Assessment of Outcomes & Anatomical Changes in the Upper Urinary Tract following Flexible Ureteroscopy with a Flexible and Navigable Suction Ureteral Access Sheath (FANS): 3-Month Results from a Multicenter Study.

Objectives: To study the long-term outcomes of the flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS) in flexible ureteroscopy (FURS). FANS has well-established efficiency and 30-day perioperative safety; however, its influence on pelvicalyceal and ureteric anatomy remains to be investigated.

Methods: This was a prospective study of patients with normal renal anatomy who underwent FURS with FANS for renal stones from April 2023 to August 2024 in 16 centers worldwide.

Stress, physical activity, and mindfulness practices among youth amidst COVID-19.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated stress and anxiety among young people, particularly university students, impacting their mental well-being and daily life. Given the rise in social isolation and economic uncertainty, the adoption of mindfulness practices such as sophrology, meditation, and yoga becomes essential for improving their mental health. This study aims to evaluate the impact of these practices on stress levels and their effect on engagement in physical activities among youths.

Multicenter outcome analysis of different sheath sizes for Flexible and Navigable Suction ureteral access sheath (FANS) ureteroscopy: an EAU Endourology collaboration with the global FANS study group.

Flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS) is a potential game changer in flexible ureteroscopy (FURS). The influence of sheath size on outcomes needs research. The primary aim was to analyze 30-day single stage stone free status (SFS), zero fragment rate (ZFR) and complications when using 10/12Fr sheaths vis a vis other sheath sizes.

Exploring ADHD understanding and stigma: Insights from an online survey in Lebanon.

Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. Public knowledge of ADHD plays a crucial role in shaping attitudes, reducing stigma, and fostering a supportive environment for individuals with this disease. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and stigma of the general Lebanese population regarding ADHD and identify potential factors associated with these variables.

TFE3-rearranged RCC with osseous metaplasia found on bone mass densitometry.

Introduction And Importance: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common primary renal malignancy in patients between the ages of 50 and 70. A rare described variant of RCC is transcription factor for immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer 3 (TFE3) rearranged RCC. Osseous metaplasia, which refers to the occurrence of normal bone tissue in soft tissue, has been observed in all subtypes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC); however, only three previous case reports have documented the occurrence of osseous metaplasia in TFE3-rearranged RCC.

Enhanced CPU Design for SDN Controller.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) revolutionizes network management by decoupling control plane functionality from data plane devices, enabling the centralized control and programmability of network behavior. This paper uses the ternary system to improve the Central Processing Unit (CPU) inside the SDN controller to enhance network management. The Multiple-Valued Logic (MVL) circuit shows remarkable improvement compared to the binary circuit regarding the chip area, propagation delay, and energy consumption.

A Vesicocutaneous Fistula Treated With Urinary Diversion, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy, and Time.

A 38-year-old motor vehicle accident victim presented for acute urinary retention due to a clogged Foley catheter, which was inserted two weeks prior during surgery for pelvic and spine fixation and extra-peritoneal bladder rupture. Imaging studies revealed persistent bladder leaks despite primary and, later, secondary surgical repair. A combination of novel non-surgical techniques, that is, urinary diversion, negative pressure dressings, and waiting proved beneficial in our case, and led ultimately to complete clinical and radiological resolution of the fistula.

Increasing the Survival of a Neuronal Model of Alzheimer's Disease Using Docosahexaenoic Acid, Restoring Endolysosomal Functioning by Modifying the Interactions between the Membrane Proteins C99 and Rab5.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 ω3) may be involved in various neuroprotective mechanisms that could prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). Its influence has still been little explored regarding the dysfunction of the endolysosomal pathway, known as an early key event in the physiopathological continuum triggering AD. This dysfunction could result from the accumulation of degradation products of the precursor protein of AD, in particular the C99 fragment, capable of interacting with endosomal proteins and thus contributing to altering this pathway from the early stages of AD.

Could Use of a Flexible and Navigable Suction Ureteral Access Sheath Be a Potential Game-changer in Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery? Outcomes at 30 Days from a Large, Prospective, Multicenter, Real-world Study by the European Association of Urology Urolithiasis Section.

Background And Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the stone-free status (SFS) rate and complications after flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) for treatment of renal stones using a flexible and navigable suction (FANS) ureteral access sheath.

Methods: Data for adults undergoing fURS in 25 centers worldwide were prospectively collected (August 2023 to January 2024). Exclusion criteria were abnormal renal anatomy and ureteral stones.

Smoking cessation counselling patterns in cancer patients - survey of Lebanese physicians.

Introduction: Tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for cancer development and smoking cessation can lower this risk and improve outcomes in some cancer patients. Despite that, many cancer patients do not quit smoking after a cancer diagnosis, and smoking cessation counselling is still not routinely provided in cancer care. The aim of this study is to examine patterns in smoking cessation counselling to cancer patients by their treating physicians.

First prospective clinical assessment of the ILY robotic flexible ureteroscopy platform.

Purpose: To present the initial prospective clinical assessment of the ILY robotic ureteroscopy manipulator platform, focusing on its safety and effectiveness.

Methods And Materials: Data gathered from 31 kidney units which underwent elective robotic flexible ureteroscopy (FURS) for renal stone management utilizing the ILY robotic system. Patient demographics, stone characteristics, surgical durations, perioperative and post-operative complications, and follow-up parameters were collected.

In vivo assessment of antimicrobial activity and toxicity of repeated 1% povidone-iodine applications vs a single 5% povidone-iodine application.

Purpose: To demonstrate the noninferiority in antimicrobial effectiveness of thrice-repeated applications of 1% povidone-iodine (PI) compared with a single application of 5% PI on the ocular surface in vivo and to evaluate potential toxicity of PI to the corneal epithelium.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study.

Prostate cancer presentation and management in the Middle East.

Background: Although prostate cancer is a prevalent malignancy worldwide, its clinical presentation and management in the Middle East are not well-documented. This study aims to provide insights into the initial clinical presentation and management of prostate cancer in this region.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on seven institutional databases from six Middle Eastern countries, including Türkiye, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, and Jordan, to identify patients diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021.

The MOG antibody non-P42 epitope is predictive of a relapsing course in MOG antibody-associated disease.

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) IgG seropositivity is a prerequisite for MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) diagnosis. While a significant proportion of patients experience a relapsing disease, there is currently no biomarker predictive of disease course. We aim to determine whether MOG-IgG epitopes can predict a relapsing course in MOGAD patients.

Adherence to treatment and harmful effects of medication shortages in the context of severe crises: scale validation and correlates.

Background: Medication shortage is a public health problem, affecting patients' outcomes mainly through the difficulty in maintaining adherence, particularly in the context of a severe economic crisis. There is a need for a new scale that assesses the effect of medication shortage on adherence.

Aim: To develop and validate a scale to evaluate the harmful impact of medication shortage among the general Lebanese population and assess its correlates and association with medication adherence.

Opioid use disorder in two samples of the Lebanese population: scale validation and correlation with sleep and mood disorders.

Background: The revised Opioid Risk Tool (ORT-OUD) is a brief, self-report scale designed to provide clinicians with a simple, validated method to screen for the risk of developing an Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in patients without a prior history of substance abuse. This study aimed to translate and validate the Arabic version of ORT-OUD in the Lebanese population and assess its clinical validity in a sample of patients with OUD.

Methods: This cross-sectional study in the Lebanese population used several validated scales to assess the risk of OUD, including the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST).

Assessing and validating the specialized competency framework for pharmacists in sales and marketing (SCF-PSM): a cross-sectional analysis in Lebanon.

Objectives: Competencies refer to the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors individuals develop through education, training, and experience. These competencies can be formulated into a framework to support practitioner development for effective and sustained performance. In the absence of a national framework for pharmacy education and practice in Lebanon, the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon (OPL, the official association of pharmacists in Lebanon) pioneered the development of a pharmacy competency framework in 2017.

Academic pharmacist competencies in ordinary and emergency situations: content validation and pilot description in Lebanese academia.

Background: In the absence of a similar study in the Lebanese context, this study aimed to validate the content of the specialized competencies frameworks of academic pharmacists (educators, researchers, and clinical preceptors) and pilot their use for practice assessment in the context of multiple severe crises.

Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted between March and September 2022 among academic pharmacists enrolled by snowball sampling using a questionnaire created on Google Forms.

Results: The suggested frameworks had appropriate content to assess the competencies of academic pharmacists.

The impact of AirSeal on complications and pain management during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: a single-tertiary center study.

Purpose: We aimed to compare perioperative outcomes, post-operative complications, and opioid use between AirSeal and non-AirSeal robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Methods: We retrospectively collected data on 326 patients who underwent elective RARP at our institution either with or without AirSeal. The first 60 cases were excluded accounting for the institutions' learning curve of RARP.

Synthesis and secretion of Nerve Growth Factor is regulated by Nitric Oxide in bladder cells in vitro under a hyperglycemic environment.

Urine samples of female patients with overactive bladder (OAB) are characterized by low levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and elevated concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) compared to healthy controls. We therefore examined how NO might regulate NGF synthesis using rat bladder smooth muscle (SMCs) and urothelial (UROs) cells in culture. In UROs, incubation in hyperglycemic conditions to mimic insulin insensitivity present in the OAB cohort increased secretion of NO and concomitantly decreased NGF, except when the NO synthase inhibitor, l-NAME (1 mM) was present.