Press releases

Researchers from Osaka University examined how specific types of contextual changes, such as government recommendations and perceived behavior of others, influenced mask-wearing behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found a complex relationship between societal norms and individual behavior during the pandemic, indicating that future strategies for public health crises interventions should consider various factors and contexts, including cultural predispositions.

The recently concluded Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference convened tiger range countries, private and public sector donors, international development agencies, the Tiger Conservation Coalition, and other conservation organisations to discuss innovative solutions to sustainably finance tiger landscape conservation.

Researchers at Tohoku University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency have discovered a unique property, the quantum metric, within magnetic materials, altering the 'electron universe' geometry. This distinct electric signal challenges traditional electrical conduction and could revolutionize spintronic devices.

Using neutron scattering and voltage measurements, a group of researchers have discovered that a material's magnetic properties can predict spin current changes with temperature. The finding is a major breakthrough in the field of spintronics.

Bacteriophage therapy could be developed based on study’s results

Oxygen is vital for both human and marine life survival. A few years ago, Dr Ng Chi-on, a graduate of the Department of Chemistry at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), together with his team, developed a new type of photo-sensor that can effectively monitor oxygen concentration in seawater and reduce the monitoring cost. The team subsequently established a start-up company, called “NerOcean”. In collaboration with government departments such as the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, NerOcean tested the sensors in five to six marine zones, aiming to develop a marine surveillance network – “Nerve of the Ocean” – in the long run upon mass production of the sensors. This is expected to result in a breakthrough in sustainable marine environment monitoring and fisheries production management.

- A joint research team from DGIST-UNIST has developed ultra-high-efficiency pure red light-emitting devices by modifying the surface of perovskite light-emitting layers to enhance stability and electrical properties. - The findings have been published in the journal “Materials Today.”

- A joint research team between DGIST, Ewha Womans University, Incheon National University, and Sang-hoon Nam at MIT used atomic force microscopy to identify what causes electron-hole separation due to energy-level differences within and at the interface between crystals in the light-absorbing layer of thin-film solar cells - Suggested directions to understand carrier behaviors in a variety of fields with atomic force microscopy

Watching and waiting with minimal intervention forms educational philosophy guided by balance

Researchers from Osaka University used structured light and switchable fluorescent molecules to reduce the background light from the out-of-plane regions of microscope samples. This method allowed for the acquisition of images that surpassed the conventional resolution limit, and it may be useful for further study of cell clusters and other biological systems.

- Three scholarship recipients were selected in multidisciplinary ICT and one in life sciences through the 25:1 competition ratio for the scholarship

- Launch of joint academic-industrial programs through a partnership agreement with K-Club, an association of KIST family companies, to enhance academic-industrial collaboration. - Expectations of joint research and spread of business achievements in promising technology fields through agreement with Samick THK.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the discovery that baby stars “sneeze”, how to increase panda reproduction and detect fiddler crab signals, and how being slightly overweight in our older years can be beneficial.

Tohoku University researchers have unveiled a new means of predicting how to synthesize new materials via the ion-exchange. Based on computer simulations, the method significantly reduces the time and energy required to explore for inorganic materials.

When epileptic patients suffer seizures, their brain is undergoing repetitive and excessive neuronal firing. But what triggers this has stumped scientists for years. Now, researchers have used fluorescence calcium sensors to track astrocytes' role in epileptic seizures, finding that that astrocyte activity starts approximately 20 seconds before the onset of epileptic neuronal hyperactivity.

Lingnan University in Hong Kong has participated in the two-day QS China Summit 2024 from 17 to 18 April in Shanghai to explore how universities can contribute to China’s global leadership in higher education. The main theme of the summit is “Remaining Distinct in Global Higher Ed: China’s Place in the New World of Education”. As part of efforts to strengthen Lingnan’s international visibility, the University hosted a President Panel Discussion titled "Fostering Distinction in Chinese Higher Education Through Digital Innovation". The Panel provided an exceptional platform for discussions on Chinese higher education within the rapidly evolving field of digital innovation.

Skilled players show stronger inhibition processes when electing not to pass the ball

Electron spin states can now be probed at much higher resolution and more efficiently, opening new opportunities in materials analysis and data processing technologies.

Researchers at Tohoku University and the University of California, Santa Barbara have unveiled a probabilistic computer prototype. Manufacturable with a near-future technology, the prototype combines a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit with a limited number of stochastic nanomagnets, creating a heterogeneous probabilistic computer.

The Department of Psychology of Lingnan University and the Department of Psychology of Renmin University of China (RUC) signed a new five-year cooperation agreement on 11 April 2024, marking the start of a fresh chapter. The agreement covers teaching exchanges, research collaboration, and professional development, and includes a sub-agreement on the Master's Degree Student Exchange Programme. The agreement will promote academic exchanges between the two departments, and further strengthen their partnership.

Aiming to reduce fracture recovery times, an Osaka Metropolitan University-led research group is focusing on plasma irradiation as a treatment method

Algae, a kind of organism commonly found on the water surface, is a highly efficient carbon absorbent, which can capture more carbon dioxide (CO2) than trees. Alcarbo Technologies Limited (Alcarbo) is a biotechnology company incubated by the Seed Fund and Angel Fund of City University of Hong Kong (CityU)’s HK Tech 300. It cultivates microalgae using genetic mutation technology and uses its self-developed “photobioreactor system” (PBRs) and nanobubble technology to enhance the carbon capture capacity of microalgae. This allows microalgae to capture about 68 times the amount of CO2 of an equivalent area of ​​forest, making them “Super Carbon Capture” species.

Lingnan University’s Teaching and Learning Centre held its annual “Inno-GBA: Empowering education with Generative Artificial Intelligence tools” from 16 to 19 April. The four-day event examined the latest Generative AI (GAI) tools for teaching and learning in higher education, and sophisticated state-of-the-art GAI tools to facilitate academic research and student learning, and assist jobseekers. The first day of the event, which was conducted in hybrid mode, over 200 people came to hear leading professors from the main universities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and industry experts from high-tech companies speak.

Researchers from Osaka University found that tetracycline antibiotics stimulate T lymphocytes in the body’s immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells. The antibiotics work by blocking the action of galactin-1, a protein made by cancer cells that suppresses the immune system. Identification of this new target may lead to the development of novel cancer immunotherapies.

Researchers from Osaka University found that a new activator called L687 induces cancer cells to accept delivery of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drugs. These drugs can treat cancer by blocking the transfer of messages from genes that encourage cancer growth. Previous methods to deliver ASOs into cells had only limited success. This research will help accelerate the development and delivery of novel ASO cancer therapies.

A recent study by Tohoku University researchers has shed light on the association between dairy product consumption and odd-number carbon chain fatty acids (odd-FA) within the Japanese population, a correlation previously confirmed in Europe and Oceania but understudied in Asian countries.

Once a two-armed attendant to the goddess Tara, over time, Marichi was increasingly endowed with power until she became a deity in her own right. Revered as a warrior and guardian against evil and darkness, Marichi’s imagery reveals myriad symbolisms — from her association with the sun to her role as a fierce protector. Read about the multifaceted nature of Marichi's mythology and imagery, spanning nations, cultures, and time.

Researchers from Osaka University and collaborating partners have synthesized triarylborane (TAB) compounds that exhibit unusual optical responses upon binding to certain anions. They also synthesized thin polymer films that incorporate the TAB and retain the sensing as well as the light emission properties of the TAB. This work is an important advance in plastic research and has applications in analyte sensing as well as electronic display technologies.

To encourage students to develop interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary skills, Lingnan University held its first-ever Business Case Competition (LUBCC) on 13 April. The competition received strong support from six leading organisations from the government, and the business and charity sectors: the Regional Crime Prevention Office, New Territories North, Hong Kong Police Force (RCPO), Alibaba Cloud, Silence Limited, the Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas), Vitasoy International Holdings Limited (Vitasoy), and the Wai Yuen Tong Medicine Company Limited. Seventy-one teams of 284 Lingnan students from different academic backgrounds entered the competition.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a floating platform that needs no energy, how shredding your anger can make you feel better, and an automatic lid that can help reduce bacteria in your bathroom.