Search

In this paper the authors demonstrate that functionally independent populations of neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), a region implicated in feeding, sex, and aggression, are essential for predator and social fear in mice.

Fusion fuel gains greater than unity — which are crucial to the generation of fusion energy — are achieved on the US National Ignition Facility using the ‘high-foot’ implosion method, which reduces instability in the implosion of the fuel.

Stem cell repair of injured monkey spinal cords restores hand function in 53% of trials.

The Assessing Genetic Diversity in Africa (AGenDA) project shares their processes, including community engagement, obtaining ethics approvals, navigating legal compliance and developing a common governance framework.

Our annual survey highlights several academic startups developing immunotherapies as well as ventures focusing on microbiomes, proteostasis, integrin biology, nucleic acid delivery and subcellular imaging.

Relatively few lncRNAs have been shown to regulate animal behavior. Here, Saha et al. use mouse genetic methods to show that the lncRNA Pnky can underlie specific mouse behavior by functioning in trans.

In mouse brain, neurotensin released into the basolateral amygdala by neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus assigns positive or negative valence during associative learning.

Snakebite toxins need to be transported through the lymphatic system before gaining access to the blood. By interfering with lymphatic system function, Megan Saul et al. found that nitric oxide donors delay the fatal effects of snake venom in rats. By giving snakebite victims more time to obtain medical care, this approach may be useful for the first-aid treatment of snakebites.

The fact that numerous systemic and renal disorders result in progressive proteinuria illustrates the importance of the glomerular filtration barrier. In this concise Review, authors from Stockholm provide an update on the structure and function of the glomerular filtration barrier and the pathogenesis of proteinuria, with a particular emphasis on the involvement of podocytes. The discussion encompasses newly identified pathogenic players, including TRPC6, phospholipase C ε, MYH9 and the urokinase receptor.

Energy bursts from a horse's elastic biceps muscles provide power for a flat-out gallop.

Traumatic brain injury can cause long-term disability and thus constitutes a substantial healthcare burden worldwide. Here, the authors report a conductive microporous hydrogel to improve angiogenesis and recovery of brain function in traumatic brain lesions.

Human cortical development involves dynamic changes in matrisome gene expression across cell types and developmental stages. Here, authors show that these changes reveal links to neurodevelopmental disorders and provide insights into brain formation and diseases.

As the field of engineered therapeutic living cells advances, new strategies to deliver them into the body are needed. This Review identifies current challenges in living medicine delivery and discusses how biomaterial strategies could be leveraged to overcome these clinical barriers.

Cold-sensitive engrams contribute to learned thermoregulation in mice that are returned to an environment in which they previously experienced a cold challenge, through a network formed between the hippocampus and hypothalamus that enables the recall of cold-related memories.

In this work, Wilson et al., examined sharing of Salmonella between humans, animals and the environment using household samples from Malawi. They revealed an interconnected web of Salmonella circulation, underscoring the importance of the One Health concept.

Deubiquitinating of key proteins may be involved in podocyte injury and diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Here, the authors show that OTUD5 in podocytes alleviates DKD through deubiquitinating TAK1 at the K158 site, preventing TAK1 phosphorylation and inflammatory responses in podocytes.

Fossils of Cretaceous birds with feathers are rare and known mostly from China. Here, the authors show an enantiornithine bird from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil with a fully articulated skeleton and rachis-dominated tail feathers, which has implications for our understanding of feather evolution.

A tri-omic atlas of the mouse brain from postnatal day 0 to P21 reveals that layer-specific projection neurons have a role in coordinating axonogenesis and myelination.

Learning-activated engram neurons play a critical role in memory recall but the role of these neurons in offline memory consolidation is unclear. The authors show that sleep-associated reactivation of learning-activated sensory neurons is necessary for memory consolidation.

Quantitative explorations using biomechanics and robotics of the gait of Orobates, a stem amniote, indicate that the development of relatively erect, power-saving and balanced locomotion preceded the diversification of crown amniotes

Approximately 40 percent of people with type 1 diabetes develop kidney disease, but the risk factors are not well understood. Here, the authors identify DNA methylation signatures associated with diabetic kidney disease, of which 21 biomarkers predict the development of kidney failure.

Osteoarthritis can be caused by multiple biological mechanisms but the drivers of disease risk are not well understood. Here, the authors use data from UK Biobank in machine learning models to identify clinical and biological markers associated with development of osteoarthritis and identify sub-groups with different risk profiles.

Early experiences shape cognition. Here, authors show that early environmental enrichment or deprivation alters cognition in mice, linked to gene expression and chromatin changes in hippocampal excitatory neurons, with AP-1 as a key regulator.

ELMO1 is a protein centrally involved in controlling the engulfment of apoptotic cells. Ravichandran and colleagues demonstrate a noncanonical role for ELMO1 in the promotion of neutrophil migration and inflammatory arthritis.

Fear learning induces myelin formation. In the absence of new myelination, remote fear memory and neurophysiology of fear memory circuits are impaired. Conversely, administration of the pro-myelinating drug clemastine enhances remote fear memory.

A common pain reliever taken in pregnancy might raise the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to research in the past decade. But proof of cause and effect remains elusive.

Nephrotic syndrome is the second most common chronic kidney disease but there are no targeted treatment strategies available. Here the authors identify mutations of six genes codifying for proteins involved in cytoskeleton remodelling and modulation of small GTPases in 17 families with nephrotic syndrome.

How ischaemic stroke affects the brain borders is not fully understood. Here the authors show that a stroke-associated myeloid cell population occurs exclusively in brain parenchyma that shares features with neurodegenerative microglia and blockade of proteins on these cells can ameliorate stroke symptoms.

Andre Berndt and colleagues introduce a machine learning approach to enhance the biophysical characteristics of genetically encoded fluorescent indicators, deriving and testing in vitro new GCaMP mutations that surpass the performance of existing fast GCaMP indicators.

Podocytes have a crucial role in maintaining the glomerular filtration barrier and their loss leads to glomerular disease. This Review discusses the role of podocyte actin dynamics in health and disease as well as the potential for personalized medicine approaches that target podocyte proteins.

A pyramidal cell type and the 5-HT_2A receptor in the medial frontal cortex have essential roles in psilocybin’s long-term drug action.

Aberrant increased dopaminergic function results in impaired value-based decision making. Here the authors report pathway-specific effects of VTA activation on distinct aspects of flexible value-based decisions in rats.

Kidney shortages limit treatment options for patients with end-stage kidney disease, prompting exploration of xenotransplantation. Here, the authors show that a genetically modified pig kidney sustained essential functions in a living human for 51 days, informing future clinical strategies.

A DNA matrix material potentiates humoral response through multiple administration routes, generating neutralizing antibodies and conferring robust protection against infection.