{"title":"Sleep, interrupted – when short nights take their toll","authors":"Aila Akosua Kattner","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100915","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100915","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sleep loss is increasingly recognized as a contributor to neuropathic pain, while diagnostic accuracy in thyroid carcinoma may be improved through refined assessment methods. In pediatric patients with cerebral palsy, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) shows promise as a therapeutic intervention. Chronotherapy of blood pressure demonstrates how aligning antihypertensive treatment with circadian patterns may enhance efficacy. Artificial intelligence–based clinical decision support systems offer potential in the management of acute coronary syndromes, although current limitations and risks require careful consideration. Advances in precision oncology include comprehensive genomic profiling and spatial omics, while large language models highlight both opportunities and challenges in healthcare applications. Finally, age-related hormonal changes in combination with mitochondrial dysfunction are discussed in the context of carcinogenesis, underscoring the complex links between aging, metabolism, and cancer development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100915"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145211541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biomedical JournalPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-04-29DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2025.100868
Chihung Lin , Chang-Fu Kuo
{"title":"Roles and potential of Large language models in healthcare: A comprehensive review","authors":"Chihung Lin , Chang-Fu Kuo","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100868","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100868","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large Language Models (LLMs) are capable of transforming healthcare by demonstrating remarkable capabilities in language understanding and generation. They have matched or surpassed human performance in standardized medical examinations and assisted in diagnostics across specialties like dermatology, radiology, and ophthalmology. LLMs can enhance patient education by providing accurate, readable, and empathetic responses, and they can streamline clinical workflows through efficient information extraction from unstructured data such as clinical notes. Integrating LLM into clinical practice involves user interface design, clinician training, and effective collaboration between Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and healthcare professionals. Users must possess a solid understanding of generative AI and domain knowledge to assess the generated content critically. Ethical considerations to ensure patient privacy, data security, mitigating biases, and maintaining transparency are critical for responsible deployment. Future directions for LLMs in healthcare include interdisciplinary collaboration, developing new benchmarks that incorporate safety and ethical measures, advancing multimodal LLMs that integrate text and imaging data, creating LLM-based medical agents capable of complex decision-making, addressing underrepresented specialties like rare diseases, and integrating LLMs with robotic systems to enhance precision in procedures. Emphasizing patient safety, ethical integrity, and human-centered implementation is essential for maximizing the benefits of LLMs, while mitigating potential risks, thereby helping to ensure that these AI tools enhance rather than replace human expertise and compassion in healthcare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100868"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143971048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biomedical JournalPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-01-04DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2025.100829
Xia Li, Shuang Xu, Liuwei Hao, Xiaoning Zhou
{"title":"Correlation of SALL1 with CEUS parameters and immune escape in thyroid carcinoma","authors":"Xia Li, Shuang Xu, Liuwei Hao, Xiaoning Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100829","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100829","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is widely used to diagnose thyroid carcinoma (TC), though its accuracy in differentiating malignant nodules is limited. We identified TC-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and examined the impact of these genes, particularly SALL1, on immune escape mechanisms within TC cells.</div></div><div><h3>Methods and materials</h3><div>DEG analysis was conducted on GSE65144 dataset to identify genes associated with TC. Functional enrichment analysis focused on genes related to pituitary function, with SALL1 identified as a key candidate. Clinical data from TC cases were used to assess the diagnostic impact of combining SALL1 expression with CEUS parameters. Additionally, TCP-1 cell lines with manipulated SALL1 expression were used to investigate cellular behaviors <em>in vitro</em>, while <em>in vivo</em> studies in nude mice evaluated tumor growth and immune microenvironment changes linked to SALL1 expression.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We identified 152 DEGs, including NKX2-1, CDH1, and SALL1, which are associated with pituitary function. TIMER database analysis revealed SALL1's correlation with immune cell infiltration in TC. Clinically, SALL1 was downregulated in TC and showed a significant correlation with CEUS parameters, and combining SALL1 expression with CEUS markedly enhanced diagnostic accuracy for TC. <em>In vitro</em>, low SALL1 expression increased cell proliferation, TC progression, and immune escape, whereas upregulation led to reduced cell activity, increased apoptosis, and activation of autophagy and pyroptosis. <em>In vivo</em>, nude mouse models demonstrated that silencing SALL1 enhanced tumor growth, while overexpression inhibited tumor progression and modulated immune microenvironment.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Combining SALL1 with CEUS improves TC diagnostic accuracy, highlighting SALL1 as a potential biomarker in TC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100829"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145306835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neuropeptide FF Receptor 2 Overexpression Aggravates Lipid Accumulation and Metabolic Dysfunction in Mice with Diet-Induced Metabolic Stress.","authors":"Hsiang-Ting Hsu, Chun-Chun Hsu, Yun-Jou Liao, Hui-Yun Li, Yao-Chang Chiang, Ya-Tin Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100913","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100913","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Obesity is a major contributor to metabolic dysfunction and is driven by complex genetic, behavioral, and physiological factors. Neuropeptide FF receptor 2 (NPFFR2) has been implicated in regulating feeding behavior, as well as energy and glucose homeostasis. However, its precise role in obesity and metabolic disorders remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the systemic role of NPFFR2 in obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>The role of NPFFR2 was examined using wild-type and Npffr2-overexpressing transgenic mice subjected to 15 weeks of high-fat high-sucrose diet to induce obesity. Systemic, tissue-specific, and serum metabolic profiles were analyzed, with a particular focus on lipid abnormalities in the liver and adipose tissues.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Npffr2 overexpression exacerbated obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction, including accelerated body weight gain, impaired glucose homeostasis, altered fat composition, adipose tissue inflammation, and dysregulated lipid metabolism. In addition, hypertrophy of both hepatocytes and adipocytes was aggravated in Npffr2-overexpressing mice, collectively contributing to excessive energy storage and reduced metabolic efficiency.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest that NPFFR2 may contribute to the regulation of energy balance and lipid metabolism, potentially via central regulatory pathways. These findings highlight the need for mechanistic studies to clarify its region-specific roles and therapeutic potential in metabolic disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100913"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145063525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Macrophages in the male genital tract.","authors":"María Sol Martinez, Rubén Darío Motrich","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100910","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100910","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Macrophages play essential roles in maintaining immune defence and tissue homeostasis within the male genital tract, which is essential for reproductive health. Since their initial discovery in the testes, macrophages have been established as highly adaptable immune cells that perform diverse functions ranging from immune surveillance to tissue repair. In the testes, macrophages play a crucial role in maintaining immune privilege and tissue homeostasis by regulating inflammatory responses and supporting steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis via intricate crosstalk with Leydig and Sertoli cells. In the epididymis, macrophages maintain a balance between immune tolerance and pathogen defence, ensuring the integrity of maturing sperm. Moreover, recent evidence has begun to reveal the complex and unique characteristics of prostate tissue-resident macrophages and their roles in homeostasis and disease. Notably, these cells exhibit dual functions in pathological conditions, contributing both to chronic inflammation in prostatitis and to the modulation of tumour dynamics in prostate cancer. Remarkably, dysregulation of macrophage function has been implicated in several prevalent male urological diseases and male infertility. This review integrates historical perspectives with recent advances in the immunobiology of macrophages in the male genital tract, highlighting their role as pivotal regulators of reproductive tract homeostasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100910"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144941124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In vitro axotomy models regulated by ROCK inhibitor for studying neuroregeneration and growth cone morphology.","authors":"Fang Fang, Dan Xu, Shuang Dou, Shaoqin Zhan, Yingjuan Fan, Yuehong Zhuang, Weihong Xu, Zixing Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100908","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100908","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Current complex models of human nerve injury hinder the identification of cellular responses and the screening of therapies. As a solution, simpler in vitro axotomy models utilizing embryonic rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal motor neuron aggregates (SMNAs) have been introduced. To ensure model consistency, DRG or SMNA was placed in a cross-shaped channel for axotomy, performed microscopically with a razor. Afterward, the expression of four regeneration-associated genes (RAGs) and regulatory genes was assessed, along with quantifying axon outgrowth and growth cone changes in response to ROCK inhibitor Y27632. Additionally, a mouse perforator flap model was created to evaluate Y27632's effect on DRG axon reinnervation. It turned out that complete and consistent severance of the axons from the DRGs and SMNAs could be easily achieved, with significantly increased expressions of the four RAGs, Rho A and ROCK2. Y27632 could significantly augment axon regeneration in DRGs with axotomy in vitro and in the flap model but showed no impact on DRG axon outgrowth without axotomy. In comparison, Y27632 could slightly increase axon outgrowth from SMNAs without axotomy but drastically boost the axon regeneration from SMNAs with axotomy. The growth cones of DRGs and SMNAs drastically shrunk after axotomy, which could be significantly expanded by Y27632. In contrast, no impact on the growth cones of DRG and SMNAs without axotomy by Y27632 could be observed. The novel in vitro axotomy models regulated by ROCK inhibitors can be used to optimize studies on peripheral nerve injury-related drug screening by observing neuroregeneration and growth cone changes.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100908"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144941099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan Li, Jiayao Zhang, Ming Xu, Qi Zhang, Weicai Liu
{"title":"Occlusal disharmony attenuates inhibitory synaptic transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex and contributes to anxiety.","authors":"Juan Li, Jiayao Zhang, Ming Xu, Qi Zhang, Weicai Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100909","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100909","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>It has been well-validated that Occlusal Disharmony (OD) induces negative emotions, especially anxiety. While it leads to considerable frustration for both doctors and patients, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and effective treatment has been lacking. The present study aims to explore the pathological mechanisms of OD induced anxiety and to find a straightforward yet effective treatment strategy for this ostensibly intricate clinical phenomenon.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>OD mice were established through binding a metal tube to their right mandibular incisor. Then, the mental state of the mice was assessed by various behavioral experiments. Additionally, the mood of OD mice was also evaluated similarly before and after the injection of mifepristone. Furthermore, neuronal excitability in the mPFC was examined by immunofluorescence and electrophysiology, with the potential mechanisms investigated through Western blotting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>OD mice exhibited anxiety-like behavior, and the administration of mifepristone, an anxiolytic drug, could alleviate it. Subsequently, an increase in n[1]euronal excitability was observed, accompanied by a reduction in the frequency and amplitude of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In addition, the expression of erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (ERBB4) and neuregulin 1 (NRG1), proteins associated with inhibitory neurotransmitter release, were found to be significantly downregulated in the mPFC.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>OD attenuates GABAergic synaptic transmission in the mPFC, which may be the neural mechanism of anxiety caused by OD. But this phenomenon could be effectively alleviated by anti-anxiety treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100909"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144941086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peng-Shiuan Lee, Meng-Hsuan Chiang, Tony Wu, Chia-Lin Wu
{"title":"Systematic analysis of mushroom body-innervating dopaminergic neuron activity in different physiological states in Drosophila.","authors":"Peng-Shiuan Lee, Meng-Hsuan Chiang, Tony Wu, Chia-Lin Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100907","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100907","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Thirst and hunger are fundamental survival drives that modulate various aspects of animal behavior through specific neural circuits. Previous studies have demonstrated that dopaminergic neurons (DANs) innervating the mushroom body (MB) in the Drosophila brain play essential roles in innate and learned thirst- and hunger-dependent behaviors, with most experiments focusing on acute water or food deprivation. However, it is unclear whether acute water or food deprivation alters dopamine production and neural activity in MB-innervating DANs.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>We genetically expressed green fluorescent protein (GFP) in MB-innervating DANs using broadly and specifically labeled GAL4 lines under satiety, thirst, and hunger states. The brains were immunostained with anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to assess dopamine biosynthesis. Additionally, the transcriptional reporter of intracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> (TRIC) was expressed in these DANs using the same GAL4 lines to monitor neural activity under different internal states. Normalized anti-TH and TRIC signals in specific MB compartments were compared between the satiety and thirst groups and between the satiety and hunger groups using unpaired two-tailed t-tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Neither TH levels nor neural activity in the 13 subtypes of MB-innervating DANs exhibited significant differences during the satiety, thirst, and hunger conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggests that 16-hour water deprivation or 24-hour food deprivation does not significantly alter dopamine production and neural activity in MB-innervating DANs. These findings offer insights into the independence of baseline dopaminergic activity from internal states in thirst- or hunger-related behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100907"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144862097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biomedical JournalPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2024-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2024.100825
Lun-Jou Lo , Fen-Hwa Wong
{"title":"The essence of cleft care: From embryogenesis to surgical management","authors":"Lun-Jou Lo , Fen-Hwa Wong","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100825","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100825","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 4","pages":"Article 100825"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142852251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biomedical JournalPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2024-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2024.100791
Chia-Wei Chang , Pai-Jui Yeh , Hung-Hsian Lai , Mi-Chi Chen , Yung-Ching Ming , Jing-Yao Lai , Ming-Wei Lai
{"title":"The ratio of remaining to expected small bowel length predicts enteral autonomy in pediatric patients with short bowel syndrome","authors":"Chia-Wei Chang , Pai-Jui Yeh , Hung-Hsian Lai , Mi-Chi Chen , Yung-Ching Ming , Jing-Yao Lai , Ming-Wei Lai","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pediatric patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) often require long-term <u>p</u>arenteral <u>n</u>utrition and intravenous fluid support (PN) until enteral autonomy (EA). However, long-term PN accounts for many complications. We aimed to investigate the outcome and predictors of EA in these patients.</div></div><div><h3>Material and methods</h3><div>This retrospective observational study was conducted in Children's Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Northern Taiwan. Twenty-four patients afflicted with short bowel syndrome between 2002 and 2021 were included. Demographics, operation results, follow-up status, complications, and outcomes were reviewed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 24 patients, 14 were males (58%). The median age at bowel resection was 3 days (IQR, 1.3–28.8 days). The most common etiologies were total/subtotal intestinal aganglionosis (TIA) (N = 6) and malrotation with midgut volvulus (N = 6). The median length of the residual small intestine was 25 cm (IQR, 7.8–71.3 cm). Ten (41.7%) had preserved ileocecal valve, and 14 (58.3%) had colon-in-continuity. Intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) occurred in 14 patients (58.3%), but none had advanced disease. Seven patients (29.2%) achieved enteral autonomy after 10.1 ± 7.3 months. Five patients (21%) expired due to sepsis. Logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the predictors of enteral autonomy were remaining-to-expected small bowel length ratio >25% and the absence of IFALD.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In this pediatric short bowel syndrome study, enteral autonomy was achieved in 29% after a mean PN duration of 10 months. The remaining-to-expected small bowel length ratio at bowel resection was the most critical predictor of enteral autonomy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 4","pages":"Article 100791"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142280088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}