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Vertebra lengths differ from the neck to the tail tip and differ between species, evidenced by extreme differences in mouse and jerboa tails. Here, Weber and colleagues identify cellular mechanisms and candidate genes that shape vertebral proportion.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer is increasing but the natural history of oral HPV infection is not well understood. Here, the authors investigate clearance of oncogenic oral HPV infection in a cohort of men from the US, Brazil, and Mexico.

Repetitive head impacts from contact sports are associated with brain inflammation, vascular damage and neuron loss that are independent of hyperphosphorylated tau pathology.

Spatial cell distribution within a tissue microenvironment is a rapidly advancing field. Here, authors assess three commercially available single-cell resolution spatial transcriptomics approaches (CosMx, MERFISH, and Xenium) to inform which technology outperforms for immune profiling of solid tumors using patient samples.

The cortex fuels essential physiological processes with glucose-derived carbon, while gliomas fuel their aggressiveness by rerouting glucose carbon pathways and scavenging alternative carbon sources such as environmental amino acids, providing a potential therapeutic target.

Flores et al. show that brain-penetrant eIF2B agonists suppress ISR activation in cellular and mouse models of ALS and reduce ISR biomarkers in humans, enabling further clinical studies of ISR inhibition in individuals with neurological diseases

Using well-calibrated statistical methods the authors jointly analyze Undiagnosed Diseases Network genomes, identifying known and novel disease genes. Software is publicly available to support future cross-cohort rare disease discovery efforts.

This study presents an experimental system to conditionally immortalize murine megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor cells, providing a versatile system for investigation of red blood cell and platelet biology in vitro and in vivo.

The thermal emission spectrum of the rocky exoplanet 55 Cancri e obtained by the NIRCAM and MIRI instruments aboard the JWST indicates that it has a secondary volatile-rich atmosphere, possibly arising from a magma ocean.

Portable, low-field MRI of the brain may facilitate assessment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Here, the authors present and validate an end-to-end pipeline to quantify brain morphometry using LF-MRI in patients with dementia.

Genome-wide maps of DNA methylation have so far been restricted to plants, animals and fungi. Here, the authors report the first whole-genome methylome of a stramenopile, the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornatum, and provide insight into the evolution of DNA methylation in eukaryotes.

A study of limb development in multiple mammals reveals that evolutionary digit loss has occured in many different ways—at different stages and by different mechanisms, such as regulation of Shh in initial digit specification events or by removal of digits through cell death.

Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at risk for reduced cognitive ability and atypical brain development. This study shows that brain and cognitive measures can be improved in adolescents with T1D using a semi-automated insulin delivery system.

Analysis of genomic and epidemiology data from 2022 in New York City show similarities between the dynamics of MPXV and HIV transmission, and highlight the role of heavy-tailed sexual contact networks in disease transmission.

Intranasal inoculation of BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice with the bovine H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus  results in rapid fatal disease characterized with high viral titers in lung and brain. Interestingly, only the C57BL/6J mice develop neurologic disease.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) onsets in COVID-19 patients with manifestations similar to Kawasaki disease (KD). Here the author probe the peripheral blood transcriptome of MIS-C patients to find signatures related to natural killer (NK) cell activation and CD8+ T cell exhaustion that are shared with KD patients.

The JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib has been used for treatment of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and its association with clonal evolution requires further investigation. Here the authors report accumulation of RAS pathway mutations in ruxolitinib-treated myelofibrosis patients, stemming from RAS clonal selection induced by JAK2 inhibition.

Genomic studies often lack representation from diverse populations, limiting equitable insights. Here, the authors show that the BIG Initiative captures extensive genetic diversity and reveals ancestry-linked health disparities in a community-based Mid-South cohort.

Rodent stroke models are crucial but often invasive and limited in translational relevance. Here, the authors show that magnetic particle delivery creates a reproducible, minimally invasive thrombotic stroke model in awake mice, improving translational potential.

Adipose manipulation transplantation can reduce tumor growth and proliferation in vitro and in mouse models.

The non-coding RNA RNU4-2, which is highly expressed in the developing human brain, is identified as a syndromic neurodevelopmental disorder gene, and, using RNA sequencing, 5′ splice-site use is shown to be systematically disrupted in individuals with RNU4-2 variants.

Reynolds and colleagues examine a biochemically-mediated epistatic interaction between metabolic enzymes involved in folate metabolism and show that biochemical coupling shapes the range of enzyme activities sufficient to rescue cell growth.

Activity in the striatum is necessary for trial-to-trial improvements in learning sensory–motor tasks but not memory recall.

The DEAD-box ATPase DDX39B (UAP56) plays a critical role in mRNP remodeling and nuclear export. Here, the authors identify TREX-2.1 complex that facilitates DDX39B release from mRNP and reveal the underlying mechanism via cryo-EM structures of TREX-2/DDX39B and TREX-2.1/DDX39B.

Geospatial estimates of the prevalence of anemia in women of reproductive age across 82 low-income and middle-income countries reveals considerable heterogeneity and inequality at national and subnational levels, with few countries on track to meet the WHO Global Nutrition Targets by 2030.

Lateral diffusion of receptors between synaptic and extrasynaptic sites is known to mediate plasticity. Hausrat et al. show that diffusion of α5-containing GABA_Areceptors is controlled by phosphorylation of the extrasynaptic anchoring protein Radixin, and reveal a role for Radixin in learning and memory.

Li et al. uncover a lysosomal surveillance response whereby intestinal lumen deacidification induces a transcriptional programme that boosts lysosomal activity and improves protein aggregate clearance in multiple worm disease models, extending healthspan.

Protein citrullination regulates the physiological function of proteins and is linked to various autoimmune disorders. Here, the authors report on the allosteric targeting of PAD1-4 leading to broad inhibition of protein citrullination in neutrophils.

Karam and colleagues report a phase I/Ib trial in patients with HNSCC treated with neoadjuvant SBRT and anti-PD-L1, and perform high-dimensional analyses of immune correlates of response in the tissue microenvironment and peripheral blood.

The local lipid environment is known to affect the structure, stability and intercellular channel activity of gap junctions, however, the molecular basis for these effects remains unknown. Here authors report the CryoEM structure of Cx46/50 lipid-embedded channels, by which they reveal a lipid-induced stabilization to the channel.

An examination of motor cortex in humans, marmosets and mice reveals a generally conserved cellular makeup that is likely to extend to many mammalian species, but also differences in gene expression, DNA methylation and chromatin state that lead to species-dependent specializations.

Few-layered, vertically aligned MoS₂ films can efficiently harvest visible light for photocatalytic water disinfection, allowing >99.999% bacteria to be rapidly inactivated.

This overview of the ENCODE project outlines the data accumulated so far, revealing that 80% of the human genome now has at least one biochemical function assigned to it; the newly identified functional elements should aid the interpretation of results of genome-wide association studies, as many correspond to sites of association with human disease.

Erosion in the Washington Cascades Mountains was dominated by glacier activity until the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, when fluvial incision and mass wasting became the dominant drivers. An analysis of millennial-scale rates of denudation in the range suggest erosion is sensitive both to spatial variations in precipitation and inherited topography.

GPR61 is an orphan GPCR of interest for treatment of appetite disorders, such as obesity and cachexia. Here, the authors report structures of GPR61 in its active and inactive states, including with a G protein-competitive small molecule inverse agonist.

What is the state of trust in scientists around the world? To answer this question, the authors surveyed 71,922 respondents in 68 countries and found that trust in scientists is moderately high.

A comprehensive single-cell RNA sequencing study delineates cell-type-specific transcriptomic changes in the brain associated with normal ageing that will inform the investigation into functional changes and the interaction of ageing and disease.

Stroke is a multifactorial disease influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Here, the authors apply exome-wide association analysis to find rare coding variants associated with stroke in a Pakistani cohort, finding a significant association of a variant in NOTCH3 that is highly enriched in South Asians.

The adrenal gland of the oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) has a recently evolved cell type that promotes monogamous-typical parenting behaviour and is not present in closely related species.

Sojka et al. analyse the transcriptomic and epigenomic landscape of human astrocyte maturation and identify an epigenetically regulated intermediate state associated with aberrant development in glioblastoma.

In the CELLTOP Phase I trial, stem cells were harvested from patients with spinal cord injury and injected into their central nervous system after processing. The procedure was safe, with no reported serious adverse events during the 2-year follow-up period.

Spillover of avian influenza H5N1 from birds to mammals have been increasingly detected, but reports of cases in humans remain limited. Here, the authors find serological evidence of human exposure to influenza H5N1 in Malaysian Borneo, an important stopover site for migratory shorebirds.