Institute of Modern Physics

Dormant cancer cells are a significant source of cancer recurrence and metastasis and exhibit robust resistance to conventional therapies. Therefore, the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies to eliminate these cells has become a hot topic in cancer research. Ferroptosis, a newly identified form of regulated cell death, has garnered considerable attention in the field of cancer therapy in recent years. As a novel form of regulated cell death, the core mechanism of ferroptosis lies in the accumulation of intracellular iron and the induction of lipid peroxidation. Oxidative stress, the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway, autophagy, and lipid metabolism play dual roles in the survival of dormant cancer cells and the process of ferroptosis, influencing the response of dormant cancer cells to ferroptosis. These complex molecular mechanisms form a regulatory network between ferroptosis and dormant cancer cells, which holds significant implications for the development of future anti-tumor therapeutic strategies. This review synthesizes current evidence on targeting ferroptosis to eliminate dormant cancer cells, positions ferroptosis as a precision modality against dormant cancer cells, and discusses its therapeutic promise as a conceptual framework for developing next-generation anti-tumor strategies.

We review recent experimental progress in charmed baryon physics achieved by the Belle and Belle II experiments, with an emphasis on measurements reported since 2022. Using large e+e− data samples collected at or near the Υ(4S) resonance, Belle and Belle II have delivered a series of precision results on hadronic weak decays of anti-triplet charmed baryons, providing critical inputs for testing flavor-symmetry approaches and dynamical models. We summarize new and improved branching fraction determinations for Ξc0, Ξc+, and Λc+ decays, including channels with neutral hadrons in the final state and the first measurements of several singly Cabibbo-suppressed modes. We also highlight the first determination of the decay asymmetry parameter in Ξc0→Ξ0π0. In addition, we review the first Belle II measurements of CP asymmetries in three-body singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays of Ξc+ and Λc+, and we discuss their implications for U-spin sum rules and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. Finally, we look forward to exploiting the Belle II data set to perform more stringent tests of decay dynamics.

High-entropy carbides (HECs) are a new class of materials with properties that are promising for applications in extreme environments, involving high temperature, corrosion, and high ion-flux. In HECs, multiple principal cations form solid solutions, similar to medium/high-entropy alloys (M/HEA). However, mixing of atoms can be non-ideal, resulting in chemical short-range order (CSRO). CSRO has been already reported in M/HEAs, cation-disordered oxides, and high-entropy oxides and in many cases, it was found to have significant impact on materials properties. CSRO in covalently-bonded high-entropy ceramics has not been observed so far, and its potential impact on materials properties is unknown. In contrast to M/HEAs, in HECs only one of the sublattices forms a solid solution, and therefore it is unclear whether the concept of CSRO extends to HECs. Here, we report the observation of CSRO in multiple HECs using a combination of atomistic simulations and scanning transmission electron microscopy. We find that CSRO in HECs can be controlled by both selection of chemical elements and heat treatment, and it significantly improves radiation resistance, although it is not the only factor. Our findings expand the understanding of CSRO to HECs and provide a pathway for design of new materials for extreme environments.