Peer Reviewed

Located at the headquarters of MIGHT (Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology), Datuk Rosdi Mahmud, the CEO of CTRM Sdn Bhd, and who is also the Executive Director of Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC) has declared that UPM is selected as the Lead University for AMIC.

The recently held 2011 Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Day, held at Universiti Putra Malaysia, has allowed opportunities for professional groups within the government sector, private sector as well as the academic experts to share ideas and expertise to further advance the GIS system.

‘Pincer’ molecules trap reactive rare earth elements into previously unseen hydrogen-infused structures

Mercury-containing oxides offer a new perspective on the mechanism of superconductivity

The teaching and learning process (P&P) using the interactive smart board, an innovation by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), can help overcome the problem of boredom, especially among school students.

Prof. Shigeki Nakauchi of the Computer Science and Engineering Department, Toyohashi University of Technology, has received the 2011 Award for Science and Technology (Development Category) from Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT).

Summaries of newsworthy papers - Language: Keeping linguistic variation in the family; Neuroscience: Creating human neurons that model schizophrenia; Fossils: A fresh start for early eukaryotes; Physics: Atomic currents in a spin; Physics: Simulating quantum magnetism; And finally… Ear evolution caught in the act

A silicon-based microfluidic chip that distinguishes different viral strains shows potential for the quick on-site diagnosis of infectious diseases

The use of a different resonance in atomic force microscopy enhances resolution

An electromechanical switch using a single magnetic plate delivers superior performance in a tiny package

New substrates boost the sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for the detection of glucose at physiological concentrations

A*STAR researchers are devising a variety of low-cost photovoltaic materials to develop the next generation of solar cells.

SINGAPORE, April 13, 2011 – Applied Materials Inc., the global leader in manufacturing solutions for the semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic industries, today signed a research collaboration agreement with A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME), to set up a Center of Excellence in Advanced Packaging in Singapore.

The president of Chiang Mai University (CMU) signs a joint memorandum promoting research in higher education and the development of 9 National Research Universities in Thailand.

Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University: Gamma ray radiation measurement system installed as one of eight in Thailand by the Office of Atoms for Peace to monitor radiation levels in the air.

Researchers and industry players from around the world have been invited to take part in The National Cloud Computing Workshop 2011 (Cloud2011), starting today at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The workshop is the first of its kind in Malaysia to focus on this up-and-coming area of ICT.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) hopes to continue in its efforts towards creating a sustainable campus, including efforts towards creating an animal-friendly university.

RIKEN and the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI) have cut the ribbon on a new cutting-edge X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) facility in Harima, the first such facility in Japan and only the second in the whole world.

Summaries of newsworthy papers - Neuroscience: Learning to see; Chemical Biology: Antimicrobials from all sides; Methods: Simplifying stem cell culture; Geoscience: Tropical Pacific warms West Antarctica; Immunology: Inflammation drives diabetes

Monkeys infected with an emerging malaria strain are providing a reservoir for human disease in South-east Asia, according to research published today.

Therapies that target specialized cells residing within the lymph nodes may help to rally tumor-killing immune responses

Revelation of the crystallization mechanism that enables fast writing of data to DVDs shows potential for quicker data storage in the future

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and PJI Contract Pte Ltd announced today the opening of a production facility to manufacture Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) solution, an eco-friendly nano-coating material.

Summaries of newsworthy papers - Biology: Gut flora and heart disease; Ecology: Biodiversity improves water quality; Materials science: High-frequency graphene transistors on diamond-like carbon; Cancer: Understanding lung cancer progression; And finally… How to switch off ‘the X factor’

Groundbreaking research from the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) shows how mouse stem cells spontaneously form into optic cups, the precursors of eyes. A report on this research, published this week in Nature, sheds light on the embryonic development of complex tissues.

Land once used for shrimp farming in Thailand has been rehabilitated by the planting of Nipa Palm trees. The project, initiated by a researcher at Prince of Songkla University, has shown that the trees can give high yields of sugar which can be converted into alcohol and used as an alternative energy source.

Through a system for organizing new strategic research at Waseda University, the “Center for Research on “Buddhism” as a Civilization of East Asia” has been established. The horizontal links between Asian researchers the Center allows has lead to an abundance of new research.

Jet lag poses a problem for athletes flying to international competitions. Sunao Uchida summarises the lessons learned in trying to reduce the negative impact of jet lag on athletes - lessons that are relevant to all air travellers.

Summaries of newsworthy papers - Nanotechnology: Some nanoparticles affect pregnant mice; Geoscience: Large carbon stocks in mangroves; Medicine: Keeping bone from forming in the wrong place; Photonics: Extremely stable optical lattice clocks; Chemical Biology: Cannabis without hallucinations; And finally…Neuroscience: Itching for answers

Neural activity representing intuitive responses in the brains of professional board game players shows what sets experts apart