G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) are among the most important “signal receivers” in the human body, translating the external stimuli into internal signals that govern sensation, mood, cardiovascular function and metabolism. These seven–transmembrane-helix proteins are also pharma favorites. More than a third of marketed drugs act by nudging GPCR activity. But many therapies still aim at a familiar target region: the orthosteric pocket where natural ligands bind, and that approach can strugg...

An international consensus on primary brain calcification (PBC) was recently published online in Movement Disorders, the official journal of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS). The consensus, titled Primary Brain Calcification: An International Consensus on Nomenclature, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management, was developed under the leadership of Prof. LUO Wei from the Department of Neurology at SAHZU, who also serves as an Executive Committee Member o...

Allergies are usually regarded as a nuisance. Sneezing fits triggered by pollen or rashes caused by shellfish reflect an immune system that reacts too fast and too strongly to harmless substances. Yet this rapid and intensive immune reaction has now inspired a novel approach to cancer treatment.Researchers in China report a strategy that deliberately redirects allergic immune responses against tumors. By training mast cells — the immune system’s key drivers of allergy — to recognize cancer cell...

For the more than half a billion people living with diabetes worldwide, daily insulin injections are part of the routine — and part of the pain. Patients with Type 1 diabetes and many with advanced Type 2 diabetes rely on one to four shots a day, sometimes for life. Besides discomfort, injections may trigger side effects like hypoglycemia, all of which take a toll on long-term treatment and everyday quality of life.A new study from Zhejiang University, published on November 20 in Nature, offers ...

Nature Medicine publishes study on “AI-based diagnosis of acute aortic syndrome from non-contrast CT”Acute aortic syndrome (AAS) remains a catastrophic cardiovascular emergency: 40–50% of patients die within 48 hours of onset, and every hour of delay in diagnosis increases mortality by 1–2%. Yet many patients initially present with non-specific symptoms, and conventional tests often lack the sensitivity to confidently rule in or rule out disease. While CT angiography (CTA) is the imaging ...

During the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), craftsmen in Quanzhou, Fujian, faced a formidable challenge: the piers of the Luoyang Bridge, built across the sea, were constantly eroded by seawater. Instead of fighting the ocean, they harnessed the power of nature by cultivating oysters beneath the bridge. The natural "adhesive" secreted by these remarkable creatures allowed the piers to withstand millennia of tidal forces, standing firm and creating the world's ear...

As the core organ governing thought and consciousness, the brain consumes immense biological energy to maintain critical functions such as learning, memory, and emotions. To enable energy-efficient operation, the brain must finely regulate this process, achieving massive parallel information processing and storage at low energy costs. This high-efficiency, low-energy capability remains the ultimate goal of supercomputing and AI technologies, yet it is a peak still beyond human technological reac...

Intravenous (IV) infusion, a milestone invention of modern medicine since its development during World War II, remains essential in maintaining therapeutic blood drug concentrations and minimizing toxicity. However, IV therapy requires professional administration and confines patients to medical facilities, leading to reduced compliance and elevated healthcare costs.  A research team led by professors GU Zhen, ZHANG Yuqi, YU Jicheng from the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Zhejia...

Combining CAR-T cell therapy and stem cell transplantation could help patients with difficult-to-treat blood cancers.A new ‘all-in-one’ treatment that integrates CAR-T cell therapy with more established stem cell transplantation therapy might improve outcomes for patients with blood cancers, according to a study led by researchers at Zhejiang University in China. The treatment exploits the way CAR-T cell therapy kills cancer cells and also depletes the donor T cells that cause severe...

Legend has it that Nvwa, the mother goddess in Chinese mythology, created mankind. The infinite possibilities of nature are often captured in mythological stories. With the development of modern science, scientists have discovered that the proteins essential for life are basically composed of 20 natural amino acids. However, the universe of amino acids extends far beyond these 20. In recent years, through various research methods, scientists have synthesized a variety of non-canonical amino...