{"title":"Integrative analysis of the embryonic origin of adult neural stem cells in forebrain subventricular zones.","authors":"Huan Wu, Ke Tang, Ruimin Xu, Tao Li, Keke Liang, Xuanxuan Wang, Deyuan Huang, Yijia Yang, Yanxuan Yin, Jiayang Xie, Chong Li, Xiaoyu Liu, Qing-Ran Bai, Chenfei Wang, Qin Shen, Shaorong Gao","doi":"10.1093/nsr/nwag516","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwag516","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the mammalian brain, adult neural stem cells (NSCs) located in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of lateral ventricles and dentate gyrus continuously generate new neurons and glia throughout life. The adult NSCs in V-SVZ are derived from ventricular radial glial cells (RGCs) which become quiescent during embryonic development. However, the origin and establishment of this adult NSC pool remain elusive, primarily due to the challenge of tracing the lineage from embryonic RGCs to their quiescent adult successors. Here, by leveraging Vcam1-a marker continuously expressed from embryonic RGCs to adult NSCs, we unravel the dynamic process and regulatory mechanism underlying the fate bifurcation that gives rise to quiescent seed cells. We demonstrate that Vcam1<sup>+</sup> embryonic RGCs directly contribute to the adult NSC pool. A subpopulation of quiescent Vcam1<sup>+</sup> RGCs emerges early and is maintained throughout development, while a parallel population of proliferative Vcam1<sup>+</sup> progenitors actively replenishes this quiescent reservoir. Through the combinatory analysis of single-cell multiomics and clonal lineage tracing of Vcam1<sup>+</sup> cells, we identify the TGF-β/Smad3 pathway as a critical regulator of quiescence. Our work thus provides a mechanistic dissection of how the foundational adult NSC pool is established through precisely regulated fate decisions during embryogenesis, offering new insights into the principles of lifelong neurogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":18842,"journal":{"name":"National Science Review","volume":"13 18","pages":"nwag516"},"PeriodicalIF":18.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13629234/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149112199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
National Science ReviewPub Date : 2026-08-25eCollection Date: 2026-09-01DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwag539
Yongjiang Xu, Haiyang Niu, Wim van Westrenen, Ruiheng Liu, Peiyan Wu, Ho-Kwang Mao, Yanhao Lin
{"title":"Magma as a carrier of non-stoichiometric oxygen linking Earth's interior and atmosphere.","authors":"Yongjiang Xu, Haiyang Niu, Wim van Westrenen, Ruiheng Liu, Peiyan Wu, Ho-Kwang Mao, Yanhao Lin","doi":"10.1093/nsr/nwag539","DOIUrl":"10.1093/nsr/nwag539","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Magma generation and transport govern planetary evolution. Although oxygen is the most abundant anion in Earth's silicate interior, its role in magma is conventionally ignored, with magma oxygen contents assumed to be simply fixed by cation stoichiometry. Here we show, using high-pressure and high-temperature experiments supported by molecular dynamics simulations, that silicate magma can incorporate substantially more oxygen than permitted by traditional valence-state constraints. Excess oxygen acts as a previously unrecognized volatile component, increasing in concentration from near zero at 1 atm to > ∼5 wt.% above 5 GPa, more than five times the maximum oxygen increase attainable in Earth's solid mantle through iron redox changes. As oxygen-rich magmas ascend and decompress, their capacity to retain excess oxygen decreases, driving the release of O<sub>2</sub>. This behaviour provides a direct mechanism with the potential to link mantle melting to oxidation of Earth's shallow interior and atmosphere, and identifies magma as a dynamic reservoir in planetary oxygen cycles.</p>","PeriodicalId":18842,"journal":{"name":"National Science Review","volume":"13 18","pages":"nwag539"},"PeriodicalIF":18.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13613983/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
National Science ReviewPub Date : 2026-08-22eCollection Date: 2026-09-01DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwag520
Yang Xiang, Zeyu Gong, Chenyi Yang, Licheng Hou, Zhenwei Zhang, Yuhang Hong, Zhenfeng Gu, Le Gu, Ying Shi, Bo Tao, Han Ding
{"title":"Wings with stiffness and stroke variations enabling efficient flight and swimming for flapping-wing robots.","authors":"Yang Xiang, Zeyu Gong, Chenyi Yang, Licheng Hou, Zhenwei Zhang, Yuhang Hong, Zhenfeng Gu, Le Gu, Ying Shi, Bo Tao, Han Ding","doi":"10.1093/nsr/nwag520","DOIUrl":"10.1093/nsr/nwag520","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Flapping-wing propulsion demonstrates high efficiency and maneuverability, commonly observed in natural species for either aerial flight or aquatic swimming. To chase prey and evade predators, biological flapping wings are specialized for a single medium, posing significant challenges in achieving effective and efficient amphibious flapping. Existing aerial-aquatic robots are primarily driven by artificial propulsion and lack bionic flapping-wing mechanisms. Meanwhile, current flapping-wing robots are operated only in a single medium, without amphibious propulsion capabilities. Inspired by the flapping principles of two different species, birds and manta rays, we design a bimodal flapping wing for both aerial and aquatic propulsion. The wing can switch between aerial and aquatic modes to adapt to the distinct requirements of air and water environments. In the aerial mode, metal tubular spars replicate the high stiffness of bird's hollow bones, while limited rotation strokes of joints emulate asymmetric feather deformation. In the aquatic mode, elastic plates mimic the flexible cartilages of manta rays, and free rotation strokes of joints reproduce the symmetric fin deformation. Simplified analysis, dynamics tests, and robot motion tests have demonstrated that the wing's aerial mode enhances lift generation during aerial flapping, while its aquatic mode decreases power consumption and improves thrust efficiency in aquatic flapping. Furthermore, by carrying auxiliary structures, the flapping-wing robot equipped with bimodal wings shows the potential to perform aerial-aquatic amphibious applications. Our work enhances the amphibious propulsion adaptability of large-scale flapping-wing robots and proposes a feasible engineering design.</p>","PeriodicalId":18842,"journal":{"name":"National Science Review","volume":"13 18","pages":"nwag520"},"PeriodicalIF":18.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13599785/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
National Science ReviewPub Date : 2026-08-22eCollection Date: 2026-09-01DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwag503
Dongliang Ding, Minhao Zou, Ruoyu Huang, Ting Liang, Hang Shi, Ke Xu, Chunyu Wong, Yanhui Chen, Meng Han, Linfeng Yu, Guoxian Zhang, Yangbo Chen, Yimin Yao, Xueao Zhang, Yanguang Zhou, Chengyi Song, Xiaoliang Zeng, Yijie Peng, Tao Deng, Jianbin Xu, Rong Sun
{"title":"Multi-objective and cross-scale inverse design of temperature-control materials via physics-constrained machine learning.","authors":"Dongliang Ding, Minhao Zou, Ruoyu Huang, Ting Liang, Hang Shi, Ke Xu, Chunyu Wong, Yanhui Chen, Meng Han, Linfeng Yu, Guoxian Zhang, Yangbo Chen, Yimin Yao, Xueao Zhang, Yanguang Zhou, Chengyi Song, Xiaoliang Zeng, Yijie Peng, Tao Deng, Jianbin Xu, Rong Sun","doi":"10.1093/nsr/nwag503","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwag503","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Temperature-control materials-notably composite phase-change materials (CPCMs)-show great potential for the thermal management of next-generation power electronics. However, the synergistic optimization of multiple performance metrics still relies heavily on Edisonian trial-and-error experimentation. Herein, we present an artificial intelligence framework that incorporates a physics-constrained inverse-design system (PHICS) built upon a directed acyclic graph (DAG) architecture for CPCMs, integrating interface, phase and carrier engineering. By encoding structural hierarchies and physical causality through a DAG, a PHICS framework couples forward predictive modeling with a diversity-enhanced NSGA-II optimizer to efficiently map Pareto-optimal design boundaries. Guided by these predictions, we successfully fabricate a high-performance CPCM composed of an oriented graphite fiber skeleton and an <i>n</i>-octacosane matrix with amorphous alumina (am-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) interfacial transition layers. Benefitting from the bifunctional role of the am-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> interlayer as both an interfacial phonon bridge and an electron barrier, the resulting CPCMs achieve a superior balance of thermal conduction, thermal storage and electrical insulation. These results demonstrate the accuracy of PHICS-guided multifunctional composite design, establishing a closed-loop platform that combines physics-constrained machine learning with experimental validation to solve key thermal-electrical trade-offs.</p>","PeriodicalId":18842,"journal":{"name":"National Science Review","volume":"13 18","pages":"nwag503"},"PeriodicalIF":18.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13625007/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149112209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rising coastal wave hazards from climate-driven winds and tropical cyclones.","authors":"Ruizi Shi, Jinzhong Min, Changming Dong, Rong-Hua Zhang, Fanghua Xu","doi":"10.1093/nsr/nwag528","DOIUrl":"10.1093/nsr/nwag528","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coastal wave storms are intense, long-lasting hazards that threaten populated shorelines worldwide. Under global warming, large-scale wind patterns are changing and modifying ocean surface waves. However, the long-term evolution of coastal wave storms and the drivers of their change remain poorly quantified on global scales. Here, using global wave simulations with corrected tropical-cyclone winds for 1990-2023, we show that coastal wave storm frequency increases worldwide, with the strongest rise along the Atlantic coasts (∼5% per decade). This basin-wide enhancement is primarily driven by intensified nearshore winds, while tropical cyclones act as an additional amplifier. Combining changes in frequency, duration and intensity, we identify the Yellow Sea-East China Sea and the Northwest Atlantic coasts as emerging hotspots of rapidly intensifying wave hazards. Our findings provide the first global-scale baseline for attributing coastal wave-storm trends to changes in the wind-storm environment, thereby informing early-warning systems and guiding adaptation strategies under continued climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":18842,"journal":{"name":"National Science Review","volume":"13 18","pages":"nwag528"},"PeriodicalIF":18.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13639191/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149112121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
National Science ReviewPub Date : 2026-08-21eCollection Date: 2026-09-01DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwag519
Jiayu Zheng, Chunzai Wang
{"title":"Two distinct types of the Indian Ocean Dipole.","authors":"Jiayu Zheng, Chunzai Wang","doi":"10.1093/nsr/nwag519","DOIUrl":"10.1093/nsr/nwag519","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), traditionally defined by the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly gradient between the tropical western and eastern Indian Ocean, is revealed here to comprise two distinct types. Using multiple systematic approaches, including standard deviation analysis and SST mode combinations, we identify a western-eastern type and a central-eastern type, distinguished by their SST anomaly patterns, seasonal evolution, and feedback mechanisms. The western-eastern type reaches its peak later in boreal autumn due to a strong but delayed wind-thermocline-SST feedback, whereas the central-eastern type peaks earlier, governed by a weaker and earlier feedback. Crucially, the positive western-eastern type-more strongly linked to enhanced East African rainfall than the traditional IOD-has intensified in recent decades, heightening the risk of rainfall-related disasters across East Africa. These findings refine the conceptual framework of the IOD and underscore the growing climate hazard posed by its changing characteristics.</p>","PeriodicalId":18842,"journal":{"name":"National Science Review","volume":"13 18","pages":"nwag519"},"PeriodicalIF":18.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615526/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149062888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
National Science ReviewPub Date : 2026-08-20eCollection Date: 2026-09-01DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwag515
Lei Cai, Weiyu Shi, Qiang Zhang, Peter B Reich, Pierre Gentine, Fang Li, Wenbing Ouyang, Xiankui Li, Vladimir A Alexeev, Alexander Shiklomanov, Jie Cao, Ruowen Yang
{"title":"Permafrost thaw has enlarged the burned area proportion from naturally-ignited wildfires in Arctic-boreal regions.","authors":"Lei Cai, Weiyu Shi, Qiang Zhang, Peter B Reich, Pierre Gentine, Fang Li, Wenbing Ouyang, Xiankui Li, Vladimir A Alexeev, Alexander Shiklomanov, Jie Cao, Ruowen Yang","doi":"10.1093/nsr/nwag515","DOIUrl":"10.1093/nsr/nwag515","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent studies revealed a simultaneous increase in Arctic-boreal wildfires and permafrost thaw since 2000. Despite the agreement that wildfires accelerate permafrost thaw, it remains unclear whether permafrost thaw makes the landscapes more prone to wildfires. Our study developed a model-based approach to disentangle wildfires ignited naturally and anthropogenically. The historical simulation demonstrates an abrupt increase in the proportion of burned area by naturally-ignited wildfires that occurred around 2010 in the Arctic-boreal regions. The increase in burned area proportion results from the shallow-layer soil drying due to permafrost thaw. Model results and observations verified rapid permafrost thaw in the early 2000s, followed by soil drying lagged by 4.29 ± 1.52 years. The shallow soil drying that can enhance fuel combustibility is more pronounced in permafrost regions dominated by natural wildfires. Our study demonstrated that permafrost thaw has become a critical driver of Arctic-boreal wildfires, especially for the naturally-ignited fires that have a larger burned area on average per event in permafrost regions. The resulting positive feedback, namely, permafrost thaw promoting more fires, and fires further accelerating thaw, could foreshadow profound climate repercussions.</p>","PeriodicalId":18842,"journal":{"name":"National Science Review","volume":"13 17","pages":"nwag515"},"PeriodicalIF":18.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13639182/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149112218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}