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Deep brain stimulation is effective but invasive. Here, the authors develop an injectable conductive hydrogel that forms in situ and enables wireless neuromodulation under volume conduction via capacitive coupling, showing therapeutic potential in a Parkinson’s disease rat model

The catalytic asymmetric Michael addition to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds is one of the most valuable methods for the construction of β-carbon chiral centres. Now the authors report a Pd-catalysed asymmetric anti-Michael-type addition of carboranes to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.

MXene fibers inspired by the structure of deer antlers achieve >1 GPa strength, >130 MJ m^-3 toughness, and >10,500 S cm^-1 conductivity through interface engineering and microporosity modulation for advanced wearables.

Asymmetric activation of amide bonds remains a challenge due to the high stability of amide linkages. Here, the authors show an organocatalytic asymmetric C-N bond cleavage of N-sulfonyl biaryl lactams under mild conditions, to access axially chiral biaryl amino acids.

Whether electron–phonon coupling is a generic feature in FeSe/SrTiO₃ to enhance superconductivity remains unclear. Here, Zhang et al. report replica bands in FeSe/SrTiO₃(110), suggesting a common mechanism in FeSe on SrTiO₃with different surface terminations.

It is uncertain how much life expectancy of the Chinese population would improve under current and greater policy targets on lifestyle-based risk factors for chronic diseases and mortality behaviours. Here we report a simulation of how improvements in four risk factors, namely smoking, alcohol use, physical activity and diet, could affect mortality. We show that in the ideal scenario, that is, all people who currently smokers quit smoking, excessive alcohol userswas reduced to moderate intake, people under 65 increased moderate physical activity by one hour and those aged 65 and older increased by half an hour per day, and all participants ate 200 g more fresh fruits and 50 g more fish/seafood per day, life expectancy at age 30 would increase by 4.83 and 5.39 years for men and women, respectively. In a more moderate risk reduction scenario referred to as the practical scenario, where improvements in each lifestyle factor were approximately halved, the gains in life expectancy at age 30 could be half those of the ideal scenario. However, the validity of these estimates in practise may be influenced by population-wide adherence to lifestyle recommendations. Our findings suggest that the current policy targets set by the Healthy China Initiative could be adjusted dynamically, and a greater increase in life expectancy would be achieved.

Analyses of 2,658 whole genomes across 38 types of cancer identify the contribution of non-coding point mutations and structural variants to driving cancer.

The flagship paper of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Consortium describes the generation of the integrative analyses of 2,658 cancer whole genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumour types, the structures for international data sharing and standardized analyses, and the main scientific findings from across the consortium studies.

Some cancer patients first present with metastases where the location of the primary is unidentified; these are difficult to treat. In this study, using machine learning, the authors develop a method to determine the tissue of origin of a cancer based on whole sequencing data.

In this study the authors consider the structural variants (SVs) present within cancer cases of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium. They report hundreds of genes, including known cancer-associated genes for which the nearby presence of a SV breakpoint is associated with altered expression.

The authors find low-energy magnetic excitations and a flat band near the Fermi level in kagome metal superconductor CsCr3Sb5 by angle-resolved photoemission and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering. They suggest that the flat band plays a role in the emergence of charge/magnetic order at low temperatures.

Biomaterials exerting osteoblast over fibroblast selectivity are promising for overcoming fibrotic encapsulation and promoting osseointegration at the implant interface, but remain underdeveloped. Here, the authors report amphiphilic β-amino acid polymers that exhibit selectivity for osteoblasts over fibroblasts, outperforming the natural osteoblast-selective peptide.

Engineered human models of hearts are needed to study pathology and repair. Here, the authors develop a model which replicates the phased remodelling process. The model is then used to study signalling pathway modulators for their therapeutic potential in a mini-repair model.

Time-restricted feeding patterns in mice affect male fertility by altering gut microbiota, impacting testicular health and spermatogenesis through metabolites.

Understanding deregulation of biological pathways in cancer can provide insight into disease etiology and potential therapies. Here, as part of the PanCancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) consortium, the authors present pathway and network analysis of 2583 whole cancer genomes from 27 tumour types.

In somatic cells the mechanisms maintaining the chromosome ends are normally inactivated; however, cancer cells can re-activate these pathways to support continuous growth. Here, the authors characterize the telomeric landscapes across tumour types and identify genomic alterations associated with different telomere maintenance mechanisms.

With the generation of large pan-cancer whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing projects, a question remains about how comparable these datasets are. Here, using The Cancer Genome Atlas samples analysed as part of the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes project, the authors explore the concordance of mutations called by whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing techniques.

Integrative analyses of transcriptome and whole-genome sequencing data for 1,188 tumours across 27 types of cancer are used to provide a comprehensive catalogue of RNA-level alterations in cancer.

Whole-genome sequencing data from more than 2,500 cancers of 38 tumour types reveal 16 signatures that can be used to classify somatic structural variants, highlighting the diversity of genomic rearrangements in cancer.

Functionalisation of hydrogels can be difficult to achieve and often requires modification of polymers before gelation. Here, the authors report on a sandcastle worm inspired adhesive tripeptide for the post gelation functionalisation of wet hydrogels, demonstrating the addition of different functionality.

Analysis of cancer genome sequencing data has enabled the discovery of driver mutations. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium the authors present DriverPower, a software package that identifies coding and non-coding driver mutations within cancer whole genomes via consideration of mutational burden and functional impact evidence.

A pan-cancer genomic analysis reports the effects of structural variations on chromatin domains (TADs). Most TAD disruptions do not result in appreciable changes in expression of nearby genes.

An analysis of 2,954 genomes from 38 cancer subtypes identified 19,166 retrotransposition events in 35% of samples. Aberrant LINE-1 retrotranspositions can lead to the deletion of tumor-suppressor genes as well as the amplification of oncogenes.

Multi-omics datasets pose major challenges to data interpretation and hypothesis generation owing to their high-dimensional molecular profiles. Here, the authors develop ActivePathways method, which uses data fusion techniques for integrative pathway analysis of multi-omics data and candidate gene discovery.

The authors investigate the electronic structure of kagome CsCr₃Sb₅ using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab-initio calculations. The results identify CsCr₃Sb₅ as a strongly correlated Hund’s metal with incipient flat bands near the Fermi level.

Nanozymes offer diverse therapeutic avenues for cancer treatment. In this work, the authors report an iron-based quasi-metal organic framework nanozyme Q-MIL-53(Fe) with enhanced peroxidase and catalase-mimicking activity and glutathione depletion capacity and use it for tumor immunotherapy via inducing ferroptosis and immunogenic cell death.

There’s an emerging body of evidence to show how biological sex impacts cancer incidence, treatment and underlying biology. Here, using a large pan-cancer dataset, the authors further highlight how sex differences shape the cancer genome.

Viral pathogen load in cancer genomes is estimated through analysis of sequencing data from 2,656 tumors across 35 cancer types using multiple pathogen-detection pipelines, identifying viruses in 382 genomic and 68 transcriptome datasets.

Whole-genome sequencing data for 2,778 cancer samples from 2,658 unique donors across 38 cancer types is used to reconstruct the evolutionary history of cancer, revealing that driver mutations can precede diagnosis by several years to decades.

The authors present SVclone, a computational method for inferring the cancer cell fraction of structural variants from whole-genome sequencing data.

Many tumours exhibit hypoxia (low oxygen) and hypoxic tumours often respond poorly to therapy. Here, the authors quantify hypoxia in 1188 tumours from 27 cancer types, showing elevated hypoxia links to increased mutational load, directing evolutionary trajectories.

The characterization of 4,645 whole-genome and 19,184 exome sequences, covering most types of cancer, identifies 81 single-base substitution, doublet-base substitution and small-insertion-and-deletion mutational signatures, providing a systematic overview of the mutational processes that contribute to cancer development.

Cancers evolve as they progress under differing selective pressures. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, the authors present the method TrackSig the estimates evolutionary trajectories of somatic mutational processes from single bulk tumour data.

Alpha-fetoprotein producing gastric carcinomas (AFPGC) are rare and aggressive. Here, the authors profile AFPGC tumours using whole exome sequencing, and find amplifications in CCNE1 and ERBB2 that are associated with poor outcomes but are potential therapeutic targets, as shown in patient-derived xenografts.

The gut and oral microbiomes are altered in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, and these changes can be used to stratify individuals for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

It is unclear how often genetic mosaicism of chromosome X arises. Here, the authors examine women with cancer and cancer-free controls and show that X chromosome mosaicism occurs more frequently than on autosomes, especially on the inactive X chromosome, but is not linked to non-haematologic cancer risk

This study highlights the role Polar regions as a limiting factor in global sustainability due to teleconnection effects, and then propose a SDG target, key indicators, and emphasize Indigenous inclusion and global action.

Genetic variants associated with susceptibility to pancreatic cancer have been identified using genome wide association studies (GWAS). Here, the authors combine data from over 9000 patients and perform a meta-analysis to identify five novel loci linked to pancreatic cancer.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial, the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor small-molecule inhibitor fruquintinib plus chemotherapy significantly extended progression-free survival, but not overall survival, as second-line therapy in patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancers.

Wang et al. show that a small amount of donor in the acceptor layer or vice versa induces structural order owing to dipole–dipole interaction between the donor and the acceptor, enabling a certified efficiency of 19.1% in pseudo-bilayer organic solar cells.

Implantation-caused foreign-body response is a commonly encountered issue and can result in failure of implants. Here, the authors demonstrate that a highly water soluble, biocompatible, and easily accessible poly-DL-serine hydrogel can mitigate foreign-body response.

A tumour vaccine leveraging the targeted degradation of antigens isolated from tumour lysates augmented antigen processing and cross-presentation, and inhibited tumour growth, metastasis and recurrence in multiple mouse models of cancers.

Allele-preferential transcription factor binding can influence pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma risk loci function. Here, the authors show allele-specific JunB and JunD binding at chr1p36.33 and propose a role for KLHL17 in protein homeostasis by mitigating inflammation.

The authors present ARPES and STM/STS measurements of the kagome superconductor CsV_3-xTa_xSb₅. For the x = 0.4 Ta-doped sample, they report evidence for a van Hove singularity perfectly aligned with the Fermi level, and that the superconducting transition temperature is maximized at this doping.

Springtails are omnipresent soil arthropods, vital for ecosystems. In the first global assessment of springtails, this study shows a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, with distinct temperature-related patterns for diversity and metabolism that suggest climate change may restructure the functioning of soil biodiversity.

The controlled manipulation of the topological phases of electronic materials is a central goal of modern condensed matter research. Here, the authors demonstrate controllable switching between two distinct topological phases in a layered ferromagnet via thermal cycling.

Ciliogenesis is negatively regulated by the CP110-CEP97 complex, although the mechanism controlling mother centriole localization is poorly understood. Here, Huang et al. show that KIF24 recruits MMP9 to the mother centriole, where it regulates ciliogenesis by controlling CP110-CEP97 recruitment.