Adrenal pheochromocytoma impacts three main pathways: cysteine-methionine, pyrimidine, and tyrosine metabolism
In this study, we used ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS) analysis to identify and measure the perioperative differential metabolites in the plasma of adrenal pheochromocytoma patients. We identified differentially expressed genes by comparing the transcriptomic data of pheochromocytoma with the normal adrenal medulla. Through conducting two steps of metabolomics analysis, we identified 111 differential metabolites between the healthy group and the patient group, among which 53 metabolites were validated. By integrating the information of differential metab...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - March 12, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Clinical relevance of distolingual roots and periodontal status in mandibular first molars: a cross-sectional study employing CBCT analysis
ConclusionsThe prevalence of PMFM-DLR in Eastern China was relatively high in our cohort. The morphological features of DLR were correlated with the periodontal status of mandibular first molars. This study provides critical information on the morphological features of DLR for improved diagnosis and treatment options of mandibular molars with DLR. (Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B.)
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - March 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Advances in the study of mitophagy in osteoarthritis
AbstractOsteoarthritis (OA), characterized by cartilage degeneration, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone remodeling, is among the most common musculoskeletal disorders globally in people over 60 years of age. The initiation and progression of OA involves the abnormal metabolism of chondrocytes as an important pathogenic process. Cartilage degeneration features mitochondrial dysfunction as one of the important causative factors of abnormal chondrocyte metabolism. Therefore, maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis is an important strategy to mitigate OA. Mitophagy is a vital process for autophagosomes to target, engul...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - March 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Newcastle disease virus suppresses antigen presentation via inhibiting IL-12 expression in dendritic cells
AbstractAs a potential vectored vaccine, Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has been subject to various studies for vaccine development, while relatively little research has outlined the immunomodulatory effect of the virus in antigen presentation. To elucidate the key inhibitory factor in regulating the interaction of infected dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells, DCs were pretreated with the NDV vaccine strain LaSota as an inhibitor and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for further detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), flow cytometry, immunoblotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - March 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation as a novel mechanism of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs)-induced pulmonary inflammation in chickens
AbstractMicroplastics (MPs) have attracted growing attention worldwide as an increasingly prevalent environmental pollutant. In addition, chicken meat is currently the most widely consumed kind of poultry in the global market. Consumer demand for chicken is on the rise both at home and abroad. As a result, the safety of chicken raising has also received significant attention. The lungs play an essential role in the physiological activities of chickens, and they are also the most vulnerable organs. Lung injury is difficult to repair after the accumulation of contaminants, and the mortality rate is high, which brings huge ec...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - March 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Advances in the study of protein folding and endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation in mammal cells
AbstractThe endoplasmic reticulum is a key site for protein production and quality control. More than one-third of proteins are synthesized and folded into the correct three-dimensional conformation in the endoplasmic reticulum. However, during protein folding, unfolded and/or misfolded proteins are prone to occur, which may lead to endoplasmic reticulum stress. Organisms can monitor the quality of the proteins produced by endoplasmic reticulum quality control (ERQC) and endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD), which maintain endoplasmic reticulum protein homeostasis by degrading abnormally folded proteins. The...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - March 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Aberrant dynamic functional connectivity of thalamocortical circuitry in major depressive disorder
AbstractThalamocortical circuitry has a substantial impact on emotion and cognition. Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in thalamocortical functional connectivity (FC), characterized by region-dependent hypo- or hyper-connectivity, among individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the dynamical reconfiguration of the thalamocortical system over time and potential abnormalities in dynamic thalamocortical connectivity associated with MDD remain unclear. Hence, we analyzed dynamic FC (dFC) between ten thalamic subregions and seven cortical subnetworks from resting-state functional magnetic resonance...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 24, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Defense and anti-defense mechanisms of bacteria and bacteriophages
AbstractIn the post-antibiotic era, the overuse of antimicrobials has led to a massive increase in antimicrobial resistance, leaving medical doctors few or no treatment options to fight infections caused by superbugs. The use of bacteriophages is a promising alternative to treat infections, supplementing or possibly even replacing antibiotics. Using phages for therapy is possible, since these bacterial viruses can kill bacteria specifically, causing no harm to the normal flora. However, bacteria have developed a multitude of sophisticated and complex ways to resist infection by phages, including abortive infection and the ...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 14, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Wireless closed-loop deep brain stimulation using microelectrode array probes
AbstractDeep brain stimulation (DBS), including optical stimulation and electrical stimulation, has been demonstrated considerable value in exploring pathological brain activity and developing treatments for neural disorders. Advances in DBS microsystems based on implantable microelectrode array (MEA) probes have opened up new opportunities for closed-loop DBS (CL-DBS) in situ. This technology can be used to detect damaged brain circuits and test the therapeutic potential for modulating the output of these circuits in a variety of diseases simultaneously. Despite the success and rapid utilization of MEA probe-based CL-DBS ...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 12, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Influence of parental education on the intelligence quotient profiles and socially adaptive behavior of school-age children with autism spectrum disorder in eastern China
This study explored the association between parental education level, IQ, and adaptive behavior in ASD groups. A total of 257 school-age ASD children were enrolled in our study from January 2017 to June 2021. Their parents completed a standard demographic form, including age at autism diagnosis, gender, school placement, and parents ’ educational background. The Chinese version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was completed by a certified assessor for each enrolled child. Parents were interviewed on adaptive behavior using the Chinese version of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment Sy...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 8, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Advances in the research and application of neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists
AbstractRecently, the substance P (SP)/neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) system has been found to be involved in various human pathophysiological disorders including the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Besides, studies in the oncological field have demonstrated an intricate correlation between the upregulation of NK-1R and the activation of SP/NK-1R system with the progression of multiple carcinoma types and poor clinical prognosis. These findings indicate that the modulation of SP/NK-1R system with NK-1R antagonists can be a potential broad-spectrum antitumor strategy. This review updates the latest potential...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Flexible neural probes: a review of the current advantages, drawbacks, and future demands
AbstractBrain diseases affect millions of people and have a huge social and economic impact. The use of neural probes for studies in animals has been the main approach to increasing knowledge about neural network functioning. Ultimately, neuroscientists are trying to develop new and more effective therapeutic approaches to treating neurological disorders. The implementation of neural probes with multifunctionalities (electrical, optical, and fluidic interactions) has been increasing in the last few years, leading to the creation of devices with high temporal and spatial resolution. Increasing the applicability of, and elem...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Recent advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of acral melanoma
AbstractAcral melanoma (AM) is the most common histologic subtype of melanoma in dark-skinned patients and is associated with a worse prognosis and a high mortality rate, largely due to the inconspicuous nature of early-stage lesions, which can lead to late diagnosis. Because of the overlapping clinical and histopathological features of AM with other forms of cutaneous melanomas, early detection of AM requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates various diagnostic modalities, including clinical examination, dermoscopy, histopathology, molecular testing, radiological imaging, and blood tests. While surgery is the p...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Therapeutic advances in atrial fibrillation based on animal models
AbstractAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent sustained cardiac arrhythmia among humans, with its incidence increasing significantly with age. Despite the high frequency of AF in clinical practice, its etiology and management remain elusive. To develop effective treatment strategies, it is imperative to comprehend the underlying mechanisms of AF; therefore, the establishment of animal models of AF is vital to explore its pathogenesis. While spontaneous AF is rare in most animal species, several large animal models, particularly those of pigs, dogs, and horses, have proven as invaluable in recent years in advancing...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research

Utilization of 3D printing technology in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery
AbstractThe technology of three-dimensional (3D) printing emerged in the late 1970s and has since undergone considerable development to find numerous applications in mechanical engineering, industrial design, and biomedicine. In biomedical science, several studies have initially found that 3D printing technology can play an important role in the treatment of diseases in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery. For example, 3D printing technology has been applied to create detailed anatomical models of disease organs for preoperative personalized surgical strategies, surgical simulation, intraoperative navigation, medical training, ...
Source: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B. - February 1, 2024 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research