Toyota develops environment-friendly car surface treatment agent
January 27, 2006Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it has developed a car surface preparation agent, used for priming vehicle bodies before they are painted, that produces far fewer toxic substances and other waste than current agents, with Nihon Parkerizing Co. Toyota began using the new agent earlier this month in manufacturing subcompact cars including the Corolla and claims that it has the potential to become a chemical of choice for both domestic and foreign carmakers.
Panel concludes professor faked papers on human enzyme experiments
January 27, 2006An investigative panel at the University of Tokyo said Friday that a series of 12 scientific experiments on human enzymes conducted by one of its academic teams has not been reproduced so far, indicating that a professor of biochemistry engineering fabricated scientific papers on the research. Kazunari Taira, 53, the professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology at the university's Graduate School of Engineering, rejected the outcome of the investigations, telling reporters the report was the product of a misunderstanding.