Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

By analyzing the level of a carbon isotope in tree rings from a specimen of an ancient bristlecone pine, a team led by Nagoya University researchers has revealed that the sun exhibited a unique pattern of activity in 5480 BC.

Scientists in Japan and the US have found that vitamin B3 nicotinamide may help treat pregnant women who suffer from preeclampsia by preventing strokes and in some cases, even stimulating the growth of their fetus.

An international group of plant biologists have succeeded for the first time in visualizing how egg cells in plants divides unequally after being fertilized.

A team of Hokkaido University scientists has unraveled a 150-year-old mystery surrounding the surface melting of ice crystals in subzero environments by using an advanced optical microscope.

International research team led by Nagoya University identifies peptide required for awn development in wild rice, and shows that human selection caused its dysfunction in cultivated Asian rice.

For the first time, scientists have observed the structural changes in carbonic anhydrase. They expect that this will greatly contribute to the future biomedical research and new drug development.

Published in PNAS, the first of its kind probe can rapidly trace tens of thousands of tagged proteins inside cells. With a response time within two minutes and at a quarter of the cost, the new fluorescent probe provides an inexpensive and effective tool for real-time monitoring of cell activities.

In their paper, Prof Ariffin and her collaborators proposed a novel hypothesis that germline TP53 mutation carriers who develop cancer only at a late age may have a form of genetic resistance to early cancer.

Biologists at ITbM, Nagoya University have identified for the first time, a key photoreceptor cell deep inside the brain of birds, which takes the role of eyes in humans by directly responding to light and regulates breeding activity according to seasonal changes.

Professor Scully is a laser physics pioneer who is best known for his contributions to quantum optics, quantum coherence and laser theory.

By inducing the pore opening of leaves, researchers at Nagoya University’s ITbM developed a strategy for enhancing photosynthesis and plant growth, which may be applied to crops and fuel plants to support global food production and a sustainable low-carbon society.

Tokyo, 2 October - The research group headed by Professor Takashi Tsuji of Tokyo University of Science signals a substantial advancement in the development of next-generation organ replacement regenerative therapies for dry eye disorders.

Tokyo, 2 October 2013 - The research group led by Professor Takashi Tsuji of Tokyo University of Science and Organ Technologies Inc. has provided a proof-of-concept for bioengineered mature organ replacement as a regenerative therapy.

16 May 2013 - A new study published in PNAS argues that for fisheries policies to be effective they must take in to account not just fish stock conservation and environmental issues, but also research data on the patterns and dynamics of fish trade, markets and user consumption.

Structural data bring researchers one step closer to understanding the detailed mechanism underlying a complicated molecular machine

By temporarily silencing a hyperactive gene, scientists dramatically boost the efficiency of mouse cloning

The formation of planets occurs under constant bombardment from particles ranging from a few nanometres to tens of kilometres in size, according to recent analyses of asteroid samples by scientists at Okayama University. The study is the first reported analysis of grains taken directly from a solar body in space.

A ‘gatekeeper’ protein plays a critical role in helping immune cells to sound a warning after encountering signs of tumor growth or infection

A new model of intracellular signaling via calcium ions will assist in understanding the effects of calcium fluctuations

Infectious agents released from the late blight pathogen use a sticky patch of amino acids to adhere to potato plant cells

Systematically designed ultrasmall peptides mimic the molecular assembly processes observed in neurodegenerative diseases

The findings from this research may uncover the causes of spermatogenesis impairment, which is regarded as a major factor of male infertility; thus, contributing to the advancement of reproductive medicine.

A novel technique for ultrahigh-precision simulation of cellular dynamics has enabled researchers to uncover a mechanism underlying a ubiquitous response process in eukaryotic cells.

TOKYO, 4 Feb - Japanese researchers have announced the world’s first discovery of genes in jigsaw-like pieces from an archaeon living in hot spring, which gives new insight into the origin of genes.

Nuclear forensics, Global cooling preceded life on Earth, DNA degradation link to rheumatoid arthritis, Lampreys, the supreme survival specialists, The conductivity of mantle minerals, Largest avian skull runs rings around agility theory

TWAS, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World, has announced its 2005 prize winners. The annual TWAS Prizes, awarded in eight fields of scientific research, rank among the highest scientific accolades given to scientists in developing countries.

Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) are the first in the world to identify juxtanodin, a novel protein of the nervous system, and to reveal its biological functions in controlling the development of oligodendroglia.