Explore the vast range of titles available.

Abstract Background: Many unusual and fascinating causes of stroke are seen in Asia. Although rarely encountered in the Western world, such cases are seen not so infrequently by neurologists, physicians, and other healthcare workers in Asian countries. This article highlights some of these intriguing causes of stroke such as snakebite, scorpion stings, and bee and wasp stings. Summary: Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease of global importance affecting over 5 million people each year, and scorpion stings and bee and wasp stings affect over a million people worldwide every year. Strokes due to these uncommon causes predominantly affect young males in their most productive years, and many victims die or remain with residual disability with significant socioeconomic consequences to the affected families and society. Both ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes are seen, with ischaemic strokes being more common. Many unanswered questions remain regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical spectrum, and the natural history of stroke due to these causes. Antivenom is effective in snake envenoming, antivenom and prazosin are effective in scorpion envenoming, and treatment of anaphylaxis and allergy is recommended in systemic reactions due to bee or wasp stings. However, there are no treatment guidelines or expert recommendations to guide the management of stroke in these patients, and there are no data on the safety and efficacy of stroke-specific treatments such as antiplatelet therapy, thrombolysis or endovascular treatment. Key Messages: More research is clearly needed to unravel the complexities related to stroke following snakebite, scorpion envenoming, and bee and wasp stings, and to guide the development of optimal stroke treatment strategies in these unusual situations. Awareness of these exotic stroke aetiologies is important in early recognition and appropriate management of patients presenting with stroke symptoms in Asian countries, and in global travellers from the region. International collaborations would go a long way in improving our understanding of these rare but fascinating causes of stroke. Plain Language SummaryMany unusual causes of stroke are seen in Asia, which are rarely encountered in the Western world. This article highlights some of these intriguing causes of stroke such as snakebite, scorpion stings, and bee and wasp stings. Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease of global importance affecting over 5 million people each year, and scorpion stings and bee and wasp stings affect over a million people worldwide every year. Strokes due to these uncommon causes predominantly affect young males in their most productive years. Many unanswered questions remain regarding the underlying mechanisms, clinical features, and the natural history of stroke due to these causes. Management of these cases is challenging as diagnostic and treatment facilities are limited in the regions where these cases are usually seen. There are no treatment guidelines or expert recommendations to guide the management of stroke in these patients. More research is clearly needed to better understand the complexities related to stroke following snakebite, scorpion envenoming and bee and wasp stings and to guide the development of optimal stroke treatment strategies in these unusual situations.

In this critical study, Aaron West, a music critic and professional musician, explores the cultural and musical impact of Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers, and Sting--the band known as The Police. West details the distinctive hybrid character of The Police's musical output, and he shows how the band were pioneers in music video, modern label marketing, global activism, and the internationalization of pop music.--From publisher description.

Envenoming resulting from Apis honeybee stings pose a neglected public health concern, with clinical complications ranging from mild local reactions to severe systemic manifestations. This review explores the mechanisms underlying envenoming by honeybee sting, discusses diagnostic approaches, and reviews current pharmacological interventions. This section explores the diverse clinical presentations of honeybee envenoming, including allergic and non-allergic reactions, emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis to guide appropriate medical management. Mechanistic insights into the honeybee venom’s impact on physiological systems, including the immune and cardiovascular systems, are provided to enhance understanding of the complexities of honeybee sting envenoming. Additionally, the article evaluates emerging diagnostic technologies and therapeutic strategies, providing a critical analysis of their potential contributions to improved patient outcomes. This article aims to provide current knowledge for healthcare professionals to effectively manage honeybee sting envenoming, thereby improving patient care and treatment outcomes.

Animal-related injuries remain a neglected public health issue in rural Tanzania, exacerbated by limited access to care and varied occupational exposures. While some studies have examined bite management in tertiary hospitals, little is known about the situation at the primary healthcare (PHC) level. This study explored clinical presentations, management and outcomes of animal-related injuries in a rural Tanzanian setting, using Mkinga District as a case study. A mixed-methods study was conducted in February 2024 across 29 PHC facilities in Mkinga, Tanzania. The quantitative component involved a retrospective audit of animal-related injury records from 2019 to 2023. The qualitative component comprised 10 interviews with facility in-charges to explore clinical decision-making, treatment approaches, and outcomes. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS; thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative transcript. A total of 351 cases were documented. Symptom data were missing in over 70% of records, limiting clinical profiling. Among recorded cases, corticosteroids (55%) and antihistamines (53%) were commonly used, especially for insect and dog bites. Antibiotics were administered in insect stings (26%) and dog bites (23%), and analgesics were frequently used for insect bites. Antidotes were most common in dog (58%) and snake bites (26%). Of two cat bite cases, only one received antibiotics; neither received tetanus toxoid, despite the known infection risk. Qualitative findings highlighted three themes: clinical presentations, treatment modalities, and outcomes. Respondents described primary (e.g., bleeding, pain) and systemic (e.g., respiratory distress, neurological signs) symptoms. Treatment involved a mix of pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and traditional methods. While most patients recovered, some experienced complications or death. PHC facilities manage most animal-related injuries effectively, but gaps in documentation, guideline adherence, and referral systems remain. Strengthening provider training, improving resources, and engaging traditional healers may enhance timely care. Broader surveillance and community education are critical to reducing preventable harm.

To better understand the impact of social wasps on the health of people in South Korea, we analyzed requests to emergency services call centers for the removal of social wasp nests and the effect of Hymenoptera stings on human health between 2010 and 2014.There were 483,233 calls requesting removal of wasp nests and Hymenoptera stings caused 78,860 injuries and 49 deaths. The strong relationships between both the number of emergency calls and injuries, and urban density reflect the sensitivity of densely populated areas to potential threats from wasp and the increased awareness of the wasp nest removal service communicated by public education programs. We found that the removed nests belonged to 17 species of social wasp, with Polistes rothneyi koreanus Vecht and Vespa velutina nigrithorax du Buysson being the most prevalent. Problems associated with the invasive V. v. nigrithorax increased as the species became more widely distributed across the country and more abundant in urban areas. Increases in the incidence of sting injuries among males aged 40–69 between July and September were likely due to increased exposure during outdoor activities involving less-fit adults. In total, 1.5% of victims required hospitalization, of which 98.5% were treated as outpatients. Total medical costs associated with wasp stings over the 5-yr period were approximately 3.2 million USD. Although most wasp sting–related injuries were minor, some were serious, including fatalities, and were probably attributable to lack of education on wasp attack behavior.

Stings from venomous bony and cartilaginous fishes are known to cause extreme pain in humans, and with changing migratory patterns and distributions due to climate change, human interactions with venomous fishes may increase. Therefore, developing a better understanding of venomous fish stings and the associated pain can provide better solutions for first aid and treatments, particularly in areas or within populations with a higher risk of being stung. Using the results from an online questionnaire, this study discusses the perspectives of 121 people with direct experience of fish stings, exploring the contexts in which fish stings occurred, their firsthand experiences of pain, sting pathophysiology, experiences with medical treatments, and the long-term consequences of fish stings. This small-scale survey has proved successful for the exploration of fish sting experiences, and as such, an approach of this nature should be considered to better understand victim’s experiences with other painful animal stings.

Each year more than a million cases of scorpion envenomation occur worldwide, causing substantial morbidity and, among children, a risk of death. This brief review discusses the effects and treatment of scorpion envenomation. Every year, more than 1 million cases of scorpion envenomation are reported worldwide. 1 Although the resultant mortality is lower than that from snake envenomation, there is substantial morbidity and, among children, a risk of death. Almost all systemic scorpion envenomation causes pain at the site of the sting. A mixed autonomic excitation (neuroexcitatory) syndrome that is unique to scorpions follows; the syndrome varies in type and severity according to the type of scorpion. 2 – 4 In addition, a cytotoxic envenomation syndrome has been reported in areas of Iran in which Hemiscorpius lepturus is endemic. 5 Epidemiology Although millions of scorpion stings occur . . .

Jellyfish stings, as one of the most prevalent forms of marine injury, have increasingly become a subject of concern. Despite their simple morphology and structure, jellyfish possess a complex venom composition that can inflict varying degrees of damage on multiple human physiological systems. Consequently, the clinical symptoms associated with jellyfish stings are highly intricate. Although antivenoms have been developed for certain jellyfish species (e.g., C. fleckeri), specific antivenoms targeting the mechanisms of most jellyfish venoms remain understudied. To effectively prevent, treat, and cure jellyfish stings, we adhere to the principle of knowing their nature and their reasons. It is essential to investigate the emission mechanism of jellyfish nematocysts and the composition of their venom. Understanding these factors is crucial for the development of targeted treatment strategies. This review delves into the venom emission mechanism of jellyfish stinging cells, the symptoms resulting from jellyfish stings, and the comprehensive treatment strategies post-sting. It offers a scientific reference for comprehending jellyfish stings and establishes a theoretical foundation for subsequent research endeavors.

DNA is present in the nucleus and mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. There are, however, certain instances in which DNA emerges in the cytosol. The two major sources of cytosolic DNA are self DNA that is leaked out from the nucleus or mitochondria, and non-self DNA from DNA viruses. The cytosolic DNA triggers the host immune response. Recent studies have identified two key molecules, cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) in this immune response. STING is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein. After STING binding to cGAMP, STING exits the ER and translocates to the Golgi, where STING triggers the type I interferon- and proinflammatory responses through the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). STING also activates other cellular responses including cell senescence, autophagy, and cell death. In this review, we focus on emerging issues regarding the regulation of STING by membrane traffic, with a particular focus on the retrograde membrane traffic from the Golgi to the ER. The retrograde membrane traffic is recently shown by us and others to be critical for silencing the STING signaling pathway and the defect in this traffic underlies the pathogenesis of the COPA syndrome, a monogenic autoinflammatory disease caused by missense mutations of coatomer protein complex subunit α (COP-α).