Peer Reviewed

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters high-speed atomic force microscopy studies that shed light on the possible role of the open reading frame 6 (ORF6) protein COVID19 symptoms.

To quickly and accurately characterize prospective materials for use in solar energy, researchers built an automated system to perform laboratory experiments and used machine learning to help analyze the data they recorded. Their goal is to identify semiconductor materials for use in photovoltaic solar energy, which are highly efficient and have low toxicity.

A research team at Osaka Metropolitan University has developed a new simulation method that accurately predicts powder mixing using AI, and has succeeded in increasing calculation speed by approximately 350 times while maintaining the same level of accuracy as conventional methods. This method is expected to not only pave the way for more efficient and precise powder mixing processes but also open up new possibilities for industries seeking to enhance product quality and streamline production.

- DGIST developed an image sensor technology that automatically analyzes phenomena in cardiac muscle cells, such as calcium dynamics and impulse patterns, based on multi-mode images combining holograms and calcium. - This technology can be used to examine characteristics of calcium dynamics and cellular motility depending on drugs inserted, thus being a core technology for new drug development customized for patients.

- A DGIST graduate student developed a super-resolution non-linear hyper-spectral imaging method and published a research paper on it as the lead author in PhotoniX, a renowned international academic journal.

- Professor Park’s research team at DGIST has successfully developed domain-adaptive AI specialized in medical images - Contributes to saving cost and time in developing deep learning models for multi-center medical image analysis

- A research team led by Professor Jong-min Choi at the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, DGIST, has successfully developed stable quantum dot thin films, which can improve efficiency and stability in perovskite quantum dot solar cells. - Suggests a new quantum dot surface stabilization strategy based on a non-polar solvent and covalent ligands

- This educational institution held a ceremony at the DGIST Convention Hall on September 6 to commemorate the 19th anniversary of its foundation.

- The developed image translation model can yield accurate classification results despite the use of biased data for the training of a deep learning model. - This solution is expected to be applied in various fields, such as self-driving, content creation, and medicine.

- This team developed the PAINT technology that controls the adhesive properties of new organic materials, analyzes melanin formation processes, and facilitates selective melanin formation. - A research paper on the technology, which fabricates local patterns based on melanin-like pigments, was published in Nature Communications, an international academic journal.

Research out of Osaka University finds an overlap in the mechanism of hair color determination and bone resorption, which is associated with bone related diseases like osteoporosis. The findings revealed that proteins named Rab32 and Rab38 play pivotal roles in bone resorption in osteoclast, cell specialized in the process. These proteins are also crucial for pigmentation of hair and skins.

Research from Osaka University demonstrates a nanopore-based technique that can detect different variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The method was very effective in detecting the Omicron variant of the virus in the saliva of people with COVID-19.

Pair-bonded Java sparrows show enlarged eye rings to signal breeding readiness.

Research out of Osaka University investigated the effect of increased cell temperature on the contractility of skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle by heating the muscle proteins using advanced microscopical techniques. The findings indicated that skeletal muscle is more sensitive to increases in temperature than cardiac muscle, and that heating can rapidly activate the contractile proteins of skeletal muscle, thereby improving muscle performance.

Layered lithium cobalt oxide, a key component of lithium-ion batteries, has been synthesized at temperatures as low as 300°C and durations as short as 30 minutes.

Evaluation of developmental toxicity in early chicken embryos exposed to tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate

This study examined how the origin (wild or hatchery-reared), feeding area (Baltic Sea mainstem, Bosnian Sea, and Gulf of Finland), and organic halogen compound (OHC) concentrations of Baltic Sea Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) affect the salmon liver proteome, transcriptome, and oxidative stress markers. Results suggest that the Baltic salmon liver proteome, together with the transcriptome, is influenced more by OHC concentrations and oxidative stress levels in the feeding area than by their origin.

Structural characteristics of environmental pollutants and computer simulations predict effects on the endocrine system of seals

A broad-spectrum antiviral drug candidate, 2-thiouridine, that targets positive-strand RNA viruses has been identified and characterized.

A research team from Osaka Metropolitan University has found that polysulfides are abundant in broccoli sprouts. They found that the amount of polysulfides increased dramatically during growth, by an approximately 20-fold in seeds by the fifth day of germination. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of the polysulfides detected a number of polysulfide candidates whose structures have not yet been determined. The identification of these unknown polysulfides and detailed analysis of their pharmacological activities are expected to enable the development of new preventive and therapeutic strategies and medicines for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, inflammation, and other diseases.

Risk-averse on/off-target assessment for CRISPR editing without reference genome

New perspective argues pursuing fair AI for healthcare requires cross-disciplinary collaboration to translate methods into real-world benefits.

New research reveals how disrupted energy production in the kidneys contributes to progressive kidney disease in diabetes.

The latest ‘large language model’ artificial intelligence system, GPT-4, could aid chemistry researchers, but limitations reveal the need for improvements.

Researchers from Osaka University developed a cell-friendly means of bioprinting at high fidelity. By successive injection of a cell-based ink and a printing support, the ink solidified into defined geometries, even into the shape of a human nose. Printed cells remained viable for at least two weeks. This work is an important milestone toward developing lab-grown tissues and organs, and eventually advancing regenerative medicine as well as animal-free drug safety testing.

A new amphipod species thrives at record temperatures in nearby hot spring pools of an ancient Inca city, defying norms for these typically cold-dwelling animals. Unraveling its key adaptations can give clues for the survival of other freshwater creatures in our warming world.

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists, in cooperation with researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, have captured cosmic-ray extensive air showers with unprecedented precision using the prime-focus wide field camera mounted on the Subaru Telescope, situated atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Analyzing approximately 17,000 images captured between 2014 and 2020, they pinpointed 13 images containing extensive air showers, with a number of particle tracks far exceeding the usual count.

Researchers from Osaka University developed wirelessly powered soil moisture sensing technology that will help meet the needs of sustainable precision agriculture. Both the soil moisture content and the position of each sensor are readily detected and transmitted, even at high sensor densities. The sensors are largely biodegradable and can be tilled into the soil at the end of the crop season. This work might help farmers allocate resources to cropland in a timely, targeted manner.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, synthesize a two-center zinc complex that absorbs visible light as a solid and in solution.

In a recent publication in EPJ Quantum Technology, Le Bin Ho from Tohoku University’s Frontier Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences has developed a technique called "Time-dependent Stochastic Parameter Shift" in the realm of quantum computing and quantum machine learning. This breakthrough method revolutionizes the estimation of gradients or derivatives of functions, a crucial step in many computational tasks.