Research articles

Photoluminescent materials are widely used in information security applications, yet high-precision optical information encryption remains difficult to achieve. Here the authors report two monoclinic zero-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid Mn(II) chloride crystals and characterize their phase-transition-induced photoluminescence quenching.

This study presents a mechanistic RO model to predict ammonia transport that explicitly distinguishes NH3 and NH4 + transport and explains the pH dependence of RO performance, providing insights for the reclamation of ammonia-rich wastewater.

The authors propose an asynchronous sublattice distortion mechanism to elucidate the complex phase transitions in HfO₂-based materials. The phase transitions among the orthorhombic, tetragonal, and monoclinic phases are governed by the orientation of the orthorhombic phase.

The authors identify Npr1 as a nucleophagy receptor in fission yeast that acts redundantly with Epr1 to degrade nuclear components. Tethering chromatin to the inner nuclear membrane blocks nucleophagy, suggesting a genome protection mechanism.

Controlling the morphology of dendritic nanostructures is crucial for enhancing their functionality, but remains a challenge. Here, the authors demonstrate that the local electric field between gold nanoparticles and iron oxide branches promotes directional and accelerated growth.

The yeast ceramide synthase assembles into a 4:4 complex through a Lac1 helix interface. This interface physically occludes the active site yet is essential for proper ceramide regulation, revealing sophisticated control beyond simple autoinhibition.

Here, the authors examine bird wing planform shape and functional performance using theoretical morphospace and phylomorphospace. They find that, in a sample of 1138 extant bird taxa, planform shape is weakly impacted by phylogeny and that functional optimality varies across birds depending on their flight style.

Disentangling the exotic phases that can emerge at the surfaces of strongly correlated materials from the bulk is experimentally difficult. Here, Jain, Diao, Ong, Rusydi, and coauthors succeed in doing so, using grazing incident-angle dependent resonant X-ray scattering to find an emergent surface magnetic ordering and surface electronic dipole layers in the two-dimensional film of La2CuO4

Traditional von Neumann electronic textiles rely on rigid chips for logic and memory, limiting wear comfort and integration. Here, the authors present stretchable fibres that integrate tuneable logic and memory functions, positioning each fibre as a building block for computing-capable textiles.

Ribosome production depends on precise processing of precursor RNAs. Here, the authors present NanoRibolyzer, a nanopore-based method that maps rRNA processing and modifications at single-nucleotide resolution, revealing new intermediates and spatial processing dynamics.

A single-breath-hold 3D abdominal MRI technique (SSE-CEST) enables label-free mapping of glucose, glycogen and mobile protein in human liver, offering motion-robust, high-resolution imaging for cancer detection and metabolic monitoring.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction rivals Haber-Bosch ammonia synthesis rates but suffers from poor energy efficiency. Here, the authors show that underpotential deposited hydrogen can be unlocked to accelerate nitrate conversion, offering an pathway to energy-efficient ammonia production.

A MoSe₂ piezocatalyst with lattice strain upcycles wastewater pollutants into value-added chemicals, offering an environmental and energy solution by accelerating carbon reduction and lowering reaction energy barriers.

Molecular devices offer the potential for the scalability and energy efficiency required to develop energy-sustainable AI. Zhang et al. report a single-molecule neuromorphic device that consumes 6.34 aJ per operation and support both short-term to long-term memory, featuring over 10 distinct conductance states.

The origins of brood parasitism outside of birds remain poorly understood. In cuckoo catfish, this study finds that ancestral large eggs and rapid development likely enabled the emergence of brood parasitism, and its success enhanced by evolving egg mimicry, small clutches, and embryonic dentition.

A reversible suspended animation state in C. elegans is triggered by crowding in liquid. It reshapes gene activity, metabolism and organelles, uncovering lysosomal and neuronal signals that control survival and reawakening.

The role of gut microbiota–metabolism crosstalk in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains unclear. Here, the authors revealed that sialic acid exacerbates PCOS pathogenesis by remodeling gut microbial bile acid metabolism and FXR activation.

Adoptive cell therapy has shown success in the context of haematological cancer but is associated with limited effect with solid tumors. Here the authors show that lymphodepletion regimens enhance tumor eradication by adoptive cell therapy, yet impair host antitumor immune response required for durable protection in murine models of cancer.

Cryo-EM structures of ZYG11B-EloB-EloC-substrate complex reveal architecture of CRL2^ZYG11B E3 ligase. ZYG11B forms both monomeric and dimeric assemblies, and functional assays show that dimerization enhances substrate ubiquitination and degradation.

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) systematically alter ocean net primary production (NPP) patterns meridionally, reflecting regional differences in baseline nutrient availability and pointing to an emerging poleward redistribution of ocean productivity.