Studies concentrating on description, identification, and analysis of monopisthocotyls are required to further our understanding of this group of parasites connected to Amazonian fish. Based on the above, the main objective of this research was to identify new species of monopisthocotyls parasitizing the gills of Acestrorhynchus falcirostris (Cuvier) collected in the Itaya River, Loreto-Peru. Twenty (20) A. falcitrostris were collected in the Itaya River (3°47'20.70″S 73°15'40.90″W), in Loreto-Peru in October 2025. The collected fish were transported in boxes with ice to the Laboratory of Parasitology of the "Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana" (IIAP), in Iquitos, Loreto-Peru for parasitological analyses. Four new species were discovered and described: Characithecium peruense n. sp., C. cachorroi n. sp., C. iquitense n. sp., and C. loretoense n. sp. The new species are differentiated from their congeners, mainly by the morphology of the copulatory complex. In C. peruense n. sp. the male copulatory organ (MCO) is a J-shaped tube, the accessory piece is articulated to the base of the MCO and comprises two subunits, being the second unit hook-shaped. In C. cachorroi n. sp. the accessory piece consists of an elongated proximal unit, with a gentle curvature in its middle portion, whose upper end forms a loop that passes behind the distal end of the cirrus; and an equally elongated distal unit, which forms a loop at its anterior end and has an expansion in its middle region that projects posteriorly. In C. iquitense n. sp. the MCO consists of an elongated sclerotized tube forming two and a half counterclockwise rings before reaching the base, which is articulated to the accessory piece, presenting two units, the first unit articulated to the base of the MCO, "L" shaped, with a rounded termination, the second unit is complex, featuring a stippled (dotted) subunit, formed by two asymmetrical arms. In C. loretoense n. sp. the MCO is tubular, elongated, whose sinuous path describes four and a half clockwise rings; the base of the cirrus articulates with the accessory piece, that is presented as robust plate-like structure with a broad bulbous basal region that tapers to an acutely pointed, down-curved distal tip. The results of the present investigation represent the first species of the Characithecium described from a host collected in the Peruvian Amazon, increasing the knowledge of the biodiversity of monopisthocotyls reported for Peru and the Neotropical region.

Plasma cell gingivitis (PCG) is an uncommon plasma-cell-rich inflammatory disorder of the gingiva that may clinically resemble plaque-associated enlargement, granulomatous disease, hematologic disease, or plasma-cell neoplasia. Its association with cheilitis is rare, and diagnosis requires clinicopathologic correlation. An 18-year-old female presented with a 1-year history of progressive gingival enlargement and upper-lip swelling. Intraoral examination showed generalized erythematous marginal and papillary gingival enlargement with loss of stippling, bleeding on probing, pseudopocketing, and firm consistency. Extraoral examination showed diffuse, soft, non-tender swelling of the upper lip measuring approximately 1 × 3 cm. The initial clinical differential diagnosis included orofacial granulomatosis and puberty-associated gingival enlargement. Hematological screening showed anemia but did not show findings suggestive of leukemia or systemic infection. Incisional biopsy showed parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia and a plasma-cell-rich inflammatory infiltrate composed of cytologically mature plasma cells without cytological atypia. Immunohistochemistry for kappa and lambda light-chain expression was not performed. The patient had an inadequate response to non-surgical periodontal therapy and topical corticosteroids and was subsequently managed with gingivectomy. No disease-directed adjuvant therapy was administered after gingivectomy. At the one-month postoperative follow-up, both the gingival enlargement and upper-lip swelling had regressed. This case highlights the importance of biopsy and hematological screening in persistent gingival enlargement with associated cheilitis, particularly when clinical findings overlap with systemic or neoplastic mimics.

Flowering Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. utilis Tsen et Lee.), an cultivated variant of Brassica rapa var. chinensis in the Brassicaceae family, is distinguished from Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) by its basal leaves, which have non-stippled petioles and slender, grooved leaf stalks. Sugar transport proteins (STPs), a key subfamily within the plant monosaccharide transporter (MST) superfamily, serves as primary hexose transporters that facilitate the transmembrane movement of glucose, fructose, and other hexoses. These proteins play a crucial role in plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stress. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the BcSTP gene family through genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis, tissue expression profiling, yeast functional complementation, and heterologous overexpression assays. Twenty-seven BcSTP genes were identified, grouped into four major clades, and found to share conserved domains, motifs, and genomic structures. Tissue-specific expression profiling showed that most BcSTPs were highly expressed in flowers and flower buds during the flowering stage. Functional complementation in hexose transport-deficient yeast confirmed that BcSTP6 and its homologs (BcSTP6-like1, BcSTP6-like2) possess hexose transport activity, with BcSTP6 capable of transporting glucose, fructose, and galactose, and responding to exogenous glucose treatment. Heterologous overexpression assays demonstrated that BcSTP6 promotes flowering in flowering Chinese cabbage by upregulating flowering-related genes, including FT and LFY. Together, these findings clarify the composition and core features of the BcSTP gene family, reveal the regulatory role of BcSTP6 in bolting and flowering, and provide a foundation for understanding the STP-mediated sugar transport mechanisms underlying plant growth and development.

Range of fire determination in shooting fatalities classically depends on the gross presence, distribution, and density of visible gunshot residue (GSR), including soot, stippling, and bullet wipe surrounding the entrance wound. Scalp hair has been suggested to interfere with GSR deposition in head wounds, but few experimental studies have systematically addressed this variable. Misinterpretation of GSR findings in hair-covered wounds carries significant medicolegal consequences. In this study, controlled discharge testing was performed using a Ransom International Forensic Ballistic Machine. Three cosmetology-grade mannequin heads with synthetic vinyl skin and 100% human hair were used: short, tightly curled (max 6 inches); long, straight (max 22 inches); and medium, straight (max 12 inches). Five firearms (.22 Long Rifle, .40 S&W, 9 mm Parabellum, .45 Auto, .223 Remington) were discharged at 2 inches and 6 inches into five scalp regions (left temporal, left parietal-occipital, occipital, right parietal-occipital, right temporal), producing 50 defects. Visible GSR was assessed before and after shaving. Visible GSR was present in 19 of 25 defects (76%) at 2 inches and nine of 25 (36%) at 6 inches. Within tightly curled hair, GSR was visible in only seven of 20 defects (35%). All .22 Long Rifle defects showed visible GSR (10 of 10). Results reveal that dense, tightly curled scalp hair can substantially reduce or eliminate visible GSR even at short range. Absence of visible GSR in hair-covered defects should not, alone, be interpreted as evidence of distant or indeterminate range of fire.

This uncontrolled prospective case series evaluated the 12-month biological and periodontal outcomes of a novel modified Biologically Oriented Preparation Technique (BOPT). This protocol specifically integrated piezoelectric subgingival finish-line refinement, subgingival mechanical polishing, and four-step ultra-polished zirconia restorations to optimize gingival thickness (GT), marginal positional stability, and peri-restorative tissue health. Four patients requiring fixed prostheses (totaling 35 teeth) were treated using this integrated modified BOPT framework. Following bulk tooth reduction, finish lines were refined using specialized piezoelectric ultrasonic tips and smoothed subgingivally with silicone points. The subgingival emergence profiles of definitive zirconia crowns were managed through a strict four-step ultra-polishing protocol. Periodontal variables-including GT changes across different baseline phenotypes, gingival margin stability, plaque index, bleeding on probing, and gingival stippling-were recorded at baseline, 1 week, 3, 6, and 12 months. At 12 months, stable gingival margins were maintained with no observable tissue recession across all monitored sites. A notable descriptive increase in GT occurred, particularly within the baseline thin phenotype group, which shifted from 0.59 ± 0.09 mm to 1.14 ± 0.23 mm. Furthermore, favorable soft-tissue responses were observed, characterized by minimal bleeding scores and a widespread clinical reappearance of gingival stippling at the 1-year follow-up interval. Within the study's limitations, this modified BOPT protocol demonstrated promising trends regarding soft-tissue thickening and short-term marginal stability. Integrating piezoelectric refinement with rigorous clinical and laboratory zirconia polishing protocols exhibits excellent biological integration and soft-tissue maturation. Incorporating piezoelectric finishing tools, subgingival silicone polishing, and meticulous zirconia ultra-polishing within a BOPT philosophy offers a tissue-friendly, biologically guided approach that effectively supports peri-restorative tissue harmony and phenotype stability around fixed restorations.

A 10-year-old spayed female Shih Tzu was evaluated for a gallbladder mass incidentally identified during a diagnostic workup for hyperadrenocorticism and persistent hypercalcemia. Diagnostic imaging revealed a vascularized intraluminal gallbladder mass, and cytologic examination showed cohesive clusters of epithelial cells with distinct intercellular junctions, magenta cytoplasmic stippling, and marked pleomorphism, raising suspicion for a neuroendocrine carcinoma. Cholecystectomy was performed with tissues submitted for histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC), which confirmed a diagnosis of gallbladder neuroendocrine carcinoma (GB-NEC) with hepatic and vascular invasion. The tumor exhibited diffuse positive immunolabeling for synaptophysin, chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase, and insulinoma-associated protein 1 (INSM-1), consistent with neuroendocrine differentiation. However, no appreciable immunolabeling for gastrin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) was observed. This case illustrates an uncommon cytologic presentation of GB-NEC in dogs and suggests a potential association between neuroendocrine tumors and multiple endocrinopathies. The findings support the utility of INSM-1 as a broad-spectrum marker for canine neuroendocrine tumors and underscore the need for further investigation into the hormonal activity and clinical variability of GB-NEC.

X-linked chondrodysplasia punctata 2 (CDPX2) is a genetic disorder characterized by skeletal, cutaneous, and ophthalmic abnormalities. In this study, we present with a fetal case of CDPX2 which was identified in the first trimester by ultrasound and was confirmed by molecular diagnosis. The 12-week ultrasound revealed that nearly the entire thorax exhibited irregular rib-like stippling in the four-chamber view with postaxial polydactyly in the right hand. A follow-up ultrasound at 16+1 weeks demonstrated persistent findings along with evidence of a narrow thorax and shortened limbs. Trio exome sequencing identified a de novo pathogenic EBP variant c.146T>A, p.(Leu49Ter). Our case serves as further evidence that first-trimester ultrasounds can detect structural anomalies, thus offering opportunities for early diagnosis of genetic syndromes and allowing timely management decisions regarding pregnancy.