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Papaya is a trioecious species with XX females, XY males, and XY^h hermaphrodites, and the combination of Y and Y^h chromosomes is lethal. Here, the authors identify the degeneration of the YY lethality gene on the Y chromosome as the causal balancing lethal factor that reenforces dioecy and stabilizes balanced sex ratios.

Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is often dysregulated in cancer, but its mechanisms remain unclear. This study reveals that MST4- mediated LAMP2A phosphorylation regulates CMA by stabilizing lysosomal LAMP2A, thereby promoting GBM tumorigenicity and immune evasion.

A flexible perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell making use of a dual-buffer layer comprising a compact SnO_x layer deposited first followed by a loose SnO_x layer is described, showing efficiencies rivalling rigid counterparts and good durability.

Zinc affinity plays a key role in the zinc plating and stripping processes but its internal mechanism is still unclear. Here, the authors report a protective layer with controllable zinc affinity by adjusting the crystal orientation to suppress the dendrite growth on the zinc anode interface.

Battery recyclability presents a sustainability challenge in materials design. Now it has been shown that aramid amphiphile self-assembly yields solid-state electrolytes with fast ion conductivity and electrochemical stability, which disassemble to the monomeric state upon solvent exposure, enabling inherently recyclable, molecularly engineered battery designs.

One challenge remaining in the electrocatalysts for acidic water electrolysis is the activity-stability paradox. Here, the authors report a facile approach to tackle the challenge by introducing a bridged W-O moiety in NiIrO_x electrocatalyst, enhancing the efficacy and stability simultaneously.

An asymmetric self-assembled monolayer improves the efficiency of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells compared with symmetric self-assembled monolayers, resulting in a certified power conversion efficiency of up to 34.58%.

Octahedral chiral-at-metal complexes have chirality based on the metal centre, but reactivity occurs at the organic ligands. Here, the authors report such a complex as a highly active Brønsted base catalyst, with loadings down to 0.02 mol% for asymmetric Michael additions and 0.25 mol% for aza-Henry reactions.

A power conversion efficiency of 33.89% is achieved in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells by using a bilayer passivation strategy to enhance electron extraction and suppress recombination.

In-sensor computing with in-situ training capability is promising for machine vision applications, yet their implementation remains a challenge. Here, the authors demonstrate in-situ training of an in-sensor artificial neural network using ferroelectric photosensors.

Magnetism deterioration is usually expected in all ferromagnetic materials with increasing temperature. Here, Maet al. report a Fe-Ga alloy with highly thermal-stable magnetization up to 880 K and with nearly no deterioration over a wide temperature range in magnetostriction.

Genome assemblies for the SunUp transgenic papaya and its progenitor Sunset identify three transgene-insertions in SunUp. Resequencing of 86 papaya genomes highlights the impacts of breeding and geographic origin.

A polymer-like ultrahigh-strength TiNi alloy was fabricated by a simple three-step process to give a combination of a polymer-like ultralow elastic modulus and a steel-like ultrahigh yield strength over a wide temperature range, and such exotic properties arise from a unique strain glass state.

The shuttling effect in Li–S batteries can be drastically suppressed by using a single-atom Co catalyst and polar ZnS nanoparticles embedded in a macroporous conductive matrix as a cathode. Using this strategy, Li–S pouch cells show stable cycling and high energy performances.

The prostate is an important part of the male reproductive system whose aging process is incompletely understood. Sun et al. identify GRHL2 downregulation as a driver of prostate aging. They show that GRHL2 transactivates CDK19 to inhibit p53−p21 signaling and demonstrate that GRHL2 gene therapy alleviates age-related urinary dysfunction in mice.

Retaining high performance of perovskite solar cells over large areas is a challenge. Yang et al. use a thermotropic liquid crystal with high diffusivity that does not co-crystallize with the perovskite, suppressing defect formation and enabling large-area solar modules with improved stability and efficiency.

In this Perspective, members of the Aging Biomarker Consortium outline the X-Age Project, an Aging Biomarker Consortium plan for building standardized aging clocks in China. The authors discuss the project roadmap and its aims of decoding aging heterogeneity, detecting accelerated aging early and evaluating geroprotective interventions.

Upgrading CO to high-value multicarbon products is a promising avenue for fuel and chemical feedstock production. Here triangular Cu nanosheets that selectively expose the (111) surface exhibit a high acetate partial current density (131 mA cm^–2) and Faradaic efficiency (48%) in CO electroreduction.

Analysing data from seven countries, this study found that unmarried individuals had a higher depression risk than married individuals. This risk was higher in Western countries, among males and among those with higher educational attainment.

Mask-free multi-photon lithography allows the straightforward fabrication of nanostructures, but high precision and good resolution can be challenging to achieve. Here, the authors report a combination of photo-inhibition and chemical quenchers for improved lithography performance.

DJ-1 protects cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death; however its role in ferroptosis is unclear. Here, the authors show that DJ-1 suppresses ferroptosis through the transsulfuration pathway to compensate for the depletion of intracellular cysteine when cystine import is inhibited.

SIRT5 protects against primate skeletal muscle ageing through TBK1 desuccinylation, which inhibits the downstream inflammatory and senescent phenotypes.

By using metal-organic compounds as solid precursor photoresist for multi-photon lithography and post-sintering, Cao et al. report ultra-high precision nano additive manufacturing of 2D and 3D metal oxide semiconductors with dimension down to 35 nm.

Small cell cervical carcinoma (SCCC) is a rare but aggressive malignancy. Here, the authors report human papillomavirus features and genomic landscape in SCCC via high-throughput sequencing methods and identify MYC, SOX, NR4A, ANKRD and CEA family genes as HPV-integrated hotspots.

Displacive martensitic transformations through lattice distortion usually involve a change from one crystal structure to another. Here however, the authors “melt” metastable Ti alloys during cooling and show that a martensitic transformation can lead to the formation of an intragranular amorphous phase.

Designing superelastic materials with high critical stress, large recovery strain and temperature-independent modulus is desired but challenging. Here, the authors achieve these properties in a high-entropy alloy with multi-scale heterogeneities.

Temperature-independent (Elinvar) soft elasticity with high strength, which is technologically desired but scientifically challenging, is achieved in a lightweight strain glass Mg alloy.

All-electrical switching of magnetization holds promise for applications in information technologies with low power consumption. Here, current-induced spin–orbit torque switches the magnetization in SrIrO₃/SrRuO₃ bilayer structures at 70 K in the absence of an external magnetic field.

Blue light-emitting diodes based on perovskite nanostructures embedded within quasi-two-dimensional phases show highly effective charge injection and suppressed non-radiative recombination.

Liu et al. demonstrate that human-driven soil contamination in natural areas mirrors that in nearby urban greenspaces globally, and highlight the potential influence that soil contaminants have on ecosystem functions.

Examining the in-plane spin components of the noncoplanar antiferromagnet manganese ditelluride provides spectroscopic and computational evidence of materials with a new type of plaid-like spin splitting in the antiferromagnetic ground state.

A study using a copper-in-silver dilute alloy catalyst in a high-pressure gas flow reactor reports highly selective electrosynthesis of acetate from carbon monoxide.

Near-ambient superconductivity and pressure-driven color changes were recently reported in nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride. Here, the authors synthesize LuH_2±xN_y and do not confirm the superconductivity. In addition, they find that the color changes likely stem from pressure-induced electron redistribution of nitrogen and vacancies.

a Aging-time dependent saturation magnetostriction for Fe₇₃Ga₂₇ random polycrystals. Bright-field images for the b 1373 K-quenched, c 1 h-aged and d 12 h-aged Fe₇₃Ga₂₇ random polycrystals. e Figure of merit as a function of aging time for Fe₈₁Ga₁₉ random polycrystals. f Comparison of saturation magnetostriction among our optimally aged Fe–Ga random polycrystals, the quenched random polycrystals doped with a third element and the single crystals.

Surface dynamics play a central role in the biological function of natural supramolecular structures. Here, the authors investigate the nanoscale dynamics at the surface of synthetic nanostructure using binding affinity to surface bound chelators.

Aberrant coagulation and thrombosis are associated with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, the authors show that the E protein are associated with coagulation disorders in COVID-19 patients and could directly enhance platelet activation and thrombosis through a CD36/p38 MAPK/NF-kB signaling axis.

A genome-wide association study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates finds mutations in prpR that alter propionate metabolism and mediate multidrug tolerance.

Individuals with SYK gain-of-function variants develop immunodeficiency and systemic inflammation, which are recapitulated in a knock-in mouse model. Treatment of these mice with bone marrow transplantation or with a SYK inhibitor ameliorates disease symptoms, highlighting potential therapeutic strategies for patients with SYK mutations.

Aberrant circRNAs expression in repair cells is intricately linked to deficits in wound healing. Here, the authors engineered extracellular vesicles enriched with circCDK13 and demonstrate their ability to facilitate diabetic wound repair.

Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) is a key enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis and is a target for hypercholesteremia and cancer drug development. Here the authors present the crystal structures of the human SQLE catalytic domain alone and bound with small molecule inhibitors, which will facilitate the development of next-generation SQLE inhibitors.

In global drylands, soils tend to be more fertile beneath tree, shrub and grass islands. Soil fertility was greater beneath taller and wider plants but was unaffected by either grazing pressure or the type of herbivore.

The antibody response to infection and vaccination is an essential component of the anti-infective immune response. Here the authors present a de novo protein sequencing method for antibody discovery from polyclonal IgG from human plasma and characterise the antibody response to the Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine.

The structure of vaterite has been debated for a century. Combining systematic TEM characterisations, crystallographic analysis, and machine learning aided molecular dynamics simulations, the authors unlock the structural mystery in vaterite.

Hyperferritinemic syndrome is a collective term for a group of severe inflammatory conditions distinguished by high ferritin levels, including adult-onset Still’s disease and COVID-19. Here authors show in an animal model that high ferritin levels are not just a sign of hyperinflammation but also a pathogenic factor that triggers neutrophil leukocyte activation and extracellular trap formation.

Nanofibrous hollow microspheres, formed by the self-assembly of star-shaped biodegradable polymers, are shown to be effective injectable cell carriers for cartilage repair. The microspheres accommodate cells and enhance cartilage regeneration in vivo with respect to various control groups, in particular, indicating smooth integration between the regenerated and host tissue.

Translational regulation of isoforms in the developing nervous system is not well understood. Here, the authors report translational de-repression of RNA binding protein isoforms at their 5′UTRs in the neocortex and show the neurodevelopmental risk of post-transcriptional dysregulation.