Peer Reviewed

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, implement modifications to their high-speed atomic force microscopy that simultaneously improve resolution and speed, while enabling direct measurements of 3D structures to provide conclusive evidence of a contested hydration layer forming as calcite dissolves.

To understand the mysteries surrounding black holes, researchers at Tohoku University created a simulation of accretion disk turbulence that possesses the highest-resolution currently available.

Specific nucleosides hinder replication of tumor cells in step toward cancer prevention

14-3-3η: A protein that helps fight RNA viruses but can also be manipulated by them. New research reveals its complex role in the immune response

If we are to realize better renewable energy technologies, it is vital that scientists develop catalysts that improve the oxygen evolution reaction. A group of researchers has done just that by introducing rare-earth single atoms into manganese oxide.

Researchers from Osaka University found that voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP) is activated by electrical signals during sperm maturation and is crucial for establishing the optimal phosphoinositide environment to generate functional spermatozoa. Modulating VSP function to promote appropriate sperm maturation could be used to develop clinical treatments for infertility in the future.

A nonirritant, antibacterial solution to prevent oral inflammation may lie in citrus and coconut chemical compounds

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in eLife on deciphering the actin structure-dependent preferential cooperative binding of cofilin.

Ammonia is a gas that plays a crucial role in agriculture and industry and has the potential to become a zero-carbon fuel for energy conversion and storage technologies. However, the current methods of producing ammonia are highly energy-intensive, contributing to approximately 1.8% of global CO2 emissions. By focusing on spinel cobalt oxides, a research team has revealed how understanding and optimizing these catalysts could offer a solution to this challenge.

A pioneering study titled “Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022,” published in Nature Human Behaviour, has conducted the most comprehensive investigation to date on the causal relationship between video gaming and mental well-being. This research, the first to demonstrate this relationship using real-life data, challenges commonly held views about the effects of gaming.

Scientists have struggled to manufacture quasi-1D Zirconium pentatelluride in larger quantities - until now. This finding by Tohoku University researchers may advance tech such as quantum computing.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, used high-speed atomic force microscopy to observe dynamic changes in AMPA receptors, which are vital for brain communication. Their findings, published in ACS Nano, reveal how these receptors adapt during signal transmission and suggest potential targets for neurological therapies.

Affordable polyethylene rafts found 5 times more durable than usual bamboo ones

A machine learning algorithm can use X-ray diffraction data from polymers to predict the behaviour of new materials.

SUTD researchers have developed an exceptionally versatile soft gripper that can easily adapt to various food manipulation scenarios. This innovative design earned them the grand prize at the IEEE RoboSoft Manipulation Competition for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023), and more recently, the Best Innovation Award at the Shape Morphing Workshop during the 2024 IEEE RoboSoft conference.

A newly developed compound that reduces harmful inflammation in rats caused by overactive neutrophils shows great potential as a safer treatment for various inflammatory diseases in humans.

ChatGPT’s diagnostic capabilities evaluated in comparison to radiologists

One of the smallest lifeforms may have the biggest impact on marine ecosystems. Researchers at Tohoku University modeled how climate change can affect phytoplankton – and our future.

By putting theory into practice, Prof. Pi-Tai Chou’s research team has repeatedly broken the world record for NIR organic luminophores, overcoming the energy gap law. In 2017, we developed a material with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 24% at 740nm, followed by a molecule with an EQE of 10% at 800nm in 2018. In 2020 and 2022, through deuterium substitution, we successfully developed unprecedented OLEDs with an EQE of 4% at 1000nm. However, developing new cutting-edge materials is challenging. Alternatively, in terms of device engineering, we have been continuously exploring new techniques to further enhance efficiency using existing materials. This paper, published in Nature Communications (2024, 15 (1), 4664), marks the first time internationally that transfer technology has been successfully utilized to break the energy gap law through energy transfer, achieving record-breaking efficiency.

Researchers from Osaka University find that the transcription factor Ikaros binds to Foxp3 to inhibit the expression of target genes, including Ifng, in regulatory T cells

Clean energy products could be made from metal-organic frameworks

Over millions of years, Earth has experienced cycles of ice ages and warm periods. Today, we find ourselves in a warm period heavily influenced by human activities. As greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere rise, global warming intensifies, causing ice sheets to melt rapidly, sea levels to rise, and posing severe threats to global ecosystems and human societies. Understanding the mechanisms behind these warming periods by studying past extreme warm periods is a crucial task for modern scientists.

Researchers from Osaka University developed molecular wires with periodic twists. By controlling the lengths of regions between twists, the electrical conductivity of individual polymer chains can be enhanced. This work may lead to novel organic electronics or single-molecule wires.

Researchers from Osaka University developed an antibody that prevents the activation of the Dickkopf 1–Cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 (DKK1–CKAP4) pathway, which is important for tumor growth in several cancers, including pancreatic cancer. On the basis of an antibody derived from mice, the researchers developed an antibody that could be used in humans (Hv1Lt1). Hv1Lt1 successfully prevented tumor formation in experimental mice. When given in combination, it improved the effect of chemotherapy drugs.

Our understanding of Venus' water history and the potential that it was once habitable in the past is being challenged by observations made by researchers from Tohoku University.

A clinical trial conducted by Tohoku University researchers has lead to the approval of a treatment for patients with a rare, muscle-weakening disease called GNE myopathy.

Pathogens hijack host cell functions by expressing or secreting effector proteins, creating environments conducive to their survival and reproduction. These pathogenic microorganisms—including eukaryotic parasites, prokaryotic bacteria, and viruses—express effector proteins that function as their "ammunition depot". These proteins are crucial for pathogen survival and dissemination, enhancing the efficiency of invasion, suppressing the host's immune system, or initiating pathogen replication. For instance, viruses may interfere with host signaling pathways, pushing cells into states that favor viral replication. Similarly, certain bacteria secrete toxins that disrupt the host cell cytoskeleton, facilitating pathogen invasion and spread. Additionally, pathogens can evade immune surveillance by suppressing the host's immune response, thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful infection.

Recent advances in medical science have complicated clinical decision-making, raising ethical issues. Hospitals have set up clinical ethics consultation systems, but their effectiveness is limited due to low awareness and communication difficulties. To address this, a research group initiated by Osaka University studied proactive ethics consultation practices, proposing strategies like “inter-professional ethics rounds" and "patient note reviews." These methods aim to resolve ethical issues, improve care, and alleviate moral dilemmas facing medical staff.

Lightweight, untethered soft robots capable of crawling, climbing, perching, and flying developed by researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, National University of Singapore and Queensland University of Technology.

SUTD researchers developed a new method of producing metallic structures at room temperature and pressure using the same process that insects and lobsters use to create their shells, unlocking a new type of energy-efficient metalworking.