Search Results (131)

Background: CIC-rearranged sarcoma is a rare and aggressive type of undifferentiated round cell tumor characterized by CIC gene fusion, most commonly CIC::DUX4. This study presents a series of eleven cases, highlighting their clinicopathological features. Methods: Pathology records (2019 to 2024) were searched using “sarcoma with CIC”, identifying eleven cases, of which seven referred cases were initially misdiagnosed. Pathological and clinical analysis was conducted. Treatment was dictated upon multidisciplinary panel discussion based on tumor stage. Follow-up data (1–25 months) was available for all patients. Results: The cohort included six males and five females, with a median age of 43 years (range;14–53), with nine in soft tissue and two in bone. Tumor size ranged from 3.5 cm to 20.0 cm (mean: 9.8 cm). Most cases showed sheets of undifferentiated round- to oval-shaped cells. Two cases showed an Ewing-like pattern, and one case showed spindle cells in a fibrotic stroma transitioning to epithelioid cells. Necrosis was present in nine cases, and mitotic count ranged from 2 to 38/ 10HPFs (mean = 14.2). CD99 was positive in (10/11) cases and WT-1 in (6/9). NKX2.2, S100, and MDM2 were positive in rare cases. CIC::DUX4 fusion was detected in four cases. FISH for CIC gene rearrangement was positive in seven cases, two of them confirmed by methylation analysis. Metastasis at diagnosis was common (n = 8), primarily in the lungs, with later metastasis to the brain and bone. At time of final analysis, eight patients died within a median of 10 months (range: 1–19 months), while three were alive, two with stable disease (for a period of 6 and 25 months) and one with progression after 10 months. Significant correlation was seen between overall survival and the presence of metastasis at diagnosis (p value = 0.03). Conclusions: CIC-rearranged sarcomas are rare, high-grade tumors with predilection for soft tissue. Misdiagnosis is frequent, necessitating molecular confirmation. These tumors are treatment-resistant, often present with lung metastasis, and carry a poor prognosis, especially with initial metastasis. Full article

Pollinating fig wasps (Agaonidae) engage in an obligate mutualism with Ficus species, which is mediated by host-specific chemical cues. However, the role of visual perception in host recognition remains poorly understood, particularly because of a lack of structural studies of their compound eyes. We investigated the ocular morphology of female Ceratosolen gravelyi (exclusive pollinator of F. semicordata) using scanning/transmission electron microscopy. The oval apposition eyes contain 228–263 ommatidia, which are asymmetrically distributed between the left and right eyes. Each ommatidium comprises a biconvex corneal lens overlying a tetrapartite eucone crystalline cone; proximal cone cells reveal an interlaced labyrinth. Pigment cells encapsulate each ommatidium, and numerous pigment granules and mitochondria are present in both pigment and retinular cells. Nine retinular cells comprise a unit, with eight photoreceptors (R1–R8) forming the rhabdom from the cone base to the basal matrix; a ninth cell replaces R8 in the apical third of the rhabdom. Optical metrics, including F-number (1.1°), acceptance angle (10.0°), and ommatidial sensitivity (0.26 µm²/sr), indicate diurnal activity in bright environments. These adaptations suggest that their eyes are critical for processing visual cues during host interactions, which advances our understanding of multimodal sensory integration in fig–wasp mutualism. Full article

This study systematically investigated two ecotypes of Ulva prolifera, the dominant species responsible for green tides in the Yellow Sea, classified as Subtype I (strain I08-1) and Subtype II (strain QD-7). Both subtypes produce positively phototactic biflagellate gametes with oval/pear-shaped morphology but exhibit distinct cellular dimensions. Subtype I gametes demonstrated significantly larger cell sizes, with long and short axes measuring 6.55 μm and 4.62 μm, respectively, compared to Subtype II’s dimensions of 6.46 μm (long axis) and 3.03 μm (short axis). Developmental analysis revealed striking morphological divergence at the 6-day germling stage: Subtype I attained an average length of 1301.14 μm, more than doubling Subtype II’s 562.25 μm. Superior growth kinetics were observed in Subtype I, exhibiting enhanced specific growth rates (SGRs) across multiple parameters—main stem length (8.58% vs. 3.55%), primary branch elongation (19.17% vs. 12.59%), main stem width expansion (17.29% vs. 5.00%), and biomass accumulation (41.90% vs. 40.96% fresh weight). Chlorophyll quantification confirmed significantly higher pigment content in Subtype I. Pre-co-culture photosynthetic profiling demonstrated Subtype I’s superior quantum efficiency (α = 0.077 vs. 0.045) with marked differences in regulated energy dissipation (YNPQ) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). Post-co-culture physiological adaptation was evident in Subtype II, showing significant elevation of non-regulated energy dissipation quantum yield (YNO) and eventual surpassing of maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax) compared to Subtype I. These findings establish that U. prolifera employs robust photoprotective and thermal adaptation strategies under natural photothermal conditions. Crucially, YNO-based analysis revealed Subtype II’s enhanced high-light protection mechanisms and superior adaptability to intense irradiance environments. This research elucidates ecotype-specific environmental adaptation mechanisms in U. prolifera, providing critical insights for optimizing green tide mitigation strategies and advancing ecological understanding of algal bloom dynamics. Full article

Background/Objectives: Radiodermitis is an inflammatory or dystrophic skin process caused by the direct action of ionizing radiation. The primary objective was to study two clinical cases. The secondary objective was to propose the foundations of an intelligent system for decision support in complex cases of radiodermitis diagnosis that can operate even in the case of a low amount of available clinical data that can be used for training. Methods: The first case is a female patient, aged 74 years, with squamous cell carcinoma on a chronic radiodermitis site, which appeared after 20 years of local radiotherapy treatment for mammary adenocarcinoma. Dermatologic examination revealed five round-oval nodules between 2 and 8 cm in diameter. They were pink colored with lilac edges, hard and infiltrated on palpation, adherent to the subcutaneous tissue, painless, and located above and lateral on the right chest and the upper region of the right hypochondrium. The second case concerns a 60-year-old patient with verrucous squamous cell carcinoma appearing on a chronic radiodermatitis 40 years after local radio-therapeutic treatment with Chaoul rays for a deep right temporal region mycosis. There are presented artificial intelligence (AI) challenges regarding the application of advanced hybrid models in decision support for diagnosis of difficult radiodermitis cases, in that intelligent computing must be made in the context of very little available data, and collaboration between physicians is necessary. Results: Both cases were confirmed by histology as squamos cell carcinomas. In the AI research, the adaptation of the IntMediSys intelligent system was proposed for solving complex cases of radiodermitis. The proposal integrates different AI technologies, which include agents, intelligent computing, and blackboard systems. Conclusions: The presented first cases confirm the presence of a squamous cell carcinoma that appeared on chronic radiodermitis after a long latency. The foundations of a highly complex collaboration and decision support system that can assist physicians in the radiodermitis diagnostics establishment that opens the path for further development are presented. Full article

Background: Splenic B-cell lymphomas and leukaemias include hairy cell leukaemia, splenic marginal zone lymphoma, splenic diffuse red pulp small B-cell lymphoma, and splenic B-cell lymphoma/leukaemia with prominent nucleoli. The main diagnostic challenge is to differentiate between splenic B-cell lymphomas and leukaemias due to highly overlapping clinical, morphologic, and phenotypic features in the absence of splenectomies for diagnostic purposes. Case presentation: We describe a case of a 78-year-old woman who presented with weight loss and was subsequently found to have pancytopenia, lymphocytosis, and splenomegaly. Peripheral blood smear showed a homogenous population of small- to medium-sized lymphocytes having oval nuclei, condensed chromatin, and villous cytoplasmic projections. Bone marrow showed B-cell infiltrate in a predominantly intrasinusoidal pattern. Except for cyclin D1 and BRAF, the immunophenotype was similar to that of hairy cell leukaemia. This was further supported by the lack of BRAF p.V600E mutation by polymerase chain reaction. A diagnosis of splenic diffuse red pulp small B-cell lymphoma was thus favored based on the lack of cyclin D1 expression and pattern of infiltration in the bone marrow biopsy. Conclusions: Awareness of this infrequent clinical presentation and immunophenotype of splenic diffuse red pulp small B-cell lymphoma is crucial for diagnosis and devising appropriate therapeutic strategies for the patient. Full article

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important regulator of cellular energy homeostasis, and AMPK contributes to cell growth, apoptosis, and autophagy. Although most cell studies have been performed using two-dimensional (2D) cell culture, recent studies have demonstrated that the three-dimensional (3D) spheroid technique is helpful in various cell research fields, such as tumor biology, due to its resemblance to the 3D tissue structure. However, the role of AMPK in 3D spheroid formation has not been characterized clearly. This study used the AMPK knockout cell line to examine the role of AMPK in 3D spheroid formation and is the first report describing the generation of 3D spheroids using AMPK knockout cells. While control cells produced round spheroids with a similar length-to-width ratio, AMPK knockout produced an oval shape with a more significant length-to-width ratio. We demonstrate that AMPK knockout spheroids contain significantly more prominent lysosomes in each cell, indicating that autophagic flux is impaired in 3D spheroids. Finally, flow cytometry analysis showed that AMPK knockout spheroids contain more apoptotic cells than control cells. These results indicate that AMPK is required for efficient 3D spheroid formation. Full article

The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch) bulb extracts and evaluation of their antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant properties were investigated. The crude plant extracts were prepared using distilled water, ethanol, and methanol for a comparison. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized via UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV–VIS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed using the UV–VIS spectra at 550 nm. The TEM confirmed the nanoparticle morphology as a mixed dispersed sphere, oval, and triangular shapes with a size range of 7.8 nm to 31.3 nm. The secondary metabolites were detected using TLC, DPPH, and LC-MS. Antimicrobial activity was assessed based on agar-well diffusion; cytotoxicity was examined through MTS assays. Various phytochemical constituents were detected through TLC and LC-MS. The crude extracts and methanol-extract-capped AgNP were able to scavenge free radicals, as shown by the developments of inhibitory bands on the TLC plate. The agar well diffusion test revealed that the AgNP capped methanol extract had potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative multidrug resistant bacteria in comparison with penicillin and neomycin, with inhibition zones ranging between 10 mm and 14 mm for the methanol-extract-capped AgNP. The in vitro MTS assay revealed that methanol crude extracts and methanol-extract-capped AgNP had a less cytotoxic effect on the HEK293 cells in comparison with untreated cells (control). We therefore conclude that methanol was the best reducing solvent with the best overall nanoparticle morphology and performance in antimicrobial and cytotoxicity, in comparison to ethanol and distilled water. Full article

Hemileia vastatrix coffee leaf rust reduces Mexican coffee production by 51%. We aimed to analyze the size and distribution of H. vastatrix urediniospores among coffee plantations, as well as the morphological structures of the uredinium. In 2015, 65 leaf samples with rust symptoms were collected from 17 coffee cultivars grown at various altitudes (229–1649 m) under different environmental conditions in 14 regions of four Mexican states. A total of 30 spores per sample were measured and grouped using the Ward centroid method, and the group distribution was analyzed. Uredinia morphology was examined via electron microscopy, and the identity of the rust was confirmed. We identified eight significant spore groups. Groups 8h and 3a had the smallest and largest spores, respectively, which were distributed in two and one state, respectively, at different altitudes. The spores in groups 1b–7f were variable within the intermediate size range, and their distribution was at least one group per state under temperate, warm, and humid conditions. The uredinium had double-cell walls in the pedicels and urediniospores, a split septum, spores with hilum and protuberances, and an oval spore shape; anastomosis was detected on vegetative hyphae and haustoria. These findings may reflect gaps in knowledge in the biological cycle of this rust. Full article

Cytologic diagnosis of extra-adrenal paraganglioma presenting as a peripancreatic mass is challenging, with a high rate of diagnostic error. We present a case of a peripancreatic mass identified by radiology as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the mass showed a moderately cellular tumor composed of small-to-medium-sized neoplastic cells with round-to-oval nuclei arranged singly and in loose clusters. The cells were positive for neuroendocrine markers (synaptophysin and chromogranin) and negative for CD117. A diagnosis of neoplasm with a neuroendocrine tumor (NET) was made based on FNA cytology. The subsequent surgical resection of the tumor revealed peripancreatic paraganglioma with immunohistochemistry positive for synaptophysin, chromogranin, and S100. The latter delineated the sustentacular cells. Although paraganglioma is a well-recognized tumor, a detailed comparison of peripancreatic paraganglioma versus pancreatic/gastrointestinal NET is still lacking. Full article

This study aims to develop an optimized method for cryopreserving the germ cells of Lissachatina fulica (L. fulica) using vitrification, as an alternative approach for conserving endangered snail species. First, we isolated several key reproductive organs, including the sperm oviduct, albumen gland, hermaphrodite gland (ovotestis), and hermaphrodite duct from L. fulica. When the ovotestis was finely chopped, numerous sperm with long tails and distinct heads were observed. The staining of sperm nuclei was confirmed using Hoechst 33342 dye. Since the hermaphrodite gland, referred to as the ovotestis, contains both male and female germ cells, we performed tissue staining on the ovotestis using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) dye. H&E staining of the ovotestis revealed numerous oval-shaped acini containing sperm and early germ cells. Spermatocytes and spermatids were observed within distinct boundaries, with mature sperm appearing following spermatogenesis. To preserve the species of the L. fulica, we introduced vitrification technology to cryopreserve its reproductive organs. The non-vitrification group showed an average cell viability of 96.6%, while the vitrification group had 86.8% after thawing. This study presents a reliable cryopreservation protocol for L. fulica, with potential applications for other endangered snails, supporting conservation efforts to preserve genetic resources and biodiversity. Full article

Cutaneous metastases from clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRC) are uncommon and often indicate a poor prognosis. These metastases typically occur on the scalp, face, and trunk, and they can be difficult to diagnose due to their resemblance to benign dermatological tumors. We report the case of a 56-year-old patient with a history of ccRC (TNM stage 4) who was referred to our dermatology department with two rapidly enlarging, painful lesions on the left jawline and scalp, which had developed one month and one week earlier, respectively. On examination, the lesions appeared as well-defined, round to oval plaques with a central ulceration and a peripheral red rim, suggestive of an inflammatory appearance. Dermoscopic examination revealed a structureless pink to orange pattern, atypical central vessels, and irregular linear vessels in a corona-like arrangement. Despite the patient’s stable oncological treatment for six months, pain management had recently included paracetamol, tramadol, and NSAIDs. The primary presumptive diagnosis was of cutaneous metastasis, considering the patient’s history of metastatic ccRC. However, given the recent initiation of new pharmacological agents, the rapid progression of the cutaneous lesions, and their clinical presentation, alternative differential diagnoses were considered, including drug-induced reactions such as erythema multiforme or fixed drug eruption. A biopsy of the facial lesion revealed immunohistochemical positivity for CD10, CAIX, and PAX8, confirming the diagnosis of metastatic ccRC with sarcomatoid differentiation. Unfortunately, despite continued targeted therapies and palliative care, the patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to death two months later. This case highlights the potential for extremely rapidly evolving cutaneous metastases from ccRC and their capacity to occasionally mimic atypical drug eruptions. Additionally, it reaffirms the poor prognosis of such metastases, as evidenced by the patient’s death within two months. Full article

Nematocysts, specialized stinging cells in cnidarians, play a crucial role in both defense and prey capture, containing venomous, coiled tubes within a capsule. While box jellyfish are recognized as a medical threat, information on the nematocysts of species like Gershwinia thailandensis and Morbakka sp. from Thai waters remains sparse. This study explores the types and morphology of nematocysts found in the tentacles of these species using light and scanning electron microscopy. We identified three nematocyst types: club-shaped microbasic p-mastigophores, oval isorhizas, and oval microbasic p-rhopaloids. Notably, significant differences in capsule sizes were observed, especially in the microbasic p-mastigophores and isorhizas. The discharge tubules tapered from the proximal to the distal ends, featuring arrow-shaped spines in a helical pattern. A distinct lancet structure was present in both microbasic p-mastigophores and p-rhopaloids. These findings suggest that variations in nematocyst size and morphology may be linked to evolutionary adaptations, functional roles, and venom toxicity. Further research into venom discharge mechanisms could offer valuable insights into the ecological and medical importance of these cnidarians. Full article

Oval cells (OCs) is the name of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) in rodents. They are a small population of cells in the liver with the remarkable ability to proliferate and regenerate hepatocytes and cholangiocytes in response to acute liver damage. Isolating OCs generally requires a pretreatment with special diets, chemicals, and/or surgery to induce hepatic damage and OC proliferation in mice. Unfortunately, these pretreatments are not only painful for the mice but also increase the cost of the assays, and the effects on the different organs as well as on various liver cells are still unclear. Therefore, the search for a protocol to obtain OCs without prior liver damage is mandatory. In our study, we present a protocol to isolate murine OCs from healthy liver (HL-OCs) and compare them with OCs isolated from mice pretreated with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC-OCs). Our results demonstrated that cells derived from untreated mice exhibited similar behavior to those from treated mice in terms of surface marker expression, proliferation, and differentiation capacity. Therefore, given the impracticability of isolating human cells with prior hepatotoxic treatment, our model holds promise for enabling the isolation of progenitor cells from human tissue in the future. This advancement could prove invaluable for translational medicine in the understanding and treatment of liver diseases. Full article

Background and objectives: Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) are morphologically heterogeneous tumors characterized by the NAB2::STAT6 gene fusion. Clinical outcomes may vary widely, and while most cases have favorable outcomes, some can progress to aggressive disease, manifesting as recurrence and metastasis, and ultimately resulting in patient death. Herein, we analyze the immunological tumor microenvironment (ITME) of SFTs, aiming to determine its prognostic value and correlation with established risk stratification systems (RSSs). Methods: A retrospective observational multicenter study of 52 fusion-confirmed SFTs with clinical follow-up data. Immunohistochemical analysis including CD163, CD68, CD3, CD8, CD20, PDL-1, PD-1, and LAG1 were evaluated in tissue microarrays, using an analog scale with scores ranging from 0 to 3 (0 = ≤9, 1 = 10–49, 2 = 50–99, and 3 = >100 positive cells per 10 high-power fields). The expression of these markers was correlated with clinical outcomes, morphological characteristics previously evaluated in whole slide tissue sections (hypercellularity/hypocellularity, round–oval or spindle dominant constituent cell (DCC) morphology, and necrosis), Ki67, overall survival, and RSS. Results: Only one of the fifty-two cases studied showed progression. In the multivariate analysis, neither the presence nor absence of immune cells (B-lymphocytes, T-lymphocytes, and macrophages) showed any association with the assessed RSSs (Demicco, Sugita, G-score, and Huang). Interestingly, the case that showed progression had high immune infiltrate with expression of CD68, CD163, CD8, and CD20 markers (score of 3). Round–oval cell morphology was associated with the presence of higher levels of CD163 macrophages. Lastly, the scant presence of CD20+ lymphocytes correlated with less necrosis, and cases with higher PDL-1 expression correlated with increased Ki67 values. All cases were negative for LAG-1 and PD-1. Conclusions: SFT ITME components correlated with independent variables with prognostic significance. Nevertheless, ITME did not correlate with RSS scores. Full article

Of the six juniper species found in the Bulgarian flora, three of the species have controversial taxonomic positions. Juniperus pygmaea K. Koch and J. sibirica Burgsd. exhibit similar morphological characteristics to J. communis L. in terms of leaves and female cones (galbuli). This is one of the reasons why, in the recent taxonomic developments, J. pygmaea and J. sibirica were united in a common variety of J. communis, namely, J. communis var. saxatilis. However, such a grouping of species in the Flora of Bulgaria has not been adopted. This study aimed to evaluate the degrees of similarity or difference in the structure of the leaves, galbuli, seeds, and pollen of J. communis, J. sibirica, and J. pygmaea using the methods of comparative anatomy by light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and complex morphological measurements. The working hypothesis of this study was that the three species would show a different degree of similarity with each other, which would clarify their taxonomic rank. The morphological parameters revealed differences between the length/width ratio of galbuli and seed length of the three species, while leaf characteristics (length and width) showed a stronger resemblance between J. sibirica and J. pygmaea. Furthermore, a greater distinction between the leaves and galbili of J. communis and J. sibirica was found. The SEM analyses showed variations in the seed shape and spermoderm among the three species. The shape of J. communis seeds was oval and elongated, while J. pygmaea seeds were pear-shaped, and J. sibirica seeds were triangular-rhombic. The length and height of striations were diverse on seed spermoderm in the three species. The epicuticular waxes of leaves, located on the tips of the anticlinal walls of the elongated epidermal cells in J. pygmaea and J. communis, were oval, while they formed raised comb-like crystals in J. sibirica. The morphological, anatomical, and SEM analysis affirmed the accepted taxonomic status of J. communis and J. sibirica as independent species within the Bulgarian flora. Based on most of the analyzed parameters, J. pygmaea exhibits significant similarity with J. sibirica. Additionally, the similar habitats of these two species support the determination of J. pygmaea as a variety or form of J. sibirica rather than J. communis (J. sibirica forma pygmaea). Full article