A new review in eGastroenterology explores how long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate key metabolic pathways in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and fibrosis. These findings suggest that lncRNAs could serve as novel therapeutic targets for liver disease, addressing an urgent need for effective treatments.

Tsinghua University Press announces the 2025 Carbon Future Young Investigator Award.

This study presents an integrated study combining global proteomics, lactylome, and genome-wide RNA sequencing to elucidate the role of lactylation throughout postnatal heart development. They demonstrate a remarkable increase in non-histone lactylation levels as early from 1 week (1 w) to 6 weeks (6 w) postpartum and remained elevated from 6 months (6 m) onwards. However, the histone lactylation showed the opposite trend.In particular, histone 4 lysine 12 lactylation (H4K12la) acts as a pivotal upstream regulatory element in the early postnatal mouse heart, from 1 w to 6 w postpartum. These findings strongly suggest a significant connection between lactylation and postnatal cardiac development and highlight its involvement in gene expression regulation, thus offering potential mechanisms for targeting heart diseases.

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) have made rapid progress in luminescence, efficiency, and stability, making them promising candidates for displays and solid-state lighting applications. However, achieving high-performance QLEDs with high color purity remains a persistent challenge, particularly red QLEDs, thus limiting the popularity of ultra-high definition devices. Recently, Soochow University, in collaboration with Macau University of Science and Technology and other research institutes, reported a facile high-temperature successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (HT-SILAR) strategy for the growth of high-quality, large-particle, alloyed red QDs. These QDs exhibit a near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), and narrow emission with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 17.1 nm. As a result, a record external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 38.2%, luminance over 120,000 cd m⁻², and exceptional operational stability T₉₅ (tested at 1,000 cd m⁻²) of 24,100 hours were achieved for QLEDs. This work opens new avenues for synthesizing high-quality QDs with high color purity and was published in Science Bulletin.

A research team led by Zhengtao Yu introduces the Element Relational Graph-Augmented Multi-Granularity Contextualized Encoder (ERGM) for document-level event role filler extraction, outperforming baseline models and effectively capturing dependency relationships in extensive experiments on the MUC-4 benchmark.

Imagine a world where worms can hear. While it may sound like science fiction, researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that the nematode C. elegans, a commonly studied model organism, is capable of sensing and responding to airborne sound. This groundbreaking finding challenges the long-held belief that hearing is exclusive to vertebrates and certain arthropods.

The study, published in the Biophysics Reports reveals that C. elegans exhibit a behavior called phonotaxis, where they move away from the source of sound. This response is dependent on the frequency and size of the sound source, suggesting that the worms are sensitive to sound pressure gradients rather than absolute sound pressure levels.

So, how do these microscopic creatures perceive sound? The answer lies in their skin. When airborne sound waves cause the worms’ external cuticle to vibrate, it activates specialized mechanosensory neurons called FLP and PVD. These neurons, located in the worms’ head and tail regions, respectively, respond to the vibrations by triggering avoidance behavior.

Further investigation revealed that the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) is not required for this auditory transduction process. Instead, a specific type of nicotine acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) called DES-2/DEG-3 plays a crucial role in converting sound waves into neural signals.

A new review in Engineering reveals that CRISPR technologies are revolutionizing regenerative medicine. Scientists from Columbia University explore how this gene-editing tool is addressing limitations of traditional therapies. It’s being used to treat genetic diseases, enhance tissue repair, prevent transplant rejection, and serve as a research aid. However, challenges like delivery and off-target effects remain. Despite these, the potential of CRISPR in regenerative medicine is vast, promising more effective treatments in the future.

In a significant development for global climate efforts, a new study in Engineering reveals China’s strategic approach to carbon neutrality. Against the backdrop of the Paris Agreement’s 2°C target, researchers find that China can reach carbon neutrality by 2060 without early reliance on certain costly technologies. This path not only impacts China’s sustainable future but also has far-reaching implications for global climate change, from influencing warming levels to reducing the risk of extreme events.

A newly published study in Engineering reveals a novel approach to the performance assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. By integrating distributed fiber optic sensing technology with self-sensing steel fiber-reinforced polymer composite bars (SFCBs), researchers have developed a method that enables a multilevel evaluation of the safety, durability, and suitability of these structures. This new research holds great promise for enhancing structural health monitoring and maintenance practices in the construction field.