Search Results (990)

Background and Objectives: The nomenclature of calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease remains confusing, with different labels used interchangeably to describe the disease. Although ‘CPPD disease’ is the term that has been recommended by EULAR since 2011, ‘pseudogout’ remains the most frequently used label in the medical literature. This study aimed to investigate how the labels ‘CPPD disease’ versus ‘pseudogout’ affect the public’s perceptions of the illness. Methods: In this randomized controlled single-blind study, 200 members of the public watched a 2 min video describing a form of arthritis labeled as either ‘CPPD disease’ or ‘pseudogout’. Participants then completed a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of the illness using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), with additional questions about their perceived seriousness of the illness and embarrassment associated with it, and beliefs about causes and management strategies. The primary outcome was the level of embarrassment associated with the illness. Results: Overall, embarrassment scores were low with no significant difference between the ‘CPPD disease’ and ‘pseudogout’ groups. Participants in both groups viewed the illness as being serious. There were no differences between the groups in their responses to the BIPQ, nor in their beliefs on the likely causes and management strategies. Even after a video intervention, participants’ understanding of the illness remained low. Conclusions: The labels ‘CPPD disease’ and ‘pseudogout’ do not differentially influence perceptions about the illness among members of the public. This could be due to the lack of knowledge about CPPD disease, highlighting the need to increase public awareness of this important condition. Full article

Background: Although there is a compendium of species diversity for the Flora of North America, including the Fabaceae, many legume species were excluded. Therefore, this study fills this information gap and updates the systematics and nomenclature of this group in accordance with the new changes proposed by the LPWG. Objective: To update the taxonomy and to document the species richness and endemism of the tribes Desmodieae, Millettieae, Psoraleeae, Robinieae, Sesbanieae, Sophoreae, and Trifolieae (Fabaceae) in northeastern Mexico. Methods: The study is based primarily on the botanical specimens collected by some of the authors during the last 45 years and the review of national and international herbaria, where legumes from northeastern Mexico are deposited. Results: Richness—A total of 7 tribes, 22 genera, and 69 species of legumes were recorded, and distributed as follows: Desmodieae (four genera, 29 species; Millettieae, three genera, nine species); Psoraleeae (two genera, four species); Robinieae (five genera, eight species); Sesbanieae (one genus, two species); Sophoreae (four genera, seven species), and Trifolieae (three genera, nine species). Endemism—A total of 15 of the 69 species recorded in the northeastern region are endemic to Mexico (22%). Five of the seven tribes under study have endemic taxa in the northeastern part of the country: Desmodieae (two species), Robinieae (two species), Sophoreae (three species), and Trifolieae (one species). Desmodium is the genus with the highest number of endemic species (4), followed by Dermatophyllum with two species. Conclusions: The diversity of legume species in the studied tribes in northeastern Mexico is high; almost a quarter of the species studied are endemic to this region. Therefore, it is necessary and a priority to create policies and appropriate practical measures for the conservation of the ecosystems where these taxa thrive. Full article

Background/Objectives: Structured cytopathology reporting systems attach an evidence-based risk of malignancy (ROM) to every diagnostic category for the thyroid, salivary gland, urinary tract, lung and other sites. None exists for the oral cavity, and the ROM of an oral brush cytology category has not, to our knowledge, been reported. Methods: All oral liquid-based cytology specimens accessioned at one tertiary dental hospital between 2015 and 2024 were reviewed; those with a site-concordant histopathological diagnosis obtained within 90 days formed the analytic cohort (n = 137). Cytological reports were recovered from primary laboratory records and assigned to a five-tier ordinal scale. The target condition was malignancy or high-grade dysplasia, and diagnostic indices were calculated at every ordinal threshold with Wilson 95% confidence intervals. Results: ROM rose monotonically: 15.6% (95% CI 8.7–26.4) for negative, 53.3% (30.1–75.2) for atypical favoring reactive, 76.9% (61.7–87.4) for atypical cells of undetermined significance (ACUS), 87.5% (52.9–97.8) for atypical favoring neoplastic and 100% (74.1–100) for malignancy. The ACUS value far exceeded that of the similarly named tier in the thyroid (22%) and salivary gland (30.5%) systems and fell within the range spanned by their suspicious-for-malignancy tiers (74% and 83.8%). Malignancy was never reported in a histologically benign or low-grade lesions. Sensitivity at the ACUS threshold was 25.0% in keratotic against 79.3% in non-keratotic lesions (p = 0.004). Conclusions: These are, to our knowledge, the first category-specific ROM estimates for oral brush cytology, and they identify a nomenclature problem: a category named for the pathologist’s uncertainty carried a risk equivalent to suspicious for malignancy elsewhere; while a negative report was followed by disease in one lesion in six. Any oral reporting system should attach an explicit ROM to each category; our exploratory data further suggest that the surface keratinization of the sampled lesion should be recorded. Full article

Non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPHT) is defined as portal hypertension (PHT) occurring in the absence of cirrhosis. Major etiological causes of NCPHT include immunological disorders, chronic infections, exposure to medications or toxins, prothrombotic conditions, and several genetic syndromes, highlighting that NCPHT is not a single disease but a shared phenotype arising from diverse underlying pathways. NCPHT is frequently misdiagnosed, largely due to inconsistent nomenclature and limited scientific literature. The broader term non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF) or porto-sinusoidal vascular disease (PSVD) includes patients in a preclinical stage who demonstrate histological features similar to NCPHT but lack clinical evidence of PHT. Early detection is linked to a favorable prognosis and improved clinical outcomes. Management strategies in pediatrics continue to rely on extrapolations from adult practice, with sparse evidence to guide pediatric care. Liver biopsy remains the cornerstone of diagnosis, demonstrating nodular regenerative hyperplasia, obliterative portal venopathy, or incomplete septal fibrosis. Management focuses on prophylactic and symptomatic care, with endoscopic therapy for controlling variceal bleeding. Porto-systemic shunts and, ultimately, liver transplantation therapies may be needed for advanced stages. A pressing need exists for standardized diagnostic criteria and multicenter studies to define natural history, refine risk stratification, and evaluate therapeutic approaches in the pediatric population. This review provides an overview of the pediatric causes of NCPHT, outlines the current understanding of pathophysiology, and discusses the clinical presentations and management strategies, while highlighting existing research gaps. Full article

Methotrexate (MTX) remains central to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and several malignancies, yet its use is complicated by dose-dependent toxicity, variable oral exposure, photolability, and pH-dependent solubility. Cyclodextrins (CDs) can alter the molecular environment of MTX, but the literature often conflates true inclusion complexes with formulations in which CD merely forms part of a larger carrier. This review critically distinguishes direct MTX–CD complexes, dosage forms built from a preformed complex, CD-containing carriers without direct evidence of cavity occupancy, and covalent MTX–CD conjugates. Particular attention is given to binding stoichiometry, apparent association constants, guest orientation, preparation methods, and the evidence needed to establish inclusion. Both solution-state host–guest association and isolated solid products are considered; however, solid-state changes are treated as supportive evidence rather than as stand-alone proof of cyclodextrin cavity occupancy. Among the limited head-to-head comparisons of native cyclodextrins, β-CD generally showed more favorable MTX recognition than α- or γ-CD, although the magnitude of this difference is method- and condition-dependent. Complexation can improve dissolution, photostability, and oral or local delivery; however, greater solubilization does not necessarily enhance membrane transport. In carrageenan hydrogels, β-CD increased MTX loading and release while reducing membrane permeation, illustrating the importance of the equilibrium between complexed and freely permeating drug. The most promising systems remain preclinical. Progress toward translation will require clearer nomenclature, orthogonal structural characterization, mechanism-resolving controls, and standardized pharmacokinetic and safety studies. Full article

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is recognized under the updated nomenclature as Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), is increasingly prevalent in the United States and worldwide. Emerging evidence links NAFLD to an elevated risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), yet data regarding the impact of NAFLD on inpatient outcomes among patients admitted for AF remain limited. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2016 to 2019 was used to identify adult patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of AF (ICD-10: I48.x). Patients with concurrent NAFLD were compared to those without. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for age, sex, race, insurance status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. The primary outcome was inpatient all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, inflation-adjusted hospital costs, discharge disposition, and in-hospital complications. Results: Of 1,891,479 weighted AF admissions, 13,840 carried a concurrent NAFLD diagnosis. Concurrent NAFLD was associated with longer length of stay (3.99 vs. 3.35 days, p < 0.001) (which is statistically significant though might be clinically insignificant) and higher hospital costs ($13,841.65 vs. $12,154.55, p = 0.046). No significant difference in inpatient mortality was observed. Conclusions: Concurrent NAFLD among AF hospitalizations is associated with greater resource utilization without a significant mortality difference, highlighting the importance of addressing this comorbidity to reduce the economic burden of AF-related hospitalizations. Full article

Cardiovascular diseases remain a major cause of death and disability, and the limited regenerative capacity of the adult myocardium continues to constrain recovery after myocardial infarction, ischemia/reperfusion injury, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), often described as exosome-enriched vesicle preparations, have emerged as promising cell-free mediators of cardioprotection and cardiac repair. This review evaluates the current experimental and translational evidence on sEVs in cardiac injury, including regulatory RNA and non-RNA cargo mechanisms, producer cell sources, preclinical injury models, engineered and biomaterial-assisted delivery strategies, and the development of clinically viable cell-free therapies. Across preclinical models, sEVs derived from mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac cells, cardiac progenitor cells, endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, immune cells, and other sources have been associated with improved ventricular function, reduced infarct or scar size, enhanced angiogenesis, lower apoptosis, attenuated fibrosis, and modulation of post-injury inflammation. These effects are frequently associated with changes in, or enrichment of, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs that regulate survival signaling, immune polarization, extracellular matrix remodeling, and endothelial recovery. Emerging evidence further suggests that proteins, lipids, and organelle-associated cargo, including mitochondrial components, also contribute to stress adaptation, vesicle biogenesis, mitochondrial homeostasis, and metabolic repair. However, the field remains limited by inconsistent nomenclature, variable isolation and characterization methods, heterogeneous producer cell sources, uncertain potency assays, incomplete biodistribution data, and unresolved regulatory classification. Overall, sEV-based therapy represents a compelling but still developing approach to cardiac repair. Within this framework, functional recovery is treated as an outcome of cardioprotection, cardiac repair, or, where supported, myocardial regeneration; regeneration is reserved for evidence of newly formed and functionally integrated myocardium. Future progress will depend on better product definition, mechanism-linked potency testing, scalable manufacturing, and delivery strategies matched to specific cardiac indications. Full article

Plant taxonomic knowledge contains a long tail of infrequently encountered names, diagnostic characters, and nomenclatural decisions, yet model reliability across this distribution remains unclear. We developed the Chinese-language PTTB-600, comprising 200 general, 300 ordinary specialized, and 100 long-tail fill-in questions, and evaluated 31 large language models (LLMs) or run modes under closed-book conditions without retrieval augmentation. The first author drafted the question bank and answer key; three coauthors with doctorates in plant taxonomy reviewed them independently. All models scored at least 197/200 on general questions, and 21 achieved full marks. The six highest-scoring models answered 291–297/300 ordinary specialized questions (97.0–99.0%) but achieved 63.0–90.0% accuracy on long-tail fill-in questions. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview ranked first at 587/600; ranks two through six formed a closely spaced cluster with no significant adjacent differences after Holm correction. Across 11 within-family comparisons, thinking-mode runs yielded 20–65 additional correct answers, chiefly on specialized and fill-in tasks. Factual errors were uncommon in routine undergraduate content and concentrated in the generation of rare genus names, fine diagnostic distinctions, and alternative nomenclatural treatments. Top-performing LLMs can provide reliable support for routine teaching under instructor oversight, whereas long-tail identifications and nomenclatural decisions require verification against authoritative sources. Full article

Between 1689 and 1695, Paolo Silvio Boccone (1633–1704), an Italian botanist, compiled an herbarium containing 134 plants (or organisms that were considered to be plants at the time), which is currently stored in Wrocław, Poland. The collection mainly comprises species from Sicily and other locations within the central Mediterranean area, as well as some plants from Central and Western Europe. Boccone’s motivation for creating this collection was to seek out rare or unknown plants, both wild and kept in gardens. For the first time, we have identified the plants taxonomically and provided a transcription of their polynomial names (as basonyms of the species) and their geographical locations, as indicated on the original labels in the herbarium. A map of plant locations is provided. Boccone recorded certain plants (introduced later into cultivation or imported to Europe in later centuries) merely as ornamentals kept in gardens. By querying the pharmaceutical literature from the 18th and 19th centuries, we have demonstrated that this is precisely how these exotic rarities came to be recognised as medicinal or industrial plants. Boccone also discovered the rare species Narthecium reverchonii Čelak, which is endemic to Corsica. Full article

IMGT^®, the international information system^® (IMGT), was created in 1989 by Marie-Paule Lefranc (Université de Montpellier and CNRS) in Montpellier, France, to deal with and to manage the huge diversity of immunoglobulins (IG) or antibodies and T-cell receptors (TR), which are the antigen receptors (AR) of the adaptive immune response (AIR) of jawed vertebrates. The founding of IMGT^® marked the advent of immunoinformatics, a new science which emerged at the interface between immunogenetics and bioinformatics. The biocuration of the IMGT data (IG and TR sequences, genes and structures) and the implementation of the IMGT system (7 databases, 17 tools, 25,000 Web resources pages) are based on the IMGT Scientific chart rules (keywords, labels, nomenclature, numbering…) generated from the IMGT-ONTOLOGY axioms and concepts. The IMGT nomenclature (IMGT-NC) and the IMGT unique numbering, the two pillars of immunoinformatics, have been used to define 335 engineered variants for effector properties and formats of therapeutic antibodies (including 12 chimerisotypes) and TR, fusion proteins for immune applications (FPIA) and composite proteins for clinical applications (CPCA). IMGT-NC engineered variant names from the World Health Organization (WHO) International Nonproprietary Name (INN) programme descriptions contribute to the common language for immunoinformatics and artificial intelligence (AI). Full article

Recent advances in developmental biology and single-cell transcriptomics have revealed remarkable endothelial heterogeneity within the central nervous system, leading to the identification of specialized endothelial populations at brain border regions. Among these, mural lymphatic endothelial cells, also termed brain lymphatic endothelial cells in zebrafish, have emerged as a unique non-lumenized endothelial population with distinctive developmental and functional characteristics. In this review, we critically evaluate current evidence regarding the nomenclature, developmental origin, molecular identity, functional specialization, cross-species relationships, and disease relevance of mural lymphatic endothelial cell-related populations. Current studies demonstrate that zebrafish mural lymphatic endothelial cells depend on Vegfc–Vegfr3 signaling, express multiple lymphatic-associated markers, and exhibit exceptionally strong scavenger and endocytic activity while remaining closely associated with cerebral blood vessels rather than forming conventional lymphatic vessels. Recent transcriptomic analyses further identify these cells as a transcriptionally distinct endothelial population enriched in uptake, endocytosis, and intracellular trafficking pathways. We also distinguish established evidence from unresolved questions concerning developmental lineage, functional heterogeneity, and evolutionary relationships among related cell populations described in vertebrates. Collectively, current evidence supports mural lymphatic endothelial cells as a specialized endothelial population at central nervous system borders and highlights their importance for understanding endothelial heterogeneity, neurovascular homeostasis, and future studies of neurological and cerebrovascular diseases. Full article

Numerical taxonomy reveals morphological structure, whereas classifier modeling tests identification against labeled reference hypotheses. We evaluated 70 Taiwanese Euterpnosia Matsumura, 1917 specimens representing five operational classes, using 71 external characters for unsupervised analysis and 20 non-destructive characters for supervised modeling. Broad character retention was separated from goal-specific selection: taxonomists may prespecify candidates from literature or experience, while data-driven selection remained inside training folds. In 20 × five-fold nested cross-validation, feature-screened multinomial accuracy was 95.93% (balanced accuracy 94.71%); the all-character model reached 96.57%, showing that selection need not force parsimony when a compact pool is already informative. Leave-one-species-out tests rejected omitted E. chilanensis Chen, Hsieh, Chen, Chen & Chang, 2021, E. olivacea Kato, 1927, and E. hoppo Matsumura, 1917 in 100%, 100%, and 92.0% of decisions, but E. alpina Chen, 2005 and E. varicolor Kato, 1926 only 21.1% and 35.0%. CART selected X49, X20, and X32 for a concise quantitative-key draft. The workflow can prioritize candidate diagnostic characters and support identification, abstention, and key construction, but does not independently establish species boundaries or nomenclatural conclusions. Full article

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, are nanoscale membrane-enclosed particles that transfer proteins, lipids, mRNAs, and microRNAs between cells. The same communication system is now being developed in two apparently opposing settings: mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC)-derived EVs are explored as cell-free regenerative therapeutics, whereas tumor-derived EVs can promote metastasis, immune evasion, and treatment resistance while also serving as liquid-biopsy biomarkers. Rather than treating these studies separately, this review compares them along shared mechanistic axes: producer-cell identity and state, luminal cargo, membrane and surface composition (including the biomolecular corona), dose and administration route, biodistribution, and recipient-cell context. This cross-field perspective shows that angiogenesis, immunomodulation, matrix remodeling, and tissue tropism are not intrinsically regenerative or oncogenic; their consequences depend on where, how, and to which cells EV signals are delivered. We review EV biology and MISEV2023-aligned nomenclature, examine bidirectional regenerative and cancer-associated functions, and survey engineering strategies for cargo loading and surface modification together with plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles. We further compare EVs with lipid nanoparticles, adeno-associated viruses, polymers, and virus-like particles, and discuss how engineering can improve potency and targeting while increasing manufacturing and characterization complexity. Finally, we address tumor-related safety considerations for regenerative EVs and the unresolved biological, technical, manufacturing, and regulatory questions that must be addressed for clinical translation. Full article

Typhonium is one of the most species-rich genera of Araceae in tropical Asia, with north-eastern Thailand representing an important but still incompletely documented area of diversity. During botanical surveys in northeastern Thailand, an unusual population of Typhonium was discovered in mixed deciduous forest and dry evergreen forest at 300–400 m elevation. Detailed morphological study of living plants and herbarium specimens, together with comparisons with relevant protologues, regional floras, and recently described species, confirmed that this population represents a species new to science. It is here described as Typhonium mukdahanense Chatan & Promprom, sp. nov. The new species is morphologically most similar to T. fornicatum, but differs by its taller habit, larger hastate to trisect leaf blades, more numerous primary lateral veins, larger and nearly symmetrical spathe tube, triangular reflexed spathe limb, dark red stigma with a cream-colored depressed center, sterile interstice bearing 10–14 staminodes arranged in two whorls, slightly curved and not spreading–declinate appendix, and pyriform mottled berries. It also differs from T. acetosella by its broader leaf blades, reflexed triangular spathe limb, dark red stigma, and pyriform fruits. The new species is currently known only from the type locality and is therefore provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. A detailed description, diagnosis, information on distribution, habitat, phenology, conservation status, and an identification key to morphologically similar species are provided. Full article

RASopathies are a group of genetic disorders caused by germline variants affecting the RAS/MAPK pathway. Their shared phenotypic features—craniofacial anomalies, cardiac defects, cutaneous findings, neurodevelopmental issues, and cancer predisposition—make diagnosis challenging, especially since most lack standardized clinical criteria. This study aimed to develop a practical diagnostic algorithm based on high-frequency Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) features. Key clinical variables for each RASopathy were identified through HPO, PubMed, and GeneReviews. Only findings present in 80–99% of cases or supported by expert consensus were included. A decision-tree algorithm was constructed and preliminarily evaluated using a blinded cohort of 50 individuals with confirmed molecular diagnoses. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they met the following criteria: (1) molecularly confirmed diagnosis of a RASopathy by next-generation sequencing identifying a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant; (2) availability of complete phenotypic records in the institutional clinical database; and (3) age at evaluation between 0 and 18 years. Patients were excluded if phenotypic data were incomplete or if molecular confirmation was absent. The algorithm integrates phenotypic patterns and genotype–phenotype correlations. Validation showed 78% accuracy (95% CI: 64.0–88.4%) for clinical diagnosis and 66% accuracy (95% CI: 51.2–78.8%) for molecular prediction. To our knowledge, this is the first HPO-based diagnostic algorithm for the clinical and molecular approach to RASopathies. It provides a structured, accessible tool to improve early recognition and guide molecular testing, particularly for the RASopathy subtypes represented in the validation cohort. Further external validation including underrepresented subtypes is required. Full article