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Heavy pnictogen-based compounds are promising nontoxic and stable alternatives to lead-halide perovskites, but are limited by carrier localization. Here, by investigating CuSbSe₂, the authors identify how this limitation could be avoided.

Understanding the origin of unprecedented solar-to-hydrogen efficiencies in doped SrTiO₃ has proved challenging. Linking in situ charge accumulation to electronic structure in this system now reveals design principles for hydrogen-evolving photocatalysts.

The precise onset, temporal progression and spatial extent of neuron-tumor crosstalk in brain with Glioblastoma (GBM) are not fully understood. Here authors, using a genetic GBM mouse model, show widespread glutamate accumulation, chronic neural activity disruption between cells and brain areas, depending on tumor expansion rate and genotype with altered tumor and neural activity dynamics when adding glypican6.

Nanocrystals are desirable light sources for advanced display technologies. Here, the authors report on double-crowned 2D semiconductor nanoplatelets as light downconverters that offer both green and red emissions to achieve a wide color gamut.

A possible kilonova associated with a nearby, long-duration gamma-ray burst suggests that gamma-ray bursts with long and complex light curves can be spawned from the merger of two compact objects, contrary to the established gamma-ray burst paradigm.

Cytotoxic response is mediated by delivery of lytic molecules at the effector cell/target cell junction site, termed the immunological synapse. Here the authors find, using single cell biophysical measurements, that the during this process the αLβ2 integrin, LFA-1, helps focus lytic granule release via talin-dependent, pulling force-mediated spatial guidance.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have unique optoelectronic properties that make them suitable for applications ranging from phototherapy to imaging and sensing, but their uptake has mainly been explored in eukaryotic cells. Here the authors explore the interaction of SWCNTs with cyanobacteria, showing that they are spontaneously taken up by cells only when coated with positive charges, opening the possibility of prokaryotic-based biotechnology applications.

The authors discovered that proinflammatory senescent myeloid cells may recruit peripheral immune cells in the aged mouse brain. Their findings implicate senescent cell clearance as a strategy to counter aged brain inflammation and cognitive decline.

Strained NbOI₂ flakes with a thickness of 20 nm exhibit a record SHG absolute conversion efficiency of >0.2% and an effective bulk-like nonlinear susceptibility of 1.1 × 10⁻⁹ m V⁻¹ at the fundamental wavelength of 1,050 nm. The spatial profile of the polarized second-harmonic generation response can be tuned by the fundamental wavelength.

Extracellular vesicles encapsulating mRNA encoding for extracellular-matrix collagen and delivered intradermally via microneedles led to the replacement of collagen in the dermis of mice with photoaged skin.

The engineered hyperfolder YFP (hfYFP) and variants offer unprecedented chemical and thermal stability, making them versatile probes for microscopy as well as for challenging applications like correlative light and electron microscopy and expansion microscopy.

Preparation of cyclobutanes with four different substituents is rare and often arduous. Here a cocrystallisation strategy enables the intermolecular [2+2] cross-photoreaction of non-symmetrical stilbene derivatives to obtain chiral tetrasubstituted cyclobutanes with up to four different substituents in quantitative yield.

Decoupling the processes of light harvesting and catalytic hydrogen evolution could be a potentially important step in storing solar energy. This has now been achieved with a single molecular unit: a light-harvesting ruthenium complex–polyoxometalate dyad that absorbs light, separates and stores charge and then generates hydrogen on demand following the addition of a proton donor.

Trypanosoma brucei DOT1A and DOT1B methylate H3K76 without H2B-ubiquitin. Based on structural and enzymatic data, Frisbie et al. reveal a mechanism of how these enzymes cooperatively and efficiently tri-methylate H3K76 in a ubiquitin-independent way.

Acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors represents an important clinical challenge. Here, in a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma model of acquired resistance to immunotherapy, the authors show that plasticity-induced repression of Irf6 is associated with tumor cell-intrinsic resistance to cytotoxic T-cell activity.

Here, the authors perform Faraday rotation spectroscopy around the excitonic transitions in hBN-encapsulated WSe₂ and MoSe₂ monolayers, and interlayer excitons in MoS₂ bilayers. They measure a large Verdet constant - 1.9 × 10⁷ deg T⁻¹cm⁻¹ for monolayers, and attribute it to the giant oscillator strength and high g-factor of the excitons.

Here we show how PFL2 and PFL3 neurons in the Drosophila brain compare a representation of direction with internal spatial goals, both anchored in world-centric coordinates, and produce body-centric steering commands that act to correct deviations from the goal direction. 

Stretchable and self-healing light-emitting capacitors operating at low frequency and low voltage have been realized using a transparent elastomeric dielectric with high permittivity.

The dominant mechanism of nanoparticle entry into solid tumours has now been shown to be an active trans-endothelial pathway rather than the currently established passive transport via inter-endothelial gaps.

Transcriptomic data and functional experiments on macaque retina are used to identify the ON-type direction-selective ganglion cells responsible for detecting moving images and initiating gaze-stabilization mechanisms.

Construction of plasmids from multiple fragments often uses customised parts and leaves scars where fragments are joined. Here the authors develop a method for barcoding fragments and constructing plasmids in a scarless manner from a collection of standard parts.

A miniature epifluorescence microscope that can be carried by a freely-moving adult mouse allows cellular-level imaging of neuronal spiking or measurement of microcirculation during normal behavioral activities.

The analysis of T-cell antigens in long-term survivors of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma suggests that neoantigen immunogenicity and quality, not purely quantity, correlate with survival.

We synthesized stretchable electroluminescent polymers capable of reaching a near-unity theoretical quantum yield through thermally activated delayed fluorescence. Their polymers show 125% stretchability with 10% external quantum efficiency and demonstrate a fully stretchable organic light-emitting diode.

Californium is difficult to prepare in its divalent state. Now, crystals of a Cf(II) crown–ether complex have been synthesized by reduction of a Cf(III) precursor with an Al/Hg amalgam. They exhibit 5f→6d transitions in the visible region and near-infrared emission that are highly sensitive to changes in the coordination environment.

At the hybrid interface between an organic molecular layer and a metallic magnetic surface, spin-filtering effects may be exploited for the generation of spin polarization. Here, the authors demonstrate a dynamic spin-filtering effect across the Co/Alq₃ interface, mediated via a second Alq₃layer.

Perovskite solar cells already exhibit large efficiencies above 20%. Here, the authors use a low temperature sputtering process to fabricate semi-transparent perovskite solar cells, demonstrating bifacial operation and a 4-terminal tandem with CIGS solar cells surpassing single junction cells.

Iridium oxide is the state-of-the-art catalyst for water oxidation in an acidic electrolyte. Now amorphous and crystalline iridium oxides are studied using operando time-resolved optical spectroscopy, together with other techniques, to reveal the nature and density of active centres and the role of adsorbate–adsorbate interactions.

Melanoma cells interact with pain-mediating sensory neurons by increasing their release of the neuropeptide CGRP, which increases the exhaustion of CD8⁺ T cells and thus promotes the survival of cancer cells.

The TOM and TIM23 complexes facilitate the transport of nuclear-encoded proteins into the mitochondrial matrix. Here, the authors use a stalled client protein to purify the translocation supercomplex and gain insight into the TOM-TIM23 interface and the mechanism of protein handover from the TOM to the TIM23 complex.

The large-scale fabrication of cellulose nanocrystal photonic films in a roll-to-roll device is achieved by careful optimization of the cellulose nanocrystal formulation and its controlled deposition and drying on a substrate. Once dry, these photonic films can be peeled and milled into effect pigments, highlighting the potential of cellulose nanocrystals as a sustainable material for industrial photonic applications.

Upon starvation, cells coordinate protein disposal to recycle amino acids, although the role of the proteasome has been unclear. Here, the authors show that in the mammalian nucleus, proteasomes form condensates that dissolve following nutrient replenishment.

The authors report that the presynaptic protein bassoon forms toxic aggregates in neuronal somata in multiple sclerosis. Stimulation of proteasomal activity reduces bassoon aggregates, neuroaxonal loss and disability during CNS inflammation.

Optogenetic tools enable precise experimental control of the behaviour of cells. Here, the authors introduce a genetically-encoded two-protein system that enables silencing of excitable cells such as neurons and cardiomyocytes using blue light, and demonstrate its utility both in vitro and In vivo.

Here, the authors present a light-responsive elastic metamaterial whose transmission spectrum can be tuned by light stimuli. More specifically, we demonstrate that an appropriate laser illumination is effective in reversibly widening an existing frequency band gap, doubling its initial value.

The intrinsically disordered linker histone H1.0 and prothymosin α form a complex which exhibits slow exchange between bound and unbound populations at low protein concentrations and fast exchange at high concentrations. Here authors explain this observation by the formation of transient ternary complexes favored at high protein concentrations that accelerate the exchange.

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is characterized by loss of androgen receptor (AR) signaling during neuroendocrine transdifferentiation, resulting in resistance to AR-targeted therapy. Here they report ONECUT2 to drive NEPC tumorigenesis via regulation of hypoxia signaling and tumor hypoxia, and find hypoxia directed therapy to be effective in NEPC.

A pilot clinical trial evaluating metformin in patients with pediatric brain tumors shows that it is a safe approach resulting in improved cognitive function that is consistent with the recovery of adult hippocampal neurogenesis observed in mouse models.

Multiple infrared lasing and detection technologies exploit intersubband transitions of epitaxial quantum wells, but such transitions are mainly limited to the mid-infrared. Here, the authors report narrow, polarized intersubband transitions up to telecom wavelengths in CdSe colloidal quantum wells.

Gene correction of multiple alleles is a promising therapeutic strategy. Here the authors present bi-allelic correction of Pompe disease and provide an in silico model for predicting in vivo somatic editing outcomes.

This Primer explores metal–organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) as a transformative technique for synthesizing wafer-scale 2D dichalcogenides. The MOCVD apparatus, the growth mechanism, process conditions, current applications across next-generation 3D integration, photonics, optoelectronics, flexible electronics and the future potential of MOCVD are discussed.

Interactions with other microbes may inhibit or facilitate the dispersal of bacteria. Here, Zhang et al. use cheese rind microbiomes as a model to show that physical networks created by filamentous fungi can affect the dispersal of motile bacteria and thus shape the diversity of microbial communities.

Rare-earth mono-pnictides antiferromagnets have generated recent interest as hosts to topological states and unconventional magnetic states. Here, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy reveals a hidden band-structure transition within the higher-temperature antiferromagnetic state of CeBi.

A high-affinity complex of histone H1 and prothymosin-α reveals an unexpected interaction mechanism, where the large opposite net charge enables the two proteins to remain highly disordered even in the complex.

Exosomes originating from lung-, liver- and brain-tropic tumour cells are preferentially incorporated by specific resident cells of the target organs, thus preparing the site for metastasis; the expression of distinct combinations of exosomal integrin proteins determines the exosomal targeting to each of the three organs, and blocking these integrins reduces organotropic exosome uptake by the target organs, thereby reducing the likelihood of organotropic metastasis.