Peer Reviewed

Computer simulations of a metal–sulfide alloy unlock the secrets to designing solar-powered catalysts that generate hydrogen fuel from water

An interview with Prof. Young-Ho Lee of Hanyang University who brought the concept of ‘cord blood transplantation’ to Korea with the first successful cord blood transplant in 1998.

Interview with Prof. Yoon of Hanyang University who discovered an innovative method for detecting anthrax

Tokyo, Japan, 27 September - The most unambiguous data to date on the elusive 113th atomic element has been obtained by researchers at the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-based Science (RNC).

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University hailed the topping-out of the Jockey Club Innovation Tower on campus. The 15-storey Tower will be home to PolyU School of Design and it is also the first permanent architecture by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid in Hong Kong.

(Aichi, Japan, 24 September, 2012) – Aisin Seki Co., Ltd, Japan has developed the first power sliding door system that houses all the major components in the door side. The new approach allows the doors to be compatible with a wider range of vehicles than previous power sliding door systems and leaves more space inside the vehicle.

(Toyohashi, Japan, 24 September 2012) Toyohashi Tech researchers use ‘robotic social trash boxes’ to investigate interactions between humans and robots for improving robot-to-human communications.

(Toyohashi, Japan, 24 September 2012) From ‘sociable trash boxes’ to surface plasmons to neuroscience—the Toyohashi Tech e-Newsletter offers reviews of its research activities news updates of the latest events.

(Okayama, Japan, 20 September 2012) This e-Bulletin highlights pioneering insights into water splitting/photosynthesis, analysis of the Itokawa asteroid brought to Earth by Japan's Hayabusa space probe, stemming the spread of cancer and identification of a rice transporter for manganese and cadmium uptake

(Okayama, Japan, 20 September 2012) - Okayama University researchers demonstrate that cancer stem cells can be produced from normal stem cells for new therapies to combat cancer

Work led by Amita Pathak at the Indian Institute of Technology has produced water-soluble C-dots that selectively emit light across the entire visible range without any surface coating. The properties of these new C-dots make them ideal for a variety of bioimaging applications and for medical diagnostics.

A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME), and Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd (Hitachi Chemical) in Japan, will be collaborating on a joint research of high performance material technologies to support thin wafer processing for 3 dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC) packaging.

Faster signal storage and optical processing in nanomachined devices edge closer to realization

Inexpensive hybrid metal and oxide nanostructures prove to be a catalyst that enhance sunlight-powered hydrogen production

Mechanical failure of short nanowires is characterized by smooth, ductile deformations, while long nanowires fail catastrophically

University Teknologi MARA researchers conducted a study on Norovirus (NoV) in lettuces. The virus causes outbreaks of Gastroenteritis among children below age 5 in Malaysia.

Will the tiger go the way of the passenger pigeon or be saved from extinction like the American bison? Extinction or Survival? List Released at the World Conservation Congress in Jeju, Korea. Species can be saved if Asian Governments take "Three Rs" approach

Researchers from France and Thailand have trialled a dengue vaccine in over 4000 Thai children. While overall there was no difference between the number of dengue cases recorded following vaccination, secondary tests showed that the vaccine was effective against three of the four dengue viruses.

Genetic studies of Myotis muricola, otherwise known as the Wall-roosting Mouse-eared bat or Nepalese Whiskered Myotis , suggest that it consists of not one, but two distinct species.

A study on the emotional and behavioural adjustments of children from inter-ethnic and mono-ethnic families in Malaysia challenges traditional assumptions about inter-ethnic families.

A report on productive aquifers in hard rock on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia suggests greater water supply than has previously been recognised.

The August issue of the monthly newsletter from the Science & Innovation Section of the British Embassy has been released. This month's article is "The Japan Revitalisation Plan". The newsletter also includes news headlines from Japanese S&I press and details of forthcoming events.

A gene therapy approach for restoring cilia development and olfactory responses is reported online this week in Nature Medicine. These findings provide a proof-of-principle that gene therapy may be used in certain genetic disorders to rescue cilia development and restore sensory function.

The improved process enables formation of high quality titanium alloy coating films, which had been difficult with the conventional technique.

The low cost, high efficiency electric pump offers an environmentally friendly alternative to mechanical counterparts. Aisin Seki Co., Ltd has now successfully developed a smaller, cheaper electric cooling pump through some effective efficiency optimisations.

Institute of Microelectronics (IME) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MOSIS, a provider of low-cost prototyping and small volume production services for custom ICs, to offer its multiple-project wafer (MPW) service to MOSIS’ customers.

The latest advance in imaging technology helps optimize catalysts for use in onboard fuel processing. A*STAR researchers have identified the subtle, atomic-scale structural transformations that can activate and de-activate gold nanoparticle catalysts, a finding that may lead to longer-lasting hydrogen fuel cells.

Flat panel displays and many digital devices require thin, efficient and low-cost light-emitters for applications. The pixels that make up the different colors on the display are typically wired to complex electronic circuits, but now researchers at A*STAR have developed a display technology that requires a much simpler architecture for operation.

Graphene-based materials kill bacteria through one of two possible mechanisms. Researchers at A*STAR Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology and co-workers have now compared the antibacterial activity of graphite, graphite oxide, graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide using the model bacterium Escherichia coli.