Peer Reviewed

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists synthesized a novel molecule by combining dynamic covalent reactions based on organic radicals and coordination reactions. They found that the two types of reactions do not inhibit each other. Their results suggest the possibility of synthesizing materials by combining different types of reactions, which is expected to lead to the construction of structures that have never existed before.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in ACS Nano how ultrathin layers of tin disulfide can be used to accelerate the chemical reduction of carbon dioxide — a finding that is highly relevant for our quest towards a carbon-neutral society.

Water from the Pacific Ocean flows into the Indian Ocean via the Indonesia Archipelago thanks to a vast network of currents that act as a conveyor belt, transporting warmth and nutrients. Currents can sometimes form circular motions and these are known as eddies. An international group of researchers has modeled the impacts of eddies on the currents that carry water from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.

With the need for hardware to process large amounts of digital information ever growing, researchers are working hard to improve magnetoresistive devices. The magnetoresistance ratio indicates the efficiency of these devices, the higher the better. Most magnetoresistive devices comprise magnesium oxide and iron-based magnetic alloys. But a group of researchers from Tohoku University has unveiled a new material that also exhibits enormous magnetoresistance.

Researchers from Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo develop a nanosheet oxide semiconductor for electronic devices

A team led by researchers from Osaka University elucidated a molecular mechanism that is crucial for separating genetic material into daughter cells during cell division. A protein called CENP-C is part of a complex called the kinetochore, which supports the movement of chromosomes. Two portions of CENP-C, the CCAN-binding domain and Cupin domain, are needed for CENP-C to function. The Cupin domain repeats itself through oligomerization, which is essential for proper CENP-C function.

Ultrafast fluorescent imaging technology brings the molecular dynamics of living cells into clear view.

Researchers from Osaka University developed an in vivo CRISPR screen to analyze factors affecting Toxoplasma gondii fitness in healthy and immunodeficient mice. Mice were infected with Toxoplasma containing CRISPR libraries that targeted specific genes; genetic sequencing was then performed to identify which genes are important to fitness. The genetic screen clarified the contributions of host genetics and parasite genetics and can contribute to the development of strategies for toxoplasmosis treatment and prevention.

App leads to better birth preparation for pregnant women

Researchers at Tohoku University and Tsinghua University have introduced a next-generation model membrane electrode that promises to revolutionize fundamental electrochemical research.

Fragments of spherical ‘Buckyball’ molecules have stable electron-accepting ability with great practical potential.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists investigated numerically the interaction between a quantized vortex and a normal-fluid. Based on the experimental results, researchers decided the most consistent of several theoretical models. They found that a model that accounts for changes in the normal-fluid and incorporates more theoretically accurate mutual friction is the most compatible with the experimental results.

SUTD researchers developed a fully knitted, circuit-embedded knee wearable for wireless sensing of joint motion in real-time. Compared to other knitted electronics, this model has fewer externally integrated components and a more sensitive sensor, making it less error-prone.

Tests could soon identify patients who will respond well to the available treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia and those who will be resistant to it—which could improve their chances of survival.

Scientists at Tohoku University have discovered a novel approach that improves the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade - a novel form of cancer treatment utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors - and minimizes the associated side effects. Using immune checkpoint blockades to target tumor-positive lymph nodes, they generated a robust anti-tumor response against both local and systemic metastases.

Truck drivers unintentionally taking ‘microsleeps’ of a few seconds can cause terrible traffic accidents, but efforts and technologies aiming to prevent the problem have focused mainly on monitoring driver eye activity while missing a host of other key indicators of the problem.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists found that Japanese and Chinese, who are considered to have high-context cultures with a high degree of reliance on information shared by the speaker and listener, are code-switching from high-context cultures to low-context cultures when communicating with people from each other’s country. Furthermore, the scientists found that the Japanese do not engage in much code-switching with Chinese students in Japan.

Researchers from Osaka University show how their multilegged walking robot can be steered by inducing a dynamic instability. By making the couplings between segments more flexible, the robot changes from walking straight to moving in a curved path. This work can lead to more energy-efficient and reliable robotic navigation of terrain.

A research team, led by researchers from Osaka University, performed genetic screening of fission yeast lacking DNA repair gene Rad51 to identify genes that play a role in gross chromosomal rearrangement (GCR), a type of mutation that occurs at the centromere. Cells lacking Srr1 or Skb1 exhibited reduced GCR, indicating that these genes are important to the occurrence of GCR. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying centromeric GCR.

Eating fermented foods might be the secret to a healthy and long-lived society

Graphene has revolutionized materials science since its discovery in 2004, with its high electron mobility, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity. But processing graphene at the micro/nanoscale is a challenging process that often involves large-scale equipment and complex operations. Now, Tohoku University researchers have applied their simple femtosecond laser technique to ultra-thin atomic layers of graphene, resulting in multi-point hole drilling without damaging the graphene film.

Two key challenges in chemistry innovation are solved simultaneously by exploring chemical opportunities with artificial intelligence.

Acoustic signals can be effectively used for monitoring glacial runoff and provide a cheaper and more accessible alternative to existing methods.

With the use of electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage systems on the rise, the need to explore alternatives to lithium-ion batteries has never been greater. Tohoku University researchers have recently developed a prototype calcium metal rechargeable battery capable of 500 cycles of repeated charge-discharge - the benchmark for practical use. The breakthrough was made thanks to the development of a copper sulfide nanoparticle/carbon composite cathode and a hydride-based electrolyte.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, discover how certain colloids can form a solid-like gel and reveal how the mechanism differs from glasses.

Researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, use artificial intelligence to help interpret data generated by material science spectroscopy experiments, which can aid in the development of new drugs and organic conductors.

It’s not unusual for many of us to reach for a cup of coffee or cup of tea whilst focusing our attention on a screen. Scientists have long pondered whether our hand movements influence our spotlight attention. And now a group of researchers from Tohoku University have discovered that our spotlight attention and the attention paid to our moving hands operates via independent mechanisms.

A research group led by Osaka University has found that plant cells may be able to detect mechanical forces to determine their own position within the leaf—whether they are on the surface or in the inner tissues—and therefore differentiate into appropriate cell types after damage. These findings reveal how plants regenerate the correct type of tissues when damaged, and may improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the high regeneration potential of plants.

To improve the therapeutic techniques to treat those with brain disorders, researchers have developed microscopic, thermally-drawn microelectronic fiber-based neural probes as a means to manipulate both electrical and chemical signals in the brain. Now, a researcher from Tohoku University’s Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences has led a group that increased the functionality of these fibers by equipping them with neurochemical sensing aptamers.

Researchers have created a genetically edited allergen-free chicken egg that may be safe for those with egg white allergies.