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Study shows PTSD predisposition shares distinct genes and genomic regions with several cardiovascular conditions. Here the findings reveal neuronal, immune, and metabolic pathways, and repurposed drug targets that further the understanding of the comorbidity.

Xue-Jun Zhang and colleagues report genome-wide association analyses identifying six new susceptibility loci in the Chinese population.

The phase in which a crystal exists can have a direct influence over its properties; however, it is usually difficult to control during synthesis. Now it has been shown that micrometre-sized metallic 1T′-MoS₂- and 1T′-MoSe₂-layered crystals can be prepared in high phase purity on a large scale, and that they display promising electrocatalytic activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Xue-Jun Zhang, Zhi-Rong Yao and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for atopic dermatitis in the Chinese Han population. They identified two new susceptibility loci at 5q22 and 20q13.

Youwen Zhou and Xue-Jun Zhang and colleagues report a genome-wide association study of generalized vitiligo, a common autoimmune disorder characterized by loss of melanocytes and depigmentation. The authors identify two independent associations within the MHC region and one new susceptibility locus on chromosome 6q27, which contains the genes RNASET2, FGFR1OP and CCR6.

Xue-Jun Zhang, Jun Wang and colleagues identify mutations in MVK in disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis, a disorder characterized by defects in epidermal keratinization. MVK encodes mevalonate kinase, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of cholesterol and isoprenoids.

Ultrathin metal sulphides are attractive components for electronic and optical devices and are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Here, a universal, soft colloidal templating strategy is employed for the large-scale synthesis of uniform, ultrathin metal sulphide nanomaterials.

Heterometallic nanomaterials in unusual crystal phases that are impossible to form in the bulk state can show interesting physical and chemical properties. Here, crystal-phase heterostructured 4H/fcc Au nanowires are used as seeds to epitaxially grow a variety of binary and ternary hybrid noble metal nanostructures on the phase boundary.

Twinning is a powerful approach to engineering the physicochemical properties of metallic nanomaterials. Here, the authors discover unusual non-close-packed twinning planes in 4H-phase gold nanokites and show that they can be used as templates to grow 4H-phase twinned nanostructures of other noble metals.

Controlling the morphology and composition of hybrid nanostructures is desirable for applications, but it has proven challenging to precisely combine different nucleation sites and growth modes. Now, three types of hierarchical 1D/2D nanostructures have been prepared by selectively growing semiconductor nanorod arrays (CdS or CdSe) on the different facets of hexagonal nanoplates.

Xuejun Zhang and colleagues report a genome-wide association and replication studies for psoriasis, conducted in Chinese populations. They confirm previous associations in MHC and IL12B to psoriasis susceptibility, and report a new association within the LCE gene cluster at 1q21.

Epitaxial growth of heterostructures composed of materials with large lattice mismatch is challenging. Here, the authors reported the epitaxy of II-VI semiconductor nanorods on plasmonic noble metal, despite a lattice mismatch of more than 40%.

Xuejun Zhang and colleagues report results of a genome-wide association study of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Chinese Han population. Their work identifies nine new SLE susceptibility loci and reveals overlap in the spectrum of risk alleles shared between Chinese Han and European populations.

IgA nephropathy is a major cause of end-stage renal disease in China, occurring at a high frequency in Asian populations. Here Li and colleagues conduct a four-stage genome-wide association study in a Chinese population, identifying novel loci and variants associated with disease risk.

Severe acne is a common skin disease characterized by chronic inflammation and potential scarring. Here, the authors have identified genetic variants at two loci associated with severe acne and provide insight into the genetic architecture and biological pathways underlying the disease.

Dai Zhang and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population. They identify a new susceptibility locus at 11p11.2 and also identify a locus at 6p21-22.1 in the extended MHC region, which has previously been reported to be associated with schizophrenia in individuals of European descent.

An artificial phononic graphene for surface acoustic waves on a LiNbO₃ integrated platform allows for the experimental demonstration of pseudo-diffusion transport and a temporal beating effect similar to the ‘Zitterbewegung’ phenomenon.

Dongxin Lin, Philip Taylor, Li-Dong Wang and colleagues have now pooled three genome-wide association analyses of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, finding two new risk loci at genome-wide significance and an HLA class II locus of significance in high-risk populations. They reanalyze the strength of evidence for previously published risk loci.

Li Dong Wang and colleagues report a genome wide association study for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the Chinese population. They identify two risk loci at PLCE1 and C20orf54.

.Sensitive detection of weak acoustic signals at nanometer scale is challenging. Here, the authors present an acoustic detection system based on a single molecule as a probe, where frequency and amplitude of acoustic vibrations can be extracted from its minute variations in distance to the surface of a plasmonic gold nanorod.

Xue Zhang and colleagues report mutations in an inhibitory upstream open reading frame flanking the human hairless gene in individuals with Marie Unna hereditary hypotrichosis. These mutations result in increased translation of the main physiological hairless ORF, suggesting that fine-tuning of hairless protein levels is important in the control of hair growth.

Long Yu and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for hepatitis B virus–related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC). They report that genetic variants in STAT4 and HLA-DQ genes confer risk of HBV-HCC.

Intervertebral disk degeneration (IDD) is characterized by changes in the nucleus pulposus (NP) extra cellular matrix that compromise disk structural integrity. In a miRNA screen of human IDD patient NP tissue, the authors identify deregulated miR-141 and show that direct injection of nanoparticle-coupled miR-141 into the NP alleviates IDD in mice.

Xue-Qing Yu, Jian-Jun Liu and colleagues report results of a genome-wide association study of IgA nephropathy in Han Chinese. They identify two new susceptibility loci at 8p23 and 17p13 and replicate previously reported signals in the MHC region and at 22q12.

Epitaxial hybrid nanostructures can show different functionalities and superior performance in applications from those of the individual components. This Review discusses the methods of preparation and techniques for characterization of epitaxial hybrid nanostructures with various architectures, and examines the role of epitaxial growth in influencing the properties and application performance of hybrid nanostructures.