Press releases

A recent study from Osaka University reveals that intensive diabetes treatment can improve periodontal disease inflammation. Researchers found that two weeks of intensive diabetes treatment under hospitalization for patients with type 2 diabetes significantly improved not only blood sugar control but also PISA, an indicator of gum disease inflammation. Furthermore, the improvement in PISA was related to factors such as insulin secretion capacity and the severity of diabetes complications and comorbidities before diabetes treatment. These findings suggest that early intervention in diabetes is crucial for improving gum disease in diabetic patients.

A dedicated team of researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is pioneering cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies on a collaborative innovation network platform, aimed at transforming science, technology and innovation (STI) services to empower research and innovation. This innovative project is set to revolutionise the related service delivery by creating a secure GenAI model and digitally transforming processes, thereby facilitating research development and technology innovation, while enhancing data security and service efficiency.

Med-DDPM, a diffusion model, generates high-resolution 3D brain MRIs from masks, addressing data scarcity and privacy concerns in medical imaging.

Researchers from Osaka University found that T cells recognize neoself-antigens––abnormal, unfolded host proteins presented by major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II) lacking the invariant chain––as non-self antigens, leading to the development of autoimmunity. Reactivation of Epstein–Barr virus, a known risk factor for lupus onset and exacerbation, increases the presentation of neoself-antigens by MHC-II, which could help explain the link between viral infection and autoimmune disease.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a computer chip inspired by our brains, the potential link between asthma and diabetes, and how Japanese eels flee their predators after being swallowed.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an electrochemical process in which water or hydroxide ions are oxidized to produce oxygen gas, playing a crucial role in water splitting and energy conversion. The OER requires efficient catalysts, and now a research group has enhanced the efficiency of traditional cobalt oxide catalysts by doping them with erbium.

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

An international team of researchers has found a simple relationship between the rates of energy and information transmission across an interface connecting two quantum field theories.

Mutant microalgae produce wax esters for biofuel feedstock with improved cold flow

To help freshmen acclimatise to their new environment and make the most of university, Lingnan University organised the Campus Life Carnival on 11 September being a part of the New Student Orientation. The carnival featured over 40 promotional booths set up by student societies, university teams, and various units, all aiming to help freshmen adjust to university life and foster mutual support network. Freshmen watched wonderful performances by student groups, such as the Lion Dance & Martial Arts Team, Judo Team, and the Music Society. More than 1,000 students participated in this joyful event. Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science of Lingnan University, attended the event and visited the activity booths to meet students.

Whether immunotherapy or conventional chemotherapy carries less mortality risk depends on BMI

Researchers from Osaka University created ‘smart’ microparticles that self-assemble in response to the addition of a specific molecule. This work can help explain the behavior of biomolecular complexes, as well as pave the way for novel polymers that respond to their environment.

Researchers from Osaka University fabricated copolymers with chiral backbones based on indacenodithiophene. Spin-coated films of the copolymers behaved differently toward currents with opposite polarization, resulting in chirality-induced spin selectivity. The magnitude of this selectivity was quantified as a spin polarization of almost 70%, which is among the highest achieved to date for a chiral polymer. These chiral copolymer films are attractive for use as spin filters in spintronics applications.

Cleaner wrasse check their body size before fights due to having their own mental representation

As global demand for clean energy solutions grows, the development of cost-effective and efficient catalysts will be pivotal in advancing renewable energy systems. Now, a group of researchers has made significant progress in this regard by employing chromium doping on transition metal hydroxides.

How can we make certain electrochemical reactions faster and more efficient? Researchers at Tohoku University investigated the use of Co X-ides for the electrocatalytic hydrogenation of quinoline.

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.

Ceramic-rich composite electrolytes: An overview of the paradigm shift from high-performance lithium metal batteries to solid-state electrolytes

International academic website Research.com commends Lingnan University in their latest edition of 2024 Best Scientists. Seventeen leading scholars from Lingnan University are ranked among the national best scientists in their respective disciplines, including Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing; Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning; Prof Bradley Richard Barnes, Interim Associate Vice-President (Global Affairs) cum Director of Global Education; Prof Siu Oi-ling, Lam Woo & Co Ltd Chair Professor of Applied Psychology and Head of the Department of Psychology; and Prof Dean Tjosvold, Emeritus Professor at the Department of Management.

Researchers from Osaka University have designed and synthesized a new organic semiconductor for organic solar cells (OSCs). By adding specific side units to their structure, they achieved separation between the frontier molecular orbitals, leading to lower exciton binding energy and increased power conversion efficiency. This tuning of the design of an acceptor component is expected to increase the performance of OSCs leading to more effective large-scale photovoltaic systems and new devices.

Seaweed helps brain health, Whales in long-distance relationships, Jumpstarting male fertility, Demystifying black hole turbulence, Shrimp to steel & Mpox Resources. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Studied oxidative stress and Parkinson’s disease as a case study

SUTD researchers developed SGHateCheck, the first functional test specifically tailored to evaluate hate speech in the multilingual environments of Singapore and the broader Southeast Asia.

SUTD researchers delved into the lived experiences of Singaporeans including older adults to uncover key factors influencing their walking habits, which can guide urban planners in designing people-centric environments that promote active mobility.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, develop a biosensor that improves sensitivity to 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNA) in urine by orders of magnitude without the need for sample purification.

Suppression of an enzyme might allow melanocytes to recover

A rare artefact of 19th-century tawaif culture, The Beauties of Lucknow is a fascinating photograph album from colonial South Asia. Compiled in 1874, it consists of 24 portraits of courtesans from Awadh in present-day Uttar Pradesh. Read more to know how Darogah Abbas Ali, the photographer behind it, reimagined Mughal-era muraqqa traditions and colonial portraiture to create one of the earliest works of nostalgia on the tawaifs of Lucknow.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how a live pig was operated on by a surgeon thousands of kilometers away, how an asteroid caused a massive ancient impact, and the day the sun grew dark 6,000 years ago.

Medaka fish that lacked functional Hmgn2 genes were unable to distinguish between simple shapes, revealing a new function for the regulatory gene.

Lingnan University has admitted three elite student-athletes through the Direct Entry Stream for Top Athletes (DESTA) for the 2024/25 academic year. The successful candidates cyclist Ng Sum-lui, Wushu Sanda athlete Li Ka-yee, and ice hockey player Patten Lai have achieved outstanding results in their respective sports. Since the scheme was launch in the 2022/23 academic year, Lingnan University has accepted a total of eight elite athletes.