Japan

A single-celled predator maintains stolen chloroplasts with its own proteins, linking the host cell and stolen organelles at the molecular level. This process, now supported by biochemical evidence, may offer clues to early steps in the evolution of plant cells.

The possible existence of a new phosphate regulatory mechanism through estrogens biosynthesized by aromatase in adipose tissue

Metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors can detect harmful pollutants in the air, but they only operate at extremely high temperatures. A new material design guideline using vanadium oxide may help us overcome this challenge.

Move over lithium-ion batteries – researchers found a creative way to combine materials (lithium metal and a ceramic surface) that may prove to be better for energy storage used in electric vehicles and portable electronics.

Researchers from The University of Osaka studying simple cyanobacteria found that one protein keeps their internal clock ticking reliably, even outside a living cell. By testing over 20 variants with clock periods ranging from 15 to 60 hours, they discovered that timekeeping precision appears to be built directly into the protein itself, independent of cell activity or environmental changes.

A team of researchers led by the University of Tokyo Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU, WPI) Project Assistant Professor Elisa Ferreira has shown that a discrepancy in a key cosmic measurement in the early universe originates from a subtle statistical interplay between measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO).

This study proposes a thin, compact system for enabling high-contrast projection mapping in brightly lit environments. By precisely controlling light so that only the target object remains unilluminated, high-contrast images can be projected onto the object without darkening the entire space. In contrast to existing large-scale illumination systems, the proposed system employs an LED display panel with an aperiodic lens array, enabling next-generation immersive spatial experiences in commercial facilities, exhibition spaces, and public environments.

Researchers developed high-performance, lead-free piezoelectric thin films on silicon that convert everyday vibrations into electricity. By using strain engineering and a novel sputtering method, they achieved record performance and demonstrated the compatibility of efficient, battery-free MEMS energy harvesters with standard semiconductor manufacturing processes.

We identified Mrep macrophages that repair muscle but trigger heterotopic ossification in FOP, advancing muscle and FOP therapy development.

The complete set of nucleobases found in terrestrial DNA and RNA have been detected in samples returned from the asteroid Ryugu, offering insights into the early Solar System's chemistry.

Clinically available KRAS inhibitors mainly target G12C, which is rare in PDAC and often acquires resistance. Oncogenic KRAS inactivates RB1 via CDK4/6, while RB1 mutation is rare. Thus, CDK4/6 inhibition offers an indirect strategy to counter KRAS-driven malignancy without direct KRAS targeting.

Through protein binding, molecular heavy drugs are effectively transported to cancerous tissues

Researchers discovered that a freshwater alga captures low-energy far-red light by precisely arranging ordinary chlorophyll molecules, rather than inventing new pigments. The finding reveals a new structural strategy for photosynthesis in low-light environments and could inform future bioenergy and protein design.

This invited publication highlights the contributions of Distinguished Professor Hao Li to AI and materials science – focusing on their original concept for a digital materials ecosystem.

Researchers used electroluminescence-detected magnetic resonance to directly observe electron-hole pairs in operating light-emitting electrochemical cells. They found that ion-driven changes in the internal electric field strongly affect recombination efficiency. Lower-voltage, more stable electric fields promote light emission, a discovery that identifies electric field management as a key factor in improving organic optoelectronic devices.

Researchers from Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo develop a mutual information estimator capable of accurately measuring information flow to biological outputs without needing input quantities

Researchers found that Y-doping (adding yttrium) to an inexpensive nickel catalyst was the key to speeding up an otherwise sluggish reaction that results in hydrogen – which can be used as a sustainable fuel.

The famed Japanese green tea powder may suppress nerve activity associated with sneezing in hay fever, according to a study in mice.

Changes in male hormones and excessive sugar intake work together in progressing liver damage

Researchers at the Cancer Research Institute and the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have uncovered a critical mechanism that enables gastric cancer to spread to distant organs. Their study shows that cancer cells stimulate Wnt signaling in surrounding stromal fibroblasts to produce hyaluronan, creating a supportive microenvironment that promotes metastasis. These findings provide new insight into how metastatic tumors establish themselves and suggest promising strategies to prevent gastric cancer progression.

A new study from Hiroshima University showed that, among university students just entering the workforce, those with optimism about the future better manage 'reality shock' through formation of a career-related identity.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that potassium KCNQ2/3 channels in the brain, which are important for suppressing cell excitability, need to be fully functional to be trafficked to the appropriate part within the nerve cell and work properly. This link between channel functionality and localization may have important consequences for the development of therapies against KCNQ2/3-related epilepsy.

What’s going on in there? An international research team developed a method to pull back the veil on the unknown processes going on inside quantum computers - which may help us build more reliable quantum machines.

Diastereomers are molecules with identical structures that are not mirror images of each other, described as anti or syn for molecules without rings. Researchers at The University of Osaka developed a strategy for using a rigid cage-like molecule to produce an anti-diastereomer in high yield. This diastereomer can only be obtained as a minor byproduct by traditional methods. The strategy is expected to become a key technology for making medicines and other bioactive substances.

A team led by researchers at Tohoku University have taken the first step toward developing antiferromagnetic technology. They detected a liquid-crystal phase that may change the game for spintronic devices.

Researchers at Hiroshima University and Gifu Kyoritsu University identified Hepatitis B RNA serum levels as a biomarker that more accurately stratifies risk of liver cancer in individuals who have been functionally cured of chronic hepatitis B.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that a specific signaling pathway, the integrin αV–YAP–CTGF axis in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, may be associated with the development of liver fibrosis, portal hypertension, and liver cancer in patients with chronic liver congestion. These findings have important implications for the development of therapies aimed at preventing more severe forms of liver disease.

Study of 56 japonica rice varieties finds black and green rice to be healthier choices

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team used hourly precipitation data from 1981 to 2020 and spatial modeling to predict extreme precipitation events for the next 100 years in Japan.