Peer Reviewed

- Doctor Heo Su-jin and Professor Jang Jae-eun’s research team from DGIST developed an ultra-small nano vacuum tube transistor that stably operates in atmospheric pressure without being affected by extreme environments.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences a computational method to predict the placement of proteins on AFM substrates based on electrostatic interactions.

Researchers from Osaka University investigated the thermal energy changes across nanopores that allow the selective flow of ions. Switching off the flow of ions in one direction led to a cooling effect. The findings have applications in nanofluidic devices and provide insight into the factors governing ion channels in cells. The nanopore material could be tailored to tune the cooling and arrays could be produced to scale up the effect.

A research team led by Osaka Metropolitan University focused on generative AI as an information-gathering tool in the medical field. The results showed that one of the generative AIs suggested mostly fictitious references, while the other suggested multiple references with the same level of accuracy as the researchers. The use of generative AI in literature search suggests the possibility of efficiently collecting a vast amount of medical information, provided that users are well aware that the performance of generative AI is still in its infancy and that not all information presented is necessarily reliable. It is advised to use different generative AIs depending on the type of information needed.

While anger and aggression are instinctive behaviors found across many species, leaving these emotions unchecked can lead to conflict and violence. In a recent study, researchers at Tohoku University demonstrated that neuronal-glial interactions in the cerebellum determine the degree of aggression exhibited by mice. This suggests that future therapeutic methods could adjust glial activity in the cerebellum to help reduce unwanted aggression.

Decreasing pancreatic beta cell numbers – the only cells that produce insulin – is a leading cause of diabetes. In a promising development, a research group has revealed that stimulating autonomic vagal nerves connected to the pancreas can improve the function and also increase the number of pancreatic beta cells in mice.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN──For the first time, it is possible to follow, step-by-step and with atomic resolution, what happens when the enzyme DNA photolyase repairs ultraviolet light-induced DNA damage. An international team of researchers led by Academia Sinica, Taiwan, has taken snapshots of the repair process with extremely high time resolution and combined them into a film sequence. The research was published in the scientific journal Science on December 1, 2023.

SUTD researchers refine two-photon polymerisation lithography to create high-precision, nanoscale features, advancing 3D printing to enable the production of intricate components for use in high-tech applications.

An international team of researchers led by Osaka Metropolitan University has elucidated the process by which the major flavonoids naringenin, apigenin, and genistein are metabolized in the body. These findings are fundamental in elucidating the correlation between the metabolism of flavonoids in the body and their potential health benefits.

A new bacterial species discovered at the deep-sea hydrothermal vent site ‘Crab Spa’ provides a deeper understanding of bacterial evolution.

Aids local governments in adapting to the threats of climate change

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Science Advances how they can accelerate and decelerate chirality inversion in large cage molecules using alkali metal ion binding.

Researchers from Osaka University found that HSP47, a collagen-specific chaperone, is a key determinant of body fat levels. HSP47 expression levels are upregulated with obesity and greater food intake and decreased with fasting, exercise, calorie restriction, bariatric surgery, and wasting syndrome, suggesting that HSP47 modulation has a profound effect on fat storage.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers and their colleagues have successfully detected an ultra-high-energy cosmic ray with an energy level comparable to the most energetic cosmic ray ever observed. The cosmic ray is set to be named after the Japanese sun goddess, Amaterasu. No promising astronomical object has been identified in the direction from which this cosmic ray originated, implying the potential existence of unknown astronomical phenomena and novel physical origins beyond the Standard Model.

Researchers from Osaka University have shown that lysosomes, key organelles for maintaining cellular stability, can be repaired once damaged by a process termed microautophagy. They identified molecules called STK38 and GABARAPs as key regulators of this process. Depletion of microautophagy regulators lead to increased cellular senescence and a shorter lifespan, indicating the importance of this process. This study is highly significant for the achievement of healthy aging and points toward new therapies for age-related diseases.

Glass is a fundamental material. Yet its atomic structure still baffles scientists to this day. Researchers have developed a new way to quantify ring shapes in chemically bonded networks of glass, chipping away at some of the mysteries behind glass’s atomic structure.

A new technique allows researchers to map how the cellular ‘skeleton’ adapts to external stress.

This paper highlights the underexplored potential of chiral self-sorting in the design of switchable and metastable discrete supramolecular structures.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Nature Communications how they can control chirality inversion in α helical peptides.

Rapid preparation and application of a panel of clinical antibodies armed with B-BiTE for refractory malignancies

Researchers from Osaka University found that Japanese people who used medical information were more likely to wear masks and disinfect their hands even before the COVID-19 outbreak, while those who exchanged information with acquaintances were more likely to newly start mask-wearing and hand disinfection post outbreak. This will assist in the development of risk communication strategies to promote infection-preventive behavior in a timely manner.

Analysis of more than 80,000 diabetes patients in Singapore links elevated systolic pressure and very low diastolic pressure to higher cardiovascular mortality. Underscores need to control high systolic levels while exercising caution with low diastolic levels.

… all while discovering how the Universe evolved, how galaxies form and where the elements come from.

Analysis of materials can be done quicker and with less expertise with the help of proven machine learning techniques established in biomedical fields

Cancer stem cells cause the aging of macrophages in mice with healthy immune systems, creating conditions for the formation of tumors.

New study finds prior dengue antibodies substantially raise risk of microcephaly, foetal defects with Zika infection.

Researchers develop a technique to allow fragile objects to be transferred and released by robotics, without damage, while using a gecko inspired adhesive.

New insights on how individual immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, particularly in mutant strains, can influence the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines

A new study suggests that self-deception is the key to understanding irrational actions of national leaders in war, as exemplified by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Cancer Research how Kras and p53 mutations influence the tumor suppressor and promoter functions of a TGF- ß pathway. The findings may lead to a new approach for colorectal cancer therapy.