Japan

Replacing chemical phosphorus and nitrogen with sustainable sources

A multi-institutional research team led by Osaka University has engineered a way to preserve the electrical properties of materials as they are shrunk to the nanoscale. The use of the soft substrate hexagonal boron nitride reduces damage to the atomic structure caused by strain, allowing materials to keep their conductive properties as films as thin as 12 nm.

Researchers from Osaka University found that peristaltic pump flow mechanically breaks supersaturation to induce amyloid formation by hen egg white lysozyme, α-synuclein, amyloid β 1-40, and β2-microglobulin. The high shear stresses induced by peristaltic flow likely reflect those that occur the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting that this factor could promote amyloidosis.

Researchers from Osaka University found that knockdown of the Adaptor Protein Complex 2, Alpha 1 Subunit (AP2A1) rejuvenates aging cells, while AP2A1 overexpression ages young cells. AP2A1 appears to mediate these effects by promoting integrin β1 translocation along enlarged stress fibers, which in turn creates large cell–substrate adhesions and strengthens cellular anchoring to the substrate, potentially explaining how senescent cells maintain their large size.

Researchers at Tohoku University tested a strategy for developing single-atom catalysts that may help us develop more efficient methods for water purification.

A multi-institutional research team led by Osaka University has introduced a piezoelectric device that can measure acceleration and pressure simultaneously. The device can be manufactured at room temperature and is made from inexpensive materials, which makes it a promising candidate for a wide range of applications, including the maintenance of industrial machinery and disaster mitigation.

We are using up nickel at an alarming rate to make stainless steel. Thankfully, researchers have found a way to cut nickel out of the equation, without compromising on strength.

Over time, batteries break down. Studying this process in-depth with imaging techniques may help us improve the lifespan of batteries.

Successful isolation of ultrasmall bacteria belonging to the CPR, a large phylogenetic group that includes various lineages of uncultivated bacteria

A multi-institutional research team led by Osaka University found that tricaprin, a natural supplement, improved long-term survival rates in patients with triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy, a new type of heart disease characterized by impaired triglyceride breakdown in heart and smooth muscle cells. Tricaprin improved clinical symptoms and long-term survival. Studying the effects of tricaprin on patients of different ethnicities would be an ideal next step to gather more evidence in favor of the drug.

A research team from Osaka University and Diponegoro University, Indonesia has developed two new autonomous navigation systems for cyborg insects to better navigate unknown, complex environments. The algorithms utilized only simple circuits that leveraged natural insect behaviors, like wall-following and climbing, to navigate challenging terrain, such as sandy, rock-strewn surfaces. For all difficulties of terrain tested, the cyborg insects were able to reach their target destination, demonstrating the potential of cyborg insects for surveillance, disaster-site exploration, and more.

Field observations in natural river environment hold clues to easing model organisms’ life in labs

Antarctic midge 1st reported organism using both quiescence and obligate diapause in multiple overwintering

Unseen Threat Compromises Future of Marine Apex Predator

A team from Osaka University has developed scSPOT, a new technique that reveals how immune cells called Tregs simultaneously control the immune system. The team identified key immune cells controlled by Tregs and found that Tregs are targets for the cancer drugs ipilimumab and tazemetostat. They also found that Tregs are indicators of serious viral infection. This valuable technique may accelerate the development of treatments for cancer and other diseases.

Because of climate change, harmful algal blooms are increasing in frequency and intensity. New science helps demystify the frequent harmful algal blooms in the Pacific off the coast of Chile by studying how algae species interact with each other and their environment.

Kavli IPMU researchers are part of an international team that has found dark matter dominating the halos of two supermassive black holes 13 billion light years away.

A hedonic price model incorporating street view images processed by machine learning and existing property data achieves nearly 75% accuracy for rent prediction in Osaka City

Researchers created platinum-mixed metallic magnetic nanofilms that are 5x more efficient – the ultimate energy-saving solution.

A collaboration led by researchers at Osaka University has developed a versatile platform with an electrically controlled nanogate that can be used for applications in sensing, chemical synthesis, memristors, and neuromorphic computing. The nanogate, which consists of a pore in a membrane, is closed by the formation of a precipitate and opened by the dissolution of the precipitate, which are regulated by the applied voltage.

What created the Noto Peninsula landscape we know today? After examining the devastation from the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, researchers from Tohoku University have a theory.

Researchers at Osaka University developed advanced terahertz photodetectors containing ‘living’ microelectrodes. A vanadium dioxide (VO2) layer was precisely deposited on a silicon substrate. Temperature regulation modulated the size of conductive metallic areas in VO2, forming a dynamic microelectrode network that selectively enhanced the response of the silicon substrate to terahertz light. These advanced photodetectors reveal the potential of modifiable metamaterials such as VO2 to overcome the performance limitations of traditional materials.

A research team led by Osaka University has developed "Tranqu," a framework addressing vendor lock-in in quantum computing. Tranqu enables users to select from multiple transpilers, optimizing quantum program performance on various chips. It supports custom transpilers, new program formats, and diverse architectures, promoting flexibility and enhancing quantum computing’s potential.

Detailed study of a Greenland glacier’s flow rate reveals the impact of environmental conditions.

Amylase and mucin decrease the effects of ozonated water

Tohoku University researchers are breaking limits by increasing the temperature multiferroics can operate at, from room temperature up to a blistering 160℃

Japanese collaborators detected all five nucleobases — building blocks of DNA and RNA — in samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.

This novel finding regarding the nonreciprocal diffraction of acoustic waves could open doors for next-generation communication devices.

In a study on public psychology with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers from Osaka University found no significant differences among regions of Japan regarding either risk perception or infection-prevention behaviors during the “state of emergency,” suggesting spillover effects between targeted and non-targeted regions. However, risk perception diminished after restrictions were lifted, and both risk perception and hygienic behaviors saw further reductions after the downgrading of the legal status of COVID-19 to that of a common seasonal flu.

Latest findings on the significance and interaction between cell death and cellular senescence in cancer