Greedy accumulation-directed evolution generated multi-site combinatorial mutants of T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP), breaking through the thermal stability barrier.​

Over 950 billion (about 3.8 million tons) masks have been consumed in the last four years around the world to protect human beings from COVID-19 and air pollution. However, very few of these used masks are being recycled, with the majority of them being landfilled or incinerated. To address this issue, we propose a repurposing upcycling strategy by converting these polypropylene (PP)-based waste masks to high-performance thermally conductive nanocomposites (PP@G, where G refers to graphene) with exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding property. The PP@G is fabricated by loading tannic acid onto PP fibers via electrostatic self-assembling, followed by mixing with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). Because this strategy enables the GNPs to form efficient thermal and electrical conduction pathways along the PP fiber surface, the PP@G shows a high thermal conductivity of 87 W m^-1 K^-1 and exhibits an electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of 88 dB (1100 dB cm^-1), making it potentially applicable for heat dissipation and electromagnetic shielding in advanced electronic devices. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic assessment results show that our repurposing strategy has significant advantages over existing methods in reducing environmental impacts and economic benefits. This strategy offers a facile and promising approach to upcycling/repurposing of fibrous waste plastics.

The engineered Pichia pastoris screened by comprehensive systems metabolic engineering, adaptive laboratory evolution and mutagenesis methods efficiently produced α-farnesene using methanol as the sole carbon source, with a yield of 3.28 g/L.

Cellular senescence—an irreversible cell-cycle arrest coupled with the production of pro-inflammatory secretions known as SASP—is now viewed as a central driver of musculoskeletal aging. Accumulation of these senescent cells in bone, cartilage, intervertebral discs and skeletal muscle correlates with osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, disc degeneration and sarcopenia. While transient senescence aids embryogenesis, wound healing and tumour suppression, its chronic presence disrupts tissue homeostasis and creates a self-propagating “bystander” effect that accelerates systemic ageing.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy has reshaped expectations for treating hematological malignancies and is now reaching toward autoimmune disorders, fibrosis, and even aging. Engineered receptors couple an antibody-derived binding domain with T-cell signaling modules, granting exquisite specificity and long-lived memory. More than 1,700 trials are under way, with the United States and China leading in both clinical testing and the use of AI design platforms such as CAR-Toner. Six FDA-approved products target CD19 or BCMA, while China has granted marketing authorization to five additional constructs. Beyond oncology, CD19-directed cells have produced drug-free remission in systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis, sclerosis, and myasthenia gravis; FAP-directed or senolytic CAR-T cells are being explored for cardiac fibrosis and age-related decline, illustrating the widening therapeutic canvas.

Researchers isolated antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus saprophyticus from the Southern Ocean. The bacteria showed resistance to multiple antibiotics, including Azithromycin and Cefixime, highlighting the far-reaching impact of human activity on microbial ecosystems.

A research team at Shanghai Jiao Tong University has developed a systematic framework that combines semantic-segmentation AI models with experimental validation to analyze catalyst layers (CLs). Using silver nanoparticles as catalysts and Nafion ionomer as a binder, the team fabricated CLs with varying ionomer-to-catalyst (I/C) ratios (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6) to dissect how composition affects performance.

How do we power machines in the ocean's most extreme depths? A review in International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing explores the cutting-edge world of deep-sea battery technology, where crushing pressure, icy temperatures, and corrosive seawater demand extraordinary solutions. Lithium batteries have emerged as the frontrunners, but technical hurdles remain. From advanced materials to smart management systems, the authors chart the latest breakthroughs and outline what's needed next to fuel deeper, longer, and more ambitious underwater missions.