This study presents evidence that dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis exacerbates periodontitis through the activation of the NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)/reactive oxygen species (ROS) axis in M1-like macrophages. This study, which combines animal models and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, reveals that colitis significantly aggravates periodontal inflammation by upregulating ROS levels in oral macrophages. The researchers found that the NOX2/ROS pathway in M1-like macrophages plays a central role in linking colitis and periodontitis, leading to increased bone resorption and tissue damage in the periodontal region. Notably, administration of a NOX2 inhibitor reduced ROS expression in periodontal tissue, alleviating both periodontal and intestinal inflammation while restoring the balance of the periodontal and intestinal microbiota. By uncovering the pathogenic mechanisms connecting colitis and periodontitis, this study provides new insights into potential therapeutic strategies for treating periodontitis and its associated systemic inflammatory conditions.

A new study in Forest Ecosystems unveils innovative design strategies to dramatically improve Pinus tabuliformis, a cornerstone species of northern China's forests. The research focused on optimizing advanced generation breeding, revealing that direct selection significantly outperforms combined selection, delivering impressive gains: a 7.72% increase in diameter, a substantial 18.56% jump in height, and a remarkable 31.01% surge in overall volume. Furthermore, addressing the critical issue of inbreeding, the researchers developed the Improved Adaptive Genetic Programming Algorithm (IAPGA). This innovative strategy demonstrably reduces inbreeding by a significant 14.36% within advanced seed orchards established using the selected breeding population. The results are pivotal for sustainable forest management, promising enhanced ecological resilience and substantial economic benefits through increased timber yield and improved forest health. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing breeding programs and ensuring the long-term vitality of Pinus tabuliformis forests in China.

Imagine a world where batteries can repair themselves, extending their lifespan, improving safety, and making electronic devices more resilient. This once futuristic concept is now becoming a reality. Inspired by nature’s ability to heal wounds, self-healing batteries can autonomously recover from physical and chemical damage, making them particularly valuable for flexible electronics, wearable devices, and other high-stress applications. A recent review published in Energy Materials and Devices explores the cutting-edge progress in self-healing materials for battery components, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities in this emerging field.

A study in Forest Ecosystems reveals that Australia's cool temperate rainforests are more disturbance-resilient than previously thought. Researchers found that Nothofagus moorei thrives under higher disturbance intensities through basal coppicing. 60% of species can resprout after disturbance, with N. moorei showing faster growth and better recruitment in response to canopy removal. These findings suggest that conservation strategies should not completely exclude disturbance but instead use controlled burning and selective logging to maintain ecological diversity.A study in Forest Ecosystems reveals that Australia's cool temperate rainforests are more disturbance-resilient than previously thought. Researchers found that Nothofagus moorei thrives under higher disturbance intensities through basal coppicing. 60% of species can resprout after disturbance, with N. moorei showing faster growth and better recruitment in response to canopy removal. These findings suggest that conservation strategies should not completely exclude disturbance but instead use controlled burning and selective logging to maintain ecological diversity.

Several polyoxometalates (POMs) have been shown to possess antitumor activity. In this study, hydrophilic POMs were combined with the hydrophobic drug podophyllotoxin (PPT) to create an amphiphilic anti-cancer drug PPT-POM-PPT, which can self-assemble into hollow vesicles. The properties of these vesicles, such as the critical aggregation concentration, were characterized. These vesicles had low hemolytic activity and high stability. Cytotoxicity tests showed that the PTT-POM-PPT vesicles exhibit strong antitumor activity against lung and liver cancer cells without significantly affecting normal cells. Cell uptake experiments confirm that the PPT-POM-PPT vesicles can easily penetrate cell membranes and effectively enter tumor cells, thus exerting anti-tumor effects. Furthermore, these vesicles co-localized with lysosomes. Moreover, these PPT-POM-PPT vesicles exhibit synergistic effects of PPT and POMs. They are efficient drug delivery platforms that act as both the carrier and the active drug, avoiding the potential risks associated with additional carrier ingredients. In summary, due to their anticancer properties, POMs and PPT facilitate the generation of novel amphiphilic self-assembling vesicles, providing a theoretical basis and enabling clinical applications of POMs in cancer therapy.

A new study published in Mycology highlights the alarming evolutionary rate of Sporothrix, the fungus that causes sporotrichosis, a severe and rapidly spreading infection affecting humans and cats in South America. Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo analysed the 3-carboxymuconate cyclase gene (encoding the Gp60-70 antigen), a key component of the fungus's cell wall, in Sporothrix and discovered unprecedented genetic diversity. They propose a link between this rapid adaptation and exposure to harmful aromatic pollutants, potentially explaining the increased virulence, particularly of S. brasiliensis. This research is crucial because cat-transmitted sporotrichosis is far more aggressive than typical fungal infections, representing a major public health crisis in Brazil. These findings provide vital insights for developing targeted diagnostics, vaccines, and antifungal treatments to combat the world's largest sporotrichosis epidemic.

A breakthrough in biomedical research is reshaping the way scientists study human biology. Assembloids—advanced 3D tissue models that integrate multiple organoids or specialized cell types—are unlocking new dimensions in developmental biology, disease modeling, and drug discovery by more closely mimicking the complex cellular interactions within human tissues. A recent review categorizes assembloids into four key assembly strategies—multi-region, multi-lineage, multi-gradient, and multi-layer—each designed to better simulate complex biological processes with unprecedented accuracy. By bridging the gap between simplified organoids and the intricate architecture of human tissues, assembloids are poised to transform our understanding of health and disease.

The effect of high magnetic field on the directional solidification structure of Al-18 at.%Ni peritectic alloy was studied. In the absence of magnetic field, the alloy forms a dendritic structure with preferred orientation, and a transverse plate-like structure with block eutectic is formed under a 6 T magnetic field. At 0 T and 5 μm/s, the Al₃Ni phase was preferentially oriented along the <010> direction, while the sample prepared at 100 μm/s exhibited no preferred orientation. Under 6 T magnetic field, 5 μm/s pulling makes the solidification mode change from peritectic reaction to hypereutectic reaction, and the Al₃Ni phase presents orientation. When the pumping speed increases to 20-100 μm/s, the peritectic reaction is still dominant. The primary Al₃Ni₂ phase is oriented along the direction, and the peritectic phase is attached to it to form a preferred orientation. The magnetic field regulates crystal orientation and solute transport through the coupling of magnetic torque, thermo-electro-magnetic force and magnetic field force, and its influence mechanism shows a significant dependence on pulling speed.

Traffic congestion and its inherent stochasticity continue to challenge urban mobility worldwide. To address this, researchers have introduced a groundbreaking framework for modeling the Stochastic Fundamental Diagram (SFD) from microscopic interactions. It not only deepens our understanding of stochasticity in traffic flow, but also paves the way for advanced longitudinal control strategies in connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) to minimize the stochasticity and enhance the overall traffic.

High Curie temperature and high piezoelectric constant are challenges that most piezoelectric ceramics difficult to be achieved simultaneously. Bismuth-layered CaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ (CBT) piezoelectric ceramics exhibit a high Curie temperature (790°C), but the piezoelectric constant is only 8 pC/N. This work uses WCo/Mn ions co-doping to modify CBT piezoelectric ceramics: by designing B-site composite ions to induce [TiO₆] structural distortion, reduce the domain size, and enhance the domain switching under low electric fields. The CBTWC-0.1Mn ceramic achieves a high piezoelectric coefficient of 27.3 pC/N, and the piezoelectric constant remains largely unchanged after high-temperature annealing, demonstrating significant advantages in the field of high-temperature piezoelectric applications.