Recent research has revealed an accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in the environment and human tissues, giving rise to concerns about their potential toxicity. The kidney is a vital organ responsible for various physiological functions. Early kidney development is crucial for ensuring proper structure and function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroplastics (MPs) have emerged as a pervasive environmental pollutant of global concern. Their detection within the human placenta and fetal organs has prompted apprehension regarding the potential hazards of MPs during early organogenesis. The kidney, a vital multifunctional organ, is susceptible to damage from MPs in adulthood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai)
May 2024
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) poses a significant health challenge, so comprehensive research efforts to improve our understanding and treatment strategies are needed. However, the development of effective treatments is hindered by the limitation of existing liver disease models. Liver organoids, characterized by their cellular complexity and three-dimensional (3D) tissue structure closely resembling the human liver, hold promise as ideal models for liver disease research.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIEEE J Biomed Health Inform
June 2024
Interpersonal communication facilitates symptom measures of autistic sociability to enhance clinical decision-making in identifying children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Traditional methods are carried out by clinical practitioners with assessment scales, which are subjective to quantify. Recent studies employ engineering technologies to analyze children's behaviors with quantitative indicators, but these methods only generate specific rule-driven indicators that are not adaptable to diverse interaction scenarios.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArsenic exposure is a significant risk factor for folate-resistant neural tube defects (NTDs), but the potential mechanism is unclear. In this study, a mouse model of arsenic-induced NTDs was established to investigate how arsenic affects early neurogenesis leading to malformations. The results showed that in utero exposure to arsenic caused a decline in the normal embryos, an elevated embryo resorption, and a higher incidence of malformed embryos.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Struct Mol Biol
April 2024
Myocardial infarction (MI) results in cardiomyocyte necrosis and conductive system damage, leading to sudden cardiac death and heart failure. Studies have shown that conductive biomaterials can restore cardiac conduction, but cannot facilitate tissue regeneration. This study aims to add regenerative capabilities to the conductive biomaterial by incorporating human endometrial mesenchymal stem cell (hEMSC)-derived exosomes (hEMSC-Exo) into poly-pyrrole-chitosan (PPY-CHI), to yield an injectable hydrogel that can effectively treat MI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPioneer transcription factors possess the unique ability to access DNA within tightly packed chromatin structures, playing pivotal roles in cell differentiation and reprogramming. However, their precise mechanism for recognizing nucleosomes has remained mystery. Recent structural and biochemical investigations into the binding interactions between the human pioneer factor OCT4 and the LIN28B nucleosome by Sinha et al.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPioneer transcription factors are vital for cell fate changes. PU.1 and C/EBPα work together to regulate hematopoietic stem cell differentiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOrganoids are three-dimensional cellular structures with self-organizing and self-differentiation capacities. They faithfully recapitulate structures and functions of in vivo organs as represented by functionality and microstructural definitions. Heterogeneity in in vitro disease modeling is one of the main reasons for anti-cancer therapy failures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPioneer transcription factors are essential for cell fate changes by targeting closed chromatin. OCT4 is a crucial pioneer factor that can induce cell reprogramming. However, the structural basis of how pioneer factors recognize the in vivo nucleosomal DNA targets is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with genetic and clinical heterogeneity. Owing to the advancement of sequencing technologies, an increasing number of ASD-related genes have been reported. We designed a targeted sequencing panel (TSP) for ASD based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) to provide clinical strategies for genetic testing of ASD and its subgroups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Early identification and intervention for children with global developmental delay (GDD) can significantly improve their prognosis and reduce the possibility of developing intellectual disability in the future. This study aimed to explore the clinical effectiveness of a parent-implemented early intervention program (PIEIP) for GDD, providing a research basis for the extended application of this intervention strategy in the future.
Methods: During the period between September 2019 and August 2020, children aged 3 to 6 months diagnosed with GDD were selected from each research center as the experimental group and the control group.
Introduction: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD). This study aims to investigate the incidence of FXS in Chinese children and analyze the comprehensive clinical characteristics of these FXS children.
Methods: Children diagnosed with idiopathic NDD were recruited between 2016 and 2021 from the department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University.
Pioneer transcription factors are essential for cell fate changes by targeting closed chromatin. OCT4 is a crucial pioneer factor that can induce cell reprogramming. However, the structural basis of how pioneer factors recognize the nucleosomal DNA targets is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Motor impairments are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and persistent across age. Our current study was designed to investigate motor deficits in Chinese toddlers with ASD and to explore the relationships between motor deficits and social communication skills.
Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we recruited a total of 210 Chinese toddlers with ASD aged between 18 and 36 months in the study during December 2017 to December 2020.
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss-of-function variants in the gene, currently with no cure. Neuroimaging is an important tool for obtaining non-invasive structural and functional information about the brain. Multiple approaches to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have been utilized effectively in RTT patients to understand the possible pathological basis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSH3 and Multiple Ankyrin Repeat Domains 3 ()-caused autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may present a unique opportunity to clarify the heterogeneous neuropathological mechanisms of ASD. However, the specificity and commonality of disrupted large-scale brain organization in deficient children remain largely unknown. The present study combined genetic tests, neurobehavioral evaluations, and magnetic resonance imaging, aiming to explore the disruptions of both local and networked cortical structural organization in ASD children with and without deficiency.
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