Earthquake-induced liquefaction of loose, sandy soil can be extensively damaging for built environment. In recent times, chemical grouting of the sand is being used as a method to enhance soil stability and reduce the risk of liquefaction. However, a standardized and effective method to test the resistance is necessary in order to refine the method. In this study, scientists explored the potential of stress-controlled and strain-controlled cyclic triaxial testing.

Neurodegenerative diseases cause progressive loss of neurons, leading to impaired cognition, memory, and motor function. While current therapies help relieve symptoms, they are not curative. Replenishing lost neurons could serve as a potential therapeutic strategy to delay or reverse neurodegeneration. Researchers from Japan have synthesized novel analogues of vitamin K with potent neuronal differentiation-inducing activities and elucidated the mechanisms underlying their neuroprotective effects. Their work paves the way for the development of effective regenerative therapeutics.

Most antibiotics come from bacteria, but since most bacteria cannot be grown in the lab, many potential drugs remain undiscovered—even as antibiotic resistance continues to grow. A new technique extracts large DNA fragments from soil, sequences them, and uses computational chemistry to turn genetic blueprints from uncultured bacteria into actual molecules. This approach has already uncovered hundreds of new bacterial genomes and two promising antibiotic candidates. Additionally, these results open a new pipeline for urgently needed antibiotics, and provide a scalable way to explore microbial diversity, with applications ranging from medicine to environmental science.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccination both prevents JEV and lowers dengue severity.