In a multicenter retrospective Chinese ICU cohort (5 hospitals, 2012–2023; 9,221 pediatric suspected-infection admissions; 13.4% mortality), the Phoenix Sepsis Score showed only moderate discrimination for in-hospital death (AUROC 0.60). Using XGBoost/SHAP-guided, clinically feasible predictors, the authors created PSS+, presented as a logistic regression nomogram, improving discrimination in internal (AUROC 0.75) and external (AUROC 0.71) validation versus PSS-4/8 and pSOFA.

Nanofilm electrodes capable of detecting stress in plants through bioelectric potentials could pave the way for more resilient agriculture, report researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo. Thanks to the electrode’s small thickness, leaf surface hairs can easily pierce through it, enabling stable and long-term electrical contact without compromising the leaf’s natural processes. This work could help improve crop yields by enabling early detection of stress in plants.

Microbial metabolites influence health far beyond the intestinal tract. Yet, a systematic understanding of how these molecules precisely control specific immune cell functions and regulate disease has remained elusive. A comprehensive review by the team of Professor Changtao Jiang and Dr. Kai Wang at Peking University addresses this gap. The article provides a critical theoretical foundation for understanding the gut microbiota-metabolite-immune axis in disease pathogenesis and for developing targeted intervention strategies.

MIT researchers have developed a “living implant” that uses muscle to restore function to weakened organs—potentially offering an alternative to mechanical devices and transplants.