Publications by authors named "Balas M"

Purpose: To compare the risk of renal adverse events, particularly acute kidney injury (AKI), between intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents.

Design: Meta-analysis.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on Ovid Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2005 to February 2024 involving adult patients receiving anti-VEGF intravitreal injections for age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly influential in ophthalmology, particularly through advancements in machine learning, deep learning, robotics, neural networks, and natural language processing (NLP). Among these, NLP-based chatbots are the most readily accessible and are driven by AI-based large language models (LLMs). These chatbots have facilitated new research avenues and have gained traction in both clinical and surgical applications in ophthalmology.

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Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of OpenAI's ChatGPT-4.0 large language model (LLM) in translating technical ophthalmology terminology into more comprehensible language for allied health care professionals and compare it with other LLMs.

Design: Observational cross-sectional study.

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Breast cancer remains a global health challenge, prompting interest in the anticancer properties of other drugs, including chlorpromazine (CPZ). This study presents a novel approach in breast cancer treatment using laser irradiated CPZ. CPZ dissolved in distilled water, was exposed to 266 nm laser irradiation for varying durations, characterized by UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy, followed by drug-likeness and ADME-Tox predictions.

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Background: Family caregivers of ICU patients experience difficulty communicating with patients during mechanical ventilation. Little is known about patient-family communication in the ICU and the associated emotional distress.

Objectives: To examine the preliminary effects of the VidaTalk™ communication app on anxiety, depression, and PTSD-related symptoms among family caregivers.

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Background And Objective: This study aimed to investigate correlations between photoreceptor and vascular parameters in varying stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR) using adaptive optics (AO) imaging.

Patients And Methods: In this single-center, prospective cohort study, 29 participants (46 eyes) were classified into control/mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR), moderate/severe NPDR, and proliferative DR. AO images of photoreceptors and retinal vasculature were analyzed, and Spearman's correlation (ρ) was used to assess relationships between photoreceptor density and vascular parameters.

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Objectives: Part 1 of the RUBY trial (NCT03981796) demonstrated improved survival in patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (EC) treated with dostarlimab plus carboplatin-paclitaxel versus placebo plus carboplatin-paclitaxel. Here, we examine additional efficacy and safety data from patients with mismatch repair deficient/microsatellite instability-high (dMMR/MSI-H) EC in the RUBY trial.

Methods: Patients were randomized 1:1 to dostarlimab 500 mg or placebo plus carboplatin-paclitaxel every 3 weeks for 6 cycles followed by dostarlimab or placebo every 6 weeks for up to 3 years.

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Article Synopsis
  • Acromegaly is a rare disorder that results from excessive growth hormone from a pituitary tumor, potentially leading to kidney issues, diabetes, and hypertension.
  • A case-control study compared 23 acromegalic patients to 21 healthy individuals, measuring various kidney function parameters like serum creatinine and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio.
  • Results showed acromegalic patients had higher urinary albumin/creatinine ratios and lower estimated glomerular filtration rates, but no signs of kidney damage were detected through biomarkers like nephrin and KIM-1, suggesting more research is needed for early kidney involvement detection.
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  • * A 49-year-old man with prediabetes and high cholesterol experienced vision decline and was diagnosed with the condition after other treatments failed.
  • * Treatment involved laser photocoagulation targeting the macroaneurysm, leading to complete resolution of macular edema and significant improvement in his vision, emphasizing the role of advanced imaging for diagnosis.
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To describe the multimodal imaging findings associated with benign yellow dot maculopathy. A case report was analyzed. A healthy 42-year-old White man was evaluated after several weeks of photopsias and an inferior retinal tear in the right eye.

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Herein, we propose a blueprint for action to completely measure and recognize the care provided by acute and critical care nurses to be incorporated into policy that shapes and supports practice. We address the nature of nurses' work by identifying nine practice domains, hospital practice environment assumptions, and expected outcomes. Nurses' work, as a cross-system process, needs to be included in hospital-based core measures to fully reflect nurses' impact on patient care.

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The field of ophthalmology is rapidly advancing, with technological innovations enhancing the diagnosis and management of eye diseases. Tele-ophthalmology, or the use of telemedicine for ophthalmology, has emerged as a promising solution to improve access to eye care services, particularly for patients in remote or underserved areas. Despite its potential benefits, tele-ophthalmology faces significant challenges, including the need for high volumes of medical images to be analyzed and interpreted by trained clinicians.

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Background: Adoption of early mobility interventions into intensive care unit (ICU) practice has been slow and varied.

Objectives: To examine factors associated with early mobility performance in critically ill adults and evaluate factors' effects on predicting next-day early mobility performance.

Methods: A secondary analysis of 66 ICUs' data from patients admitted for at least 24 hours.

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  • This case report discusses a pre-term infant diagnosed with severe bilateral retinal disease, highlighting the challenges in managing aggressive retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  • The infant underwent various assessments, including genetic testing that revealed a novel mutation in the LRP5 gene, which is linked to retinal issues.
  • The findings emphasize the need for careful evaluation of preterm infants with retinal problems, as genetic profiles can alter the understanding and treatment of these conditions, particularly distinguishing between ROP and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR).
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  • - Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune condition that impacts the thyroid, potentially leading to hyperthyroidism and other complications, but recent studies indicate it may also increase the risk of thyroid cancer, especially differentiated thyroid carcinomas and, less frequently, medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
  • - A case series highlighted three female patients with GD who were diagnosed with MTC, all showing concerning thyroid nodules and elevated calcitonin levels, ultimately requiring total thyroid removal, with histology confirming MTC.
  • - The study emphasizes the need for routine calcitonin screening in GD patients to ensure early detection of thyroid cancers and recommends this testing be included in standard diagnostic procedures for those with thyroid abnormalities.
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Background: Black women are significantly more likely to experience severe maternal morbidity and are 3 times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to White women. Using a strengths-based wellness approach within an integrated supportive care program provided by a community doula could offer pragmatic solutions for Black maternal disparities. The Protective Assets Reinforced with Integrated Care and Technology (PARITY) program consists of a wellness technology platform, including informational links to wellness content and reinforcing motivational SMS text messages, as well as community-based doula support delivered both in person and through the technology platform to improve Black maternal wellness.

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Objective: To evaluate the performance of an artificial intelligence (AI) large language model, ChatGPT (version 4.0), for common retinal diseases, in accordance with the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Preferred Practice Pattern (PPP) guidelines.

Design: A cross-sectional survey study design was employed to compare the responses made by ChatGPT to established clinical guidelines.

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In this study, we report on the development of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and samarium-doped hydroxyapatite (SmHAp) nanoparticles using a cost-effective method and their biological effects on a bone-derived cell line MC3T3-E1. The physicochemical and biological features of HAp and SmHAp nanoparticles are explored. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies revealed that no additional peaks were observed after the integration of samarium (Sm) ions into the HAp structure.

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  • Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Jordan, highlighting the need for more individualized and multidisciplinary treatment approaches among surgeons.
  • A study involving 89 surgeons found that only a small percentage had specialized training in breast surgery, and there were varying levels of awareness regarding screening practices and risk factors associated with breast cancer.
  • The findings suggest a significant knowledge gap among general surgeons compared to those with breast surgery subspecialty training, indicating a need for improved education and adherence to national guidelines in breast surgery practices in Jordan.
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  • - The study examines the long-term outcomes of patients with noninfectious uveitis (NIU) who received systemic immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) at five specialized clinics between 2010 and 2021.
  • - A total of 418 adult patients had varying responses to treatments, with infliximab, cyclosporine, and adalimumab showing the highest effectiveness.
  • - Key findings indicate that younger patients, those with more severe conditions, and chronic cases often need multiple treatments, while initial vision quality is crucial in predicting final visual acuity.
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Purpose: Complications associated with intravitreal anti-VEGF therapies are reported inconsistently in the literature, thus limiting an accurate evaluation and comparison of safety between studies. This study aimed to develop a standardized classification system for anti-VEGF ocular complications using the Delphi consensus process.

Design: Systematic review and Delphi consensus process.

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Background: Part 1 of the RUBY trial (NCT03981796) evaluated dostarlimab plus carboplatin-paclitaxel compared with placebo plus carboplatin-paclitaxel in patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (EC). At the first interim analysis, the trial met one of its dual primary endpoints with statistically significant progression-free survival benefits in the mismatch repair-deficient/microsatellite instability-high (dMMR/MSI-H) and overall populations. Overall survival (OS) results are reported from the second interim analysis.

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Objectives: Research on Black maternal populations often focuses on deficits that can reinforce biases against Black individuals and communities. The research landscape must shift towards a strengths-based approach focused on the protective assets of Black individuals and communities to counteract bias. This study engaged the local Black community using a strengths-based approach to discuss the assets of Black maternal populations and to inform the design of a future clinical trial focused on reducing Black maternal health disparities.

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