Publications by authors named "Najjar S"

This review focuses on a special aspect of hepatic lipid storage and inflammation that occurs during nutritional excess in obesity. Mounting evidence supports that prolonged excess fatty acid (FA) uptake in the liver is strongly associated with hepatic lipid storage and inflammation and that the two processes are closely linked by a homeostatic mechanism. There is also strong evidence that bacterial lipids may enter the gut by a common mechanism with lipid absorption and that there is a set point to determine when their uptake triggers an inflammatory response in the liver.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the relationship between CEACAM1 levels and insulin metabolism in individuals with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
  • Findings show that as insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia increase, CEACAM1 levels decrease, particularly in those with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.
  • The results suggest that measuring circulating CEACAM1 could serve as a useful biomarker for assessing metabolic health and insulin clearance.
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Background: Alternative splicing is a fundamental mechanism in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes. The multifunctional transmembrane glycoprotein receptor carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) undergoes extensive alternative splicing to allow for tunable functions in cell signalling, adhesion and modulation of immune and metabolic responses. Splice isoforms that differ in their ectodomain and short or long cytoplasmic tail (CEACAM1-S/CEACAM1-L) have distinct functional roles.

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Background & Aims: Mood disorders and disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) are highly prevalent, commonly comorbid, and lack fully effective therapies. Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line pharmacological treatments for these disorders, they may impart adverse effects, including anxiety, anhedonia, dysmotility, and, in children exposed in utero, an increased risk of cognitive, mood, and gastrointestinal disorders. SSRIs act systemically to block the serotonin reuptake transporter and enhance serotonergic signaling in the brain, intestinal epithelium, and enteric neurons.

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Introduction: Clinical decision support system (CDSS) is an application used to aid decision-making and provide knowledge regarding treatment, diagnosis, and laboratory testing. Despite the associated benefits, the underutilization of CDSS is causing a global challenge. In Palestine, CDSS remains unimplemented, prompting a study on knowledge levels and factors influencing CDSS acceptance among physicians.

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The incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has reached an epidemic rise worldwide. The disease is a constellation of a broad range of metabolic and histopathologic abnormalities. It begins with hepatic steatosis and progresses to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), including hepatic fibrosis, apoptosis, and cell injury.

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Background: Proteomic phenotyping can provide insights into rejection pathophysiology, novel biomarkers, and therapeutic targets.

Methods: Within the prospective, multicenter Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation study, 181 proteins were evaluated from blood drawn at the time of endomyocardial biopsy; protein fold change, logistic regression, and pathway analyses were conducted, with protein discovery adjusted for a 5% false discovery rate.

Results: Among 104 adult heart transplant patients (31% female sex, 53% Black race, median age 52 y), 74 had no rejection, 18 developed acute cellular rejection (ACR), and 12 developed antibody-mediated rejection (AMR).

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Article Synopsis
  • Heart transplant patients with donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) face a higher risk of rejection, but some do not show antibody-mediated rejection despite having graft dysfunction.
  • A study involved 216 participants undergoing serial evaluations like endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) and echocardiograms to understand the relationship between DSAs, rejection types, and long-term outcomes.
  • Results indicated that both antibody-mediated rejection (pAMR+) and DSA-related left ventricle dysfunction significantly correlated with increased mortality and prolonged heart dysfunction, particularly if they occurred within the first six months after transplant.
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The Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1, also CD66a), a transmembrane glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is a pivotal mediator of various physiological and pathological processes, including oncologic disorders. However, its precise role in tumorigenicity is contradictory discussed by several clinical studies. This review aims to elucidate the clinical significance of CEACAM1 in different cancer entities focusing on tumour formation, progression and metastasis as well as on CEACAM1-mediated treatment resistance.

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Background: There is significant variability among pathologists in the histopathological interpretation of the endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) for acute cellular rejection (ACR), and assessment of variability in the interpretation of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) has not been reported. In contemporary practice, the strategy of allograft surveillance with donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) compared to EMB has not been compared with a focus on long-term clinical outcomes beyond acute rejection (AR).

Methods: The Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation is a multicenter, prospective cohort study that enrolled patients from 2015 to 2020.

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Objectives: This study aimed to identify the level of spirituality, faith and meaning, and quality of life (QOL) among Muslim advanced cancer patients undergoing active treatment and to enhance the understanding of the relationships among clinical and socio-demographic factors, spirituality, and QOL of patients in the Gaza Strip.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted on a convenience sample of 298 advanced cancer patients. The Arabic versions of the Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) were used for data collection.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hepatic artery aneurysms (HAAs) are uncommon but have a high risk of rupture, complicating treatment options.
  • An 88-year-old man with a 4.2-cm right HAA was successfully treated using covered stenting, which effectively sealed the aneurysm.
  • This case highlights that balloon-expandable covered stenting is a promising treatment method for HAAs, especially for patients who can't undergo traditional surgical bypass.
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While imaging has traditionally played a fundamental role in the selection of patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy, recent thrombectomy trials involving patients with large ischemic strokes demonstrated a consistent benefit of endovascular thrombectomy across all imaging strata, suggesting that reperfusion benefit may exist independent of current imaging constructs. Although these findings attest to the uniformly beneficial effects of reperfusion, they also shed doubt on the accuracy and utility of our imaging modalities in defining reversible versus irreversible ischemia and challenge the premise of imaging-based selection. We aimed to review the histopathologic studies and clinical trials that have shaped our understanding of current imaging constructs aiming to outline the existing imaging-neuropathological gap that may be far wider than previously perceived.

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Introduction: Aneurysmal sac regression is a predictor of long-term outcomes after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This study aimed to compare a large cohort of TREO and non-TREO endografts over a mid-term follow-up and compare abdominal aortic aneurysm sac regression. The hypothesis was that TREO endografts have an increased sac regression by 24 mo.

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Objectives: Hepatic CEACAM1 expression declines with advanced hepatic fibrosis stage in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Global and hepatocyte-specific deletions of Ceacam1 impair insulin clearance to cause hepatic insulin resistance and steatosis. They also cause hepatic inflammation and fibrosis, a condition characterized by excessive collagen production from activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).

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  • The health system in Palestine, especially in Gaza, has deteriorated significantly and requires comprehensive reform, particularly in workforce development, involving aspects like leadership, finance, and policy.
  • The study's objective is to understand Health Workforce Accreditation and Regulation (HWAR) in Palestine, identify weaknesses, and enhance its effectiveness for better healthcare delivery.
  • Findings indicated issues like lack of transparent governance, poor communication, ineffective national policies, and inadequate coordination between education and practice sectors, highlighting the need for improved management and updates to the HWAR system.
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The impact of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients receiving durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation remains unclear and there is no consensus regarding postoperative management. We sought to determine the impact of postoperative management of CRT on clinical outcomes following LVAD implantation. A total of 789 patients underwent LVAD implantation at our institution from 2007 to 2022 including 195 patients (24.

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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan declared a state of emergency on 19 March 2020, implementing a 10-week curfew and closing all educational institutions. Consequently, online learning commenced to ensure educational continuity amid the pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess medical students' perception of online teaching during this period in a limited-resource setting and to identify associated challenges.

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Introduction: The Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS) program was officially launched in Jordan in 2021. Since its inception, no studies have examined the effectiveness of the program. This study seeks to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of the NHS program in Jordan.

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Aging is associated with a significant decline in aerobic capacity assessed by maximal exercise oxygen consumption (V̇o). The relative contributions of the specific V̇o components driving this decline, namely cardiac output (CO) and arteriovenous oxygen difference (A - V)O, remain unclear. We examined this issue by analyzing data from 99 community-dwelling participants (baseline age: 21-96 yr old; average follow-up: 12.

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