This review presents recent progress in understanding the molecular control of rice grain size and nutritional quality, and spotlights emerging routes for their genetic improvement.

Recent decades have witnessed unprecedented scientific growth driven by the convergence of clinical medicine, life sciences, information technology, materials science, and quantum computing. Landmark achievements such as the Human Genome Project, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, and multi-omics technologies have provided deep insights into human biology. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence, wearable devices, big data analytics, and the Internet of Medical Things have revolutionized medical data processing, clinical decision-making, and remote patient monitoring. These advances are accelerating drug development, digitalizing public health systems, and transforming medical diagnosis from experience-based practice to AI-augmented precision detection. Personalized medicine now benefits millions of cancer patients, while regenerative medicine offers new solutions for tissue and organ repair. Against this backdrop, the inaugural issue of MedScience is launched as the new identity of the Chinese Academy of Engineering medical journal. Originally established as Frontiers of Medicine in China in 2007 and renamed Frontiers of Medicine in 2011, the journal has achieved indexing in Scopus, PubMed/Medline, and SCI-E. The name MedScience embodies a commitment to both medical service and scientific rigor. The journal will focus on emerging fields including cell and gene therapy, AI-driven drug discovery, organoids, precision medicine, and environmental health, aiming to serve as a dynamic international platform that transcends disciplinary boundaries and contributes to global human health advancement.

“Why do patients with dementia or cognitive decline remain stuck in past memories?”

KAIST researchers have identified, for the first time in the world, the existence of a “neural switch” in the brain that selectively retrieves the most recent memories. This study reveals the principle by which the brain selects necessary information between past memories and new memories, presenting new possibilities for future treatments for memory decline and reduced cognitive flexibility.

A recent trial of community-based and nurse-led ultrasound screening for hip dysplasia in Japan has been met with great success, according to new research at the University of Tokyo. The trial achieved almost universal reach and 8.7% of infants were found to have suspected developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), including children with no clinical signs or known risk factors. DDH is commonly checked for through a physical examination; however, late diagnosis remains a public health issue worldwide, leading to problems for adults later in life. More comprehensive ultrasound screening of infants during community-based public health services could help catch these missed cases without requiring hospital resources to conduct the initial screening.

The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), is proud to recognize the outstanding contributions of Lauren B. Gerlach, DO, MS, with the 2026 Terrie Fox Wetle Rising Star Award in Health Services and Aging Research. This award honors a health services researcher in an early or middle phase of his/her career who has already made importantcontributions with work that respects the value of multidisciplinary health services science and that is likely to be highly influential in shaping practice and research for decades to come. The award is a framed citation and carries a cash prize of $5,000.