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Background Abdominal aorta-duodenal fistulas are rare abnormal communications between the abdominal aorta and duodenum. Secondary abdominal aorta-duodenal fistulas often result from endovascular surgery for aneurysms and can present as severe late complications. Case presentation A 50-year-old male patient underwent endovascular reconstruction for an infrarenal abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm. Prior to the operation, he was diagnosed with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Syphilis. Two years later, he was readmitted with lower extremity pain and fever. Blood cultures grew Enterococcus faecium , Salmonella , and Streptococcus anginosus . Sepsis was successfully treated with comprehensive anti-infective therapy. He was readmitted 6 months later, with blood cultures growing Enterococcus faecium and Escherichia coli . Although computed tomography did not show contrast agent leakage, we suspected an abdominal aorta-duodenal fistula. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy confirmed this suspicion. The patient underwent in situ abdominal aortic repair and received long-term antibiotic therapy. He remained symptom-free during a year and a half of follow-up. Conclusions This case suggests that recurrent infections with non-typhoidal Salmonella and gut bacteria may be an initial clue to secondary abdominal aorta-duodenal fistula.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to apply what can be learned from the emergence of nature tourism to understand some current and future trends of tourism.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted the evolutionary paradigm for investigation.FindingsThe emergence of nature tourism in early medieval China can be attributed to four major factors, including transformation of value orientations, seeking longevity, interest in suburbs and population migration.Research limitations/implicationsHistorical studies help understand the current and future trends. When the contributing factors for nature tourism are linked to the contemporary world, it can be found that these factors are still playing a part in shaping tourism trends or patterns in their original or alternative forms. These trends or patterns are worthy of scholarly investigations.Originality/valueThis paper offers a comprehensive understanding of the origins of nature tourism.

Liver X receptor α (LXRα), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is identified as a protein activated by ligands that interacts with the promoters of specific genes. It regulates cholesterol, bile acid, and lipid metabolism in normal physiological processes, and it participates in the development of some related diseases. However, many studies have demonstrated that LXRα is also involved in regulating numerous human malignancies. Aberrant LXRα expression is emerging as a fundamental and pivotal factor in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and metastasis. Herein, we outline the expression levels of LXRα between tumor tissues and normal tissues via the Oncomine and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) 2.0 databases; summarize emerging insights into the roles of LXRα in the development, progression, and treatment of different human cancers and their diversified mechanisms; and highlight that LXRα can be a biomarker and therapeutic target in diverse cancers.

Hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure has high short-term mortality. Artificial liver support systems (ALSS) may improve outcome and avoid liver transplantation, but predicting short-term prognosis in such patients is difficult. This study aimed to determine whether the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), an inflammation marker, predicted mortality in patients treated with ALSS. A total of 560 patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure were enrolled, 338 were treated with ALSS and the others treated with standard of care(SOC). Clinical variables and the NLR were evaluated for prognostic value. Thirty-day mortality was 28.4% in ALSS and 55.4% in SOC patients. The NLR was lower in survivors than in ALSS or SOC patients who died. Univariate and multivariate analysis found that NLR and the chronic liver failure sequential organ failure assessment scores(CLIF-SOFA) were independently associated with 30-day mortality. Among patients with NLRs ≤ 3, 3-6, and >6, 30-day mortality was 7.7%,23.1%, and 69.2% in ALSS and 25.5%, 50.0%, and 75.0% in SOC patients. Among patients with NLRs ≤ 3 or 3-6, mortality was lower in ALSS than in SOC patients (P < 0.01). Mortality rates of ALSS and SOC patients with NLRs > 6 did not different (P >0.05). The area under curve of NLR and CLIF-SOFA was 0.82 and 0.88 in ALSS group, 0.78 and 0.86 in SOC group. The results suggest that liver function in most patients with NLRs ≤ 3 recovered with ALSS treatment, and patients with NLRs > 6 needed emergency liver transplantation. NLR was an independent predictor of mortality in ALSS patients and may assist physicians in determining treatment options.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a malignant hematological stem cell disease, arises from the malignant transformation of myeloid progenitor cells. Among the genetic aberrations in AML, mutations in the tyrosine kinase receptor FLT3, especially FLT3-ITD, are most frequently detected and are correlated with poor clinical outcomes. Intriguingly, FLT3-ITD is implicated in immune escape, although the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The present study aims to elucidate the relationship between FLT3-ITD and the immune checkpoint molecule CD80, which is crucial for immune regulation. Our results provide compelling evidence that a moderate level of CD80 localizes on the cell surface of FLT3-ITD AML cells. Mechanistically, FLT3-ITD upregulates CD80 expression by increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and subsequent CD80 enhancement. Significantly, we found that treatment with a HIF-1α inhibitor selectively suppressed the proliferation of FLT3-ITD-positive leukemic cells and induced excessive ROS production, which consequently led to CD80 overexpression. Collectively, our findings unravel the molecular pathway through which FLT3-ITD augments CD80 expression via ROS, suggesting a potential immune evasion. Moreover, this study points to a novel therapeutic strategy that combines chemotherapy-induced CD80 overexpression with immune checkpoint-targeted immunotherapy to eradicate FLT3-ITD AML cells.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) often develops immune-related adverse events (irAEs). However, irAEs-induced multi-organ injuries remain a rare event. We herein report a case of multi-organ injuries induced by tislelizumab in a lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) patient. A 68-year-old man had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and tislelizumab. He presented with a 1-month history of nausea and poor appetite after the second dose of therapy. During investigations, rhabdomyolysis, liver, kidney, and thyroid damage were detected. After multi-disciplinary consultation, multi-organ injuries related to ICIs (striated muscle, liver, kidney, and thyroid) were considered to result from cumulated irAEs induced by tislelizumab. The patient was treated with levothyroxine, methylprednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulins, and continuous renal replacement therapy. After treatment, the patient recovered and was discharged from the hospital. The patient presented with multiple organ damage, not single immunity treatment adverse reactions, relatively rare. In clinical work, irAEs are likely not a single-system organ disorder and many kinds of attention need to be combined with the risk of multi-system damage.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1508293.].

Nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs) are emerging environmental pollutants that have raised concerns due to their potential impacts on human health. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been widely used as a model organism to study the toxicity of NPs and MPs and to evaluate the effects of these pollutants on human health. This review summarizes recent studies on the toxicities and potential effects of NPs and MPs in zebrafish and discusses how findings from this model can help predict their impact on human health. Additionally, the mechanisms by which NPs and MPs affect biological processes, such as growth, development, behavior, immune function, reproduction, and the nervous system, in zebrafish are further illustrated. Taken together, zebrafish serve as a valuable model for predicting the potential effects of NPs and MPs on human health and highlight the growing concern surrounding these environmental pollutants.

Prognostic assessment in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), particularly in HBV-endemic regions, remains challenging due to the limited accuracy of conventional models. We aimed to develop and validate a novel, machine learning-based model incorporating liver reserve function to improve individualized prediction of short-term outcomes in HBV-ACLF. Baseline demographics, clinical features, laboratory findings, and 90-day follow-up data were retrospectively collected from 496 patients (training/internal subgroups) and 52 patients (external validation) with HBV-ACLF. Twelve machine learning algorithms were systematically evaluated for prognostic performance. The optimal model was established using the LASSO-RF approach, with key variables identified by SHAP values. Model accuracy was assessed by ROC analysis and compared with MELD and CTP scores. An interactive web calculator (https://syx123.shinyapps.io/deploy_shiny/) was developed to facilitate clinical use. We initially screened 23 potential clinical risk factors for predicting ACLF prognosis. Subsequently, using the LASSO-RF model, 15 key variables were selected for model construction. The final LASSO-RF model achieved an AUC of 0.99 in the training cohort and 0.98 in the validation cohort for predicting 90-day mortality, outperforming conventional scoring systems such as MELD and CTP. To facilitate clinical application, an online tool (https://syx123.shinyapps.io/deploy_shiny/) was developed to provide real-time risk scores and 90-day mortality predictions for individual patients. Liver reserve function indicators, particularly EHBF and ICG-R15, play a pivotal role in prognosticating HBV-ACLF outcomes. The developed model and its accompanying online tool enable accurate risk stratification and have the potential to guide timely and individualized clinical management.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment modality in which a photosensitizing dye is administered and exposed to light to kill tumor cells via the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). A fundamental obstacle for PDT is the low specificity for staining solid tumors with dyes. Recently, a tumor targeting system guided by anaerobic bacteria was proposed for tumor imaging and treatment. Here, we explore the feasibility of the genetically encoded photosensitizer KillerRed, which is expressed in Escherichia coli, to treat tumors. Using nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), we detected a lengthy ROS diffusion from the bodies of KillerRed-expressing bacteria in vitro, which demonstrated the feasibility of using bacteria to eradicate cells in their surroundings. In nude mice, Escherichia coli (E. coli) expressing KillerRed (KR-E. coli) were subcutaneously injected into xenografts comprising CNE2 cells, a human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line, and HeLa cells, a human cervical carcinoma cell line. KR-E. coli seemed to proliferate rapidly in the tumors as observed under an imaging system. When the intensity of fluorescence increased and the fluorescent area became as large as the tumor one day after KR-E. coli injection, the KR-E. coli-bearing tumor was irradiated with an orange light (λ = 540-580 nm). In all cases, the tumors became necrotic the next day and were completely eliminated in a few days. No necrosis was observed after the irradiation of tumors injected with a vehicle solution or a vehicle carrying the E. coli without KillerRed. In successfully treated mice, no tumor recurrence was observed for more than two months. E. coli genetically engineered for KillerRed expression are highly promising for the diagnosis and treatment of tumors when the use of bacteria in patients is cleared for infection safety.