, often with limited guidance or support.

Researchers at Tohoku University used the Digital Hydrogen Platform - which combines data from over five thousand meticulously curated experimental records - as a tool to guide materials design for hydrogen storage.

A discovery of electrically controlled triple quantum dots in zinc oxide by the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, moves us closer to energy-efficient quantum devices can be used practically.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to better train doctors via personalising learning experiences, simulating clinical scenarios and supporting research. Yet, there are human, financial and resource-based barriers to its adoption. Healthcare institutions, medical schools, industry partners and government bodies need to work together to develop responsible and effective solutions.

Determining proper subsidies for walking rewards

Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) has optimized how to run a large-scale genome analysis study over ten years – and they are now sharing their innovative techniques as a valuable resource to advance genome research.

Scientists at The University of Osaka developed a new 3D culture scaffold by integrating the strong cell-adhesive domain of laminin-511 into a clinically used fibrin gel, creating a chimeric protein called Chimera-511. This laminin-functionalized fibrin gel supports efficient 3D expansion of human iPS cells while maintaining pluripotency. As a chemically defined, xeno-free material, it offers a promising alternative to Matrigel and a potential platform for clinically applicable organoids and regenerative therapies.

Lactate, once thought to be just a waste product, is now recognized as an important fuel and signaling molecule in the brain. This study introduces a red fluorescent biosensor that allows scientists to visualize both brain metabolism and neuronal activity at the same time.

Researchers have developed an eco-friendly method to create gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using microalgae. This "green synthesis" avoids harsh chemicals, resulting in nanoparticles that are more stable than conventional ones. When activated by a laser, these AuNPs effectively destroy cancer cells while showing lower toxicity to healthy cells. This breakthrough promises a more sustainable and safer approach to photothermal cancer therapy and other applications in nanomedicine.

After lecanemab treatment, MRI scans show no short-term change in waste clearance function in Alzheimer’s patients

Did you know your brain might be more receptive to learning new things depending on the time of day? This study examined how a 24-hour cycle alters brain plasticity and neuronal excitability in rats.

UOsaka and MIT scientists revealed that the motor proteins KIF18A and CENP-E work together to align chromosomes during mitosis. Cancer cells with reduced CENP-E levels are especially sensitive to KIF18A inhibition, and dual inhibition of both proteins leads to efficient cell death. The discovery offers new insights into chromosome mechanics and a potential strategy for targeted cancer therapy.

New molecular dynamics insights pave the way for stronger, lighter hybrid transportation materials

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society the use of three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular dynamics simulations to determine the structure of water in the hydration of different types of chitin nanocrystals, and how this affects their mechanical properties, reactivities, and interactions with enzymes and reactants.

The balance of nutrition in early childhood affects height.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in ACS Applied Nano Materials a new method to precisely measure nuclear elasticity—the stiffness or softness of the cell nucleus—in living cells. By employing a technique called Nanoendoscopy-AFM (NE-AFM), which inserts a nanoneedle probe directly into cells, the team revealed how cancer cell nuclei stiffen or soften depending on chromatin structure and environmental conditions. The findings provide fundamental insights into how the physical properties of cancer cell nuclei change during disease progression, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment evaluation.

Researchers at Tohoku University found that a certain catalyst tends towards different reaction mechanisms at high versus low temperatures. This finding can be used to tailor catalysts with more stability, which ultimately could lead to upgrades for electrochemical devices such as batteries.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that rituximab, a monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of nephrotic syndrome in children in Japan, also improves disease management in adults. The drug kept adults with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome or steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome relapse-free for longer, compared with placebo, with good safety. By reducing the frequency of relapses, rituximab may reduce the reliance on corticosteroids and help to improve quality of life among adult patients with these challenging conditions.

To protect the diverse marine ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific region, we need to understand the full picture via collaborative data integration efforts across institutes and different disciplines.

Researchers successfully treat spinal compression fractures using stem cells from fatty tissue

A novel study from scientists at National Taiwan University challenges the long-held view of ketone bodies as mere energy substrates, revealing instead that those produced during lactation act as epigenetic signals that promote beige adipocyte formation and protect against obesity.

New study argues standard forms of consent for cell donations would not be appropriate for this line of research

More than 40% of existing and planned offshore wind farm sites in Europe and Asia are exposed to wind speeds above the maximum capacity of some turbines, highlighting the need for these energy infrastructures to adapt to extreme wind events associated with climate change.