Concept of the highly efficient acetylene synthesis process from CO2 using two-step electrolysis
The innovative process, which does not require fossil fuels, can pave the way for a sustainable acetylene-based industry.

Researchers, including Yuta Suzuki, Assistant Professor at the Harris Science Research Institute, have developed a novel method for synthesizing acetylene from carbon dioxide without using fossil fuels.

Conventional acetylene synthesis methods rely on fossil fuels. A new process is required for its sustainable synthesis to reduce its carbon footprint. In a new study, researchers from Doshisha University and Daikin Industries Ltd developed a novel method for synthesizing acetylene from carbon dioxide via calcium carbide without using fossil fuels. This innovative process can contribute to realizing a sustainable acetylene-based industry.

Reference
Yuta Suzuki, Seiya Tanaka, Takashi Watanabe, Takane Tsuchii, Tomohiro Isogai, Akiyoshi Yamauchi, Yosuke Kishikawa, Takuya Goto. High-efficient acetylene synthesis by selective electrochemical formation of CO₂-derived CaC₂. Chemical Engineering Journal, Volume 494, 2024, 153013
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.153013.

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.  
[Research News] A New Method for Sustainable Synthesis of Acetylene from Carbon Dioxide

This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”
NEWS RELEASE 15-JUL-2024, A New Method for Sustainable Synthesis of Acetylene from Carbon Dioxide

Image Credit: Yuta Suzuki and Takuya Goto from Doshisha University
License type: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

A Japanese greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus nippon) chasing a moth in an experiment chamber
 

A research team* from the National Institute for Basic Biology of Japan and Doshisha University used free-moving bats chasing moths as a realistic model of target tracking. They found that bats used the four key tactics and organized them effectively to track prey accurately. The team also proposed a possible operational rule enabling bats to exercise this strategy efficiently.

The ability to "target track" is essential for various activities and has improved in animals and machines through the evolution of life and technology. Because most sensing systems are inevitably subject to a certain degree of delay caused by information processing, many studies have addressed the challenge of overcoming this delay constraint for more accurate target tracking. Studying animals' sophisticated tracking behavior would bring a significant breakthrough in this fundamental problem.

*
Nozomi Nishiumi: National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Science
Emyo Fujioka: Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University
Shizuko Hiryu: Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha Universityn.

Reference
Nozomi Nishiumi, Emyo Fujioka, Shizuko Hiryu, Bats integrate multiple echolocation and flight tactics to track prey, Current Biology, 2024.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.062

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.  
[Research News]  Target tracking strategy in bats: Integration of echolocation and flight tactics

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NEWS RELEASE 28-JUNE-2024, Target tracking strategy in bats: Integration of echolocation and flight tactics

Image Credit: Doshisha University
License type: For use in stories about this research, must credit "Doshisha Univ"

The CO₂ conversion process at the interface between DEME-BF₄ electrolytes containing Ca(OH)₂ aqueous solution and silver electrodes
  The production of hydrocarbons occurs through two intermediates formed on the surface of the silver electrode to produce useful hydrocarbons like ethylene, ethane, propylene, and propane.

The research team, led by Professor Takuya Goto and including Ms. Saya Nozaki from the Graduate School of Science and Engineering and Dr. Yuta Suzuki from the Harris Science Research Institute, discovered that combining ionic liquids electrolytes with metal hydroxides enables efficient electrochemical conversion of CO₂ to hydrocarbons.

The electrochemical conversion of captured carbon dioxide into fuels and chemicals offers a sustainable approach to reduce emissions. However, traditional methods rely on complex electrode designs. Goto and his team demonstrated a cost-effective approach using an ionic liquid combined with metal hydroxides as an electrolyte, enabling efficient conversion even on basic metal electrodes. With this electrolyte, they successfully produced propane and ethylene directly from CO₂ and H₂O, offering a cost-effective method for emissions reduction.

Reference
Saya Nozaki, Yuta Suzuki, Takuya Goto, Electrochemical synthesis of C₂ and C₃ hydrocarbons from CO₂ on an Ag electrode in DEME-BF₄ containing H₂O and metal hydroxides, Electrochimica Acta, Volume 493, 2024,144431.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2024.144431

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.  
Research News: Efficient CO₂ Conversion to Fuels and Chemicals Using Ionic Liquid Electrolyte

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NEWS RELEASE 3-JUNE-2024, Efficient CO2 Conversion to Fuels and Chemicals Using Ionic Liquid Electrolyte

Image Credit:Takuya Goto from Doshisha University
License type: CC BY 4.0 DEED

Redesigning Emergency Alerts for a quicker response
Despite the widespread use of mobile phones for delivering emergency alerts, current systems do not prompt recipients to take protective action. By examining people's responses to alerts, the researchers propose several measures to enhance the effectiveness of alert systems.

Kazuya Nakayachi, a Professor at the Faculty of Psychology, and his colleagues propose improving phone alerts to enhance emergency response times based on their study of Japanese earthquake alert reactions.

The effectiveness of emergency alerts delivered to our phones depends on how quickly we take protective actions upon receiving them. In this study, Nakayachi and his colleagues examined the actions of people who received earthquake warnings on their phones and found that most did not take protective actions. They suggest that most people are not adequately trained to respond to such alerts and propose measures to improve the effectiveness of earthquake alerts.

Reference
Kazuya Nakayachi, Ryosuke Yokoi, James Goltz, Human behavioral response to earthquake early warnings (EEW): Are alerts received on mobile phones inhibiting protective actions?, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Volume 105, 2024,104401, ISSN 2212-4209
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104401

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.  
[Research News] Improving the Effectiveness of Earthquake Early Warning Systems

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NEWS RELEASE 21-MAY-2024, Improving the Effectiveness of Earthquake Early Warning Systems

Image Credit:Flash Flood Warning- Cell Phone Wireless Emergency Alert by Tony Webster
License type: CC BY 2.0

To compare learning outcomes students were divided into two groups: (a) the human tutoring group and (b) the robot tutoring group (image on the right）.
The group with the robot tutor made fewer errors and spoke more fluently than the group with human tutors, indicating the effectiveness of robot-assisted learning.

Takamasa Iio, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Culture and Information Science, showed that Robots play a significant role in repetitive practice for language learning. Still, human interaction is crucial for real-life language use.

Iio and his research team compared students' English-speaking abilities with current mainstream robot-assisted language learning (RALL) systems versus human tutors. They discovered that students had ample opportunities to practice speaking with the robots, feeling more at ease, resulting in fewer errors and improved fluency. These findings highlight the potential of incorporating RALL systems into teaching scenarios that are challenging for human tutors.

Reference
Iio, T., Yoshikawa, Y., Ogawa, K. et al. Comparison of Outcomes Between Robot-Assisted Language Learning System and Human Tutors: Focusing on Speaking Ability. Int J of Soc Robotics 16, 743–761 (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-024-01134-0

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.  
[Research News] Comparative Analysis of Robot-Assisted Language Learning Systems and Human Tutors in English Conversation Lessons

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NEWS RELEASE 10-MAY-2024, Comparative Analysis of Robot-Assisted Language Learning Systems and Human Tutors in English Conversation Lessons

Image Credit:Takamasa Iio from Doshisha University
License type: CC BY 4.0 DEED

Information Delivery is crucial to how citizens perceive Government action and policy
 Transparent government practices and communication can enhance citizen trust and foster a positive relationship between the government and citizens.

Yu Noda, Professor at the Graduate School of Policy Science, Faculty of Policy Studies, underscores the need for effective government communication to inform citizens about fiscal policies and improve transparency.

Effective communication between the government and citizens is necessary for good governance and civic engagement. A recent study conducted by Noda highlights how effective information delivery affects citizen trust, satisfaction, and perceptions of government finances. His findings not only point towards crucial directions for investigating the learning effects of information delivery by local governments but also advocate for effective strategies aimed at fostering positive relationships between citizens and governments through such endeavors.

Reference
Noda, Y. (2024). Information on local financial reforms and cognitive processes of citizens. International Review of Administrative Sciences.
https://doi.org/10.1177/00208523241240128

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.
[Research News] Understanding the Crucial Role of Information Delivery in Improving Citizen Perceptions of Government Policy: Insights from Kyoto City

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NEWS RELEASE 9-MAY-2024, Understanding the Crucial Role of Information Delivery in Improving Citizen Perceptions of Government Policy: Insights from Kyoto City

Image Credit: "Kyoto City Government - panoramio" by ccfarmer 
License type:CC BY 3.0

The search for sustainable method to produce acetylene
Acetylene is widely used in across many industries, including the production of resins and plastics like PVC. Realizing an environmentally friendly technique to synthesize it would represent a massive step towards building sustainable societies.

A research team led by Yuta Suzuki, Assistant Professor at Harris Science Research Institute and Takuya Goto, Professor at the Department of Science of Environment and Mathematical Modeling, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, develop an environmentally friendly method to electrochemically synthesize an essential industrial gas.
Acetylene is an essential precursor in the production of resins and plastics such as PVC, as well as a useful gas in many industrial processes. However, its synthesis requires fossil fuels, making it environmentally taxing. Now, Suzuki, Goto and their research team have developed an innovative electrochemical technique to produce acetylene using carbon dioxide and water as raw materials. This method could greatly reduce the carbon footprint of acetylene synthesis and contribute to sustainable carbon capture technologies.

Reference
Suzuki Y., Tanaka S., Watanabe T., Isogai T., Yamauchi A., Kishikawa Y., Goto T. New Route of Acetylene Synthesis via Electrochemical Formation of Metal Carbides from CO2 in Chloride Melts (2024) ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 12 (5), pp. 2110 - 2119.
DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c08139

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.
[Research News] Advancing Towards Sustainability: Turning Carbon Dioxide and Water into Acetylene

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NEWS RELEASE 27-MAR-2024, Advancing Towards Sustainability: Turning Carbon Dioxide and Water into Acetylene

Image Credit: Yuta Suzuki from Doshisha University, Japan
License type: CC BY

Developing hydrogel scaffolds with tunable elastic modulus for tissue engineering
Researchers have developed a hydrogel composed of poly(N-acryloylglycinamide) (PNAGAm) grafted with arginine (R)–glycine (G)–aspartic acid (D)–serine (S) peptide whose elastic modulus can be changed by simply compressing it to different thicknesses.

A research team led by Assistant Professor Shin-nosuke Nishimura and Professor Tomoyuki Koga at the Department of Molecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, demonstrate a hydrogel system possessing the ability to remember its shape, offering a unique platform for controlling cell adhesion behavior.

Artificial scaffolds play an important role in tissue healing and growth. The properties of a scaffold, especially its elasticity, impact cell growth. However, adjusting the elasticity without altering composition and other properties has been challenging. Now, researchers at Doshisha University have successfully created a hydrogel with a tunable elastic modulus with the same composition. This breakthrough allows, for the first time, the control of cell adhesion on a hydrogel by adjusting the elastic modulus. Artificial scaffolds play an important role in tissue healing and growth. The properties of a scaffold, especially its elasticity, impact cell growth. However, adjusting the elasticity without altering composition and other properties has been challenging. Now, Nishimura and his colleagues have successfully created a hydrogel with a tunable elastic modulus with the same composition. This breakthrough allows, for the first time, the control of cell adhesion on a hydrogel by adjusting the elastic modulus.

Investigating how Japanese horseshoe bats perceive moving objects.
Researchers from Doshisha University have found that horseshoe bats exhibit rapid changes in vocalizations and behavior primarily in response to Doppler shifts.

Soshi Yoshida, a PhD student, and Shizuko Hiryu, a Professor, both from the Neuroethology and Bioengineering Lab, the Graduate School of Life and Medical Science, and their research team reveal how Horseshoe Bats perceive moving objects such as their predator.
The unique echolocation ability of bats enables them to “see” using sound, allowing for quick detection and avoidance of approaching threats. They achieve this by discerning changes in the frequency of reflected soundwaves or the delay. However, the specific mechanism by which they recognize approaching objects has remained unclear. To find out, researchers simulated a moving object using soundwaves and discovered that bats utilize “Doppler shifts” or frequency changes to perceive approaching objects.

Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) as energy-efficient structural materials.
Thanks to their light weight yet remarkable strength, the use of CFRPs in the automobile, aerospace, and renewable energy industries is soaring. However, this means finding effective ways to recycle the waste generated by CFRPs is essential to ensure sustainability in the long term.

Kiyotaka Obunai, an Associate Professor, and Kazuya Okubo, a Professor, both from the Department of Mechanical and Systems Engineering of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, have investigated how using superheated steam can help preserve the properties of fibers recovered from waste carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) via thermal decomposition.The demand for CFRPs for aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy applications has recently skyrocketed, creating the need for efficient ways to recycle these composites. Their findings could open doors to more sustainable manufacturing processes and a reduced environmental impact in industries reliant on CFRPs, contributing to a greener future.

Reference
Obunai K., Okubo K. Mechanical characteristics of reclaimed carbon fibre under superheated steam atmosphere and its feasibility for remanufacturing CFRP/CFRTP (2024) Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 176, art. no. 107843
DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107843


For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.
Research News: Reclaiming Carbon Fibers from Discarded Composite Materials

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NEWS RELEASE 16-NOV-2023: Reclaiming Carbon Fibers from Discarded Composite Materials

Schematic representation of NRF1-triggered activation of aggrephagy mediated by impaired proteasome activity
The ubiquitin‒proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy are protein degradation pathways essential for maintaining protein balance and regulation, or proteostasis (left panel). When proteasome activity decreases because of several reasons including chemical inhibitors and aging, the transcription factor NRF1 gets activated, leading to the upregulation of proteasome gene expression (“the proteasome bounce-back response;” middle panel). Furthermore, complete proteasome dysfunction activates NRF1-mediated aggrephagy, inducing the expression of the aggrephagy-related genes p62 and GABARAPL1 (right). These cellular responses help combat proteasome dysfunction by maintaining proteostasis.

Atsushi Hatanaka, a graduate student, and Akira Kobayashi, a professor, both from the Laboratory for Genetic Code, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, and their research team discovered the hidden mechanism of "aggrephagy," with major implications for degenerative protein diseases.
In cells, the ubiquitin‒proteasome system (UPS) plays a key role in the elimination of unwanted or misfolded proteins. When UPS fails, cells activate a backup process called "aggrephagy" for clearing ubiquitin-tagged proteins. However, the associated mechanism behind this process remains unknown. Recently, Hatanaka, Kobayashi, and their colleagues have demonstrated how another protein called NRF1 facilitates aggrephagy, thereby providing new therapeutic targets for diseases resulting from misfolded proteins.
These findings pave the way toward developing novel therapeutics for degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dementia with Lewy bodies.

Molecular desorption from a microbubble under ultrasound irradiation.
The amount of molecular desorption can be estimated quantitatively by the proposed method.

A research team headed by Professor Daisuke Koyama and graduate student Ms. Reina Kobayashi, from the Faculty of Science and Engineering, reported, “novel measurement technique can help develop targeted therapeutic strategies that use microbubbles and ultrasound to deliver drugs to specific locations.”
Vascular drug therapies often lead to undesirable side effects on healthy tissues. Addressing this issue requires targeted drug delivery systems. They have recently developed an innovative approach for measuring the amount of molecules desorbed from the surface of individual microbubbles when irradiated with ultrasound. Using this technique, they analyzed the desorption process in detail, revealing insights that could enable the design of next-generation drug delivery systems based on drug-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound.

Reference
I Kobayashi R., Narita J., Nakaoka N., Krafft M.P., Koyama D. Quantitative estimation of phospholipid molecules desorbed from a microbubble surface under ultrasound irradiation (2023) Scientific Reports, 13 (1), art. no. 13693.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40823-0

For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.
Research News: Unveiling the Science of Ultrasound-Driven Microbubble Desorption

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NEWS RELEASE 21-SEP-2023 Unveiling the Science of Ultrasound-Driven Microbubble Desorption


Image Credit:Daisuke Koyama and Reina Kobayashi
License type: Original content