Pain is an important physiological response triggered by physical injury or psychological stressors. While studies have shown that mice housed with mice experiencing pain show heightened pain sensitivity, underlying mechanisms remain unclear. A new study by researchers from Tokyo University of Science finds that exposure to stress calls emitted by mice experiencing pain triggers pain and inflammation in naïve mice, thus providing novel insights into pain perception and its social transmission.

Researchers have solved a mystery that has confounded scientists for 80 years: the crystal structure of the tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB) hydrate TBAB·26H₂O. This substance belongs to a class of crystalline materials called semiclathrate hydrates, which form from the combination of ions and water. Since its discovery in 1940, this TBAB hydrate has been widely used in a range of applications, including air conditioning. Understanding the crystal structure of this important semiclathrate hydrate will help scientists and engineers better utilize TBAB hydrate.

Significantly reducing greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere to mitigate the most devastating effects of climate change will require a large reduction in emissions as well as strategies designed to sequester emitted CO₂ and other offending gasses. A team of research scientists recently used recycled silicon wafers from discarded solar panels to efficiently convert CO₂ into formic acid and formamide, two useful, value-added organic compounds.

Liver organoids with proper blood vessel networks have been successfully produced, as reported by researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. This advancement addresses a major challenge in replicating the liver’s complex vasculature in lab-grown tissues. Using a novel 3D culture system, the researchers achieved the self-organization of four distinct precursor cell types into functional organoids, capable of producing essential clotting factors in a haemophilia A mouse model.

Aspergillus, a common mold-forming fungus, can cause severe respiratory disease in patients with reduced immunity. Through screening 23 A. spinulosporus strains, researchers have identified, for the first time, seven clinical A. latus strains in patient samples. Their discovery of A. latus strains in samples obtained between 2012 and 2023 revealed a high misidentification rate of 30.4%. Continued surveillance and improved diagnostic tools can aid in the clinical management of Aspergillus infections.

Researchers have developed a new microscope that can visualize the optical response of surfaces at an unprecedented spatial resolution of one nanometer. This paves the way for optical microscopy of atomic-scale structures, such as single molecules and atomic defects. Such capability is important for optical engineering of nanomaterials and surfaces at angstrom scales.

Researchers have created an alloy that maintains its special ability to act as a sort of temperature-activated memory foam at temperatures as low as -200°C – making it highly suitable for space equipment regularly exposed to these challenging, cold environments.

A study by The University of Osaka and the National Institute for Environmental Studies aimed to understand how different rewards influence citizen contributions to biodiversity data. Using the Biome app, 830 users joined a one-week experiment offering either cash, donation-based, or no incentives for posting nature photos. Cash increased total posts, while donations encouraged sharing of rare species. The study reveals how tailoring incentives can improve both the quantity and quality of biodiversity data collected through citizen science.

A group at Niigata University succeeded in the treatment of a brainstem glioma patient with a rare IDH2 mutation. Brainstem gliomas with H3K27M mutation are usually refractory to temozolomide. However, in adult brainstem glioma patients, rare IDH1/2 mutations can be found. Treatment response can be expected in these patients. Therefore, screening for 2-hydroxyglutarate accumulation using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and safe surgical biopsy are necessary to determine the proper treatment.

At the forefront of discovery, where cutting-edge scientific questions are tackled, we often don’t have much data. Conversely, successful machine learning (ML) tends to rely on large, high quality data sets for training. So how can researchers harness AI effectively to support their investigations? Published in Physical Review Research, scientists describe an approach for working with ML to tackle complex questions in condensed matter physics. Their method tackles hard problems which were previously unsolvable by physicist simulations or by ML algorithms alone.