Automatic segmentation of MRI images for brain radiotherapy planning using deep ensemble learning.

This study aimed to develop and evaluate an efficient method to automatically segment T1- and T2-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. We specifically compared the segmentation performance of individual convolutional neural network (CNN) models against an ensemble approach to advance the accuracy of MRI-guided radiotherapy (RT) planning..

Lifestyle and Health Behavior Changes in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Role for Mental Health Symptoms and Diagnosis and Daily Life Difficulties During Lockdown in Lebanon.

Several studies report significant changes in lifestyle habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet results are largely heterogeneous across populations. We examined changes in lifestyle and health behaviors during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Lebanon and assessed whether mental and physical health indicators and outbreak- and lockdown-related factors are related to these changes. Data come from a cross-sectional online survey (May-June 2020) which assessed changes in smoking, alcohol, diet, eating behavior, physical activity, sleep hours, sleep satisfaction, social media use, self-rated health, and life satisfaction ( = 494).

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor signaling alleviates gut inflammation in mice.

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are gut-derived peptide hormones that potentiate glucose-dependent insulin secretion. The clinical development of GIP receptor (GIPR)-GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) multi-agonists exemplified by tirzepatide and emerging GIPR antagonist-GLP-1R agonist therapeutics such as maritide is increasing interest in the extra-pancreatic actions of incretin therapies. Both GLP-1 and GIP modulate inflammation, with GLP-1 also acting locally to alleviate gut inflammation in part through anti-inflammatory actions on GLP-1R+ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes.

Broad ligament ectopic pregnancy with full-term live birth: a rare case report from Syria.

Ectopic pregnancy, the implantation of a fertilized zygote outside the uterine cavity, presents with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Diagnosis relies on clinical signs, and treatment involves surgery or methotrexate in selected cases. A 24-year-old woman at 37 weeks of gestation underwent elective cesarean delivery under general anesthesia, revealing an unexpected broad ligament ectopic pregnancy.

AI tool for predicting MGMT methylation in glioblastoma for clinical decision support in resource limited settings.

Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with a poor prognosis. The O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene methylation status is crucial for treatment stratification, yet economic constraints often limit access. This study aims to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) framework for predicting MGMT methylation.

Tonsillectomy Under the Microscope: Is Routine Histopathological Analysis Necessary?

Introduction Tonsillectomy is the most common surgery in otorhinolaryngology worldwide, with many indications in adults and children. Traditionally, all tonsillectomy specimens are routinely submitted for histopathological examination, even in the absence of clinical suspicion of malignancy. This practice has been debated due to its resource implications and the low yield of malignancy in routine cases.

Our Experience With Intractable Epistaxis After COVID-19 Nasopharyngeal Swab.

Introduction: Although a COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab is a safe procedure routinely performed by healthcare providers, it can lead to complications that can be life-threatening. We present seven cases of intractable epistaxis following a nasopharyngeal swab that required sphenopalatine artery ligation. We aim to shed light on this life-threatening condition, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and mitigating such complications.

Stapedotomy Utilizing a Fixed-Size Prosthesis in a Tertiary Care Center: A Retrospective Study.

Background Stapes surgery success depends on several factors, including the length of the prosthesis used. Whether to use a standard-size prosthesis or measure the length of the stapes prosthesis has been debated in the literature. This study aims to assess the surgical outcomes of a stapedotomy using the standard 4.

A narrative review on the role of cytokines in the pathogenesis and treatment of familial Mediterranean fever: an emphasis on pediatric cases.

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a hereditary autoinflammatory disease characterized by an early onset of recurrent fever and serositis episodes. FMF is caused by mutations in the gene which encodes the pyrin protein, an IL-1β mediated inflammation regulator. Recent findings have identified a plethora of molecules and pathways involved in the regulation of inflammation and innate immunity, hence increasing our understanding of the etiology and inflammatory nature of FMF.

Ultra-Hypofractionated Prostate Radiotherapy With Online Adaptive Technique: A Case Report.

Ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy (UHF RT) is revolutionizing the treatment approach for low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients. This study reports the planning process of UHF RT utilizing the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based online adaptive radiotherapy (OART) treatment with the Ethos system, focusing on a comparative analysis between OART and image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) plans. We also assessed the pre-planning capabilities of the Ethos system against the CyberKnife (CK) (Accuray, Sunnyvale, CA) system.

Investigating the impact of rapidplan on ethos automated planning.

Automated planning has surged in popularity within external beam radiation therapy in recent times. Leveraging insights from previous clinical knowledge could enhance auto-planning quality. In this work, we evaluated the performance of Ethos automated planning with knowledge-based guidance, specifically using Rapidplan (RP).

Assessment of four dose calculation algorithms using IAEA-TECDOC-1583 with medium dependency correction factor (K) application.

Purpose: This study discusses the measurement of dose in clinical commissioning tests described in IAEA-TECDOC-1583. It explores the application of Monte Carlo (MC) modelled medium dependency correction factors (K) for accurate dose measurement in bone and lung materials using the CIRS phantom.

Methods: BEAMnrc codes simulate radiation sources and model radiation transport for 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams.

The burden of cardiovascular disease and risk for subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events in survivors of childhood cancer: a prospective, longitudinal analysis from the St Jude Lifetime Cohort Study.

Background: The effect of the increasing lifetime burden of non-major cardiovascular conditions on risk for a subsequent major adverse cardiovascular event among survivors of childhood cancer has not been assessed. We aimed to characterise the prevalence of major adverse cardiovascular events and their association with the cumulative burden of non-major adverse cardiovascular events in childhood cancer survivors.

Methods: This is a longitudinal cohort study with participant data obtained from an ongoing cohort study at St Jude Children's Research Hospital: the St Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (SJLIFE).

Prediction of cervix cancer stage and grade from diffusion weighted imaging using EfficientNet.

. This study aims to introduce an innovative noninvasive method that leverages a single image for both grading and staging prediction. The grade and the stage of cervix cancer (CC) are determined from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in particular apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps using deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN).

Bilateral renal angiomyolipoma with venous invasion: A case report.

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare benign tumor of the kidney, often detected incidentally on radiological images as the presence of macroscopic fat characterizes them. In the majority of the cases, they are usually sporadic. Despite their benign nature, venous invasion, a rare occurrence in renal AMLs, poses management challenges.

Cancerous and Non-Cancerous MRI Classification Using Dual DCNN Approach.

Brain cancer is a life-threatening disease requiring close attention. Early and accurate diagnosis using non-invasive medical imaging is critical for successful treatment and patient survival. However, manual diagnosis by radiologist experts is time-consuming and has limitations in processing large datasets efficiently.

Managing Inconsistent Bladder Volumes in the Prostate Cancer Patient Using Daily Online Adaptive RT: A Case Report.

Purpose: We report the use of online adaptive radiotherapy (OART) aiming to improve dosimetric parameters in the prostate cancer patient who had lower urinary tract symptoms that caused him not to adhere to the standard bladder filling protocol.

Methods And Materials: The reference treatment plan for adaptive radiotherapy plan was generated for the pelvis and the solitary bony lesion using the Ethos treatment planning system. For each treatment session, high-quality iterative reconstructed cone beam CT (CBCT) images were acquired, and the system automatically generated an optimal adaptive plan after verification of contours.

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals an incremental association between natural diversity and mental wellbeing.

Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, this study investigated an association between natural diversity on mental wellbeing. A sample of 1,998 participants completed 41,448 assessments between April 2018 and September 2023. Environments which included a larger range of natural features, such as trees, plants and birdlife (high natural diversity) were associated with greater mental wellbeing than environments including a smaller range of natural features (low natural diversity).

Brain volumes, behavioral inhibition, and anxiety disorders in children: results from the adolescent brain cognitive development study.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have identified brain changes associated with anxiety disorders (ADs), but the results remain mixed, particularly at a younger age. One key predictor of ADs is behavioral inhibition (BI), a childhood tendency for high avoidance of novel stimuli. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between candidate brain regions, BI, and ADs among children using baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.

GATE Monte Carlo approach to heterogeneity dose distribution in small fields used in radiation therapy.

The Accurate dosage prediction in Radiation Therapy is challenging, prompting a need for precision beyond conventional clinical Treatment Planning Systems (TPS). Monte Carlo-based methods are sought for their superior accuracy. The aim of this study is to compare dose distributions between the ACUROS algorithm and the GATE platform in various tissue densities and field sizes, focusing on smaller fields.

Modifiable Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: State-of-the-Art Review.

The growing community of childhood cancer survivors faces a heavy burden of late onset morbidities and mortality, with cardiovascular diseases being the leading noncancer cause. In addition to demographics and cancer treatment exposures, which cannot be altered, cardiometabolic risk factors (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia) and frailty potentiate the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with chronic health conditions. Important opportunities exist to target these risk factors and improve late health outcomes for survivors.

Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and first lockdown in Lebanon: Risk factors and daily life difficulties in a multiple-crises setting.

Introduction: Research from around the world shows important differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on mental health. This study examined the extent of mental health challenges (depressive and anxiety symptoms and daily life difficulties) and their associations with pandemic- and response-related factors during the first lockdown in Lebanon, which happened amid a severe economic crisis and socio-political turmoil.

Methods: Data come from a cross-sectional internet-based survey (May-June 2020).

Methyl donor micronutrients, hypothalamic development and programming for metabolic disease.

Nutriture in utero is essential for fetal brain development through the regulation of neural stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, and has a long-lasting impact on risk of disease in offspring. This review examines the role of maternal methyl donor micronutrients in neuronal development and programming of physiological functions of the hypothalamus, with a focus on later-life metabolic outcomes. Although evidence is mainly derived from preclinical studies, recent research shows that methyl donor micronutrients (e.