Dogs can distinguish human facial expressions, particularly happiness, yet brain processes remain unclear. Using fMRI, we conducted two experiments in awake pet dogs. In Experiment 1 (n = 8), happy faces elicited a stronger response than neutral faces in a right temporal cluster extending to the caudate nucleus, including the rostral Sylvian gyrus. In Experiment 2 (n = 12), dogs viewed faces expressing happiness, anger, fear, or sadness. Using the Experiment 1 cluster as a region of interest, a machine-learning classifier distinguished happiness from each negative facial expression, but not between negative pairs, showing differential BOLD responsiveness to happy faces. Whole-brain representational similarity analyses revealed activity patterns differentiating angry vs. fearful faces (right mid ectosylvian and left splenial gyri) and sad vs. fearful faces (right rostral suprasylvian gyrus) but not angry vs. sad faces. This provides direct evidence that dog brains can distinguish between two negative facial expressions.

Patients with stroke often experience reduced cardiorespiratory fitness, which increases the risk of cardiovascular events, and conventional rehabilitation has limited efficacy in improving it. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can modulate autonomic function, but its effect on cardiorespiratory fitness in stroke patients remains unclear.

Postoperative sleep disturbance (POSD) affects up to 62% of patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopy and is associated with prolonged recovery, chronic pain, and cardiovascular complications. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) modulates thalamocortical oscillations through afferent vagal pathways, offering a potential non-pharmacological mechanism to prevent acute sleep disruption during critical perioperative neuroplastic windows. This study aims to evaluate whether perioperative dual-session taVNS reduces the incidence of clinically significant POSD compared with sham stimulation.

Bifid inferior turbinate is a rare anatomical variant of the lateral nasal wall that may be overlooked on nasal endoscopy or mistaken for an abnormality of the uncinate process or middle meatus. A 24-year-old woman presented with long-standing right-sided nasal obstruction, frontal headache, rhinorrhea, snoring, sleep disturbance, and allergic rhinitis. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated an inferomedially oriented duplication of the left inferior turbinate, bilateral inferior turbinate hypertrophy, an S-shaped septal deviation, and concha bullosa. She underwent septoplasty, inferior turbinoplasty, and concha bullosa resection. Preoperative recognition of bifid inferior turbinate was important because it occurred alongside common obstructive abnormalities requiring surgery. We also provide an updated review of reported cases, focusing on the relationship with the uncinate process, anatomical orientation, and implications for surgical planning. Careful CT assessment may prevent misclassification and help preserve key endoscopic landmarks.

Heyde syndrome (HS) is defined as the association between severe aortic valve stenosis and angiodysplasias (AD)-related bleeding. It is thought to occur as a consequence of an acquired type 2A von Willebrand disease, promoted by the high shear stress generated by the stenotic valve. It appears to be an underdiagnosed condition. We report a case of HS in which gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was identified in duodenal and jejunal AD. Bleeding was successfully treated with argon plasma coagulation. Additionally, the patient underwent a transcatheter aortic valve implantation, after which he experienced improvement in heart failure symptoms and no further episodes of GI bleeding.