Led by Assistant Professor Kou Li, a research group at Chuo University, Japan, has developed a synergetic strategy among non-destructive terahertz (THz)–infrared (IR) photo-monitoring techniques and ultrabroadband sensitive imager sheets toward demonstrating in-line real-time multi-scale quality inspections of pharmaceutical agent pills.

The paper has been published in Light: Science & Applications.

While non-destructive in-line monitoring at manufacturing sites is essential for safe distribution cycles of pharmaceuticals, efforts are still insufficient to develop analytical systems for detailed dynamic visualization of foreign substances and material composition in target pills.

Researchers have developed a material that can sense tiny changes within the body, such as during an arthritis flareup, and release drugs exactly where and when they are needed.

The squishy material can be loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs that are released in response to small changes in pH in the body. During an arthritis flareup, a joint becomes inflamed and slightly more acidic than the surrounding tissue.

The material, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, has been designed to respond to this natural change in pH. As acidity increases, the material becomes softer and more jelly-like, triggering the release of drug molecules that can be encapsulated within its structure. Since the material is designed to respond only within a narrow pH range, the team says that drugs could be released precisely where and when they are needed, potentially reducing side effects.

Researchers at Beijing Genomics and IMDEA Nanociencia institutes have introduced a novel method that could significantly accelerate efficiency and reduce the cost of handling fluidics in DNA sequencing.

Traditional DNA sequencing relies on flow cells, where liquid reagents are repeatedly pumped in and out for each of the sequencing reactions. For large-scale sequencing, this process involves immersing silicon wafers into reagents—a method that works well at industrial scale but is impractical for smaller labs or clinical settings, where sample sizes are limited and drying effects become a problem.

The new approach turns that process on its head. Instead of pumping fluids through a chamber, the researchers use a roll-to-roll technique that gently shears the liquid across the surface. This dramatically improves efficiency, allowing reagents to be replaced more quickly and uses up to 85 times less material. As a result, DNA sequencing that once took days can now be completed in under 12 hours, with significantly lower reagent costs.