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Metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGluR4) is a neurotransmitter receptor receiving signals from the central nervous system. Here authors show a non-neuronal, tumour-autonomous role for mGluR4 in suppressing dendritic cell maturation and function in multiple murine cancers, and that inhibiting mGluR4 chemically by Forskolin or via genomic deletion enhances the immune response against tumours.

Piezoelectric materials for bone repair usually require scaffold filling and external stimulation. Here, the authors present a self-reinforced chip that can spontaneously generate piezoelectric effect under physiological vibrations to achieve scaffold-free repair of critical-sized bone defects

The synthesis and isolation of compounds featuring lanthanide–carbon triple bonds remain challenging. Now a cluster featuring a cerium–carbon triple bond has been stabilized inside a C₈₀ fullerene cage. The solid-state structure of the compound reveals a cerium–carbon bond distance of 1.969(7) Å.

The authors introduce a loss-enhanced magneto-optical effect and sublinearly amplify the frequency response of a non-Hermitian optical cavity under different background magnetic fields. This effect is exploited to detect subtle magnetic field variations against a strong background with enhanced system response and sensitivity.

To adapt fluctuating renewable energy for water splitting is challenging. Here, the authors provide a “bubble seeding” strategy by introducing electrolyte with nanobubbles to promote the generation of macrobubbles, achieving more stable operation using intermittent energy supply for water splitting.

Wireless bioresorbable stimulators are promising therapeutic implants that naturally dissolve after use. Here, the authors developed a device that operates for months and enables simultaneous multi-site stimulation, preventing early muscle atrophy and accelerating reinnervation in nerve injury models.

Dopaminergic dysfunction is a key of Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. Here, the authors developed a multifunctional neural interface that simultaneously monitors dopamine dynamics and neural activity while delivering 40 Hz stimulation to rescue cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice.

Nanoscale intermetallic compounds are promising catalysts but the synthesis remains a challenge. The authors develop a dealloying technique to fabricate nanoporous intermetallic electrocatalysts with fine structures for efficient hydrogen production.

Chronic care manages long-term, progressive conditions, while acute care handles short-term ones. Here, authors show chronic conditions account for most of the global health burden, with 68% of DALYs and 93% of YLDs attributed to chronic care needs.

Pressure-induced modulation of interlayer coupling and elastic constant in two-dimensional layered materials is quantitatively described through a unified chain model, offering insights into the tunable mechanical behaviors under extreme conditions.

A cost-effective all-in-one halide cathode material with high energy density and exceptional cycling stability can be used to achieve energy-dense, durable cathodes for the next generation of all-solid-state batteries.

The visible evidence bridging atomic defects with catalytic properties has been scarcely explored. Using differential phase contrast technology, this work discloses the existence of a polarized electric field surrounding the antisite defects of a monolayer MoS2 material and its correlation to its electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution property.

A versatile hydrothermal approach in an operando acidic environment created ferromagnetic single-atom spin catalysts (SASCs). Ni-based SASC exhibits a giant magnetic field enhancement of OER activity, boosting both water and saline water electrolysis.

The molybdenum cofactor (Moco) is found in the active site of numerous enzymes, but the mechanism of molybdate insertion is not clear. Now, the mechanism of the final maturation step, in which adenylated molybdopterin and molybdate are the substrates, has been revealed. X-ray crystallography of an Mo-insertase identified adenylated Moco as an unexpected intermediate in this reaction sequence.

The challenge in non-oxidative coupling of methane lies in the activation of the first C–H bond while avoiding further dehydrogenations, which lead to the formation of coke. Here, atomically thin platinum nanolayers on two-dimensional molybdenum titanium carbides are reported as a superior catalyst for this reaction owing to reduced coke formation.

Designing and realizing local configurations can activate the in-plane chalcogen atoms of transition metal dichalcogenide to enhance the HER activity. We combine the theoretical screening (charge transfer capability) and experimental realization to achieve highly active local configurations

A full kinetic pathway of a non-classical nucleation-induced phase transformation through metastable states is elucidated at sub-ångström resolution in a technologically important titanium alloy.

Non-fullerene organic molecule acceptors have been the hot research subject to drive the efficiency of the organic solar cells higher, but their synthetic costs are high. Here Li et al. design a simplified synthetic route for the state-of-the-art acceptors and bring down their cost by more than 15%.

Despite tremendous progress in the development of LiS batteries, their performance at the full-cell level is not as competitive as state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. Here the authors report a full-cell architecture making use of a hybrid intercalation-conversion cathode, enabling both high volumetric and gravimetric energy densities.

Tear secretion from lacrimal gland is essential for ocular health, but the regulatory role of sympathetic nervous system is unclear. The authors show that sympathetic activation suppresses lacrimal tear secretion and aggravates dry eye disease via NA–Adra1a–Ucp2 signaling.

Developing new carbon resource transformation protocols leading to the production of liquid fuels with high selectivity under mild conditions remains challenging. Here the authors present a novel and energy-efficient catalytic route to directly transform CO and H₂O to liquid fuels at low temperature in aqueous phase.

While heterogeneous catalysts can act as tangible, efficient materials for energy conversion, understanding the active catalytic sites is challenging. Here, authors engineer specific catalytic sites into molybdenum sulfide to improve and elucidate hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis.

The mantle has contributed more largely to tungsten mineralization processes and tungsten pre-enrichment in the crust than previously thought, based on multi-isotope data analysis of major tungsten provinces worldwide coupled with machine learning.

The RNA binding protein DAZL plays a critical role during germ cell development. Here the authors provide evidence that DAZL functions both as activator and repressor of translation during oocyte maturation in mouse.

Worldwide, the number of only-child families is increasing. This research examines how growing up without siblings affects adult brain structure, function and connectivity, cognition, personality and mental health.

Despite the promise that machine learning (ML) can accelerate catalyst development, truly novel catalysts are challenging to find through ML approaches because of their inability to extrapolate. Here, the authors show an extrapolative ML approach to develop new multi-elemental catalysts.

While single atom catalysis combines heterogeneous materials with molecular understanding, the role of the single atoms remains vague. Here, authors examine single Ni on MoS₂ via in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy to reveal the intermediate and catalytically active species.

Dysregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis plays a role in the accelerated degradation of cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). Here the authors engineer an injectable hydrogel based on streamlined-zinc oxide (ZnO), which is responsive to matrix metallopeptidase (MMP), for the delivery of miR-17-5p and show it alleviates cartilage degeneration in a rat model of OA.

IL-1 is important in the immune response to Candida albicans. Here the authors show that the protective role of IL-1 in a fatal systemic murine model of infection involves metabolic modulation including inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation and hypoxia via signaling in non-hematopoietic cells.

Here, the authors develop a self-capping vapour-liquid-solid reaction to fabricate large-grain continuous MoS₂ films, whereby an intermediate liquid phase-Na₂Mo₂O₇ is formed through a eutectic reaction of MoO₃ and NaF, followed by sulphurisation into MoS₂.

Cerebral ischemia activates innate immune responses in injured brain lesions. Andreasson and colleagues show TREM1 is upregulated after stroke and amplifies these proinflammatory responses by peripheral CD11b⁺ myeloid cells in both the ischemic brain and distally in the intestine.

Solar water splitting is often performed in highly corrosive conditions, presenting materials stability challenges. Gu et al. show that an efficient and stable hydrogen-producing photocathode can be realized through the application of a graded catalytic–protective layer on top of the photoabsorber.

During the synthesis of inorganic materials nickel oxysulfide and nickel–cobalt hydroxide, clusters with well-defined structures—such as polyoxometalates—can co-assemble with nuclei to produce uniform binary assemblies. The resulting materials can, in turn, incorporate a third, and fourth, type of nanocluster deposited on their surface to form ternary and quaternary assemblies, respectively.

Unveiling structure-activity correlations is essential in catalysis science. Here, the authors report the structural evolution of Ni-based pre-catalysts during the reaction and demonstrate how sub-nanometric variations affect catalytic performance in the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction.

Chirality-induced quantum non-reciprocity of cross-channel correlations is demonstrated in a rubidium vapour system by flipping the flow direction of one of the circularly polarized laser beams. It can be extended to multicolour sidebands with Floquet engineering.

Social status mediates individual differences in methamphetamine-seeking by modulating dopaminergic pathways. In subordinate rodents, the mesolimbic pathway is stronger, and the mesocortical pathway is weaker, whereas dominant rodents show the opposite pattern.

The conversion of N₂ and CO₂ into urea through electrochemical reactions under ambient conditions represents a novel green urea synthesis method. Here, the authors demonstrate that two-dimensional transition metal borides can serve as effective catalysts for electrochemical urea synthesis.

Jia et al. uncover a molecular mechanism based on the balance of nitrate-sensitive protein–protein interaction between ferredoxins ZmFd4 and ZmFd9, together antagonistically targeting ZmNiR enzymes, thus regulating NO₃^– assimilation in maize.

Instability is a key challenge in aqueous sodium-ion batteries. Here, authors propose a Na-rich birnessite with high Na content and minimal Mn defects, suppressing Mn migration and its accompanying domino degradation effect, which enables a wide potential window and improved structural stability.

Phonons that carry a large magnetic moment may be helpful for creating spintronic devices. Now this phenomenon is observed in an antiferromagnet and is enhanced by the critical fluctuations associated with a phase transition.

Hou, Chen et al. show that aged bone marrow macrophages propagate senescence to multiple tissues in vivo, through extracellular vesicles containing PPARα-targeted microRNAs. They demonstrate the therapeutic potential of intervening in this process using the PPARα agonist fenofibrate.

Monolayer MoS₂ can be laterally grown in the vapour–liquid–solid mode, forming highly crystalline nano- and microribbon structures.

Single-atom Fe–N–C catalysts are the most promising alternative to Pt-group metal catalysts for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells, but while the chemical environment of their active centres is well understood, their electronic structure remains elusive. Now, using molecular model catalysts, a high-spin trivalent FeN₄ site with an axial hydroxyl ligand is identified as the active site in Fe–N–C catalysts.

The authors report the large low-field-driven electrocaloric effect in the novel organic-inorganic hybrid TMCM-CdCl₃, underlyingly from the disordering of organic cations and the low-symmetry interaction induced two-step meta-electric transition.