Exploring Quantitative MRI Biomarkers of Head and Neck Post-Radiation Lymphedema and Fibrosis: Post Hoc Analysis of a Prospective Trial.

Background: Quantifying head and neck lymphedema and fibrosis (HN-LEF) is crucial in the investigation and management of treatment sequelae in head and neck cancer (HNC).

Methods: The T1- and T2-weighted MRI signal intensity (SI) was examined in relation to HN-LEF categories per physical/tactile examination (No-LEF, A-B = edema, C = edema + fibrosis, D = fibrosis), and MRI structural volumes were examined in relation to a novel 10-point HN-LEF score in the intraoral and submental regions.

Results: We identified differences in ranks among HN-LEF categories in relation to the MRI SI (A-B and C are higher than D and No-LEF for T2 SI, and A-B is the highest for T1).

Heart Failure Beyond the Diagnosis: A Narrative Review of Patients' Perspectives on Daily Life and Challenges.

Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome that significantly affects patients' physical, psychological, and socioeconomic well-being. Despite advances in guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), such as ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and SGLT2 inhibitors, HF continues to have a high global burden, with over 64 million affected worldwide and a five-year mortality rate of 50%. HF disrupts various life aspects, especially for younger patients (aged 35-55), who often face career interruptions due to severe symptoms like fatigue and frequent hospitalizations.

A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) level among risk factors of ocular involvement in patients with Behçet's disease.

Introduction: Ocular involvement is quite common in Behçet's disease (BD) and may cause crucial functional complications. Even though the mechanisms of BD remain unclear, advances in genetic and immunological fields have improved our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of BD ocular involvement. Little is known about the expression of a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) in terms of ocular involvement in BD.

Efficacy and Safety of Prehospital Blood Transfusion in Traumatized Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Approximately five million individuals have traumatic injuries annually. Implementing prehospital blood-component transfusion (PHBT), encompassing packed red blood cells (p-RBCs), plasma, or platelets, facilitates early hemostatic volume replacement following trauma. The lack of uniform PHBT guidelines persists, relying on diverse parameters and physician experience.

Overview of the Head and Neck Tumor Segmentation for Magnetic Resonance Guided Applications (HNTS-MRG) 2024 Challenge.

Magnetic resonance (MR)-guided radiation therapy (RT) is enhancing head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment through superior soft tissue contrast and longitudinal imaging capabilities. However, manual tumor segmentation remains a significant challenge, spurring interest in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven automation. To accelerate innovation in this field, we present the Head and Neck Tumor Segmentation for MR-Guided Applications (HNTS-MRG) 2024 Challenge, a satellite event of the 27th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention.

Response of to zinc and silicon nanoparticles and pollen extract as alternates to traditional fertilizers.

is used in a variety of medicinal and aromatic products. The effects of various treatments on sage () plants were investigated in an open-field experiment conducted between 2021 and 2022. During the experiment, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were used at concentrations of 1.

An Assessment of the Feasibility, Patient Acceptance, and Performance of Point-of-Care Transient Elastography for Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

: Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE) with FibroScan is a non-invasive, reliable diagnostic tool for Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), enabling early detection and management to prevent severe liver diseases. VCTE's ease and portability suit primary care, streamlining referrals, promoting lifestyle changes, reducing costs, and benefiting underserved communities. : Studies on point-of-care VCTE were systematically reviewed, followed by meta-analysis using a random-effects model.

The Editorial on the Special Issue "Research on Mycotoxins in Food and Feed: From Detection and Unravelling of Toxicity to Control".

In this Special Issue, several interesting research and review articles were published with the aim of filling in some of the existing knowledge gaps in the field of mycotoxins [...

Cytotoxic activity, selectivity, and clonogenicity of fruits and resins of Saudi medicinal plants against human liver adenocarcinoma.

Background: Edible fruits and resins provide various benefits to mankind including potential medicinal applications. This study aimed to determine the cytotoxicity, selectivity, and clonogenicity of fruits and exudates of certain Saudi medicinal plants ( (BEP-09), (L.) Miller (BEP-10), Roxb.

The impact of armed conflict on nursing students' self-esteem: a cross-sectional comparative study.

Armed conflict is a prevalent global issue that affects both the socioeconomic aspects of society and has profound psychological consequences for those directly involved. This cross-sectional comparative study explored the impact of armed conflict on the self-esteem of nursing students in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. In total, 308 nursing students provided data.

Combined toxicity of perfluoroalkyl substances and microplastics on the sentinel species Daphnia magna: Implications for freshwater ecosystems.

Persistent chemicals from industrial processes, particularly perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), have become pervasive in the environment due to their persistence, long half-lives, and bioaccumulative properties. Used globally for their thermal resistance and repellence to water and oil, PFAS have led to widespread environmental contamination. These compounds pose significant health risks with exposure through food, water, and dermal contact.

Optimal Timing of Organs-at-Risk-Sparing Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Head- and-Neck Cancer under Re-planning Resource Constraints.

Background And Purpose: Prior work on adaptive organ-at-risk (OAR)-sparing radiation therapy has typically reported outcomes based on fixed-number or fixed-interval re-planning, which represent one-size-fits-all approaches and do not account for the variable progression of individual patients' toxicities. The purpose of this study was to determine the personalized optimal timing for re-planning in adaptive OAR-sparing radiation therapy, considering limited re-planning resources, for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Materials And Methods: A novel Markov decision process (MDP) model was developed to determine optimal timing of re-planning based on the patient's expected toxicity, characterized by normal tissue complication probability (NTCP), for four toxicities.

Transient elastography and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for assessment of liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a health burden with consequent morbidity and mortality. Liver biopsy is the gold standard for evaluating fibrosis and assessing disease severity and prognostic purposes post-treatment. Noninvasive alternatives for liver biopsy such as transient elastography (TE) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) are critical needs.

Microplastics in indoor air from Birmingham, UK: Implications for inhalation exposure.

Microplastics (MPs) are a group of emerging contaminants that attracted increasing scientific and societal attention over the past decade. So far, most studies on MPs focus on characterizing their occurrence, fate, and impact in the aquatic environment. In contrast, very little is known about the magnitude, patterns, and associated risks of human exposure to MPs, particularly indoors, despite people spending most of their time indoors.

The structural basis for RNA slicing by human Argonaute2.

Argonaute (AGO) proteins associate with guide RNAs to form complexes that slice transcripts that pair to the guide. This slicing drives post-transcriptional gene-silencing pathways that are essential for many eukaryotes and the basis for new clinical therapies. Despite this importance, structural information on eukaryotic AGOs in a fully paired, slicing-competent conformation-hypothesized to be intrinsically unstable-has been lacking.

Automated Multi-Class Facial Syndrome Classification Using Transfer Learning Techniques.

Genetic disorders affect over 6% of the global population and pose substantial obstacles to healthcare systems. Early identification of these rare facial genetic disorders is essential for managing related medical complexities and health issues. Many people consider the existing screening techniques inadequate, often leading to a diagnosis several years after birth.

An Innovative Thermal Imaging Prototype for Precise Breast Cancer Detection: Integrating Compression Techniques and Classification Methods.

Breast cancer detection at an early stage is crucial for improving patient survival rates. This work introduces an innovative thermal imaging prototype that incorporates compression techniques inspired by mammography equipment. The prototype offers a radiation-free and precise cancer diagnosis.

Drought prediction using artificial intelligence models based on climate data and soil moisture.

Drought is deemed a major natural disaster that can lead to severe economic and social implications. Drought indices are utilized worldwide for drought management and monitoring. However, as a result of the inherent complexity of drought phenomena and hydroclimatic condition differences, no universal drought index is available for effectively monitoring drought across the world.

Potential (co-)contamination of dairy milk with AFM1 and MC-LR and their synergistic interaction in inducing mitochondrial dysfunction in HepG2 cells.

Several toxic metabolites, such as aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), are known to contaminate dairy milk. However, as mentioned in an external EFSA report, there is a knowledge gap regarding the carry-over of certain emerging toxins such as microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Therefore, this work aimed to develop an LC-MS/MS method for MC-LR quantification in dairy milk.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Cancer Pain: A Systematic Review.

Background/objectives: Pain is a challenging multifaceted symptom reported by most cancer patients. This systematic review aims to explore applications of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) in predicting pain-related outcomes and pain management in cancer.

Methods: A comprehensive search of Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science databases was conducted using terms: "Cancer," "Pain," "Pain Management," "Analgesics," "Artificial Intelligence," "Machine Learning," and "Neural Networks" published up to September 7, 2023.