Press releases

A look at Japan’s mimamoru approach suggests that adults’ non-intervention in kids’ fights allows children to nurture social and interpersonal skills on their own. Is it worth a try in other countries?

In collaboration with Kanazawa University, researchers from Osaka City University used high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) to visualize at the nanometer level the movement of individual particles within the parasitic bacterium Mycoplasma mobile. After confirming the outline on the surface of the cell structure in an immobilized state with previous data gathered from electron microscopy, the team succeeded in visualizing the real-time movements of the internal structure by scanning the outside of the cell with HS-AFM.

Contributing to embryogenesis and pathogenesis through long-term in vivo molecular imaging 1. Development of a two-photon excitation light-sheet microscope which achieves low phototoxicity, an extended field of view, and high resolution for the observation of the growth of living organisms 2. Applications of the microscope demonstrate long-term time-lapse observations for a three-day span of the embryonic development of medaka fish

A reimagined robot hand combines strength with resilience, sidestepping the problems that accompany existing designs.

Scientists from Japan, Europe and the USA have described a pathway leading to the accelerated flowering of plants in low-nitrogen soils. These findings could eventually lead to increases in agricultural production.

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami devastated fishing communities along the Miyagi coast. A Tohoku University anthropologist carried field research in the small fishing community in Isohama. Here he found elements of competitive and collective behavior ensuing following the earthquake.

Schematic illustrations of magnetization control by the injection of phonon angular momentum.

The Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies (APIAS) of Lingnan University (LU) in Hong Kong recently organised a STEM-design competition for secondary school students to develop gerontechnology products tailor-made for rural elders to improve their quality of life. Pui Shing Catholic Secondary School students’ “smart shopping cart”, equipped with an infrared-based, automatic motion-tracking system that helps seniors transport a large amount of goods with less effort, won the Overall Championship Award and the Age-friendly Innovation Award.

Lingnan University (LU) and Shenzhen University (SZU) in the Mainland signed a Letter of Intent on Collaboration on 25 May 2021, aiming to foster academic cooperation in various areas, including the offering of joint undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programmes, undertaking research and development projects, and exploring the feasibility of establishing a joint campus in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to nurture top-notch talent.

UNIST signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education to forge ahead toward achieving educational excellence.

Scientists develop degradation-mitigating additives that vastly extend the lifespan of Nafion-based fuel cells

A recent survey conducted by Lingnan University (LU) and the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) finds that 11 to 14 per cent of older adults eligible for the current three cash welfare subsidies do not claim them, mainly because of the complexity of application procedures, high transaction costs and perceived stigma. The research team suggests the Government should reduce administrative burdens, and re-brand welfare subsidies for older adults.

Researchers at The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science repurpose food waste to build materials with a bending strength comparable to concrete and that still taste good

The devastating Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011 displaced some 500,000 people to evacuation shelters. A research team that conducted regular visits to shelters to assess their status and inhabitants well-being have analyzed their data and found that about half of shelters had inadequate clean tap water and toilets, leading to worsening health outcomes for inhabitants.

Chuo University and Hokkaido University researchers have found that infants take less than a second to completely process visual information and have the same temporal limitation in processing visual information as seen in adults.

Single-cell gene studies are clarifying the roles of the brain’s specialised immune cell in Alzheimer’s disease and offer new avenues for treatment of this incurable condition.

A group of researchers carried out eDNA sequencing on jelly fish in the Florida Keys using a newly developed Fieldable eDNA sequencing kit to identify species that may be endangered, invasive or dangerous.

Researchers from Tohoku University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency have discovered a new spintronic phenomenon: a persistent rotation of chiral-spin structure. The development paves the way for further application in oscillators, random number generators, and nonvolatile memory.

Scientists from Hokkaido University have discovered a novel defensive response to SARS-CoV-2 that involves the viral pattern recognition receptor RIG-I. Upregulating expression of this protein could strengthen the immune response in COPD patients.

Chirality, the lack of symmetry in matter, is an important issue in a myriad of scientific fields, ranging from high-energy physics to biology. Using magnets, a collaborative research group have furthered our understanding of how chiral information is transferred and memorized.

The UK’s COP26 Universities Network and leading research centres in Singapore have announced a partnership to develop four reports that provide policy recommendations for climate action in the ASEAN region.

Lingnan University in Hong Kong (LU) has launched a brandnew Distinguished Freshmen Package and introduced additional scholarships to high academic achievers admitted in 2021-22. Students with a total score of 22 or above, without subject weightings, in their best five subjects in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE), as well as those with a total score of 28 or above in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and those with grade B or above in three A-level subjects in the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCEAL) examinations will be offered the Distinguished Freshmen Package. School leavers with an HKDSE score of 25 or above in their best five subjects (including level 4 or above in English Language), or a total score of 32 or above in the IB Diploma, will be offered full tuition fee scholarships for up to four years.

Scientists from Hokkaido University have shown that an antigen-based test for quantifying SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples is simple, rapid, and more conducive for mass-screening.

The Asia Research News magazine brings you fascinating research stories from diverse voices in environment, technology, materials, medicine, space and social sciences. The 2021 edition is out now.

Dr. Kazuhiro Ohtani is a certified public psychologist and a lecturer at Hokkaido University’s Graduate School of Education. His main research interest is the academic motivations of Japanese students, especially adolescents. He believes that children in the age range of puberty are more prone to depression, which often leads to the loss of academic motivation.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore and Tohoku University have demonstrated that an array of electrically connected spintronic devices can harvest a 2.4 GHz wireless signal, which can be used to power and charge small electronic devices and sensors.

Revelations from a fly study could improve our understanding of protein malnutrition in humans.

Imagine an advanced robotic hand that can grasp a fragile piece of tofu without crushing it! A research team co-led by researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed an innovative tactile sensor with super fast response time and high sensitivity. It can distinguish different external stimuli in real time, with the potential to be applied to electronic skin and smart prosthetics. It can offer hope to people with physical disabilities or severe limb injuries to regain their sense of touch and improve their quality of life.

DGIST scientists have found a novel way to control magnetic spins in a localized space.

Dr Li Jianbin, Assistant Professor at the Department of Early Childhood Education of The Education University of Hong Kong, was presented with the Rising Star Award by the Association for Psychological Science (APS) in February 2021. The award recognises outstanding APS members in the earliest stages of their research career.