Shotgun metagenomics reveals the interplay between microbiome diversity and environmental gradients in the first marine protected area in the northern Arabian Gulf.

Introduction: The northwest Arabian Gulf encounters significant anthropogenic pressures, including nutrient enrichment from coastal development and effluent discharge.

Methods: This study presents the first shotgun metagenomics-based characterization of microbial communities in Kuwaiti waters of the northwest Arabian Gulf, focusing on Kuwait's first Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Sulaibikhat Bay, a vital nursery ground for commercially important fish.

Results: Analysis revealed significantly higher microbial diversity within the MPA compared to adjacent waters, with Rhodobacteraceae (27.

Thirty years later: the lingering effects of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery with third-generation implants on quality of life.

Purpose: To determine patient-reported clinical status in a cohort of patients operated on during adolescence for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation after a minimum follow-up (FU) of 25 years.

Methods: Multicentric cross-sectional observational study. We assessed the clinical status of patients using the lumbar-pain numeric rating scale (NRS), ODI, SRS-22r, SF-36, and EQ-5D-5L.

Insights into pituitary stalk interruption syndrome: 2 cases that illuminate the condition.

Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a congenital anatomical defect that leads to pituitary insufficiency, The symptoms are diverse, often leading to diagnostic delays or even misdiagnosis. MRI plays a crucial role in establishing an accurate diagnosis by revealing a characteristic radiological triad: a thin or absent pituitary stalk, an ectopic or missing posterior pituitary gland, and anterior pituitary hypoplasia. We herein describe 2 cases: 1 involving a 9-year-old boy and the other an 11-year-old girl, both diagnosed with PSIS.