A 90-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia was admitted for vascular evaluation due to a progressively enlarging mass on the right side of the neck. Ultrasound examination revealed a pseudoaneurysm at the bifurcation of the right common carotid artery. Clinically, a pulsatile, painless mass measuring 6 × 4 cm was present without overlying skin erythema. CT angiography confirmed the diagnosis of a pseudoaneurysm with a thickened wall and a wide neck. Following a multidisciplinary discussion, the patient was indicated for an endovascular procedure. A stent graft was deployed across the aneurysmal neck, and embolization of the external carotid artery trunk was simultaneously performed via the right common femoral artery. The procedure resulted in complete exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and regression of the neck mass without any neurological impairment. The etiology of the pseudoaneurysm remained unclear; however, an infectious origin was considered most likely given the positive blood cultures for Staphylococcus aureus and the absence of any prior intervention or trauma to the cervical region.

Schizantherin B (SNB), a key bioactive ingredient of the Chinese traditional medicine Schisandra chinensis, possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Cisplatin (CDDP) is typically used to treat various malignant tumors, however, its clinical utility is often limited by significant off-target toxicities, most notably irreversible hearing loss. Various strategies have been explored to mitigate this side effect. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of SNB against cisplatin-induced hearing loss(CIHL) as a potential preclinical therapeutic strategy.Firstly, in the ex-vivo basilar membrane, we found that SNB alleviated CDDP-induced loss of hair cells, cochlear spiral ganglion cells, and ribbon synapses. Secondly, in vivo experiments showed that SNB protected animals against CHL, returning their response close to normal level. Thirdly, in multiple tumor cell lines, we found SNB did not interfere with CDDP's anti-tumor effects. Consistently, in a mouse model for breast cancer, we found that SNB did not obtrude CDDP's effects in reducing tumor mass. Finally, in examining the molecular mechanisms, we found that SNB reduced both oxidative stress and cell apoptosis in the auditory cell line of HEI-OC1 during CDDP treatment, likely through the Bcl-2/Bax/cleaved-Caspase-3 signal pathways. Collectively, our study demonstrated that SNB mitigates CIHL without interfering with its therapeutic effects in treating cancer, suggesting that SNB is a potential drug candidate for preventing CIHL in cancer patients.

Lipomatous tumours are uncommon in the paediatric population and lipomas arising in the cervical/supraclavicular region are particularly rare. Tumours of this location may affect surrounding vasculature as well as the brachial plexus. Complete surgical excision remains the mainstay of treatment for symptomatic lipomas. Surgery allows for symptomatic relief as well as histological confirmation of the diagnosis, as excluding malignancy is an important component of management in lipomatous tumours.We describe the case of a patient in early childhood who presented with a slowly progressive mass along the neck, clavicle and chest wall, adjacent to the major vessels of the region and encasing the superior aspect of the brachial plexus. Preoperative planning included careful radiographic assessment and neurosurgical evaluation. The patient underwent successful complete resection utilising intraoperative neuromonitoring and early identification and preservation of the brachial plexus. Recovery was uncomplicated and the patient remained neurologically intact.

Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. While percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) restores blood flow in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), reperfusion injury exacerbates myocardial damage, contributing to heart failure (HF). Preemptive administration of a cardioprotective agent could help counter the imminent proinflammatory insult of PCI and reperfusion. Administering BT2, a small-molecule MAPK kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor, 24 hours before and during ischemia in rats before reperfusion reduced infarct size by ~70% and preserved cardiac function 24 hours and 2 weeks postinjury. BT2 prevented adverse left ventricular remodeling and scarring. Single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and bulk RNA-seq revealed that BT2 modulated genes associated with inflammation, fibrosis, and matrix production, especially within macrophages and myofibroblasts. BT2 suppressed macrophage and neutrophil infiltration. BT2 reduced the expression of genes in rodent hearts predictive of HF in patients with ACS, including many encoding cytokines, inflammasome components, and damage-associated molecular patterns. BT2 is a small molecule that can prevent myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, improve heart function, reduce cardiac fibrosis, and favorably modulate multiple key genes and biological processes in rats prognostic of HF when delivered before reperfusion. This strategy could be evaluated with high-risk unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients or those having an elective PCI.

Muscular strength in the lower body during childhood and adolescence is crucial for determining various health indicators. While previous reviews have examined the benefits of health-related muscular fitness (MF) in youth, this study aims to analyse a specific indicator of muscular fitness, focusing on current evidence regarding lower-limb muscular strength and power tests as predictors of health parameters in children and adolescents. A systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, MEDLINE (PubMed), and Scopus databases up to December 2023. Observational studies were considered if they quantitatively assessed the association between lower body muscular strength and health outcome variables. Meta-analyses were performed to determine the pooled standardized coefficients. Age was evaluated as a potential moderating factor. Twenty-four studies (n = 121 306) were included, covering outcomes like adiposity, cardiometabolic risk, bone health, and inflammatory biomarkers. Meta-analyses of 11 studies revealed pooled standardized coefficients; statistical significance was determined for p < 0.001. Lower body strength/power was negatively associated with multiple adiposity indicators: waist circumference (r = -0.27), body fat percentage (r = -0.31), sum of skinfolds (r = -0.31). Additionally, significant negative correlations were observed with insulin resistance (r = -0.20), and cardiometabolic risk index (r = -0.27). Associations with systolic (r = 0.14) and diastolic (r = 0.07) blood pressure, and bone mineral density of the femoral neck (r = 0.12) were weaker. Lower body muscular strength predicts health outcomes like obesity and cardiometabolic diseases. Although no direct link to bone mass was found, lean mass influenced by muscle is essential for bone health. Further research is needed to clarify these relationships and guide interventions, supporting guidelines promoting muscle-strengthening activities in youth.

Background: Neck circumference (NC) is a simple anthropometric index of upper-body subcutaneous adiposity. Its relationship with inflammatory cytokines, particularly the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, remains poorly explored, especially in Latin-American populations. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 80 Mexican adults with obesity (40 women and 40 men). NC, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI) were measured according to standardized ISAK and NHANES protocols. Fasting glucose, insulin, lipid profile, and HbA1c were evaluated. Finally, serum TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18, IL-10, and hs-CRP were quantified from a subsample. Correlation coefficients and sex-stratified multiple linear regression models adjusted for age and BMI were performed. Results: In the overall sample, neck circumference (NC) was positively associated with triglycerides, VLDL-C, insulin, and HbA1c, and inversely associated with HDL-C. Sex-stratified analyses revealed marked differences. In women, NC showed strong and independent associations with triglycerides, VLDL-C, IL-10, and the IL-10/TNF-α ratio, whereas these associations were not observed in men. Similarly, waist circumference was independently associated with IL-10, and BMI was associated with hs-CRP. Conclusions: NC may serve as a useful surrogate marker of upper-body adiposity and is independently associated with triglycerides, VLDL-C, IL-10, and the IL-10/TNF-α ratio exclusively in women with obesity. These exploratory findings highlight sex-specific differences in the adiposity-inflammation axis and underscore the need for larger longitudinal studies and sex-tailored approaches in obesity research.