Reduction of selenite and tellurite by a highly metal-tolerant marine bacterium.

Selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) contaminations in soils and water bodies have been widely reported in recent years. Se(IV) and Te(IV) were regarded as their most dangerous forms. Microbial treatments of Se(IV)- and Te(IV)-containing wastes are promising approaches because of their environmentally friendly and sustainable advantages. However, the salt-tolerant microbial resources that can be used for selenium/tellurium pollution control are still limited since industrial wastewaters usually contain a large number of salts. In this study, a marine Shewanella sp. FDA-1 (FDA-1) was reported for efficient Se(IV) and Te(IV) reduction under saline conditions. Process and product analyses were performed to investigate the bioreduction processes of Se(IV) and Te(IV). The results showed that FDA-1 can effectively reduce Se(IV) and Te(IV) to Se0 and Te0 Se(IV)/Te(IV) to Se0/Te0 in 72 h, which were further confirmed by XRD and XPS analyses. In addition, enzymatic and RT‒qPCR assays showed that flavin-related proteins, reductases, dehydrogenases, etc., could be involved in the bioreduction of Se(IV)/Te(IV). Overall, our results demonstrate the ability of FDA-1 to reduce high concentrations of Se(IV)/or Te(IV) to Se0/or Te0 under saline conditions and thus provide efficient microbial candidate for controlling Se and Te pollution.

Histone Lactylation Is Involved in Mouse Oocyte Maturation and Embryo Development.

Numerous post-translational modifications are involved in oocyte maturation and embryo development. Recently, lactylation has emerged as a novel epigenetic modification implicated in the regulation of diverse cellular processes. However, it remains unclear whether lactylation occurs during oocyte maturation and embryo development processes. Herein, the lysine lactylation (Kla) modifications were determined during mouse oocyte maturation and early embryo development by immunofluorescence staining. Exogenous lactate was supplemented to explore the consequences of modulating histone lactylation levels on oocyte maturation and embryo development processes by transcriptomics. Results demonstrated that lactylated proteins are widely present in mice with tissue- and cell-specific distribution. During mouse oocyte maturation, immunofluorescence for H3K9la, H3K14la, H4K8la, and H4K12la was most intense at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage and subsequently weakened or disappeared. Further, supplementing the culture medium with 10 mM sodium lactate elevated both the oocyte maturation rate and the histone Kla levels in GV oocytes, and there were substantial increases in Kla levels in metaphase II (MII) oocytes. It altered the transcription of molecules involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, histone lactylation levels changed dynamically during mouse early embryogenesis. Sodium lactate at 10 mM enhanced early embryo development and significantly increased lactylation, while impacting glycolytic gene transcription. This study reveals the roles of lactylation during oocyte maturation and embryo development, providing new insights to improving oocyte maturation and embryo quality.

Nutrient depletion is the main limiting factor in the crude oil bioaugmentation process.

The biodegradation was considered as the prime mechanism of crude oil degradation. To validate the efficacy and survival of the crude oil-degrading strain in a bioremediation process, the enhanced green fluorescent protein gene (egfp) was introduced into Acinetobacter sp. HC8-3S. In this study, an oil-contaminated sediment microcosm was conducted to investigate the temporal dynamics of the physicochemical characterization and microbial community in response to bacterium amendment. The introduced strains were able to survive, flourish and degrade crude oil quickly in the early stage of the bioremediation. However, the high abundance cannot be maintained due to the ammonium (NH4+-N) and phosphorus (PO43--P) contents decreased rapidly after 15 days of remediation. The sediment microbial community changed considerably and reached relatively stable after nutrient depletion. Therefore, the addition of crude oil and degrading cells did not show a long-time impact on the original microbial communities, and sufficient nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients ensures the survive and activity of degrader. Our studies expand the understanding of the crude oil degradative processes, which will help to develop more rational bioremediation strategies.

Beneficial effects of melatonin on boar sperm motility and kinematics are mediated by MT1 receptor.

Melatonin, a hormone synthesized in various tissues, plays a crucial role in modulating sperm characteristics, yet its protective function on boar sperm remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the expression and localization of melatonin-related proteins (AANAT, ASMT, MT1, MT2, and NQO2) in pig tissues, assess the impact of melatonin on pig sperm motility parameters and quality, and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results revealed widespread expression of AANAT, ASMT, MT1, MT2, and NQO2 proteins in pig tissues, particularly in the testis. Specific localization patterns were observed in Leydig cells, reproductive epithelium, and columnar epithelium cells in the testis and cauda epididymis. Additionally, melatonin membrane receptors MT1 and MT2 were detected in boar sperm. Melatonin treatment significantly enhanced boar sperm motility parameters and quality, particularly with 10 nM melatonin treatment. Inhibition of the MT1 receptor, but not the MT2 receptor, resulted in decreased sperm motility, highlighting the pivotal role of the MT1 receptor in mediating melatonin's effects on boar sperm. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant alterations in sperm metabolites following melatonin supplementation, particularly in amino acid metabolism. Overall, our findings provide comprehensive insights into melatonin's mechanisms in improving boar sperm quality, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for enhancing male fertility.

Extraction, physicochemical properties, bioactivities and application of natural sweeteners: A review.

Natural sweeteners generally refer to a sweet chemical component directly extracted from nature or obtained through appropriate modifications, mainly secondary metabolites of plants. Compared to the first-generation sweeteners represented by sucrose and the second-generation sweeteners represented by sodium cyclamate, natural sweeteners usually have high sweetness, low-calorie content, good solubility, high stability, and rarely toxic side effects. Historically, researchers mainly focus on the function of natural sweeteners as substitutes for sugars in the food industry. This paper reviews the bioactivities of several typical natural sweeteners, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-hyperglycemic activities. In addition, we have summarized the extraction, physicochemical properties, and application of natural sweeteners. The article aimed to comprehensively collate vital information about natural sweeteners and review the potentiality of tapping bioactive compounds from natural products. Hopefully, this review provides insights into the further development of natural sweeteners as therapeutic agents and functional foods.

Deciphering variations in the surficial bacterial compositions and functional profiles in the intersection between North and South Yellow Sea.

The coastal ocean systems play paramount role in the nutrient biogeochemistry because of its interconnected environment. To gain a novel insight into coupling relationships between bacterial community, functioning properties and nutrient metabolism, we conducted analysis on the patterns and driving factors of planktonic bacterial functional community across subsurface water of marine ranching near the Yellow Sea in both summer and winter. Illumina HiSeq Sequencing and a corresponding set of biogeochemical data were used to assess distribution patterns of taxa, adaptive mechanism and metabolic function. Results demonstrated that Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Bacteroidota were dominant phyla both in summer and winter. Taxonomic profiles related to nutrient variation were found to be highly correlated with Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Chlorophyll fluorescence (FLUO), and distinct diversity differences were also found between summer and winter samples. Functional activity in summer associated with the relative abundance of phototrophy and photoautotrophy were the highest in the subsurface water, while in winter the dominant functional properties were mainly include chemoheterotrophy and aerobic_ chemoheterotrophy. A significant difference related to functional activity between summer and winter, mainly representing ligninolysis and iron_respiration. In general, our study provides a framework for understanding the relative importance of environmental factors, temperature variation and nutrient availability in shaping the metabolic processes of aquatic microorganisms, particularly in ocean mariculture systems.

How iron-bearing minerals affect the biological reduction of Sb(V): A newly discovered function of nitrate reductase.

As a toxic element of global concern, the elevated concentration of antimony (Sb) in the environment has attracted increasing attention. Microorganisms have been reported as important driving forces for Sb transformation. Iron (Fe) is the most important metal associated element of Sb, however, how Fe-bearing minerals affect the biological transformation of Sb is still unclear. In this study, the effects of Fe-bearing minerals on biological Sb(V) reduction were investigated by employing a marine Shewanella sp. CNZ-1 (CNZ-1). Our results showed that the presence of hematite, magnetite and ferrihydrite (1 g/L) resulted in a decrease in Sb(III) concentration of ~19-31 % compared to the Fe(III)-minerals free system. The calculated Sb(V) reduction rates are 0.0256 (R2 0.71), 0.0389 (R2 0.87), 0.0299 (R2 0.96) and 0.0428 (R2 0.95) h-1 in the hematite-, magnetite-, ferrihydrite-supplemented and Fe(III)-minerals free systems, respectively. The cube-shaped Sb2O3 was characterized as a reductive product by using XRD, XPS, FTIR, TG and SEM approaches. Differential proteomic analysis showed that flagellar protein, cytochrome c, electron transfer flavoprotein, nitrate reductase and polysulfide reductase (up-regulation >1.5-fold, p value <0.05) were supposed to be included in the electron transport pathway of Sb(V) reduction by strain CNZ-1, and the key role of nitrate reductases was further highlighted during this reaction process based on the RT-qPCR and confirmatory experiments. Overall, these findings are beneficial to understand the environmental fate of Sb in the presence of Fe-bearing minerals and provide guidance in developing the bacteria/enzyme-mediated control strategy for Sb pollution.

Ketone bodies promote stroke recovery via GAT-1-dependent cortical network remodeling.

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide, and better drugs are needed to promote functional recovery after stroke. Growing evidence suggests the critical role of network excitability during the repair phase for stroke recovery. Here, we show that ß-hydroxybutyrate (ß-HB), an essential ketone body (KB) component, is positively correlated with improved outcomes in patients with stroke and promotes functional recovery in rodents with stroke during the repair phase. These beneficial effects of ß-HB depend on HDAC2/HDAC3-GABA transporter 1 (GAT-1) signaling-mediated enhancement of excitability and phasic GABA inhibition in the peri-infarct cortex and structural and functional plasticity in the ipsilateral cortex, the contralateral cortex, and the corticospinal tract. Together with available clinical approaches to elevate KB levels, our results offer a clinically translatable means to promote stroke recovery. Furthermore, GAT-1 can serve as a pharmacological target for developing drugs to promote functional recovery after stroke.

Invasion of Spartina alterniflora on Zostera japonica enhances the abundances of bacteria by absolute quantification sequencing analysis.

Plant invasion can alter soil organic matter composition and indirectly impact estuary ecology; therefore, it is paramount to understand how plant invasion influences the bacterial community. Here, we present an absolute quantification 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the bacterial communities that were collected from Zostera japonica and Spartina alterniflora covered areas and Z. japonica degradation areas in the Yellow River Estuary. Our data revealed that the absolute quantity of bacteria in the surface layer was significantly (p < .05) higher than that in the bottom and degradation areas. Following the invasion of S. alterniflora, the abundances of Bacteroidia, Acidimicrobiaceae, and Dehalococcoidaceaewere enriched in the S. alterniflora sediment. In addition, variations in the composition of sediment bacterial communities at the phylum level were the most intimately related to total organic carbon (TOC), and the content of heavy metals could reduce the abundance of bacteria. This study provided some information to understand the effects of S. alterniflora invasion on Z. japonica from the perspective of microbiome level.

Unveiling the occurrence, hosts and mobility potential of antibiotic resistance genes in the deep ocean.

As emerging microbial contaminants, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are widely reported in the neritic zone. However, the profiles of ARGs in the deep ocean have not yet been fully resolved. In this study, the distribution, hosts, and mobility potential of ARGs at different water depths in the Western Pacific (WP) were investigated and compared to those in Bohai Sea (BH) waters using environmental parameter measurements, amplicon sequencing, metagenomic assembly and binning approaches. Our results showed that the top eight most abundant known ARG types in WP and BH waters were multidrug (39.85%), peptide (14.98%), aminoglycoside (11.33%), macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin (MLS, 4.06%), tetracycline (3.74%), beta-lactam (3.12%), fluoroquinolone (1.79%) and rifamycin (1.24%). The ARGs observed in mesopelagic and bathypelagic waters were abundant and diverse as those observed in neritic waters, indicating that deep-sea water could be another environmental reservoir for ARGs. For deep-sea ARGs, members from classes Gammaproteobacteria (70%) and Alphaproteobacteria (21.1%) were the most important potential hosts. In addition, mobile genetic element analysis suggested that the ARG migration potential in dee sea water (> 1000 m) was relatively high. Overall, our findings expanded the understanding of ARGs in deep seawater and provided guidance for ARG pollution control and risk prediction.

Influence of the cold bottom water on taxonomic and functional composition and complexity of microbial communities in the southern Yellow Sea during the summer.

The formation and presence of the cold bottom water (Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass, YSCWM) is a striking hydrological phenomenon in the southern Yellow Sea during the summer and has important effects on the marine ecosystem. To better understand its influence on microbial community structure and function, we compared the bacterial, archaeal and microeukaryotic communities in the cold water mass area (CWMA) and the southern area (SA) during the summer using amplicon and metagenomic sequencings. The habitat environment in the deep waters of the CWMA was characterized by higher salinity/DO/PO4-P, greater depth/distance to the coast, and lower levels of temperature/chlorophyll a/DIN/SiO3-Si/N:P ratio compared to that of the SA. Pure depth or distance to the coast explained a small portion of the microbial community variance, while environment explained a significant fraction of the variance when partialling the effects of depth and distance to the coast. Oligotrophic taxa (e.g. SAR11 clade Ia, Nitrosopumilus, Chloropicophyceae) dominated the deep water communities in the CWMA, while the common coastal taxa (e.g. Roseobacter strain HIMB11, Bacillariophyta, Noctilucophyceae) were more dominant in the deep waters of the SA, suggesting the great impact of the oligotrophic condition in the YSCWM on microbial communities. The microbial co-occurrence networks in the CWMA were less complex but contained a higher proportion of mutual exclusion relationship among prokaryotes; the prokaryotic α-diversity in the CWMA was significantly lower than in the SA while the microeukaryotic α-diversity was significantly higher in the CWMA, implying that prokaryotes and microeukaryotes respond to the cold water mass differently and the competition among prokaryotes was intensified under the impact of the YSCWM. Genes that relate to replication and repair accounted for a significantly lower proportion in the CWMA, which was likely an adaptation to the low carbon environment.

Divergent Patterns of Bacterial Community Structure and Function in Response to Estuarine Output in the Middle of the Bohai Sea.

Understanding environment-community relationships under shifting environmental conditions helps uncover mechanisms by which environmental microbial communities manage to improve ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the microbial community and structure near the Yellow Sea River estuary in 12 stations across the middle of the Bohai Sea for over two seasons to elucidate the influence of estuarine output on them. We found that the dominant phyla in all stations were Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Planctomycetes. Alpha-diversity increased near the estuary and bacterial community structure differed with variation of spatiotemporal gradients. Among all the environmental factors surveyed, temperature, salinity, phosphate, silicon, nitrate, and total virioplankton abundance played crucial roles in controlling the bacterial community composition. Some inferred that community functions such as carbohydrate, lipid, amino acid metabolism, xenobiotics biodegradation, membrane transport, and environmental adaptation were much higher in winter; energy and nucleotide metabolism were lower in winter. Our results suggested that estuarine output had a great influence on the Bohai Sea environment and changes in the water environmental conditions caused by estuarine output developed distinctive microbial communities in the middle of the Bohai Sea. The distinctive microbial communities in winter demonstrated that the shifting water environment may stimulate changes in the diversity and then strengthen the predicted functions.

Characteristics of bacterial community structure and function associated with nutrients and heavy metals in coastal aquaculture area.

Coastal aquaculture area has become one of the critical zones that are more susceptible to the influence of human activity. Many aquaculture operations invariably result in the accumulation of nutrients and heavy metals in the coastal ecosystem. Our study investigated sediment bacterial community structure and function across 23 sites under the influence of nutrients and heavy metals in the coastal aquaculture area. The habitat environment of the sediment was described by analyzing physicochemical characteristics. Sediment bacterial community structure and diversity were investigated by 16S rRNA sequencing. The sequencing data presented that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi were predominant at phylum level. Variations in the bacterial community composition and diversity were significant (P < 0.01) among different groups (according to the distance from the bank side) which indicated that specific environmental conditions had shaped distinct bacterial community. Specifically, bacterial diversity and composition were significantly influenced by the temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), TOC, TON, nitrite, nitrate and heavy metals (P < 0.05). Results related to functional prediction demonstrated that carbon, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism were the dominant processes in the coastal aquaculture area. In the meantime, the potential pathogens such as Arcobacter was found in site S3, which indicated the possible threat to the cultured species in this area. Overall, variations in bacterial communities caused by nutrients and heavy metals can affect biogeochemical cycles, which may provide an indication for the protection of coastal aquaculture environments.

Environmental enrichment implies GAT-1 as a potential therapeutic target for stroke recovery.

Rationale: Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide, but no drug provides functional recovery during the repair phase. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that environmental enrichment (EE) promotes stroke recovery by enhancing network excitability. However, the complexities of utilizing EE in a clinical setting limit its translation. Methods: We used multifaceted approaches combining electrophysiology, chemogenetics, optogenetics, and floxed mice in a mouse photothrombotic stroke model to reveal the key target of EE-mediated stroke recovery. Results: EE reduced tonic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibition and facilitated phasic GABA inhibition in the peri-infarct cortex, thereby promoting network excitability and stroke recovery. These beneficial effects depended on GAT-1, a GABA transporter regulating both tonic and phasic GABA signaling, as EE positively regulated GAT-1 expression, trafficking, and function. Furthermore, GAT-1 was necessary for EE-induced network plasticity, including structural neuroplasticity, input synaptic strengthening in the peri-infarct cortex, output synaptic strengthening in the corticospinal tract, and sprouting of uninjured corticospinal axons across the midline into the territory of denervated spinal cord, and functional recovery from stroke. Moreover, restoration of GAT-1 function in the peri-infarct cortex by its overexpression showed similar beneficial effects on stroke recovery as EE exposure. Conclusion: GAT-1 is a key molecular substrate of the effects of EE on network excitability and consequent stroke recovery and can serve as a novel therapeutic target for stroke treatment during the repair phase.

Seagrass vegetation affect the vertical organization of microbial communities in sediment.

Seagrasses represent high primary productivity and provide important ecosystem services to the marine environment. Seagrass-associated microbial communities are playing essential ecological functional roles in biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about the effect of seagrass vegetation on microbial communities in sediment. In the present study, the sediment cores of seagrass bed (dominated by Zostera japonica and Zostera marine) and degradation area in Swan Lake (China) were sampled; then, biogeochemical parameters were analyzed, and microbial community composition was investigated by using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that the presence of seagrass could lead to a decrease in the richness and diversity of the microbial community. In the vertical direction, a pronounced shift from Proteobacteria-dominated upper layers to Chloroflexi and Crenarchaeota-dominated deep layers in all sediment cores were observed. Besides, Bathyarchaeia is more abundant at degradation area, while Vibrionaceae, Sulfurovum and Lokiarchaeial overrepresent at the seagrass bed area. Vibrionaceae was abundant in the rhizosphere of Z. marina and Z. japonica, and the proportions reached 84.45% and 63.89%, respectively. This enrichment of Vibrio spp. may be caused by the macrobenthic species near the seagrass rhizosphere, and these Vibrio spp. reduced the diversity and stability of microbial community, which may lead to the degradation of seagrass. This study would provide clues for the distribution patterns and niche preferences of seagrass microbiome. The conservation strategy of seagrass would be further elucidated from the perspective of the microbiome.

A novel green approach for fabricating visible, light sensitive nano-broccoli-like antimony trisulfide by marine Sb(v)-reducing bacteria: Revealing potential self-purification in coastal zones.

Antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) is industrially important for processes ranging from a semiconductor dopant through batteries to a flame retardant. Approaches for fabricating Sb2S3 nanostructures or thin films are by chemical or physicochemical methods, while there have been no report focused on the biological synthesis of nano Sb2S3. In the present study, we fabricated nano-broccoli-like Sb2S3 using Sb(V) reducing bacteria. Thirty four marine and terrestrial strains are capable of fabricating Sb2S3 after 1-5 days of incubation in different selective media. The nano-broccoli-like bio-Sb2S3 was light sensitive between 400-550 nm, acting as a photo-catalyst with the bandgap energy of 1.84 eV. Moreover, kinetic and mechanism studies demonstrated that a k value of ∼0.27 h-1 with an R2 = 0.99. The bio-Sb2S3 supplemented system exhibited approximately 18.4 times higher photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO) to SO42-, CO2 and H2O compared with that of control system, which had a k value of ∼0.015 h-1 (R2 = 0.99) under visible light. Bacterial community shift analyses showed that the addition of S or Fe species to the media significantly changed the bacterial communities driven by antimony stress. From this work it appears Clostridia, Bacilli and Gammaproteobacteria from marine sediment are potentially ideal candidates for fabricating bio-Sb2S3 due to their excellent electron transfer capability. Based on the above results, we propose a potential visible light bacterially catalyzed self-purification of both heavy metal and persistent organic contamination polluted coastal waters.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients in Chongqing China.

Objectives: To study in-depth the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pneumonia resulting from COVID-19 and provide evidence for effective public health decisions. Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center research study. Participants were enrolled from patients presenting at the Chongqing Public Health Medical Treatment Center from Jan 24 to Feb 7, 2020, and were confirmed as having COVID-19. Results: A total of 114 COVID-19 patients (99 mild, 4 severe, 11 critical) of which 56 (56/114; 49.1%) were male, 58 (58/114; 50.9%) were female with a mean age of 46.05 years. Twenty nine (29/114; 25.44%) patients suffered from chronic diseases. Neutrophils counts in 23.68% (27/114) of patients were abnormally low and abnormally high in 21.05% (24/114). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the C-reactive protein levels were abnormally elevated in 76.5% (62/81) and 62.9% (66/105) of patients, respectively. Creatine kinase isoenzymes (CK-MB), pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) and troponin levels were above the normal range in 7.10% (8/112), 66.7% (10/15), and 100% of patients, respectively. The percentage of patients in which the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2)/fraction of inspired O2(FiO2) ratio exceeded 200 was 60%. A total of 91 (91/114; 79.82%) patients displayed severe bilateral pneumonia, 52 (52/114; 45.61%) exhibited ground-glass opacity, and pulmonary consolidation was observed in 4 (3.51%) patients. Differences in shortness of breath, insomnia, inappetence, the procalcitonin (PCT) levels, FiO2 and PaO2/FiO2 among the three groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Differences between the mild and severe groups was observed in neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, CD4 expression, and levels of C-reactive protein, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and albumin (P < 0.05). Between the mild and critical groups, differences were observed in neutrophils, platelets, and CD4 expression (P < 0.05). A difference in C-reactive protein levels between severe and critical groups was also found (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In the majority of cases no gender differences were observed and mostly the symptoms were mild. Evidence of efficient human-to-human virus transmission was found. The elderly with comorbidities were more prone to develop into severe or critical illness. Age and comorbidity may be risk factors for poor outcome.

Fine needle aspiration of pulmonary adiaspiromycosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary adiaspiromycosis is a common disease of many species of wild rodents and occasionally of humans, caused by the inhalation of spores of the fungus Chrysosporium parvum var crescens (Emmonsia crescens). CASE: A 74-year-old female with pulmonary adiaspiromycosis was diagnosed by radiologically guided lung fine needle aspiration (FNA). The specimen showed intracellular and extracellular 100-300 microm conidia with a distinct thick, trilaminar wall, which was positive for Gomori-methenamine silver and periodic acid-Schiff stain. The background consisted of a granulomatous process. CONCLUSION: FNA is an effective method of diagnosing pulmonary adiaspiromycosis, and pathologists need to be aware of the characteristic features of this unusual opportunistic fungal infection.

Systemic Cystic Angiomatosis Mimicking Metastatic Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Systemic cystic angiomatosis is a rare benign disorder due to the maldeveloped vascular and lymphatic system with less than 50 cases reported in literature so far. We report here a case of systemic cystic angiomatosis (SCA) with multisystem involvement affecting the neck, thyroid, thoracic cavity, and skeletal system. The patient initially presented in her 4th decade of life with isolated lymphangioma in the neck requiring surgery. However, she experienced full-blown manifestations of SCA in her 6th decade which closely mimicked metastatic cancer. The diagnosis of SCA could only be established after multiple biopsies. The radiological and histological features of SCA with its course over 31 years in this patient have been described.

Acinar cell carcinoma arising in the stomach: a case report with literature review.

Acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) are uncommon malignant tumors of the exocrine pancreas, constituting 1% to 2% of all nonendocrine pancreatic neoplasms. Cases of acinar cell carcinoma developing in heterotopic pancreatic tissue are extremely rare. To the best of our knowledge, no cases of primary ACC developing in the stomach have been reported in the literature. We report the first case of a primary ACC arising in the stomach in an 86-year-old female who presented with a 5-cm gastric submucosal mass with superficial ulceration and a history of anemia. The neoplasm exhibited typical acinar morphology. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated strong positive reactivity for antitrypsin and antichymotrypsin, and electron microscopy confirmed the presence of zymogen granules. A complete metastatic workup failed to identify any primary pancreatic tumor or other nonpancreatic tumor.