Pathological cardiac fibrosis is a central hallmark of chronic heart failure, characterized by the maladaptive transformation of quiescent cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) into α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-expressing myofibroblasts. This phenotypic shift drives the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, which significantly impairs ventricular compliance and cardiac function. Previous studies have established the unfolded protein response (UPR) as a conserved cellular stress-response pathway involved in restoring endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteostasis, yet its direct contributions to the fibrotic transcriptional machinery in the heart are not fully elucidated.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is a life-threatening complication in patients with cervical cancer that can significantly worsen survival and treatment outcomes. Although several clinical risk assessment tools are available, they primarily rely on laboratory measurements obtained at a single time point, limiting their ability to capture the evolving biological processes that precede thrombosis. While deep learning models have demonstrated strong predictive performance, their limited interpretability and high computational demands remain barriers to routine clinical implementation.

Tanshinones—the bioactive compounds responsible for the cardiovascular benefits of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza—accumulate at relatively low levels in the plant, limiting their therapeutic and commercial potential. 

Researchers have developed a laboratory method that transforms sheep bone into a realistic model of osteoporosis.

A recent study led by the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with the Correctional Services Department, has demonstrated that mass screening of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among persons in custody (PICs) is a cost-effective strategy. By enabling early identification and treatment of infected PICs, this approach can offer measurable health benefits. The data provides strong evidence to support the implementation of systematic prison-based HCV screening in Hong Kong. The findings were published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.

A joint research team led by the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New York University and Newcastle University, has found that a combination of policies and service measures could enhance the value and affordability of esketamine nasal spray, a novel rapid-acting treatment for adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Hong Kong. The study found that measures such as price negotiation, value-based access arrangements, optimised service delivery and targeted patient selection could help make esketamine more accessible while maintaining the sustainability of the healthcare system. The findings were published in PLOS Medicine.

A vicarious calibration model enables quantitative applications of Fengyun-3 satellite ocean color data

Tidal currents flood and ebb with the tide, but their motion does not average to zero everywhere over a tidal cycle.