High performance COVID-19 screening using machine learning.

Since the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as an international concern of public health emergency in the early 2020, several strategies have been initiated in many countries to prevent healthcare services breakdown and collapse of healthcare structures. The most important strategy was the increased testing, diagnosis, isolation, contact tracing to identify, quarantine and test close contacts. In this context, finding a rapid, reliable and affordable tool for COVID-19 screening was the main challenge to address the pandemic.

Dermoscopy of Lichen Planus Pigmentosus and Histopathological Correlation: A Case Series.

Introduction: Lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) is an acquired pigmentary disorder affecting the dark-skinned population. There is a wide range of differentials, with substantial clinicopathological overlap. Dermoscopy may contribute to the better characterization of this dermatosis.

Efficacy of Exclusive Fat Grafting for Breast Reconstruction: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Exclusive fat grafting is an alternative method to implant- or flap- based reconstruction techniques following mastectomies or breast conservation therapies. Its efficacy has been explored before but new data has come to light, resulting in previous results becoming outdated. Concerns have also been raised about the oncological safety of this procedure which must be evaluated alongside the efficacy to gain a comprehensive understanding of the merits of this alternative technique.

Liver ACOX1 regulates levels of circulating lipids that promote metabolic health through adipose remodeling.

The liver gene expression of the peroxisomal β-oxidation enzyme acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1), which catabolizes very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), increases in the context of obesity, but how this pathway impacts systemic energy metabolism remains unknown. Here, we show that hepatic ACOX1-mediated β-oxidation regulates inter-organ communication involved in metabolic homeostasis. Liver-specific knockout of Acox1 (Acox1-LKO) protects mice from diet-induced obesity, adipose tissue inflammation, and systemic insulin resistance.

A Systematic Evaluation of the Quality of Health Information on Cleft Lip and Palate in the Arabic Language.

Background: The internet serves as a vital health information resource, yet the quality of data on specific health conditions, especially in Arabic, is often overlooked. This research assesses the quality of Arabic online information about cleft lip and palate (CLP) and proposes avenues for enhancement.

Methods: From July to August 2022, a systematic evaluation of Arabic articles on CLP was performed using the DISCERN tool for quality assessment.

The first exome wide association study in Tunisia: identification of candidate loci and pathways with biological relevance for type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a multifactorial disease involving genetic and environmental components. Several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been conducted to decipher potential genetic aberrations promoting the onset of this metabolic disorder. These GWAS have identified over 400 associated variants, mostly in the intronic or intergenic regions.

Whole-exome sequencing reveals novel variants of monogenic diabetes in Tunisia: impact on diagnosis and healthcare management.

Monogenic diabetes (MD) accounts for 3%-6% of all cases of diabetes. This prevalence is underestimated due to its overlapping clinical features with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Hence, genetic testing is the most appropriate tool for obtaining an accurate diagnosis.

Feasibility of linking universal child and family healthcare and financial counselling: findings from the Australian Healthier Wealthier Families (HWF) mixed-methods study.

Objectives: 'Healthier Wealthier Families' (HWF) seeks to reduce financial hardship in the early years by embedding a referral pathway between Australia's universal child and family health (CFH) services and financial counselling. This pilot study investigated the feasibility and short-term impacts of HWF, adapted from a successful Scottish initiative.

Methods: Setting: CFH services in five sites across two states, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chin Reduction Made Simpler.

Deformities of the chin, including both macrogenia or microgenia, can alter facial aesthetics and harmony. Various reliable approaches to correct chin abnormalities are present. Nonetheless, in this article, we propose our surgical approach to reduce the chin with a 5-mm cutting burr, without the need for osteotomy.

Prevalence and risk factors of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in North East Tunisia calling for efficient and effective actions.

Diabetes and hypertension are a serious public health problem worldwide. In the last decades, prevalence of these two metabolic diseases has dramatically increased in the Middle East and North Africa region, especially in Tunisia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and High Blood Pressure (HBP) in Zaghouan, a North-East region of Tunisia.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of MSNs/PS nanocomposite membranes for effective removal of Cd and Pb ions from aqueous solutions.

Contamination of heavy metal (Cd & Pb) ions in drinking water is producing major impacts on the environment and public health and is considered one of the greatest dangers to humanity. Membrane technology has been chosen over other processing methods due to its simplicity and high capacity for more effective removal of hazardous heavy metals. In the current study, amine, thiol, and bi-thiol functional groups were used to functionalize mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) to improve the efficiency of the silica nanoparticle.

Embryonic vitamin D deficiency programs hematopoietic stem cells to induce type 2 diabetes.

Environmental factors may alter the fetal genome to cause metabolic diseases. It is unknown whether embryonic immune cell programming impacts the risk of type 2 diabetes in later life. We demonstrate that transplantation of fetal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) made vitamin D deficient in utero induce diabetes in vitamin D-sufficient mice.

Penetrating Vascular Injuries of the Lower Limbs after Stab Wounds: Predictive Factors of Limb Loss and Mortality.

Penetrating vascular injuries (PVIs) of the lower limbs due to stab wounds are associated with high mortality and limb loss rates. We analyzed the outcomes of a series of patients who underwent surgical treatment of these lesions, assessing the presence of any factor associated with limb loss and mortality; (2) Methods: Data of patients admitted from 01/2008 to 12/2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcomes were the limb loss and the mortality rate at 30 days postoperatively.

A Cosmetic Approach to Cheek and Nasal Hemangioma Utilizing Open Rhinoplasty in a 10-Year-Old Child: A Case Report.

Infantile hemangiomas are characterized as benign tumors of vascular tissue that arise from rapid endothelial cell proliferation followed by gradual involution, affecting 4% to 5% in infants and 2.6% to 9.9% in older children.

Safe Zone to Avoid Pneumothorax in a CT-Guided Lung Biopsy.

Pneumothorax is one of the most frequent complications of computed tomography (CT)-guided lung biopsies. We aim to identify the safe zone of the needle-pleura angle during a CT-guided lung biopsy. Fifty-two patients underwent CT-guided lung biopsies between January 2020 and September 2022 (27 males, 25 females, median age 70 years).

Predictors of Complications after Breast Reconstruction Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Unlabelled: Breast reconstruction (BR) is a unique surgical procedure that provides patients undergoing mastectomy with significant psychosocial and aesthetic benefits and has also become a crucial part of the treatment pathway for women with breast cancer. Due to methodological inadequacies and the absence of substantial risk factor analysis, no conclusion can be drawn about the correlation between risk variables and post-surgical complications in BR surgery. We aim to identify the potential risk factors associated with postoperative complications.

Risk Models to Predict Mortality in Burn Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Unlabelled: The predictive capability of various risk assessment models (RAMs) in evaluating the risk of mortality in burn patients is not well established. It is also unclear which RAM provides the highest discriminative ability and presents the highest clinical utility. We pooled all available studies to establish this validity and compare the predictive capability of the various RAMs.

SARS-CoV-2 Serology: Utility and Limits of Different Antigen-Based Tests through the Evaluation and the Comparison of Four Commercial Tests.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 serology have several indications. Currently, as there are various types available, it is important to master their performance in order to choose the best test for the indication. We evaluated and compared four different commercial serology tests, three of them had the Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (FDA-EUA).