Researchers used combinatorial solid-phase peptide synthesis and infrared thermography to screen 300 tripeptide sequences for interactions with CO₂. Two tripeptides, His(Boc)-Phe-Asn and Phe-Ala-Glu(OtBu), showed reproducible thermal responses after CO₂ exposure. The signals were reproduced on glass, functionalised cellulose, and Rink-amide resin, indicating that thermographic screening can help identify peptide candidates for further development as bioinspired CO₂-binding materials.

Researchers fabricated ultralight anisotropic SiC aerogel using corn‑stalk biomass as raw material. The study, published in Defence Technology, reveals that the material exhibits orientation‑dependent electromagnetic‑wave absorption and outstanding high-temperature insulation performance, clarifying structure‑function coupling effects of biomass‑derived anisotropic ceramic aerogels and offering a green fabrication route for adaptive multifunctional protective materials.

A modelling study finds that banks form interbank networks by balancing the benefits of sharing liquidity risk against incentives to rely on other banks' reserves. As networks grow, risk-sharing can initially improve expected profits, but free-riding can later reduce them. The findings suggest that relatively small networks may be most efficient and offer insights into “too-big-to-fail” and “too-interconnected-to-fail” risks.

Foliar application of ZnO nanoparticles at booting outperforms ZnSO₄ in direct-seeded rice, simultaneously raising polished grain Zn, spikelets per panicle and 1000-grain weight while lowering amylose and chalkiness. Transcriptomics links these gains to upregulated α-amylase genes (OsAmy1C, OsRAmy1A) and suppressed cytokinin-degrading OsCKX2, revealing a nano-specific transcriptional rewiring that breaks the yield–quality trade-off.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection lacks widely available antiviral therapies. In this study, researchers established a CHIKV replicon particle-based high-content screening platform and identified three antiviral compounds, MDL-12330A, bazedoxifene acetate, and anidulafungin. These compounds displayed distinct antiviral profiles by targeting different stages of the CHIKV life cycle, providing new insights into host–virus interactions and potential antiviral strategies.

Symptoms of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), range from asymptomatic to life-threatening, affecting the respiratory system and many other organs, and involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, particularly its viral entry, is the enzyme transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). In response, in this study, polymorphisms in the TMPRSS2 gene (rs2070788 and rs12329760) were examined for their association with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in Jordanians. The study participants (n = 861) included 427 individuals who had never contracted COVID-19 (control group) and 434 who had experienced the disease (case group). The case group was subsequently divided into two subgroups: severe (n = 166) and non-severe (n = 268) COVID-19. The results show that rs2070788 is associated with disease susceptibility in all inheritance models (P < 0.05), as well as an association between rs12329760 and COVID-19 disease severity in both the dominant and over-dominant models (P < 0.05). Further, a higher body mass index (BMI) and older age were associated with disease severity (p < 0.05), though females were less likely to develop severe COVID-19 and to be hospitalized. In conclusion, polymorphisms in the TMPRSS2 gene may be considered a potential predictor of COVID-19 outcomes in the Jordanian population. The study findings could be used to manage similar viral infections in Jordan in the future.

Hydrogels have become essential to modern biomedicine, enabling advances in drug delivery, tissue engineering and wearable healthcare. Researchers have proposed an architecture-based framework for designing high-performance hydrogels beyond conventional, randomly crosslinked networks. Their review defines hydrogels with high-order structures, outlines four construction routes, including phase separation, molecular self-assembly, nanocomposite integration and polymer crystallization, and links multiscale organization to mechanical robustness, transport control and integrated biomedical functions.