Atomic-scale polar topologies such as skyrmions offer important potential as technological paradigms for future electronic devices. Despite recent advances in the exploration of topological domains in complicated perovskite oxide superlattices, these exotic ferroic orders are unavoidably disrupted at the atomic scale due to intrinsic size effects. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we propose a new strategy to design robust ferroelectricity in atomically thin films by properly twisting 2 monolayers of centrosymmetric SrTiO₃. Surprisingly, the emerged polarization vectors curl in the plane, forming a polar skyrmion lattice with each skyrmion as small as 1 nm, representing the highest polar skyrmion density to date. The emergent ferroelectricity originates from strong interlayer coupling effects and the resulting unique strain fields with obvious ion displacements, contributing to electric polarization comparable to that of PbTiO₃. Moreover, we observe ultraflat bands (band width of less than 5 meV) at the valence band edge across a wide range of twist angles, which show widths that are smaller than those of common twisted bilayers of 2-dimensional materials. The present study not only overcomes the critical size limitation for ferroelectricity but also reveals a novel approach for achieving atomic-scale polar topologies, with important potential for applications in skyrmion-based ultrahigh-density memory technologies.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are differentially expressed in cardiac hypertrophy; however, the exact function and mechanisms during hypertrophy development are still unknown. Here, we explored the role of a newly discovered circRNA in the pathogenesis of myocardial hypertrophy. It was found that circ-0001283 promoted the progression of cardiac hypertrophy by interacting with myosin light chain 3 (MYL3) to inhibit the protein ubiquitination and enhance its protein expression, not by the competitive endogenous RNA mechanism. Further investigation demonstrated that the reduced hypertrophy induced by circ-0001283 knockdown was counteracted by overexpression of MYL3. Mechanistically, MYL3 facilitated myocardial hypertrophy by inducing autophagy in cells via PI3K/Akt/mTOR and ERK signaling pathways. In summary, circ-0001283 can bind directly to MYL3 and up-regulate its expression, thereby promoting autophagy to accelerate cardiac hypertrophy. Circ-0001283 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for cardiac hypertrophy.

Given the important role of iodine resources in chemical industry application and the scarcity of geogenic iodine resources, sustainable access to iodine resources has become increasingly crucial. Seawater is the largest iodine reservoir on Earth, but efficient chemical methods for recovering iodine from seawater are still lacking. Concurrently, the remediation of radioactive iodine pollution in seawater, caused by nuclear accident, remains a great challenge. Supramolecular organic frameworks (SOFs) are considered promising candidates for the recovery of aqueous iodine. However, currently available SOF adsorbents lack sufficient iodine storage space, resulting in low iodine adsorption capacity. Herein, we developed a 3-dimensional (3D) SOF, named SOF-HTNI, via the self-assembly of 2 adjustable compounds, including the internal amine bond-rotatable 5-(bis(4-carboxybenzyl)amino)isophthalic acid (HT) and the configuration-transformable 4,4′-[1,4-phenylenedi-(1E)-2,1-ethenediyl]bis-pyridine (NI), for highly efficient iodine recovery from seawater. Due to the rigid support and the formation of hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking interactions between the compounds, interconnected 1D channels and 2D interlayer nanospaces are constructed within SOF-HTNI, providing abundant flexible spaces for iodine storage. By combining the charge interaction of the amine and pyridyl groups from the compounds with the binding ability of aromatic rings, SOF-HTNI achieves impressive iodine adsorption capacities of 436.56 mg g⁻¹ to iodide and 5.03 g g⁻¹ to triiodide. Notably, SOF-HTNI realizes a high iodine capture capacity of 46 mg g⁻¹ in natural seawater, 40 times greater than that of seaweed. These findings make SOF-HTNI a highly promising material for iodine pollution treatment and iodine resource recovery in seawater.

The brittleness of traditional ceramics severely limits their application progress in engineering. The multiscale structural design of organisms can solve this problem, but it still lacks sufficient research and attention. The underlined main feature is the multiscale hierarchical structures composed of basic nano–microstructure units arranged in order, which is currently impossible to achieve through artificial synthesis driven by high temperatures. This perspective aims to bridge the gap between biostructural materials and biomimetic ceramics, highlighting the relationship between bioinspired structures and interfacial interaction of structure densification in biomimetic ceramics. Therefore, we could accomplish densification and ceramic development at room temperature, consequently correlating the structure, properties, and functions of materials and accelerating the development of the next generation of advanced functional ceramics.

The study of many phenomena in the terahertz (THz) frequency spectral range has emerged as a promising playground in modern science and technology, with extensive applications in high-speed communication, imaging, sensing, and biosensing. Many THz metamaterial designs explore quantum physics phenomena embedded into a classical framework and exhibiting various unexpected behaviors. For spatial THz waves, the effects inspired by quantum phenomena include electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), Fano resonance, bound states in the continuum (BICs), and exceptional points (EPs) in non-Hermitian systems. They facilitate the realization of extensive functional metadevices and applications. For on-chip THz waves, quantum physics-inspired topological metamaterials, as photonic analogs of topological insulators, can ensure robust, low-loss propagation with suppressed backscattering. These trends open new pathways for high-speed on-chip data transmission and THz photonic integrated circuits, being crucial for the upcoming 6G and 7G wireless communication technologies. Here, we summarize the underlying principles of quantum physics-inspired metamaterials and highlight the latest advances in their application in the THz frequency band, encompassing both spatial and on-chip metadevice realizations.

Macrophages are ubiquitous within the human body and serve pivotal roles in immune surveillance, inflammation, and tissue homeostasis. Phenotypic plasticity is a hallmark of macrophages, allowing their polarization into distinct phenotypes M1 (pro-inflammatory, anti-tumor) and M2 (anti-inflammatory, pro-tumor) in response to local microenvironmental cues. In tumor tissues, the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages profoundly shapes the tumor microenvironment, influencing tumor progression, immune evasion, and metastasis. Therefore, the ability to image and monitor macrophage polarization is essential for comprehending tumor biology and optimizing therapeutic strategies. With the rapid advancement of nanomedicine, a diverse array of nanoprobes has been engineered to specifically target tumor-associated macrophages, offering new avenues for noninvasive in vivo imaging and real-time monitoring of macrophage dynamics within the tumor microenvironment. This perspective highlights recent advancements in macrophage-targeting nanoprobes for imaging macrophage polarization both in vitro and in vivo. It also addresses the current challenges in the field, such as enhancing probe sensitivity, specificity, and biocompatibility, while outlining the future directions for the development of next-generation nanoprobes aimed at precision oncology.

We apply the recently developed concept of the nucleon energy–energy correlator (NEEC) for the gluon sector to investigate the long-range azimuthal angular correlations in proton–proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. The spinning gluon in these collisions will introduce substantial nonzero \text{cos} \left( 2\varphi \right) asymmetries in both Higgs boson and top quark pair productions, where \varphi is the azimuthal angle between the forward and backward energy correlators in the NEEC observables. The genesis of the \text{cos} \left( 2\varphi \right) correlation lies in the intricate quantum entanglement. Owing to the substantial \text{cos} \left( 2\varphi \right) effect, the NEEC observable in Higgs boson and t \overline{t} production emerges as a pivotal avenue for delving into quantum entanglement and scrutinizing the Bell inequality at high-energy colliders.

Human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) play an important role during the fracture healing phase. Previous clinical studies by our research group found that fracture healing time was obviously delayed in patients who underwent splenectomy, for combined traumatic fractures and splenic rupture, which is most likely related to the dysregulation of immune inflammatory function of the body after splenectomy. A large number of studies have reported that the inflammatory factor interleukin-1β plays an important role in the multi-directional differentiation ability and immune regulation of BMSC, but its specific regulatory mechanism needs to be further studied. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted remarkable attention owing to their close relationship with stem cell osteogenesis and potential role in various bone diseases. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism of a novel lncRNA, LncMSTRG.11341.25 (LncMSTRG25), in terms of its effects on osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Our results reveal significant up-regulation of LncMSTRG25, osteogenic differentiation markers during the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs, and decreased expression of miR-939-5p with an increase in differentiation time. LncMSTRG25 knockdown significantly inhibited the osteogenic ability of hBMSCs. When we knocked down PAX8 alone, we found that the osteogenic ability of hBMSCs was also significantly reduced. The interaction between LncMSTRG25 and PAX8 was verified using the RNA immunoprecipitation assay, RNA pull-down assays, silver staining, and the dual-luciferase reporter. The results show that LncMSTRG25 can function as a sponge to adsorb miR-939-5p, inducing the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs by activating PAX8. These findings deepen our understanding of the regulatory role of lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA networks in the immune microenvironment of bone marrow, and highlight the important role played by the spleen as an immune organ in fracture healing.

Digital light processing (DLP) is a high-speed, high-precision 3-dimensional (3D) printing technique gaining traction in the fabrication of ceramic composites. However, when printing 0-3 composites containing lead zirconate titanate (PZT) particles, a widely used piezoelectric ceramic, severe density and refractive index mismatches between the 2 phases pose challenges for ink synthesis and the printing process. Here, we systematically and quantitatively optimized DLP printing of PZT composites, streamlining process development and providing a solid theoretical and experimental foundation for broader applications of DLP technology. PZT particles were pretreated with air plasma to improve slurry uniformity and enhance stress transfer at the composite interface, leading to improved chemical modification, mechanical strength, and piezoelectric properties. We investigated the effects of key process parameters on printability and accuracy by analyzing the curing behavior of PZT–polymer composites. A quantitative model of the DLP curing process was introduced. Unlike stereolithography (SLA), DLP curing depth was found to depend on energy dose and light intensity, with higher intensities proving more favorable for printing 0-3 PZT composites. From depth/width–energy curves, optimal process parameters were determined. We designed and fabricated a soft piezoelectric metamaterial-based touch sensor using these parameters, achieving a customized output profile. This work offers critical insights into optimizing DLP for functional materials and expands the potential of 3D-printed piezoelectric composites.