Press releases

The finals of the 2023/24 Territory-wide Junior Secondary Chinese History and Culture Quiz, organised by the Hong Kong Government Education Bureau (EDB) and co-organised by the Hong Kong and South China Historical Research Programme (HKSCHRP) of Lingnan University, were held on campus today (18 May). Officiating guests were Ms Teresa Chan Mo-ngan, Deputy Secretary of the EDB,and Prof Lau Chi-pang, Associate Vice-President (Academic Affairs and External Relations) and Co-ordinator of the HKSCHRP. ProfVincent Leung Sueh-han, Head and Associate Professor of the Department of History at Lingnan University, Prof Tam Ka-chai, Associate Professor of the Department of History at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Dr Fan Wing-chung, Senior Lecturer of HKBU, and Dr Law Yuen-han, Lecturer I at the Department of History at HKBU, judged the competition.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how negative rumors affect children, a new fiber-sorting method, and an ancient Egyptian “anomaly”.

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking data-driven model to predict the dehydrogenation barriers of magnesium hydride, a promising material for solid-state hydrogen storage. This advancement holds significant potential for enhancing hydrogen storage technologies, a crucial component in the transition to sustainable energy solutions.

Genome editing is making inroads into biomedical research and medicine. By employing biomolecule modeling tools, a Japanese research team is accelerating the pace and cutting the cost of zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology, a primary gene editing tool.

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science of Lingnan University, was a member of the delegation of Hong Kong higher education institutions in Beijing for three days from 8 to 10 May to visit the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology. President Qin offered his insights into encouraging students' patriotism, aligning them with national development goals, and integrating the arts and sciences, in order to nurture a generation of young people who value our country and Hong Kong.

ITEX 2024 Sets the Stage for Innovation and Investment

Naturally derived antioxidants improve growth of yeast strain in presence of ethanol

Researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, enhance land surface maps to identify sloping landscapes in which vegetation changes are associated with slight elevation and water gradients.

A team of researchers has made significant strides in understanding metal–nitrogen–carbon (M–N–C) catalysts, offering alternatives to expensive platinum-group-metal (PGM) catalysts and a pathway to a greener future.

New research employs shutter speed analogies to validate 55-year-old theory about chemical reaction rates.

Japanese washi paper is renowned for its aesthetic beauty and its wide-array of usages. Now, a group of Tohoku University researchers have made a green composite material from washi which boasts a 60% increase in strength as well as being more biodegradable. They hope that their research will revive interest in this traditional craft.

Time series data and causal impact algorithm reveal the effectiveness of a new transit station over a four-year period

Paper-based battery for wearable devices, To pass or not to pass? Kirigami hydrogels rise from cellulose, Climate impact on mountains, Effects of space weathering. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Researchers undertook a study of older adults to examine the connection between a sense of economic insecurity and a person’s participation in social activities.

Late in the sixteenth century, a master artist from the Mughal emperor Akbar’s atelier adopted the technique of using monochromatic tones with highlights of colour or gold. Known as ‘nim qalam,’ Persian for ‘half pen,’ or ‘siyah qalam’ for ‘black pen’, this technique was eventually adopted by artists in the Deccan, and later the Rajput courts. Although its precise origins remain uncertain, nim qalam continues to be used by contemporary South Asian artists working on manuscript painting.

In a recent study published in the multidisciplinary academic journal Science Bulletin, a semi-monthly high-caliber peer-reviewed research outlet covering a broad range of natural sciences and high-tech fields, researchers from the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University utilized hopping probe scanning ion conductance microscopy (HPICM) and highly sensitive platinum-functionalized nanoelectrodes to conduct an in-depth investigation of the dynamic response of individual living colorectal cancer Caco-2 cells to changes in intracellular and extracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) gradients, specifically focusing on eustress, at the single-cell level and in real-time. Their findings hold promise for innovative therapies against cancer and H2O2-related inflammatory diseases.

Researchers from Osaka University have used a novel combination of short-read and long-read RNA sequencing to identify the different isoforms of genes expressed in the crustacean Daphnia magna. Males and females are genetically identical, but using this technique the team revealed genes that switch the predominant isoform in a sex-dependent manner. This study contributes to our understanding of Daphnia’s sexual dimorphism and helps further advance technologies in crustacean aquaculture.

ITEX 2024 Sets the Stage for Innovation and Investment

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the lifespan of different cat breeds, the possibility of regrowing teeth, and how small creatures can help maintain our environments.

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University report in Nano Letters how the use of high-speed atomic force microscopy helps to understand the crucial role played by certain biomolecules in DNA wrapping dynamics.

Researchers at The University of Tokyo demonstrate enhanced radiative heat transfer across a gap between two micro-sized silicon plates by coating them with a layer of silicon dioxide, which may significantly improve heat management of computers.

The Regional Summit for Social Science Funding and Collaboration in the Indo-Pacific Regional Summit is being held in Bangkok, Thailand from May 9-10, 2024,

Walking and running is notoriously difficult to recreate in robots. Now, a group of researchers has overcome some of these challenges by creating an innovative method that employs central pattern generators - neural circuits located in the spinal cord that generate rhythmic patterns of muscle activity - with deep reinforcement learning. The method not only imitates walking and running motions but also generates movements for frequencies where motion data is absent, enables smooth transition movements from walking to running, and allows for adapting to environments with unstable surfaces.

Using image-based deep learning and dynamic shape classification techniques, SUTD researchers developed a novel method of checking red blood cell deformability that is less invasive, more cost-effective, more sensitive, and has higher throughput.

Sujatha Raman shares insights and ideas from her recent OECD 2024 talk on making open science a reality for the benefit of society.

Four delegates attending the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) meeting in Kigali, Rwanda (1-2 May) share their work to ensure trusted science advice is integrated into decision-making and government policy.

Researchers from Osaka University developed an in silico library comprising 54 potential triarylborane catalysts for the functionalization of amino acids and peptides with molecular hydrogen as a reductant. This library, together with chemometric machine learning, was used to identify the best candidates. Based on this process, an optimal catalyst was identified and found to promote the alkylation of aniline derivatives with exceptional functional group tolerance and produce only water as a coproduct.

DGIST Received Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Citations for Science Month in April

- The introduction of dual-layer coating technology, incorporating both polymers and inorganic materials, has led to the development of stabilization technology for the anode of aqueous zinc batteries. - This technology significantly mitigates the core issues of aqueous zinc batteries, specifically addressing the growth of zinc dendrites and the hydrogen evolution reaction.

- A research team led by DGIST Professor Sohee Kim has touted the electrodes’ potential for large-area retinal stimulation given that they closely adhere along the retinal curvature to ensure a wide field of view. - The electrodes are expected to be used in retinal implants to restore partial visual function to patients with blindness.