Scientists from China have developed a fully absorbable cranial fixation device that improves skull bone healing and stability after brain surgery. The new implant outperformed the widely used Aesculap® CranioFix clamp. The device provides stronger fixation, safer degradation, and faster postoperative skull recovery, offering a promising alternative to current metal or polymer fixation systems. These findings provide prominent significance for promoting the innovation and development of absorbable cranial flap fixation devices.

Researchers have confirmed the true ferrielectric state in a single-phase material, (MV)[SbBr₅]. This new polar order exhibits a unique combination of a switchable net polarization, asynchronous dipole switching, and polar-to-polar structural transitions, while enabling unprecedented electric-field control of spin-orbit coupling and circular photogalvanic effects, opening new avenues for next-generation electronics.

A unified strategy using aggregation-induced emission fluorogens (AIEgens) is developed to monitor multiscale material dynamics. Their high-contrast fluorescence enables the correlation of molecular motions, microscopic particle coalescence, and macroscopic drying within a single optical framework. This overcomes limitations of multi-platform methods, offering a generalizable approach for holistic process analysis in complex systems like polymer emulsions.

This study assessed industrial restructuring impacts on heavy metal pollution (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb) and ecological risk in a Pearl River Delta urban waterway. Sediment concentrations followed Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Ni > As > Cd, all exceeding baselines, rising from 2008 to 2011 then declining through 2018, aligning with shifts to less polluting industries. Fractionation revealed Cr, Ni, and As as predominantly residual; Zn in reducible and residual; Cd acid-soluble; and Cu and Pb reducible, indicating greater human influence on Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb. Nickel dominated water ecological risk, while Cd led in sediments. Despite adjustments, anthropogenic ecological risks persist.

Researchers have developed a nitrogen-doped graphitic biochar using chitosan for efficient removal of nitrogen-containing contaminants, such as imidacloprid, from water. The material demonstrated notable adsorption performance, achieving a capacity of 140.1 mg/g and a removal efficiency of 97.2% for imidacloprid. The study reveals the key role of nitrogen-functional groups, particularly pyridinic-N and graphitic-N, in driving the adsorption process through π–π interactions and Lewis acid-base reactions. These findings provide valuable insights for designing advanced adsorbents for environmental remediation.