News from China
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 19-Jan-2026 07:11 ET (19-Jan-2026 12:11 GMT/UTC)
Mixing electrochromism at molecular level
Science China PressPeer-Reviewed Publication
The reticular architecture of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) enables not only systematic but also creative tuning of their functionalities. A recent study involving forty structurally related MOFs demonstrated how to precisely integrate and regulate two types of electrochromic cores within the MOF architectures through mild linker modifications and straightforward crystal engineering. The underlying logic is reminiscent of a conventional color palette—yet elevated to molecular-level precision, offering promising prospects for future electronic applications.
- Journal
- National Science Review
New editorial urges clinicians to address sex-based disparities in sepsis treatment
Journal of Intensive MedicinePeer-Reviewed Publication
Sepsis, a leading cause of global mortality, requires prompt and accurate antibiotic administration. Proper dosing ensures therapeutic success while reducing the likelihood of adverse effects. Despite this, standardized treatment approaches frequently disregard sex and gender differences that shape pharmacological responses. This editorial article underscores the significance of these variables and advocates revising clinical guidelines to integrate sex- and gender-specific considerations into antimicrobial therapy and decision-making.
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- Journal of Intensive Medicine
Global risk factors, epidemiology, and disease burden of type 2 diabetes
Science China PressPeer-Reviewed Publication
The latest publication from Science China Life Science summarized the trends of risk factors, epidemiology and disease burden of type 2 diabetes at global level. The disease has been doubled in the last three decades, now affecting over 530 million people worldwide. By 2045, nearly 800 million may be affected, with the steepest rises in Asia and Africa. The disease shortens lives, fuels heart and kidney disease, and consumes 10% of global health budgets. Yet it is largely preventable: trials in Finland, India, the US, and China show lifestyle programmes cut risk by half, and remission is possible with weight loss. The global challenge is not knowledge but implementation. Bold prevention and equity-focused policies are urgently needed to change the course of this epidemic.
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- Science China Life Sciences
Single-molecule techniques in studying the molecular mechanisms of DNA synapsis in non-homologous end-joining repair
Higher Education PressDNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most severe form of DNA damage, primarily repaired by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway. A critical step in this process is DNA synapsis, where the two broken ends are brought together to facilitate timely repair. Deficiencies in NHEJ synapsis can lead to improper DNA end configurations, potentially resulting in chromosomal translocations. NHEJ synapsis is a highly dynamic, multi-protein mediated assembly process. Recent advances in single-molecule techniques have led to significant progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms driving NHEJ synapsis. In this review, we summarize single-molecule methods developed for studying NHEJ synapsis, with a particular focus on the single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) technique. We discuss the various molecular mechanisms of NHEJ synapsis uncovered through these studies and explore the coupling between synapsis and other steps in NHEJ. Additionally, we highlight the strategies, limitations, and future directions for single-molecule studies of NHEJ synapsis.
- Journal
- Biophysics Reports
Bidirectional ion–electric field synergy via in situ grown BiOCl/Bi heterostructure enabling ultra–stable zinc anodes across wide temperatures
Science China PressPeer-Reviewed Publication
A semiconductor–metal synergistic interface design via in situ engineering of a Bi/BiOCl heterostructure on Zn anodes was presented. This dual–functional heterointerface enables unprecedented electrochemical performance, including: (i) stable cycling for 2500 h at 10 mA cm–2 in symmetric cells; (ii) 1000 cycles at 10 A g–1 for the Zn@Bi/BiOCl//dibenzo[b,i]thianthrene–5,7,12,14–tetraone (DTT) full battery, and 15,000 cycles at room temperature and 7500 cycles at –20 °C for the Zn@Bi/BiOCl//activated carbon (AC) hybrid ion capacitor (HIC), outperforming most reported AZIBs. This breakthrough originates from a dual–functional synergy: Bi nanoparticles serve as zincophilic nucleation guides to expedite homogeneous Zn2+ deposition, while the BiOCl semiconductor establishes a built–in electric field with Zn to redistribute interfacial ion/charge flux and elevate the hydrogen evolution barrier. This coordinated regulation simultaneously inhibits Zn dendrite formation, HER, and Zn corrosion, imparting promising applications for Zn anodes in AZIBs. Our work not only resolves the long–standing interfacial instability of Zn anodes but also pioneers a semiconductor–metal heterojunction strategy, offering a universal platform for designing dendrite–free metal batteries operable under extreme thermal and rate conditions.
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- Science Bulletin
Host cytoskeleton and membrane network remodeling in the regulation of viral replication
Higher Education PressThis review explores how viral infections remodel the host cell’s cytoskeleton and membrane systems to form viral replication factories, facilitating viral replication and assembly. These factories come in various shapes, such as viroplasms, spherules, double-membrane vesicles, and tubes, often derived from host organelles like the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus.
- Journal
- Biophysics Reports
Can digital agricultural technology extension promote green fertilization?
Higher Education PressIn recent years, digital agricultural technology extension services (DATES), leveraging Internet platforms such as WeChat official accounts and mobile applications, have gained popularity, providing a new pathway for agricultural technology dissemination. This service overcomes the temporal and spatial limitations of traditional agricultural technology extension, enabling farmers to conveniently access planting knowledge. Then, can DATES effectively encourage farmers to adopt OMF and contribute to the green transformation of agriculture? Professor Minjuan Zhao from the College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, and her team addressed this question through a survey of farmers in major apple - producing areas in China. The related research has been published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2024590).
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- Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering
POINT: A Platform for unraveling interaction mechanisms between drugs and complex Diseases
Science China PressPeer-Reviewed Publication
The POINT platform (http://point.gene.ac/) integrates multi-omics biological networks, advanced network topology analysis, deep learning prediction algorithms, and a comprehensive biomedical knowledge graph. It provides a powerful tool to overcome current bottlenecks in network pharmacology and advance the field.
- Journal
- Science Bulletin
A graph reinforcement learning framework for real-time distributed multi-robot task allocation
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Journal CenterDynamic multi-robot task allocation (MRTA) requires real-time responsiveness and adaptability to rapidly changing con ditions. Existing methods, primarily based on static data and centralized architectures, often fail in dynamic environments that require decentralized, context-aware decisions. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel graph reinforce ment learning (GRL) architecture, named Spatial-Temporal Fusing Reinforcement Learning (STFRL), to address real-time distributed target allocation problems in search and rescue scenarios. The proposed policy network includes an encoder, which employs a Temporal-Spatial Fusing Encoder (TSFE) to extract input features and a decoder uses multi-head attention (MHA) to perform distributed allocation based on the encoder’s output and context. The policy network is trained with the REINFORCEalgorithm.Experimentalcomparisonswithstate-of-the-artbaselinesdemonstratethatSTFRLachievessuperior performance in path cost, inference speed, and scalability, highlighting its robustness and efficiency in complex, dynamic environments.
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- Aerospace Systems