Search

Fifty years of plankton and water samples show that the proportion of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in the ocean now substantially differs from the Redfield ratio, probably reflecting a reduction in phosphorus limitation.

An analysis of 24,202 critical cases of COVID-19 identifies potentially druggable targets in inflammatory signalling (JAK1), monocyte–macrophage activation and endothelial permeability (PDE4A), immunometabolism (SLC2A5 and AK5), and host factors required for viral entry and replication (TMPRSS2 and RAB2A).

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.

Whole-genome sequencing, transcriptome-wide association and fine-mapping analyses in over 7,000 individuals with critical COVID-19 are used to identify 16 independent variants that are associated with severe illness in COVID-19.

Laser-induced electron diffraction can provide structural information on gas-phase molecules with high spatial and temporal resolution. Going beyond previous diatomic cases, Pullen et al.apply this approach to acetylene and show that it can be used to measure bond lengths for polyatomic molecules.

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.

Openshaw and colleagues find myeloid inflammation and complement activation signatures in patients with long COVID who were previously hospitalized.

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

The Indian Ocean provides a unique environmental gradient to test underlying drivers of the elemental composition of particulate organic matter. Here the authors show that nutrient supply, over temperature and biodiversity changes, controls regional variation of elemental ratios in the tropical Indian Ocean.

The responses of phytoplankton growth rates to ocean acidification were investigated in a meta-analysis. A marine ecosystem model calibrated with the results indicates that these different responses will result in changes in community structure.

Phytoplankton biodiversity and cellular acclimation to vertical nutrient flux ratio control particulate stoichiometry in the North Atlantic, according to field observations of cellular elemental stoichiometry across taxonomic groups and ocean basins.

Michael Cho and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, identifying a susceptibility locus at chromosome 4q22.1 in FAM13A.

Phytoplankton respond to phosphorous limitation with a decrease in cellular phosphorous content. Using the populations in the oligotrophic Saragossa Sea as an example, it is now shown that phytoplankton, but not heterotrophic bacteria, substitute their membrane phospholipids with lipid classes containing sulphur and nitrogen, which may provide them with a competitive advantage in these environments.

The ratio of carbon to phosphorus in marine phytoplankton biomass varies by ecosystem. Biogeochemical modelling suggests that organic carbon exported to depth shows similar variations in stoichiometry.

The elemental composition of marine organic matter is used to infer a variety of oceanic ecosystem processes. A compilation of observational data suggests that elemental ratios differ substantially from the Redfield ratio, but exhibit a clear latitudinal trend.

Power exhaust is one of the biggest challenges stopping fusion energy. This article shows experimental evidence for strategically shaping the power exhaust region as a solution to this challenge, utilising physics understanding to strike a balance between engineering complexity and power exhaust benefits, consistent with reduced models and simulations.

Fossil lipid biomarkers previously thought to be diagnostic of sponges (and thus indicative of animal life) are found to be preserved in unicellular Rhizarian protists, questioning a pre-Cambrian origin of sponges.

The ability of the ocean’s biota to sequester carbon is thought to be negatively affected by climate change. Here the authors use time-series data in the Sargasso Sea to show that biotic processes can buffer against these negative impacts.

Chondroitinase injections into monkey spinal cords 4 weeks after hemisection injury increased corticospinal axon growth and corticospinal synapse formation and improved functional outcomes.

Low levels of biologically available forms of nitrogen can limit phytoplankton growth. Isotopic analyses of seawater samples collected from the Sargasso Sea in the summer suggest that small phytoplankton obtain half of their nitrogen from upwelled nitrate.

A genome-wide association study of critically ill patients with COVID-19 identifies genetic signals that relate to important host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage that may be targeted by repurposing drug treatments.

Michael Cho and colleagues report a genome-wide association study of risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a large, multi-ancestry cohort. They identify 22 genome-wide significant loci, including 13 not previously associated with COPD and 4 not previously associated with any lung function trait.

In a nonhuman primate model of spinal cord injury, human neural progenitor cell grafts exhibit long-term survival, differentiation, and anatomical integration with host spinal circuitry.

The underlying regulatory mechanisms of phytoplankton assimilation and microbial oxidation of ammonium in the surface ocean are unclear. Here, using isotope labeling experiments, the authors show that ambient nitrate is a key variable bifurcating ammonium flow through assimilation or oxidation.

Year-to-year variability in atmospheric CO₂ is strongly influenced by the terrestrial biosphere. Despite increasing anthropogenic emissions, Keenan et al. report a recent pause in the growth rate of atmospheric CO₂using observations and vegetation models, attributed to an enhanced terrestrial carbon sink.

Measurements and simulations of several high-mobility conjugated polymers show that their charge transport properties reflect an almost complete lack of disorder in the polymers, despite their amorphous microstructures, resulting from the resilience of the planar polymer backbone conformations to side-chain disorder.

Efforts to control climate change require the stabilization of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. An assessment of the trends in sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon dioxide suggests that the sinks are not keeping up with the increase in carbon dioxide emissions, but uncertainties are still large.

GAWMerge is a computational tool that allows users to integrate SNP genotyping data from array techniques or whole-genome sequencing, providing a feasible method to leverage existing cohorts to increase sample size in genetic studies.

Elizabeth Egan and colleagues demonstrate that host ATP binding cassette transporter ABCB6, which encodes the Langereis blood group antigen, promotes erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This study suggests that asymptomatic Langereis null individuals may be better protected from malaria.