In industries, the detection of anomalies such as scratches, dents, and discolorations is crucial to ensure product quality and safety. However, conventional methods rely on heavy computational processing and image enhancement and may not truly reflect subtle defects, particularly in low-light settings. Now, researchers have designed a robust model with noise suppression and illumination-adaptive features that enhance the accuracy and consistency of anomaly detection across diverse surfaces and textures in poorly lit industrial environments.

Aiming to address age-related cognitive decline, a growing global health challenge, a team of researchers has developed the first VR-based smell-training system to help combat it. This innovative VR game activates memory pathways by incorporating olfactory stimulation in a virtual environment. This game-based method offers an engaging platform for maintaining cognitive function and reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia in older adults.

Nitrides with a wurtzite structure are widely used in cutting-edge technologies, from blue light-emitting diodes to high-frequency noise filters in smartphones. Now, for the first time, scientists from Institute of Science Tokyo have successfully synthesized a wurtzite-structured MgSiN₂ thin film, an insulating nitride containing two elements. This material exhibits compatible optical and piezoelectric properties, paving the way for new energy conversion materials, ferroelectric memory, and next-generation electronic devices.

Microglial dysfunction has been implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but limited access to human brain tissue posed challenges in related research. A new study explored how immune cells called monocyte-derived macrophages can serve as models for microglia in ASD. Researchers used these cells to investigate neuroimmune responses, such as synaptic phagocytosis in ASD. These findings could open new avenues for understanding the brain-immune system connection in ASD and identifying potential targets for therapy.

Herpesviruses, which cause skin and genital infections, neonatal diseases, and meningitis, can successfully persist over a lifetime and transmit from one host to another. One key strategy that enables them to coexist within host cells is mimicry of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs)—proteins that regulate crucial cellular processes. A new study by researchers from Japan reveals novel insights into mechanisms underlying CDK mimicry by viral kinases, driven by phosphorylation of conserved amino acid residues.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can differentiate into any blood cell. However, as HSCs age, they are more likely to differentiate into platelets and myeloid cells. This age-dependent shift is poorly understood due to a lack of marker genes. Now, scientists from the University of Tokyo present the Clusterin (Clu) gene as a novel biomarker of HSC aging. This allows easy identification of aged HSCs, shedding light on the biological mechanisms of aging.

The sensation of controlling one’s body and things in the environment is known as sense of agency (SoA). Not only is SoA pivotal for tasks and well-being in everyday life, but its mechanisms have become increasingly important for the development of human-computer interfaces in new technology. This need has fueled research in this area, in particular to understand how SoA is generated from scratch in unfamiliar environments. Researchers at the University of Tokyo performed experiments involving hand-to-screen mapping using a specialized glove and highlighted the role of motor exploration in generating experience of self-agency. Their findings could contribute to future health and technology applications.

Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a data-driven AI framework that gives scientists a head start by suggesting ideal candidate materials.

An Osaka Metropolitan University researcher examined the nonlinear multidimensional factors that correlate with population changes according to city size. The results indicate that population changes correlated with welfare expenditures in small and medium-sized cities.

Nagoya University researchers in Japan have found that drug effectiveness, alcohol tolerance, and carbohydrate metabolism change with the seasons. Their findings are based on a comprehensive seasonal gene expression map, which investigated over 54,000 genes in 80 tissues in monkeys across one year. The study has implications for drug prescription and precision medicine.