Press releases

Unimas, Sarawak - The group’s preliminary findings revealed the presence of active TPH-degrading bacteria, commonly found in soil, yet safe to human or animals; and they were proven to be promising species for effective biodegradation of oil sludge.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Ozone destruction over an Atlantic holiday destination, Understanding four-legged fish, Cut off the food to spite the tumour, Volcanic explosions in the deep Arctic Ocean, It takes two and a feminizer for honeybees

In Nature China this week - Researchers in China have developed a computer algorithm for discovering novel non-coding RNA genes from previously ignored sequences in the human genome and more

USM has signed 8 agreements with national and international corporations to further promote research. This includes commercialization of research, nanotechnology information transfer, biotechnology research, new products for the construction industry, clinical mass spectrometry services for the region and more.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Carbon capture by land and by sea, Gene addiction reveals cancer’s Achilles’ heel, Automated microfluidics-based screening of C. elegans and Improving stroke therapy

Today, Universiti Sains Malaysia launched the Science and Arts Innovation Space in a move to strengthen innovation and retain the best talents, while attracting international collaborators to Malaysia’s burgeoning knowledge industry.

This year, Keio University has become Japan's first modern university to celebrate its 150th anniversary. As part of its celebration of this achievement, Keio will host the Annual Presidents Meeting of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) for the first time in Japan.

Members of the press are invited to the Press Conference on Occasion of the Signing of a Cooperative Agreement between UNESCO and Keio University on June 26.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has now decided to shift its value-added tax (VAT) from production-based to consumption-based. This transition is currently piloted in the three provinces of the northeast PRC, and is expected to be extended to the whole country in the coming 2 or 3 years.

Cambodia has been growing rapidly over the past few years, but remains one of the poorest countries in East Asia. This paper analyzes rural poverty in Cambodia to identify the factors that explain its occurrence and persistence.

This paper investigates the bilateral trade pattern between South Korea and the United States and examines the economic impact of a Korea–United States (KORUS) free trade agreement (FTA).

China is facing the threat of inflation, at the same time that the U.S. economy is in trouble. To maintain a sustainable growth rate, China must walk a tightrope.

This research found 63 %, 60 %, and 33 % of the highly human capital—intensive exports from Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, respectively, have been replaced by China. Most of these replacements happened in high-end products after 2000. Therefore, more products from advanced countries will be replaced by China in the near future.

The selected programs are Education and Research Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Center for Education and Research of Symbiotic, Safe and Secure System Design, Raising Market Quality - Integrated Design of "Market Infrastructure" and Designing Governance for Civil Societies

Technological innovation is crucial in today's challenging market circumstances. Key players in the ICT world recognize this and are coming together to launch a new grants program for the Asia Pacific Information and Communication Technology (ICT) community.

To celebrate the close relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Waseda University, to deepen the relationship as well as to stimulate further exchanges in research and between students, Waseda University is hosting an week long event known as "The Saudi Arabia Day."

Summaries of papers: Saturn's second aurora, Magnetic resonance images in colour, Insight into each end of the chordate lineage, 'Identical twins', years apart, Solution for global puzzle of nitrogen-loving trees, Ticking of the segmentation clock, Warming and rising of oceans, Taking the strain in electronic devices and In pursuit of happiness

In Nature China this week - Researchers in Shanghai identify ion channels in the brain that have a critical role in synaptic development, as well as learning and memory

USM, Penang, Malaysia - USM forged an international collaborative venture with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of The South Pacific (USP), Suva, Fiji.

Malaysia produce 70 million tons of organic wastes annually. Most of these are either incinerated or dumped in landfill and both of which have serious impact on the environment. A research is conducted at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak to reutilise the wastes and explore their potential as energy sources.

Typically, palm oil quality is determined in a destructive manner using wet chemical analysis, which can be costly, time consuming and error prone. Here, researchers developed an automated technique of estimating quality based on fruit colour captured in JPEG format.

Summaries of papers include Resolving photon numbers, Microstructures stay on track, Muscle degeneration, Measuring glacial deep-water flow, The unexpected metal, Seafloor’s influence on biodiversity and Expressing fear enhances perception

The Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) has initiated an 18-month research consortium valued at SGD1.5 million to leverage upon a centralised source of expertise in the area of wireless communication, high speed electronic design, and analysis of electromagnetic compatibility and interference.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Locating the comfort zone, We take more risks when potential pay-offs are well defined, Sequence of response, The carbene catchers, Anderson localization of matter waves and Leaf the temperature alone

In a press release issued today, Keio University scientists have shown that pigeons are able to discriminate video images of themselves, paintings of certain painters (Van Gogh vs Chagall) and more. The video image discrimination ability is higher than 3-year-old children. (Pictures available)

Keio University applied the technology “to operate the computer using brain images released last year and succeeds in enabling a disabled person suffering muscle disorder to stroll through “Second Life®, to walk towards the avatar of a student and to have a conversation with the student using the “voice chat” function.

Keio University is now updating the permanent address database of its foreign graduates. Foreign students who have studied at Keio University are urged to register their present contact details.

Keio University is giving 5 full scholarship awards to international students who wish to study in their Masters or Doctoral programs in 2009.

Call for papers - Theme: Realisation of Biodiversity Potentials Through Applied Biology

In Nature China this week - A skeleton found in Liaoning province provides a new insight into the evolution and migration of modern humans in East Asia and more research stories.