Introduction: The primary issue following lumbar discectomy for disc herniation is the risk of reherniation in the post-operative period. Many surgical techniques have been proposed to treat disc reherniation, however, the optimal one remains variable. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prevalence of symptomatic reherniation after using a Bone-anchored annular closure device following lumbar discectomy and the contributing factors. Materials and methods: Identification of published literature was performed on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Studies published until 14 February 2024 reported the prevalence of symptomatic reherniation after using a Bone-anchored annular closure device following lumbar discectomy and the associated contributing factors. A random effects model was used to conduct Bayesian frequentist network meta-analysis and pair-wise meta-analysis, with the assessment based on standardised mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Eleven studies published in 2012 − 2022 recruiting a total of 5195 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of reherniation in ACD and control groups was 23.2% (95% CI: 18.2% − 28.1%) and 36.4% (95% CI: 28.2% − 44.5%), respectively. The moderator effect of sample size is significant for pooled data of the ACD group (p-mod=0.002), but not for the control group (pmod=0.278). After the adjustment with sample size, the prevalence rates were 13.6% (95% CI: 6.2% − 21.1%) and 29.6% (95% CI: 14.9% − 33.2%) for ACD and control groups, respectively. Conclusion: Comparatively to lumbar discectomy alone, using a Bone-anchored annular closure device following lumbar discectomy decreased the symptomatic reherniation rate and post-operative complications, as well as the necessity for subsequent surgeries.

Primary malignant melanoma of the parotid gland (PMMPG) is an exceptionally rare neoplasm, comprising less than 0.7% of all parotid malignancies and often mistaken for metastatic melanoma. This case presents a 66-year-old man with a painless, slowly enlarging right parotid mass. Imaging revealed a lesion localized to the superficial parotid lobe with FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose)-avid level II lymph nodes. Fine-needle aspiration suggested melanoma, confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The patient underwent total parotidectomy, neck dissection, adjuvant radiotherapy and immunotherapy with pembrolizumab under ongoing oncologic surveillance. Histopathology confirmed melanoma with nodal metastasis and negative margins, with no evidence of local recurrence at 6-month follow-up. Diagnosis of PMMPG demands exclusion of other primary sites and prior excision history, making immunohistochemistry essential. Treatment typically involves surgical resection and radiotherapy; however, prognosis remains poor due to high recurrence and metastasis rates. PMMPG requires a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach. Although aggressive intervention offers the best outcomes, the long-term prognosis is limited. Continued research is essential, particularly focusing on molecular differentiation from clear cell sarcoma and the identification of specific molecular markers that can guide targeted therapy.

Background: Orthognathic surgery has become increasingly accurate with the integration of computerized technologies. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of custom-made plates in transferring the three-dimensional virtual plan to intraoperative maxillary repositioning. Methods: This study included 10 patients. A digital surgical simulation technique was used for preoperative planning. The surgical components— osteotomy/plates, locating guides, and customized titanium plates—were fabricated using computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques, replacing the need for a surgical splint. Postoperative outcomes were assessed using unaltered anatomical landmarks from the preoperative virtual plan. Absolute discrepancies in translational and rotational movements between the planned and actual postoperative positions were measured through superimposition analysis. This evaluation assessed the precision of custom-made plates in transferring the virtual surgical plan, identifying deviations in the cephalocaudal, mediolateral, and anteroposterior directions that could influence functional and esthetic outcomes. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed for any landmarks across the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. The greatest variability was noted at the posterior nasal spine landmark in the axial plane (1.7 mm), compared with the coronal (0.9 mm) and sagittal (0.5 mm) planes. Conclusion Customized titanium plates effectively transferred the virtual surgical plan for maxillary repositioning without the need for an occlusal splint. However, potential posterior interference should be considered during surgical execution.

Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a major neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. FMR1 gene, which causes Fragile X syndrome (FXS), is the most common single-gene contributor to ASD. Variations in CGG repeat length within the 5' untranslated region of FMR1 are central to the etiology of FXS. Given the established connection between FXS and ASD, this study investigated whether the trinucleotide repeat region of FMR1 is associated with ASD in Bangladeshi children. Methods: Seventy-one children participated in the study, including 39 with ASD and 32 age-matched controls. The FMR1 region was amplified using polymerase chain reaction and subsequently sequenced. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the number of CGG repeats between patients with ASD and controls (p>0.01), with the most common repeat number being 27 in both groups. Interspersion of the two AGG trinucleotides among the CGG repeats was the most common pattern found in the study participants, with frequencies of 56.67% and 50.00% in the ASD and the control groups, respectively. Conclusion This study provides preliminary evidence that CGG repeat expansion in the FMR1 gene is unlikely to represent a major genetic contributor to ASD in Bangladeshi children. However, given the limited sample size, further investigations with a larger cohort are required to confirm these findings.

Purpose: Down syndrome (DS) is associated with metabolic dysregulation, obesity, and increased risk of chronic inflammation. This study aimed to assess subclinical inflammation in children with DS by evaluating inflammatory biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and their association with metabolic parameters including ghrelin, lipid profiles, and vitamin D levels. Methods: A total of 49 children with DS (aged 1–18 years) and 22 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Anthropometric data, body fat percentage, and metabolic parameters were assessed. Inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, apolipoprotein-B [Apo B], adiponectin), metabolic hormones (ghrelin, insulin), and lipid profiles were determined from venous blood samples. Statistical analyses included bivariate correlation, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression to identify predictors of inflammation. Results: Children with DS exhibited significantly higher hs-CRP levels than controls (p=0.03), indicative of increased systemic inflammation. Higher hs-CRP levels were associated with older age (r=0.33, p=0.006), greater obesity (body mass index: r=0.32, p=0.011), and elevated serum insulin and low-density lipoprotein levels. Ghrelin levels correlated negatively with Apo B (r=-0.41, p<0.001) and positively with hs-CRP (r=0.30, p=0.012). Predictors of inflammation (based on hs-CRP) included older age, male sex, higher gamma-glutamyl transferase level, and a diagnosis of DS (adjusted R²=0.276). Conclusion Children with DS are prone to metabolic inflammation, with increasing age and obesity exacerbating inflammatory responses. Clinicians should monitor and manage weight, dyslipidemia, and inflammation in this population to prevent long-term complications such as cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance.

Spread through air spaces (STAS) has been identified as an invasion pattern in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study evaluated the association between tumor STAS and various clinicopathological parameters of NSCLC, with emphasis on the prognostic role of STAS. Methods: We evaluated 96 cases of NSCLC for STAS. STAS-positive cases were graded according to the distance between the edge of the primary tumor and the furthest STAS, in millimeters, or the number of alveoli separating STAS from the tumor. Results: STAS was observed in 33 patients (34.4%). In 28 cases, STAS was located in airspaces >3 alveoli away from the primary tumor. In 18 cases, STAS was found in airspaces > 2.5 mm away from the edge of the primary tumor. Morphologically, 18 cases of STAS demonstrated a solid nest pattern, eight showed a micropapillary cluster pattern, and seven exhibited a single-cell pattern. In multivariate analysis, only high tumor grade (p = .001) was independently associated with STAS in NSCLC. The presence of STAS (p = .047), lymphovascular invasion (p = .001), positive surgical margin (p = .021), adenocarcinoma histology (p = .020), and postoperative therapy (p = .049) showed a statistically significant lower overall survival (OS). However, multivariate analyses showed that STAS is not an independent predictor of OS in NSCLC. In addition, STAS-positive cases with an extension of >2.5 mm had significantly lower disease-free survival (DFS) (p = .018). Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that STAS is independently associated with a higher tumor grade and appears to have an adverse impact on OS and DFS in the examined subpopulation.

Mpox, known before now as monkeypox, is a novel zoonotic disease that may infect both humans and animals. It usually spreads by direct contact with bodily fluids, lesion material, or fomites (such as contaminated linens) and prolonged face-to-face contact. Mpox can spread to laboratory animals in a research laboratory through either a general outbreak or during procedures. Animal models are essential as we learn more about how infections occur and how to treat illnesses in both humans and animals which require laboratory procedures with mpox virus. As drug-resistant organisms proliferate, bioterrorism becomes a greater danger, international trade and travel expand, and the number of newly developing infectious illnesses grows, the use of animals in infectious disease research has increased. Animal research offers a solid basis for clinical trials used in standard medication development.Animal studies must be planned to produce conclusive effectiveness evidence that is robust, rigorous, and repeatable per the animal rule so that the agency may depend on the results when making regulatory decisions.There is a need to understand the transmission risk and biosafety protocol to be in place in laboratory settings to prevent an outbreak and probably contain an outbreak. Hence, this review discussed the overview of mpox in animal research, biosafety protocols in mpox research, laboratory waste management methods, legal and ethical considerations in mpox research, challenges in carrying out mpox research and future directions.