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The green component of the solar spectrum can efficiently drive natural photosynthesis, but the process has been little investigated due to the complexity of the excited states involved. Here the authors utilize polarization-dependent two-dimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopy to define the origin and dynamics of these states in light-harvesting complex II.
Human activities have accelerated soil erosion and landscape change in many areas. Here the authors show how rates of erosion, sediment transfer and alluvial sedimentation have increased by an order of magnitude across North America since European colonization, far exceeding the rates expected of natural processes.
The neural circuit mechanisms for sensorimotor control by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are unclear. Here, the authors show that PFC outputs to the visual cortex and superior colliculus respectively facilitate sensory processing and action selection, allowing the PFC to independently control complementary but distinct behavioral functions.
The presence of confounding effects is one of the most critical challenges in using deep learning to advance discovery in medical imaging studies. Here, the authors introduce an end-to-end approach for deriving features invariant to confounding factors as inputs to prediction models.
SARS-CoV-2 variants with spike (S)-protein D614G mutations currently predominate globally. Here, Zhang et al. hypothesize that D614G variant may increase infectivity by increasing S protein abundance on the virion since pseudoviruses carrying S-G614 incorporate higher amounts of S protein and enter cells more efficiently than those carrying S-D614.
Subduction is the primary driver of plate tectonics, yet we still do not fully understand how subduction zones initiate or the budgets of life-supporting elements recycled via subduction. At Nature Communications, we advocate for more transdisciplinary initiatives and collaborative projects, which are essential if we are to continue to bring new dynamics to subduction research.
Controlled particle acceleration in plasmas requires precise measurements of the excited wakefield. Here the authors report and demonstrate a high-resolution method to measure the effective longitudinal electric field of a beam-driven plasma-wakefield accelerator.
High-performance and low-cost indicators are important in food and cosmetics industry but market uptake is low due to several challenges such as toxicity, cost and unclear reading. Here, the authors report on optically-programmed, non-colorimetric indicators based on nanotextured organic non-wovens, encoded by controlling their cross-linking degree.
The assembly of actin filaments into distinct cytoskeletal structures plays a critical role in cell physiology. Here, the authors use a combination of live cell imaging and in vitro single molecule binding measurements to show that tandem calponin homology domains (CH1–CH2) are sensitive to actin filament conformation, biasing their subcellular localization.
Vibrational energy transfer in water involves intermolecular coupling of O-H stretching modes, but much less is known about the role of the bending modes. Here the authors, combining static and femtosecond infrared, Raman, and hyper-Raman spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, provide insight into the energy dynamics of the bend vibrations.
Miscarriage affects around 15% of clinically confirmed pregnancies. Here the authors carry out a large genome-wide association study for sporadic and multiple consecutive miscarriage and suggest links with placental biology.
SARS-CoV-2 has emerged recently and may still adapt to the human host. Here the authors show that none of the so far identified recurrent mutations in SARS-CoV-2 are significantly associated with increased viral transmission.
Studies to identify maternal variants associated with preeclampsia have been limited by sample size. Here, the authors meta-analyze eight GWAS of 9,515 preeclamptic women, identifying five variants associated with preeclampsia and showing that genetic predisposition to hypertension is a major risk factor for preeclampsia.
Bioresorbable electronic stimulators can deliver electrical stimulation in rodents to enhance functional muscle recovery after nerve injury. Here, the authors present a bioresorbable dynamic covalent polymer that enables reliable, long-lived operation of soft, stretchable devices of this type.
The development of specific anti-cytokine/chemokine therapeutic strategies for atherosclerotic disease is challenging. Here, the authors have designed a peptide-based ectodomain mimic of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 that selectively targets MIF but not CXCL12 and blocks experimental atherosclerosis in vivo.
Hop, also known as Stip1 or Sti1, facilitates substrate transfer between the Hsp70 and Hsp90 molecular chaperones. Characterization of proteostasis-related pathways in STIP1 knock-out cell lines reveals that in eukaryotes Stip1 modulates the balance between protein folding and degradation.
The development of techniques capable of orchestrating the assembly of living cells into multicellular ensembles with synergistic and function is challenge. Here, the authors construct algal or algal/bacterial cells-based core shell-like structure based on aqueous two-phase system for synergic photosynthetic H2 production.