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Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease study reveal declines in chronic respiratory disease mortality between 1990 and 2023—especially during the COVID-19 pandemic—but the burdens on people affected remain substantial.

Directly observing ultrafast single electron dynamics at the atomic scale remains a challenge. Here, the authors demonstrate ultrafast Coulomb blockade at selenium vacancies in WSe2/graphene heterostructures using lightwave-driven scanning tunneling microscopy.

The advantage of living in cities compared with rural areas with respect to height and BMI in children and adolescents has generally become smaller globally from 1990 to 2020, except in sub-Saharan Africa.

Small cell lung cancer cells form functional synapses with glutamatergic neurons, receiving synaptic transmissions and deriving a proliferative advantage from these interactions.

SNAP-tag is a widespread tool for labeling protein for bioimaging. Now, Kühn et al. report SNAP-tag2 with increased labeling kinetics and brightness, which translates into a better performance in live-cell super-resolution imaging.

Chronic care manages long-term, progressive conditions, while acute care handles short-term ones. Here, authors show chronic conditions account for most of the global health burden, with 68% of DALYs and 93% of YLDs attributed to chronic care needs.

Krisai et al. compare brain structure and cognitive function in elderly patients with and without atrial fibrillation using brain MRI and cognitive testing. They find that atrial fibrillation is associated with more brain lesions and lower cognitive function, but the cognitive impairment occurs primarily through direct effects of the arrhythmia rather than through brain damage.

The binding of a DARPin to p53 displaces the human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 protein and stabilizes p53 in HPV-infected cells. This interaction reactivates a p53-dependent transcriptional program, suggesting a potential new therapeutic strategy for treating HPV-induced cancers.

Here, Heitmann et al. report results from a Phase I/II trial evaluating CoVac-1, a peptide-based T-cell activator, in patients with B-cell deficiency, demonstrating potent induction of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses along with a favorable safety profile.

Psychometric network models have become increasingly popular in psychology and the social sciences. Huth et al. show that a large proportion of reported network findings are based on weak or inconclusive evidence inviting caution when interpreting results.

Gene editing of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells offers promise as a curative treatment for chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Here, the authors develop a D10A Cas9n based gene editing strategy to treat CGD with no detectable off-target activity or chromosomal translocations.

Biomarkers that predict mortality are of interest for clinical as well as research applications. Here, the authors analyze metabolomics data from 44,168 individuals and identify key metabolites independently associated with all-cause mortality risk.

A high-resolution, global atlas of mortality of children under five years of age between 2000 and 2017 highlights subnational geographical inequalities in the distribution, rates and absolute counts of child deaths by age.

Phospholipase D3 polymorphisms are linked to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease but the mechanisms are not understood. Van Acker and colleagues show that Phospholipase D3 processes mitochondrial DNA in lysosomes to maintain lysosomal homeostasis and proper degradation of the amyloid precursor protein.

A comparison of alpha diversity (number of plant species) and dark diversity (species that are currently absent from a site despite being ecologically suitable) demonstrates the negative effects of regional-scale anthropogenic activity on plant diversity.

Systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease study reported that, despite global improvements from 1990 to 2021, dietary iron deficiency-associated disease burden remains high in women, children and residents in low socio-demographic index countries.

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are responsible for blood cell generation and reside in the bone marrow. Here, the authors show that macrophages in the bone marrow originate from embryonic or adult haematopoietic lineages and that embryo-derived macrophages are important for the establishment of the HSC pool.

This study unveils that stop codon readthrough is prevalent in E. coli, particularly under stress conditions. It highlights the influence of stop codon type and genetic context, with both transcriptional and translational origins.

A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of type 2 diabetes (T2D) identifies more than 600 T2D-associated loci; integrating physiological trait and single-cell chromatin accessibility data at these loci sheds light on heterogeneity within the T2D phenotype.

Unimolecular integration of NMDA receptor antagonism with GLP-1 receptor agonism effectively reverses obesity, hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia in rodent models of metabolic disease.

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.

The interplay between hypoxic and acidic conditions in the tumor microenvironment is unclear. Here, the authors show that hypoxic and acidic tumor cells do not fully overlap and display a symbiotic interaction, relying on unsaturated fatty acids, which can be therapeutically targeted by inhibiting stearoylCoA desaturase 1 (SCD1).

A phase I open-label trial evaluating the immunogencity, reactogenicity and safety of a peptide-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate to induce SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses.

The suppression of edge-localized modes in tokamak plasmas is crucial to prevent them from damaging the walls of the chamber. Now experiments confirm the role that magnetic islands play in suppressing these detrimental modes.

Genome-wide association and fine-mapping analyses in ancestrally diverse populations implicate candidate causal genes and mechanisms underlying type 2 diabetes. Trans-ancestry genetic risk scores enhance transferability across populations.

Fine-scale geospatial mapping of overweight and wasting (two components of the double burden of malnutrition) in 105 LMICs shows that overweight has increased from 5.2% in 2000 to 6.0% in children under 5 in 2017. Although overall wasting decreased over the same period, most countries are not on track to meet the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target of <5% in over half of LMICs by 2025.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CR8 acts as a molecular glue compound by inducing the formation of a complex between CDK12–cyclin K and DDB1, which results in the ubiquitination and degradation of cyclin K.

Abdominal surgery can often lead to complications including the formation of peritoneal adhesions and the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are still unknown. Here, the authors suggest that bacterial contamination drives adhesion formation through mesothelial EGFR signalling.

An initial draft of the human pangenome is presented and made publicly available by the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium; the draft contains 94 de novo haplotype assemblies from 47 ancestrally diverse individuals.

Chronic hyperglycemia impairs insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells in diabetes. Here, the authors reveal that a glucose metabolite is responsible and show lowering glucose metabolism during hyperglycemia prevents loss of beta-cell function.

Nanoparticle applications are limited by insufficient understanding of physiochemical properties on in vivo disposition. Here, the authors explore the influence of size, surface chemistry and administration on the biodisposition of mesoporous silica nanoparticles using image-based pharmacokinetics.

Binding of the small molecule BI-3802 to the oncogenic transcription factor B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) induces polymerization of BCL6, leading to its ubiquitination by SIAH1 and proteasomal degradation.

The interaction between proximal 2D materials can lead to fundamental changes in electronic properties. Here, the authors provide evidence of two distinct types of spin-orbit coupling induced in bilayer graphene through the presence of a proximal MoS₂ layer.

Inbreeding depression has been observed in many different species, but in humans a systematic analysis has been difficult so far. Here, analysing more than 1.3 million individuals, the authors show that a genomic inbreeding coefficient (FROH) is associated with disadvantageous outcomes in 32 out of 100 traits tested.

The suppression of dark current in organic photodetectors (OPDs) is important for maximizing the performance of the devices. Here, the authors report the relationship between the high dark saturation current and the presence of mid-gap trap states in OPDs with a donor–acceptor structure.

Functional and structural characterization of rhodopsin-bestrophin fusion proteins from marine algae unveils the existence of giant light-sensitive anion channels with unusual biophysical properties.

Analyses of the proportions of individuals who have completed key levels of schooling across all low- and middle-income countries from 2000 to 2017 reveal inequalities across countries as well as within populations.

The genetics of uveal melanoma has mainly been studied in primary tumours. In this study, the authors perform whole genome sequencing as well as immune cell profiling of biopsy samples obtained from metastatic uveal melanoma patients, providing an updated genomic landscape of these advanced lesions.

Although mutant H3K27M histones inhibit PRC2 in diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas, these tumors exhibit significant amounts of PRC2 activity. The repression of several genes, including INK4A, by residual EZH2 activity is required for tumor growth, and EZH2 inhibitors therefore represent potential therapies for these patients.

The efficacy of T-cell-based cancer immunotherapies can be compromised by T cell exhaustion. Here the authors develop a human ex vivo exhaustion model and, based on a CRISPR-Cas9 screen, identify SNX9 as a regulator of T cell exhaustion, showing that SNX9 knockout is associated with improved T cell function and anti-tumor activity in preclinical cancer models.

The microscopic structure of quantum defects in 2D materials is crucial to understand their optical properties and spin-photon interface. Here, the authors report the direct imaging of charge state-dependent symmetry breaking of sulfur vacancies and rhenium dopants in 2D MoS₂, showing evidence of a Jahn-Teller effect.

Single-molecule fluorescence currently requires specialized imaging equipment due to the low signal of a single emitter. Here the authors introduce NanoAntennas with Cleared HOtSpots (NACHOS) to boost the signal sufficient for detection of a single emitter by a smartphone, opening the door to point-of-care applications.

This study employs a citizen science approach to identify and classify over 230,000 light sources in German city centers, suburbs and villages. The results underscore the pivotal role of citizen science in expanding knowledge of artificial light emissions and bolstering policymaking efforts to mitigate urban light pollution.

Examining drivers of the latitudinal biodiversity gradient in a global database of local tree species richness, the authors show that co-limitation by multiple environmental and anthropogenic factors causes steeper increases in richness with latitude in tropical versus temperate and boreal zones.

T follicular helper cells (Tfh) enhance antibody responses and can circulate or be resident in lymph nodes. Here the authors show that during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, circulating Tfh cells correlate with antibody titres and plasmablast levels but in more severe COVID-19 cases, cTfh generation is delayed.

Literature produced inconsistent findings regarding the links between extreme weather events and climate policy support across regions, populations and events. This global study offers a holistic assessment of these relationships and highlights the role of subjective attribution.

Carbon dioxide is a desired feedstock for platform molecules, such as carbon monoxide and higher hydrocarbons, but needs improved catalysts. Here, the authors use a combined theoretical and experimental approach to tune the activity and selectivity of CO₂ conversion over nickel towards desired products.

Genome-wide ancient DNA data from individuals from the Middle Bronze Age to Iron Age documents large-scale movement of people from the European continent between 1300 and 800 bc that was probably responsible for spreading early Celtic languages to Britain.