Stroke, a leading cause of global mortality, poses significant challenges due to limited therapeutic options and devastating impact on brain health. This review delves into the role of efferocytosis, a vital cellular process responsible for clearing apoptotic cells, in both neurodevelopment and ischemic stroke recovery. By examining its molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential, the study offers critical insights into innovative strategies aimed at mitigating ischemic brain damage and improving patient outcomes.

Identifying biomarkers for predicting radiotherapy efficacy is crucial for optimizing personalized treatments. We previously reported that rs1553867776 in the miR-4274 seed region can predict survival in patients with rectal cancer receiving postoperative chemoradiation therapy. Hence, to investigate the molecular mechanism of the genetic variation and its impact on the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer (CRC), in this study, bioinformatics analysis is combined with functional experiments to confirm peroxisomal biogenesis factor 5 (PEX5) as a direct target of miR-4274. The miR-4274 rs1553867776 variant influences the binding of miR-4274 and PEX5 mRNA, which subsequently regulates PEX5 protein expression. The interaction between PEX5 and Ku70 was verified by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. A xenograft tumor model was established to validate the effects of miR-4274 and PEX5 on CRC progression and radiosensitivity in vivo. The overexpression of PEX5 enhances radiosensitivity by preventing Ku70 from entering the nucleus and reducing the repair of ionizing radiation (IR)-induced DNA damage by the Ku70/Ku80 complex in the nucleus. In addition, the enhanced expression of PEX5 is associated with increased IR-induced ferroptosis. Thus, targeting this mechanism might effectively increase the radiosensitivity of CRC. These findings offer novel insights into the mechanism of cancer radioresistance and have important implications for clinical radiotherapy.

The team proposed a distributed grade prediction model, dubbed FecMap, by exploiting the federated learning (FL) framework that preserves the private data of local clients and communicates with others through a global generalized model.

In recent years, di-silicate (Yb₂Si₂O₇) has been extensively studied due to its outstanding performance and is regarded as one of the most promising materials for environmental barrier coatings (EBCs). However, the decomposition and volatilization of Yb₂Si₂O₇ during the thermal spraying process present a challenge to the stability of these coatings. Teak, renowned for its exceptional mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and durability, provides a new direction for EBC development with its distinctive layered structure. A research team has skillfully utilized the decomposition characteristics of Yb₂Si₂O₇ during spraying, precisely controlling the composition and nanostructure of the Yb₂Si₂O₇ coatings to emulate the layered structure of teak. This has resulted in the development of a novel environmental barrier coating (EBC). This innovative design not only marks a breakthrough in coating technology but also introduces new opportunities for advancements in the field of EBC protection.

To foster a sustainable public health environment, a research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has collaborated with experts from international universities, utilising big mobility data and advanced sensor technology to study urban air pollution. Their study has highlighted the significance of daily travel patterns, and race and ethnicity in assessing differences in residents’ exposure to air pollution, offering new insights for authorities worldwide when developing air pollution mitigation measures. The findings have been published in the international journal Nature Cities.

A new study published in Forest Ecosystems highlights the growing wildfire risk posed by standing dead trees in Yellowstone National Park. Using advanced machine learning and spatial analysis, the researchers mapped tree mortality and assessed the vulnerability of nearby infrastructure, offering valuable insights for fire management and wildfire mitigation efforts in high-risk areas.

In this issue of hLife, the team led by Prof. Min Wang from Ocean University of China systematically mined and characterized the diversity of viral reverse transcriptases from global metagenomic datasets. Viral reverse transcriptases are not only encoded by pathogenic retroviruses; their vast diversity is hidden in the genomes of ubiquitous bacteriophages, which are widely distributed in the human gut microbiomes and various ecosystems on Earth. This study is expected to shed light on their critical roles in microbial ecology and evolution, offering valuable insights for future antiviral strategies and biotechnological applications.

Recently, Professor Xiaoli Huang from Jilin University, Dr. Dmitrii Semenok from Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, and Professor Tian Cui from Ningbo University et al., successfully synthesized a novel hydride superconductor, A15-La₄H₂₃ through the high-temperature and high-pressure techniques.