A revealing new study has uncovered a critical public health concern in Lesotho: widespread undernutrition among children aged 6 to 24 months. 

The mechanical strength and toughness of engineering materials are often mutually exclusive, posing challenges for material design and selection. To address this, a research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has uncovered an innovative strategy: by simply twisting the layers of 2D materials, they can enhance toughness without compromising material’s strength. This breakthrough facilitates the design of strong and tough new 2D materials, promoting their broader applications in photonic and electronic devices. The findings have been published in the international journal Nature Materials.

A task force formed at the Banbury Center has issued a report on cognition and behavior in the genetic disease NF1. The group proposes a new research framework that could lead to earlier detection and more personalized care.

Tuberculosis (TB) belongs to infectious diseases leading to the high mortality and morbidity worldwide. Since long-term bacilli burden leads to metabolic disorders in TB patients, metabolic biomarkers with diagnosis and prognosis potential are worthy of elucidation. In this study, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR)-based plasma metabolomics were investigated dynamically in onset TB patients undergoing conventional anti-TB chemotherapy before and along with the treatment. We found that metabolomic profiles altered before and after the treatment of 2 and 4 months, among which four amino acids, including 4-aminobenzoate, phenylalanine, serine, and threonine, were screened out with significant decrease at 6 months after anti-TB therapy in the training longitudinal samples and validated in another longitudinal samples. Moreover, we have also confirmed the increase of 4 amino acid contents in the periphery of active TB patients when compared to those in healthy controls (HCs). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the combination of 4 amino acids was able to distinguish TB patients from HC with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.912 ± 0.031 (P < 0.0001). Therefore, our study has identified an amino acid panel with increased levels in active TB patients and declined along with conventional anti-TB treatment, which might be potential in distinguishing TB patients from HCs as well as prognosis candidates in clinics.

Objective: To describe the case of V. ​vulnificus infection and to review the literature, emphasizing the importance of laboratory pathogen biology examination in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A retrospective review and analyzed a case of a patient infected with septic shock secondary to V. ​vulnificus due to trauma in Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University on August 9, 2023. This includes an examination of the symptoms, laboratory results, and treatment process. The BD Phoenix-M50 automatic bacterial identification analyzer was used to identify and test the susceptibility of cultured bacteria, the French Mérieux VITEK® MS IND MALDI TOF was used for identification by mass spectrometry. Results: Skin secretion culture and blood cultures are Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, according to select sensitive antimicrobial drug susceptibility results and surgical treatment after calcitonin original and CRP in patients with infective index returned to normal. Conclusions: Vibrio vulnificus can infect humans through damaged skin and cause wound infection and bloodstream infection. Early wound culture and blood culture are must. Early surgical operation combined with anti-infection therapy is the key to the treatment of Vibrio vulnificus infection to prevent secondary infection endangers the patient’s life. In addition, publicity and education such as preventive measures can also effectively reduce the infection rate of vibrio vulnificus.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant bone tumor with a poor prognosis. Metastasis reduces the long-term survival of OS patients, with a five-year survival rate of less than 20%. Delineating the underlying cellular and molecular diversity may help in understanding the progression from primary to metastatic OS.

Cataracts, characterized by clouding of the eye's natural lens, are the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Despite the availability of intraocular lens replacement surgery, there are currently no effective pharmacological treatments, highlighting the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been identified as the key factor of secondary cataract progression; however, the underlying mechanisms of EMT in lens epithelial cells remain unclear.

A research team from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Oh Sang-Rok), led by Dr. Hae Jung Son from the Advanced Photovoltaics Research Center, announced that they have developed a new dielectric additive-based coating technology that enables high-performance organic photovoltaics (OPVs) to be manufactured reliably regardless of seasonal humidity changes.

This study reveals epitaxial growth of gold-rich pyrite rims on pre-existing cores in Carlin-type deposits, driven by fluid-carbonate interactions. Consistent crystallographic orientations and geochemical zoning highlight the critical role of precursor pyrite in gold mineralization.