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(Toyohashi, Japan, 5 March) - From improving Japanese to English machine translation to carbon nanocoils fracture like an automobile spring—the Toyohashi Tech e-Newsletter offers reviews of its latest news

(Tsukuba, 5 March 2013) 'Micrometre-level naked-eye detection' of caesium ions, a major source of contamination in the vicinity of radioactive leaks, is demonstrated in a material developed by researchers in Japan.

Researchers at the A*STAR Data Storage Institute, Singapore have created tiny spheres of silicon that can strongly interact with the magnetic field of visible-wavelength light. These engineered ‘magnetic materials’ enable new ways of controlling light at the nanoscale.

Sensors used in harsh conditions, such as deep-sea oil wells, must withstand extreme temperatures and pressures for hundreds of hours without failing. Researchers in Singapore have investigated two metal alloys that could give micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensors better protection in the toughest environments

When a bubble of air rising through water hits a sheet of glass, it doesn’t simply stop — it squishes, rebounds, and rises again, before slowly moving to the barrier. An international research team with high-speed cameras reveal the complex physics at work as air meets water and glass.

Kanazawa, Japan, 25 Feb - From uncovering maternal to paternal communications in mice; obesity-induced diabetes linked to enzyme deficiencies; ‘cool’ organic solar cell fabrication; links of asthma to gender and more in covered in the Kanazawa University Research Bulletin

Kanazawa, Japan, 25 Feb - Researchers at Japan’s Kanazawa University have proven the existence of communicative signalling from female mice that induces male parental behaviour. The research was published in Nature and is described in the Feb issue of the Kanazawa University Research Bulletin

Tokyo, 25 Feb - Non-volatile bistable memory circuits being developed by Satoshi Sugahara and his team at Tokyo Tech pave the way for highly energy-efficient CMOS logic systems. The details are described in the Feb issue of Tokyo Institute of Technology Bulletin

Tokyo, 25 Feb - Helium crystallization under micro-gravity, highly energy-efficient CMOS logic systems, and ham radio for global communication: the Feb issue of the Tokyo Tech Bulletin contains the latest information about cutting edge research projects and related activities at Tokyo Tech.

Universiti Teknologi MARA researchers outline a non-invasive method for detecting brain tumours by utilizing spectral texture features of the MRI images

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) hosted an international symposium at the UNIST-OLYMPUS Biomedical Imaging Center (UOBC) on February 19, 2013 with over 100 participants including international scholars, medical professionals, business leaders, researchers and students.

Kuala Lumpur, 19 Feb - Weekly music therapy sessions can have a positive effect on behaviour in children with autism, reports a paper in Pertanika Journal. In a study of 41 children, improvements were seen particularly in inattentive behaviours over a ten month period.

Shimla, India 19 Feb - Police personnel given stress management interventions respond better with a combination of physical and mental therapies. An Indian researcher has devised techniques based on Indian psychological models, which include yoga & meditation. The research is published in Pertanika Journal of Social Science & Humanities

Opinion article by Assist. Prof. Maho Isono, a cultural anthropologist in medicine. "Medical personnel frequently have feelings and conflicts that are not expressed to their patients, while patients often experience confusion and hesitation that are not told to medical personnel."

Singapore, 15 Feb 2013 - A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and Stanford University will collaborate to advance innovations in nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) switch technology for ultra low power digital systems.

Rethinking the process used to machine industrially important ceramics could reduce damaging cracks and chips

A model that predicts real-world behaviors of insulator interfaces makes designing ‘nano-electronic’ materials significantly simpler

A flexible design approach for nanosensors that overcomes practicality and reliability issues is now available

Researchers from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea have pioneered a simple, but efficient and eco-friendly way to produce Edge-selectively functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (EFGnPs) by dry ball milling graphite in the presence of various gases.

An innovative technique which pinpoints protein locations and helps researchers unravel the protein's functions has been developed by the researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), researchers who recently moved from MIT to the Ulsan National Institute of Science (UNIST) explain.

Tsukuba, Japan 7 Feb - Researchers in Japan have developed a way to detect caesium contamination on a scale of millimetres enabling the detection of small areas of radioactive contamination. The research is published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials today.

Tsukuba, Japan 7 Feb - Researchers at Ruhr University have used self-assembling techniques to produce gold microwires that have suitable properties for micro-Velcro. The research is published today in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.

Penang, Malaysia 6 Feb - A group of international scientists have sequenced the draft genome sequence of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis, the major commercial source of natural rubber. The manuscript describing the draft genome is published in BMC Genomics.

Critical thinking skills have been identified as learning outcomes expected of students. Teaching towards developing thinking skills is quite recent, attempts are observed to find ways to infuse critical thinking into the tertiary curriculum. Assessment as learning promotes active thinking via self assessment and exchange of feedback among peers.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has designed a new aircraft lavatory called BrailleWise®, giving visially impaired people greater independence and comfort when using toilets on airplanes.

Safe and inexpensive iron catalysts provide a ‘greener’ alternative to typical pharmaceutical production methods

New design guidelines from researchers in Singapore simplify the development of targeted therapies for muscular dystrophy and other diseases

The ability to miniaturize photonics devices to sizes compatible with computer chips inches closer

Generating and sustaining electrical currents with unique properties for information processing comes closer to reality after a successful theoretical demonstration

Singapore, 31 Jan – A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics has signed an agreement to collaborate with Petroleum Geo-Services (OSE:PGS), to develop a high performance Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) based sensor for deep sea seismic oil and gas exploration.