A research team led by Prof. BI Guo-Qiang from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with several domestic and international institutions, has resolved a 50-year-old controversy in neuroscience. By employing a self-developed, time-resolved cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) technique, the team has delineated the intricate choreography of synaptic vesicle (SV) release and rapid recycling, the cornerstone of neural communication. Their findings, which introduce a new biophysical mechanism termed the “Kiss-Shrink-Run”, were published in Science on October 17 (Beijing time).

Researchers at Rice University, UTHealth School of Dentistry, and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have developed a smartphone-based imaging system, mDOC, to help dental professionals identify patients who may need referral for oral cancer evaluation. The device captures white light and autofluorescence images of the mouth and uses a machine learning algorithm to assess risk. In a study of 50 patients at community dental clinics, the system demonstrated 60 percent sensitivity and 88 percent specificity in identifying lesions requiring expert review—outperforming standard clinical exams. The technology offers a fast, low-cost tool to support early detection and timely referral in routine dental care settings.

For the first time, researchers from Florida International University (FIU), working in collaboration with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, have detected a dozen different “forever chemicals” known as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) within the Miccosukee Indian Reservation in the Everglades. The findings, published in Environmental Research, raise new questions about potential impacts to water quality, ecosystem health and ongoing Everglades restoration efforts.

To help undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Arlington develop a firmer understanding of natural resources and their importance to society, faculty from the College of Education and the College of Science are revamping a course in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. The effort is supported by a National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education grant.

Drivers who smart charge their electric vehicles could not only offset the costs and emissions associated with charging, they could also spur the growth of renewable energy infrastructure.