Peer Reviewed

Mitochondrial protein in brain neurons found to regulate appetite and body weight

The study aims to provide more insight for approaches to digital detox and addressing smartphone dependence, highlighting moving beyond restricting device use and more psychological interventions.

A three-year atmospheric study in central Taiwan finds that organic particles, formed largely from reactive vapors such as those released by industrial solvents, have overtaken the sulfate and nitrate salts from vehicle and factory exhaust as the leading cause of hazy skies. Because the region's air chemistry is "VOC-limited," cutting nitrogen oxide emissions from traffic alone can actually worsen nitrate haze, making industrial solvent control the more effective lever for clearer air.

1. Developed pH-responsive modified starch granules to protect unstable bioactive compounds, e.g. ellagic acid. 2. Providing the shielding and successfully minimized leakage under simulated gastric conditions (pH 1.2) and achieved high-efficiency, controlled liberation in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) for targeted releasing.

• Engineered a DHB prodrug-based oral nano-emulsion with enhanced bioavailability, dramatically improving the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy

A spinout from the University of Osaka is developing a slim, lightweight, single-use endoscope designed specifically for gastric cancer screening. By simplifying conventional endoscope design, the device aims to reduce patient discomfort, lower costs, and lessen the burden on healthcare professionals. Its disposable format removes the need for cleaning and disinfection, while future integration with AI and digital platforms could support more accessible and efficient screening.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) can be difficult to treat once it develops, making prevention especially important. In a retrospective study, a Hiroshima University researcher found that quantitative measurements extracted from CT images taken before treatment, when analyzed with machine learning, could distinguish patients who later developed the condition from those who did not—an early step toward predicting MRONJ risk before bone resorption inhibitor therapy begins.

Growth impairment is a common late effect of childhood stem cell transplantation. A Japan-wide study found that growth hormone therapy improves adult height, but prior radiation therapy and transplant-related complications negatively affect how much children benefit.

C/EBPγ coordinates cancer cell plasticity and DNA repair in lung adenocarcinoma, revealing a potential target against therapy resistance.

High-coverage Jomon and Yayoi genomes reveal continuity with modern Japanese, continental ancestry, and prehistoric starch adaptations in Japan.

Kanazawa University, Japan – Research group led by Prof. Keiichi Hirano and Assistant Prof. Akira Matsumoto have developed a novel synthetic method for the selective cleavage of strong carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bonds while preserving weaker carbon–silicon (C–Si) bonds. This transformation enables the upgrading of structurally simple α-silyl alcohols into functionalized derivatives that are difficult to access by conventional methods. The key to this success lies in utilizing a finely tuned phosphonium ylide catalyst in combination with an organophotoredox catalyst under visible-light irradiation.

Program combining mindfulness meditation and cognitive therapy substantially reduces gaming disorder symptoms and stress

Human retention of decision-making control can reduce fatigue and maintain task mastery

Researchers from the University of Osaka, Gunma University and Kyushu University created lipid mimic molecules that form “island”-like groups called lipid domains in artificial lipid membranes. The domains are thermally stable because the propellor-shaped moiety of the lipid mimic molecules interlock and the surrounding lipids fit into the spaces between. This new method of forming domains may allow artificial lipid membrane materials to be created for catalysis, capturing molecules, and drug delivery.

The new research may pave the way for accurately forecasting heavy monsoon rains up to several days in advance.

Nationwide study in Japan suggests fully remote work and stable long-term care costs can buffer life satisfaction in shrinking small and medium-sized cities

Success in reducing battery energy consumption by 88.7% compared to existing tech through fusion research of Drone + AI + FPGA

Researchers from National Taiwan University have developed a sunlight-powered catalyst that converts carbon dioxide into methane more efficiently. By carefully combining copper and zinc on black silicon, the team uncovered how light changes the catalyst during the reaction, providing new clues for producing renewable fuels.

As climate change drives up temperatures worldwide and water becomes scarce, how can we make sure crops survive? Tohoku University researchers have identified a new class of small molecules that enhances plant drought tolerance.

Development of a novel single-atom-based electrode technology that significantly expands the operating voltage window of aqueous supercapacitors.

Numerical model explains why increasing ultrasonic power reduces chemical reaction rates in sonochemistry

A county-wide program in Taiwan combined risk-based screening with decentralized treatment, dramatically improving hepatitis C diagnosis and cure while projecting liver cancer and mortality reductions that meet the World Health Organization's elimination targets by 2030.1.

The flowering plant Saxifraga candelabrum has been confirmed as a new carnivorous lineage, according to research published in Nature Communications, supporting a prediction made by Charles Darwin about the plants.

Achieves world-record efficiency under ambient room temperature and pressure, accelerating the era of greenhouse gas upcycling.

- Professor Su-Il In’s Team at DGIST Stabilizes Two-Dimensional 1T-MoSe₂ Catalyst Through Precise Interface Control - Platinum–MoSe₂ Dual Cocatalyst System Combined with Solar Concentration Technology Increases Methane Production Efficiency 65-Fold - Fundamental Mechanisms of Carbon Resource Utilization Elucidated; Findings Published in Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy

Professor Kang Bosoek's Research Team Overcomes Charge Transport Limitations in Organic Electronic Materials Through Molecular and Interfacial Design

Researchers at National Taiwan University have designed a shear-protective hydrogel bioink that enables high-resolution bioprinting of pickable neural tissue patches with high cell survival.

Atomic-scale cooperation between copper and zinc opens a promising route toward cleaner fuel and chemical production

Professor Taeyeon Kim's Team Discovers Mechanism That Controls Charge Transfer in Molecular Aggregates

The relationship between the look of streets, feelings of safety, and sleep