Shared e-mopeds are emerging as a solution for medium-distance trips, but do they improve efficiency and equity? A study in Japan found that they cut travel time and distance compared with public transit, especially in lower land-price areas with limited bus and rail service. Yet time-based pricing means these residents often pay more. Researchers recommend revising pricing models and expanding infrastructure to create transport systems that are fairer, more resilient, and more accessible for all.

Ammonia gas, a popular industrial chemical, is dangerous to human health. A new study by Hanbat National University researchers presents a wearable ammonia gas sensor that detects harmful ammonia levels visually and electronically. The sensor is flexible, stretchable, and works reliably when attached to human skin and exposed to high humidity. By combining two sensing methods in one device, the platform remains accurate even if one sensing mode fails, making it suitable for real-world use.

Finely dispersed particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5) poses a significant health- and climate-risk, yet tracking its chemical composition remains a challenge. Now, researchers have developed a deep-learning model that accurately estimates hourly concentrations of five key PM_2.5 chemical components, without chemical analysis. Using air-quality and meteorological data, the model achieved high accuracy outperforming existing methods, and may strengthen air-pollution monitoring, fill data gaps, and support targeted emission control strategies worldwide.

This study introduces a newly optimized triangular-finger electrostatic comb-drive actuator designed to significantly enhance force intensity and travel range within a compact footprint. 

Producing high levels of valuable medicinal compounds in plants has long been limited by the difficulty of precisely controlling metabolic pathways without disrupting plant growth. 

We often treat intestinal infections as short episodes. Yet for many patients, symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, and unstable bowel movements persist long after the pathogen disappears.

Researchers from Wroclaw Medical University, in a study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, show that during infection with Campylobacter jejuni, “leaky gut” is not a metaphor but a measurable disruption of the intestinal barrier.

The bacteria destabilize tight junctions — microscopic connections between epithelial cells that control intestinal permeability. Even after the infection resolves, this barrier may remain weakened, sustaining inflammation and prolonged symptoms.

In a colonic model, berberine demonstrated dual action: it limited bacterial growth and biofilm formation, while simultaneously protecting epithelial integrity and reducing permeability. Although further clinical studies are needed, the findings suggest that effective recovery from infection should focus not only on eliminating the pathogen, but also on restoring the intestinal barrier.

Grafting is a widely used agricultural technique, but the slow and unreliable healing of graft unions often limits its efficiency.