Brucellosis is a zoonosis acquired direct contact with infected animals or by consumption of unpasteurized animal by-products. The most common complications involve the musculoskeletal system, such as sacroiliitis or vertebral osteomyelitis. However, skin and soft tissue involvement is uncommon, and cervical abscess are rarely reported. We report the case of a 19-year-old male patient, with no medical history, from the metropolitan region of Caracas, Venezuela, with no history of travel or direct contact with farm animals, but regular consumption of cheese. In July 2024, he presented with undulating fever, hypor1exia and general malaise. One month later his fever intensified, preceded by chills, followed by the development of a painful, erythematous, warm swelling in the anterior neck, which evolved into an abscess requiring drainage. Purulent material yielded Brucella abortus biovar 1 confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The patient received Rifampicin and Doxycycline with full recovery. To our knowledge, this is the first recorded case of human brucellosis with this presentation in Venezuela, and the first reported case of cervical abscess caused by Brucella abortus. These findings underscore the importance of maintaining epidemiological surveillance of brucellosis and strengthening quality control and hygiene measures throughout the dairy production and distribution chain.

Andes virus (ANDV) is the most virulent New World orthohantavirus, responsible for hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS)-a severe and frequently fatal disease characterized by non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, vascular collapse, and dysregulated immune activation. The April 2026 outbreak of ANDV aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, in which several older adults were among those most severely affected, has renewed attention to host age as a potential determinant of disease severity. Although HCPS is predominantly reported in younger and middle-aged adults, this epidemiological pattern likely reflects occupational exposure bias and case ascertainment limitations rather than intrinsic age-related protection. Biological aging profoundly remodels vascular homeostasis through endothelial senescence, reduced nitric oxide bioavailability, chronic low-grade inflammation (inflammaging), immunosenescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, and a prothrombotic state-mechanisms that converge directly on the pathogenic pathways exploited by ANDV. Aging may regulate key ANDV entry receptors, including β3 integrins and possibly protocadherin-1, on pulmonary endothelial cells, while impaired type I interferon responses and T-cell dysfunction may facilitate viral dissemination and amplify immunopathology. Together, these hallmarks of vascular aging may constitute a biological "preconditioning" state that lowers the threshold for ANDV-induced vascular collapse, yielding an "acute-on-chronic endothelial dysfunction" syndrome in elderly patients. This mini-review integrates current knowledge of ANDV biology, person-to-person transmission dynamics, and the mechanisms of vascular aging and immunosenescence, proposing a testable framework for future investigations. Specific research priorities are identified-including age-stratified epidemiological analyses, comparative transcriptomic studies in young versus aged endothelium, and biomarker discovery-that would establish whether biological aging genuinely amplifies susceptibility to severe ANDV infection.

This study investigates the morphological effects of various essential oils (EOs) on the monogenean Sparicotyle chrysophrii, a major gill parasite of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histological analyses. Adult parasites obtained from experimental infections were exposed in vitro to different EOs at concentrations ranging from 62.5 to 500 ppm. Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Origanum vulgare, Thymus vulgaris, and a commercial blend (Mix Gill) exhibited the highest antiparasitic efficacy, achieving complete mortality at 500 ppm within one hour. SEM observations revealed extensive tegumental disruption, including surface erosion, deep wrinkling, and clamp detachment, which increased in severity with EO concentration and exposure time. Histological analyses confirmed widespread tissue degeneration, characterized by vacuolization, cytoplasmic rarefaction, and loss of the neodermal and muscular organization. Even at sublethal concentrations, lesions consistent with swelling, vesicle formation, and tegumental disorganization indicated progressive degeneration. These structural alterations suggest that EOs compromise the parasite's external integrity, leading to functional collapse of the tegument and haptor. The results support a time- and concentration-dependent mechanism, likely involving disruption of membrane integrity and osmotic imbalance. Collectively, to the best of our knowledge, this is among the first studies to provide detailed ultrastructural evidence of EO-induced damage in S. chrysophrii and highlights their potential as eco-friendly antiparasitic agents for aquaculture. Further studies integrating ultrastructural and biochemical analyses are warranted to elucidate the molecular pathways underlying these effects.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder in which persistent hyperglycemia promotes oxidative stress, inflammatory activation, and progressive liver injury. Alpha‑lipoic acid (ALA) is an endogenous and diet‑derived antioxidant with glucose‑lowering and insulin‑sensitizing actions. Still, its therapeutic efficacy is constrained by low oral bioavailability and rapid metabolism. In this context, the present study compared the hepatic pharmacodynamic effects of free ALA and ALA‑loaded chitosan nanoparticles (ALA‑CNPs) in streptozotocin (STZ)‑induced diabetic rats. Here, pharmacodynamic effects refer to the biochemical and molecular actions on hepatic tissue, including modulation of oxidative stress markers, activation of cytoprotective signaling pathways such as Nrf2/HO‑1, and inhibition of pro‑inflammatory cascades (e.g., TLR4/NF‑κB and JAK2/STAT1), which collectively contribute to hepatoprotection. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (60 mg/kg). Rats with fasting blood glucose ≥ 250 mg/dL were randomized into six groups (n = 15/group): non‑diabetic control, non‑diabetic + ALA, non‑diabetic + ALA‑CNPs, untreated diabetic, diabetic + ALA, and diabetic + ALA‑CNPs. Treatments were administered once daily for 4 weeks. STZ‑induced diabetes caused marked hyperglycemia, reduced serum insulin, dyslipidemia, increased serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities, enhanced hepatic malondialdehyde, depletion of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and reduced glutathione, and downregulation of the Nrf2/HO‑1 pathway. These changes were accompanied by elevated hepatic tumor necrosis factor‑α, interleukin‑6, and interleukin‑1β; activation of Toll‑like receptor‑4/nuclear factor‑κB and Janus kinase‑2/signal transducer and activator of transcription‑1 signaling, and hepatocellular necrosis; vacuolation; mitochondrial swelling; and endoplasmic reticulum disorganization. Both ALA and ALA‑CNPs attenuated these metabolic, biochemical, and structural disturbances, but ALA‑CNPs produced more pronounced reductions in fasting blood glucose and improvements in lipid profile, antioxidant status, and liver histology. ALA‑CNPs also more effectively upregulated Nrf2/HO‑1 and suppressed Toll‑like receptor‑4/nuclear factor‑κB and Janus kinase‑2/signal transducer and activator of transcription‑1 activation and pro‑inflammatory cytokines. These findings indicate that nano‑encapsulation of ALA enhances its hepatoprotective pharmacological profile in diabetes‑associated liver injury by concomitantly targeting oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling cascades.

This study aimed to clinically evaluate a digital biomarker, the Finger Fold Index (FFI), derived from the ratio of joint diameter to finger fold surface area in hand photographs, for the assessment of joint swelling in inflammatory arthritis. Smartphone hand photographs from patients with rheumatoid (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) were analyzed using a machine learning pipeline for automated detection and processing of joint diameter and finger folds at the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints. The FFI was clinically evaluated by correlation with joint swelling scores (0-3) and DAS28-CRP. A healthy cohort was used to establish FFI cut-offs, which were then compared to the arthritis cohorts. A total of 1275 PIP joint images of 124 arthritis patients and 53 healthy individuals were included. FFI values correlated with swelling scores in the arthritis population with r = 0.443 (95% CI 0.384-0.498), while mean FFI values were weakly correlated with DAS28-CRP dichotomized at 3.2 (r = 0.310; 95% CI 0.123-0.475). ROC analysis showed moderate discriminative performance of the prediction models for PIP joint swelling (2-4), with AUCs ranging from 0.664 to 0.786 (95% CI 0.615-0.868). Notably, diagnostic performance was characterized by low specificity. FFI values exceeding the healthy cut-offs were associated with swelling (Cramer's V = 0.400-0.631; p < 0.001) with the strongest association observed in cases of more pronounced swelling (grade 3). Longitudinal studies are needed to assess sensitivity to change and to establish whether this biomarker can be used for remote patient monitoring. Further refinement of the algorithm is warranted, as current diagnostic accuracy remains insufficient for clinical implementation. However, integration with additional clinical information, such as patient-reported outcomes, may improve performance and support future applicability in clinical practice.

Expansive clay soils pose significant challenges in road construction due to their high plasticity, swelling potential, and low bearing capacity. This study investigates the combined use of fly ash, lime, and waste tyre granules as sustainable stabilizing agents, addressing a gap in existing research. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the geotechnical properties of treated and untreated soils. The results revealed that the natural soil was classified as A-6 according to AASHTO, with 86.8% fines, indicating poor suitability for subgrade applications. Stabilization with 5% combined lime and fly ash (by dry soil weight) reduced the plasticity index from 14.37% to 2.01%, representing an 86% reduction in swelling potential. It also improved the maximum dry density to 1.85 kg/m3 at an optimum moisture content of 8.62%. The CBR value increased significantly from 2 to 6% (untreated soil) to 16%, indicating an approximate 167-700% improvement in load-bearing capacity. In contrast, a higher additive content of 10% led to reduced performance, suggesting over-stabilization effects due to excessive binder content. The addition of waste tyre granules (2% to 6% by weight) increased the optimum moisture content and reduced the dry density, indicating their influence on compaction behavior, while also enhancing the ductility and energy absorption capacity of the stabilized soil matrix. Overall, this study demonstrates that a mixture of 5% lime and fly ash, combined with controlled tyre content, significantly improves subgrade performance. Furthermore, the integration of industrial by-products and waste tyre materials shows strong potential for sustainable construction through waste valorization, reduced environmental impact, and alignment with circular economy principles. This research supports sustainable construction practices while addressing a critical gap in combined stabilization methods.

Production of excess undesirable brine, is one of the severe problems in highly heterogeneous and fractured oil reservoirs which are under water based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. Recently, preformed particle gels (PPGs) are proposed and used as a diverting agent to control the conductivity of the fractures. Although numerous studies in the literature report improved structural strength and rheological properties of PPGs in the presence of silica nanoparticles (SNP), the possible effect of SNP concentration on such results have not been investigated in details. In addition the effect of rheological parameters such as structural strength and elastic/viscous modulus on the flow dynamics of the secondary water injection (after replacement of the PPG in the fractures) are less studied and rarely visualized. Furthermore, the possible effect of the presence of water soluble fractions (WSF) of the crude oil in the brine (due to long term interactions between formation water and crude oil) on swelling of particles and strength of the PPG samples are overlooked in most cases. With this aim, in the first step of the present research, four PPG samples with different concentrations of SNP were synthesized and assessed through different bulk and rheological tests. Bulk tests showed that presence of the SNP increases the swelling capacity of the samples, since the gel particles containing 0.4 wt% SNP had the better swelling factor (e.g., 25 in 100 times diluted sea water, 100xdSW) compared to the sample without nano particles (15 in 100xdSW). However further increase in the amount of nano particles to 0.8% and 1.0% decreases the swelling capacity of the PPG particles (24 and 19 in 100xdSW, respectively). It was shown that the type and concentration of ions in the brine, as well as the oil/brine interactions affect the swelling behavior. Absence of water soluble fractions of crude oil in the brine and increasing the salt concentration reduce the swelling capacity of the gel particles. Moreover, presence of WSF can hinder the effect of high salinity in the swelling kinetics of the PPG particles. While WSF in the brine enhances the swelling capacity of PPG particles, Hele-Shaw dynamic plugging tests revealed that the PPG samples swelled using these brines, have reduced resistance against secondary water injection compared to the samples swelled in counterpart brines without WSF. Rheology tests of the PPGs confirmed the significant effect of SNP concentration on the storage and loss moduli. Dynamic tests in the model fracture show that although generally the SNP improved the dynamic strength and plugging performance of the PPG against secondary water injection, only the PPG sample with 0.8 wt% nano silica showed the desirable plugging performance (although its swelling capacity is slightly less than 0.4% SNP gel). This PPG sample creates an extra low permeability porous media in the fracture which due to the proper viscoelastic properties allows very low mobility of water through the fingers created between some particles, with no significant or visible gel washout from the fracture. However in the case of other PPG samples, the injected secondary water pushed out some amount of the gel particles and created a wide high conductive flow path inside the treated fracture. Based on the combination of swelling capacity, rheological strength, and dynamic plugging performance, among the synthesized gels, the one with the 0.8 wt% SNP is the recommended optimal concentration for effective water shut-off of the designed fracture.

Postoperative macular edema is a recognized complication following vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM), particularly after combined phacovitrectomy. Topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit prostaglandin-mediated disruption of the blood-retinal barrier, but their long-term anatomical impact after ERM surgery has not been established. We retrospectively reviewed 282 eyes from 279 patients who underwent vitrectomy or phacovitrectomy for idiopathic ERM. Patients were categorized into an Early Use Group (topical bromfenac initiated within 4 weeks postoperatively, n = 91) and a Late/No Use Group (n = 191). The primary outcome was the change in central subfield macular thickness (CSMT) measured by OCT over 6 months. Longitudinal analysis was performed using a linear mixed-effects model (LME) with treatment-by-time interaction as the primary term. LME analysis revealed a significant treatment-by-time interaction for CSMT in the full cohort (F = 4.62, p = 0.003) and in the phacovitrectomy subgroup (F = 6.23, p < 0.001). The Early Use Group showed a significantly greater reduction in CSMT at 6 months (93.9 ± 56.2 μm) compared with the Late/No Use Group (76.6 ± 52.8 μm), with an estimated marginal mean difference of approximately 14-15 μm maintained at all post-baseline time points (p ≤ 0.006). For logMAR BCVA, a significant treatment-by-time interaction was also observed (F = 2.68, p = 0.046): the Early Use Group showed significantly faster visual recovery at 1 month (p = 0.016), but both groups converged to equivalent visual acuity by 6 months (p = 0.305). Early postoperative bromfenac within 4 weeks of phacovitrectomy for ERM significantly reduces macular thickness, and this anatomical benefit is durably maintained for at least 6 months, along with accelerated visual acuity recovery at 1 month. These findings raise the hypothesis that prostaglandin-mediated vascular permeability in the early postoperative period may influence long-term macular remodeling; however, this remains speculative, as direct evidence of permeability changes was not assessed in this study.

Natural biopolymers such as cellulose, which are rich in hydroxyl groups, have been widely explored as ion-regulators for stabilizing dissolution-prone cathodes such as iodine. However, their application in aqueous zinc-iodine batteries is limited by the weak and reversible nature of polyiodide-hydroxyl interactions, as well as detrimental water-induced swelling. Here we demonstrate that surface engineering transforms nanocellulose from a Lewis-basic scaffold into a Lewis-acidic, zirconium-coordinated network (ZNF), fundamentally reshaping the electrode-electrolyte interfaces. Unlike conventional binders, ZNF provides abundant electron-deficient Zr4+ centers that immobilize polyiodides through strong coordination while catalytically accelerating redox kinetics. This dual-functional binder forms a conformal, swelling-resistant network that preserves electrode integrity over 18,000 cycles, achieving 89.6% capacity retention at 5 A g-1. Our findings demonstrate that regulating the Lewis acidity of sustainable biopolymers can overcome the intrinsic trade-off between hydrophilicity and stability, offering a promising paradigm for the design of high-performance aqueous batteries.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare, slowly growing salivary gland neoplasm distinguished by its versatile phenotype and destructive clinical course. Its underlying aetiology is unclear. It is characterised by a gradual yet infiltrative progression, perineural invasion (PNI), a worse prognosis, late recurrence and distant metastases. ACC is recognised for its unique histological features and susceptibility to PNI.We present a case of a female in her 50s with a history of progressively enlarging swelling in the right palate diagnosed as a "hybrid variant of adenoid cystic carcinoma". Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis, emphasising the need for long-term follow-up given ACC's propensity for late recurrence and distant spread, particularly to the lungs. For individuals with advanced non-resectable, recurring and/or metastatic illness, there is currently no viable treatment. But its prevalence impedes the advancement of additional studies and clinical investigations to study new approaches and novel treatments.