Late-life mood disorders (LLMDs), such as depression and bipolar disorder, appearing after 40 years of age, may signal early neurodegenerative diseases. Using advanced PET scans and autopsy data, researchers from Japan revealed that many patients with LLMDs exhibit abnormal tau and amyloid protein accumulation—key markers of dementia—years before cognitive symptoms arise. Their findings highlight tau-PET imaging as a promising tool for detecting underlying brain pathologies, paving the way to early dementia diagnosis.

Some autistic traits related to challenges with social interaction, mental flexibility and visual perception could be alleviated through a new, noninvasive therapy. A team of researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, found that stimulating nerve cells when the brain becomes “stuck” in a certain state improves flexibility and relieves some autistic behaviors. The procedure utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which is already used to treat certain mood disorders, in a novel manner. Over 40 adults with a mild form of autism participated, and the therapeutic effects lasted for up to two months after the last session. This study could contribute toward projects enabling new treatments.

Inspired by a simple children's toy, a jumping popper toy, researchers have unlocked a key to designing more agile and predictable soft robots. Soft robots, made from flexible materials, hold immense promise for delicate tasks, but their complex movements have been difficult to predict and control, especially dynamic actions like jumping. Now, a team from Keio University and The University of Osaka has published a study in Advanced Robotics Research detailing the physics behind the jump of thin hemispherical shells, a fundamental building block for jumping soft robots.

Tokyo, Japan – A team led by a researcher from Tokyo Metropolitan University has devised a new way of coating magnesium alloys to improve their corrosion resistance. Instead of costly, unwieldy, and slower coating techniques under vacuum, they used liquid-based chemical conversion coating with the addition of cavitation bubbles. The resulting thick coating helped improve corrosion resistance to chlorides and mechanical properties. The team’s new technology is aimed at reinforcing lightweight materials in electric cars.

A new study from Waseda University reveals that the motor protein myosin XI is essential for helping plants absorb boron under nutrient-deficient conditions. Researchers found that myosin XI maintains the correct positioning of the boric acid channel AtNIP5;1 in root cells by supporting endocytosis. Without myosin XI, plants fail to localize this channel properly, leading to poor boron uptake and stunted growth. The findings could inform strategies to improve crop resilience in boron-deficient soils.

A visible-light-driven postfunctionalization method developed by researchers from Japan enables the incorporation of phosphonate esters into polymers, expanding the possibilities for creating fire-resistant and temperature-responsive materials. This reaction technique offers a sustainable way to add useful functional groups to precursor polymer chains without altering their molecular weight, transforming common polymers into high-value materials that are difficult to obtain through direct polymerization of functional monomers.

An ultra-compact, low-power 150 GHz radio module enabling high data rates in mobile devices has been developed by researchers from Japan. Targeting 6G user equipment, the proposed design integrates a phased-array transceiver with several key innovations to overcome the main challenges of operating at frequencies in the 150 GHz band. This work could thus pave the way to unprecedented connectivity in terminal devices, way surpassing existing 5G technology.

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), in collaboration with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony), has developed the world's first practical surface-emitting laser that employs quantum dot(QD) as the optical gain medium for use in optical fiber communication systems.

This achievement was made possible by NICT's high-precision crystal growth technology and Sony's advanced semiconductor processing technology. The surface-emitting laser developed in this study incorporates nanoscale semiconductor structures called quantum dots as light-emitting materials. This innovation not only facilitates the miniaturization and reduced power consumption of light sources in optical fiber communications systems but also offers potential cost reductions through mass production and enhanced output via integration.

The results of this research were published in Optics Express, a leading international journal in optical technology, published by the OPTICA Publishing Group in the United States, in Vol. 33, Issue 6, on Monday, March 24, 2025.