Prototheca wickerhamii Causing Toe Infection Presenting Initially as Gouty Arthritis: A Rare Case Report.

Prototheca, a genus of opportunistic pathogenic microalgae, can cause protothecosis in humans and animals, manifesting as cutaneous lesions or disseminated/systemic infections. This report describes a rare case of Prototheca wickerhamii toe infection in a 78-year-old Chinese male, presenting initially as gouty arthritis. The patient, who worked in fish farming with frequent water exposure, had a history of herpes zoster and hypertension.

Brain functional alterations in type 2 diabetes with obstructive sleep apnea patients: A multicenter resting-state fMRI study.

Objective: This multicenter study aimed to investigate resting-state brain functional alterations in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) comorbid with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and to elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms.

Methods: A total of 139 participants were enrolled from two centers, including 48 healthy controls (HCs), 46 T2DM patients, and 45 T2DM with OSA patients. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to assess brain function using degree centrality (DC), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), and seed-based functional connectivity (FC).

Connectivity-based localization and mapping of central epilepsy semiology.

Objective: Semiology-based preoperative anatomical hypotheses are necessary, yet comprehensive reports on the semiology and its correlation with central subregions in central epilepsy has still lacked. We wished to identify semiologic subgroups and their correlations with central subregions.

Methods: We retrospectively included 21 patients with central epilepsy identified by stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG).

Regional Transcriptomic Architecture of Glioblastoma Reveals NUCB2 as a Key Orchestrator of Tumour Aggression and Immune Dysfunction.

Glioblastoma (GBM) exhibits remarkable intra-tumoral heterogeneity, which contributes to therapeutic resistance and poor clinical outcomes. In this study, we employed integrative single-cell RNA sequencing analysis across two complementary public datasets encompassing diverse cellular populations from GBM centre and periphery regions to elucidate potential spatial molecular programmes driving tumour progression. Our analyses revealed substantial transcriptomic divergence between anatomically distinct tumour regions, with NUCB2 emerging as significantly upregulated in centre-residing neural progenitor cell-like (NPC-like) tumour cells.

Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting 30-day outcomes in patients with unruptured vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms undergoing endovascular treatment: a multicenter cohort study.

Background: Endovascular treatment (EVT) of vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms (VBDAs) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, significantly influencing patient prognosis. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting 30-day outcomes in patients with unruptured VBDAs undergoing EVT.

Methods: This retrospective study included 606 patients with unruptured VBDAs who underwent EVT at 10 institutions between January 2015 and April 2025, with 491 in the training cohort and 115 in the validation cohort.

Edge-centric Brain Connectome Representations Reveal Increased Brain Functional Diversity of Reward Circuit in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been increasingly understood as a disorder of network-level functional dysconnectivity. However, previous brain connectome studies have primarily relied on node-centric approaches, neglecting critical edge-edge interactions that may capture essential features of network dysfunction.

Methods: This study included resting-state functional MRI data from 838 MDD patients and 881 healthy controls (HC) across 23 sites.

Investigating the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus on brain function in obstructive sleep apnea patients using regional homogeneity and seed-based functional connectivity methods.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) on brain function in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) using Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) combined with seed-based Functional Connectivity (FC) methods.

Materials And Methods: 46 OSA patients, 38 OSA with T2DM patients, and 34 healthy controls (HC) were prospectively recruited. Clinical data were collected from all participants, and neuropsychological testing was performed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

Microorganisms in mosquitoes for controlling mosquito-borne viral diseases: from lab to field.

Mosquito-borne viral diseases pose a growing global health threat, with over half of the world's population living in high-risk areas. In the absence of effective vaccines or antiviral therapies for most mosquito-borne viruses, vector control remains the primary strategy. However, traditional insecticides face rising resistance and ecological concerns.

Characteristics of the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) and [F] 9-fluoropropyl-(+)-dihydrotetrabenazine (F-FP-DTBZ) positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Aim: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is common in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study compared cerebral metabolism and dopaminergic function in PD patients with MCI (PD-MCI) versus those with normal cognition (PD-NC) and healthy controls (HC).

Material And Methods: A total of 78 PD patients (40 PD-MCI, 38 PD-NC) and 28 HC underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (F-FDG PET) (metabolism) and [F] 9-fluoropropyl-(+)-dihydrotetrabenazine (F-FP-DTBZ) PET (dopaminergic vesicular transporter).

Effects of a 6-week semi-supervised exercise training program on physical fitness and mental health in post-COVID-19 healthcare workers: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Healthcare workers rank among the groups that are most vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Deterioration in physical fitness and mental health is a common manifestation in the post-COVID-19 person, which require specific and effective treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 6-week, semi-supervised exercise intervention on physical fitness and mental health in post-COVID-19 healthcare workers (HCWs).

Investigating serum NRF2 as a screening biomarker and potential therapeutic target in diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective observational study.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) levels and the severity of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and to identify potential risk factors in severe DFU patients. Understanding this relationship could offer insights into mechanisms underlying DFU progression and inform diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Methods: This prospective observational study included 195 DFU patients from January 2023 to May 2024, categorized into mild and severe groups using the Wagner classification system.

Effects of standardised patients (SP) combined with case-based learning (CBL) in Chinese clinical education: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Combining standardised patients (SP) with case-based learning (CBL) enriches the learning experience by immersing learners in diverse clinical scenarios. This meta-analysis study aims to assess the intervention effects of this teaching approach on Chinese medical students' and resident physicians' teaching satisfaction, theoretical knowledge achievements and clinical practice performance.

Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis through Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement.

Primary endobronchial epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma: A case report and literature review.

Pulmonary epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (P-EMC) is a rare type of salivary gland tumour of the lung. Due to its rarity and lack of long-term follow-up data, there is no established standard for optimal treatment or duration of follow-up. The present study reports the case of a 58-year-old female patient with P-EMC originating from the middle part of the bronchus and presenting as an endobronchial mass in the left superior lobe.

Unveiling Adrenal Ganglioneuroma in a 6-Year-Old Boy: Imaging Insights and Minimally Invasive Treatment.

Adrenal ganglioneuroma (AGN) is a rare benign neurogenic tumor originating from neural crest cells, particularly in pediatric populations. This is a case report of a 6-year-old boy with a 7-day history of intermittent periumbilical abdominal pain, who was physically healthy and had no family genetic history. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a retroperitoneal mass, suggesting a neurogenic origin.

Endovascular embolization for ruptured intracranial aneurysms: efficacy and effects on oxidative stress levels.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of endovascular embolization in treating ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIAs).

Methods: RIA patients (n = 89) were grouped according to different surgical methods. The control group (n = 42) received aneurysm clipping surgery, whereas the observation group (n = 47) received endovascular embolization.

Prediction of lymphovascular invasion in invasive breast cancer via intratumoral and peritumoral multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging machine learning-based radiomics with Shapley additive explanations interpretability analysis.

Background: The use of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in breast cancer has been well-documented in the literature. However, the majority of the related studies have primarily focused on intratumoral characteristics, overlooking the potential contribution of peritumoral features. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of multiparametric MRI in predicting LVI by analyzing both intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics features and to assess the added value of incorporating both regions in LVI prediction.

ABI3BP deficiency alleviates Ang II-induced VSMC senescence through the Nrf2 signalling pathway.

Vascular aging is a critical independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet its precise molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we generated an ABI3BP knockout mouse to investigate the role of ABI3BP deficiency in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced vascular aging. The results demonstrated that ABI3BP was highly expressed in AngII-induced senescent vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) and vascular tissues, with significantly increased expression also observed in the blood vessels of naturally aged mice.

Neoadjuvant PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as a potential treatment option for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but their comparative efficacy and safety remain unclear. This meta-analysis evaluated pathological outcomes and adverse events of neoadjuvant PD-(L)1 inhibitors across different therapeutic approaches. A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases), from their inception to December 21, 2024, for studies investigating neoadjuvant PD-(L)1 inhibitors in patients with MIBC.

Copper pyrithione exposure-induced copper accumulation compromises mouse oocyte maturation.

Copper exhibited serious toxicity while its accumulation was beyond the physiological threshold. Copper pyrithione (CPT) consists of two PT molecules and copper, is a new generation booster anti-fouling biocides agent widespread globally. The potential harmful impacts of CPT whether via copper accumulation have raised concern among people.

Multifaceted safety concerns of glibenclamide in managing type 2 diabetes: Evidence from real-world adverse event analysis.

Background: Glibenclamide (Gli), a second-generation sulfonylurea, has been widely used for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) due to its potent glucose-lowering effect and affordability. Recently, renewed scientific interest has emerged due to its potential anti-aging effects, mediated through mitochondrial function modulation and epigenetic regulation. Despite its longstanding clinical use, Gli's comprehensive real-world safety profile remains incompletely understood.

Preparation and evaluation of immediate and modified release tablets contained diphenidol hydrochloride.

Motion sickness (MS) is a common phenomenon in life and nearly all individuals will experience MS at least once in their lives. Diphenidol hydrochloride (DPN) is widely used in China for the pharmacotherapy of MS at the dosages of 25 mg every 6-8 h as needed. The conventional DPN tablets may present inconvenience for individuals embarking on extended sea voyages, as they require multiple daily doses.

Clinical application of radiofrequency technology in the treatment of facial skin wrinkles and laxity.

Background: Aging is an inevitable aspect of human life, characterized by the gradual decline in the function of individual cells and structural components, including bones, muscles, and ligaments.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical effects of radiofrequency technology in treating facial skin wrinkles and laxity.

Methods: This study included 60 female patients, aged 36-58 years (mean age 47.

Microplastic-metal-microbiota interactions in the flesh fly Boettcherisca peregrina larvae reared on contaminated livestock manure.

Microplastics in livestock manure pose a growing environmental concern, which could possibly enhance the bioavailability of heavy metals to flesh fly, such as the Boettcherisca peregrina, a candidate biological agent for manure valorization. In this study, the impact of polystyrene microplastics (PS MPs, 0-0.1 mg/g) on larval growth, heavy metal accumulation and gut microbiota in B.

Inactivation mechanisms of Na/ cotransporter NBCe1 by phosphorylation.

The solute carriers (SLC) superfamily comprises 66 families with more than 450 members. The Na/ cotransporter NBCe1 (SLC4A4) of SLC4 family plays critical roles in intracellular pH regulation and transepithelial transport of fluid and electrolytes. Here, we explored the structural mechanisms of NBCe1-A regulation by two phosphorylation modules: P-loop in the amino-terminal domain and H-loop in the transmembrane domain.