Symptoms of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), range from asymptomatic to life-threatening, affecting the respiratory system and many other organs, and involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, particularly its viral entry, is the enzyme transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). In response, in this study, polymorphisms in the TMPRSS2 gene (rs2070788 and rs12329760) were examined for their association with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in Jordanians. The study participants (n = 861) included 427 individuals who had never contracted COVID-19 (control group) and 434 who had experienced the disease (case group). The case group was subsequently divided into two subgroups: severe (n = 166) and non-severe (n = 268) COVID-19. The results show that rs2070788 is associated with disease susceptibility in all inheritance models (P < 0.05), as well as an association between rs12329760 and COVID-19 disease severity in both the dominant and over-dominant models (P < 0.05). Further, a higher body mass index (BMI) and older age were associated with disease severity (p < 0.05), though females were less likely to develop severe COVID-19 and to be hospitalized. In conclusion, polymorphisms in the TMPRSS2 gene may be considered a potential predictor of COVID-19 outcomes in the Jordanian population. The study findings could be used to manage similar viral infections in Jordan in the future.

Using MODIS observations from 2003 to 2024, researchers evaluated candidate regions and seasonal windows for marine cloud brightening (MCB) worldwide by examining how key cloud properties varied with aerosol optical depth (AOD). Among five representative ocean regions, the North Pacific during boreal autumn (SON) showed a favorable coordinated pattern: cloud fraction and cloud optical thickness were positively sensitive to AOD, whereas cloud droplet effective radius was negatively sensitive. The study provides an observational basis for further evaluation of MCB candidate regions and seasonal windows. The findings were published in Science China Earth Sciences.

In a paper published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences, a team of researchers conducted a series of CESM2 ensemble simulations under SSP2-4.5 to examine the impact of marine cloud brightening (MCB) on terrestrial drought. By injecting sea salt aerosols over certain subtropical ocean regions, they found that MCB could produce about 0.9°C global cooling and mitigate global land drying trend via reduced potential evapotranspiration by 2100 relative to that of SSP2-4.5. However, regional differences in drought response to MCB are evident, indicating the underlying complexity of terrestrial hydrological responses to artificial climate intervention. It sheds new light on the potential and risks of solar geoengineering for drought mitigation.

A new study published in National Science Review reveals the dual effects of urban greenery on compound heat-ozone pollution risks across Northern Hemisphere cities. While urban greening is widely promoted as a nature-based method to cool overheated cities, complex interactions between urban meteorology and atmospheric chemistry can create important trade-offs for ozone control. The findings call for integrated urban greening strategies that jointly enhance climate resilience, air quality, and public health.

A Nankai University team designed azaphenanthrene-fused non-fullerene acceptors and tuned their central cores with fluorine, chlorine, or bromine. Increasing halogen size progressively enhanced crystallinity and packing order. The brominated acceptor CHNBr achieved a fill factor of 78.84%, enabling binary organic solar cells to exceed 20% power conversion efficiency.

Researchers report a programmable mid-infrared photothermoelectric detector based on a suspended nanometer-thick SrTiO₃ membrane. It responds in about 10 microseconds, reaches about 50 volts per watt through dual-gate control, and supports 40 measured response states. A 3-by-3 array further demonstrates programmable infrared image preprocessing and attention-guided thermal target enhancement.

Many vitreoretinal disorders, including retinal detachment (rhegmatogenous, exudative, or tractional), macular holes, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, and vitreous hemorrhage, often require vitrectomy with retinal repair, followed by intraocular tamponade to stabilize the retina and preserve ocular integrity. The tamponade agents most used in clinical practice are expansile gases and silicone oil. Although these materials can effectively support postoperative retinal reattachment, they remain limited in terms of long-term stability and biosafety. Complications such as cataract formation, elevated intraocular pressure, intraocular inflammation, and retinal injury associated with silicone oil emulsification may still occur. To address this challenge, Prof. Jianhai Yang and Prof. Wenguang Liu (Tianjin University), together with Prof. Xiaorong Li and Prof. Xiaoli Xing (Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital) developed an injectable zwitterionic polymer hydrogel based on poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC).