Osaka Metropolitan University researchers found that a nonuniform particle size distribution in the solid electrolyte significantly improves the efficiency of lithium‑ion transport within the electrodes.

Different psychiatric symptoms stem from different disruptions in the brain, suggesting that targeting those specific disruptions could enable more precise treatment. This study focused on coupling between two brain regions linked to rumination — the repetitive, intrusive negative thinking common in depression. Using real-time fMRI functional connectivity neurofeedback, a technique that allows people to observe and regulate their own brain activity, 68 subclinical participants with depressive symptoms were guided to shift this coupling pattern toward what is typically seen in healthy individuals. As participants' brain activity moved closer to the healthy pattern, their rumination symptoms improved. The same was not seen for unrelated symptoms like anxiety. Furthermore, the broader brain networks containing these regions also showed healthier activity patterns. Overall, this targeted, brain-based approach holds promise for more precise psychiatric treatment — one that addresses the specific neural roots of individual symptoms rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.

Researchers from The University of Osaka report the creation of step–terrace–ordered GaN surfaces using catalyst-referred etching (CARE). Mechanical testing on these surfaces demonstrates exceptional reproducibility across 100 measurements, achieving record-low stress scatter.

Many secrets lie deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Researchers from Tohoku University uncovered one of them when they discovered a hidden natural lubricant inside an active fault. Their findings may explain why the Atotsugawa Fault System produces surprisingly few large earthquakes despite being located in a tectonically active region.

A research team led by Professor Yoshitaka Nishiyama of Saitama University has developed cyanobacterial strains that efficiently produce and secrete free fatty acids (FFAs), key precursors for jet and diesel fuels, using photosynthesis. By enhancing endogenous galactolipases and an RND-type efflux transporter, the team enabled the microalga Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 to release FFAs outside the cell, simplifying and reducing the energy-intensive steps of harvesting, drying, and extraction. Because the strains were developed using a self-cloning approach without retaining foreign genes, it offers advantages for future industrial use. The findings could help advance low-cost, carbon-neutral biofuel production from carbon dioxide and sunlight.

Kyoto, Japan -- Every year in the West Pacific, as summer ends and September rolls around, typhoons are not far behind. Typhoons are the most impactful extreme weather events affecting Japan and East Asia, and due to climate change, extremely strong typhoons are becoming more frequent. In order to adapt critical infrastructure to these massive storms and protect coastal areas, accurate accounting for their future impact is essential.

Assessing the disaster risks of a typhoon season involves quantitatively predicting storm intensity and frequency, relying heavily on the characteristics of regional meteorological fields and natural variability inherent in the climate system. Though varying typhoon characteristics are related to sea surface temperatures -- SST -- probabilistic evaluations that account for SST have been insufficient.

This motivated a team of researchers at KyotoU's Disaster Prevention Research Institute to analyze typhoon intensity through spatial SST patterns. They combined a slab-ocean model with the Global Atmospheric Climate Model developed by the Meteorological Research Institute of the Japan Meteorological Agency, resulting in a unique simulation that successfully represents atmosphere-ocean interactions on a global scale.

Proteins change shape as they function, and these changes are essential for processes such as drug interactions and cellular activity. Researchers from the Tokyo University of Science developed an AI-based method called DeepAFM that is trained on millions of simulated images representing different protein states, accurately identifying transitions between closed and open states in a protein called SecA. This approach highlights the growing potential of AI to solve complex challenges in biology and medicine.

The function of transposable elements (TEs), during the conversion of stem cells into specialized cell types, remains poorly understood. A study shows that TEs act as binding platforms for key proteins involved in brain development, with many becoming active during neuronal differentiation. The study traces the evolutionary origins of these regulatory elements and demonstrates their role in gene regulation. These findings indicate that TEs may have expanded and refined gene regulatory networks in the brain.

We feel more anxious when facing uncertain or unpredictable situations, but for those who score higher on autistic traits, this anxiety tends to be stronger. Published in Scientific Reports, a new study suggests uncertainty-driven anxiety plays a role in how people manage their emotions. Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan found evidence that people with higher autistic traits may try to cope with uncertainty by labeling their feelings. Offering support, such as the right words for what they feel, could play a role in managing anxiety.