A research team from Tianjin University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has developed a novel electrode architecture that significantly enhances the performance and longevity of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with ultra-low platinum loading. By incorporating ordered ionomer micropillars into the electrode structure, the team achieved a 29% increase in peak power density under low-humidity conditions compared to conventional flat electrodes.

In tropical cities, afternoon thunderstorms can plunge entire neighborhoods into brief moments of darkness. 

When civil engineer Markus Schläpfer moved to Singapore a decade ago, he recognized these thunderstorms as an emerging engineering challenge. For cities that hope to run on solar energy, these short periods without strong sunlight could destabilize urban power grids and undermine reliability.

In a new paper, published April 7 in Nature Communications,  Schläpfer and collaborators explain how tropical cities, which will soon contain half of the global population, can address this problem without expensive infrastructure build-outs. For Schläpfer, the solution lies in connecting electric vehicles to the grid. 

"If you have a thunderstorm moving over an area with solar energy, you can have your electric cars that are parked serve as the energy source and balance out this lack of energy generation," said Schläpfer, assistant professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics at Columbia Engineering. “When the thunderstorm moves away, the cars are charged again by the photovoltaics.”

Neuroblastoma kills more children under one year of age than any other extracranial solid tumor, and high-risk cases have resisted meaningful improvement in survival for decades. A team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has now identified a molecular accomplice: neuronal nitric oxide synthase, or nNOS, which feeds the mTOR growth-signaling pathway through nitrosative stress. Blocking nNOS, either pharmacologically with the compound BA-101 or genetically with siRNA, silenced mTOR signaling and crippled malignant behavior in human neuroblastoma cells. In a xenograft mouse model, BA-101 shrank tumors dramatically (p < 0.001). The nNOS–mTOR axis emerges as a new and targetable vulnerability. NeuroNOS Ltd., which partly funded this work, has obtained a license for the patent applications of the BA-101 molecule filed by Yissum (The Hebrew University Technology Transfer Company). The authors, in collaboration with NeuroNOS, have also demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of BA-101 in glioblastoma.

Key takeaways:

- New survey results from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center find public openness to AI in health care has decreased, with only 42% of adults supportive in 2026 compared to 52% in 2024.

- Despite concerns about AI's accuracy and understanding of individual health history, 51% of adults surveyed relied on AI for important health decisions without consulting a medical professional.

- Survey participants commonly use AI to understand symptoms (62%), explain test results (44%), compare treatment options (25%), and prepare for medical appointments (20%).