Exploring the Connection: Moyamoya Disease and Its Implications for Cardiovascular Health.

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a vascular disorder characterized by steno-occlusive alterations in cerebral arteries, often resulting in ischemic or hemorrhagic events predominantly affecting the female population and more common in Asian populations. Despite its predominantly neurological manifestations, recent research suggests a potential association between MMD and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). MMD involves various genetic and environmental factors, with mutations in the RNF213 gene being strongly implicated in disease susceptibility, with histopathological findings revealing intimal lesions and smooth muscle proliferation, contributing to vascular occlusion as well as dysregulation of circulating endothelial and smooth muscle progenitor cells further complicating MMD's pathogenesis.

A Rare Case of Bladder Melanosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Bladder melanosis is a rare and poorly understood condition involving melanin pigmentation within the urothelial mucosa. Cases often present with haematuria, urinary obstructive symptoms, or cystitis. While generally considered benign, its potential association with malignancy warrants regular monitoring, as cases have previously been reported of an association with urothelial carcinoma and melanoma, although it is unclear whether there is a causal relationship.

Longitudinal imaging of the taste bud in vivo with two-photon laser scanning microscopy.

Taste bud cells in the tongue transduce taste information from chemicals in food and transmit this information to gustatory neurons in the geniculate ganglion that innervate taste buds. The peripheral taste system is a dynamic environment where taste bud cells are continuously replaced, but further understanding of this phenomenon has been limited by the inability to directly observe this process. To overcome this challenge, we combined chronic in vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy with genetic labeling of gustatory neurons and taste buds to observe how cells within the taste bud change over time.

A genome-wide association meta-analysis links hidradenitis suppurativa to common and rare sequence variants causing disruption of the Notch and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.

Background: The contributions of genetic and environmental risk factors to hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are both poorly understood.

Objective: To identify sequence variants that associate with HS and determine the contribution of environmental risk factors and inflammatory diseases to HS pathogenesis.

Methods: A genome-wide association meta-analysis of 4814 HS cases (Denmark: 1977; Iceland: 1266; Finland: 800; UK: 569; and US: 202) and 1.

Progressive Palaeontology 2024 conference report.

The 20th instalment of the Progressive Palaeontology conference was held from 17th-20th of June 2024 at the University of Bristol, UK. Progressive Palaeontology gives postgraduate students experience of presenting at a conference to an audience of their peers, and the opportunity to form networks with researchers at their career stage. The conference was organised on behalf of the Palaeontological Association by Hady George, Thomas Farrell, James R.