An international team of researchers, including the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Plant Biology (IBMCP, a joint centre of the Universitat Politècnica de València and the Spanish National Research Council), has discovered a new molecular mechanism that regulates the formation of vascular tissues in plants. The study reveals that a small molecule, thermospermine, can act as a biological switch to control the production of proteins key to xylem development. This tissue transports water and provides structural support to plants.

Sepsis and septic shock are the leading causes of death in intensive care units worldwide.  Controlling the dysregulated host response that drives inflammation, hemodynamic collapse, and multiple organ failure is challenging. In a comprehensive narrative review, Italian and French researchers examine the clinical applications of the oXiris® membrane, an advanced extracorporeal blood purification filter designed to combine continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) with targeted removal of inflammatory mediators and bacterial endotoxins in critically ill patients.

Researchers have demonstrated a new class of low-cost, scalable sensors that can be used to monitor electrical activity in human cerebral organoids. Because electrical signals are key to understanding brain function, this advance facilitates research into both neurodevelopment and genetic disorders such as Angelman syndrome.

In this study, we revealed the pulmonary pathogen profiles of immunosuppressed ICU patients based on CD4⁺T-cell counts: the severe group showed a predominance of fungal/rare infections, whereas in the moderate group, bacterial infections were prevalent, often involving oral commensals. These findings underscore the potential of immune-status stratification to guide more precise empirical antimicrobial therapy. Future large-scale, multicenter studies are warranted to validate these associations and their impact on clinical outcomes.

Two previously unknown species of fungi, Neohelicomyces coffeae and Neohelicomyces puerensis, have been found living on dead coffee plant branches in China. These belong to a group called Neohelicomyces, known for their unique, coiled shapes that look like tiny springs or spirals under a microscope. While many fungi in this group have been found in the wild, this study is significant because it explores how these organisms exist within agricultural environments, specifically in coffee-growing regions.

Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology have decoded a critical survival strategy of the deadly Nipah virus (NiV), identifying a key host protein hijacked by the pathogen and translating this discovery into a promising new treatment approach. The work, published in Protein & Cell, addresses the urgent need for therapies against this high-mortality virus, for which no specific drugs currently exist.