Press releases

Professor Dr Pan Kok Long of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, has developed a small and simple device that can be used by airplane travelers to exercise their calf muscles and encourage blood circulation while in their seated position. A patent filing for utility innovation has been granted.

With cooperation with the Australian Cranio-Maxillo Facial Foundation, University Science Malaysia (USM) offers hope to local patients with facial and skull deformities.

The purpose of this research is to develop a practical device technology for displaying real 3D images into free space where nothing exists except for the air, based on the plasma light emission induced in the air by laser radiation.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Fast ice flow on water?, THC meets its rival, Methyl modifications spread out, A rogue neighbourhood, Breast cancer risk variants, Inflammatory bowel diseases share genetic risk factors, Sequencing sheds light on the cancer genome, Let there be light, Visualizing neuronal activity in 3D

The journal aims at addressing issues related to biotechnology that are of paramount importance to the development of biotechnology industries among OIC countries, as well as to serve as a platform for knowledge, experience and expertise sharing among stakeholders.

In the year for the friendly interaction among Chinese and Japanese youth, Chinese high school students visit Waseda University Senior High School

The quest for new materials exhibiting high-temperature superconductivity may be about to explode into life again. In Nature this week, a team of researchers in Japan demonstrate the highest temperature yet reported for a non-copper-based material.

Papayas are not just exotic fruits with nutritional and medicinal benefits, they are also model plants for studying genetics and evolution. Summaries of newsworthy papers include Beetle key to carbon switch, Test-tube recipe makes functioning heart cells, Linking events across a key climate transition and more

Serdang, Malaysia - Five out of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) six researchers, whom participated in the International Exhibition of Inventions New Techniques and Products Geneva (INTPG).

In Nature China this week - In Nanjing, a 52-year-old father has caught the same strain of avian influenza virus that killed his 24-year-old son

Sarawak is the world's largest exporter of sago, exporting up to 40,000 ton sago a year. Sago mills that produced sago starch through debarking and processing of sago trunk, generates effluent which is channelled into nearby rivers. A research conducted in UNIMAS currently looks at turning this potential pollutants into commerciable entities.

Keio University will be the first in Japan to provide national household panel data to the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), which will enable researchers around the world to use the data in international comparisons of income and poverty.

The Council of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today (21 April) announced the appointment of Prof. Timothy W. Tong, currently Dean of School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at the George Washington University in the United States, as its new President with effect from 1 January 2009.

Nakhon Phanom University, Thailand is please to announce the establishment of International Aviation College

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Plant genetics: Evolution provides a cleanser for polluted soils, Greenhouse effect from tropospheric ozone and Back-to-front West Nile vaccine

TextImi is a system that helps people understand the thoughts of others from large volumes of text through a collaboration between computer analysis and human interpretation. The system can be used in for marketing surveys coordinated with network research systems, customer voice analysis, public comment analysis and more.

The genomic sequences of more than a thousand influenza virus isolates are analysed in research published online in Nature this week. The results suggest a model in which new lineages arise from the tropics and move towards more temperate regions, and the work will have implications for selection of viruses for vaccine programmes.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Why fishing magnifies fluctuations in fish abundance, Measuring a fractional electron charge, Helping the immune system, An ancient record of methane emissions, Raising the 'anti' and Sequencing gets personal

In Nature China this week, transgenic rice has been genetically modified with specific herbicide intolerance, which can be used to control its spread and more

Rising food prices around the world have already impacted on the poorest communities. Here we highlight the many experts and research projects on food. Experts are listed in this article.

The mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus), is an important food fish in Southeast Asia. Several trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of hormones to induce spawning of mangrove red snapper.

Two works from Waseda University - "Seikilos-san to Watashi (Mr. Seikilos and Me)" and "Seishun-hakaba (Grave of Youth)" were nominated at the Film Festival. "Seikilos-san to Watashi (Mr. Seikilos and Me)"won the Award of Governor of Hokkaido

Biofuels have come under criticism lately for competing with the world food production. The Jathropha curcas is a weed that does not compete with food production yet yields fuel and heals wounds. UNIMAS is currently working on developing its potential as the alternative plant for biofuels production.

The ABU, CASBAA and UNICEF are now calling on Asia-Pacific broadcasters and producers for entries for the ABU CASBAA UNICEF Child Rights Award 2008. The Award is made each year to the best television programming on children’s rights produced in the Asia-Pacific region.

Preserving the longstanding educational philosophy of the Kyoritsu University of Pharmacy, Keio University will work together to establish a new comprehensive model of pharmacy education, research, social contribution and international cooperation for the future of Japan and the world.

On 1 April, the Graduate School of System Design and Management and Graduate School of Media Design were established as part of Keio University's 150th Anniversary Commemorative Project, aiming at fostering innovative leaders in complex fields.

Two Universiti Putra Malaysia researchers whose inventions have brought in more than RM20mil have won the Commercialisation Award at the university’s excellence awards ceremony. With their research products, rice farmers’ yields have increased from four tonnes to 10 tonnes per hectare and sold in other ASEAN countries and the Middle East.

Summaries of newsworthy papers including: Freezing the Eocene greenhouse, Frequency-tunable terahertz metamaterials, Decisions occur before awareness, ‘What’ and ‘where’ in auditory cortex, Arsenic action on leukaemia, Surgery on a microchip

In January, Nature launched a survey into readers’ use of cognition-enhancing drugs. The hotly anticipated results are now published – and there are some surprises.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Tracing gases over the pristine Amazon forest, Nanotechnology: Extraordinary light, New mode of pathogen attack revealed?, A new route to ferroelectricity and Heat flow: A counterintuitive phenomenon