A recent study reports (Al,Ga,Sc)N thin films with record-high scandium levels, with exciting potential for ultra-low-power memory devices, as reported by researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo). Using reactive magnetron sputtering, they fine-tuned the composition of ternary alloys to overcome previous stability limits. Beyond enabling efficient data storage, these films also show promise for noise filters for 6G communications and optical computing, thanks to attractive piezoelectric and optoelectric properties.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers discovered why chemical reactions slow down under high-power ultrasound. Excessive ultrasonic output distorts waveforms, reducing active bubble formation and reaction rates. The study classifies three reaction regions, offering guidance for optimizing sonochemistry in applications like nanoparticle synthesis and PFAS degradation.

Precursor transfer RNAs (pre-tRNAs) are early forms of tRNAs that need precise trimming at both ends to become active for protein production. Bacteria and archaea use small enzymes called “HARPs” to achieve this cleavage, but how exactly this happens remains unclear. Now, researchers from Kyushu University have uncovered that HARPs form a star-shaped complex of 12 units, enabling it to perform both 5’ and 3’ end cleavages—conferring it “dual-functionality.”

Adding bile acids as farnesoid X receptor agonists to the culture medium supported the growth and development of unique stem cell-derived hepatic organoids, report researchers from Japan. These three-dimensional liver organoids were capable of sustained, long-term proliferation while retaining hepatocyte-like features. Their findings could have the potential to drive future research on chronic liver disease and result in newer therapeutic approaches to treat it.

Large language models (LLMs) can support clinical decision-making, but local versions often underperform compared to cloud-based ones. Japanese researchers tested whether retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) could enhance a local model’s performance in radiology contrast media consultations. In 100 synthetic cases, the RAG-enhanced model showed no hallucinations, faster responses, and better rankings by AI judges. These results suggest RAG can significantly boost the clinical usefulness of local LLMs while protecting sensitive patient data onsite.

In a significant step towards improving targeted cancer therapy, researchers from Japan have developed a novel nanocarrier system that delivers therapeutic antibodies directly to target antigens inside cancer cells. By utilizing a metal-polyphenol network, the system escapes endosomes, enabling intracellular targeting of antibodies, resulting in suppression of tumor growth and enhanced anti-cancer activity, offering a promising tool for targeted cancer therapy.