PSYCHIATRY

PEDIATRICS

A new approach to dyslexia emphasizes core academic difficulties and effective prevention and intervention.

Rethinking Dyslexia: Focus on Academic Skills and Intervention

A new perspective challenges traditional approaches to defining dyslexia, including cognitive-process, IQ-based, and discrepancy-based models. Building on a recent Delphi consensus study, the authors propose focusing on core academic skill difficulties to identify dyslexia and prioritize effective prevention and intervention for children at risk or experiencing learning difficulties.

ONCOLOGY

Vascularized flaps accelerate skull base healing after endoscopic cancer surgery, while radiotherapy delays healing.

Vascularized Flaps Improve Skull Base Healing After Cancer Surgery

A multicenter study of 173 patients undergoing endoscopic surgery and anterior skull base reconstruction for sinonasal malignancies found that healing is prolonged, reaching 69.9% at 12 months and 94.4% at 24 months. Local vascularized flaps accelerated healing compared with grafts, while adjuvant radiotherapy delayed healing and caused greater reconstruction remodeling.

NEUROLOGY

New fetal brain nomograms establish first-trimester reference ranges for diencephalon and falx cerebri measurements.

First-Trimester Fetal Brain Measurements: New Reference Ranges

A prospective study of 676 fetuses established reference ranges for diencephalon diameter, falx cerebri length, and the diencephalon/falx (D/F) ratio between 11+6 and 13+6 weeks of gestation. Measurements showed predictable relationships with crown–rump length, supporting their use as adjunctive markers in comprehensive first-trimester fetal neurosonography.

A review examines CIMDL diagnosis, its overlap with GPA, levamisole-associated vasculitis, and modern disease classification.

Cocaine-Induced Midline Destructive Lesions: Diagnosis and Evolution

A narrative review traces the evolution of cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions (CIMDL), from cocaine’s early medical use to its recognition as a distinct sinonasal disorder. CIMDL can mimic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, while levamisole contamination complicates diagnosis. Accurate assessment requires exposure history alongside histology, imaging, toxicology, and extent-based staging.

CARDIOLOGY

ΔGLS combined with regadenoson stress echo may improve detection of severe CAD in patients without resting RWMA.

2D Speckle Tracking and Stress Echo Improve CAD Detection

A study of 128 patients found that combining regadenoson stress echocardiography with 2D speckle-tracking improved detection of significant coronary artery disease despite no resting wall-motion abnormalities. The change in global longitudinal strain (ΔGLS) showed the strongest diagnostic performance (AUC 0.928), highlighting its potential as a non-exercise screening approach.

UROLOGY

ANDROLOGY

Study finds a U-shaped link between abstinence duration and sperm morphology, especially in men aged ≤35 years.

Abstinence Duration May Affect Sperm Morphology in Men

A retrospective study of 1,262 men found a U-shaped association between abstinence duration and normal sperm morphology, with the lowest morphology rate around Day 5 (3.01%). The association was significant in men aged ≤35 years but not in those >35 years. Abstinence duration was not significantly associated with sperm motility, suggesting timing may matter when assessing sperm morphology.

Seminal plasma metabolic signatures may enable non-invasive detection of testicular germ cell tumors.

Seminal Plasma Metabolomics for Testicular Cancer Detection

A metabolomics study of 48 men identified distinct metabolic and lipid mediator changes in seminal plasma from patients with testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs). Four oxylipins—9,10-DiHOME, 6-trans-LTB4, TXB2 and 14,15-DiHETrE—showed discriminatory potential, while a composite oxylipin signature demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance, supporting further research into non-invasive TGCT biomarkers.

ENDO-DIABETOLOGY

Study identifies four eating profiles and sex-specific links between eating behavior and body composition in preschoolers.

Eating Behaviors and Body Composition in Preschool Children

A study of 1,208 Spanish preschoolers identified four eating behavior profiles—controlled, avid, typical, and avoidant. Avid eating and food-approach behaviors were associated with higher body composition measures, while avoidant and controlled patterns showed inverse associations. Notably, controlled eating was positively linked to fat-free mass in boys but negatively in girls.

Rare renal vein aneurysm caused persistent hydronephrosis in a 17-year-old boy and resolved after surgical treatment.

Renal Vein Aneurysm Causing Hydronephrosis in a Teenager

A rare case report describes a 17-year-old boy with persistent right hydronephrosis despite preserved renal function. Multimodal imaging, including ultrasound, MAG3 scintigraphy and CT angiography, revealed an unusual renal vein aneurysm. Laparoscopic aneurysmorrhaphy successfully treated the anomaly, with postoperative resolution of hydronephrosis, highlighting the value of ultrasound in rare vascular diagnoses.

A plant-based vegan diet was feasible and acceptable in cardiac outpatients and improved key cardiometabolic risk markers.

Vegan Diet Feasible for Cardiac Patients and Improves Risk Markers

A mixed-methods study of 20 cardiac outpatients found that a plant-based vegan diet (PBVD) was feasible and generally acceptable. After 8 weeks, 55% of participants were fully adherent, while cholesterol, BMI, body weight, and waist circumference significantly decreased. The PBVD-S also proved useful for assessing dietary adherence and diet quality.

Genetic causes were found in one-third of fetal cardiomyopathy cases, with hydrops linked to higher mortality risk.

Genetic Causes and Outcomes of Fetal Cardiomyopathy Identified

A multicenter study of 148 fetal cardiomyopathy cases found that genetic causes were identified in 34% of patients. Among continuing pregnancies, 1-year survival was 61.5%, while transplant-free survival was 50%. Fetal hydrops and extracardiac structural anomalies were significant predictors of death or cardiac transplantation, highlighting key prenatal risk factors.

Atherectomy may primarily modify coronary calcium and facilitate PCI rather than substantially debulk calcified lesions.

Atherectomy’s Role in Coronary Calcium Modification Reconsidered

An editorial in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions challenges the traditional view of atherectomy as a calcium-debulking technique. Findings from the DUAL-PREP registry suggest atherectomy produces limited absolute calcium removal, while its main value may be modifying calcium and facilitating subsequent balloon or stent delivery.

SSTR4 may drive HNSCC and cSCC tumorigenesis through MAPK-ERK signaling and cell-cycle regulation.

SSTR4 Identified as Potential Driver of HNSCC and cSCC

A preclinical study identified somatostatin receptor 4 (SSTR4) as a potential driver of cutaneous and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. SSTR4 activation influenced MAPK-ERK signaling and cell-cycle progression, while targeted Sstr4 knockout accelerated tumor formation in a mouse model, providing new insights into mechanisms of tumorigenesis.

MRAs show consistent efficacy and safety in Black and non-Black patients with heart failure across ejection-fraction groups.

MRAs Show Consistent Heart Failure Benefits Across Racial Groups

A meta-analysis of 13,846 patients from four major heart failure trials found no significant difference in the efficacy or safety of mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists (MRAs) between Black and non-Black patients. MRAs reduced cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization, with benefits consistent across reduced, mildly reduced, and preserved ejection fraction.

Microfluidic sperm selection mimics natural reproductive conditions and may improve sperm quality for IVF and ICSI.

Microfluidic Sperm Selection Advances in Assisted Reproduction

A review highlights advances in sperm selection for assisted reproductive technologies, emphasizing microfluidic systems that mimic conditions of the female reproductive tract. Unlike conventional swim-up and density-gradient methods, these devices can select sperm based on motility, thermotaxis, chemotaxis, and rheotaxis. Larger multicenter studies are needed to confirm their clinical benefits.

Redefining Dyslexia: Focu...

Redefining Dyslexia: Focus Shifts to Core Academic Skills and Early Intervention