Researchers have transformed lightweight balsa wood veneer into a flexible material that generates electricity when pressed. Using two eco-friendly solvent treatments, they removed rigid lignin and added zinc oxide nanoparticles, enabling a 1-mm-thick sample to produce 0.24 V, which over three times the output of untreated wood. Four stacked pieces in series reached 0.92 V, enough to power small smart-home sensors.

Researchers have developed a modular chemoenzymatic platform that efficiently produces six major bioactive alkaloids from Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian), a cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine. Published in Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing, the approach combines engineered enzymes with a simple chemical step to overcome longstanding bottlenecks in heterologous biosynthesis and chemical synthesis, achieving gram-scale preparation with yields up to 48%.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) affects approximately 25% of the global population and is typically linked to obesity. Notably, emerging evidence indicates that 12%–20% of MAFLD occurs in individuals with normal body weight or even in lean individuals, a condition termed lean MAFLD. These individuals often exhibit distinct clinical features, including lower insulin resistance but similar risks of liver fibrosis, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and higher cardiovascular mortality. Despite its clinical significance, the underlying mechanism of lean MAFLD remains poorly understood due to the lack of representative animal models.

Liver fibrosis, a common pathological outcome of chronic liver injury, is a key precursor to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite its clinical importance, no effective antifibrotic therapies are currently available.