The e-mail magazine "Qdai-mail Tsushin" delivers campus news
every month.

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Friday, November 27, 2020

◆Notes on infectious disease control related to the novel
coronavirus (COVID-19) are posted on the University website.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/crisismanagement/riskmanagement/coronavirus

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**Research


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*Understanding mentality and behavior in Japan in response 
 to COVID-19
   ~~~~~~~~~~
In the first systematic research exploring the psychobehavioral 
status of the general public in Japan during a public health emergency, 
researchers at Kyushu University have revealed how personality, 
morality, and ideology altered mental health status as well as 
preventive behaviors toward COVID-19.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/172


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*Formation mechanism of record-breaking rainfall clarified
   ~~~~~~~~~~
Record heavy rainfall exceeding 600 mm over 6 hours from 
around noon to the night of July 5, 2017, in the Asakura 
region of Fukuoka Prefecture triggered a number of landslides 
and flash floods that resulted in a severe disaster. 
Researchers at Kyushu University now have new insight into 
what caused this record-breaking precipitation through 
the first high-resolution numerical simulations to reproduce 
this weather anomaly.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/173


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*Mysteries hidden in hepatic reprogramming
   ~~~~~~~~~~
Researchers in Japan have elucidated the molecular mechanisms 
of a process to turn cells called fibroblasts into those displaying 
functions similar to liver cells in mice, providing new insights 
for using such cells in medicine and for understanding liver 
diseases related to the disruption of cell formation.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/174


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*Uncovering COVID-19’s impact on the energy transition
   ~~~~~~~~~~
Exploring the unique set of scenarios put into motion by 
the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers from Kyushu University 
have identified short and long term impacts it may have on 
achieving global carbon emission targets and the Sustainable 
Development Goals along with lessons that can be learned 
to help advance these global initiatives.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/175


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*Biocompatible and second only to diamond in hardness
   ~~~~~~~~~~
An international team of researchers has reported for the first 
time the biocompatibility of the second hardest known material, 
opening the possibility for a new ultrahard coating material for 
biological and biomedical applications.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/176


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*Converting body heat to electricity efficiently
   ~~~~~~~~~~
Thermo-electrochemical cells newly developed by researchers 
at Kyushu University offer a promising route to flexible and 
inexpensive devices that can convert heat from sources such 
as your body or the sun directly into electricity, providing power 
just about anywhere.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/177


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*Higher-resolution imaging of living, moving cells using 
 plasmonic metasurfaces
   ~~~~~~~~~~
Now, researchers in Japan have shown that a glass surface 
embedded with self-assembled gold nanoparticles can improve 
resolution with little added cost even using a conventional 
widefield microscope, facilitating high-resolution fluorescence 
microscopy capable of high-speed imaging of living cells.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/178


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*Specific personality improves odds of identifying depression 
 with blood tests
   ~~~~~~~~~~
A research team led by Kyushu University Hospital now reports 
that analysis of previously known blood biomarkers to identify 
depression performs dramatically better in populations with 
specific personalities, providing new leads for understanding 
these relationships.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/179


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*Researchers develop ultra-fast polymer modulators that 
 can take the heat
   ~~~~~~~~~~
Employing a polymer they designed to exhibit superb 
electro-optic properties and a high glass transition temperature 
of 172 °C through the incorporation of appropriate chemical groups, 
the research team achieved ultra-fast signaling at elevated 
temperatures in a silicon-polymer hybrid modulator based 
on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration, 
which is less sensitive to temperature changes than some 
other architectures.

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/180


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**Events


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*Virtual Graduate Study Week in KU
Date:2020.11.26 [Thu] 14:00 - 2020.12.04 [Fri] 15:00
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events/view/168
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"Virtual Graduate Study Week in KU" will give prospective 
graduate students the opportunities to learn Kyushu University 
through meeting our faculty staff and international students remotely.
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** Stay Connected
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https://www.youtube.com/user/KyushuUniv
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