This study highlights a practical formulation strategy to enhance the skin penetration of 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10H2DA), a key bioactive compound in royal jelly. By incorporating anionic cross-linked polymers, the authors achieved more than a tenfold increase in 10H2DA permeation compared with royal jelly extract alone. The study further confirmed epidermal penetration using DESI imaging mass spectrometry and demonstrated that higher skin hydration strongly promotes 10H2DA delivery. These findings emphasize that both formulation design and skin condition are critical for improving the dermal delivery of low-molecular-weight amphiphilic compounds.

Despite extensive development of flexible pressure sensors, it is still difficult for them to simultaneously achieve high precision and a large response to subtle pressures. To address these challenges, this work demonstrates a flexible pressure sensing platform that features the reduced graphene oxide aerogel sandwiched between a polydimethylsiloxane encapsulation layer and a thin polyimide film with interdigital electrodes. The resulting pressure sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of 698.96 kPa⁻¹ and a low limit of detection (~ 1 Pa), and outstanding stability over 20,000 loading/unloading cycles. Besides monitoring various physiological signals and human motions, the flexible pressure sensors can be configured into an array layout as a smart artificial electronic skin to recognize the spatial pressure distribution. The flexible pressure sensor can also be integrated with signal processing and wireless communication modules as a teleoperation system for gesture recognition, force feedback control, and kitchen food recognition, highlighting future potential toward smart robotics and human–machine interfaces.

A study shows how a modified form of biochar can help microbial biofilms break down stubborn dye pollutants in wastewater, offering a promising strategy for cleaner and more stable anaerobic treatment systems.

As the world searches for cleaner ways to store and convert energy, scientists are turning to an unlikely source of high-performance materials: biomass. A review published in Biochar examines how biomass-derived materials, especially biomass-derived carbon materials, are being developed for energy storage devices and electrocatalytic energy conversion systems, including supercapacitors, fuel cells, water electrolysis, and carbon dioxide reduction.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains a major complication after pancreatic surgery despite technical advances. This comprehensive review from eGastroenterology by Professor Yan Bi and colleagues from Mayo Clinic outlines updated definitions, multifactorial risk predictors, and evolving management strategies. Key developments include refined risk scoring systems, integration of biomarkers and imaging, and innovations in surgical techniques and materials. Emerging therapies, ranging from biologic sealants to AI-based prediction models, highlight a shift toward personalised, multidisciplinary care aimed at improving outcomes and reducing morbidity associated with POPF.

Scientists from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have uncovered new information suggesting a potential connection between Homo erectus and modern humans, while also developing new, less invasive paleoproteomics methods of fossil research.

The human eye is not merely an optical window to the world, but also a "micro-display" of systemic microcirculation and neural activity. In the current era of big data, the rapid expansion of multi-source and multimodal ophthalmic datasets presents unprecedented opportunities. A critical scientific question emerges: how can Artificial Intelligence (AI) unlock the hidden potential embedded within these vast and heterogeneous datasets?

Recently, a comprehensive review titled "Data-driven computational methods in ophthalmology: A multimodal perspective" was published in the international journal Eye Discovery. From a "data-centric" perspective, the article systematically evaluates the scientific value of multimodal ophthalmic data and analyzes cutting-edge advances and future challenges in AI-driven ophthalmic research.

Global efforts to combat climate change often focus on what we can see: forests, renewable energy, and surface-level farming practices. A new analysis argues that one of the most significant battlegrounds in carbon sequestration lies hidden deep underground. A comprehensive review led by Professor Nanthi Bolan at The University of Western Australia consolidates global knowledge on deep soil carbon, the massive carbon reserve stored more than 30 centimeters below the surface, which has long been excluded from standard carbon accounting.

The paper provides a critical assessment of this enormous carbon sink, noting that deep soil layers (below 30 cm) contain over 850 petagrams of carbon worldwide. This accounts for approximately 50-60% of the total carbon stored in the top meter of soil. While surface soil carbon is closely tied to vegetation and is quick to respond to management changes, deep carbon dynamics are governed by different, more permanent factors.