A new platform for studying neuroinflammatory diseases, utilizing advanced 3D bioprinting technology was developed by POSTECH in collaboration with Seoul National University Hospital.

Sustainability certificates such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Cocoa Life promise to improve the livelihoods of small-scale cocoa producers while preserving the biodiversity on their plantations. Together with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, researchers from the University of Göttingen have investigated whether sustainability certificates actually achieve both these goals. To find out, they carried out an analysis within the Ghanaian cocoa production sector. Their results show that although certification improves both cocoa yield and cocoa income for small-scale producers, they were unable to find any effects on biodiversity in the cocoa plantations. The results were published in the journal Ecological Economics.

Caio Vieira, assistant professor of soybean breeding and a researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, tested 31 soybean genotypes over two growing seasons to see how they would respond to four-day flooding in early reproductive stages.

The study found that some genotypes visually classified as “moderately tolerant” to flooding had higher yields than those classified as “tolerant.” Another surprising discovery was that four-day flooding in the early reproductive stage did not significantly alter the soybean seed composition of any of the varieties tested compared to the non-flooded control group.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky have developed a cost-effective, non-destructive microscopy technique to study cancer cell metabolism at the single-cell level. Published in Biophotonics Discovery, the approach uses a standard fluorescence microscope and imaging software to analyze metabolic changes in response to radiation treatment. In their study of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, the team observed how radiation-induced activation of the protein HIF-1α contributed to metabolic reprogramming and radiation resistance. This novel method offers a more accessible way to explore metabolic shifts in tumors, potentially advancing cancer treatment strategies by improving the understanding of resistance mechanisms.

A new Zap research paper, published last week in Nuclear Fusion, details neutron isotropy measurements from the FuZE device that provide the best validation yet that Zap’s sheared-flow-stabilized Z pinches generate stable, thermal fusion. It’s a benchmark milestone for scaling fusion to higher energy yields in Zap’s technology and giving confidence in reaching higher performance on the FuZE-Q device.

Foams are an essential component of many different drinks and foods: from a frothy head of beer to coffee crema, bread and ice cream. Despite their ubiquity, little is actually known or understood about these highly complex systems. Collaboration between the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) and Aarhus University has connected unique capabilities to investigate foam with critically relevant food science challenges, bringing a greener food future a step closer.