BackgroundSpinal teratomas are exceedingly rare germ cell tumors, accounting for .1%-.5% of all spinal cord tumors, with adult-onset tumors being even more uncommon. Mature teratomas consist of differentiated tissues derived from the 3 embryonic germ layers and may contain a wide variety of adult-type tissue components. Prostatic glandular tissue has been documented in only a very limited number of spinal teratoma specimens, whereas bulbourethral gland tissue has never been reported in this setting.Patient PresentationWe report a 60-year-old male patient who presented with a 7-month history of low back and right lower limb pain, which progressively worsened, along with urinary incontinence for over 3 months. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an irregular intraspinal space-occupying lesion at the L1 level, measuring approximately 15.0 mm × 16.6 mm × 29.4 mm, which appeared slightly hyperintense on T1-weighted imaging, heterogeneous on T2-weighted imaging, and demonstrated heterogeneous enhancement on contrast administration. The patient underwent microsurgical gross total resection of the tumor. Postoperative pathological examination showed that the tumor was composed of mature tissues derived from all 3 germ layers. Endodermal derivatives included morphologically well-formed prostatic acinar structures (positive for PSA and P504S on immunohistochemistry; the preserved basal cell layer was confirmed by 34βE12 and p63 positivity, supporting a benign prostatic origin) and bulbourethral (Cowper) gland structures (clustered mucinous acini lined by cuboidal to columnar epithelium, mucin histochemistry not performed). Mesodermal derivatives included smooth muscle bundles as well as focal thin-walled vascular spaces and scattered clusters of cells morphologically resembling adrenal zona reticularis cells (polygonal cells with abundant eosinophilic or vacuolated cytoplasm containing scant, finely granular brownish-yellow pigment consistent with lipofuscin; immunohistochemical confirmation was not available, as these cell clusters were not present on deeper sections). Ectodermal derivatives consisted of glial tissue and nerve bundles. The pathological diagnosis was mature teratoma. Postoperatively, the patient's symptoms improved markedly.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first report of bulbourethral gland differentiation in a spinal teratoma. Other rare findings in this specimen included prostatic glands, focal vascular spaces, and cell clusters resembling adrenal cortical cells. These findings further expand the known histological spectrum of spinal teratomas and suggest that during development and migration, germ cells possess the potential to differentiate into urogenital sinus derivatives and may also give rise to other mesoderm-derived lineages. Complete surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment, and long-term imaging follow-up is essential for monitoring recurrence.

As demonstrated by Chuchvara et al. and a recent clinical case, amelanotic melanoma (AM) presents a diagnostic challenge for both clinicians and pathologists. AM is frequently clinically misdiagnosed due to its lack of pigmentation and clinical overlap with keratinocytic tumors and may mimic these neoplasms despite evaluation with advanced imaging techniques. These cases emphasize the importance of clinicopathologic correlation in lesions that are clinically amelanotic but histologically confirmed as melanoma.

Silicon (Si) is recognized as a beneficial element that enhances plant growth and stress tolerance in various species, although its effects in hardwoods remain unclear. This study evaluated the impact of Si supplementation on Eucalyptus globulus growth and its responses to drought and fungal infection. Two E. globulus genotypes were treated with 1 or 2 mM calcium silicate (CaSiO3), via substrate irrigation under nursery conditions, and Si content, plant growth, and productivity-related indicators were evaluated. After Si treatment, plants were subjected to drought stress using PEG-6000 or inoculated with Neopestalotiopsis lusitanica. In the drought-stressed plants, growth, stress markers, and antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated. In the pathogen-inoculated, disease severity was assessed using mortality, lesion size, and symptom development. We observed that in genotype B, treatment with 2 mM CaSiO3 increased plant height by 60% and also increased photosynthetic pigments and starch content. In genotype A, the same treatment was particularly effective under stress conditions, increasing plant growth under drought stress by 50% and also reducing oxidative stress (decreasing proline, GSH and lipid peroxidation), enhancing glutamate dehydrogenase activity, and mitigating fungal infection by delaying lesion progression, symptom development and lowering plant mortality by 37.5% at the end of the trial. The effects were supported by the detection of Si in the leaves of both genotypes. These findings suggest that Si can enhance E. globulus growth and resilience and may represent a valuable tool in eucalyptus management, both in nurseries, where plants are often subjected to high-density cultivation and increased pathogen pressure, including emerging nursery-associated fungi such as Neopestalotiopsis sp, and under field conditions, where plants are frequently exposed to water limitations.

Atypical moles are melanocytic lesions that clinically present with asymmetry, border irregularity, color variegation, or diameter 6 mm or greater. They are more common in patients with fair skin and high cumulative sun exposure. High mole density (more than 100) and presence of atypical moles are associated with increased risk of melanoma and should prompt periodic, systematic skin examinations. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends patient or parent counseling for individuals with fair skin who are 6 months to 24 years of age on sun protection to reduce skin cancer risk and selective counseling for adults older than 24 years with fair skin and certain risk factors. To distinguish benign moles from melanoma, clinicians should use the ugly duckling assessment and ABCDE (asymmetry, border irregularity, color unevenness, diameter 6 mm or greater, evolution) mnemonic during clinical examination, incorporating dermoscopy if appropriately trained. Biopsy is sometimes necessary to exclude melanoma. Excisional biopsy should include 1- to 3-mm circumferential margins and sufficient depth. Postbiopsy management is guided by the degree of histopathologic atypia determined by the dermatopathologist, margin involvement, and patient risk factors.

Acne is a common inflammatory skin condition and frequently leads to long-term adverse clinical outcomes including scarring and pigmentation, negatively impacting Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). Monitoring of acne progression can improve understanding of lesion evolution, support evaluation of treatment response and provide potential biomarkers for future investigation of acne sequelae. This study presents a multi-functional optical coherence tomography (OCT) protocol integrating structural imaging, OCT-based angiography (OCTA), and optical coherence elastography (OCE) for longitudinal in vivo monitoring of acne. Thirteen lesions were evaluated across eight time points over 18 days. Quantitative parameters, including Young's modulus and vascular metrics, captured biomechanical and microvascular changes during acne evolution. The system enables continuous multimodal assessment, showing that stiffness and vascular alterations reflect lesion progression. This pilot longitudinal study establishes a quantitative foundation for dermatological research and suggests that multimodal OCT monitoring may provide biomarkers for assessing lesion progression and long-term clinical outcomes.

The rapid increase in minimally invasive dermocosmetic procedures has heightened medico-legal scrutiny, particularly regarding non-physician practitioners. Despite this trend, comprehensive evaluations of malpractice patterns and practitioner-related risk factors in Türkiye remain limited. This study retrospectively analyzed 505 cases referred to the Turkish Council of Forensic Medicine between 2018 and 2022, examining patient demographics, procedure types, lesion characteristics, practitioner profiles, clinical settings and forensic outcomes. Comparative analyses were conducted between physician- and aesthetician-performed procedures, as well as across age groups. The majority of complainants were young adult females (mean age 31.6 ± 8.17 years), with laser epilation most frequently implicated (51.5%). Non-physician aestheticians were involved in 73.8% of cases. First-degree burns were the predominant initial lesion (55.3%), while pigmentation (41.4%) and scarring (38.6%) were the most common long-term outcomes. Malpractice was confirmed in 16.0% of cases, with significant differences observed between practitioner groups in lesion type, location and session count (p < 0.001). In this complaint-driven forensic series, lesion patterns varied by practitioner type and setting, highlighting subsets of forensically significant adverse outcomes and practitioner-associated risk factors, rather than providing incidence estimates or comparative risk.

Malignant melanoma demonstrates strikingly varied clinical presentations, on account of which it is often challenging to diagnose. We describe herein a rare case of amelanotic malignant melanoma (AMM) in the buccinator muscle presenting as a solitary mass. A middle-aged woman presented with a non-pigmented swelling under the right buccal mucosa. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a well-circumscribed lesion without local invasion. A needle biopsy did not establish the diagnosis and was instead interpreted as suggestive of a salivary gland tumor, reinforcing an initial impression of myoepithelioma. Histopathological analysis of an excised specimen revealed poorly defined, pleomorphic tumor cells and a scattering of melanin-containing cells. The diagnosis of AMM was established by integrating these histopathological features with the clinico-radiological findings and the immunohistochemical results, which were positive for HMB-45, S-100, and SOX10 and negative for cytokeratin. Whole-body positron-emission tomography-computed tomography found no primary lesion. Because tumor nests suggesting possible residual disease were observed near the resection margin, a wider, secondary excision including the affected portion of the buccal mucosa and overlying skin was performed together with neck dissection. Histopathological examination of the re-resection specimen showed no residual tumor, indicating that no malignant cells were identified in the adjacent oral mucosa or facial skin. The patient has remained disease-free for three years.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) results from inflammatory responses that leave persistent dark spots around pores after acne lesions are resolved. This pigmentation is caused by increased melanogenesis in melanocytes stimulated by acne-causing bacteria, followed by phagocytosis of excess melanin by macrophages that remain in the dermis. Therefore, to eliminate PIH caused by acne, it is essential not only to suppress excessive melanin synthesis by melanocytes but also to promote the degradation of melanin retained within macrophages. In this study, we investigated whether a culture extract of Bacillus velezensis AmoreLumina (AL), containing more than 80% moranoline (1-Deoxynojirimycin), could inhibit acne-induced pigmentation. Moranoline reduces melanin synthesis by inhibiting the glycosylation of tyrosinase, a key melanogenic enzyme, thereby suppressing its activity. The extract suppressed the upregulation of melanogenic enzymes (tyrosinase, TRP1, and TRP2) and melanin production in melanocytes exposed to acne bacteria, while promoting melanin degradation via macrophage lysosomal activity, as assessed by the relative protein expression level of p62 using Western blotting. Furthermore, in an ex vivo human skin model subjected to acne and ultraviolet radiation-induced pigmentation, treatment with the extract (0.2%) significantly reduced pigmentation (relative delta L 2.98, p value < 0.01). These findings suggest that cosmetic or pharmaceutical formulations incorporating AL extract or moranoline may potentially improve PIH caused by acne-related inflammation.

Bowen's disease and bowenoid actinic keratosis share overlapping clinical and histopathological features, and there is no clear consensus regarding their differential diagnosis. This study aimed to identify clinicopathological differences between the two diseases and to develop a diagnostic prediction model in a Korean population. We retrospectively analyzed 253 patients pathologically diagnosed with Bowen's disease or bowenoid actinic keratosis at a single institution in South Korea. Clinical and histopathological variables were compared between the two groups, and significant variables were incorporated into a multivariable logistic regression model. The model was externally validated using an independent cohort of 207 patients from another institution in South Korea. In the development cohort, variables significantly associated with diagnosis included lesion location, adjacent pigmented lesions, solar elastosis, pathologically identical lesions in the same region, and the number of atypical cells within a 3 mm width of the epidermis. The prediction model showed good discriminative performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.897. In the external validation cohort, the model demonstrated excellent performance, with an area under the curve of 0.994 and an accuracy of 95.17%. These findings suggest that integration of clinical and histopathological features may help differentiate Bowen's disease from bowenoid actinic keratosis in Korean clinical settings. Further validation in ethnically and geographically diverse populations is needed before broader application of the proposed model.