Publications by authors named "Issa C"

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, which leads to a reduction in the production of dopamine. Medication with levodopa becomes less effective as the disease progresses. Despite the excellent results observed in clinical practice with the medicinal use of Cannabis in the treatment of PD, the level of scientific evidence is still limited due to the small number of studies published in this field.

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Purpose: To assess the mid- to long-term safety and effectiveness of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) at a single-center cohort of 1,075 patients.

Materials And Methods: This institutional review board-approved retrospective study included patients with moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or urinary retention who underwent PAE from January 2014 to July 2023. Patients were assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after PAE and yearly thereafter.

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Concrete, the construction industry's most utilized construction material, has transformed the environment and the modern built-up lifestyle. Although concrete is a first-rate supplier to the carbon footprint, it is imperative for buildings to display sustainable characteristics. Scholars have explored techniques to lessen the carbon footprint and the way to put into effect strategic waste control plans in which waste is reused.

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Food allergy in atopic dermatitis is mediated by complex immune interactions between genetics, diet, environment, and the microbiome. When contact between inflamed skin and food antigens occurs, contact hypersensitivity can develop. Consequently, systemic contact dermatitis (SCD) can occur after ingestion of allergenic foods or food additives in the setting of a Th2 response with CLA-positive T cells, triggering dermatitis where skin resident memory lymphocytes reside.

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Purpose: The use of robotic assisted surgery is increasing but training residents in its use may be associated with increased operative time and cost. The objective of this study is to compare the operative time of robotic incisional/ventral hernia repair (RIVHR) and robotic inguinal hernia repair (RIHR) when performed with and without a resident or fellow trainee.

Methods: A review of prospectively collected data was performed on all patients who underwent RIVHR and RIHR by a single surgeon over a 9-year period (2014-2023).

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In the construction industry, concrete is the most utilized building material. It is produced from different natural resources such as sand and gravel, as well as cement. The production of concrete is causing harm to the environment, yet its use became a necessity.

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Background: Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for thyroid nodules; however, concerns exist regarding its impact on subsequent thyroid surgery. We compared surgical outcomes and complications between patients undergoing thyroidectomy after radiofrequency ablation (post-radiofrequency ablation thyroidectomy group) and those without prior radiofrequency ablation (non-radiofrequency ablation thyroidectomy group).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed thyroidectomy patients, comparing post-radiofrequency ablation thyroidectomy and non-radiofrequency ablation thyroidectomy groups, examining demographics, nodule characteristics, surgical techniques, and complications.

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Introduction: The diabetic foot (DF) is a complication with high rate of morbi-mortality. There are no data about amputation rates and mortality in Argentina related to this disease. The aim of this study was to describe clinical features of adult patients with diabetes that consulted for a foot ulcer in a 3 months' period and to evaluate outcomes six months later.

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A recent work analyzing the concomitant factors BRAF mutation (risk factor) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (protective factor) found that the presence of HT reduced lymph node metastasis in BRAF-mutated papillary thyroid carcinoma. Whether this notion is upheld with respect to disease recurrence and differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), however, is unknown. We aimed to investigate the effect of underlying HT in DTC patients and its influence on recurrence with a specific emphasis in BRAF-mutated tumors.

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Augmented intelligence (AI), the combination of artificial based intelligence with human intelligence from a practitioner, has become an increased focus of clinical interest in the field of dermatology. Technological advancements have led to the development of deep-learning based models to accurately diagnose complex dermatological diseases such as melanoma in adult datasets. Models for pediatric dermatology remain scarce, but recent studies have shown applications in the diagnoses of facial infantile hemangiomas and X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia; however, we see unmet needs in other complex clinical scenarios and rare diseases, such as diagnosing squamous cell carcinoma in patients with epidermolysis bullosa.

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Thyroid nodules can be classified as benign, malignant, or indeterminate, the latter of which make up 10-30% of nodules. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has become an attractive and promising therapy for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. However, few studies have investigated the safety and efficacy of RFA for the management of indeterminate thyroid nodules.

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Unlabelled: Despite advancements in surgical and rehabilitation strategies, extremity amputations are frequently associated with disability, phantom limb sensations, and chronic pain. Investigation into potential treatment modalities has focused on the pathophysiological changes in both the peripheral and central nervous systems to better understand the underlying mechanism in the development of chronic pain in persons with amputations.

Methods: Presented in this article is a discussion outlining the physiological changes that occur in the peripheral and central nervous systems following amputation.

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Background: Primary options for oromandibular reconstruction with osteocutaneous free flaps are the vascularized fibula and iliac crest. Complications of mandible reconstruction are not uncommon and include osteomyelitis, malunion, and osteoradionecrosis (ORN) after radiation therapy. The medial femoral condyle (MFC) free flap is an established salvage option for carpal reconstruction in hand surgery, frequently used for scaphoid nonunion and avascular necrosis.

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Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (autoimmune thyroiditis) is a clinicopathological entity associated with chronic lymphocytic infiltration resulting in hypothyroidism. HT is a double-edged sword that increases the risk of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), yet it serves as a protective factor for PTC progression. mutation in PTCs is associated with rapid cell growth, aggressive tumor characteristics, and higher mortality rates.

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Background: Syphilis rates are of public health concern in Canada, with multiple jurisdictions reporting outbreaks over the past five years. The objective of this article is to describe trends in infectious and congenital syphilis in Canada 2011-2020.

Methods: Routine surveillance of syphilis is conducted through the Canadian Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (CNDSS).

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Manganism, the condition caused by chronic exposure to high levels of manganese, selectively targets the dopamine-rich basal ganglia causing a movement disorder with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease. While the basis for this specific targeting is unknown, we hypothesize that it may involve complexation of Mn by dopamine derivatives. At micromolar concentrations, MnCl accelerates the two-equivalent redox cycling of a dopamine-derived benzothiazine (dopathiazine) by an order of magnitude.

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Background: Current WHO's recommendation for optimal infant feeding advises exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. After this initial period, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary food starting from the age of 6 months with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.

Purpose: This study examined the timing and types of fluids and foods first introduced in a representative sample of toddlers (n = 1051) from 79 daycares across Lebanon.

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Background: Insurance coverage for microsurgical lymphatic surgery continues to be sporadic, as the procedures continue to be labeled investigational. The objective of this study was to examine the typical payment patterns of our clinical practice for microsurgical lymphatic procedures.

Methods: We performed a single center, single surgeon retrospective case review for all lymphovenous bypass and vascularized lymph node transfer cases preformed from 2018 to 2020.

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Unlabelled: The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap for breast reconstruction is associated with lengthy operative times that remain an issue for plastic surgeons today. The main objective of this study was to determine if a 2-stage deep inferior epigastric perforator flap reconstruction resulted in a shorter total plastic surgeon operative time compared with an immediate reconstruction.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients who underwent deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction from February 2013 to July 2020 by the senior author.

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Ian Jackson and Jack Fisher published one of the earliest reports on microsurgical applications for craniofacial patients in 1989. Since that time, applications of craniofacial surgery and microsurgery have significantly expanded and become more refined. However, there remain certain specific clinical problems in cleft and craniofacial surgery in which traditional craniofacial methods provide variable success or suboptimal outcomes.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of symptomatic hypoglycemic events and the achievement of HbA1c targets in patients with type 2 diabetes initiating basal insulin treatment.
  • A total of 385 patients were assessed, revealing that 11.9% experienced hypoglycemia, and 31.6% reached their HbA1c target at 24 weeks.
  • Those with hypoglycemia had a lower success rate in achieving glycemic targets compared to those without hypoglycemic events, highlighting a potential risk in managing diabetes with insulin.
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Most solutions for biological treatment of azo dyes are based on conventional anaerobic-aerobic processes, but transition to full scale demands technology simplification and cost reductions. We suggest a new approach, in which aeration is intermittently supplied for simultaneous removal of color and toxic metabolites in a single compartment. Effects of aeration strategy and glucose concentration on decolorization and organic matter removal were assessed using factorial design (3) and response surface analysis.

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The Mediterranean Sea is the largest semi-enclosed sea and one of the worst affected regional seas with sub-basin scale heterogeneity in plastics concentration. Few studies on microplastics (MPs) pollution have been conducted in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean basin. This study aims to evaluate, for the first time, the MPs pollution of the Lebanese coast (Levantine Basin) as well as the most common polymers found, and to assess the potential role of coastal landfills in this pollution.

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In ecotoxicological assays, previously selected and standardized organism tests are exposed to an environmental sample. Some species of the Chironomus genus have been extensively used in ecotoxicological assays. Among these, Chironomus tentans is usually utilized in the USA and Chironomus sancticaroli in Brazil.

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