Discover how machine learning is helping researchers identify different groups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in China and understand how their health conditions impact daily life. This new study offers insights into targeted treatments and better quality of life for those living with COPD.

The development of female cannabis inflorescences is tightly regulated by day length and plant hormones, with direct implications for fiber, seed, and cannabinoid production. 

Looking for greener building solutions? Scientists have found that non-traditional materials like volcanic ash and calcined clay can be used as sustainable alternatives to cement. These materials offer lower carbon emissions and similar performance to conventional binders. Discover how they work and their potential impact on the construction industry in this new study.

High brightness far-red light plays a crucial role in enhancing photosynthetic efficiency and crop yield in plant factories. Here, Cr³⁺-activated silicate ceramics with near-unity internal quantum efficiency and negligible thermal quenching were developed through full crystallization of glass precursors. Importantly, Ba²⁺ substitution for Ca²⁺ in Y₂CaAl₄SiO₁₂:Cr³⁺ strengthens the local crystal field, tuning the emission into a narrow far-red band well matched with phytochrome absorption. The optimized ceramics enable 27% wall-plug efficiency in far-red pc-LEDs and record 2.1 W output in laser-driven sources, highlighting their potential as robust all-inorganic color converters for high-power plant-growth lighting.

Phase change emulsions (NPCEs) have significant potential for energy storage and temperature regulation due to their high energy density and efficient heat transfer. However, in most conventional NPCEs, performance under low-temperature and shear conditions is often compromised, leading to droplet coalescence and instability. A team of scientists has developed a high-energy ultrasonic regeneration strategy that enables real-time restoration of NPCE performance without interrupting the operation cycle. Their work was published in the journal Industrial Chemistry & Materials on July 28.

Facing the increased severely environmental challenges and energy shortages, the development of new green energy systems to replace the traditional fossil fuels has become more urgent for human being. Hydrogen (H₂) is regarded as the environmentally friendly and renewable energy resource for the future. Its unparalleled virtue lies in the fact that its combustion byproduct is exclusively water. Alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) technology is recognized as one of the most promising methods for hydrogen production, while its widespread adoption has been impeded by the high associated costs, its global market share remains negligible, at less than 4%. Reducing the cost of alkaline water electrolysis for the production of green hydrogen is a common challenge for countries around the world. The limited elemental abundance and high cost of noble metal electrocatalysts like Pt and RuO₂ constrain their large-scale application. Therefore, the development of bifunctional non-precious metal electrocatalysts with a high catalytic activity, low cost, and excellent stability is essential to significantly improve the energy efficiencies of AWE.

A study in Forest Ecosystems revealed that Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) in Europe partly originated in a 17th-century practical agroforestry innovation, and not exclusively in a 19/20th-century academic debate as previously thought. The research into forestry history traced the development of CCF all the way from early agroforestry, through individual-based silviculture, and eventually to the later academic debate, offering historical insights for modern sustainable forest management.

A study in Forest Ecosystems reveals that two closely related evergreen oaks (Quercus aquifolioides and Quercus spinosa) in the Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains adapt to different climates through adjustments in leaf trait integration and modularity, with the high-altitude species having flexible traits for harsh conditions and the lowland one showing tightly coordinated traits for efficiency. It also notes the findings’ value for conservation and understanding species’ responses to climate change.

Inspired by oriented and Bouligand structures in natural organisms with remarkable strength and toughness, this study aims to construct biomimetic HA bioceramics with fine microstructures at nanoscale and microscale to enhance the mechanical properties. An innovative magnetic field-assisted 3D printer was developed to create oriented and Bouligand structural HA ceramics under weak magnetic field strengths (58 mT - 116 mT).

This article has developed an integrated multifunctional composite by combining SiCN ceramics, porous ceramics, and phase change materials via a vacuum impregnation process. The resulting composite achieves an impressive minimum reflection loss of -31.29 dB. Leveraging its phase change property, the PCM effectively buffers temperature fluctuations within the composite. When heated at 90℃ for 42 minutes, the composite maintains a significant temperature difference of 36.6℃ from the external thermal load—this unique thermal buffering capability ensures the material delivers stable thermal insulation and reliable infrared stealth performance. This innovative design offers valuable new insights for advancing the development of multifunctional electromagnetic wave-absorbing materials.