Peer Reviewed

Duke-NUS study reveals that better data, smarter treatment plans and more realistic targets are needed to tackle anaemia, which affects nearly two billion people worldwide and remains a major obstacle to global health goals.

Researchers at National Taiwan University developed a new device that captures energy from vibrations more efficiently. Its self-adjusting mechanism enables resonance with environmental frequencies, resulting in higher power output across a broader operational range.

Perimetry (visual field testing) quantifies a patient’s retinal sensitivity to light and clarifies a deviation from normal retinal sensitivity. Visual field tests generally require high patient concentration, which can be exhausted. We constructed a framework for deep reinforcement learning to train ViFT (Visual Field Transformer), which controls all processes of visual field testing. ViFT achieves the same or higher accuracy than the state-of-the-art strategies, with less than half the test time of the state-of-the-art strategies.

Solves a long-standing challenge in fundamental physics

An international research group led by The University of Osaka has developed scODIN, a novel computational tool to classify cell types from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. Existing methods struggle to balance speed and accuracy, often misclassifying rare or transitional cells. scODIN overcomes this limitation by combining a hierarchical classification system (Tier system) with k-nearest neighbor inference. This approach allows for the rapid and accurate classification of large datasets, processing 650,000 cells in just six minutes. The tool's improved accuracy stems from its ability to identify cells at varying levels of detail, recognize intermediate phenotypes through double labeling, and recover cells affected by dropout events. scODIN promises to accelerate biomedical discoveries by enabling more precise and efficient analysis of complex biological processes and disease mechanisms.

Around 354 million people in North America and Europe are likely to have been affected by fine particulate matter pollution from the 2023 Canadian wildfire season, a new study suggests.

Fluids may have flowed within the parent body of the near-Earth asteroid Ryugu more than one billion years after it formed, according to research published in Nature.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that the radial spoke protein CFAP91 is crucial for flagellum formation in sperm, and that the proximal protein EFCAB5 is important for sperm motility. Loss of function of either of these proteins impairs spermatogenesis, suggesting that their mutation or loss can lead to male infertility.

【Intriguing behavior of such electrons in particular materials produced by chemical synthesis】 Unpaired electrons located at linear band dispersion (LBD) are exceptional and called Dirac electrons (DE). They are paid attention to because of the unique electronic properties such as temperature (T)-independent resistivity, as if they belong to neither metallic nor non-metallic substances. In this study, we have developed a series of new organic Dirac electron systems and discovered universal features of magnetic behavior originating from LBD.

Standard blood tests can help physicians predict the risk of mortality in patients with Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). These findings may facilitate earlier interventions and enable more personalized treatment strategies for this severe cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR).

Researchers at National Taiwan University have discovered a versatile enzyme from Bacillus subtilis that efficiently attaches phosphate groups to natural compounds. This breakthrough offers a greener way to boost drug solubility and develop more effective nutraceuticals and prodrugs.

This promising new catalyst can speed up the oxygen evolution reaction to create clean energy.

Research helps explain why vaccines work better for people with prior infection and why even an imperfect vaccine can be used safely to prevent dengue.

- Development of a highly stretchable color conversion layer through direct cross-linking between eco-friendly quantum dots and stretchable polymers - Research findings published in Advanced Materials, a top-tier international journal in the field of materials science

Researchers at National Taiwan University designed a graphene oxide biochar TiO₂ nanocomposite that combines adsorption capacity with superior photocatalytic activity. With strong material characterization and optoelectronic properties, it offers a novel and sustainable solution for antibiotic removal from livestock wastewater.

Just like litter is a big problem on Earth, space junk is cluttering up outer space. To dispose of this junk, a Tohoku University researcher demonstrated the utility of a special plasma thruster

Magnetic resonance imaging often yields inconsistent results when assessing the brain’s structural characteristics in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To address this, scientists from Japan have used a harmonization method called traveling-subject (TS) to reduce measurement bias in brain imaging datasets from multiple sites. The TS harmonized datasets showed significant reductions in measurement bias and revealed apparent volumetric changes in specific brain regions, indicating promise for developing a more robust diagnosis for ADHD.

With just five minutes a day of training in Rei-ho (an ancient practice common amongst samurai), seniors can improve their leg strength and build up muscles essential for independent living.

Reef-building corals use a previously unknown mechanism involving chloride to ‘see’ visible light

Using optical tweezers, researchers at National Taiwan University observed individual binding events in real time, offering new insights into the molecular regulation of homologous recombination.

The research group led by Drs. Mitsuru Arase, Mari Murakami, and Prof. Kiyoshi Takeda (Graduate School of Medicine/ Immunology Frontier Research Center at The University of Osaka) revealed that transcription factors RUNX2 and BHLHE40 play crucial roles in inducing T cells involved in Crohn's disease.

Tracking human behavioral patterns in cities can be used to determine urban delineations and urban land use, which has the potential to improve urban planning.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccination both prevents JEV and lowers dengue severity.

A metal-free organic liquid has been developed that phosphoresces at room temperature. Rapid phosphorescence endows the liquid with the highest phosphorescence efficiency in air among organic liquids. The new molecule has a 3-bromo-2-thienyl diketone backbone with attached dimethylocylsilyl (DMOS) groups. Attaching one DMOS group liquefies the backbone, whereas attaching two DMOS groups prevents molecular aggregation, which typically weakens phosphorescence. This new, flexible liquid can be applied to develop flexible electronic devices.

A customizable protein has been developed to help the body remove harmful cells, such as those involved in cancer or autoimmune diseases, offering a potential new direction for treatments.

Researchers at Tohoku University have applied explainable machine learning to identify key factors for nickel-based catalysts that improve CO₂ methanation. The findings show how data-driven methods can guide catalyst design and support progress toward carbon recycling and sustainable energy.

This news article reports on a study revealing the importance of the proboscis monkey's large nose in vocal communication. Researchers used CT scans and computer simulations to demonstrate that the nose's shape modifies the resonant frequencies of calls, creating unique vocal signatures for individual monkeys. This discovery highlights the role of the nose in enhancing vocal identity and provides insights into the evolution of communication, not just in proboscis monkeys but potentially in other species as well. The collaboration between scientists and the Yokohama Zoo Zoorasia opens exciting new avenues for understanding the link between physical traits and social behaviors in the animal kingdom.

Combining multiple sensory inputs has been a big hurdle for developing physical AI robots. Recent research at Tohoku University solves this problem using a brand new approach.

A flexible perovskite light-emitting device integrating ester polymer crystallization enables optical logic signals under bending and stretching, paving the way for motion capture and intelligent sensing applications.

To reduce plastic pollution and promote environmental sustainability, scholars from the Lingnan University School of Interdisciplinary Studies and their research team have developed a successful new eco-friendly bioplastic material. Unlike conventional plastics, it degrades naturally into harmless water and carbon dioxide in as little as 29 days under ambient conditions, and is a practical way to mitigate global plastic pollution. Their study, “Sustainable DNA-polysaccharide hydrogels as recyclable bioplastics”, was recently published in the respected journal Nature Communications.