Topological defects in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional topological materials can induce exotic phenomena, such as protected localized modes. The introduction of synthetic dimensions further enables the exploration of such effects in higher-dimensional systems. Recent studies reveal that a 2D photonic crystal with 2D synthetic translation space (Delta x, Delta y) supports gapless dislocation modes, protected by the second Chern number of the four-dimensional pseudomomentum space (kx, Delta x, ky, Delta y). However, the complexity of the dislocation lattice and the unclear mode-formation mechanism hinder applications in wave devices. To simplify the structure and clarify the physics, we discretize the lattice into four sectors. So that the sectored dislocation lattice can be viewed as the interface between two one-dimensional (1D) edge systems with edge states. The (ky, Delta y) subspace topology staggers the edge bands of two 1D edge systems, yielding a common edge gap with differing band counts below it, while the (kx, Delta x) subspace topology ensures a first Chern number of -1 to each band. Their joint contribution guarantees a gapless dislocation band spanning the common edge gap, protected by the second Chern number. Based on this mechanism, we propose an easy-to-integrate topological wavelength-selective component using sectored translation scheme. This work elucidates the formation mechanism of gapless dislocation modes and expands the design paradigm for topological functional systems in synthetic translation dimensions.

Association of lnc-WAL expression with the clinical outcome of patients with multiple cancers.

Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses of DFS in 189 patients with TNBC.

Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses of OS in 189 patients with TNBC.

Synthetic dimensions have emerged as a powerful framework for exploring topological phenomena beyond real space. Here, we investigate the evolution of surface modes in three-dimensional periodic crystals by introducing a synthetic translation dimension associated with unit-cell translation. By combining the surface-parallel Bloch wave vector with the cyclic translation parameter, we construct a minimal two-dimensional synthetic parameter space that fully captures boundary spectral evolution. Remarkably, this surface-mode evolution persists even when multiple bulk bands are involved, extending beyond the single-band scenarios. We demonstrate that the existence and spectral flow of surface modes are independent of microscopic details and rely only on the topology of bulk bands. Our results are validated in both three-dimensional acoustic and photonic crystal platforms, underscoring the universality of the mechanism across classical-wave systems. These findings establish synthetic translation dimensions as a general framework for predicting and controlling surface-mode evolution in three-dimensional periodic media. (c) 2026 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

lnc-WAL inhibits β-catenin phosphorylation by physically obstructing AXIN.

lnc-WAL promotes MDA-MB-231 cell growth and metastasis in vivo.

Identification of Wnt/β-catenin pathway-associated lncRNAs.

Primer sequences for RACE analyses.

lnc-WAL promotes malignant progression of TNBC cells.

Lnc-WAL promotes malignant progression of TNBC cells.

Reagent or resource for this project.

Correlation of lnc-WAL expression with clinicopathologic status of 189 patients with TNBC.

Results of TNBC tissue microarray.

Pseudo-spin and valley are two significant degrees of freedom in topological photonics, which enable the realization of robust boundary states and consequently tremendous fabrication-tolerant photonic devices. As integration density increases in photonic chips, low-crosstalk waveguide crossings become critical for maintaining overall performance. With conventional waveguide crossings susceptible to defect-induced backscattering, topology can provide a viable solution to this issue. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a topological waveguide crossing based on pseudo-spin-valley-locked domain-wall states. By combining two unidirectional spin-polarized domain-wall channels supporting states with distinct valley degrees of freedom, our system can intrinsically suppress both backscattering and interchannel crosstalk (< -15 dB in simulation, <-6 dB in experiment). Moreover, the robustness of our topological waveguide crossing against a variety of structural defects is also confirmed via numerical simulations. Our results not only establish a robust strategy for waveguide crossing but also highlight that the interplay between pseudo-spin and valley degrees of freedom can offer expanded opportunities for functional photonic device design. (c) 2026 Chinese Laser Press

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Previous studies showed that N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant chemical modification in eukaryotic RNAs, is implicated in HCC progression. Using liver-specific conditional knockout mice, we found that the loss of METTL3, the core catalytic subunit of m6A methyltransferase, significantly promoted hepatic tumor initiation under various oncogenic challenges, contrary to the previously reported oncogenic role of METTL3 in liver cancer cell lines or xenograft models. Mechanistically, we hypothesized that METTL3 deficiency accelerated HCC initiation by inhibiting m6A deposition on MANF transcripts, impairing nuclear export and thus MANF protein levels, which led to insufficient endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response pathway activation. Our findings suggest a tumor-suppressive role for METTL3 in the early stages of HCC, emphasizing the importance of understanding the dynamic role of epigenetic regulation in tumorigenesis and targeted therapy.

With an aging global population, the proportion of aged donor livers in graft pools is steadily increasing. Compared to young livers, aged livers exhibit heightened susceptibility to hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (HIRI), which significantly limits their utilisation in liver transplantation (LT) and exacerbates organ shortages. Our previous study demonstrated that ferroptosis is a pivotal trigger for HIRI vulnerability in aged livers. However, effective clinical strategies for the inhibition of ferroptosis remain elusive. Utilizing an aged mouse HIRI model, primary hepatocytes, and human liver organoids, this study provides hitherto undocumented evidence that mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) effectively alleviate HIRI in aged livers by inhibiting ferroptosis. Mechanistically, miR-1275, which was significantly enriched within MSC-EVs, was transferred to hepatocytes. Subsequently, miR-1275 downregulated the expression of SLC39A14, a crucial iron transporter that is upregulated in aged livers and plays a pivotal role in promoting ferroptosis. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between SLC39A14 levels and prognosis of aged donor liver recipients using clinical LT samples. Silencing miR-1275 in MSC-EVs or modulating SLC39A14 levels in aged livers reversed MSC-EV-mediated mitigation of ferroptosis. Collectively, these findings revealed the novel therapeutic potential of MSC-EVs in attenuating aged HIRI, suggesting a promising treatment for improving prognosis and preventing serious complications in recipients of aged liver grafts during LT.

The exotic physical properties of the Weyl points are mainly determined by their topological charges. Protected by crystallographic symmetries, Weyl charges on highly symmetric points can be larger than 1, termed multiple Weyl points. However, for all types of 3D crystals with 230 space groups, the orders of (screw) rotation axes can only be 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6, limiting the maximal Weyl charge of a natural 3D material to be 4. Here, we demonstrate that arbitrary-charged Weyl points can be stabilized in a 1D helical photonic crystal. Moreover, we give a complete theoretical analysis of all types of 1D HPCs and multiple Weyl points therein. Our findings offer a generally applicable strategy for designing arbitrary-ordered axes and realizing arbitrary-charged Weyl points in classical wave systems.

The introduction of non-Hermiticity provides photonic systems with more design degrees of freedom, along with unique properties, which have aroused widespread interest. On the other hand, the concept of synthetic dimensions has also been introduced into non-Hermitian topological physics. In this work, we theoretically investigate the two-dimensional (2D) band structure of a 1D non-Hermitian photonic crystal (PC) by introducing globally a translation deformation as a synthetic dimension. The resulting two-dimensional photonic crystal is a Chern insulator, which is numerically verified by calculated Chern numbers and edge dispersions. We find that this property stems from the inherent topology of synthetic space ( k x ,Δ x ), which does not depend on the crystal’s structural and material parameters. It guarantees robust edge states traversing the gap along the synthetic dimension. To provide deeper insight, we derive the reflection phase of a 1D crystal using the plane wave expansion method and give a clear physical picture of the topological edge states generated by translation deformation. These findings may pave the way for translation-based photonic devices, including topological filters and lasers.

As cell-free nanotherapeutics, extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-EVs) have shown potential therapeutic action against liver diseases. However, their effects on autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are not yet well understood. In this study, we utilized a well-established concanavalin A (Con A)-induced fulminant hepatitis mouse model to investigate the effects of MSC-EVs on AIH. We found that MSC-EVs provide significant protection against Con A-induced hepatitis in C57BL/6 male mice, with their effectiveness being critically dependent on the gut microbiota. MSC-EVs modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, particularly by increasing the abundance of norank_f__Muribaculaceae, and impact liver metabolic profiles, leading to significant amelioration of liver injury. The identification of Acetyl-DL-Valine as a protective metabolite underscores the therapeutic potential of targeting gut‒liver axis interactions in liver diseases. Overall, our data demonstrate that MSC-EVs exhibit nanotherapeutic potential in Con A-induced hepatitis and provide new insights into the treatment of autoimmune hepatitis.