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Several recent publications have attempted to detect novel unannotated microproteins using mass spectrometry proteomics. Here, the authors reassess these claimed microprotein detections, finding that many are poorly supported, while a subset represents likely genuine discoveries of novel proteins.

Giron et al. provide empirical evidence that human development has much in common with the algorithm of ‘stochastic optimization’ widely used in machine learning, resolving ambiguities around commonly used analogies in developmental psychology.

The iron–sulphur enzyme IspH catalyses the final step of the methylerythritol phosphate isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway. Spanet al. report that IspH can hydrate acetylenes to aldehydes and ketones, in addition to its role as a 2H⁺/2e⁻reductase.

Modern vision-based language models face challenges with complex physical interactions, causal reasoning and intuitive psychology. Schulze Buschoff and colleagues demonstrate that while some models exhibit proficient visual data processing capabilities, they fall short of human performance in these cognitive domains.

Large language models perform well in self-interested games such as the iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma but struggle in games that require coordination. Social reasoning strategies can improve cooperative outcomes with both other models and human players.

A computational model called Centaur, developed by fine-tuning a language model on a huge dataset called Psych-101, can predict and simulate human nature in experiments expressible in natural language, even in previously unseen situations.

Studying behaviour in a decision-making task with multiple features and changing reward functions, Tomov et al. find that a strategy that combines successor features with generalized policy iteration predicts behaviour best.

The number of glucan chains in the cellulose microfibril of wood has long been debated. X-ray and NMR techniques show that the number is 24. Each microfibril has a dense crystalline core surrounded by a semidisordered shell and remains segregated in new wood.

Trans-ancestry meta-analysis of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from 1,046,070 individuals identifies 264 associated loci, providing a resource of molecular targets for translational research of chronic kidney disease.

This Consensus Statement presents the standards for technical reporting in environmental and host-associated microbiome studies (STREAMS) guidelines.

A meta-analysis combining whole-exome sequencing data from UK Biobank participants and imputed genotypes from FinnGen participants enables identification of genetic associations with human disease in the rare and low-frequency allelic spectrum

Rapid extracellular antigen profiling of a cohort of 194 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 uncovers diverse autoantibody responses that affect COVID-19 disease severity, progression and clinical and immunological characteristics.

To study cognition, researchers have traditionally used laboratory-based experiments, but games offer a valuable alternative: they are intuitive and enjoyable. In this Perspective, Schulz et al. discuss the advantages and drawbacks of games and give recommendations for researchers.

Male patients with COVID-19 have higher plasma levels of innate immune cytokines and chemokines such as IL-8, IL-18 and CCL5 and more non-classical monocytes than female patients, whereas female patients mount robust T cell activation maintained even in older age.

The authors show that in a creative setting people make choices partially based on how empowering their choices are.

This study identifies candidate safeguard repressor transcription factors that repress alternate lineages in mature cell types and provides functional evidence that Prox1 performs such a function in hepatocytes during reprogramming, regeneration and in cancer.

Most cyanobacteria are oxygenic photoautotrophs, and fermenters under dark anoxic conditions. Here, the authors analyse genomic sequences of related uncultivated bacteria, inferring their metabolic potential, and supporting that their common ancestor was an anaerobe capable of fermentation and H₂ metabolism.

Lysosomal replacement enzymes are taken up by cell surface receptors that recognize glycans, the effects of different glycan features are unknown. Here the authors present a gene engineering screen in CHO cells that allows custom N-glycan-decorated enzymes with improved circulation time and organ distribution.

The authors find that the hippocampus creates a spatial and predictive cognitive map, and show how orbitofrontal and hippocampal computations select these maps adaptively to guide novel choices.

A knockout study of all human glycosyltransferases encoded in CHO cells provides a guide to producing proteins with desired glycosylation patterns.

Memorization and recall of long sequences was aided by learning abstract motifs underlying the superficial sequence elements.

A longitudinal analysis of humoral immune responses in patients with COVID-19 with varying disease severities reveals that mortality does not correlate with antiviral antibody levels but, instead, with slower seroconversion.

Landslides are damaging natural hazards and can often lead to unexpected casualties and property damage. Here, the authors conduct geodetic and hydrological data analyses of the Slumgullion landslide, Colorado, and quantify the mass movement to find it fits a power-law flow theory and responds to hydroclimatic variability.

A longitudinal analysis of immune responses in patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 identifies a maladapted immune response profile linked to severe disease.

Researchers are increasingly considering the cognitive capacities of artificial intelligence systems. Comparative cognition offers a helpful framework to avoid both overstating and understating these capacities.

Targeting the interaction between transcription factor TEAD and its co-repressor VGL4 is an attractive strategy to chemically modulate Hippo signaling. Here, the authors develop a proteomimetic with stabilized tertiary structure that inhibits the TEAD:VGL4 interaction in vitro and in cells.

Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a rare pediatric bone cancer typically involving the EWSR1-FLI1 fusion. Here the authors perform a genome-wide association study and report three new EWS risk loci that reside near GGAA repeat sequences, and identify candidate genes (RREB1 and KIZ) from eQTL analysis.

In this Training Matters article, the authors highlight the need for neurologists to develop advocacy skills that they can use to promote high-priority issues facing the practice of neurology. The authors describe a training program that teaches participants to identify issues related to clinical practice, develop an action plan for dealing with these problems, and apply strategies to improve their communication skills.

Genome-wide analysis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease identifies 82 loci, 35 of which are new. Integration of gene expression and genomic annotation data shows enrichment of signals in lung tissue, smooth muscle and several lung cell types.

Genome-wide and multitrait analyses identify novel loci associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and relevant left ventricular traits. Gene-level burden analyses show that rare truncating SVIL variants are associated with high risk of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The Wilms’ tumour suppressor Wt1 is highly expressed in vessels and stromal cells of human tumours, but not in adjacent healthy tissue. Here the authors show that Wt1 regulates Pecam-1 and c-kitand that deletion of Wt1 in endothelial, haematopoietic and myeloid suppressor cells leads to tumour regression.

Additional editing activities for the cytidine deaminase AID beyond immunoglobulin-gene diversification have been proposed. Papavasiliou and colleagues now definitively show that antibody diversification is AID's sole physiological function in activated B cells.