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Retrovirus capsids are polymorphic, consisting of variable hexamer and pentamer aggregates that are thought to reflect fullerenes. This paper reports the cryo-electron microscopy analysis of RSV capsid protein visualizing pentamers, and confirms that retrovirus capsid has a fullerene-based architecture.

Despite improving therapeutic options, the prognosis for patients with metastatic castration-resistance prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains poor. Here, the authors identify MCL1 copy number alterations as a prognostic and predictive biomarker, demonstrating its therapeutic potential as a drug target, either alone or in combination, in patients with mCRPC.

Vinyl acetate is an important polymer building block, but the mechanisms governing its catalytic production are not well understood. This study shows that dynamic palladium-acetate clusters determine catalyst efficiency and selectivity in vinyl acetate synthesis.

A complementary analysis of DESI DR2 distance measurements along with supernova and CMB data shows consistent, moderate evidence that dark energy changes over time rather than behaving as a simple cosmological constant.

A global network of researchers was formed to investigate the role of human genetics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity; this paper reports 13 genome-wide significant loci and potentially actionable mechanisms in response to infection.

The SLC45A4 gene encodes a neuronal polyamine transporter and is linked to pain response in humans and mice.

The sexually transmitted human parasite Trichomonas vaginalis belongs to a clade of host-switching trichomonads that parasitize mammals, birds, livestock, and pets. Here the authors describe a chromosome-scale genome for T. vaginalis and assemblies of other bird and mammal-infecting species, identifying gene functions implicated in the spillover of trichomonads from birds to humans.

Analysis of whole-genome sequencing data across 2,658 tumors spanning 38 cancer types shows that chromothripsis is pervasive, with a frequency of more than 50% in several cancer types, contributing to oncogene amplification, gene inactivation and cancer genome evolution.

Electron distributions exhibit velocity-space signatures indicative of the rapid energy released by magnetic reconnection explosions occurring in Earth’s magnetosphere and in plasmas throughout the universe. Here, the authors discover a smile-shaped signature in the electron gradient distribution associated with reconnection occurring at Earth’s dayside magnetopause boundary.

An optical detection and analysis platform quantifies aggregate density, distribution and size in fluorescently labelled post-mortem human brain tissue.

Iron-based superconductors have the potential to carry higher currents and withstand higher magnetic fields than present-day superconducting cables. Using an approach developed for cuprates, Si et al. improve the high-field performance of iron-based superconductors well beyond that of conventional superconductors.

Genome-wide analyses identify 30 independent loci associated with obsessive–compulsive disorder, highlighting genetic overlap with other psychiatric disorders and implicating putative effector genes and cell types contributing to its etiology.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) frequency and risk factors vary considerably across regions and ancestries. Here, the authors conduct a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study and fine mapping study of HNSCC subsites in cohorts from multiple continents, finding susceptibility and protective loci, gene-environment interactions, and gene variants related to immune response.

Aggregates of misfolded proteins are sequestered in the aggresome via dynein transport in an aggregate size-dependent manner. Here, authors find episodic transport kinetics mediated by aggresome-dynein adapters are central to this size-filter effect.

This analysis of the registry database DESCAR-T of more than 3,000 pediatric and adult patients with hematological malignancies who received CAR T cell therapy in France between 2018 and 2024 shows that only one person developed a secondary T cell malignancy following CAR T cell therapy.

Patients with kidney failure undergoing maintenance hemodialysis have poor long-term survival. Here the authors use affinity-based proteomics to identify circulating risk factors for mortality in patients with kidney failure on hemodialysis.

Earthworms contribute to plant growth. Here, Fonte et al. conduct a global meta-analysis and estimate that earthworms contribute to roughly 6.5% of global grain (maize, rice, wheat, barley) production and 2.3% of legume yields, equivalent to over 140 million metric tons annually.

This study shows that future exposures to moist-heat increase more rapidly than those to dry-heat, and irrigation can further amplify moist-heat-related health risks. Improving irrigation efficiency and cutting emissions are key to reducing water stress and climate impacts.

Analysis of human Robertsonian chromosomes originating from 13, 14 and 21 reveal that they result from breaks at the SST1 macrosatellite DNA array and recombination between homologous sequences surrounding SST1.

iExoKras^G12D are engineered exosomes for the delivery of siRNA targeting KRAS^G12D. Here the authors describe the results of a phase I trial of iExoKrasG12D in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, reporting safety and clinical activity, as well as immunological correlates informing on tumor immune microenvironment reprograming and future combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors.’

Breather solitons can be found in both physical and biological nonlinear systems. Here, Yuet al. demonstrate this type of soliton in silicon and silicon nitride microresonators, which advances the understanding of soliton-based comb-generation in microresonators.

A high-bandwidth neuromotor interface offers performant out-of-the-box generalization across people.

One-dimensional molecular arrays on graphene field-effect transistors can be reversibly switched between different periodic charge states by tuning the graphene Fermi level via a back-gate electrode and by manipulating individual molecules, allowing them to function as a nanoscale shift register.

In this work, authors demonstrate a self-sufficient fog harvester system that simultaneously produces nitrogen-based nutrients for fertilizer via spark-driven nitrogen fixation. The device has the potential to enhance crop growth sustainably without additional energy input or pollutant emissions.

A study of the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in England between September 2020 and June 2021 finds that interventions capable of containing previous variants were insufficient to stop the more transmissible Alpha and Delta variants.

This flagship study from the European Solve-Rare Diseases Consortium presents a diagnostic framework including bioinformatic analysis of clinical, pedigree and genomic data coupled with expert panel review, leading to 500 new diagnoses in a cohort of 6,000 families with suspected rare diseases.

Different functional variants in ADH1B (and elsewhere) in Europeans and Africans strongly affect risk for alcohol dependence. Dependence only partly genetically correlates with consumption, with strong correlations to other psychiatric disorders.

A large genome-wide association study of more than 5 million individuals reveals that 12,111 single-nucleotide polymorphisms account for nearly all the heritability of height attributable to common genetic variants.

Large genome-wide meta-analysis of clinically diagnosed late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) from 94,437 individuals identifies new LOAD risk loci and implicates Aβ formation, tau protein binding, immune response and lipid metabolism.

In a ‘striped’ superconductor, it may be possible to observe a superconducting state that, with increasing temperature, melts into a unique phase with charge-4e superconductivity, instead of the usual charge of 2e from paired electronic excitations.

A pangenome of oat, assembled from 33 wild and domesticated oat lines, sheds light on the evolution and genetic diversity of this cereal crop and will aid genomics-assisted breeding to improve productivity and sustainability.

Solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of infectious disease and have unique molecular pathophysiology. Here the authors use host-microbe profiling to assess SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity in solid organ transplant recipients, showing enhanced viral abundance, impaired clearance, and increased expression of innate immunity genes.

The distributions of the sizes of cities or earthquakes, for example, follow a power law, but in physical systems different distributions of critical properties are usually seen. A scaling argument provides a practical rule to relate the type of distribution to an experimental quantity.

Urban heat islands and rising cooling demands highlight the need for sustainable nature-based solutions. A meta-analysis of 373 studies shows nature-based solutions cut daytime temperatures by 2.04 °C and cooling loads by 1.32%, with green infrastructure being the most effective across most climates.

Unidirectional acoustic devices only permit the flow of energy one way, but most implementations are large compared to acoustic frequencies. Popa and Cummer use a metamaterial approach to build such devices that are only a tenth of a wavelength thick but retain high acoustic isolation.

Analysis of mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) by using whole-genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancer samples across 38 cancer types identifies hypermutated mtDNA cases, frequent somatic nuclear transfer of mtDNA and high variability of mtDNA copy number in many cancers.

Lowering the levels of coagulation factor XII may prevent thrombosis without increasing the risk of bleeding. Here, Haj et al. use a large human dataset to show that this is the case for people carrying mutations that lower the levels of factor XII.

A cross-ancestry meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identifies association signals for stroke and its subtypes at 89 (61 new) independent loci, reveals putative causal genes, highlighting F11, KLKB1, PROC, GP1BA, LAMC2 and VCAM1 as potential drug targets, and provides cross-ancestry integrative risk prediction.

Polygenic risk scores can help identify individuals at higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Here, the authors characterise a multi-ancestry score across nearly 900,000 people, showing that its predictive value depends on demographic and clinical context and extends to related traits and complications.

Allele-preferential transcription factor binding can influence pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma risk loci function. Here, the authors show allele-specific JunB and JunD binding at chr1p36.33 and propose a role for KLHL17 in protein homeostasis by mitigating inflammation.

Climate-intensified supply–demand imbalances may raise hourly costs of wind and solar power systems, but well-designed climate-resilient strategies can provide help.

Integrated photonic devices rely on single-mode waveguides, as inter-mode coupling prevents multimode waveguides from being efficiently bent for on-chip schemes. Using transformation optics, Gabrielliet al. overcome this limitation and show a multimode waveguide bend with minimal inter-mode coupling.

Meeting climate mitigation goals requires the early retirement or retrofitting of fossil fuel power plants, creating financial risks from stranded assets. A study now finds that state-owned companies dominate ownership of these risks, with the top 25 of these companies holding up to US$770 billion under a 1.5 °C scenario.

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.