Terahertz wireless communication is a promising technology for future networks, but it often fails when line-of-sight paths are blocked. A new study in Engineering introduces a liquid-crystal programmable metasurface that brings stable connections to non-line-of-sight scenarios. This dual-broadband device flexibly controls terahertz beams, supports high-speed data transmission, and works reliably in real-world blocked environments, making widespread terahertz communication more practical.

Polyurethane plastic is hard to biodegrade and brings big environmental pressure. A study in Engineering reveals the structure and catalytic mechanism of esterase Aes72, and creates an engineered variant F276A/L141I. This modified enzyme shows stronger activity to break down polyurethane materials, offering a greener enzymatic way for sustainable plastic waste recycling.

For patients with diabetic macular edema, vision loss is only part of the burden. Repeated intravitreal injections can also create financial pressure, frequent clinic visits, and treatment anxiety, all of which may affect long-term adherence. A new short-term observational study published in Eye Discovery by researchers from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, the Primasia International Eye Research Institute of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and collaborating institutions asks whether treatment burden can be reduced without clearly compromising early visual and anatomical outcomes.

This study mainly focuses on the RE element synergy mechanisms in disilicates. Three novel multicomponent (RE_1/4Tm_1/4Yb_1/4Lu_1/4)₂Si₂O₇ (RE = Gd, Ho and Sc) materials were elaborately designed and subjected to CMAS corrosion at 1300 °C for durations of 1, 4, and 50 h to elucidate the synergistic mechanisms of multicomponent rare-earth elements on CMAS corrosion. Systematical examinations on evolution of reactants and products were conducted to analyze the role of rare-earth cations in CMAS corrosion, and the results reveal that performance divergence in corrosion primarily stems from a mechanistic transition, from dissolution-reprecipitation to intergranular penetration, dictated by rare-earth ionic characteristics. Comparative analysis confirms that an optimal active/inert stoichiometric ratio could simultaneously stimulate the precipitation-induced corrosion mitigation and the intrinsic resistance enhancement, establishing a design framework for multicomponent rare-earth disilicates for anti-CMAS EBC applications.

A research team from the Institute of Aging and Regenerative Medicine at Jinan University, China, has examined how aging and disease are connected by exploring the aging-related remodeling of chromatin architecture. This study of chromatin architecture, the three-dimensional organization of DNA, gives scientists a better understanding of aging and its underlying mechanisms. Their review is published in Aging Research on May 8, 2026.

This study develops a replicable Transformative Service Ecosystem for Sustainable Operations Management (TSESOM) model to address research gaps and empower botanic gardens to deliver integrated sustainability, conservation and visitor economy outcomes.

A new study investigates autologous rib cartilage resorption in microtia reconstruction, identifies fixation material-induced inflammation, gene dysregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction as key mechanisms, and provides insights for clinical intervention.

This review addresses the growing global burden of hereditary hearing loss, summarizes key advances in gene therapy, and aims to accelerate its clinical translation.

Infantile epileptic spasms are among the most serious forms of epilepsy in early childhood, yet diagnosing them remains a major clinical challenge.

Today, seizure identification often depends on specialists reviewing hours of clinical video recordings. The process is time-consuming, resource-intensive, and difficult to scale, particularly in regions with limited access to pediatric neurology expertise.

To address this challenge, researchers developed a video-based AI system capable of automatically recognizing seizure-related movement patterns from patient videos.

Trained on a large clinical dataset, the model achieved more than 90% detection accuracy. In external validation studies, it demonstrated higher seizure-detection sensitivity than the average performance of six clinical experts from different medical centers.

The broader significance extends beyond algorithm performance. By transforming routine video recordings into a scalable screening and monitoring tool, such systems could support earlier diagnosis, reduce clinician workload, and expand access to specialized neurological assessment.

AI is not replacing clinicians. Rather, it offers a way to augment clinical expertise and help ensure that critical seizure events are less likely to be missed.

#AIinHealthcare #Neurology #Epilepsy #ComputerVision #DigitalHealth

Sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic insomnia, and sleep deprivation, are increasingly linked to dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a key regulator of central nervous system homeostasis. Growing evidence demonstrates that BBB injury is associated with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), white matter injury, cerebral small vessel disease, and vascular cognitive impairment. This review summarizes evidence that disturbed sleep impairs BBB integrity and discusses the underlying mechanisms. BBB injury may increase para-cellular permeability, alter endothelial transport, and impair metabolic clearance pathways, thereby facilitating the entry of circulating toxins into the brain and amplifying glial activation, cerebrovascular dysfunction, and neurodegenerative processes. Furthermore, BBB breakdown in the hippocampus may represent an early marker of cognitive dysfunction, which is partly independent of classical amyloid-β and tau pathology. However, this finding requires further validation in larger, longitudinal cohorts. Finally, we discuss the future of therapeutic strategies aimed at both sleep restoration and BBB-related mechanisms and potential biomarkers for assessing BBB dysfunction. We identify key knowledge gaps, including the lack of validated BBB biomarkers in sleep disorders and limited evidence for reversibility of BBB injury after treatment.