Writing in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, a Chinese–industry team describe an industrial-scale route for spirally winding 0.3 mm bamboo veneers into 8–12 mm drinking straws. Steam-softened, flattened Moso bamboo is ultrasound-cleaned to remove colourants and starch, eliminating mould risk, then bonded with food-grade water-borne polyurethane. The resulting straws deliver compression (≈17 MPa) and bending (≈14 MPa) strengths that match premium paper straws yet absorb 60 % less liquid; 1 500-consumer blind tests ranked them first over paper and PLA. Life-cycle screening indicates 70 % lower CO₂ footprint than polypropylene.

Published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, a new review synthesizes two decades of global research on turning agricultural leftovers into dissolving pulp for viscose, lyocell, and other regenerated cellulose textiles. Soybean straw, wheat straw, rice straw, sorghum stalks, and sugarcane bagasse—currently burned or left to rot—emerge as technically viable feedstocks that match the purity and reactivity of conventional wood pulp while slashing land-use pressure and greenhouse-gas emissions. The authors urge industry to pilot region-specific biorefineries and to complete full life-cycle assessments before scaling.

This study uncovers a new molecular mechanism by which the E3 ubiquitin ligase PIAS4 orchestrates pluripotency exit and lineage commitment in porcine embryonic stem cells (pESCs). Using a genome-wide CRISPR screening approach, the researchers identified PIAS4 as a critical regulator that modulates histone H3K4me3 marks via SUMOylation-mediated stabilization of KDM5B. Loss of PIAS4 impaired stem cell differentiation, disrupted lineage specific gene programs, and altered mesendoderm specification through LEFTY2–SMAD signaling. These findings not only provide fundamental insight into porcine stem cell biology but also pave the way for applications in livestock breeding, artificial meat production, and regenerative medicine.

This study developed a metal-drug self-delivery nanomedicine (FDAH) to enhance chemotherapy/chemodynamic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Leveraging a core of iron-based nanoparticles co-loaded with two clinical drugs, Doxorubicin (DOX) and Plerixafor (AMD3100), and an outer shell of hyaluronic acid (HA), the system enables targeted drug delivery and combats therapeutic resistance. After intravenous administration, the HA shell prolongs blood circulation, facilitating tumor accumulation via the EPR effect and subsequent cellular uptake through HA/CD44-specific interactions. Inside tumor cells, the iron ions mediate chemodynamic therapy by triggering the Fenton reaction to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which disrupts redox homeostasis and sensitizes cells to DOX. Simultaneously, AMD3100 blocks the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis to alleviate immunosuppression and enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy. This work demonstrates that targeting the immunosuppressive microenvironment with a CXCR4-inhibiting nanoplatform can effectively synergize chemotherapy and chemodynamic therapy for improved HCC treatment.

The senescence of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells is involved in osteoporosis. The combination of dasatinib and quercetin has been explored to alleviate bone loss by efficiently reducing senescent cell populations. However, senolytic therapy by dasatinib and quercetin requires a precise ratio for better therapeutic effects, which is hard to achieve by oral administration. Meanwhile, the poor water solubility of these compounds limits their bioavailability, and their non-specific action could hamper effective penetration and targeting within relevant tissues. Herein, we developed alendronate-functionalized liposomes carrying dasatinib and quercetin (Aln-Lipo-DQ), focusing mainly on senescence-associated osteoporosis induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Alendronate helps liposomes deliver dasatinib and quercetin to the femur and tibias, effectively removing senescent cells from bone tissue and increasing bone volume fraction from 5.05% to 11.95% in the chemotherapy-induced osteoporosis mouse model. We also found a 2.91-fold increase in bone volume fraction in Aln-Lipo-DQ treated groups compared to the control in radiotherapy models. This selectively targeting bone and reducing senescent cells holds great promise for cancer treatment-related and senescence-associated bone disorders.

Virus infections severely threaten the ornamental quality and yield of petunia, but the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying antiviral defense in this species have remained unclear.

Cucumber crops worldwide face major yield losses due to virus infections transmitted by aphids.

Fertilization in flowering plants relies on the fast-growing pollen tube, a cellular conduit that delivers sperm cells to the ovule. 

Chilling injury (CI) is a major challenge limiting the shelf life and market value of peaches during cold storage.

A new chromosome-scale and haplotype-resolved genome of Populus trichocarpa provides the most complete and accurate picture to date of a model woody plant’s genetic structure.