Some barley beers labeled as “gluten-free” contain small amounts of gluten residues that may trigger celiac disease, which are not detected by the standard antibody-based tests currently in use. This is the conclusion of a study by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich. In the study, researchers compared two antibody-based testing methods with a mass spectrometric detection method newly developed at the Institute. The study results show that modern food analytical methods could help further improve the safety of gluten-free products in the future.

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction for solar fuel production is a critical technology enabling carbon cycling and efficient renewable energy storage. However, conversion efficiency remains severely limited by bottlenecks such as rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers, high activation barriers for CO2 molecules, and inadequate catalyst stability. To overcome these challenges, this study constructed an in situ ZrO2 nanoparticle protective layer on CdS nanospheres, yielding a ZrO2/CdS-20 (ZOCS-20) core-shell composite photocatalyst. Under light conditions, this catalyst demonstrated exceptional performance, with a CO production rate of 330.23 µmol/(g·h) and near 100% CO selectivity. Systematic characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the underlying enhancement mechanism. The core-shell heterostructure suppresses charge recombination through interfacial engineering, significantly improving charge separation efficiency and carrier transport kinetics while enhancing material stability. Crucially, strong electron coupling at the ZrO2/CdS interface shifts the d-band center of catalyst toward the Fermi level, strengthening CO2 chemisorption and lowering its activation barrier. The optimized electronic interface also reduces the energy barrier for forming the *COOH intermediate, substantially decreasing activation energy of the rate-determining step (RDS) and providing additional thermodynamic driving force. This work elucidates an interface-band synergy enhancement mechanism, offering both theoretical insights and experimental guidance for the design of efficient photocatalytic materials.

Scientists found that certain chemical impurities, such as hydrogen and oxygen, help amorphous carbon form graphite-like, ultralow-friction interfaces under mechanical stress. The findings reveal how impurities can enable self-forming lubricating surfaces, offering a new strategy for designing durable, energy-efficient materials.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a lightweight, flexible polymer material that could replace lead in X-ray aprons while providing comparable protection from harmful radiation. By incorporating specially engineered tungsten nanoparticles into a silicone-based nanocomposite, the team created a shielding material that is nearly 90 per cent lighter than traditional lead aprons, potentially reducing the back and neck injuries commonly experienced by health-care workers who wear them for extended periods.

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed novel kirigami structures with periodic parallel inclined cuts. Stretching these materials longitudinally causes them to twist and rotate. Thus, these structures provide a mechanism for coupling tension and rotation. The mechanical deformation of these structures can be characterized in terms of a geometrical property, the chirality. Some of the developed chiral structures were auxetic, longitudinal stretching resulting in lateral expansion, instead of contraction. The findings have applications in soft robotics and soft actuators.

Practical utility demonstrated through three-step scale-up synthesis of the antidiabetic drug sitagliptin

Professor Akihiro Kaneko of Okayama University of Science has achieved international recognition for a second consecutive year at Kura Master, a prestigious Japanese sake competition held in France. “Aldebaran,” a red wine produced from Muscat Bailey A grapes grown in Ibara, Okayama Prefecture, under Professor Kaneko’s supervision, received a Gold Award in the Muscat Bailey A category. The award highlights ongoing efforts to preserve a historic local grape variety whose cultivation has declined in recent years. In addition, “Junmai -eme-,” a sake brewed using yeast isolated from Muscat of Alexandria grapes by Professor Kaneko and his research team, earned the competition’s highest distinction, the Platinum Award, in the Junmai Sake category. The awards demonstrate the growing international impact of research and innovation in viticulture and enology at Okayama University of Science.

A research team has uncovered a previously unknown RNA-based control system that helps tea plants regulate amino acid production, a process central to tea flavor, nutritional value, and quality.