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Effectiveness of existing H5N1 vaccines against circulating influenza strains remains largely unknow. Here, the authors test neutralization activity of sera from individuals vaccinated with an inactivated H5N1 vaccine against 17 pseudoviruses and suggest that high vaccine-induced antibody level likely provide cross-protection against circulating H5N1 strains.

A reinforcement learning-based virtual reality system, implementing a series of sport sessions with coaching, was as effective as standard physical activity in reducing fat mass in adolescents, with positive effects on cognition.

Zhang et al. show that YAP binds to TDP-43 to promote TDP-43 multimerization and phase separation. YAP and TDP-43 may co-localize in multiple cell types in oxidative stress and in brain samples from individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Capturing and separating perfluorinated gases is critical due to their environmental concerns. However, microporous adsorbents show slow mass transfer within micropores limiting their performance in applications. Here, the authors report fluorinated mesoporous covalent organic frameworks for the storage of octafluoropropane and perfluorocyclobutane and separation from other gases mixtures.

Proteome profiling of plasma samples in human pan-cancer cohorts reveals patterns of biomarkers for diagnosis.

Using two cohorts, Liu, Ge, Xiao, Lu and colleagues perform plasma metabolomics and lipidomics, linking reduced sarcosine to sarcopenia diagnosis. In mice, they demonstrate that sarcosine enhances muscle repair, boosts adipose thermogenesis and preserves muscle mass via macrophage modulation.

The Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues Network aims to create a reference catalogue of somatic mosaicism across different tissues and cells within individuals.

Study shows PTSD predisposition shares distinct genes and genomic regions with several cardiovascular conditions. Here the findings reveal neuronal, immune, and metabolic pathways, and repurposed drug targets that further the understanding of the comorbidity.

DeepRETStroke is a deep learning system using retinal photographs to detect silent brain infarction and predict future stroke events.

Two types of amyloid-β protein (1–42) (Aβ₄₂) fibrils are known to form in the insoluble fraction of diseased human brains. Now, another type of Aβ₄₂ fibril (type III) has been identified in the soluble fraction of Alzheimer’s disease brain using cryo-electron microscopy. These studies also reveal differences in ligand–fibril interactions between fibril types.

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.

The role of Leflunomide in αPD1-induced cardiotoxicity remains unclear. Here, the authors show that leflunomide mitigates αPD1-induced cardiac toxicity in melanoma-bearing mice through modulation of the microbiota-indole-3-propionic acid-heart axis.

R9AP is a key receptor for entry of Epstein–Barr virus into human epithelial and B cells, and interacts directly with the viral glycoprotein gH/gL complex to mediate virus–host membrane fusion.

A combination of metagenomic data from experimental and natural warming with microbial culturing experiments shows that warming increases the potential of evolution of antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria.

Cyclic and mirror-image variants of de novo-designed proteins effectively bind and clear small-molecule drugs in vivo in less than 30 min, highlighting the applicability of computational tools to produce protein antidotes.

First-instar orchid mantis nymphs avoid predators by mimicking black-red assassin bugs, whereas those in later instars avoid predators and attract prey by camouflaging themselves as lighter-coloured flowers. Here the authors use developmental transcriptomics, evolutionary genomics and predation experiments to reveal that this ontogenetic colour change is regulated by a pigment transporter called Redboy that emerged in Polyneoptera 284–197 million years ago.

The first outbreaks of mpox outside Africa in 2022 were caused by clade II but cases of a new clade Ib have been increasing in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries since 2024. Here, the authors describe a case report and public health investigation of the first detected case of mpox clade Ib in China.

High mobility group A1 (HMGA1) has been identified to play a role in tumour progression but its involvement in anti-tumour immunity of esophagael squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. Here the authors report that the inhibition of STING-mediated anti-tumour immunity by HMGA1 results in promotion of ESCC tumorigenesis.

In this randomized double-blind controlled trial, the authors examine whether the combination of transcranial direct current stimulation and exposure–response prevention (ERP) is more effective than ERP alone at improving OCD symptoms.

HD5 induces filopodial extensions in epithelial cells that the pathogen Shigella exploits to facilitate invasion and infection.

Analyses of genome and exome sequencing data identify rare coding and structural variants associated with atrial fibrillation and highlight genetic links between atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathies.

Covalent organic framework membranes have shown great potential for liquid-phase molecular separations in recent years; however, non-standardized reporting hinders further progress. This Comment proposes best practices to enhance reproducibility, scalability and future industrial applications in the field, covering membrane synthesis, characterization and performance evaluation.

Diagnosis of lung cancer from indeterminate pulmonary nodules remains challenging. Here, the authors develop a multi-omics signature to identify oncogenic nodules, and prevent unnecessary procedures.

The design of electronic skin for medical imaging or robotics applications calls for high capability of temperature sensing. Here, Zhaoet al. integrate ionic thermoelectric gating to an organic thin-field transistor to detect temperature at sensitivity comparable to that of pyroelectric materials.

Medium- and branched-chain diols and amino alcohols are important industrial feedstocks, but they are biosynthetically challenging to produce. Here the authors introduce a modular polyketide synthase platform for the efficient production of these compounds.

A gene-edited pig liver transplanted into a human recipient remains functional after 10 days and indicates that porcine organs could help meet the growing demand for liver transplants.

Here, the authors leverage whole-genome sequencing from >88,000 diverse individuals to uncover 18 BMI-related genetic signals, including novel variants in participants of African genetic ancestry, highlighting the value of diversity in genetic discovery.

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.

Protein sequencing is one of the key aims of the nanopore field. Working toward this goal, here the authors report the direct identification of single amino acids in MoS₂ nanopores with sub-1 Dalton resolution, as well as the discrimination of the amino acid isomers and amino acid phosphorylation.

A 35.7-kb inversion in the DG1 promoter increased DG1 expression in sorghum, inducing double-grain spikelets by restoring fertility to the lower floret. The superior DG1 allele boosted grain number and yield, providing insights for high-yield breeding.

MultiSTAAR provides a general and flexible statistical framework for functionally informed multi-trait rare variant analysis of biobank-scale sequencing studies by jointly analyzing multiple traits and incorporating annotation information.

An avian influenza H7N9 virus causes severe human disease, including acute and often lethal respiratory failure. Here, the authors report that plasma levels of angiotensin II, a regulatory peptide of the renin–angiotensin system, are associated with disease severity and fatal outcome in infected patients.

Trade risks associated with fossil fuels and critical materials matter for energy security, and will evolve with the low-carbon transition. Here the researchers find that overall trade risks decrease for most countries in net-zero scenarios, although risks to electricity or transportation sectors may increase.

The integrated process of mechanochemical fractionation-assisted and solar-driven electrochemical reforming, followed by biological funnelling, enables the efficient upcycling of sewage sludge. This process not only co-produces valuable single-cell protein and green hydrogen but also effectively removes heavy metal contaminants.

Homogeneous hydrogenolysis of organohalides using cobalt- and rhodium-catalysis under photocatalytic conditions facilitates the synthesis of deuterium- or tritium-labelled compounds with high selectivity and functional group tolerance.

Chen et al. present a deep learning-based lead optimization model that combines generative artificial intelligence with structure-based approaches. The method is successfully applied to the design of drug-like molecules targeting the recently identified LTK protein target with high potency and selectivity.

Worldwide, the number of only-child families is increasing. This research examines how growing up without siblings affects adult brain structure, function and connectivity, cognition, personality and mental health.

Chitin, the second most abundant natural polysaccharide in nature, is synthesized by chitin synthases, which are recognized as targets for antifungal and anti-insect drugs. Here the authors determine cryo-EM structures of the chitin synthase, which reveal its activation, catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms

Delivering gene editing materials to the brain for glioblastoma therapy can boost the efficacy of chemotherapy. Here the authors reduce resistance to temozolomide using a reactive oxygen species-sensitive polymer-locking fusogenic liposome that can cross the blood–brain barrier and deliver short interfering RNA or CRISPR–Cas to glioblastoma with high specificity.

Rare disease DEDSSH1-associated DPH1 mutations impair eEF2 diphthamide modification that leads to eEF2 as a transcriptional coactivator for p53 to enhance expression of the cell proliferation inhibitor p21, resulting in birth defects.

Liu and colleagues examine how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants evade CD8⁺ T cell epitope recognition.