In a paper published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences, a team led by Academician Fahu Chen from Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, reconstructed Holocene precipitation changes across the East Asian monsoon region of eastern China. The study shows that precipitation varied between northern and southern China in an alternating pattern, which may have supported the parallel development of early agricultural societies and later contributed to the rise of the Central Plains and the formation of the pluralistic and integrated Chinese civilization.

In a paper published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences, a research team conducted a comprehensive analysis of mineralogical and geochemical records, along with carbon consumption fluxes, from sediments at Site CSDP-1 in the South Yellow Sea obtained by the Chinese Continental Shelf Drilling Program. They quantitatively reconstructed the 600,000 year evolutionary history of silicate weathering and its carbon consumption rates in the Yellow River basin-shelf system. The study proposes that the mid-latitude shelf region was an underestimated active silicate weathering carbon sink during glacial periods. It thus provides a novel perspective for understanding the mechanisms of glacial-interglacial climate evolution on Earth.

A paper published in National Science Review brings together evidence on how plastics are produced, released, transported and transformed, and how they affect ecosystems, human health and Earth-system processes. It argues that lasting solutions must address the full plastics life cycle, with upstream prevention and safer design supported by reuse, recycling, pollution control, monitoring, and coordinated global governance.

A team led by researchers at Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute reports that combining targeted KRAS inhibition with CTLA-4 immune checkpoint blockade overcomes the immunosuppressive microenvironment that renders KRAS-mutant gastric adenocarcinoma resistant to PD-1 immunotherapy. In a genetically faithful, immunocompetent mouse model of KRAS^G12D-driven gastric cancer, the combination suppressed TGF-beta signaling, impaired regulatory T cell function and elicited effective anti-tumor immunity. The study, published in Science China Life Sciences, provides a preclinical rationale for CTLA-4-based combination immunotherapy in this molecularly defined subset of patients.

Researchers are exploring a new frontier in nanomedicine by combining photobiomodulation, a low-intensity light-based therapeutic approach, with nanoparticles used for diagnosis and treatment. This review highlights how PBM may regulate nanoparticle interactions with cells and enhance intracellular delivery pathways. The study identifies key challenges and future directions for developing next-generation targeted nanotherapeutic strategies.

A research team has mapped a route toward horticultural crops that can withstand harsher climates without surrendering yield, flavor, color, or nutritional quality. 

A new review in the Journal of Sport and Health Science proposes a translational roadmap for turning tai ji quan into a scalable, evidence-based form of exercise medicine for preventing falls among older adults. The article highlights strong evidence for tai ji quan’s safety, effectiveness, and cost value, while outlining three priorities for broader impact: clinical workflow integration, decentralized virtual trials, and responsibly governed Augmented AI.

Atrial fibrillation can develop during sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection, and is linked to higher risks of stroke, death, and recurrence. A new review in the Journal of Intensive Medicine brings together evidence on how often sepsis-associated atrial fibrillation occurs, who is at risk, and how it is diagnosed and managed. With no randomized trials defining optimal management and no specific guidelines, the authors offer practical guidance and identify research priorities to standardize care.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignancy of the urinary tract. Hormone therapy is the main clinical option for the treatment, yet some patients with PCa die due to malignant progression. This research indicates that gallic acid can reduce L1CAM expression by inhibiting the transcriptional activation of KLF7 via p-p65, in turn attenuating the malignant phenotype and tumorigenic capacity of PCa cells in vivo. These findings will provide new therapeutic approaches for PCa.