JTW Digest, April 16, 2024

Author

Eldar Syzdykov
April 16, 2024

April 16

Digital Administrative Reform Dialogue on Improving Healthcare Services through Digitalization

The key points from the document are:

1. The 8th Digital Administrative Reform Dialogue is being held today at 5:30 PM, focusing on improving user-centric convenience and quality of healthcare through digitalization.

2. The digital transformation of healthcare is progressing based on the "Roadmap for Promoting Healthcare DX" decided by the Healthcare DX Promotion Headquarters last June. However, there are some areas, such as the introduction of electronic prescriptions and online medical examinations, that have not progressed as planned.

3. The discussion will cover these issues from the perspective of improving user-centric convenience and quality of healthcare, as part of the digital administrative reform.

4. The dialogue will be live-streamed online, and the archive will be available on the Cabinet Secretariat's website.

5. Additionally, the 8th meeting of the Startup Investment Working Group under the Regulatory Reform Promotion Council will be held on April 18, and it will be live-streamed on YouTube.

6. The discussion will cover topics such as the rationality of the face-to-face confirmation procedure for the certification system and the issue of grasping the actual controlling persons of corporations to address money laundering concerns.

Nagoya University and Asahi Kasei Develop Aluminum Nitride pn Junction Diode for Next-Generation Power Devices

Researchers from Nagoya University, led by graduate student Takeru Kumabe, in collaboration with Asahi Kasei, have successfully created an aluminum nitride pn junction device (diode) with ideal electrical characteristics. Aluminum nitride is a promising material for "ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors" with a large bandgap, making it a potential candidate for next-generation power and high-frequency devices.

The team adopted a "distributed polarization doping" method, which takes advantage of the material's inherent polarization properties, instead of the conventional impurity doping approach. This allowed them to control the conductivity of aluminum nitride by polarizing it in three-dimensional space, a long-standing challenge in the device application of aluminum nitride.

The pn junction diode was fabricated on an aluminum nitride substrate using metal organic vapor phase epitaxial growth (MOVPE), with aluminum gallium nitride as the active layer. The successful demonstration of the pn junction diode using distributed polarization doping technology is a fundamental step towards the application of aluminum nitride in electronic devices, including the potential development of transistors.

Nissan Unveils Next-Gen EV Tech: Lithium Metal Batteries and Rare Earth-Free Magnets for Higher Performance and Lower Costs

Nissan has revealed details on its upcoming next-generation electric vehicle (EV) technologies, including all-solid-state batteries and advanced electric drive systems.

The key highlights are:

1. All-solid-state batteries: Nissan has developed an all-solid-state battery using a lithium metal negative electrode, which achieves an energy density around 1.5 to 2 times higher than conventional EV batteries. This is a major breakthrough, as lithium metal electrodes are difficult to handle but provide higher energy density.

2. Rare earth-free magnets: Nissan will introduce the world's first samarium iron magnets for its EV motors, replacing the neodymium magnets that rely heavily on rare earth materials from China.

3. Cost reduction: The new battery and motor technologies are expected to reduce component procurement costs by around 30% compared to current EV systems.

Nissan aims to start mass production of all-solid-state battery prototypes at its Yokohama factory next year, with a view to commercialization by 2025. These innovations in battery and motor technologies are expected to significantly improve the performance and affordability of Nissan's future electric vehicles.

Waseda University Discovers "Big Exercise Effect" in Just 40 Seconds of High-Intensity Sprinting

Researchers from Waseda University, led by Professor Yasuo Kawakami and researcher Takuki Yamagishi from the National Center for Sport Science, have discovered a mechanism that can produce significant training effects through a minimal amount of exercise.

The key findings are:

1. Performing two 20-second all-out sprints can significantly increase aerobic energy metabolism and thigh muscle activity.

2. By doing this exercise regularly once or twice a week, it can improve maximum oxygen uptake (a measure of whole-body endurance) as well as thigh muscle mass and strength.

3. Improving maximum oxygen uptake not only benefits athletes but also helps prevent diseases in adults. The exercise style used in the study is also expected to be effective in slowing down age-related decline in thigh muscle mass.

4. The researchers suggest that even further reducing the exercise time to 30 seconds (2 x 15 seconds) may be effective, as the increase in oxygen consumption plateaus after around 15 seconds.

5. While the exercise time is extremely short, the high-intensity nature may be challenging for those not accustomed to it. Verifying the effects of slightly lower intensity exercises is also recommended.

The study's findings demonstrate the potential of brief but intense exercise to produce significant training effects, which could be valuable for people with busy lifestyles who struggle to meet traditional exercise recommendations.

Breakthrough in Biodegradable Polylactic Acid: AIST Develops Method to Improve Decomposition in Ocean Environments

Researchers from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), in collaboration with Kobe University and Kaneka, have developed a method to improve the biodegradability and elongation of polylactic acid (PLA), a common bioplastic.

Key points:

1. PLA is a bioplastic derived from plant-based lactic acid, but it has issues with brittleness and only decomposes in high-temperature, high-humidity environments like composting facilities.

2. The researchers blended PLA with a copolymer of lactic acid and 3-hydroxybutanoic acid (LAHB), which is known to be biodegradable in various environments, including the ocean.

3. By optimizing the PLA-LAHB blend ratio, they were able to significantly improve the elongation of the material, allowing it to stretch up to 3 times its length without breaking.

4. In seawater tests, the biodegradation rate of the PLA-LAHB blend reached nearly 50% within 155 days, exceeding the theoretical value if only LAHB had decomposed.

5. The researchers believe the mechanism involves microorganisms first decomposing the LAHB on the surface, creating openings for further decomposition of the remaining PLA.

This breakthrough paves the way for PLA to be decomposable in the ocean, which could help address the marine plastic waste problem. The researchers aim to further optimize the PLA-LAHB blend and work towards commercialization of this improved biodegradable bioplastic material.