The Asian monsoon is one of the world's most influential climate systems, directly impacting the weather, water resources, agriculture, and livelihoods of billions of people across Asia. A recent review paper by an international team is expected to inspire new research and innovation to advance monsoon prediction further, ultimately supporting better risk management and adaptation across Asia

In IJEM, a new method for the production of high specific strength SiC-based ceramics at a relatively low sintering temperature (1100 °C) is proposed. Low-temperature sintering of SiC-based ceramics can be achieved by introducing a high content of polysiloxane (PSO) solution (75% by weight). At the same time, the introduction of silicon oxidized carbon (SiOC) phase greatly reduces the anisotropy in the mechanical properties of SiC ceramics. This method provides insights for forming SiC-based ceramics by low-temperature primary sintering and provides a new reference for controlling the anisotropy of vat polymerization ceramic parts.

A research group led by Prof. DING Weixin from the Institute of Soil Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has utilized a newly developed dynamic global wetland water level (WL) dataset to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of wetland carbon sequestration from 2000 to 2020.

Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk) has gained significant attention for its role in regulating metabolic health and its impact on diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Studies suggest that the regulatory effects of Akk are primarily realized through its secreted extracellular vesicles (Akk-EVs), rather than relying solely on the in vivo form. These highly stable bilayer vesicles can regulate physiological and pathological processes in host cells through local or systemic signaling. Unlike direct delivery by live bacteria, Akk-EVs can efficiently deliver a variety of bioactive molecules involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism, lipid homeostasis, intestinal immunity, and maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity without the risk of infection. Given that natural and engineered EVs are increasingly entering clinical trials, Akk-EVs, with their superior stability and specificity, present a promising therapeutic alternative to live bacterial treatments. This review summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of Akk-EVs in health and disease and discusses their potential applications in precision medicine and clinical therapy, offering new insights into therapeutic strategies for metabolic disorders, cancer, and gut diseases.

Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is caused by a quantitative or qualitative defect of von Willebrand factor (VWF). Despite its prevalence as the most common hereditary bleeding disorder and the associated morbidity, its diagnosis and classification remains a challenge. This is mainly attributed to the heterogeneity of the disorder, multi-faceted functions of VWF, limitations of diagnostic assays, and significant impacts of various patho-physiological processes on VWF. For the past few years, significant progress has been made in elucidating the structural basis of VWF activation and development of VWF activity assays. The O-glycosylated sequences flanking the VWF A1 domain constitute a discontinuous and force-sensitive autoinhibitory module (AIM), which regulates the VWF affinity for GPIbα. New options for laboratory assessment of VWF activity include VWF∶GPIbM and VWF∶GPIbNab. The former utilizes a recombinant gain-of-function GPIbα fragment that supports spontaneous binding to plasma VWF, with less variability and higher precision compared to the traditional ristocetin cofactor activity assay. The latter utilizes a VWF-activating nanobody targeting the AIM to activate VWF, demonstrating the highest sensitivity for high-molecular-weight multimers among contemporary assays in the preliminary study. In this review, we focused on recent developments in the field of VWD diagnosis and considered how these advances can improve diagnostic algorithms and patient care in clinical practice.

Daytime radiative cooling is an eco-friendly and passive cooling technology that operates without external energy input. Materials designed for this purpose are engineered to possess high reflectivity in the solar spectrum and high emissivity within the atmospheric transmission window. Unlike broadband-emissive daytime radiative cooling materials, spectrally selective daytime radiative cooling (SSDRC) materials exhibit predominant mid-infrared emission in the atmospheric transmission window. This selective mid-infrared emission suppresses thermal radiation absorption beyond the atmospheric transmission window range, thereby improving the net cooling power of daytime radiative cooling. This review elucidates the fundamental characteristics of SSDRC materials, including their molecular structures, micro- and nanostructures, optical properties, and thermodynamic principles. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the design and fabrication of SSDRC materials in three typical forms, i.e., fibrous materials, membranes, and particle coatings, highlighting their respective cooling mechanisms and performance. Furthermore, the practical applications of SSDRC in personal thermal management, outdoor building cooling, and energy harvesting are summarized. Finally, the challenges and prospects are discussed to guide researchers in advancing SSDRC materials.

New research reveals that certain sugar transporter genes in apples play a key role in boosting drought resistance while enhancing sugar accumulation. 

A new study has decoded how pea plants respond to salt stress through precise epigenetic reprogramming.