Browse Articles

CXCR4 induces memory formation over exhaustion in CAR-T cells to achieve durable leukemia targeting

Long-period microseismicity reveals cryptic earthquake-triggered fluid activity can facilitate caldera eruptions

Abstract Spatiotemporal correlations between moderate-to-large earthquakes and volcanic eruptions indicate that earthquake-induced stress changes can trigger eruptions. Triggering is rarely instantaneous, with time-dependent processes inferred to mediate magma ascent to the surface, such as fracture propagation or fluid pressurization. While various processes have been proposed, observational constraints on the specific triggering mechanisms remain limited. Here we integrate an earthquake catalogue, generated by machine-learning and template-matching techniques to enhance microseismicity detections, with geodetic data to show that seismic triggering of the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra Volcano, Galápagos Islands, was facilitated by a cryptic phase of fluid activity. Following 13 years of near-continuous magmatic inflation, totalling > 6.5 m, stress changes induced by a moment magnitude 5.4 intra-caldera earthquake on 26 June 2018 did not immediately trigger magma release from the pressurized magma reservoir. Instead, long-period earthquake swarms revealed post-seismic fluid activity along reservoir-bounding faults in the northwestern caldera, locally promoting edifice failure and facilitating magma intrusion that initiated 8 hours later. These observations demonstrate that even when a pressurized reservoir experiences significant stress perturbation, cascading processes could potentially be essential to initiate volcanic eruptions.

Intranasal administration of broad-spectrum macrocyclic peptide inhibitor protects against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants

A DNA-based nanodevice senses purinergic signaling and drives an immune switch for resolving inflammation

Substantially lower estimates in China’s offshore wind potential using farm-scale spatial modeling and wake effects

Abstract Renewable energy is critical for addressing global climate change, and accurate assessments of its potential are key for decision making and planning. This study provides a detailed, farm-level evaluation of offshore wind power potential in China, incorporating realistic turbine layouts derived from remote sensing data, wake loss modeling, and future climate scenarios. Our findings show that accounting for the farm-level details results in a China’s offshore wind potential of 2.5–4.2 PWh yr −1 which is significantly lower than previous estimates, which often exceeded 5.6 PWh yr −1 . Through modeling the wake loss effects within wind farms, the study reveals that wake losses are higher than previously assumed in earlier research. Additionally, the study highlights substantial economic and technical disparities between nearshore bottom-fixed and deep-water floating wind farms, with the latter offering higher potential density but at greater costs. Our results provide a more realistic foundation for setting energy targets, optimizing regional strategies, and promoting floating wind technologies to harness deep-water resources, thereby supporting China’s transition to a sustainable energy future.

Intensity-asymmetric wavefront shaping in nonlocal meta-lens

Map-like representations of emotion knowledge in hippocampal-prefrontal systems

Single-crystalline BaxSr1-xTaO2N solid-solution photocatalyst with low defect concentrations for solar-driven water splitting

Abstract Perovskite-type tantalum-based oxynitride photocatalysts are promising candidates for water splitting due to their suitable band positions and extended light absorption beyond 600 nm. However, their associated photocatalytic activities and quantum yields remain relatively low. Here, we show that a nano-sized single-crystalline Ba x Sr 1-x TaO 2 N solid-solution perovskite photocatalyst exhibits state-of-the-art activity in separate oxygen and hydrogen evolution half-reactions. The improved performance is attributed to the nanoscale particle sizes, as well as the reduced defect densities achieved by using a mixed precursor comprising TaS 2 and Ta 3 N 5 . The half-reaction activities can be modulated by applying a post-synthetic high-temperature treatment. Assessments of charge carrier dynamics, in conjunction with a mechanistic kinetic model, reveal that exponential-tail trap states are formed during this post-treatment. Such trap states, present on the photocatalyst surface, facilitate participation of holes during the oxygen evolution reaction. The development of such solid-solution photocatalysts broadens the range of potential materials for solar-driven hydrogen production. In addition, the present findings are expected to enable the selective tuning of bifunctional photocatalysts for either the hydrogen or oxygen evolution reaction.

Low-pressure storms drive nitrous oxide emissions in the Southern Ocean

National climate action can ameliorate, perpetuate, or exacerbate international air pollution inequalities

Abstract Climate action ameliorates public health by reducing hazardous air pollutants alongside greenhouse gases, yet misguided mitigation efforts could induce imbalances in air pollution exchange across international borders. Despite its potential to endanger equality, the effects from climate action on transboundary air pollution are relatively unstudied. Here we show that stricter mitigation increases the fraction of co-benefits that originate externally in Africa by +8% in shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) towards sustainability (SSP1) and by +53% for fragmentation (SSP3). The fraction of externally originating co-benefits is greater in developing countries (0.76 in SSP1-26) than developed (0.65), indicating that developing countries are more dependent on external action. Although co-benefits are maximized in the most ambitious scenario, SSP1-19 (1.32 million deaths avoided), their transboundary exchange between countries varies. These results suggest a need for climate policies that consider how inequalities in transboundary air pollution evolve across distinct socioeconomic trends and mitigation strategies in addition to total co-benefit estimates.

Mechanical forces from intercellular peptide self-assembly drive spheroid formation

Challenges and opportunities in scaling climate-resilient housing solutions in the United States

Olig2 acts as an inducible barrier to in vivo astrocyte-to-neuron conversion

Targeting mGlyR with nanobodies for depression

Abstract Development of therapies for neuropsychiatric conditions is one of the greatest challenges of modern medicine. Common limitations of traditional small molecule drugs include poor efficacy, off-target side effects and difficult druggability of many targets. In this study, we report a different approach deploying small engineered single domain antibodies, known as nanobodies, for the treatment of depression, a prevalent neuropsychiatric condition. We develop highly selective nanobodies for a recently discovered glycine receptor mGlyR crucially linked to pathophysiology of depression. Using a mouse model of stress-induced depression, we show that non-invasive intranasal delivery of nanobody produces rapid and lasting anti-depressant effect. We solve an atomic structure of mGlyR bound to nanobody and use a variety of cell-based approaches to reveal the mechanism of mGlyR modulation and its impact on neural circuitry. These findings support development of biologics for the treatment of intractable brain disorders.

Three open questions in polygenic score portability

Abstract The broad adoption of polygenic scores (PGS) is hindered by their limited portability to people that differ—in genetic ancestry or other characteristics—from the GWAS samples used to construct them. Here, we measure PGS prediction accuracy as a continuous function of individuals’ genome-wide genetic dissimilarity to the GWAS sample (genetic distance). Our results highlight three gaps in our understanding of PGS portability. First, variation in individual-level prediction accuracy is only weakly predicted by genetic distance. In fact, it is explained comparably well by socioeconomic measures. Second, trends of portability vary across traits. For several immunity-related traits, prediction accuracy drops near zero even at intermediate genetic distances—potentially reflecting fast evolutionary turnover of genetic variants associated with immunity. Third, even qualitative trends of portability can depend on how we measure predictive performance. For instance, for type 2 diabetes, precision remains roughly constant, while recall surprisingly increases with genetic distance. Together, our results show that portability cannot be understood through global ancestry groupings alone. Other, understudied factors influence portability, including the specifics of trait evolution, genetic architecture, social context, and the construction of the PGS. Addressing these gaps can aid in the development of PGS and inform more equitable applications.

The network architecture of general intelligence in the human connectome

Computational design of generalist cyclopropanases with stereodivergent selectivity

Carbon sequestration for geological negative emissions of the shale gas value chain in China

Reduced methane emissions in transgenic rice genotypes are associated with altered rhizosphere microbial hydrogen cycling

Abstract Rice paddies significantly contribute to atmospheric methane (CH 4 ). Here, we show that two independent rice genotypes overexpressing genes for PLANT PEPTIDES CONTAINING SULFATED TYROSINE ( PSY ) reduce cumulative CH 4 emissions by 38% (PSY1) and 58% (PSY2) over 70 days of growth compared with controls. Genome-resolved metatranscriptomic data from PSY rhizosphere soils reveal lower ratios of gene activities for (mostly hydrogenotrophic) CH 4 production versus consumption, decreased activity of H 2 -producing genes, and increased activity of bacterial H 2 oxidation pathways. Metabolic modeling using metagenomic and metabolomic data predicts elevated H 2 oxidation and suppressed H 2 production in the PSY rhizosphere. Assembled genomes of rhizosphere H 2 -oxidizing bacteria are enriched in genes utilizing gluconeogenic acids compared with H 2 -producing counterparts, and their activities are likely stimulated by elevated levels of gluconeogenic acids, primarily amino acids, in PSY root exudates. Overall, our study indicates that decreased CH 4 emissions are due to a lower amount of H 2 available for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis and provides a powerful strategy to mitigate CH 4 emissions from increasingly widespread rice cultivation.

Light-induced analgesia provides a drug-free optical method for pain relief via activation of TRAAK k+ channels

Abstract Pain management in animal experimentation is crucial for both ethical and scientific reasons, as unmanaged pain can distort physiological responses compromising data reliability. Current strategies are often invasive and pharmacology-based, introducing variability and confounding effects. Here, we present Light-Induced Analgesia, a drug-free, non-invasive method for pain relief in animals. We show that 365 nm illumination activates the pain-inhibitory TRAAK two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channel. This activation is driven by the oxidation of a native methionine at TRAAK’s regulatory fenestration site, triggering a conformational switch from its inactive (down) to active (up) state. We further demonstrate that this mechanism can be transferred to other related K2Ps via a single-point mutation, rendering them light-sensitive. In rodents, gentle skin exposure to 365 nm is sufficient to activate endogenous TRAAK, silence nociceptors, and produce potent, long-lasting analgesia that outperforms standard treatments. Light-Induced Analgesia thus offers an effective, drug-free alternative that can enhance animal welfare and experimental reliability in preclinical research.