Hokkaido University

Rigaku Conducts Elemental Analysis of a Sample Obtained by NASA of the Asteroid Bennu

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星期四, 五月 9, 2024
Technology, Research, Engineering, Chemicals, Plastics, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Hardware, Other Science, Science, ICP-MS, WDXRF, Element, Corporation, Hokkaido University, Silicon, NASA, Partnership, OSIRIS-REx, Spacecraft, Carbon, Oxygen, Analysis, Hayabusa, Rigaku, Multimedia, Hayabusa2, Faculty, Mass spectrometry

View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240508939191/en/

Key Points: 
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240508939191/en/
    The particles from Bennu are a sample obtained by OSIRIS-Rex, a spacecraft of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
  • This analysis constitutes the second time Rigaku has been tasked with conducting analysis related to Bennu.
  • On the first occasion, in December 2023, Rigaku measured water and carbon content in a sample from the carbonaceous asteroid using thermoanalysis.
  • The purpose of the analysis was to ascertain the content of major and trace elements including carbon and oxygen in sample.

Lipids with potential health benefits in herbal teas

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星期三, 四月 3, 2024
Lipid, Health, Tea, Faculty, Oil, Taste, Professor, Associate, Houttuynia, Equisetum, Research, Fats, Arachidonic acid, University, Hokkaido University, Anticarcinogen, Outline of health sciences, Plant, Food chemistry, Water, Collection, Dietary supplement

SAPPORO, Japan, April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Herbal teas are enjoyed worldwide, not only for their taste and refreshment but also for a wide range of reputed health benefits. But the potential significance of a category of compounds called lipids in the teas has been relatively unexplored. Researchers at Hokkaido University, led by Associate Professor Siddabasave Gowda and Professor Shu-Ping Hui of the Faculty of Health Sciences, have now identified 341 different molecular species from five categories of lipids in samples of four types of herbal tea. They published their results in the journal Food Chemistry.

Key Points: 
  • Hokkaido University researchers have identified new lipids in some herbal teas in detail for the first time, preparing the ground for investigating their contribution to the health benefits of the teas.
  • SAPPORO, Japan, April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Herbal teas are enjoyed worldwide, not only for their taste and refreshment but also for a wide range of reputed health benefits.
  • But the potential significance of a category of compounds called lipids in the teas has been relatively unexplored.
  • "Our initial study paves the way for further exploration of the role of lipids in herbal teas and their broad implications for human health and nutrition," Gowda concludes.

Lipids with potential health benefits in herbal teas

Retrieved on: 
星期三, 四月 3, 2024
Lipid, Health, Tea, Faculty, Oil, Taste, Professor, Associate, Houttuynia, Equisetum, Research, Fats, Arachidonic acid, University, Hokkaido University, Anticarcinogen, Outline of health sciences, Plant, Food chemistry, Water, Collection, Dietary supplement

SAPPORO, Japan, April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Herbal teas are enjoyed worldwide, not only for their taste and refreshment but also for a wide range of reputed health benefits. But the potential significance of a category of compounds called lipids in the teas has been relatively unexplored. Researchers at Hokkaido University, led by Associate Professor Siddabasave Gowda and Professor Shu-Ping Hui of the Faculty of Health Sciences, have now identified 341 different molecular species from five categories of lipids in samples of four types of herbal tea. They published their results in the journal Food Chemistry.

Key Points: 
  • Hokkaido University researchers have identified new lipids in some herbal teas in detail for the first time, preparing the ground for investigating their contribution to the health benefits of the teas.
  • SAPPORO, Japan, April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Herbal teas are enjoyed worldwide, not only for their taste and refreshment but also for a wide range of reputed health benefits.
  • But the potential significance of a category of compounds called lipids in the teas has been relatively unexplored.
  • "Our initial study paves the way for further exploration of the role of lipids in herbal teas and their broad implications for human health and nutrition," Gowda concludes.

Open waste burning linked to air pollution in Northwestern Greenland

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星期二, 四月 2, 2024
Death, Health, Bronchitis, SDG, Associate, Environmental science, Public, Sustainable Development Goals, Research, University, Smoke, NOAA, Hokkaido University, HYSPLIT, Nagoya University, Particulates, Asthma, Dust, NASA, Atmospheric Science Letters, Air pollution, Coal

SAPPORO, Japan, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To better understand the air quality risks faced by remote Arctic communities, an international team monitored aerial pollutants at a community in Northwestern Greenland. Their findings, published in Atmospheric Science Letters, reveal that open waste burning elevates the concern of health risks to the community.

Key Points: 
  • A case study on the effects of open waste burning on air quality in Northwestern Greenland by Hokkaido University researchers calls attention to the importance of no-one-left-behind sustainable air quality monitoring in the Arctic region.
  • Their findings, published in Atmospheric Science Letters, reveal that open waste burning elevates the concern of health risks to the community.
  • The study focused on Qaanaaq, a small village in Northwestern Greenland with a population of approximately 600.
  • We found out how much pollution increases with PM2.5 during local open waste burning," Yasunari said.

Open waste burning linked to air pollution in Northwestern Greenland

Retrieved on: 
星期二, 四月 2, 2024
Death, Health, Bronchitis, SDG, Associate, Environmental science, Public, Sustainable Development Goals, Research, University, Smoke, NOAA, Hokkaido University, HYSPLIT, Nagoya University, Particulates, Asthma, Dust, NASA, Atmospheric Science Letters, Air pollution, Coal

 SAPPORO, Japan, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To better understand the air quality risks faced by remote Arctic communities, an international team monitored aerial pollutants at a community in Northwestern Greenland. Their findings, published in Atmospheric Science Letters, reveal that open waste burning elevates the concern of health risks to the community.

Key Points: 
  • A case study on the effects of open waste burning on air quality in Northwestern Greenland by Hokkaido University researchers calls attention to the importance of no-one-left-behind sustainable air quality monitoring in the Arctic region.
  • Their findings, published in Atmospheric Science Letters, reveal that open waste burning elevates the concern of health risks to the community.
  • The study focused on Qaanaaq, a small village in Northwestern Greenland with a population of approximately 600.
  • We found out how much pollution increases with PM2.5 during local open waste burning," Yasunari said.

Hokkaido University finds a new route to recyclable polymers from plants

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星期四, 三月 21, 2024
Environment, Assistant, Recycling, Polymer, Research, ACS Macro Letters, Artificial intelligence, Hokkaido University, Plant, LGO, Computational chemistry, Plastic, Biomass

SAPPORO, Japan, March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Hokkaido University have taken a significant step forward in the drive to make recyclable yet stable plastics from plant materials. This is a key requirement to reduce the burden of plastic pollution in the environment. They developed a convenient and versatile method to make a variety of polymers from chemicals derived from plant cellulose; crucially, these polymers can be fully recycled. The method was published in the journal ACS Macro Letters.

Key Points: 
  • Cellulose, abundantly available from plant biomass, can be converted into molecules used to make a new class of recyclable polymers, to sustainably replace some plastics.
  • SAPPORO, Japan, March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Hokkaido University have taken a significant step forward in the drive to make recyclable yet stable plastics from plant materials.
  • They developed a convenient and versatile method to make a variety of polymers from chemicals derived from plant cellulose; crucially, these polymers can be fully recycled.
  • To make their new polymers, the Hokkaido team used two commercially available small molecules, levoglucosenone (LGO) and dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene), which are made from cellulose.

Hokkaido University finds a new route to recyclable polymers from plants

Retrieved on: 
星期四, 三月 21, 2024
Environment, Assistant, Recycling, Polymer, Research, ACS Macro Letters, Artificial intelligence, Hokkaido University, Plant, LGO, Computational chemistry, Plastic, Biomass

SAPPORO, Japan, March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Hokkaido University have taken a significant step forward in the drive to make recyclable yet stable plastics from plant materials. This is a key requirement to reduce the burden of plastic pollution in the environment. They developed a convenient and versatile method to make a variety of polymers from chemicals derived from plant cellulose; crucially, these polymers can be fully recycled. The method was published in the journal ACS Macro Letters.

Key Points: 
  • Cellulose, abundantly available from plant biomass, can be converted into molecules used to make a new class of recyclable polymers, to sustainably replace some plastics.
  • SAPPORO, Japan, March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Hokkaido University have taken a significant step forward in the drive to make recyclable yet stable plastics from plant materials.
  • They developed a convenient and versatile method to make a variety of polymers from chemicals derived from plant cellulose; crucially, these polymers can be fully recycled.
  • To make their new polymers, the Hokkaido team used two commercially available small molecules, levoglucosenone (LGO) and dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene), which are made from cellulose.

Key protein linked to immune disorders

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星期四, 三月 14, 2024
Health, B cell, Cell, Communication, Multiple sclerosis, Inflammation, Journal, Research, DSM-IV codes, Bacteria, Virus, Hokkaido University, Protein, Asthma, Cytokine, Infection, Immune system, Journal of Immunology, Antigen, Vaccine

SAPPORO, Japan, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study has shed light on the importance of the protein STAP-1 in activating certain immune cells. Understanding the role of STAP-1 in these cells could give researchers a better glimpse into immune-related disorders and ways to treat them.

Key Points: 
  • SAPPORO, Japan, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study has shed light on the importance of the protein STAP-1 in activating certain immune cells.
  • Understanding the role of STAP-1 in these cells could give researchers a better glimpse into immune-related disorders and ways to treat them.
  • "Our findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying T cell activation and the development of immune disorders," says Tadashi Matsuda, a Hokkaido University professor who led the study.
  • Future research can build on this work by exploring the potential of STAP-1 as a therapeutic target for treating immune-related disorders.

Key protein linked to immune disorders

Retrieved on: 
星期四, 三月 14, 2024
Health, B cell, Cell, Communication, Multiple sclerosis, Inflammation, Journal, Research, DSM-IV codes, Bacteria, Virus, Hokkaido University, Protein, Asthma, Cytokine, Infection, Immune system, Journal of Immunology, Antigen, Vaccine

SAPPORO, Japan, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study has shed light on the importance of the protein STAP-1 in activating certain immune cells. Understanding the role of STAP-1 in these cells could give researchers a better glimpse into immune-related disorders and ways to treat them.

Key Points: 
  • SAPPORO, Japan, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study has shed light on the importance of the protein STAP-1 in activating certain immune cells.
  • Understanding the role of STAP-1 in these cells could give researchers a better glimpse into immune-related disorders and ways to treat them.
  • "Our findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying T cell activation and the development of immune disorders," says Tadashi Matsuda, a Hokkaido University professor who led the study.
  • Future research can build on this work by exploring the potential of STAP-1 as a therapeutic target for treating immune-related disorders.

Hokkaido University develops theoretical models of tree masting

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星期一, 二月 26, 2024
Oak, Weather, Research, Lea, Ecology, Lyme disease, Hokkaido University, Animal, Environmental studies, Seed, Seedling, Ecological Modelling, Climate change, Tree, Tomomichi, Survival, Mortality, Pollen, Human, Forestry

SAPPORO, Japan, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The effects of a phenomenon called tree masting on ecosystems and food webs can be better understood thanks to new theoretical models validated by real world observations.

Key Points: 
  • Joint press release by Hokkaido University and the National Institute for Environmental Studies.
  • SAPPORO, Japan, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The effects of a phenomenon called tree masting on ecosystems and food webs can be better understood thanks to new theoretical models validated by real world observations.
  • Researchers at Hokkaido University have developed new computer-based models of masting that, amongst other uses, could help predict the effects of climate change on woodland and forests.
  • Végh and Kato developed four models of masting using combinations of three major masting theories, which cover the trees' resource budget, pollen limitation and exposure to weather patterns.