Peer Reviewed

Osaka University researchers showed that the predictions of Einstein’s theory of special relativity in electromagnetism could be detected in the contraction of the electric field created by ultrafast electrons. By achieving femtosecond resolution, they were able to visualize the contracted electric field for the first time. This work can be applicable to particle accelerators and high-energy physics.

Pyroxenes are a major group of rock-forming minerals. Osaka Metropolitan University scientists investigated the iron ion status of a calcium-rich pyroxene, using Mössbauer spectroscopy on thin sections of single crystals. The study revealed that in pyroxene crystals consisting of roughly 50% calcium, the tensor that determines the ratios of iron ions at the Mössbauer spectral peaks in the M1 sites—one of two types of cation positions in the pyroxene crystal structure—is independent of the iron content but dependent on the calcium content. The research findings have clarified one of the physical properties of pyroxenes, facilitating detailed future analysis of iron using Mössbauer spectroscopy on mineral flakes.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers interviewed active para-athletes with lower-limb disabilities who compete at an international level, about diet and nutrition. The research team found that what para-athletes considered an ideal diet was not necessarily optimized for improving athletic performance, and even when para-athletes understood diets geared towards athletic performance, characteristics of their disabilities impose barriers to implementing dietary changes. Understanding these concerns and struggles is important for nutritionists who support para-athletes in sports nutrition.

New insights into the role of a protein in the nerve cells of flies could help unravel the role of a related human protein in common cancers.

Scientists have uncovered new details of how ice forming below the ocean surface in Antarctica provides cold dense water that sinks to the seabed in an important aspect of global water circulation.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers conducted a study of human mobility to find effective lifestyle changes that enable people to exist with the novel coronavirus COVID-19, while maintaining social and economic activities. They found that restricting the human mobility in specific areas according to the state of the pandemic, rather than uniformly controlling human mobility, could be effective in reducing the number of new COVID-19 infections.

- Design and development of a hybrid core–shell electrocatalyst that converts air pollutants nitric oxide (NO) into ammonia (NH3). - A strategy to ensure the stability of an electrocatalyst during the NO gas reduction process.

A long-term experiment aboard the International Space Station has tested the effect of space radiation on mouse embryonic stem cells. Their findings will contribute to helping scientists better assess the safety and risks related to space radiation for future human space flights. The findings are published in the journal Heliyon.

When a cancer spreads, the invasion of tumor cells into the lymph nodes present various barriers to effective treatment. Harnessing a lymphatic drug delivery system, where drugs are injected directly into sentinel lymph nodes under ultrasound guidance, a collaborative research group has developed a novel drug formulation that enhances the therapeutic response of carboplatin, a commonly used chemotherapy medication.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have created intermetallic alloy nanoparticles of palladium and zinc with an alternating arrangement of zinc and palladium atoms. The intermetallic alloy is more corrosion-resistant than substitutional alloys while retaining the electrocatalytic properties of both metals, which could be useful for developing new non-precious metal electrocatalysts.

Researchers develop a ground-breaking model to estimate bait vaccination effectiveness in wild animals based on the proportion of immunized animals in a population and the number of vaccine applications.

Hydrogen, a clean fuel, is incredibly dense in energy—three times more than diesel or gasoline. Its ability to power a sustainable future has been hindered by a lack of high performing catalysts. Now, a collaborative research group has developed nanoporous molybdenum-based intermetallic compounds that could address this conundrum.

Researchers from Hokkaido University and Toppan have developed a method to detect build-up of amyloid β in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, from biomarkers in blood samples.

Researchers from Osaka University have developed a skin-like device to measure brain activity via electroencephalography, which uses electrodes to measure electrical activity on the scalp (reflecting underlying brain activity). The device has other useful applications, such as measuring heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Wearable devices that can remotely assess brain health in everyday settings are likely to improve healthcare for millions of people worldwide.

Researchers from Osaka University have developed a computational analysis tool called CAPITAL for comparative analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data with complicated branching trajectories. As cells undergo a dynamic process, they can be placed on a “pseudotime trajectory” to analyze the gene expression changes throughout the process. While previously only straightforward linear trajectories could be compared, CAPITAL is proven to be able to accurately compare branching trajectories, significantly advancing the field of high-throughput single-cell sequencing.

Researchers from Osaka University have found that the Vibrio cholerae colonization factor TcpF forms a flower-shaped trimer to specifically bind to the minor pilus protein TcpB resulting in secretion by the type 4 pilus secretion system into the extracellular space. This finding could help lead to the development of a novel anti-adhesive drug that selectively interrupts the TcpF-TcpB interaction, which may replace antibiotics in the treatment of cholera.

A new material is set to provide us with faster and higher resolution displays. Hokkaido University researchers could explain what makes this material so special, opening the door to its application and further development.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have created a novel thermoresponsive polymer by adding divalent cations to polymers and water solvents. They also succeeded in controlling thermoresponsive properties by changing the type and mixing ratio of ionic species. This new polymer type is expected to be applied as an analytical reagent for ion-sensing devices and as a material for drug delivery systems.

Puzzling image from the James Webb Space Telescope explained in two new studies

—For acceleration of social implementation of wastewater-based epidemiology—

A study in Japan finds antibody response to the Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine does not vary depending on the time of day when the dose was received.

Osaka University researchers developed a power generation system based on osmotic flow of ions through a membrane riddled with tiny nanopores. By optimizing the size and distribution of the pores, the team demonstrated a way to obtain clean energy from the oceans.

Researchers at The University of Tokyo simulated fractures in amorphous materials due to both cyclic fatigue and constant stress using course-grained dynamics, and demonstrated various failure modes, which can help improve reliability of materials

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have successfully developed a new positive electrode material Na2FeS2, consisting of sodium, iron, and sulfur. During testing, batteries using the Na2FeS2 positive electrode had a high energy storage capacity and could be charged and discharged for more than 300 cycles. Because the Na2FeS2 is made of abundant inexpensive elements, it is expected to be used in all-solid-state sodium batteries with higher capacity and lower costs.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant escapes the immune response better than its coronavirus ancestors, but has also facilitated our transition to a society that can live with COVID-19.

- DGIST Professor Jin Ho Chang and Jae Youn Hwang's joint research team revealed for the first time in the world that the depth focused light can be increased by using a bubble layer temporarily created using ultrasound. - The collaborative research of ultrasound and optical imaging experts is expected to overcome the physical limitations of optical imaging and treatment depth.

- Proposing a new decision-making model that adds ‘open innovation,’ the main topic of the 21st century economy, to the existing limited rationality model - Expected to present a practical way to overcome the growth limitations of the modern economic system.

Wear and tear in engines contributes to a lot of wasted fuel and can be dangerous for operators. Now, a collaborative group has created a way to computationally predict wear and tear in piston engines, allowing for enhanced safety measures in automobiles and industrial machinery.

Researchers from Osaka University have found that serum albumin interferes with β2m amyloid fibril formation through macromolecular crowding. Monitoring serum albumin concentrations could therefore help prevent patients from developing dialysis-related amyloidosis, a serious complication of long-term dialysis.

Low concentrations of cetylpyridinium chloride, an antimicrobial agent present in mouthwashes, inhibit the infectivity of four variants of SARS-CoV-2.