Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a leading cause of hepatic fibrosis, yet its prevalence in asymptomatic populations remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of steatosis and significant fibrosis in asymptomatic individuals without known liver disease in the Greater Vancouver Area.

Interested individuals voluntarily registered online via the Canadian Liver Foundation website or by telephone. Inclusion criteria included age ≥ 19 years, no known liver disease, and low alcohol intake (<30 g/day for men, <20 g/day for women). Demographic and clinical data were collected, and all participants underwent transient elastography after a 3-h fast. The study aimed to collect 4,500 analyzable scans while reflecting the region’s ethnic diversity.

A total of 4,193 participants were analyzed. The median age was 62 years, the median body mass index was 25.4, and 45% were male. Asian individuals comprised 42% of the cohort. Steatosis was present in 59.6% of participants, and 45.7% met diagnostic criteria for MASLD. Significant fibrosis (F2–F4) was found in 8.6%. Age, male sex, ethnicity, cardiac disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity were significantly associated with fibrosis. Logistic regression analysis confirmed age, weight, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity as independent predictors.

A substantial proportion of asymptomatic individuals in Greater Vancouver have undetected MASLD and significant fibrosis. Early identification of high-risk groups may support broader implementation of transient elastography screening. This study provides one of the first North American population-based estimates of MASLD and fibrosis stratified by ethnicity, offering new insights into liver disease distribution among Caucasian, Chinese, and South Asian populations.

Histopathology is the gold standard in cancer diagnosis. However, attenuated total reflectance (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has shown diagnostic potential in other settings. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in evaluating breast lesions.

This study was conducted on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy blocks received at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital between 2022 and 2023. The blocks were categorized into 10 normal (from benign breast tissue), 15 benign, and 31 malignant samples. Tissue sections of 15 µm were obtained during block trimming and floated onto FTIR slides. An additional 4 µm tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for tumor diagnosis and to identify suitable areas on the FTIR slide. Spectrometer readings were taken within the range of 4000–600 cm−1, 32 scans, and 16 cm−1 resolution, using the average of 10 preprocessed spectra per slide. Biomarkers were calculated by ratioing peak intensities for A1632/A1543, A1632/A2922, A1632/A1080, A1080/A1543, A1237/A1080, and A1043/A1543, which represent protein, diagnostic marker, cytoplasm-nucleus ratio, carcinogenesis marker, phosphate, and glycogen, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the curve (AUC).

The AUC analysis showed that cytoplasm-nucleus ratio values of 0.99 and 0.95 effectively distinguished normal from malignant tissue, and benign from malignant tissue, respectively (p < 0.0001). Additionally, protein marker (AUC = 0.73), diagnostic marker (AUC = 0.85), and cytoplasm-nucleus ratio marker (AUC = 0.94) were able to discriminate normal from benign tissue. Overall, the receiver operating characteristic analysis showed 100% sensitivity and specificity ranging from 54% to 87%. Glycogen (AUC = 1.00) exhibited 100% sensitivity in discriminating fibroadenoma from fibrocystic changes.

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy in differentiating normal, benign, and malignant breast tissues using specific spectral biomarkers. Among these, the cytoplasm-nucleus ratio marker showed strong potential as a reliable spectral indicator for distinguishing various types of breast tumors. The cytoplasm-nucleus ratio marker demonstrated strong potential as a reliable spectral indicator for distinguishing various types of breast tumors.

Ectopic or heterotopic pancreases are normal pancreatic tissues located outside the pancreas. The ectopic pancreas has its own vascular and ductal systems and does not communicate with the normal pancreas. The prevalence of ectopic pancreas ranges from 0.6% to 15% among all autopsies. Many types of tumors, including intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), have been reported in the ectopic pancreas. However, little is known about the synchronous occurrence of IPMNs in both ectopic and orthotopic pancreas. In this study, we report, for the first time, two cases of concurrent IPMNs in an ectopic pancreas and an orthotopic pancreas. One patient had IPMNs both in the pancreas and in ectopic pancreatic tissue in the jejunum. Another patient had IPMNs in both the pancreas and ectopic pancreatic tissue in the duodenum. These cases may provide valuable insights into the etiological factors of IPMNs.

Shenqi Fuzheng (SQ) is a widely used Chinese medicine formula known for its immune-enhancing and Qi-supplementing properties. However, the blood-absorbed components of SQ and their pharmacokinetics remain underexplored. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the chemical constituents of SQ and investigate their absorption and pharmacokinetic behavior in rat plasma.

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (hereinafter referred to as UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS) is employed to identify the chemical components in SQ extract and quantify the components absorbed into the blood after oral administration in rats. This method provides fragmentation patterns of compounds and key pharmacokinetic profiles of blood-absorbed compounds.

A total of 105 compounds are identified from the SQ extract, and 40 are detected in the blood following oral administration. Organic acids and amino acids are found at higher concentrations in the bloodstream. Compounds such as Astragalosides promptly enter the bloodstream within 5 m after administration, with levels declining after 15 m. Flavonoids are absorbed within 15–30 m, and the peak of alkaloids occurs approximately 1 h after administration.

This study provides new insights into the chemical composition and pharmacokinetics of SQ, highlighting the dynamic changes in the content of absorbed compounds in the blood. It further promotes the comprehensive characterization of traditional Chinese medicine formulations through UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS. Future research should focus on elucidating the pharmacological activities of the identified compounds and investigating their potential synergistic effects within the formulation.

Soft tissue cytopathology plays a vital role in the diagnosis and management of soft tissue neoplasms, necessitating a standardized classification system to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide clinical decision-making. This article provides a concise review of the World Health Organization (WHO) Reporting System for Soft Tissue Cytopathology and presents a practical diagnostic approach to soft tissue cytopathology.

The WHO Reporting System is reviewed in conjunction with relevant literature. The reporting system employs a six-category framework: non-diagnostic, benign, atypical, soft tissue neoplasm of uncertain malignant potential, suspicious for malignancy, and malignant. Each category is associated with a corresponding risk of malignancy and recommended clinical management guidelines. This classification aligns with the WHO Classification of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumours (5th edition) and incorporates cytomorphologic features, ancillary studies, and clinical correlation to enhance diagnostic reproducibility and communication among pathologists and clinicians.

The system supports a probabilistic approach to risk stratification, enabling more consistent diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

As molecular diagnostics and immunocytochemistry continue to advance, this framework provides a robust foundation for the interpretation of soft tissue fine-needle aspiration biopsies and optimized patient care.