Giant invasive spinal schwannoma (GISS) is a rare benign tumor that extends over two or more vertebral levels with myofascial invasion. No previous case of GISS with vertebral body collapse has been reported. A 44-year-old man presented with a one-year history of progressive limb weakness and difficulty with defecation. He was initially misdiagnosed with a metastatic spinal tumor. Imaging revealed a large extradural mass with C4 vertebral body collapse. Histological examination of tumor tissue from both operations confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient’s limb weakness gradually improved. One year after surgery, the patient was able to walk and write independently. Muscle strength recovered to 4/5 in the upper extremities and 5/5 in the lower extremities, with a modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score of 15/15. The patient’s neurological function improved significantly, and one-year follow-up showed no recurrence and stable spinal fixation. Currently, the patient’s bowel function has improved; however, the patient still requires defecation in bed. When magnetic resonance imaging reveals giant spinal tumors with imaging features suggestive of malignancy, GISS should be considered. Preoperative biopsy is essential for accurate diagnosis.

In the post-genomic era, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators in various cancers and hold potential as minimally invasive diagnostic biomarkers. This study aimed to perform microarray analysis of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptome to evaluate differential lncRNA expression in women with luminal A breast cancer.

A one-color microarray analysis was conducted using SurePrint G3 Human Unrestricted 8×60K arrays and a SureScan Microarray Scanner (Agilent Technologies, USA). The study cohort comprised 16 participants: eight patients diagnosed with luminal A breast cancer and eight healthy controls. Bioinformatic analysis was performed using the “limma” and “tidyverse” packages in the R statistical environment. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted to identify significantly differentially expressed gene clusters. The false discovery rate-adjusted p-value (padj) was applied to ensure methodological rigor. Associations between lncRNAs and disease progression were explored using the LncRNADisease 2.0 database.

Differential expression was observed for long intergenic non-coding (LINC), LOC, and antisense RNA genes. Notably, LINC RNA 974 (LINC00974) exhibited significant differential expression (log fold change > |1.5|, padj < 0.05) after multiple comparison correction. Analysis using the LncRNADisease 2.0 database revealed associations between LINC and antisense RNAs and other oncological disorders.

This study is the first to demonstrate differential lncRNA expression in PBMCs of patients with luminal A breast cancer. Despite the limited sample size, the study demonstrates statistically significant differences between groups, highlighting the potential of PBMC-derived lncRNAs as minimally invasive biomarkers. These findings enhance our understanding of the utility of PBMC-derived lncRNAs as biomarkers for breast cancer.

The gut microbiota is crucial in maintaining host health and liver function. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has shown promising potential in treating chronic liver diseases. To help clinicians quickly master and standardize the clinical application of FMT for chronic liver disease, the Liver Related Digestive Diseases Group of the Chinese Society of Hepatology of the Chinese Medical Association has developed the “Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of FMT for Chronic Liver Disease.” This consensus addresses the key aspects of FMT, including the indications, contraindications, efficacy, safety, donor selection, transplantation routes, precautions, and the prevention and management of adverse reactions for chronic liver conditions, such as chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, thereby offering reference and guidance to clinicians implementing FMT in the treatment of chronic liver disease.

Artemisia argyi H. Lév. & Vaniot essential oil (AAEO) holds significant pharmacological potential, but its application is constrained by hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of reducing AAEO’s toxicity through storage and to evaluate changes in chemical composition, toxicity, and bioactivity.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze compositional changes during storage. Zebrafish acute toxicity tests and the liver-specific transgenic zebrafish model Tg(fabp10:EGFP) were used to assess toxicity. Antimicrobial, analgesic, and antioxidant assays evaluated variations in bioactivity.

Over the 150-day storage period, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis identified 39 components. Zebrafish acute toxicity tests showed that the LD50 of AAEO stored for 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 days were 0.10 µL·mL−1, 0.10 µL·mL−1, 0.10 µL·mL−1, 0.11 µL·mL−1, 0.13 µL·mL−1, and 0.14 µL·mL−1, respectively, demonstrating a 40% reduction in acute toxicity after 150 days of storage. Using the liver-specific green fluorescent transgenic Tg(fabp10:EGFP) zebrafish model, the inhibition rates of AAEO on hepatic fluorescence intensity were measured at 68.5%, 43.5%, 42.6%, 37.8%, 34.6%, and 31.9% at different time points, confirming reduced hepatotoxicity after storage. Additionally, the antioxidant and analgesic activities of AAEO were significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) after storage, while the antibacterial activity decreased (p < 0.05).

After storage, AAEO significantly reduces hepatotoxicity, with a 40% decrease in acute toxicity after 150 days. Meanwhile, the antioxidant and analgesic activities of AAEO increase, while its antibacterial activity decreases after storage.

Regular exercise is fundamental for people with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), yet exercise maintenance is generally poor. This generative co-design process aimed to embed the voices and opinions of people with lived experience of MASLD and their care stakeholders to (i) frame barriers and enablers to exercise maintenance and (ii) highlight priorities for exercise-focused research agendas in MASLD.

A generative co-design framework was applied. Two virtual co-design sessions were undertaken: Session 1 – Framing the issue, where initial discovery was conducted with people with lived experience of MASLD; and Session 2 – Generative design and sharing ideas with lived experience partners and healthcare stakeholders. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed, and key determinants and considerations were discerned by two independent researchers.

Lived experience partners (n = 5, 53 ± 16 years, 40% male) ranked five equally important barriers to exercise maintenance: musculoskeletal and pain issues, lack of access to exercise equipment/facilities, cost, competing priorities, and low energy levels, which influenced core positive and negative determinants. Alongside lived experience partners, healthcare stakeholders (hepatologists [n = 3], exercise professionals [n = 3], 67% male) identified three core needs with eight considerations. Some disconnects in priorities were observed. Lived experience partners emphasized affordability, accessibility, and considerations for comorbidities, while healthcare partners advocated for research on natural history, prevention, behavior change, cost-effectiveness, and health system change.

This co-design methodology highlights unique consumer-informed research questions. Exercise interventions and their associated implementation trials will benefit from being co-designed with both people with MASLD and care stakeholders.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is now the most common chronic liver disease in the Western world, driven by obesity, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation. Its progressive form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), can culminate in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While lifestyle modification remains central to MASLD management, there is growing interest in pharmacological interventions, particularly nutrient-stimulated hormone-based therapies (NuSHs), such as GLP-1 receptor agonists. NuSHs exert metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects primarily via weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity. Emerging clinical data support their efficacy in resolving MASH without worsening fibrosis. However, benefits in cirrhotic patients are less evident, suggesting greater utility in early intervention. Observational studies and clinical trials suggest a reduction in liver-related morbidity with GLP-1 receptor agonist use, though fibrosis regression remains inconsistent. Preclinical models indicate that NuSHs may also reduce MASH-related HCC incidence and tumor burden, likely through systemic metabolic improvements rather than direct antineoplastic action. Observational human data following bariatric surgery reinforce this link, suggesting that weight loss itself plays a key preventive role. Herein, we propose that NuSHs are promising candidates for MASH-related HCC prevention. We provide mechanistic suggestions for how this may occur. Furthermore, incorporating NuSHs into the post-locoregional treatment pathway for HCC may delay the need for systemic anti-cancer therapies, improve immunotherapy synergy and transplant eligibility, and even slow disease progression through reversal of carcinogenic drivers. Future studies are needed to target oncological endpoints and clarify immunometabolic mechanisms to guide the integration of NuSHs into MASLD treatment algorithms.

Myosteatosis is associated with poor outcomes in various liver diseases. However, standardized methods for assessing, defining, and diagnosing myosteatosis in the context of liver diseases remain unclear. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms by which myosteatosis leads to pathophysiological progression and adverse health outcomes remain elusive. Therefore, in this review, we elaborate on the currently available measures, definitions, and diagnostic criteria of myosteatosis in the existing literature. We thoroughly clarify the recent evidence and data regarding the possible involvement of myosteatosis in the progression and deterioration of various liver diseases and resulting complications, including liver cirrhosis, chronic viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic/metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, liver transplantation, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Additionally, it synthesizes insights from basic research on the pathogenesis of myosteatosis, which involves multifactorial mechanisms, including insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic inflammation. Finally, from an operational and pragmatic perspective, several regimens, including physical, nutritional, and pharmacological therapies, have been discussed as potential treatments for myosteatosis.

It is established that administration of the COVID-19 vaccine may be associated with an exaggerated immune response leading to enlargement of several lymph nodes. Although most cases are benign and self-limiting, some have been reported in the literature as B-cell or T-cell lymphomas, with no reported cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). We report two cases of follicular lymphoma and CLL that occurred a few weeks after COVID-19 vaccination. Case 1 is a 48-year-old woman who noticed two significantly palpable masses, one in each axilla, 48 h after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine for COVID-19. Seven days later, she noticed another mass on the right side of her neck, which was biopsied within 48 hours. Case 2 is a 75-year-old man who presented with localized swellings in the axilla and on the neck, noted 24 h after the first dose of the Moderna messenger RNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. Neither patient reported any constitutional or associated symptoms. Surgical biopsy of the axillary lymph node in case 1 revealed a non-Hodgkin lymphoma, confirmed via immunohistochemistry as CD20-positive B-cell follicular lymphoma. The patient also had multiple pre- and para-aortic lymph nodes. In case 2, complete blood count showed lymphocytosis (total white blood cell – 148 × 109/L; lymphocyte differential – 92%), while peripheral blood film showed lymphocytosis with a predominance of small, mature-looking lymphocytes, both suggesting CLL. Although requested, immunophenotyping and molecular testing were not performed due to patient-related challenges. Although a chance occurrence is possible, lymphoid malignancies should be considered a strong differential. The vaccination history of patients presenting with clinical manifestations suggestive of a lymphoid malignancy should be thoroughly investigated, while ruling out other possible differentials such as a benign, self-limiting inflammatory process.