The impact of economic crisis, COVID-19, and the Beirut Blast on colorectal cancer patients in Lebanon: A trend to operate more late-stage complex cases.

Background: The convergence of the economic crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, and Beirut Blast has precipitated unprecedented challenges for the healthcare system in Lebanon, particularly for cancer patients. Amidst these crises, our study evaluates its contribution to a concerning trend of operating on more late-stage and complex colorectal cancer (CRC) cases.

Methods: We included 155 patients operated for CRC between 2017 and 2023.

A cross-sectional comparative study: ChatGPT 3.5 versus diverse levels of medical experts in the diagnosis of ENT diseases.

Purpose: With recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), it has become crucial to thoroughly evaluate its applicability in healthcare. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of ChatGPT in diagnosing ear, nose, and throat (ENT) pathology, and comparing its performance to that of medical experts.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional comparative study where 32 ENT cases were presented to ChatGPT 3.

CT Scan in Children Suspected of Foreign Body Aspiration: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: The goal of this study is to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography (CT) scans in the diagnosis of foreign body aspiration (FBA) in children, and to determine whether chest CT scans would reduce the need for diagnostic rigid bronchoscopies.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were searched for relevant articles and conference proceedings that were published in English through November 1, 2022.

Review Methods: We included prospective and retrospective studies comparing chest CT scans and rigid bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of FBA in pediatric patients (<16 years old).

Enhancing cancer treatment and understanding through clustering of gene responses to categorical stressors.

Cancer cells have a unique metabolic activity in the glycolysis pathway compared to normal cells, which allows them to maintain their growth and proliferation. Therefore, inhibition of glycolytic pathways may be a promising therapeutic approach for cancer treatment. In this novel study, we analyzed the genetic responses of cancer cells to stressors, particularly to drugs that target the glycolysis pathway.

Ipratropium Bromide Nasal Spray in Non-Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of intranasal ipratropium bromide (INIB) to a placebo in reducing nasal symptoms, particularly rhinorrhea, and enhancing quality of life in non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) patients.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted on Medline, Embase, and Cochrane libraries.

Polygenic and Network-based studies in risk identification and demystification of cancer.

Introduction: Diseases were initially thought to be the consequence of a single gene mutation. Advances in DNA sequencing tools and our understanding of gene behavior have revealed that complex diseases, such as cancer, are the product of genes cooperating with each other and with their environment in orchestrated communication networks. Seeing that the function of individual genes is still used to analyze cancer, the shift to using functionally interacting groups of genes as a new unit of study holds promise for demystifying cancer.

Microarray analysis of breast cancer gene expression profiling in response to 2-deoxyglucose, metformin, and glucose starvation.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. Altering glucose metabolism and its effects on cancer progression and treatment resistance is an emerging interest in BC research. For instance, combining chemotherapy with glucose-lowering drugs (2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), metformin (MET)) or glucose starvation (GS) has shown better outcomes than with chemotherapy alone.