GASTROENTEROLOGY

Liver fibrosis poses a significant risk for liver cancer (HCC, iCCA) development. Research using advanced techniques has identified hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) as sources of collagen-producing cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Diverse HSC and CAF subpopulations with unique functions influence fibrosis and cancer progression. Transcriptomic and functional parallels between HSCs and CAFs, along with emerging immunological insights, reveal pathways promoting or inhibiting fibrosis and cancer. Ongoing studies offer potential for biomarkers, prognosis, and therapies in HCC and iCCA prevention and treatment. The review underscores the dual roles of HSCs in liver fibrogenesis and cancer promotion.

Understanding the Role of Hepatic Stellate Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Liver Fibrosis and Cancer Development: Advanced Techniques and Emerging Insights

UROLOGY

RALP was linked to better urinary and sexual outcomes than open prostatectomy in a New Zealand study of 4,889 men.

Robotic Prostatectomy Improves Urinary and Sexual Outcomes

A New Zealand registry study of 4,889 men with prostate cancer found that robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) was associated with better patient-reported outcomes than open radical prostatectomy (ORP) at 12 months. RALP showed clinically meaningful improvements in urinary incontinence and sexual function, with fewer men requiring multiple daily pads and more reporting good-to-very-good sexual function.

PEDIATRICS

Prior severe HRSV-B bronchiolitis was linked to more persistent respiratory symptoms and asthma in children and adolescents.

HRSV-B Bronchiolitis May Increase Later Respiratory Morbidity

A prospective follow-up study of 185 children and adolescents found that those hospitalized with severe HRSV-B bronchiolitis had more respiratory symptoms later in childhood than those with HRSV-A. Although asthma prevalence did not differ significantly, HRSV-B was independently associated with asthma diagnosis, speech-limiting wheezing and nocturnal dry cough, suggesting subtype-specific differences in longer-term respiratory outcomes.

AASLD and expert criteria identified different MASH treatment-eligible populations, with NITs missing some patients with F2–F3 fibrosi

MASH Treatment Eligibility Varies With Non-Invasive Criteria

A multicentre Italian study of 897 adults with MASLD found that AASLD and expert panel criteria identified different groups potentially eligible for MASH pharmacotherapy. Among 175 patients with liver biopsy, nearly half with F2–F3 fibrosis were not classified as eligible by AASLD criteria, while two-thirds were missed by expert panel criteria, highlighting limitations of NIT-based treatment selection.

PULMONOLOGY

Cardiovascular disease was linked to more severe exacerbations, longer hospital stays and higher costs in asthma patients.

Cardiovascular Disease Worsens Outcomes in Asthma Patients

A study of 1,883 asthma patients across two prospective cohorts found that cardiovascular disease (CVD) was independently associated with poorer outcomes in both stable and acute asthma. CVD was linked to nearly twice the rate of severe exacerbations, more hospitalisations and emergency visits, while hospitalised patients had longer stays and higher direct costs, supporting integrated cardiopulmonary care.

PPPD in older adults was linked to frailty, sarcopenia, depression, muscle weakness and increased falls.

Frailty and Sarcopenia Linked to Persistent Dizziness in Older Adults

A cross-sectional study of 263 adults aged over 65 found that persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) was independently associated with lower intrinsic capacity, slower gait, weaker handgrip strength, probable sarcopenia, frailty and depression. Patients with PPPD also had more falls, highlighting the need for integrated vestibular and geriatric assessment and care.

DENTISTRY

Ultrasound-guided TMD treatment improved injection precision, early pain relief and mouth opening compared with traditional methods.

Ultrasound-Guided TMD Treatment Improves Early Pain and Function

A randomized study of 40 patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) found that ultrasound-guided joint lavage and intra-articular injection reduced needle attempts and improved successful access to the inferior joint cavity compared with traditional methods. Patients also experienced better pain relief and mouth opening at 3 days, although outcomes were similar by day 7, with comparable complication rates.

A review found lower ranula recurrence after sublingual gland excision compared with marsupialization and other treatments.

Sublingual Gland Excision Linked to Lower Ranula Recurrence

A systematic review of 71 studies involving 809 patients found that excision of the ranula with removal of the ipsilateral sublingual gland was consistently associated with recurrence rates below 10%. Recurrence was higher and more variable after marsupialization or excision without gland removal, while sclerotherapy outcomes differed substantially by agent. Most recurrences occurred within 3–6 months.

Fractal and texture analysis may aid oral lesion assessment, but standardized image-processing methods are still needed.

Fractal Analysis and AI for Oral Precancerous Lesion Assessment

A review of 10 studies found that fractal dimension and texture analysis of clinical photographs may help distinguish normal from pathological oral tissues and assess lesion complexity. However, methodological differences remain a major challenge. Image segmentation and binarization can significantly influence results, highlighting the need for standardized image-processing methods in AI-assisted oral lesion assessment.

NEUROLOGY

A Canadian study identified two distinct nighttime sleep profiles in children aged 1–5 years and found associations with household income and parent–child sleep interactions.

Sleep Profiles and Associated Factors in Young Children

A study of 320 Canadian children aged 1–5 years used latent profile analysis to characterize nighttime sleep across duration, timing, sleep onset latency, and quality. Two profiles emerged: “Sleepy Koalas” (59%), characterized by longer and higher-quality sleep, and “Restless Racoons” (41%), characterized by shorter sleep duration, later sleep timing, longer sleep onset latency, and poorer sleep quality. Children from households earning more than $100,000 were about twice as likely to belong to the Sleepy Koalas profile (OR 2.05; 95% CI, 1.26–3.35). Among preschoolers, more problematic parent–child sleep interactions were associated with lower odds of belonging to the healthier sleep profile. The findings suggest socioeconomic and family-interaction factors may contribute to differences in young children's sleep patterns.

Combining multimodal imaging with clinical risk factors improved prediction of occult retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis in oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.

Predicting Occult Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastasis

A retrospective study of 235 surgically treated patients with oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma evaluated predictors of retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) metastasis. Multimodal imaging alone, using a 5-mm MRI short-axis cutoff, demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.48. Incorporating posterior wall extension and multiple ipsilateral Level II lymph node metastases into the predictive model increased sensitivity to 0.74 while maintaining a specificity of 0.93 and diagnostic accuracy of 0.90. The findings suggest that combining imaging features with clinical risk factors may improve identification of occult RPLN metastasis.

DERMATOLOGY

A pilot study found progressive improvements in facial skin elasticity, pigmentation, wrinkles, and overall skin quality after dual-wavelength picosecond Nd:YAG laser treatment.

Dual-Wavelength Picosecond Nd:YAG Laser for Skin Rejuvenation

A prospective single-arm pilot study evaluated the efficacy and safety of sequential 1064- and 532-nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser treatment in 20 adults undergoing three sessions at 4-week intervals. Measures of skin elasticity, including R5 and R7, improved from Week 4, while R2 showed significant improvement at Weeks 8 and 12. By Week 12, melanin and erythema indices decreased, with imaging demonstrating improvements in pores, wrinkles, pigmentation, skin tone, and gloss. Physician-assessed GAIS and participant satisfaction scores were 4.70 ± 0.57 and 4.50 ± 0.76, respectively. Adverse events were limited to transient erythema and temporary worsening of preexisting malar melasma in two participants.

A study of 76 patients characterized an early sterile acneiform eruption after hair transplantation that may mimic infection and often resolves with conservative management.

Sterile Acneiform Eruption After Hair Transplantation

A retrospective observational cohort study evaluated 76 patients who developed acneiform eruptions after hair transplantation. The eruption appeared early, with a mean onset of 3.1 postoperative days and 84% of cases occurring between days 2 and 4. Lesions were predominantly seen in multi-hair graft areas following follicular unit extraction (FUE) and remained confined to the transplanted recipient zone. Among 35 patients with lateral acute-angle single-hair grafts, 91.4% of these areas remained unaffected. Cultures from eight patients showed no pathogenic bacterial growth, and lesions resolved with conservative management. The findings suggest a sterile, technique-associated inflammatory reaction that can clinically mimic postoperative infection.

A longitudinal study found that CD4+ T-cell dynamics after B-cell repopulation were associated with relapse in patients with pemphigus vulgaris treated with Rituximab.

CD4+ T Cells and Pemphigus Vulgaris Relapse After Rituximab

A longitudinal study of 27 patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) evaluated CD4+ and CD20+ T- and B-cell counts following Rituximab treatment over a median follow-up of 32 months. Sixteen patients (59%) experienced relapse, while 11 (41%) achieved clinical remission. At B-cell repopulation, patients who remained in remission had higher CD4+ counts and CD4+/CD20+ ratios than those who later relapsed. Following repopulation, CD4+ counts decreased by a mean of 233.5 cells/μL in patients in remission but increased by 539.4 cells/μL among those who relapsed, reaching their highest values at relapse. These findings suggest a time-dependent association between CD4+ T-cell dynamics and post-Rituximab PV relapse.

ONCOLOGY

An MRI-based scoring system achieved 89% accuracy for identifying high-grade parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma, outperforming cytology and frozen-section assessment.

MRI Scoring for Grading Parotid Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma

A study of 46 patients with parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma evaluated preoperative MRI features for distinguishing high-grade from low/intermediate-grade malignancy. High-grade tumors demonstrated distinctive characteristics involving maximum tumor diameter, shape, cystic components, margins, and necrotic areas. An MRI score of ≥6 identified high-grade malignancy with 89% diagnostic accuracy, compared with 52% for fine-needle aspiration cytology and 22% for frozen-section assessment. The findings support MRI-based scoring as a potential tool for preoperative malignancy grading.

GYNAECOLOGY - IVF

A 70-fetus cohort found prenatal ultrasound reliably characterized closed spinal dysraphism in 89.7% of cases, with favorable motor outcomes but substantial urological morbidity.

Prenatal Ultrasound Findings and Outcomes in Closed Spinal Dysraphism

A retrospective cohort study of 70 fetuses with prenatally diagnosed closed spinal dysraphism (CSD) evaluated at two tertiary centers in France and Belgium between 2014 and 2024 found that 85.7% of lesions were saccular forms, with most located at the lumbar or sacral level. Associated cerebral anomalies were identified prenatally in 17.1% of cases. Among liveborn infants with available surgical data, 90.9% underwent postnatal surgery. Prenatal classification was adjusted after birth in 10.3% of cases. At 36 months, 94.4% achieved independent ambulation, while urinary dysfunction was reported in 38.9% and gastrointestinal disorders in 22.2%. The findings suggest that prenatal ultrasound provides reliable anatomical characterization in most CSD cases, while urological morbidity remains an important consideration during prenatal counseling.

Friend or foe? The elusiv...

Friend or foe? The elusive role of hepatic stellate cells in liver cancer