Journals
2026 EN
Fiorletta Quiroga Eleonora · PolicarpioNicolas Maria Luisa C.
ABSTRACT This report describes the cytologic features of cholangioblastic intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a distinct subtype of cholangiocarcinoma from a 32‐year‐old female with a past medical history remarkable for sclerosing mesenteritis who presented with abdominal pain for several days. Abdominal MRI revealed an 8.5 cm central hepatic mass. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) and concurrent biopsy of the liver mass were performed. The FNA smear showed a monotonous population of singly scattered to loosely cohesive epithelioid to focally plasmacytoid tumor cells with round to oval nuclei, a fine chromatin pattern, and scant to moderate cytoplasm. Prominent nucleoli, mitotic figures, and necrosis were not identified. Focally, an acinar/glandular pattern was identified. Based on cytomorphology, an initial impression of low‐grade neuroendocrine tumor was favored. The concurrent biopsy showed tumor cells arranged in trabecular, acinar to solid growth patterns. Immunohistochemical stains performed on the concurrent biopsy showed that the tumor cells were diffuse and strongly positive for CAM 5.2, CK7, albumin ISH, inhibin, and focally positive for synaptophysin and CD56. The tumor cells were negative for chromogranin, arginase, glypican‐3, CD34, INSM1, GATA3, PAX‐8, SF‐1, SALL4, HepPar1, and CDX2. The overall findings were consistent with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, cholangioblastic variant. To our knowledge, this case represents the first report of the cytologic features of a cholangioblastic variant of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma on FNA.
Journals
2026 EN
Nasioutziki Maria · Mikou Panagiota
ABSTRACT The Hellenic Society of Clinical and Molecular Cytology has celebrated 50 years of service to the Greek population. History Cytopathology was established as a medical specialty in 1962 through the efforts of Dr. Papanicolaou's students. In 1975, the Hellenic Society of Cytopathology was created to promote continuous education of the members, to raise visibility of the specialty in the medical community, to assist in defining the role of cytology in clinical practice, and to create international liaisons. Present The society has 300 members who practice cytology in all types of specimens with a variety of techniques, including interventional cytopathology, the use of ancillary techniques, and participation in the national screening program. Numerous methods are used to guarantee quality assurance of laboratory practice. Future Following national guidelines, a working committee was formed in 2024 and issued a consensus report for merging cytopathology with anatomic pathology in Greece.
Journals
2026 EN
Bontognali Tomaso R. R. · Al Disi Zulfa · Dittrich Maria
+4 more
Abstract The Dohat Faishakh sabkha in Qatar was among the first modern environments studied to understand low‐temperature dolomite formation in association with gypsum and other evaporites. Since the 1960s, research conducted in this sabkha has significantly influenced geological models that remain widely used today, helping in the interpretation of sedimentary sequences that dominated certain periods of Earth's history. Here, we present results of an investigation of the dolomite occurring in this sabkha using techniques more advanced than those available during the initial pioneering studies. By integrating our new results with previously published data, we establish an ‘identity card’ for this sabkha dolomite and the environment it forms. The dolomite exhibits a rhombohedral morphology, contains 50.8 mol% Mg, and has an ordering degree of 0.25 (poorly ordered). Isotopic values are approximately: δ 13 C = 5.0‰, δ 18 O = 4.1‰ and δ 26 Mg = −2.6‰ to −1.5‰ and Δ 47 = 0.611‰. Annual temperature data indicate an average of 32.2°C in the subsurface intervals with the highest dolomite content. The associated pore water has an Mg/Ca ratio of 156, a salinity roughly nine times that of sea water and a pH of 6.9. Sediment total organic carbon is ~2%. Microbial diversity in the dolomite‐bearing layers is dominated by Euryarchaeota—an extremophilic, opportunistic and metabolically versatile archaeal phylum. Together, these data provide a reference for identifying sabkha‐type dolomites in the geological record, calibrating paleoclimatic proxies and interpreting biomarker signals that may be recorded in ancient dolomites.
Journals
2026 EN
Blattmann Franziska R. · Eglinton Timothy I. · Haghipour Negar
+9 more
Abstract Microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) derive from the interaction between sediments and unicellular microorganisms and are of interest to the search for the earliest signs of life in ancient rocks, on Earth and on Mars. Here, we describe a type of MISS in the form of a polygonal structure characterised by a domed rim. Despite earlier suggestions of a biological origin, several aspects regarding their formation mechanism, the criteria to distinguish these structures from abiotic mud cracks, and their preservation potential in the geological record remain insufficiently constrained. To identify and define the distinctive features characterising this MISS, we have investigated the morphology and formation mechanism of polygonal microbial mats in two modern sabkha locations in Qatar. The sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical analyses suggest that the studied polygons result from microbe‐mineral interactions causing the stabilisation of detrital minerals (e.g. quartz, feldspar) and precipitation of micrite comprised of calcite and high‐Mg calcite. The polygonal morphology is mainly the result of two co‐occurring mechanisms: shrinkage, as a result of desiccation and microbial growth. A ∼1.5 cm‐sized domed‐rim has been identified as the key morphological feature that is exclusively present in and that allows for the recognition of, the polygons that form in association with a growing microbial mat. In cross‐section, a domed‐rim is comprised of millimetre‐thick laminae showing angular relationships (e.g. overgrowth of older lamina sets) that, we argue, cannot be formed in the absence of growing biomass. Finally, through the study of a radiocarbon‐dated ancient sabkha outcrop, it is shown that domed‐rim microbial polygons can survive degradation and diagenesis, producing a mineral fossil structure that can potentially be preserved for billions of years.
Journals
2026 EN
Oosthuizen Maria K · Pillay Neville
ABSTRACT Weaning is a stressful stage in the lives of young mammals. Early weaning, in particular, can lead to long‐lasting physiological and psychological changes. We investigated the effects of precocial weaning on anxiety, social behavior, cognition, and maternal behavior in adult African four‐striped mice ( Rhabdomys dilectus chakae ). Mice weaned at 12 days exhibited higher anxiety levels and reduced exploratory behavior in a novel environment compared with those weaned at 16 and 20 days. Early‐weaned mice also showed decreased allogrooming and body contact, and increased aggression during social interactions. Females weaned early, groomed, and huddled their pups less, although they spent more time in proximity without touching their pups. Spatial learning and memory were not affected by the age at weaning. Early weaning induces stress‐related changes in anxiety, exploration, and social behaviors, all of which are of ecological relevance. Although precocious weaning did not affect cognition, R. d. chakae are likely to be anxious and poor mothers, which could also impact the fitness of their offspring. These effects manifested in behaviors of ecological significance, suggesting that early weaning may influence the fitness of the four‐striped mouse.
Journals
2026 EN
Pilgeram Natalie R. · KovacsBalint Zsofia A. · Alvarado Maria
+3 more
ABSTRACT Young monkeys interact closely with caregivers and are embedded in a complex social environment. For rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ), this environment is shaped from birth by their dams’ rank within the matrilineal hierarchy. Studies have shown that subordinate female macaques experience high levels of psychosocial stress and are more protective of and attentive to their offspring. It is not clear, however, to what extent matrilineal rank explains individual differences in development, or how early in life such differences emerge. Here, we investigated the role of status in the development of 17 male infant macaques from birth to 1 year of age and identified variables at younger ages that predicted social behavior at 1 year. Most behaviors did not vary by rank; however, infants born to low‐ranking dams spent less time in proximity to and being carried by their dams, compared to high‐ranking infants. Also, the decline over 1 year in the sensitivity of maternal care was steeper among low‐ranking dams. Initiating social play among 1‐year‐olds was negatively predicted by maternal cradling duration in early infancy. We discuss the importance of factors including the sex of offspring, species, and the stability of the wider social environment.
Journals
2026 EN
MartinezTorteya Cecilia · Nuttall Amy K. · Bogat G. Anne
+5 more
ABSTRACT Prenatal stress has broad detrimental consequences for neurodevelopment, with potential sensitive periods within gestation affecting specific developmental systems. We examined the effects of prenatal stress timing, level, and fluctuations on three markers of sympathetic nervous system activity: infant salivary alpha amylase (sAA), fear, and anger responses. In addition, we explored whether the effects of prenatal stress differed for boys and girls. We assessed 195 mother‐infant dyads (45% girls) from an ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged community sample. Women reported perceived stress weekly from gestational week 14 to delivery. Dyads completed 6‐month postpartum in‐person assessments in which infants’ behavioral responses to two stressful tasks were coded and saliva collected. Machine learning analyses revealed that sAA and fear responses were predicted by increases in stress during the early third trimester (31–32 weeks) while increases in stress levels during mid‐ (21 weeks) and late‐gestation (38 weeks) predicted lower anger in response to a frustration task. Sex‐specific analyses pointed to different sensitive periods for boys and girls. Our findings emphasize the importance of collecting granular data during pregnancy to identify the epochs during which stress exposure is most pernicious, as well as the usefulness of assessing multiple indicators of infant biobehavioral reactivity to better capture the full toll of prenatal stress exposure.
Journals
2026 EN
Song Qingfang · Buck Casey · Lent Maria C.
+3 more
ABSTRACT Caregiver ethnic–racial socialization (ERS) plays an important role in outcomes among ethnic–racial minority youth (ERMY), but mixed findings suggest that the impact of ERS may vary depending on additional factors such as physiological stress reactivity to exclusion. This study examined whether ERMY's skin conductance level reactivity (SCLR) to exclusion moderated the associations between caregiver ERS (cultural socialization, preparation for bias, and promotion of mistrust) and their psychological adjustment. A total of 83 children (51% Latinx; 49% Black/African American), aged 6–11 years ( M age = 8.82 years, SD = 1.54), and their caregivers participated in the study. Children completed Cyberball tasks eliciting experiences of exclusion while SCLR was assessed. Caregivers completed questionnaires to report ERS and children's psychosocial adjustment. All three dimensions of caregiver ERS were associated with greater externalizing problems among children who exhibited lower SCLR to exclusion. In addition, preparation for bias was related to lower adaptive skills among youth with low SCLR. In contrast, promotion of mistrust was related to lower externalizing problems, and preparation for bias was related to higher adaptive skills among children with higher SCLR. The findings support the goodness‐of‐fit model in understanding the impact of caregiver ERS in the context of children's physiological stress reactivity.
Journals
2026 EN
Sullivan Abigail J. · Garcia Sophia Eisenberg · Kinsey Maria
+8 more
ABSTRACT This study was part of a longitudinal follow‐up of a 3‐armed randomized controlled trial designed to test the effects of two brief parenting interventions, Play Nicely (PN) and Triple P‐Level 2 (TP2), to a usual care control on parenting outcomes. Female caregivers with an identified index child ( M age = 3.7 years, standard deviation [SD] = 1.7) were recruited through women, infants, and children (WIC) clinics in the greater New Orleans region. At a long‐term ( M years = 5 years, SD = 0.9) follow‐up assessment, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was assessed for a subset of these mother–child dyads during three dyadic interaction tasks: a baseline video, an affiliative discussion task, and an active cooperation task. Children displayed a significant decrease in RSA from the baseline video to the affiliative discussion task, whereas mothers displayed a significant decrease in RSA from the discussion task to the active cooperation task. Although no main intervention effects were found, differing patterns of child RSA in intervention groups were observed when accounting for time since intervention. Compared to the control group, children in the TP2 group exhibited relatively stable patterns of RSA, whereas children in the PN group exhibited RSA levels that decreased as time since intervention increased. These divergent patterns may reflect fundamental differences in the developmental scope of the two interventions. Together, these findings suggest that brief parenting interventions may differentially influence the stability of children's autonomic regulation during interactions with their caregiver, depending on their developmental focus and timing of delivery.
Journals
2026 EN
Noravian Christina M. · Rand Perla G. · Mahomed Amira
+4 more
Abstract Background Turtles hold a unique place in vertebrate evolutionary history, making them critical assets in embryology research. Yet, they remain understudied as potential model organisms in the field. Here, to support experimental manipulations with turtle embryos, we have created a complete normal table of development for comprehensive embryonic staging of Trachemys scripta , one of the most common invasive turtle species worldwide. Results The development of T. scripta embryos from 0 days post‐oviposition (DPO) to hatching (~60 DPO) was described from approximately 300 viable eggs collected at California State University, Northridge during the 2021–2024 nesting seasons. Thirty‐one stages between oviposition and hatching were identified, and anatomical structures were cataloged using the Standard Event System (SES) chart. Morphological characteristics were imaged using bright‐field microscopy and, for 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole‐stained embryos, confocal microscopy. Conclusion To facilitate further research with Chelonian embryos, this staging series blends previously accepted staging practices with new details of T. scripta gastrulation, SES criteria, and a photographic annotated glossary.