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Evidence from hippocampal place cells shows that path-integration gain, previously thought to be a constant factor in the computation of location, is flexible and can be rapidly fine-tuned.

The application of photoswitches as light-responsive triggers for phase transitions of porous materials remains poorly explored. Here, the authors report a light-responsive flexible metal-organic framework which undergoes pore contraction upon combined application of light irradiation and adsorption stress via a buckling process of the framework-embedded azobenzene photoswitch.

Despite much research, the high-spin-state relaxation mechanism of Fe(II) spin-crossover complexes is unresolved. Using ultrafast circular dichroism spectroscopy it has now been revealed that the spin relaxation is driven by a torsional twisting mode, which breaks the chiral symmetry of a prototypical Fe(II) compound. Stereocontrolling the configuration of the complex can thus be used to slow down the spin relaxation.

Phase-selective approaches, such using reaction-directing groups, are often seen in traditional organic chemistry and catalysis. Here authors use perovskite nanocrystals as disposable templates to drive the phase-selective synthesis of two colloidal nanomaterials, the lead sulfohalides Pb₃S₂Cl₂ and Pb₄S₃Cl₂.

Here, the authors generated an artificial RNA molecule, or aptamer, specific for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis protein TDP-43. By interacting avidly with its target, the aptamer can be exploited to track TDP-43 phase transition in vitro and in cells.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is caused by mutations in WASP, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be explored. Here the authors reveal that WASP deficiency results in aberrant RNA splicing, and that WASP regulates the transcription of splicing factor genes and co-transcriptional RNA splicing via a phase-separation process that involves splicing factors and nascent RNA.

What are the minimal hardware requirements for a given class of sensing problems? Here, authors investigate this while proposing a miniaturized near-infrared spectral sensor, based on an array of resonant-cavity enhanced photodetectors, and capable of operating without the need for spectral reconstruction.

Observations of an event (several energetic eruptions leading to a terminal explosion that is surprisingly hydrogen-rich) with the spectrum of a supernova do not match with other observations of supernovae.

This is one of two papers showing that glioblastoma cells can differentiate into functional endothelial cells as part of the tumour vasculature. These endothelial cells are characterized by the same genetic alterations as the glioblastoma cells. The tumour-derived endothelial cells originate in putative glioblastoma-initiating cells and are functionally important for tumorigenesis.

Engineering the energy dispersion of polaritons in microcavities can yield intriguing effects such as the anomalous quantum Hall and Rashba effects. Now, different Berry curvature distributions of polariton bands are obtained in a strongly coupled organic–inorganic two-dimensional perovskite single-crystal microcavity and can be modified via temperature and magnetic field variation.

Ponsioen et al. use a FRET‐based ERK biosensor EKAREN5 in patient‐derived organoids to show that EGFR activity amplifies signal transduction efficiency in KRAS or BRAF mutant MAPK pathways.

Although progress in the coverage of routine measles vaccination in children in low- and middle-income countries was made during 2000–2019, many countries remain far from the goal of 80% coverage in all districts by 2019.

Arginine methylation by PRMTs is dysregulated in cancer. Here, the authors use functional genomics screens and identify PRMT1 as a vulnerability in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and further show that PRMT1 regulates RNA metabolism and coordinates expression of genes in cell cycle progression, maintaining genomic stability and tumour growth.

Lung damage increases abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) incidence, but the mechanism was unclear. Here, the authors show that injured lungs leak HMGB1, increasing RIPK3 expression in arterial macrophages that subsequently alters mitochondrial function, leading to MMP12 expression and AAA development.

Low-dark-current perovskite photodetectors can be integrated with an oxide transistor backplane to create a high-resolution optical scanning array capable of imaging flat and curved surfaces.

The formation dynamics of excitons in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides are challenging to probe directly because of their inherently fast timescales. Here, the authors use extremely short optical pulses to excite an electron-hole plasma, and show the formation of 2D excitons in MoS₂ on the timescale of 30 fs.

Rationally manipulating the in-situ-formed catalytically active surface of catalysts is a challenging but promising endeavour. Now, the surface of LiCoO₂ during water oxidation is engineered by Cl doping via a cationic redox-tuning method that modulates in situ leaching and redirects the dynamic surface restructuring.

Aging is associated with increased frailty and disrupted energy homeostasis. Here, the authors show that SIRT6 overexpression extends the lifespan of male and female mice and demonstrate that SIRT6 optimizes energy homeostasis in old age, which delays frailty and preserves healthy aging.

Spectropolarimetric observations of a solar pore at high temporal and spatial resolution identify the presence of magnetic field torsional oscillations. Simulations suggest that such oscillations are triggered by a photospheric kink mode, which can contribute substantially to upward energy transport within the solar atmosphere.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous disease resulting in reduced mucus clearance and impaired lung function. Here, the authors show that mutations in PIH1D3 are responsible for an X-linked form of PCD, affecting assembly of a subset of inner arm dyneins.

Nonlocal effects—in which the optical response of a system at a given spatial point depends on the field in the surrounding space—are reviewed in the context of metasurfaces and flat optics. Nonlocal flat optics may be useful for controlling light in ultra-thin platforms.

An (ultraviolet) dust attenuation feature at 2,175 Å, attributed to carbonaceous dust grains in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, also exists in galaxies up to a redshift of 7.

We show that a programmable photonic integrated processor can separate, directly in the optical domain, spatially-overlapped free-space optical beams with unknown shapes, sharing the same wavelength and polarization.

Ballabio and colleagues report that the transcription factor TFEB, which has a known role in autophagy, is induced by starvation and promotes transcription of PGC1α and PPARα. Intriguingly, targeted expression of TFEB in the liver blocks the development of metabolic syndrome in mouse models of obesity.

In offspring exposed to THC in utero, molecular, synaptic and circuit reorganizations lead to a hyperdopaminergic phenotype and behavioral susceptibility. The neurosteroid pregnenolone restores both dopamine function and abnormal behavior.

Bipolar conductivity is fundamental for electronic devices based on two-dimensional semiconductors. Here, the authors report on-demand p- and n-doping of monolayer MoS₂ via defects engineering using thermochemical scanning probe lithography, and achieve a p-n junction with rectification ratio over 10⁴.

Glucose metabolism is regulated by hypothalamic brain functions and factors produced by peripheral tissues. Here, the authors show that the regulator of food intake Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is also produced and secreted by muscle and stimulates pancreas insulin release.

MicroRNAs play important roles in endothelial cells injury, proliferation and maladaptation by negatively regulating posttranscriptional gene expression. Here the authors uncover the role of the long non coding RNA lncWDR59, target of miR-103, in endothelial maladaptation.

Myosin-5B is an actin-based motor important for endosome recycling, but the molecular mechanism underlying its motility remains unknown. Here authors use single molecule imaging and high-speed laser tweezers to dissect the mechanoenzymatic properties of myosin-5B, which shows processive motility with peculiar mechanosensitivity.

Centrosomes drive mitotic spindle formation and chromosome segregation. Here, the authors show that centrosome stability is regulated by selective autophagic degradation of centriolar satellite components in a process they term doryphagy, connecting autophagy and chromosomal integrity.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites embedding CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals can be used to simultaneously achieve optimized parameters in scintillator devices.

The mechanisms that restore endothelial barrier integrity following inflammation-induced breaching are incompletely understood. Here the authors show that the CD31 immune receptor contributes to reestablishing vascular integrity via its effects on endothelial cell metabolism.

Precise organization of nanoparticles and polymers for the design of hybrid materials remains a challenging task. Here, the authors show a convenient way to organize nanoobjects by preorganization of inorganic particles in presence of a functional peptidic homopolymer.

Gas breakdown mechanism in plasma under the influence of complex electromagnetic field topology is still debatable. Here the authors present the evidence of the E×B mixing avalanche for gas breakdown in magnetized plasmas in fusion devices as tokamak.

TAp63α monitors the genome integrity in oocytes. After DNA damage, TAp63α is activated, involving multiple phosphorylation steps by CK1 with different kinetics due to an unusual CK1/TAp63α interaction in which the product of one step inhibits the next.

Reinforcing polymers with carbon-based nanofillers is non-trivial due to incompatibilities between matrix and filler. Here, the authors report highly reinforced graphene oxide–aramid nanocomposites utilizing a water-based hybrid biaxial nematic mixture.

Fine-scale geospatial mapping of overweight and wasting (two components of the double burden of malnutrition) in 105 LMICs shows that overweight has increased from 5.2% in 2000 to 6.0% in children under 5 in 2017. Although overall wasting decreased over the same period, most countries are not on track to meet the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target of <5% in over half of LMICs by 2025.

Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal-recessive disorder. Here the authors describe a DRG organoid from patient derived-neurons and co-culture with muscle cells to mimic the disorder in vitro and demonstrate potential correction of the phenotype by CRISPR based editing.

The transcriptional repressor Blimp1/PRDM1 regulates cell fate decisions in the developing embryo and adult tissues. Here the authors show that conditional inactivation within maternal uterine tissues results in a defective primary decidual zone barrier, increased expression of inflammatory cytokines IFN gamma and Csf1, and early embryonic lethality during pregnancy.

Single-layer graphene increases neuron excitability and firing activity by influencing the distribution of potassium ions at the cellular interface.

Scale models of the human left ventricle made of tissue-engineered nanofibrous scaffolds and primary rat cardiomyocytes or human-stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes enable the study of contractile function and the modelling of structural arrhythmia.

Disinhibition in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord may contribute to chronic pain. Here the authors show that, despite a paradoxical increase in α2/α3 subunits of the GABA_A receptor in a neuropathic pain model, inhibition eventually fails due to KCC2 hypofunction.

The enzyme glutamine synthetase is active in endothelial cell migration during angiogenesis, through autopalmitoylation and the regulation of RHOJ signalling.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is an atomic optical-emission technique that can provide elemental analysis of an untreated sample at a distance, in solid, liquid or gaseous state. This Primer discusses the process and optimization of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, the complexities of spectral analysis and the range of possible applications.