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A recent focus of quantum spin liquid (QSL) studies is how disorder/randomness in a QSL candidate affects its true magnetic ground state. The ultimate question is whether the QSL survives disorder or the disorder leads to a "spin-liquid-like" state, such as the proposed random-singlet (RS) state. Since disorder is a standard feature of most QSL candidates, this question represents a major challenge for QSL candidates. YbMgGaO4, a triangular lattice antiferromagnet with effective spin-1/2 Yb3+ions, is an ideal system to address this question, since it shows no long-range magnetic ordering with Mg/Ga site disorder. Despite the intensive study, it remains unresolved as to whether YbMgGaO4 is a QSL or in the RS state. Here, through ultralow-temperature thermal conductivity and magnetic torque measurements, plus specific heat and DC magnetization data, we observed a residual κ0/T term and series of quantum spin state transitions in the zero temperature limit for YbMgGaO4. These observations strongly suggest that a QSL state with itinerant excitations and quantum spin fluctuations survives disorder in YbMgGaO4. It remains an open question as to whether the quantum spin liquid state survives material disorder, or is replaced by some spin-liquid like state. Here, Rao et al succeed in resolving a resolving a κ0/T residual in the thermal conductivity of YbMgGaO4 strongly suggesting the survival of the quantum spin liquid state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most fascinating feature of certain two-dimensional (2D) gapless quantum spin liquid (QSL) is that their spinon excitations behave like the fermionic carriers of a paramagnetic metal. The spinon Fermi surface is then expected to produce a linear increase of the thermal conductivity with temperature that should manifest via a residual value (κ0/T) in the zero-temperature limit. However, this linear in T behavior has been reported for very few QSL candidates. Here, we studied the ultralow-temperature thermal conductivity of an effective spin-1/2 triangular QSL candidate Na2BaCo(PO4)2, which has an antiferromagnetic order at very low temperature (TN ~ 148 mK), and observed a finite κ0/T extrapolated from the data above TN. Moreover, while approaching zero temperature, it exhibits series of quantum spin state transitions with applied field along the c axis. These observations indicate that Na2BaCo(PO4)2 possibly behaves as a gapless QSL with itinerant spin excitations above TN and its strong quantum spin fluctuations persist below TN. Thermal conductivity evidence of a spinon Fermi surface has been rare. Here, the authors report a finite linear increase of thermal conductivity with temperature in Na2BaCo(PO4)2 at ultra-low temperature, suggesting possible gapless quantum spin liquid behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal lead halide perovskite nanocrystals have potential for lighting applications due to their optical properties. Precise control of the nanocrystal dimensions and composition is a prerequisite for establishing practical applications. However, the rapid nature of their synthesis precludes a detailed understanding of the synthetic pathways, thereby limiting the optimisation. Here, we deduce the formation mechanisms of anisotropic lead halide perovskite nanocrystals, 1D nanorods and 2D nanoplatelets, by combining in situ X-ray scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopy. In both cases, emissive prolate nanoclusters form when the two precursor solutions are mixed. The ensuing antisolvent addition induces the divergent anisotropy: The intermediate nanoclusters are driven into a dense hexagonal mesophase, fusing to form nanorods. Contrastingly, nanoplatelets grow freely dispersed from dissolving nanoclusters, stacking subsequently in lamellar superstructures. Shape and size control of the nanocrystals are determined primarily by the antisolvent's dipole moment and Hansen hydrogen bonding parameter. Exploiting the interplay of antisolvent and organic ligands could enable more complex nanocrystal geometries in the future., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) play important roles in the nitrogen cycle system and serve as renewable nitrogen sources for the synthesis of value-added chemicals driven by clean electricity. However, it is challenging to achieve selective conversion of NO x to multi-nitrogen products (e.g., N 2 H 4 ) via precise construction of a single N-N bond. Herein, we propose a strategy for NO x -to-N 2 H 4 under ambient conditions, involving electrochemical NO x upgrading to NH 3 , followed by ketone-mediated NH 3 to N 2 H 4 . It can achieve an impressive overall NO x -to-N 2 H 4 selectivity of 88.7%. We elucidate mechanistic insights into the ketone-mediated N-N coupling process. Diphenyl ketone (DPK) emerges as an optimal mediator, facilitating controlled N-N coupling, owing to its steric and conjugation effects. The acetonitrile solvent stabilizes and activates key imine intermediates through hydrogen bonding. Experimental results reveal that Ph 2 CN* intermediates formed on WO 3 catalysts acted as pivotal monomers to drive controlled N-N coupling with high selectivity, facilitated by lattice-oxygen-mediated dehydrogenation. Additionally, both WO 3 catalysts and DPK mediators exhibit favorable reusability, offering promise for green N 2 H 4 synthesis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Organic semiconductors (OSCs) are featured by weak spin-orbit coupling due to their light chemical element composition, which enables them to maintain spin orientation for a long spin lifetime and show significant potential in room-temperature spin transport. Carrier mobility and spin lifetime are the two main factors of the spin transport performance of OSCs, however, their ambiguous mechanisms with molecular structure make the development of spintronic materials really stagnant. Herein, the effects of halogen substitution in bay-annulated indigo-based polymers on carrier mobility and spin relaxation have been systematically investigated. The enhanced carrier mobility with an undiminished spin lifetime contributes to a 3.7-fold increase in spin diffusion length and a record-high magnetoresistance of 8.7% at room temperature. By analyzing the spin-orbit coupling and hyperfine interaction, it was found that the distance of the substitution site from the conjugated center and the nitrogen atoms in the molecules play crucial roles in spin relaxation. Based on the above results, we proposed a molecular design strategy of halogen substitution far from conjugate center to enhance spin transport efficiency, presenting a promising avenue for advancing the field of organic spintronics., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Conventional magnetic biosensing technologies have reduced analytical capacity for magnetic field dimensionality and require extensive sample processing. To address these challenges, we spatially engineer 3D magnetic response gradients for direct and programmable molecular detection in native biofluids. Named magnetic augmentation through triple-gradient coupling for high-performance detection (MATCH), the technology comprises gradient-distributed magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated within responsive hydrogel pillars and suspended above a magnetic sensor array. This configuration enables multi-gradient matching to achieve optimal magnetic activation, response and transduction, respectively. Through focused activation by target biomarkers, the platform preferentially releases sensor-proximal nanoparticles, generating response gradients that complement the sensor's intrinsic detection capability. By implementing an upstream module that recognizes different biomarkers and releases universal activation molecules, the technology achieves programmable detection of various circulating biomarkers in native plasma. It bypasses conventional magnetic labeling, completes in <60 minutes and achieves sensitive detection (down to 10 RNA and 1000 protein copies). We apply the MATCH to measure RNAs and proteins directly in patient plasma, achieving accurate cancer classification., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Detection and Dissection of Anomalous Tissue Domains (DDATD) from multi-sample spatial transcriptomics (ST) data provides unprecedented opportunities to characterize anomalous tissue domains (ATDs), revealing both population-level and individual-specific pathogenic factors for understanding pathogenic heterogeneities behind diseases. However, no current methods can perform de novo DDATD from ST data, especially in the multi-sample context. Here, we introduce STANDS, an innovative framework based on Generative Adversarial Networks which integrates three core tasks in multi-sample DDATD: detecting, aligning, and subtyping ATDs. STANDS incorporates multimodal-learning, transfer-learning, and style-transfer techniques to effectively address major challenges in multi-sample DDATD, including complications caused by unalignable ATDs, under-utilization of multimodal information, and scarcity of normal ST datasets necessary for comparative analysis. Extensive benchmarks from diverse datasets demonstrate STAND's superiority in identifying both common and individual-specific ATDs and further dissecting them into biologically distinct subdomains. STANDS also provides clues to developing ATDs visually indistinguishable from surrounding normal tissues., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The main vectors of Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) are Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, with Ae. aegypti being more competent. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we find Ae. albopictus shows comparable vector competence to ZIKV/DENV with Ae. aegypti by blood-feeding after antibiotic treatment or intrathoracic injection. This suggests that midgut microbiota can influence vector competence. Enterobacter hormaechei&#95;B17 (Eh&#95;B17) is isolated from field-collected Ae. albopictus and conferred resistance to ZIKV/DENV infection in Ae. aegypti after gut-transplantation. Sphingosine, a metabolite secreted by Eh&#95;B17, effectively suppresses ZIKV infection in both Ae. aegypti and cell cultures by blocking viral entry during the fusion step, with an IC 50 of approximately 10 μM. A field survey reveals that Eh&#95;B17 preferentially colonizes Ae. albopictus compared to Ae. aegypti. And field Ae. albopictus positive for Eh&#95;B17 are more resistant to ZIKV infection. These findings underscore the potential of gut symbiotic bacteria, such as Eh&#95;B17, to modulate the arbovirus vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes. As a natural antiviral agent, Eh&#95;B17 holds promise as a potential candidate for blocking ZIKV/DENV transmission., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Despite the importance of cellular senescence in human health, how damaged cells undergo senescence remains elusive. We have previously shown that promyelocytic leukemia nuclear body (PML-NBs) translocation of the ciliary FBF1 is essential for senescence induction in stressed cells. Here we discover that an early cellular event occurring in stressed cells is the transient assembly of stress-induced nucleus-to-cilium microtubule arrays (sinc-MTs). The sinc-MTs are distinguished by unusual polyglutamylation and unique polarity, with minus-ends nucleating near the nuclear envelope and plus-ends near the ciliary base. KIFC3, a minus-end-directed kinesin, is recruited to plus-ends of sinc-MTs and interacts with the centrosomal protein CENEXIN1. In damaged cells, CENEXIN1 co-translocates with FBF1 to PML-NBs. Deficiency of KIFC3 abolishes PML-NB translocation of FBF1 and CENEXIN1, as well as senescence initiation in damaged cells. Our study reveals that KIFC3-mediated nuclear transport of FBF1 along polyglutamylated sinc-MTs is a prerequisite for senescence induction in mammalian cells., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified over fifty loci associated with lung cancer risk. However, underlying mechanisms and target genes are largely unknown, as most risk-associated variants might regulate gene expression in a context-specific manner. Here, we generate a barcode-shared transcriptome and chromatin accessibility map of 117,911 human lung cells from age/sex-matched ever- and never-smokers to profile context-specific gene regulation. Identified candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) are largely cell type-specific, with 37% detected in one cell type. Colocalization of lung cancer candidate causal variants (CCVs) with these cCREs combined with transcription factor footprinting prioritize the variants for 68% of the GWAS loci. CCV-colocalization and trait relevance score indicate that epithelial and immune cell categories, including rare cell types, contribute to lung cancer susceptibility the most. A multi-level cCRE-gene linking system identifies candidate susceptibility genes from 57% of the loci, where most loci display cell-category-specific target genes, suggesting context-specific susceptibility gene function., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

The absence of a comprehensive understanding of the neural basis of spontaneous pain limits the development of therapeutic strategies targeting this primary complaint of patients with chronic pain. Here we report a distinct neuronal ensemble within the prelimbic cortex which processes signals related to spontaneous pain in rats with chronic inflammatory pain. This neuronal ensemble specifically encodes spontaneous pain-related behaviors, independently of other locomotive and evoked behaviors. Activation of this neuronal ensemble elicits marked spontaneous pain-like behaviors and enhances nociceptive responses, whereas prolonged silencing of its activities alleviates spontaneous pain and promotes overall recovery from inflammatory pain. Notably, afferents from the primary somatosensory cortex and infralimbic cortex bidirectionally modulate the activities of the spontaneous pain-responsive prelimbic cortex neuronal ensemble and pain behaviors. These findings reveal the cortical basis of spontaneous pain at the neuronal level, highlighting a distinct neuronal ensemble within the prelimbic cortex and its associated pain-regulatory brain networks., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Emergent superconductivity at the LaAlO 3 /KTaO 3 interfaces exhibits a mysterious dependence on the KTaO 3 crystallographic orientations. Here by soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we directly resolve the electronic structure of the LaAlO 3 /KTaO 3 interfacial superconductors and the non-superconducting counterpart. We find that the mobile electrons that contribute to the interfacial superconductivity show strong k ⊥ dispersion. Comparing the superconducting and non-superconducting interfaces, the quasi-three-dimensional electron gas with over 5.5 nm spatial distribution ubiquitously exists and shows similar orbital occupations. The signature of electron-phonon coupling is observed and intriguingly dependent on the interfacial orientations. Remarkably, the stronger electron-phonon coupling signature correlates with the higher superconducting transition temperature. Our observations help scrutinize the theories on the orientation-dependent superconductivity and offer a plausible and straightforward explanation. The interfacial orientation effect that can modify the electron-phonon coupling strength over several nanometers sheds light on the applications of oxide interfaces in general., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Reuse and recycling of retired electric vehicle (EV) batteries offer a sustainable waste management approach but face decision-making challenges. Based on the process-based life cycle assessment method, we present a strategy to optimize pathways of retired battery treatments economically and environmentally. The strategy is applied to various reuse scenarios with capacity configurations, including energy storage systems, communication base stations, and low-speed vehicles. Hydrometallurgical, pyrometallurgical, and direct recycling considering battery residual values are evaluated at the end-of-life stage. For the optimized pathway, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries improve profits by 58% and reduce emissions by 18% compared to hydrometallurgical recycling without reuse. Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) batteries boost profit by 19% and reduce emissions by 18%. Despite NMC batteries exhibiting higher immediate recycling returns, LFP batteries provide superior long-term benefits through reuse before recycling. Our strategy features an accessible evaluation framework for pinpointing optimal pathways of retired EV batteries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Marine phosphatization events cause episodic carbonate fluorapatite (CFA) precipitation on seamounts, and are commonly linked to growth hiatuses in ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts. However, the complete record of these events and their paleoenvironmental significance remains poorly understood, in large part due to poor age constraints. Here, we apply U-Pb dating to CFA in Fe-Mn crusts from Western Pacific seamounts. These data exhibit good alignment with Sr isotope ages, revealing six potential phosphatization events. This established CFA chronology tightens the timespan of phosphatization events and refines the age framework of Fe-Mn crusts. We subsequently utilize a multiproxy approach to demonstrate that the phosphatization events occurred coeval with the expansion of oceanic oxygen minimum zones. The Western Pacific Fe-Mn crusts thus document major perturbations in global oceanic phosphorus cycling, which appear to have been driven by climate-induced increases in primary productivity linked to changes in global ocean circulation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We leverage machine learning approaches to adapt nanopore sequencing basecallers for nucleotide modification detection. We first apply the incremental learning (IL) technique to improve the basecalling of modification-rich sequences, which are usually of high biological interest. With sequence backbones resolved, we further run anomaly detection (AD) on individual nucleotides to determine their modification status. By this means, our pipeline promises the single-molecule, single-nucleotide, and sequence context-free detection of modifications. We benchmark the pipeline using control oligos, further apply it in the basecalling of densely-modified yeast tRNAs and E.coli genomic DNAs, the cross-species detection of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in mammalian mRNAs, and the simultaneous detection of N1-methyladenosine (m1A) and m6A in human mRNAs. Our IL-AD workflow is available at: https://github.com/wangziyuan66/IL-AD ., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Graphene growth on widely used dielectrics/insulators via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a strategy toward transfer-free applications of CVD graphene for the realization of advanced composite materials. Here, we develop graphene-skinned alumina fibers/fabrics (GAFs/GAFFs) through graphene CVD growth on commercial alumina fibers/fabrics (AFs/AFFs). We reveal a vapor-surface-solid growth model on a non-metallic substrate, which is distinct from the well-established vapor-solid model on conventional non-catalytic non-metallic substrates, but bears a closer resemblance to that observed on catalytic metallic substrates. The metalloid-catalytic growth of graphene on AFs/AFFs resulted in reduced growth temperature (~200 °C lower) and accelerated growth rate (~3.4 times faster) compared to that obtained on a representative non-metallic counterpart, quartz fiber. The fabricated GAFF features a wide-range tunable electrical conductivity (1-15000 Ω sq -1 ), high tensile strength (>1.5 GPa), lightweight, flexibility, and a hierarchical macrostructure. These attributes are inherited from both graphene and AFF, making GAFF promising for various applications including electrical heating and electromagnetic interference shielding. Beyond laboratory level preparation, the stable mass production of large-scale GAFF has been achieved through a home-made roll-to-roll system with capacity of 468-93600 m 2 /year depending on product specifications, providing foundations for the subsequent industrialization of this material, enabling its widespread adoption in various industries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Arboviruses can be paternally transmitted by male insects to offspring for long-term persistence, but the mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we use a model system of a destructive rice reovirus and its leafhopper vector to find that insect ribosome-rescuer Pelo-Hbs1 complex expressed on the sperm surface mediates paternal arbovirus transmission. This occurs through targeting virus-containing tubules constituted by viral nonstructural protein Pns11 to sperm surface via Pns11-Pelo interaction. Tubule assembly is dependent on Hsp70 activity, while Pelo-Hbs1 complex inhibits tubule assembly via suppressing Hsp70 activity. However, virus-activated ubiquitin ligase E3 mediates Pelo ubiquitinated degradation, synergistically causing Hbs1 degradation. Importantly, Pns11 effectively competes with Pelo for binding to E3, thus antagonizing E3-mediated Pelo-Hbs1 degradation. These processes cause a slight reduction of Pelo-Hbs1 complex in infected testes, promoting effective tubule assembly. Our findings provide insight into how insect sperm-specific Pelo-Hbs1 complex is modulated to promote paternal virus transmission without disrupting sperm function., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Sepsis is a critical global health concern linked to high mortality rates, often due to acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). While the gut-lung axis involvement in ALI is recognized, direct migration of gut immune cells to the lung remains unclear. Our study reveals sepsis-induced migration of γδ T17 cells from the small intestine to the lung, triggering an IL-17A-dominated inflammatory response in mice. Wnt signaling activation in alveolar macrophages drives CCL1 upregulation, facilitating γδ T17 cell migration. CD44 + Ly6C - IL-7R high CD8 low cells are the primary migratory subtype exacerbating ALI. Esketamine attenuates ALI by inhibiting pulmonary Wnt/β-catenin signaling-mediated migration. This work underscores the pivotal role of direct gut-to-lung memory γδ T17 cell migration in septic ALI and clarifies the importance of localized IL-17A elevation in the lung., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Electrocatalytic H 2 production from seawater, recognized as a promising technology utilizing offshore renewables, faces challenges from chloride-induced reactions and corrosion. Here, We introduce a catalytic surface where OH - dominates over Cl - in adsorption and activation, which is crucial for O 2 production. Our NiFe-based anode, enhanced by nearby Cr sites, achieves low overpotentials and selective alkaline seawater oxidation. It outperforms the RuO 2 counterpart in terms of lifespan in scaled-up stacks, maintaining stability for over 2500 h in three-electrode tests. Ex situ/in situ analyses reveal that Cr(III) sites enrich OH - , while Cl - is repelled by Cr(VI) sites, both of which are well-dispersed and close to NiFe, enhancing charge transfer and overall electrode performance. Such multiple effects fundamentally boost the activity, selectively, and chemical stability of the NiFe-based electrode. This development marks a significant advance in creating durable, noble-metal-free electrodes for alkaline seawater electrolysis, highlighting the importance of well-distributed catalytic sites., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Macrocyclic conformations play a crucial role in regulating their properties. Our understanding of the determinants to control macrocyclic conformation interconversion is still in its infancy. Here we present a macrocycle, octamethyl cyclo[4](1,3-(4,6)-dimethylbenzene)[4]((4,6-benzene)(1,3-dicarboxylate) (OC-4), that can exist at 298 K as two stable atropisomers with C 2v and C 4v symmetry denoted as C 2v -OC-4 and C 4v -OC-4, respectively. Heating induces the efficient stepwise conversion of C 2v - to C 4v -OC-4 via a C s -symmetric intermediate (C s -OC-4). It differs from the typical transition state-mediated processes of simple C-C single bond rotations. Hydrolysis and further esterification with a countercation dependence promote the generation of C 2v - and C s -OC-4 from C 4v -OC-4. In contrast to C 2v -OC-4, C 4v -OC-4 can bind linear guests to form pseudo-rotaxans, or bind C 60 or C 70 efficiently. The present study highlights the differences in recognition behavior that can result from conformational interconversion, as well as providing insights into the basic parameters that govern coupled molecular rotations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

It is vital to explore effective ways for prolonging electrode lifespans under harsh electrolysis conditions, such as high current densities, acid environment, and impure water source. Here we report alternating electrolysis approaches that realize promptly and regularly repair/maintenance and concurrent bubble evolution. Electrode lifespans are improved by co-action of Fe group elemental ions and alkali metal cations, especially a unique Co 2+ -Na + combo. A commercial Ni foam sustains ampere-level current densities alternatingly during continuous electrolysis for 93.8 h in an acidic solution, whereas such a Ni foam is completely dissolved in ~2 h for conventional electrolysis conditions. The work not only explores an alternating electrolysis-based system, alkali metal cation-based catalytic systems, and alkali metal cation-based electrodeposition techniques, and beyond, but demonstrates the possibility of prolonged electrolysis by repeated deposition-dissolution processes. With enough adjustable experimental variables, the upper improvement limit in the electrode lifespan would be high., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells show suboptimal efficacy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We find that CAR T cells exposed to myeloid leukemia show impaired activation and cytolytic function, accompanied by impaired antigen receptor downstream calcium, ZAP70, ERK, and C-JUN signaling, compared to those exposed to B-cell leukemia. These defects are caused in part by the high expression of CD155 by AML. Overexpressing C-JUN, but not other antigen receptor downstream components, maximally restores anti-tumor function. C-JUN overexpression increases costimulatory molecules and cytokines through reinvigoration of ERK or transcriptional activation, independent of anti-exhaustion. We conduct an open-label, non-randomized, single-arm, phase I trial of C-JUN-overexpressing CAR-T in AML (NCT04835519) with safety and efficacy as primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. Of the four patients treated, one has grade 4 (dose-limiting toxicity) and three have grade 1-2 cytokine release syndrome. Two patients have no detectable bone marrow blasts and one patient has blast reduction after treatment. Thus, overexpressing C-JUN endows CAR-T efficacy in AML., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Excessive exercise is an etiological factor of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) exhibit excellent therapeutic potential for disease-modifying treatments. Herein, we fabricate an exercise self-powered triboelectric-responsive microneedle (MN) assay with the sustainable release of optogenetically engineered EVs for IVDD repair. Mechanically, exercise promotes cytosolic DNA sensing-mediated inflammatory activation in senescent nucleus pulposus (NP) cells (the master cell population for IVD homeostasis maintenance), which accelerates IVDD. TREX1 serves as a crucial nuclease, and disassembly of TRAM1-TREX1 complex disrupts the subcellular localization of TREX1, triggering TREX1-dependent genomic DNA damage during NP cell senescence. Optogenetically engineered EVs deliver TRAM1 protein into senescent NP cells, which effectively reconstructs the elimination function of TREX1. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) harvests mechanical energy and triggers the controllable release of engineered EVs. Notably, an optogenetically engineered EV-based targeting treatment strategy is used for the treatment of IVDD, showing promising clinical potential for the treatment of degeneration-associated disorders., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Shape transformations of active composites (ACs) depend on the spatial distribution of constituent materials. Voxel-level complex material distributions can be encoded by 3D printing, offering enormous freedom for possible shape-change 4D-printed ACs. However, efficiently designing the material distribution to achieve desired 3D shape changes is significantly challenging yet greatly needed. Here, we present an approach that combines machine learning (ML) with both gradient-descent (GD) and evolutionary algorithm (EA) to design AC plates with 3D shape changes. A residual network ML model is developed for the forward shape prediction. A global-subdomain design strategy with ML-GD and ML-EA is then used for the inverse material-distribution design. For a variety of numerically generated target shapes, both ML-GD and ML-EA demonstrate high efficiency. By further combining ML-EA with a normal distance-based loss function, optimized designs are achieved for multiple irregular target shapes. Our approach thus provides a highly efficient tool for the design of 4D-printed active composites., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Steering on the intrinsic active site of an electrode material is essential for efficient electrochemical biomass upgrading to valuable chemicals with high selectivity. Herein, we show that an in-situ surface reconstruction of a two-dimensional layered CdPS 3 nanosheet electrocatalyst, triggered by electrolyte, facilitates efficient 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) hydrogenation to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) under ambient condition. The in-situ Raman spectroscopy and comprehensive post-mortem catalyst characterizations evidence the construction of a surface-bounded CdS layer on CdPS 3 to form CdPS 3 /CdS heterostructure. This electrocatalyst demonstrates promising catalytic activity, achieving a Faradaic efficiency for BHMF reaching 91.3 ± 2.3 % and a yield of 4.96 ± 0.16 mg/h at - 0.7 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the in-situ generated CdPS 3 /CdS interface plays a pivotal role in optimizing the adsorption of HMF* and H* intermediate, thus facilitating the HMF hydrogenation process. Furthermore, the reconstructed CdPS 3 /CdS heterostructure cathode, when coupled with MnCo 2 O 4.5 anode, enables simultaneous BHMF and formate synthesis from HMF and glycerol substrates with high efficiency., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Top emission can enhance luminance, color purity, and panel-manufacturing compatibility for emissive displays. Still, top-emitting quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) suffer from poor stability, low light outcoupling, and non-negligible viewing-angle dependence because, for QLEDs with non-red emission, the electrically optimum device structure is incompatible with single-mode optical microcavity. Here, we demonstrate that by improving the way of determining reflection penetration depths and creating refractive-index-lowering processes, the issues faced by green QLEDs can be overcome. This leads to advanced device performance, including a luminance exceeding 1.6 million nits, a current efficiency of 204.2 cd A -1 , and a T 95 operational lifetime of 15,600 hours at 1000 nits. Meanwhile, our design does not compromise light outcoupling as it offers an external quantum efficiency of 29.2% without implementing light extraction methods. Lastly, an angular color shift of Δu'v' = 0.0052 from 0° to 60° is achieved by narrowing the emission linewidth of quantum dots., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Amine-functionalized adsorbents offer substantial potential for CO 2 capture owing to their selectivity and diverse application scenarios. However, their effectiveness is hindered by low efficiency and unstable cyclic performance. Here we introduce an amine-support system designed to achieve efficient and stable CO 2 capture. Through atom-level design, each polyethyleneimine (PEI) molecule is precisely impregnated into the cage-like pore of MIL-101(Cr), forming stable composites via strong coordination with unsaturated Cr acid sites within the crystal lattice. The resulting adsorbent demonstrates a low regeneration energy (39.6 kJ/mol CO2 ), excellent cyclic stability (0.18% decay per cycle under dry CO 2 regeneration), high CO 2 adsorption capacity (4.0 mmol/g), and rapid adsorption kinetics (15 min for saturation at 30 °C). These properties stem from the unique electron-level interaction between the amine and the support, effectively preventing carbamate products' dehydration. This work presents a feasible and promising cost-effective and sustainable CO 2 capture strategy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Direct chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of graphene on dielectric/insulating materials is a promising strategy for subsequent transfer-free applications of graphene. However, graphene growth on noncatalytic substrates is faced with thorny issues, especially the limited growth rate, which severely hinders mass production and practical applications. Herein, graphene glass fiber fabric (GGFF) is developed by graphene CVD growth on glass fiber fabric. Dichloromethane is applied as a carbon precursor to accelerate graphene growth, which has a low decomposition energy barrier, and more importantly, the produced high-electronegativity Cl radical can enhance adsorption of active carbon species by Cl-CH 2 coadsorption and facilitate H detachment from graphene edges. Consequently, the growth rate is increased by ~3 orders of magnitude and carbon utilization by ~960-fold, compared with conventional methane precursor. The advantageous hierarchical conductive configuration of lightweight, flexible GGFF makes it an ultrasensitive pressure sensor for human motion and physiological monitoring, such as pulse and vocal signals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected magnetization vortices that form three-dimensional strings in chiral magnets. With the manipulation of skyrmions being key to their application in devices, the focus has been on their dynamics within the vortex plane, while the dynamical control of skyrmion strings remained uncharted territory. Here, we report the effective bending of three-dimensional skyrmion strings in the chiral magnet MnSi in orthogonal thermal gradients using small angle neutron scattering. This dynamical behavior is achieved by exploiting the temperature-dependent skyrmion Hall effect, which is unexpected in the framework of skyrmion dynamics. We thus provide experimental evidence for the existence of magnon friction, which was recently proposed to be a key ingredient for capturing skyrmion dynamics, requiring a modification of Thiele's equation. Our work therefore suggests the existence of an extra degree of freedom for the manipulation of three-dimensional skyrmions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Adipose progenitor cells (APCs) are heterogeneous stromal cells and help to maintain metabolic homeostasis. However, the influence of obesity on human APC heterogeneity and the role of APC subpopulations on regulating glucose homeostasis remain unknown. Here, we find that APCs in human visceral adipose tissue contain four subsets. The composition and functionality of APCs are altered in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). CD9 + CD55 low APCs are the subset which is significantly increased in T2D patients. Transplantation of these cells from T2D patients into adipose tissue causes glycemic disturbance. Mechanistically, CD9 + CD55 low APCs promote T2D development through producing bioactive proteins to form a detrimental niche, leading to upregulation of adipocyte lipolysis. Depletion of pathogenic APCs by inducing intracellular diphtheria toxin A expression or using a hunter-killer peptide improves obesity-related glycemic disturbance. Collectively, our data provide deeper insights in human APC functionality and highlights APCs as a potential therapeutic target to combat T2D. All mice utilized in this study are male., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Achieving satisfactory multi-carbon (C 2+ ) products selectivity and current density under acidic condition is a key issue for practical application of electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR), but is challenging. Herein, we demonstrate that combining microenvironment modulation by porous channel structure and intrinsic catalytic activity enhancement via doping effect could promote efficient CO 2 RR toward C 2+ products in acidic electrolyte (pH ≤ 1). The La-doped Cu hollow sphere with channels exhibits a C 2+ products Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 86.2% with a partial current density of -775.8 mA cm -2 . CO 2 single-pass conversion efficiency for C 2+ products can reach 52.8% at -900 mA cm -2 . Moreover, the catalyst still maintains a high C 2+ FE of 81.3% at -1 A cm -2 . The channel structure plays a crucial role in accumulating K + and OH - species near the catalyst surface and within the channels, which effectively suppresses the undesired hydrogen evolution and promotes C-C coupling. Additionally, the La doping enhances the generation of *CO intermediate, and also facilitates C 2+ products formation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Low-energy consumption seawater electrolysis at high current density is an effective way for hydrogen production, however the continuous feeding of seawater may result in the accumulation of Cl - , leading to severe anode poisoning and corrosion, thereby compromising the activity and stability. Herein, CoFeAl layered double hydroxide anodes with excellent oxygen evolution reaction activity are synthesized and delivered stable catalytic performance for 350 hours at 2 A cm -2 in the presence of 6-fold concentrated seawater. Comprehensive analysis reveals that the Al 3+ ions in electrode are etched off by OH - during oxygen evolution reaction process, resulting in M 3+ vacancies that boost oxygen evolution reaction activity. Additionally, the self-originated Al(OH) n - is found to adsorb on the anode surface to improve stability. An electrode assembly based on a micropore membrane and CoFeAl layered double hydroxide electrodes operates continuously for 500 hours at 1 A cm -2 , demonstrating their feasibility in brine electrolysis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The abundant genetic variation harbored by wild rice (Oryza rufipogon) has provided a reservoir of useful genes for rice breeding. However, the genome of wild rice has not yet been comprehensively assessed. Here, we report the haplotype-resolved gapless genome assembly and annotation of wild rice Y476. In addition, we develop two sets of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) using Y476 as the donor parent and cultivated rice as the recurrent parents. By analyzing the gapless reference genome and CSSL population, we identify 254 QTLs associated with agronomic traits, biotic and abiotic stresses. We clone a receptor-like kinase gene associated with rice blast resistance and confirm its wild rice allele improves rice blast resistance. Collectively, our study provides a haplotype-resolved gapless reference genome and demonstrates a highly efficient platform for gene identification from wild rice., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Photocatalysis through energy transfer has been investigated for the facilitation of [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions. However, the high reactivity of radical species poses a challenging obstacle to achieving enantiocontrol with chiral catalysts, as no enantioselective examples have been reported thus far. Here, we present the development of catalytic asymmetric [4 + 2] dearomative photocycloaddition involving anthracene and its derivatives with alkenylazaarenes. This accomplishment is achieved by utilizing a cooperative photosensitizer and chiral Brønsted acid catalysis platform. Importantly, this process enables the activation of anthracene substrates through energy transfer from triplet DPZ, thereby initiating a precise and stereoselective sequential transformation. The significance of our work is highlighted by the synthesis of a diverse range of pharmaceutical valuable cycloadducts incorporating attractive azaarenes, all obtained with high yields, ees, and drs. The broad substrate scope is further underscored by successful construction of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters and diverse adjacent stereocenters., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Conductive cardiac patches can rebuild the electroactive microenvironment for the infarcted myocardium but their repair effects benefit by carried seed cells or drugs. The key to success is the effective integration of electrical stimulation with the microenvironment created by conductive cardiac patches. Besides, due to the concerns in a high re-admission ratio of heart patients, a remote medicine device will underpin the successful repair. Herein, we report a miniature self-powered biomimetic trinity triboelectric nanogenerator with a unique double-spacer structure that unifies energy harvesting, therapeutics, and diagnosis in one cardiac patch. Trinity triboelectric nanogenerator conductive cardiac patches improve the electroactivity of the infarcted heart and can also wirelessly monitor electrocardiosignal to a mobile device for diagnosis. RNA sequencing analysis from rat hearts reveals that this trinity cardiac patches mainly regulates cardiac muscle contraction-, energy metabolism-, and vascular regulation-related mRNA expressions in vivo. The research is spawning a device that truly integrates an electrical stimulation of a functional heart patch and self-powered e-care remote diagnostic sensor., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The neocortex comprises six cortical layers that play a crucial role in information processing; however, it remains unclear whether laminar processing is consistent across all regions within a single cortex. In this study, we demonstrate diverse laminar response patterns in the primary visual cortex (V1) of three male macaque monkeys when exposed to visual stimuli at different spatial frequencies (SFs). These response patterns can be categorized into two groups. One group exhibit suppressed responses in the output layers for all SFs, while the other type shows amplified responses specifically at high SFs. Further analysis suggests that both magnocellular (M) and parvocellular (P) pathways contribute to the suppressive effect through feedforward mechanisms, whereas amplification is specific to local recurrent mechanisms within the parvocellular pathway. These findings highlight the non-uniform distribution of neural mechanisms involved in laminar processing and emphasize how pathway-specific amplification selectively enhances representations of high-SF information in primate V1., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Micro-thermoelectric coolers are emerging as a promising solution for high-density cooling applications in confined spaces. Unlike thin-film micro-thermoelectric coolers with high cooling flux at the expense of cooling temperature difference due to very short thermoelectric legs, thick-film micro-thermoelectric coolers can achieve better comprehensive cooling performance. However, they still face significant challenges in both material preparation and device integration. Herein, we propose a design strategy which combines Bi 2 Te 3 -based thick film prepared by powder direct molding with micro-thermoelectric cooler integrated via phase-change batch transfer. Accurate thickness control and relatively high thermoelectric performance can be achieved for the thick film, and the high-density-integrated thick-film micro-thermoelectric cooler exhibits excellent performance with maximum cooling temperature difference of 40.6 K and maximum cooling flux of 56.5 W·cm -2 at room temperature. The micro-thermoelectric cooler also shows high temperature control accuracy (0.01 K) and reliability (over 30000 cooling cycles). Moreover, the device demonstrates remarkable capacity in power generation with normalized power density up to 214.0 μW · cm -2  · K -2 . This study provides a general and scalable route for developing high-performance thick-film micro-thermoelectric cooler, benefiting widespread applications in thermal management of microsystems., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) have emerged as promising gene therapy vectors due to their proven efficacy and safety in clinical applications. In non-human primates (NHPs), rAAVs are administered via suprachoroidal injection at a higher dose. However, high doses of rAAVs tend to increase additional safety risks. Here, we present a novel AAV capsid (AAVv128), which exhibits significantly enhanced transduction efficiency for photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, along with a broader distribution across the layers of retinal tissues in different animal models (mice, rabbits, and NHPs) following intraocular injection. Notably, the suprachoroidal delivery of AAVv128-anti-VEGF vector completely suppresses the Grade IV lesions in a laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) NHP model for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Furthermore, cryo-EM analysis at 2.1 Å resolution reveals that the critical residues of AAVv128 exhibit a more robust advantage in AAV binding, the nuclear uptake and endosome escaping. Collectively, our findings highlight the potential of AAVv128 as a next generation ocular gene therapy vector, particularly using the suprachoroidal delivery route., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Oxygen is essential for aerobic organisms, but little is known about its role in antiviral immunity. Here, we report that during responses to viral infection, hypoxic conditions repress antiviral-responsive genes independently of HIF signaling. EGLN1 is identified as a key mediator of the oxygen enhancement of antiviral innate immune responses. Under sufficient oxygen conditions, EGLN1 retains its prolyl hydroxylase activity to catalyze the hydroxylation of IRF3 at proline 10. This modification enhances IRF3 phosphorylation, dimerization and nuclear translocation, leading to subsequent IRF3 activation. Furthermore, mice and zebrafish with Egln1 deletion, treatment with the EGLN inhibitor FG4592, or mice carrying an Irf3 P10A mutation are more susceptible to viral infections. These findings not only reveal a direct link between oxygen and antiviral responses, but also provide insight into the mechanisms by which oxygen regulates innate immunity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Capturing gaseous mercury (Hg 0 ) from sulfur dioxide (SO 2 )-containing flue gases remains a common yet persistently challenge. Here we introduce a low-temperature sulfur chemical vapor deposition (S-CVD) technique that effectively converts SO 2 , with intermittently introduced H 2 S, into deposited sulfur (S d 0 ) on metal sulfides (MS), facilitating self-sustained adsorption of Hg 0 . ZnS, as a representative MS model, undergoes a decrease in the coordination number of Zn-S from 3.9 to 3.5 after S d 0 deposition, accompanied by the generation of unsaturated-coordinated polysulfide species (S n 2- , named S d * ) with significantly enhanced Hg 0 adsorption performance. Surprisingly, the adsorption product, HgS (ZnS@HgS), can serve as a fresh interface for the activation of S d 0 to S d * through the S-CVD method, thereby achieving a self-sustained Hg 0 adsorption capacity exceeding 300 mg g -1 without saturation limitations. Theoretical calculations substantiate the self-sustained adsorption mechanism that S 8 ring on both ZnS and ZnS@HgS can be activated to chemical bond S 4 chain, exhibiting a stronger Hg 0 adsorption energy than pristine ones. Importantly, this S-CVD strategy is applicable to the in-situ activation of synthetic or natural MS containing chalcophile metal elements for Hg 0 removal and also holds potential applications for various purposes requiring MS adsorbents., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Seawater electroreduction is attractive for future H 2 production and intermittent energy storage, which has been hindered by aggressive Mg 2+ /Ca 2+ precipitation at cathodes and consequent poor stability. Here we present a vital microscopic bubble/precipitate traffic system (MBPTS) by constructing honeycomb-type 3D cathodes for robust anti-precipitation seawater reduction (SR), which massively/uniformly release small-sized H 2 bubbles to almost every corner of the cathode to repel Mg 2+ /Ca 2+ precipitates without a break. Noticeably, the optimal cathode with built-in MBPTS not only enables state-of-the-art alkaline SR performance (1000-h stable operation at -1 A cm -2 ) but also is highly specialized in catalytically splitting natural seawater into H 2 with the greatest anti-precipitation ability. Low precipitation amounts after prolonged tests under large current densities reflect genuine efficacy by our MBPTS. Additionally, a flow-type electrolyzer based on our optimal cathode stably functions at industrially-relevant 500 mA cm -2 for 150 h in natural seawater while unwaveringly sustaining near-100% H 2 Faradic efficiency. Note that the estimated price (~1.8 US$/kg H2 ) is even cheaper than the US Department of Energy's goal price (2 US$/kg H2 )., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Ten-eleven translocation (TET) 2 is an enzyme that catalyzes DNA demethylation to regulate gene expression by oxidizing 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, functioning as an essential epigenetic regulator in various biological processes. However, the regulation and function of TET2 in adipocytes during obesity are poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that leptin, a key adipokine in mammalian energy homeostasis regulation, suppresses adipocyte TET2 levels via JAK2-STAT3 signaling. Adipocyte Tet2 deficiency protects against high-fat diet-induced weight gain by reducing leptin levels and further improving leptin sensitivity in obese male mice. By interacting with C/EBPα, adipocyte TET2 increases the hydroxymethylcytosine levels of the leptin gene promoter, thereby promoting leptin gene expression. A decrease in adipose TET2 is associated with obesity-related hyperleptinemia in humans. Inhibition of TET2 suppresses the production of leptin in mature human adipocytes. Our findings support the existence of a negative feedback loop between TET2 and leptin in adipocytes and reveal a compensatory mechanism for the body to counteract the metabolic dysfunction caused by obesity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Elucidating the expression of microRNAs in developing single cells is critical for functional discovery. Here, we construct scCAMERA (single-cell cartography of microRNA expression based on reporter assay), utilizing promoter-driven fluorescent reporters in conjunction with imaging and lineage tracing. The cartography delineates the transcriptional activity of 54 conserved microRNAs in lineage-resolved single cells throughout C. elegans embryogenesis. The combinatorial expression of microRNAs partitions cells into fine clusters reflecting their function and anatomy. Notably, the expression of individual microRNAs exhibits high cell specificity and divergence among family members. Guided by cellular expression patterns, we identify developmental functions of specific microRNAs, including miR-1 in pharynx development and physiology, miR-232 in excretory canal morphogenesis by repressing NHR-25/NR5A, and a functional synergy between miR-232 and miR-234 in canal development, demonstrating the broad utility of scCAMERA. Furthermore, integrative analysis reveals that tissue-specific fate determinants activate microRNAs to repress protein production from leaky transcripts associated with alternative, especially neuronal, fates, thereby enhancing the fidelity of developmental fate differentiation. Collectively, our study offers rich opportunities for multidimensional expression-informed analysis of microRNA biology in metazoans., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Sulfide electrolytes represent a crucial category of superionic conductors for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. Among sulfide electrolytes, glassy sulfide is highly promising due to its long-range disorder and grain-boundary-free nature. However, the lack of comprehension regarding glass formation chemistry has hindered their progress. Herein, we propose interstitial volume as the decisive factor influencing halogen dopant solubility within a glass matrix. We engineer a Li 3 PS 4 -Li 4 SiS 4 complex structure within the sulfide glassy network to facilitate the release of interstitial volume. Consequently, we increase the dissolution capacity of LiI to 40 mol% in 75Li 2 S-25P 2 S 5 glass. The synthesized glass exhibits one of the highest ionic conductivities among reported glass sulfides. Furthermore, we develop a glassy/crystalline composite electrolyte to mitigate the shortcomings of argyrodite-type sulfides by utilizing our synthesized glass as the filler. The composite electrolytes effectively mitigate Li intrusion. This work unveils a protocol for the dissolution of halogen dopants in glass electrolytes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) exhibit fascinating physicochemical properties, which originate from the diverse coordination structures between the transition metal and oxygen atoms. Accurate determination of such structure-property relationships of TMOs requires to correlate structural and electronic properties by capturing the global parameters with high resolution in energy, real, and momentum spaces, but it is still challenging. Herein, we report the determination of characteristic electronic structures from diverse coordination environments on the prototypical anatase-TiO 2 (001) with (1 × 4) reconstruction, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy/atomic force microscopy, in combination with density functional theory calculation. We unveil that the shifted positions of O 2s and 2p levels and the gap-state Ti 3p levels can sensitively characterize the O and Ti coordination environments in the (1 × 4) reconstructed surface, which show distinguishable features from those in bulk. Our findings provide a paradigm to interrogate the intricate reconstruction-relevant properties in many other TMO surfaces., (© 2024. The Author(s).)