Twisted light, which carries orbital angular momentum, is driving modern metrology by altering paradigms on what is measurable, and allowing probing and sensing with ultra-high precision and accuracy. Researchers from China and South Africa share their expert insights on the future trajectory of this dynamic field.

The integration of machine learning and logical reasoning has long been considered a holy grail problem in artificial intelligence. ABductive Learning (ABL) is a paradigm that integrates machine learning and logical reasoning in a unified framework.

A research has the potential to advance sustainable energy technologies and reduce the environmental impact of electronic devices.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), crucial for diverse physiological responses, have traditionally been investigated in their monomeric form. However, some GPCRs can form heteromers, revealing complexity in their functional characteristics such as ligand binding properties, downstream signaling pathways, and trafficking. Understanding GPCR heteromers is crucial in both physiological contexts and drug development. Here, we review the methodologies for investigating physical interactions in GPCR heteromers, including co-immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assays, interfering peptide approaches, and live cell imaging techniques based on resonance energy transfer and bimolecular fluorescence complementation. In addition, we discuss recent advances in live cell imaging techniques for exploring functional features of GPCR heteromers, for example, circularly permuted fluorescent protein-based GPCR biosensors, TRUPATH, and nanobody-based GPCR biosensors. These advanced biosensors and live cell imaging technologies promise a deeper understanding of GPCR heteromers, urging a reassessment of their physiological importance and pharmacological relevance.

This review has examined recent advancements in hydrogel-based soft bioelectronics for personalized healthcare, focusing on three key challenges: achieving wide-range modulus coverage, balancing multiple functional properties and achieving effective organ fixation. We explored strategies for tuning hydrogel mechanical properties to match diverse tissues, from soft brain to stiff tendons, through innovative network designs. Methods for imparting conductivity to hydrogels, including ionic conductivity, conductive fillers, and conductive polymers, were analyzed for their unique advantages in bioelectronic applications. We highlighted approaches for decoupling mechanical and electrical properties in hydrogels, such as network design strategies incorporating sliding-ring structures to address the brittleness of conductive polymers, and the novel concept of all-hydrogel devices to fundamentally decouple mechanical and electrical performances. These innovations provide potential solutions to the traditional trade-offs between mechanical robustness and electrical conductivity. Beyond electrical interfacing, we discussed hydrogels' potential in acoustic and optical coupling, expanding their functionality in bioelectronics. The review introduced hydrogel self-morphing as an alternative to adhesion-based methods for targeted organ fixation, offering improved conformability and reduced tissue damage. Finally, we categorized and analyzed applications of hydrogel-based bioelectronics in wearable and implantable devices, demonstrating their versatility in personalized healthcare, from epidermal sensing and therapy to neural interfaces and bioadhesives.

This review has examined recent advancements in hydrogel-based soft bioelectronics for personalized healthcare, focusing on three key challenges: achieving wide-range modulus coverage, balancing multiple functional properties and achieving effective organ fixation. We explored strategies for tuning hydrogel mechanical properties to match diverse tissues, from soft brain to stiff tendons, through innovative network designs. Methods for imparting conductivity to hydrogels, including ionic conductivity, conductive fillers, and conductive polymers, were analyzed for their unique advantages in bioelectronic applications. We highlighted approaches for decoupling mechanical and electrical properties in hydrogels, such as network design strategies incorporating sliding-ring structures to address the brittleness of conductive polymers, and the novel concept of all-hydrogel devices to fundamentally decouple mechanical and electrical performances. These innovations provide potential solutions to the traditional trade-offs between mechanical robustness and electrical conductivity. Beyond electrical interfacing, we discussed hydrogels' potential in acoustic and optical coupling, expanding their functionality in bioelectronics. The review introduced hydrogel self-morphing as an alternative to adhesion-based methods for targeted organ fixation, offering improved conformability and reduced tissue damage. Finally, we categorized and analyzed applications of hydrogel-based bioelectronics in wearable and implantable devices, demonstrating their versatility in personalized healthcare, from epidermal sensing and therapy to neural interfaces and bioadhesives.

In a paper published in National Science Review, an international team of scientists introduce a new perspective review on liquid-solid composite materials by exploring confined interface behavior. They explore these materials through the collaborative and complementary design of liquid materials and solid materials within the confined interface, especially focusing on the motion behavior of confined liquids. The article focuses on the frontier development of the confined interface behavior of liquid-solid composites. And it puts forward for the first time the concept and connotation of liquid-based confined interface materials (LCIMs), further discussing the challenges and opportunities in its future development.

A study published in National Science Review reveals that carbon-14 (C-14) from algae can integrate into zebrafish biomolecules through a food chain transfer pathway, causing metabolic changes and neurological alterations.

In a paper published in National Science Review, researchers from Beihang University, the Institute of Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and Fudan University demonstrated room-temperature ultrafast spin current generation and terahertz radiation in a two-dimensional superlattice (Fe₃GeTe₂/CrSb)₃, overcoming the challenge of its Curie temperature being only 206 K. In tandem with first-principle calculations and time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements, the study reveals a laser-enhanced proximity effect as the origin of the spin currents, causing transient spin polarization in the superlattice.

A research team led by Professor Chuanxin He at Shenzhen University employed innovative organic doping strategies to modify a large number of molecules within Pt nanocrystals, significantly altering the catalytic properties of metallic Pt. Notably, the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance, which typically dominates in aqueous solution systems, has been successfully transformed into CO₂ electroreduction reaction (CO₂RR). The synthesized PtNPs@Th catalyst demonstrates the ability to electrochemically reduce CO₂ to methane (CH₄) under acidic conditions, exhibiting stability for over 100 hours.