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Journal articleDebabèche NB, Wagner M, Jiang Q, et al., 2026, , Carbohydrate Polymers, Vol: 389, ISSN: 0144-8617
Lightweight porous cellulose materials, in particular pulp fibre foams, face challenges in achieving suitable mechanical properties while maintaining sustainability. Porous cellulose structures were developed by inserting pulp fibre pins or paper tubes into pre-perforated pulp fibre foams to form a sandwich structure with kraft liner paper deck sheets using a simple and scalable manufacturing process. The resulting porous cellulose composite structures, with densities ranging from 80 kg/m<sup>3</sup> to 177 kg/m<sup>3</sup>, were mechanically characterised under compression, three-point bending, and double lap shear loading. We demonstrate that tube-reinforced configurations outperformed perforated pulp fibre foams in stiffness and strength, showing a significant improvement of 10,300% in compressive, 1500% in flexural, and 350% in shear modulus compared to perforated pulp fibre foams. We showed that the mechanical performance of pulp-based materials can be controlled by structural design rather than material modification, providing a viable strategy to overcome mechanical limitations of cellulose fibre foams.
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Journal articleBeslać J, Brandfellner L, Bismarck A, et al., 2026, , Journal of Non Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, Vol: 350, ISSN: 0377-0257
Polymer concentration is a key parameter for the application of polymeric drag reducing agents. Drag reducing agents are high molecular weight polymers which reduce drag in turbulent flow. Increasing polymer concentration increases drag reduction (DR) as well as polymer stability, counteracting polymer chain scission in turbulent flow. We investigated DR and stability of polyethylene oxide (PEO) in dilute and semi-dilute solutions in the concentration range of 25 wppm to 200 wppm using the pilot scale Vienna Experiment for Drag Reducing Agents (ViEDRA), taking into account viscosity changes caused by polymer concentration variation and polymer degradation. Theories attempt to reveal the mechanism of DR and to describe polymer degradation in turbulent flow. Most numerical simulations of DR do not account for polymer degradation and many experimental studies neglect viscosity changes. We focus on the impact of polymer concentration on both initial DR of the un-degraded polymer and on polymer degradation rate. Solution viscosity is monitored to disentangle DR provided by polymer dynamics from artefacts caused by viscosity changes with polymer addition, revealing a clear influence of polymer concentration on both initial DR and polymer degradation rate. The highest initial DR value was observed in solutions with the highest polymer concentrations. Degradation rate was higher for low polymer concentrations.
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Journal articleSun M, Gao AX, Ye B, et al., 2026, , Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, Vol: 13, Pages: 37-49, ISSN: 2405-805X
Membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) constitute crucial dynamic microenvironments within cells, capable of selectively concentrating specific molecules and regulating biochemical reactions. Based on the working mechanisms of natural MLOs, researchers have designed and constructed various synthetic MLOs. These MLOs have been applied in regulating enzyme activity, optimizing metabolic pathways, regulating gene expression, producing recombinant proteins, and developing functional biomaterials. Here, we systematically summarized the design strategies, characterization techniques, and client protein recruitment methods for synthetic MLOs, and categorically reviewed their application progress in the biotechnology field. We also discussed current challenges faced in the practical applications of synthetic MLOs and future research directions. This review aims to provide theoretical guidance and practical reference for the design and application of LLPS-driven synthetic MLOs, thereby promoting their innovative development in synthetic biology and biotechnology.
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Journal articleZhao A, Jüstel JPM, Jones MP, et al., 2026, , Cleaner Materials, Vol: 21
Fungal leather alternatives, intended to imitate animal leather, are popular with fashion designers. Most fungal leather alternatives rely on ‘as-grown’ mycelium networks, which are time-intensive to grow and difficult to scale. We present a leather alternative designed for scalability, utilising mushroom residues and papermaking methods. Flexible chitin-glucan sheets were produced from Agaricus bisporus mushrooms with tensile strengths up to 20 MPa, values approaching those of synthetic and bovine leather (∼13 MPa and 10–31 MPa, respectively), and strains-to-failure of 16–18% (compared to 15–60% and 31–69%, respectively). Sheet aesthetics and mechanical properties were tailored through modified fungal pulp extraction, dyeing, and reinforcement with cellulose-based fibres to achieve tear strengths comparable to bovine leather (104–107 N/mm compared to 42–106 N/mm). Mushroom residue-based sheets demonstrated a solution aligned with the principles of circularity, converting underutilised by-products into wearable garments to reduce waste and resource use in the fashion and textile industries.
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Journal articleGodson A, Eddie L, Schuster M, et al., 2026, , New Phytol, Vol: 251, Pages: 2741-2752
RD21-like proteases are papain-like cysteine proteases with a C-terminal granulin domain that are abundant and ubiquitous in angiosperms and have often been implicated in immunity. We previously found that the activity of RD21 in Nicotiana benthamiana (NbRD21) is suppressed during infection with Pseudomonas syringae. Here, we studied the role of NbRD21 in immunity and proteome processing. NbRD21 was disrupted by genome editing and rd21 mutants were subjected to disease assays and shotgun proteomics. Dipeptide substrate zLR-AMC was used in protease assays and agroinfiltration was used to transiently express NbRD21 and candidate substrates. Genome-edited lines lacking NbRD21 develop normally but have drastically reduced zLRase activity and are significantly more susceptible to P. syringae. Shotgun proteomics revealed an increased accumulation of c. 20 diverse receptor-like kinases (RLKs) in untreated rd21 knockout lines, but their transcript levels are unaltered when compared to wild-type plants. 35S-driven GFP-tagged RLKs accumulate more upon transient expression in rd21 plants than in wild-type plants. These data indicate that NbRD21 post-translationally controls RLK homeostasis, either by directly degrading RLKs or indirectly by regulating endocytic RLK recycling.
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Journal articleZhang B, Murali GG, Quitéria TFH, et al., 2026, , Composites Part B: Engineering, Vol: 323, ISSN: 1359-8368
An interleaving strategy for polymer matrix composite laminates is proposed to create a mechanical fuse allowing interlaminar damage to be localised in the interleaf, which can subsequently be repaired. To create the mechanical fuse, the laminates are interleaved with thermoplastic polymer films with suitable mechanical properties to act as a repairable weak link. Carbon fibre/epoxy laminates interleaved with polystyrene (PS) were investigated by three-point flexure and static indentation tests. In the three-point bending tests, shear–driven damage was observed in the interleaved region, and this damage was subsequently repaired by application of heat and pressure. After two damage-repair cycles, the stiffness was virtually fully recovered, and the shear strength restored to 88% of the pristine value. In the static indentation tests, the stiffness and damage onset force of the specimens recovered to 84% and 70% of the pristine values, respectively, after three damage-repair cycles.
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Journal articleMashkour M, Singh M, Hellström G, et al., 2026, , ACS Applied Energy Materials, Vol: 9, Pages: 9916-9928
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Hierarchically porous carbon aerogels offer significant potential for next-generation energy storage, yet controlling their structure and electrolyte infiltration remains a key challenge. Here, we develop fully biobased carbon aerogels (CAs) derived from a lignin-cellulose nanocrystal blend via ice-templating and carbonization. The resulting anisotropic hierarchical porous structures are infused with poly(vinyl alcohol)-potassium hydroxide gel polymer electrolyte to form semi-solid composite electrodes. Time-resolved synchrotron X-ray microtomography enables direct visualization of structural evolution during carbonization and three-dimensional electrolyte infiltration. Image-based pore-scale modeling performed directly on reconstructed synchrotron X-ray tomographic volumes reveals how the real hierarchical pore network governs gel electrolyte distribution, accessible porosity, and ion transport pathways. The results show that aligned and interconnected pore networks enable deep, uniform electrolyte penetration, reduce transport tortuosity, and increase electrochemically active volume. The structure-transport-performance relationship is validated by electrochemical testing of symmetric supercapacitors, demonstrating stable capacitance and reduced internal resistance. This work establishes a concept for renewable porous carbon electrodes and introduces a scalable CA-gel electrolyte system for high-performance solid-state energy storage.</jats:p>
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Journal articleShah A, 2026,
PRESIDE protocol: a global registry of antimicrobial resistance in chronic lung disease
, ERJ Open Research, ISSN: 2312-0541Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an escalating global health threat. Chronic lung diseases (CLDs) represent a key area in which AMR poses unique and often underestimated challenges, yet high-quality epidemiological data remain scarce. To address this gap, the European Respiratory Society Clinical Research Collaboration on AMR in Lung Infections (AMR-Lung CRC) has developed PRESIDE, an international prospective observational registry designed to evaluate the prevalence and burden of AMR in patients with CLD. PRESIDE is a global, multicentre study recruiting paediatrics and adults with CLD who have undergone respiratory microbiological testing as part of routine clinical care within the year prior to data collection. Participating centres enroll patients during two-week recruitment periods, held twice yearly over five years from 2025 to 2030. The registry captures a comprehensive set of core variables, including demographics and smoking history, CLD type and aetiology, microbiological history, comorbidities, clinical characteristics, therapeutic exposures, and respiratory microbiology results.This registry aims to generate robust, prospective, real-world evidence on AMR epidemiology in CLD, enabling comparison across regions and disease phenotypes. Findings are expected to inform clinical decision-making, support antimicrobial stewardship, and guide the development of context-specific guidelines and public health strategies. Ultimately, PRESIDE seeks to strengthen global efforts to address AMR in chronic respiratory infections and improve outcomes for patients with CLD.
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Journal articleFerrando-Marco M, Berger S, Barkoulas M, 2026, , Genetics, Vol: 233
Asymmetric cell division in the epidermal stem cells of Caenorhabditis elegans, known as seam cells, relies on the Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry pathway to generate daughter cells with distinct fates. However, whether components of this pathway are transcriptionally regulated during these divisions remains unclear. Here, we employ single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization to quantify mRNA distributions of key Wnt pathway components during L2 symmetric and asymmetric seam cell divisions. We find that transcripts encoding the negative regulators pry-1/Axin and apr-1/APC are enriched in posterior daughter cells, while those encoding the positive regulators sys-1/β-catenin, wrm-1/β-catenin, and lit-1/NLK, along with the transcription factor pop-1/TCF, are enriched in anterior daughter cells. Strikingly, molecular asymmetries are already evident following the L2 symmetric division, with anterior and posterior daughters exhibiting distinct levels of Wnt component expression and Wnt pathway activation. These mRNA distributions are surprising considering the established protein localizations that underpin the Wnt asymmetry model and suggest extensive postdivisional transcriptional regulation. We further demonstrate that pop-1 and pry-1 asymmetric expression partly depends on Wnt signaling activity. Investigation of protein distributions using knock-in reporters for PRY-1 and CAM-1 showed that protein accumulation patterns at L2 are consistent with transcript levels. Our findings uncover transcriptional feedback within the Wnt pathway that may reinforce robust fate specification and reveal molecular heterogeneity in seam cells with potential functional consequences for lineage behavior.
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Journal articleFerrando-Marco M, Lin S, Del Valle BG, et al., 2026, , Development
Asymmetric cell division generates distinct daughter cells essential for tissue development, yet the mechanisms orienting division polarity within tissues remain incompletely understood. Here, we uncover a role for chromatin-mediated transcriptional repression in controlling polarity orientation during asymmetric division of C. elegans epidermal stem cells, known as the seam cells. Tissue-specific loss of the class I histone deacetylase hda-1, homologous to mammalian HDAC1/2, causes polarity reversals and reduces molecular asymmetry between daughter cells. Using Targeted DamID, we identify the Wnt receptors lin-17/Frizzled and cam-1/Ror as key targets. Single-molecule FISH reveals opposing expression gradients along the body axis, with cam-1 enriched anteriorly and lin-17 posteriorly. In hda-1 mutants, both receptors are upregulated and differences between seam cells are flattened. Overexpression of either receptor alone is sufficient to reproduce the polarity reversals, while co-overexpression produces additive effects. The polarity phenotype is independent of the canonical NuRD and SIN3 complexes, suggesting that HDA-1 acts through an alternative mechanism. These findings link histone deacetylase activity to Wnt receptor expression and suggest that graded receptor expression may provide cues that orient asymmetric division polarity.
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