Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of musculoskeletal disability worldwide, affecting approximately 70% of the global population (Global Burden of Disease Study 2021). Aging is an independent risk factor for LBP, with nearly 40% of individuals over 65 developing LBP and exhibiting heightened susceptibility to lumbar disc herniation. Through single-nucleus RNA sequencing of human lumbar disc specimens, this study systematically compares cellular heterogeneity between aging and herniated discs. We identified senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) in aged disc cells and IL-17-mediated immune activation in herniation, revealing distinct therapeutic targets. These findings advance mechanistic understanding of disc degeneration and offer mechanistically-informed strategies, such as SASP inhibition and IL-17 pathway modulation, for precision treatment of age-related LBP in elderly populations. 

This study reveals that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) drive macrophage-derived chemokine production (CXCL9/10/11) to promote CD8+ T cell infiltration in obstruction-induced renal fibrosis. Using unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) models, researchers demonstrated that NET inhibition via PAD4 deletion or DNase treatment attenuated fibrosis, while NET transfer exacerbated it. Mechanistically, NET-macrophage interactions via TLR2/4 signaling license chemokine secretion, fueling CD8+ T cell recruitment and granzyme B-mediated tubular injury. These findings establish NETs as central orchestrators of immune-fibrotic crosstalk, providing therapeutic targets for chronic kidney diseases.

Optical three-dimensional (3D) measurement plays a vital role in various fields such as intelligent manufacturing and biomedical engineering, particularly in high-precision inspection and the reconstruction of complex structures. Current 3D measurement techniques are broadly categorized into interferometric and non-interferometric approaches. Interferometric methods, such as shear interferometry and white-light interferometry, are widely applied in nanometer-scale metrology and precision manufacturing due to their superior depth resolution. However, these techniques often rely on complex optical setups composed of numerous bulk optical components, resulting in bulky systems with high environmental stability requirements, thereby limiting their suitability for real-time, in-line measurement applications.

Researchers at Southern University of Science and Technology developed an adaptive beam shaping method for laser micro-grooving to shape tiny grooves with sub-micron accuracy—even in hard-to-machine materials like silicon carbide.

By combining smart simulations and real-time adjustments, their system “teaches” lasers to self-compensation deviation between experimental and target results caused by diffraction and polarization, achieving 5× higher precision than traditional patterned laser ablation methods.

“Here, you can think of the laser as a shaped knife, and you can achieve the desired groove shape with a single stroke”, says Prof. Shaolin Xu.

To realize a sustainable low-carbon society, it is essential to establish a catalytic process that converts various concentrations of CO₂ in combustion exhaust gases from thermal power plants and other sources into useful chemicals using renewable hydrogen. However, due to the high oxygen (O₂) content (about 10%) in such exhaust gases, conventional catalytic methods face a major challenge in that H₂ reacts preferentially with O₂, making efficient CO₂ conversion technically impossible. A research team led by Hokkaido University has developed a tandem system that continuously captures and converts CO₂ in a wide concentration range, from atmospheric levels to exhaust gases. Their work is published in the journal Industrial Chemistry & Materials on June 13, 2025.

In a paper published in National Science Review, scientists demonstrate quantum key distribution using a room-temperature GaN-based single-photon source directly emitting in the telecom band in a deployed fiber link. Special technics are used to minimize the effect of Polarization Mode Dispersion.