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Understanding the decentralized self-organization in animal groups helps design swarm robotics, yet the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Xiao et al. analyze collective motions of three large bird-flocking datasets and translate their findings to guide evacuation of a swarm of miniature robots in confinement.
Integrating sensing and actuation capabilities in soft robots is crucial for advancements in medical diagnostics and targeted therapies. Zhang et al. developed bio-inspired sensory robots with multifunctionality for minimally invasive medical procedures.
Genetic mechanisms of sex determination are still unknown in most amphibians. This study elucidates a mechanism behind amphibian sex determination by uncovering a sex-determining locus (bod1l gene and a Y-specific non-coding RNA, ncRNA-Y) in European green toads (Bufo(tes) viridis) which initiates male development.
Zebrafish patient-derived xenograft models (zAvatar) can be used to study cancer biology as well as to predict patient clinical outcomes and response to therapies. Here, in a cohort of 55 patients with colorectal cancer, the authors report that the zAvatar-test can predict response to chemotherapy and clinical outcome with 91% accuracy.
It is an open question whether choice signals in primary sensory areas have a causal influence on an animal’s perception. Here, the authors show that early sensory representations in the neocortex can be selectively manipulated to bias perception during discrimination behavior.
Loss of SMARCB1 has been identified in a number of cancers. Here, the authors report a paralog pair of CBP and p300 as a synthetic lethal target in SMARCB1-deficient cancers. Simultaneous inhibitors of CBP/p300 could be therapeutic agents for SMARCB1-deficient cancers.
The metal transporter SLC39A8 is linked to blood manganese (Mn) levels and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Here, the authors show that loss of SLC39A8 impairs intestinal Mn absorption and epithelial integrity, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies targeting alkaline ceramidase 1 for IBD patients with SLC39A8 deficiency.
Forest canopy openings may be caused by planned human intervention or by drivers such as fire, wind disturbance and pest outbreaks. Here, the authors present a high-resolution map and attribution analysis showing that planned and unplanned canopy openings often co-occur in European forests.
Classical photochemistry requires nanosecond excited-state lifetimes for diffusion-controlled reactions. Here the authors provide direct evidence for the elusive pre-association between radical ions and substrate molecules, enabling photoinduced electron transfer beyond the diffusion limit.
Krauhausen et al. developed a robotic system that learned how to avoid dangerous objects. This behavioural conditioning was demonstrated by forming multimodal associative connections of various sensors, using an integrated organic neuromorphic circuit.
Transplanted older livers are prone to injury through unclear mechanisms, precluding effective treatment development. Here, the authors show that decreased FTO expression in older livers inhibits Acsl4 and Tfrc mRNA stability in an m6A-dependent manner, increasing cell death in older donor livers.
Developing mild photocatalytic bromination strategies using sustainable bromo source has been attracting intense interests, but there is still much room for improvement. Here, the authors report heterogenous organophotocatalytic HBr oxidation coupled with oxygen reduction to furnish Br2 and H2O2 for effective bromination of arenes.
Smart grids are characterized by fast-acting, intelligent control while reconfiguration and load shedding are emergency control techniques needed during outages. Here, authors present a graph reinforcement learning approach to manage outage and notably improve resilience in distribution networks.
Transition metal perovskite oxide membranes are promising platforms for infrared polaritonics. Here, the authors experimentally demonstrate highly confined epsilon-near-zero modes and propagating surface phonon polaritons in high-quality SrTiO3 membranes with deep subwavelength thickness.
The reduction in geometrical fill factor in stretchable organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) limits their potential for applications. Here, authors report a 3D architecture adopting a hidden active area as both emitting area and interconnector, realizing OLEDs with high post-stretch fill factor.
Mycoviruses are obligate parasites of fungi. Here, Hai et al. show that mycoviruses can induce hypovirulence in the fungus Sclerotinia, and plants infected by Sclerotinia facilitate the transmission of these mycoviruses, thereby helping the plants defend against Sclerotinia.
Due to the abundance of pathogenic variants in Peripherin-2, causing peripherin-2-associated inherited retinal disorders, and the lack of any approved treatment, it is imperative to identify an effective therapeutic strategy. Here the authors show that reducing rhodopsin levels improves retinal function and structure and decreases inflammatory responses.