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As biomedical research prioritizes human models and translational promise, classic model organisms are increasingly dismissed. Here we argue that they have a lasting value, both in enabling discovery and in cultivating scientific thinking, by training researchers in systems reasoning, integrative thinking and independent inquiry.

IL6ST participates in the development of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis by regulating the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

It is challenging to achieve scar-free repair of chronic wounds as they often feature the occurrence of multiple healing phases in an unpredictable and nonlinear manner. Here, the authors report a healing phase-adaptive regulating hydrogel that exhibits hierarchically delivering performance for programmed modulation of chronic infected wounds.

During chronic but not acute inflammation, chromatin remodelling is influenced by nuclear autophagy through WSTF interaction with ATG8 in the nucleus, leading to WSTF nuclear export and its subsequent degradation.

A high-bandwidth neuromotor interface offers performant out-of-the-box generalization across people.

Safety concerns limit the success of HER2-targeting antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of HER2-postive breast cancer. Here, the authors present a phase 1a/b trial reporting the safety and preliminary efficacy of FS-1502, an anti-HER2 ADC with a cancer-selective cleavable linker, for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

By utilizing a nitrogen-rich carbon host with good conductivity to kinetically limit Li-ion extraction and shift the potential for sulfide conversion to sulfur, argyrodite decomposition in solid-state lithium–sulfur batteries is largely suppressed. Li–S cells delivering an areal capacity of 11.3 mAh cm⁻², with 90% retention over 200 cycles at lower areal capacity, are demonstrated.

Half of our genome is transposable elements (TEs), often called junk DNA. Using the latest ENCODE data, the authors find TEs to contribute ~25% of human regulatory elements (REs). TEs can be adopted into new REs or replace old ones during evolution.

Malignant pleural effusion is a challenge for cancer therapy. Here, the authors report on a piezoelectric nano-system that inhibits tumor growth in the thoracic cavity by piezo-generated reactive oxygen species using the intrapleural pressure, triggering immunogenic cell death, to treat malignant pleural effusion.

Photocatalytic disinfection is a known pollution-free water treatment strategy. However, its efficiency is limited due to the spin-forbidden feature of O₂, which hinders photocatalytic ·O₂⁻ formation and limits its disinfection efficiency. Here the authors produce a strained Mo_4/3B_2-xT_z MBene that can increase ·O₂⁻ photocatalytic production, which results in high levels of photocatalytic disinfection.

The sodium storage mechanism of K-containing polyanion compounds is intricate and unclear. Here, the authors reveal that the residual K⁺ pillars uphold K-containing polyanion structure upon sodium storage, enabling long-term cycling stability.

Here the authors describe a genomic dataset, the1000 Chinese Indigenous Pig Genomes Project (1KCIGP), based on the whole-genome sequencing of 1,011 Chinese domestic pigs from 50 distinct populations, which provides insights into the genomic architecture of domestic pigs.

How itch and pain, which are similar but distinct, are processed in the brain remains unclear. Here, the authors show modality-specific neural circuits between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and mediodorsal thalamus (MD) are in charge of each sensation.

Though artificial sensory systems based on electronic devices have been realized, further transformation of data into spikes is required for neural network optimization. Here, based on NbO_x Mott memristors, the authors report artificial spiking afferent nerves for accessing spiking systems and demonstrate spiking mechanoreceptor systems.

The treatment of hypertrophic scar (HS) is hindered by the low bioavailability of drugs and the pathological microenvironment. Here the authors report a separating microneedle drug delivery system responsive to high reactive oxygen species levels and overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases to remodel the pathological microenvironment for HS treatment.

Here, the authors develop a systematic approach (Dip3D) for unraveling diploid high-order genome interactions for low-heterozygosity genomes using Pore-C. Using Dip3D they obtain an almost complete diploid three-dimensional genome interaction map for a human genome.

The authors make a bimodal network polyacrylate dielectric elastomer featuring high driving frequency like silicones and thereby a high power density of 154 W kg⁻¹@20 MV m⁻¹, 200 Hz. Their rotary motor realizes a maximum rotating speed of 1245 rpm@ 19.6 MV m⁻¹.

High-quality reference genomes facilitate analysis of genome structure and variation. Here Duet al. create a near-complete assembly of the indicarice genome by combining single molecule sequencing with mapping data and fosmid sequences and identify genetic variants by comparison with other rice genomes.

By tracing promoter expression in lineage-mapped single cells, Xu et al. present a whole-body cartography of microRNA transcriptional activities during C. elegans embryogenesis and demonstrate its broad utility in multifaceted functional analyses.

Phosphorylation of ACSL4 by mitochondria-located metabolic kinase PCK2 is critical to regulating ferroptosis-associated phospholipid remodeling in tumor-repopulating cells that are resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Brassica oleracea is plant species comprising economically important vegetable crops. Here, the authors report the draft genome sequence of B. oleracea and, through a comparative analysis with the closely related B. rapa, reveal insights into Brassicaevolution and divergence of interspecific genomes and intraspecific subgenomes.

A green tea-based drug carrier offers a delivery system where both the drug and carrier possess therapeutic effects.

Dipterocarp trees are iconic but severely threatened species in Asian rainforests. This study assembles high-quality genomes of seven dipterocarp species to reveal the molecular basis of key adaptations and identifies a recent sharp population decline coinciding with local human activity.

Oxygen redox instability at high voltages hinders the application of high-energy battery cathodes. Here the authors report that elimination of domain boundaries in single-crystal cathodes improves the redox stability and consequently the electrochemical performance in extended high-voltage cycling.

This study indicates that approximately 5.8 TW of wind and solar photovoltaic capacity would be required to achieve carbon neutrality in China’s power system by 2050. The electricity supply costs would increase by 19.9% or 9.6 CNY¢/kWh.

A broad-range human antibody with neutralizing activity against various coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, targets a unique epitope within the highly conserved S2’ site and the fusion peptide of the spike protein that is exposed during interaction with the host cell. The pan-coronavirus antibody protects mice against infection with SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43 following prophylactic and therapeutic treatment.

Brassinosteroids (BR) and abscisic acid (ABA) signalling pathways are mostly known to antagonize each other. Here, it is shown that BR and ABA can also interact synergistically, which plays a role in development and salt stress tolerance of rice plants.

Protein-protein non-interactions and interactions are distinguished and predicted by gene sequence using single nucleotide and contiguous nucleotides combined with machine learning models.

Cellular RNAs are edited with high specificity using engineered ADAR-recruiting RNAs.

Synthesizing Se-based nanocrystals with large diameters remains challenging. Here, a reactivity-controlled epitaxial growth strategy was demonstrated to synthesize nanocrystals of ZnSe, CdSe and PbSe with average diameters of 35 nm, 76 nm and 87 nm, respectively. The large ZnSe nanocrystals emitted pure blue light, which is important for display technology.

Two-dimensional MoS₂ homojunctions, considered potential building blocks for next generation flexible electronics, currently suffer from quick degradation. Here, Zhang and co-workers use a self-healing sulfur vacancy mechanism to produce a MoS₂photodiode that possesses long term stability.

Lithium-rich nickel manganese cobalt oxide cathodes are widely explored due to their high capacities related to their anionic redox chemistry. A compositional optimization pathway for these materials investigating the variation of using cobalt and nickel now provides valuable guidelines for future high-capacity cathode design.

Jun Wang and colleagues report the genome sequence of the cucumber. The cucumber genome is the seventh plant genome sequence to be reported and was assembled with a combination of traditional Sanger and next-generation sequencing methods.

Here, a defect healing method is used to tune the height and width of the Schottky barrier at the interface between 2D metals and 2D semiconductors, leading to the realization of van der Waals rectifiers with enhanced performance.

Only a few relaxors can be grown into crystals, which show high piezoelectricity, but their operable temperature range is limited by the low phase transition temperature. Here, the authors develop an approach to fabricate textured relaxor ceramics with elevated phase transition temperatures.

TREM2 is a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, and soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) in the CSF correlates with AD progression. Here the authors study the role of sTREM2 in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, and find it reduces amyloid accumulation and increases the numbers of plaque-associated microglia which correlates with improved behavioural function in the mice.

Use of wood and crop residue for cooking and heating in rural China is a significant source of carbon emissions and air pollution. Using a survey of more than 34,000 households, researchers show that between 1992 and 2012 usage of these fuels decreased by much more than previous estimates, due primarily to rising incomes.