The recent global outbreak of monkeypox (mpox) has underscored the urgent need for rapid, accurate, and accessible diagnostic tools. The unprecedented spread of mpox beyond its endemic regions has highlighted significant gaps in our preparedness for emerging infectious diseases, particularly in diagnostics. Traditional methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while accurate, often require sophisticated equipment and trained personnel, leading to potential delays in diagnosis and disease management. In response, the development of point-of-care (POC) biosensors has emerged as a critical area of research, offering the promise of rapid, on-site detection with minimal resource requirements. This article explores various biosensing technologies, including CRISPR-based systems, electrochemical sensors, optical biosensors, and microfluidic devices. We discuss the principles behind these technologies, their performance characteristics, advantages, limitations, and potential for real-world application. By leveraging the current state of knowledge, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in POC biosensors for mpox detection to enhance cognizance among researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers about the latest advancements and opportunities in this critical area of public health, contributing to enhanced global health security and preparedness against mpox and other emerging infectious diseases.

The 4th LabMed Discovery Youth Scholars Forum, hosted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, is a themed event under the SJTU Med-Engineering Journal Alliance. This interdisciplinary forum aims to provide a platform for outstanding young researchers to share cutting-edge scientific advancements and foster academic dialogue across fields such as medicine, translational research, and biomedical engineering.

Metallic Zn anodes suffer from hydrogen evolution and dendritic deposition in aqueous electrolytes, resulting in low Coulombic efficiency and poor cyclic stability for aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs). Constructing stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with strong affinity for Zn and exclusion of water corrosion of Zn metal anodes is a promising strategy to tackle these challenges. In this study, we develop a self-healing ZnO-based SEI film on the Zn electrode surface by employing an aspartame (APM) as a versatile electrolyte additive. The hydrophobic nature and strong Zn affinity of APM can facilitate the dynamic self-healing of ZnO-based SEI film during cyclic Zn plating/stripping process. Benefiting from the superior protection effect of self-healing ZnO-based SEI, the Zn║Cu cells possess an average coulombic efficiency more than 99.59% over 1,000 cycles even at a low current density of 1 mA cm⁻²− 1 mAh cm⁻². Furthermore, the Zn║NH₄⁺-V₂O₅ full cells display a large specific capacity of 150 mAh g⁻¹ and high cyclic stability with a capacity retention of 77.8% after 1,750 cycles. In addition, the Zn║Zn cell delivers high temperature adaptability at a wide-temperature range from − 5 to 40 °C even under a high DOD of 85.2%. The enhanced capability and durability originate from the self-healing SEI formation enabled by multifunctional APM additives mediating both corrosion suppression and interfacial stabilization. This work presents an inspired and straightforward approach to promote a dendrite-free and wide-temperature rechargeable AZIBs energy storage system.

In a paper published in Mycology, an international team of scientists mainly reported the isolation and characterization of two new pairs of (±)-penithrones A (1) and B (2), and a chlorinated derivative (±)-penithrone C (3), along with their biogenetic precursors (4–6), from the mangrove-derived fungus Penicillium hispanicum LA032. The study demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity of compounds 1 and 2 against multiple cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ = 5.09–9.47 μmol/L), and identified MAPK10 as a potential molecular target through integrated network pharmacology and molecular docking approaches, providing new insights into fungal-derived anticancer agents.

A new study solves a long-standing climate mystery: Why don't the records of oxygen isotopes in cave formations like stalagmites—known as speleothems—from central southern China reflect the well-known 100,000-year cycles of ice ages seen in other global climate records? These speleothem records have long been considered a key indicator of the strength of the Asian summer monsoon, so their failure to show these major climate shifts has puzzled scientists for decades.