Peer Reviewed

Space-saving version of Paralympic sport increases motivation, mobility among older adults

New research shows that the gum disease bacterium P. gingivalis can slip into the bloodstream and infiltrate the heart. There, it quietly drives scar tissue buildup—distorting the heart’s architecture, disrupting electrical signals, and raising the risk of atrial fibrillation.

How does obesity affect insulin production? Researchers at Tohoku University are shining light on new stages of the ERK pathway.

The rules about magnetic order may need to be rewritten. An international team of researchers found that it was possible to turn a non-magnetic material into a magnetic material by slicing it into thin films.

A joint study by National Taiwan University’s Prof. Hsiao-Mei Wu and Academia Sinica’s Dr. Yi-Chung Tung reveals that oxygen tension elevation during week 4–6 promotes neurogenesis in brain organoids, regulated by Neuroglobin.

A breakthrough to tackle the long-standing challenges of heterogeneity and scarcity in extracellular vesicle (EV) research.

Researchers from National Taiwan University reveal how electric scooter battery-swapping systems can enhance grid flexibility and support urban decarbonization.

In-situ phosphatized Ni–N3PC boosts CO2 to CO conversion in acidic electrolyte, suppresses HER, and achieves >90% FECO with high stability.

A massive new database of dielectric material properties could speed up the development of electronics like smartphones and energy storage systems.

- Professor Hyuk-jun Kwon’s team at DGIST has developed a high-performance artificial olfactory platform that mimics the human nose to identify a wide range of scents - A simple laser-based process enables scent-sensitive sensors ... AI-powered scent analysis is expected to impact healthcare, cosmetics, and environmental monitoring

A research team at Tohoku University’s Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) has developed a new technique to rapidly and accurately determine the charge state of electrons confined in semiconductor quantum dots—fundamental components of quantum computing systems. The method is based on Bayesian inference, a statistical framework that estimates the most likely state of a system using observed data.

Method’s anticancer effects verified at cellular and organismal levels without obvious side effects

Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a data-driven AI framework that gives scientists a head start by suggesting ideal candidate materials.

Effective per capita municipal expenditures correlated with population changes

The power conversion efficiency of all-organic solar cells was doubled through the development of novel organic electrodes that can be fabricated using a moderate process.

Researchers found a strategy to create catalysts that make the production of hydrogen for clean fuel more efficient and affordable.

Triplet-triplet annihilation up-conversion of cationic iridium（III） complex was achieved in R-limonene using organically modified hectorite.

A set of digital interventions can spur consumers to pick healthier options and reduce their intake of calories and nutrients that should be consumed sparingly when implemented in online grocery stores. Public health bodies and retailers could leverage these tools to improve diet quality and reduce rising rates of non-communicable diseases

Researchers from The University of Osaka discover that specific white blood cells and the amount of an inflammation protein in the blood can predict relapse of an autoimmune blood vessel disease.

A joint team from National Taiwan University and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has developed a novel hydrogel actuator whose movement can be programmed using UV light, enabling precise spatial control of thermoresponsive deformation for presenting a potential application in soft robotics and in vitro muscle models.

Raccoons considered to be a source of zoonotic pathogens were monitored

Functional cure, defined as durable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA titers below the lower limit of detection (LLOD), is associated with better clinical outcomes of chronic HBV infection and regarded as the preferred treatment endpoint of novel therapeutic agents against HBV. Scientists from the College of Medicine of National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital identified that the Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in childhood, high-genetic-barrier nucleos(t)ide analogue(s) therapy before HBeAg seroconversion, and the HBsAg titer < 1000 IU/mL after HBeAg seroconversion are predictors of functional cure. Findings demonstrated the merit of the follow-up and treatment of chronic HBV infection from childhood.

Singapore, 21 April 2025 – A worldwide field experiment conducted by the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School has revealed that individuals demonstrate a marked increase in honest behaviour when they are offered the option of being monitored and subsequently choosing it.

Researchers at Tohoku University explored a colloidal crystal model to produce specific polymorphs, required for use in materials science and pharmaceuticals.

New light-powered DNA detection enables more accessible, affordable genetic analysis

A new hybrid surface design improves condensation heat transfer even at high temperature differences.

Colder temperatures are linked with increased risk of diarrhea among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, emphasizing the need for climate-sensitive health strategies in refugee settings.

Meta-analysis of medical research with LLMs reveals diagnostic accuracy

By tailoring crystal shape, researchers boost oxygen reduction performance, paving the way for cost-effective fuel cell technologies.

Conventional thinking holds that the metal site in single atom catalysts (SACs) has been a limiting factor to the continued improvement of the design and, therefore, the continued improvement of the capability of these SACs. More specifically, the lack of outside-the-box thinking when it comes to the crucial hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a half-reaction resulting in the splitting of water, has contributed to a lack of advancement in this field. New research emphasizes the importance of pushing the limits of the metal site design in SACs to optimize the HER and addressing the poisoning effects of HO* and O* that might affect the reaction. All of these improvements could lead to an improved performance of the reaction, which can make sustainable energy storage or hydrogen production more available.