Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains a major complication after pancreatic surgery despite technical advances. This comprehensive review from eGastroenterology by Professor Yan Bi and colleagues from Mayo Clinic outlines updated definitions, multifactorial risk predictors, and evolving management strategies. Key developments include refined risk scoring systems, integration of biomarkers and imaging, and innovations in surgical techniques and materials. Emerging therapies, ranging from biologic sealants to AI-based prediction models, highlight a shift toward personalised, multidisciplinary care aimed at improving outcomes and reducing morbidity associated with POPF.

Scientists from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have uncovered new information suggesting a potential connection between Homo erectus and modern humans, while also developing new, less invasive paleoproteomics methods of fossil research.

The human eye is not merely an optical window to the world, but also a "micro-display" of systemic microcirculation and neural activity. In the current era of big data, the rapid expansion of multi-source and multimodal ophthalmic datasets presents unprecedented opportunities. A critical scientific question emerges: how can Artificial Intelligence (AI) unlock the hidden potential embedded within these vast and heterogeneous datasets?

Recently, a comprehensive review titled "Data-driven computational methods in ophthalmology: A multimodal perspective" was published in the international journal Eye Discovery. From a "data-centric" perspective, the article systematically evaluates the scientific value of multimodal ophthalmic data and analyzes cutting-edge advances and future challenges in AI-driven ophthalmic research.

Global efforts to combat climate change often focus on what we can see: forests, renewable energy, and surface-level farming practices. A new analysis argues that one of the most significant battlegrounds in carbon sequestration lies hidden deep underground. A comprehensive review led by Professor Nanthi Bolan at The University of Western Australia consolidates global knowledge on deep soil carbon, the massive carbon reserve stored more than 30 centimeters below the surface, which has long been excluded from standard carbon accounting.

The paper provides a critical assessment of this enormous carbon sink, noting that deep soil layers (below 30 cm) contain over 850 petagrams of carbon worldwide. This accounts for approximately 50-60% of the total carbon stored in the top meter of soil. While surface soil carbon is closely tied to vegetation and is quick to respond to management changes, deep carbon dynamics are governed by different, more permanent factors.

In a paper published in the international peer-reviewed journal Mycology, a research team led by Professor Yi Wang and Professor Weiming Zhu from Ocean University of China reports a novel epigenetic strategy to efficiently upregulate the biosynthesis of Monascus pigments (MPs), a widely used natural colorant. By disrupting the Ash2 gene in the acidophilic fungus Talaromyces purpurogenus OUCMDZ-019, the team achieved robust activation of MPs biosynthetic pathways, discovered four new azaphilone pigments, and confirmed the strain is free of the harmful mycotoxin citrinin, providing a safe and high-performance solution for the industrial production of natural pigments.

Electrochemical oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) offers a sustainable route to produce value-added chemicals, yet its efficiency is often limited by sluggish charge transfer and interfacial reaction kinetics. In this work, a CeO₂/β-Ni(OH)₂ heterojunction electrode was constructed via an in situ electrodeposition strategy. The built-in electric field formed at the heterointerface promotes directional charge transfer and accelerates the formation of active NiOOH species, while the introduction of CeO₂ significantly enhances surface hydrophilicity and substrate affinity. The synergistic regulation of interfacial electric field and wettability enables efficient electron–proton transfer, resulting in markedly improved HMF electrooxidation performance. This study highlights an effective interface-engineering strategy for boosting biomass electrocatalysis.

A review published in eGastroenterology highlights the rapid evolution of in vitro liver disease models are rapidly evolving from simple 2D hepatocyte cultures to multicellular organoids, precision-cut liver slices, and microfluidic liver-on-a-chip systems. Researchers from Freie Universität Berlin and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin argue that next-generation platforms should prioritise pathophysiological “states” (e.g., lipotoxic stress, fibrogenesis, cholestasis, viral injury) and deliver biologically meaningful, decision-ready readouts under controlled conditions. Model selection, they stress, must be fit-for-purpose, balancing fidelity, cost, and throughput.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) ceramics possess high thermal conductivity, excellent electrical insulation, and good thermal and chemical stability, showing great potential for high-end electronics and thermal management. Current industrial production relies on hot pressing, which limits product size and yield with high costs. Pressureless sintering is simple, low-cost, and suitable for large or complex shapes. However, due to the extremely low self-diffusion coefficient of h-BN, densification via pressureless sintering is difficult, with relative densities typically below 90%. Therefore, achieving densification of h-BN by pressureless sintering has remained a key challenge for over half a century since its first synthesis.

For a century, light’s wave-particle duality has reshaped physics, yet spectrometers have long relied solely on light’s wave nature—resulting in unavoidable tradeoffs between resolution, spectral range, and device size. A team from Tsinghua University presents a comprehensive review, featured on the cover of Nano Research, that, for the first time, systematically explores the evolution of spectrometer designs through the lens of wave-particle duality, contrasting traditional wave-based methods with innovative particle-based approaches that enhance performance while minimizing device size. By examining the principles and advancements in both paradigms, the review provides valuable insights into the future of compact and high-performance spectral detection technologies.