Nature Communications

Nanostructured two-dimensional gold monolayers offer possibilities in catalysis, electronics, and nanotechnology.

- Revealing how astrocytes interact with nerve cells to generate a stress response - Suggesting a new direction in the development of treatments for stress-related mental disorders

Researchers in Singapore and China observe the emergence of steady currents in new experimental approach.

Charge density waves usually cause electrons to become heavier and slow down. Dr. Ming-Wen Chu and the collaborators in National Taiwan University find the opposite is true in CuTe and study the phenomenon using advanced momentum-dependent electron energy loss spectroscopy.

Researchers have demonstrated room-temperature ferroelectricity in single-element tellurium nanowires, providing a pathway toward ultrahigh-density data storage and neuromorphic computing. Published in Nature Communications, the study introduces a self-gated ferroelectric field-effect transistor (SF-FET) that integrates memory and computing capabilities.

Creating and controlling quantum dots via electrical methods, is likely to lead to new frontiers in the quest to develop stable and efficient qubits. Exploring how zinc oxide can be used in electrically defined quantum dots, researchers have unearthed some surprising phenomenon.

SUTD researchers developed a novel bilayer metasurface that enables unidirectional circularly polarised waves to be emitted, opening up possibilities in the fields of biological and chemical sensing, optical communications, and quantum computing.

Researchers from Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo have combined techniques to determine the location of hydrogen in titanium hydride nanofilms

Sometimes the holes, or pores, in the molecular structure of a chemical only appear in the presence of certain conditions or other ‘guest’ molecules. This affects the field of separation—one of the most important processes in industry—but researchers have only just begun to unravel this phenomenon

Phase-transformable membrane featuring liquid-glass-crystal states achieves precise CO₂/H₂ selectivity and enhanced gas permeability through modular design with metal-organic polyhedra

Researchers have developed a platinum-nickel core-shell catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions. The design improves efficiency and stability, addressing key challenges in catalyst performance, and could open the door to breakthroughs in renewable energy research.

Comprehensive analysis of quantitative changes in various proteins due to aging

National Taiwan University researchers highlight the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in reducing mortality and severe cardiovascular and renal outcomes for diabetic patients with acute kidney disease (AKD). Using a global dataset and propensity matching, they found significantly lower mortality rates, major cardiovascular events (MACEs), and adverse kidney outcomes (MAKEs) among GLP-1 RA users compared to non-users. These findings underscore the potential for GLP-1 RAs to offer tailored protection against complex diabetic complications, marking an advancement in personalized medicine for managing diabetes-acute kidney disease.

A team from Osaka University has developed a large-scale drug screening technique that can track target molecule behavior within cells. The researchers verified their technique by testing the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a known target for cancer drugs. Their drug screening resulted in the identification of the known drugs, as well as others that were not previously known to affect EGFR. This new method can potentially help develop new drugs and repurpose existing drugs.

An international team of neuroscientists showed for the first time that modifying a protein that controls cell growth can reactivate dormant neural stem cells in fruit flies, offering new hope in the fight against neurological diseases.

A research team from Osaka University has discovered a novel mechanism essential for initiating autophagy. The study highlights the role of ZDHHC13, an enzyme that palmitoylates ULK1, in triggering autophagy. This discovery sheds light on the molecular pathways involved in autophagy and their implications for diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and aging-related conditions.

A better understanding of how cells regulate their membranes could lead to new treatments for diseases such as epilepsy and anemia.

Researchers from Monash University and Osaka University find that administering regulatory T cells (Tregs) to a tissue injury can promote healing. The team locally treated mouse bone, muscle, and skin injuries with Tregs, resulting in significant tissue regeneration and wound healing compared with control treatments. Mechanistically, Tregs can promote tissue monocyte and macrophage switching to an anti-inflammatory state, specifically by secreting signaling molecules like interleukin-10. These data demonstrate the strong potential of using Tregs as a cell-based therapy for regenerative medicine.

Researchers from Osaka University have identified key immune cells that respond to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. These cells, known as activated atypical B cells, are increased in blood samples from people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, people with higher levels of these cells have more antibodies to fight the COVID-19 virus. These findings should help researchers assess how well people respond to the vaccine and help improve the design of new vaccines.

A new fuel cell catalyst made from platinum and magnesium delivers exceptional efficiency and durability, potentially transforming clean energy technology.

- DGIST Professor Seo Byeong-Chan’s research team is the first in the world to discover how PAC channels work. - Their research has revealed a method to prevent cell edema and tissue damage, which may help treat cancer and brain diseases.

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 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.

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.

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 the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo have found that ice starts forming near the surface of water via structures similar to a rare, recently discovered type of ice, which helps us understand ice formation better

Researchers from the HeKKSaGOn Alliance – involved were scientists from Kyoto University, Osaka University and Heidelberg University (Germany) – synthesized a bio-inspired polymer for water purification. The polymer was designed to mimic phytochelatin, a plant protein that selectively captures and neutralizes harmful heavy metal ions. The hyperconfinement of the polymer enabled a flow-through system and effectively removed cadmium ions from contaminated water, making it safe to drink. The system was selective for heavy metals and provides a new way to remove specific contaminants from water.

This study presents a method to record the temperature of materials with exceptional temporal resolution, using a Doppler broadening effect in neutron resonance absorption. Using a high-powered laser to generate pulses of neutrons 100 nanoseconds long, a test on samples of silver and tantalum successfully returned characteristic information for both materials and their temperatures.

A method to screen a wide variety of drug candidates without laborious purification steps could advance the fight against drug-resistant bacteria.

Researchers from France, Japan, and Italy have developed BiœmuS, a low-cost, flexible, and real-time biomimetic tool designed for biohybrid experiments. This system enables closed-loop interactions between artificial and living neural networks. Moreover, BiœmuS offers accessibility and ease of use, facilitating real-time emulation of neural network dynamics both in vitro and in vivo. This interdisciplinary collaboration aims to enhance bioelectrical therapeutics and neuroprosthetic development.