It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Monday, April 20, 2026
Long-term cure rates for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis much better than expected
A new national cohort study from Latvia, conducted in collaboration with researchers from the clinical tuberculosis infrastructure (ClinTB) at the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) at the Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center (FZB), provides important insights into the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The study shows that long-term disease-free survival rates are significantly higher than previous standard indicators suggest. The results, published in the renowned journal The Lancet Regional Health Europe, are based on the analysis of data from 1,299 adult patients treated between 2005 and 2021.
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. Whilst the effectiveness of treatment is traditionally assessed on the basis of treatment outcomes at the end of therapy, the new study shows that these criteria underestimate the actual long-term success of treatment. According to WHO standard definitions, only 4.8% of patients in Latvia were considered cured. However, during long-term follow-up, 76.9% of those affected remained permanently relapse-free.
The researchers linked clinical data with national registry information for long-term follow-up, enabling them, for the first time, to systematically evaluate long-term treatment outcomes in a former European country with a high incidence of MDR-TB. A key factor in treatment success was the use of at least three effective drugs in the individual treatment regimen.
Furthermore, the analysis showed that very short treatment durations of less than nine months, using the treatment options available at the time, were associated with an increased risk of relapse or death. Treatment durations of between ten and seventeen months, however, achieved comparable results to longer courses of treatment. After the end of the observation period, MDR-TB treatments became more effective. Today, the treatment duration for MDR-TB has aligned with the six months required for drug-sensitive tuberculosis.
“The study underscores the importance of long-term follow-up in MDR-TB and suggests that tuberculosis control programmes should broaden their measures of success. Including recurrence-free survival rates allows for a more realistic assessment of the quality of care and the actual benefit to patients,” says Sophie Meier, a medical PhD student at the FZB and the University of Lübeck under DZIF researcher Professor Christoph Lange.
“The findings also support the role of expert panels, known as consilia, in selecting treatments and assessing treatment success for MDR-TB. In Latvia, the decisions made by the consilium were significantly superior to the results obtained by applying WHO definitions for MDR-TB treatment outcomes. Consilia are also an element of effective ‘antimicrobial stewardship’ against the development of new antibiotic resistance,” says PD Dr Thomas Brehm from the FZB and University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), DZIF researcher and senior author of this study.
The findings of this study provide important impetus for future treatment strategies for MDR-TB and support the use of individualised treatment regimens with sufficiently effective drugs. Prospective studies are now required to test these findings in the context of new, shortened treatment regimens using modern active substances. If necessary, the definitions of treatment outcomes for MDR-TB will need to be revised.
Treatment outcomes and long-term relapse-free survival after multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment in Latvia: a retrospective national cohort study
Article Publication Date
9-Apr-2026
A simple way of making hydrogen from alcohol by using iron and UV light
Researchers discover a simple method of generating hydrogen gas by mixing iron ions with alcohol and irradiating it with ultraviolet light
Fukuoka, Japan—Publishing in Communications Chemistry, researchers from Kyushu University have discovered a simple method of generating hydrogen gas by mixing methanol, sodium hydroxide, and iron ions, then irradiating the solution with UV light. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of the reaction is comparable to that of some previously reported systems that use organometallic and heterogenous catalysts. The team also demonstrated that the method could generate hydrogen gas from other alcohols and biomass-derived materials, such as glucose and cellulose.
From microchip circuits to the medicine you take when you fall ill, everything in our lives requires catalysts. Naturally, research and development of catalysts are not only lucrative but essential to maintaining our modern lifestyle. Catalysts are usually composed of a matrix of metals and compounds organized in sophisticated structures. As a result, while catalysts can be very efficient, they are also potentially expensive and complicated to make.
“Our research group has long been interested in developing catalysts from abundant and inexpensive elements. This time we turned our eyes toward sustainability and investigated the utility of common metals as catalysts for producing hydrogen gas,” explains Associate Professor Takahiro Matsumoto of Kyushu University’s Faculty of Engineering who led the study. “Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier because it does not produce carbon dioxide when used. However, most hydrogen today is made from fossil fuels, so we must develop sustainable methods to produce it to have a positive ecological impact.”
The team began by experimenting with generating hydrogen gas from methanol using organometallic iron complexes. Alcohols, such as methanol, are compounds that contain hydrogen which can be removed through a process called alcohol dehydrogenation. However, the process usually requires complex catalysts made from rare or expensive metals.
While conducting their experiments, the team encountered some unusual results.
“In what can only be considered incredible serendipity, we found in one of our control experiments mixing methanol, iron ions, and sodium hydroxide, and then irradiating it with UV light, generated a considerable amount of hydrogen gas,” continues Matsumoto. “It was hard to believe at first. We validated these findings, experimented further, and confirmed them. We found that the hydrogen production rate was 921 mmol of hydrogen per hour per gram of catalyst. This number is comparable to the best catalysts reported to date.”
The researchers also found that their new system could produce hydrogen from other alcohol species as well as from materials such as glucose, starch, and cellulose.
The team intends to develop their new findings in hopes that further optimization will lead to more sustainable hydrogen technologies.
“One limitation of this study is that we still do not know the reaction mechanism in detail. Additionally, although we observed hydrogen generation from other materials, the catalytic activity for these substrates is still low,” concludes Matsumoto. “Finally, this reaction is so simple that anyone, from elementary school students to curious adults, can reproduce it. I encourage everyone to try it out, and I hope it inspires people to pursue careers in the sciences.”
A step-by-step method of the hydrogen generating experiment conducted by the research team. A sample is made by mixing iron ions with alcohol and sodium hydroxide. The solution is then irradiated by ultraviolet light. The hydrogen gas generated by the procedure is then collected and injected into a gas chromatograph for data analysis.
Credit
Kyushu University/Matsumoto Lab
For more information about this research, see "Iron ion enables photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from methanol," Masaya Sakurai, Yudai Kawasaki, Yuki Itabashi, Kei Ohkubo, Takahiro Matsumoto, Communications Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-026-02009-3
About Kyushu University Founded in 1911, Kyushu University is one of Japan's leading research-oriented institutions of higher education, consistently ranking as one of the top ten Japanese universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the QS World Rankings. Located in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu—the most southwestern of Japan’s four main islands—Kyushu U sits in a coastal metropolis frequently ranked among the world’s most livable cities and historically known as Japan’s gateway to Asia. Its multiple campuses are home to around 19,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff. Through its VISION 2030, Kyushu U will “drive social change with integrative knowledge.” By fusing the spectrum of knowledge, from the humanities and arts to engineering and medical sciences, Kyushu U will strengthen its research in the key areas of decarbonization, medicine and health, and environment and food, to tackle society’s most pressing issues.
Proposed coping framework for digital eye strain among educators, showing the relationship among stressors, appraisal, coping mechanisms, institutional support, and work-related outcomes.
Digital technology has become central to university teaching, but long hours of screen use can come at a cost. In a new qualitative study published in Qualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare, Alex S. Borromeo from the College of Nursing at Bulacan State University explored how university educators in the Philippines experience and cope with digital eye strain.
The study involved nine faculty members with moderate-to-severe digital eye strain. Through semi-structured interviews, participants described symptoms such as eye fatigue, headaches, blurred vision, and discomfort that affected both their work and home life.
Four major themes were identified: digital health and resilience, workstation and environmental ergonomics, work-life integration, and health services, policy supports, and system-level enablers. The findings show that while digital tools help educators stay productive, they can also contribute to physical strain and stress related to heavy technology use.
The study also presents a proposed coping framework showing how digital eye strain is shaped not only by symptoms and individual coping, but also by workplace conditions, institutional support, and broader policy context.
"Solutions should go beyond individual coping," says Borromeo. "Universities may need to strengthen ergonomic assessments, structured screen-break practices, eye health programs, and digital wellness education. These changes could help build safer and more sustainable academic work environments."
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Contact the author: Alex S. Borromeo, Bulacan State University, Philippines, alex.borromeo@bulsu.edu.ph
The publisher KeAiwas established by Elsevier and China Science Publishing & Media Ltd to unfold quality research globally. In 2013, our focus shifted to open access publishing. We now proudly publish more than 200 world-class, open access, English language journals, spanning all scientific disciplines. Many of these are titles we publish in partnership with prestigious societies and academic institutions, such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
Beyond the Screen: Lived Experiences and Coping Strategies of Educators Facing Digital Eye Strain in a Philippine University
Slime-like robots from sci-fi become reality: SNU researchers develop next-generation artificial muscle that dynamically reconfigures and self-heals
World’s first demonstration of ‘phase-transitional ferrofluid electrodes’ bridging liquid and solid states/Recoverable and reusable after failure, presenting a ‘sustainable’ paradigm for soft robotics
Figure 1. Operation and applications of a reconfigurable next-generation artificial muscle device and physical properties of the phase-transitional ferrofluid (1) A reconfigurable artificial muscle device capable of performing multiple functions through repeated phase transitions and magnetic responsiveness of slime-like ferrofluid electrodes. (2) Schematic illustration and physical characteristics of the phase-transitional ferrofluid, demonstrating reversible solid-liquid phase transitions and the integration of high elasticity and low viscosity within a single material.
Breaking away from conventional robots that perform only predefined functions once fabricated, researchers have developed a next-generation artificial muscle that can change its shape in real time, recover from damage, and even be reused.
Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that a joint research team led by Prof. Jeong-Yun Sun (Department of Materials Science and Engineering) and Prof. Ho-Young Kim (Department of Mechanical Engineering), with Yun Hyeok Lee, Seungwon Moon, and Min-gyu Lee as first and co-first authors, has developed a new type of dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) using a phase-transitional ferrofluid (PTF) that behaves as a solid at room temperature but becomes fluid-like and highly flexible when exposed to external stimuli such as heat or magnetic fields.
The study was published on March 21 in Science Advances, a leading international journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are soft transducers that convert electrical energy into mechanical motion and are often referred to as artificial muscles because of their ability to move rapidly and precisely like human muscles.
Artificial muscles based on dielectric elastomers are soft and lightweight, and have increasingly been applied in daily lives and industrial settings, including haptic vibration components in smart and wearable devices, as well as soft robotic grippers capable of safely handling delicate objects such as fruits or fragile components.
However, once the electrode pattern is designed and printed, its shape becomes permanently fixed, meaning that such systems can only perform a single, predefined motion.
As a result, whenever a robot needs to grasp objects of different shapes or adapt to new environments, both industry and academia have been required to redesign and fabricate entirely new electrode patterns from scratch. This has led to significant manufacturing costs and inefficiencies, and has remained a major barrier to the commercialization of versatile, multifunctional soft robots.
To overcome these limitations, Lee et al. developed a next-generation soft gel actuator capable of dynamically reconfiguring electrode patterns in real time, performing new functions as needed, and recovering even after mechanical damage or electrical failure.
The newly developed phase-transitional ferrofluid (PTF) electrode can dynamically split and merge into three-dimensional configurations. Even after fabrication, its shape and position can be freely adjusted, significantly expanding the functional capabilities of soft robots beyond fixed, predesigned motions. In addition, the electrode’s self-healing and recyclability enhance the sustainability of robotic systems.
A key achievement of this study lies in the seamless integration of advanced materials engineering, through the precise combination of nanoparticles and polymers, with a fully functional mechanical system. Materials engineering enabled the development of a stable yet flexible phase-transitional electrode, while mechanical engineering demonstrated how the material operates during actuation, reconfiguration, and recovery.
As a result, a single soft actuator can now perform entirely different roles depending on the situation, transforming conventional soft robots into adaptive systems capable of altering their functions in response to changing environments and tasks.
○ Key Features of the Phase-Transitional Ferrofluid (PTF) Electrode
Even during operation of the artificial muscle, the electrode can be melted into a liquid state (sol) and repositioned using a magnetic field, or split into two or more parts. Beyond simple two-dimensional planar movement, it can be spatially partitioned in 3D architectures to perform different functions, or autonomously bridge severed circuits via 3D out-of-plane configurations, thereby achieving an advanced level of functional freedom. This enables a single robot to perform entirely different motions, such as bending and expansion, as if learning them in real time.
2. Self-Healing and Recovery Capability (Self-healing & Recovery):
The system remains functional even if the electrode is severed by sharp objects or if electrical breakdown occurs due to high voltage. By converting the electrode near the damaged region into a liquid state, the broken circuit can be reconnected, or the system can be reconfigured to bypass only the damaged area, thereby fully restoring the robot’s functionality.
After a device has completed its task or reached the end of its lifespan, the electrode alone can be extracted in liquid form, stored, and later injected into a new device for reuse. Lee et al. demonstrated that even after multiple reuse cycles, the system maintains a high recovery rate of approximately 91% along with consistent performance.
This research represents a transformative step toward ending the era of passive and disposable machines, introducing instead a new class of sustainable, adaptive systems capable of continuous regeneration and self-reconfiguration. The technology has broad potential applications, ranging from highly advanced artificial muscles capable of replicating complex, multi-degree-of-freedom human movements, to next-generation form-factor displays that can dynamically alter shape and information in real time, and smart robots that can repair themselves while operating in extreme industrial environments involving electrical failure or physical damage.
Furthermore, by enabling electrodes to be extracted and reused rather than discarding entire devices at the end of their lifespan, the study proposes a fundamentally new, environmentally sustainable resource circulation paradigm that could significantly impact future soft robotics and next-generation electronics industries.
Prof. Jeong-Yun Sun stated, “This study represents a breakthrough in transforming traditionally static and passive electrodes into ‘living, programmable elements’ through innovations in particle and polymer design. This self-healing and shape-reconfigurable electrode technology will serve as a key foundation for sustainable next-generation soft robotics.”
Prof. Ho-Young Kim added, “From a mechanical engineering perspective, achieving high degrees of freedom in soft robots, similar to human muscles, requires structural flexibility. Through interdisciplinary integration with materials engineering, we demonstrated that a single robotic structure can generate virtually limitless modes of motion.”
Yun Hyeok Lee, who received his PhD from SNU’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is currently conducting postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focusing on the development of new platform materials using nanoparticles, DNA, and polymers.
Seungwon Moon, a PhD candidate in the same department, is currently working on the development of high thermal conductivity polymer materials for semiconductor and electronic device applications.
Min-gyu Lee received his PhD from SNU and is now working at Samsung Electronics’ Semiconductor Research Center, where he is involved in the development of next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM).
This research was conducted with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea through the Mid-career Researcher Program, the Future Promising Fusion Technology Pioneer Program, and the Global Leader Grants.
Figure 2. Functional expansion of reconfigurable electrodes and artificial muscle devices using phase-transitional ferrofluid
(1) Three-dimensional reconfigurable electrodes enabled by PTF, allowing the realization of next-generation artificial muscle devices and freely reconfigurable displays.
(2) Self-healing and repair of artificial muscles through PTF reconfiguration, enabling continued operation after electrode damage and allowing recovery and reuse to enhance device sustainability.
Seoul National University (SNU) founded in 1946 is the first national university in South Korea. The College of Engineering at SNU has worked tirelessly to achieve its goal of ‘fostering leaders for global industry and society.’ In 12 departments, 323 internationally recognized full-time professors lead the development of cutting-edge technology in South Korea and serving as a driving force for international development.
