Background: Vaccines have contributed to the disappearance of various diseases, and almost eradicated others across the world. Studies have shown that in Lebanon a profoundly small percentage of Syrian refugee children were fully immunized by routine vaccination services. Exploring the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of parents towards vaccination is of crucial importance, given the role of parents in children's immunization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pharm Pharmacol
November 2024
Objectives: Gene therapy has a strong potential to treat different cancer types cancers with high therapeutic outcomes. c-myc is believed to be responsible for more than 15% of all gene regulation and functions as a transcription factor for proteins essential for cell proliferation. This study aimed to develop niosome nanocarriers to knockdown c-myc expression using anti-c-myc short-interfering RNA (siRNA) in MCF-7 cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo optimize the clinical approach to non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), it is essential to gain insight into its long-term effects on cognition and behaviors. Here, we investigated limbic NCSE-induced hippocampal injury and behavioral deficits in peri-adolescent rats. NCSE was induced in P43 Sprague Dawleyrats with intrahippocampal subconvulsive doses of kainic acid (NCSE group, n = 14) under continuous epidural cortical electroencephalography (EEG).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSurgical face masks (SFM) are pivotal in preventing surgical site infections (SSI) in the operating room (OR). However, there are currently no specific recommendations for their most effective use. SFM effectiveness is influenced by factors such as material, fit, and duration of use, sparking ongoing debates about their benefits and risks in surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Biallelic INPP4A variants have recently been associated with severe neurodevelopmental disease in single-case reports. Here, we expand and elucidate the clinical-genetic spectrum and provide a pathomechanistic explanation for genotype-phenotype correlations.
Methods: Clinical and genomic investigations of 30 individuals were undertaken alongside molecular and in silico modelling and translation reinitiation studies.
Advances in genetics led to the identification of hundreds of epilepsy-related genes, some of which are treatable with etiology-specific interventions. However, the diagnostic yield of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in unexplained epilepsy is highly variable (10-50%). We sought to determine the diagnostic yield and clinical utility of NGS in children with unexplained epilepsy that is accompanied by neurodevelopmental delays and/or is medically intractable.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of diode LASER activated irrigation in the removal of GuttaFlow Bioseal root canal filling material during retreatment.
Materials And Subjects: Root canals of forty-five single-rooted human mandibular premolar teeth were prepared with ProTaper Universal rotary system and obturated with lateral condensation obturation technique using Gutta Percha and Roeko GuttaFlow Bioseal root canal sealer. All specimens were retreated with ProTaper Universal Retreatment System files then divided to three different groups according to the technique of activation of irrigation.
Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have emerged as powerful tools for biosignal amplification, including electrocorticography (ECoG). However, their widespread application has been limited by the complexities associated with existing fabrication techniques, restricting accessibility and scalability. Here, we introduce a novel all-planar, all-printed high-performance OECT device that significantly enhances the accuracy and sensitivity of ECoG recordings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe field of microfluidics encompasses the study of fluid behavior within micro-channels and the development of miniature systems featuring internal compartments or passageways tailored for fluid control and manipulation. Microfluidic devices capitalize on the unique chemical and physical properties exhibited by fluids at the microscopic scale. In contrast to their larger counterparts, microfluidic systems offer a multitude of advantages.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile light can affect emotional and cognitive processes of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), no light-encoding was hitherto identified in this region. Here, extracellular recordings in awake mice revealed that over half of studied mPFC neurons showed photosensitivity, that was diminished by inhibition of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), or of the upstream thalamic perihabenular nucleus (PHb). In 15% of mPFC photosensitive neurons, firing rate changed monotonically along light-intensity steps and gradients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, a highly prevalent parasitosis. () transits in the brain from acute (AT) to chronic toxoplasmosis (CT), under host immune control. In immunocompromised patients, reactivation of CT is potentially life-threatening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmunotherapy is a rapidly advancing field of research in the treatment of conditions such as cancer and autoimmunity. Nanomaterials can be designed for immune system manipulation, with precise targeted delivery and improved immunomodulatory efficacy. Here, we elaborate on various strategies using nanomaterials, including liposomes, polymers, and inorganic NPs, and discuss their detailed design intricacies, mechanisms, and applications, including the current regulatory issues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCryotherapy is widely utilized in medicine, particularly for pain management. This randomized clinical trial aimed to assess the effect of intraoral cold pack application (cryotherapy) on postoperative pain (POP) and the level of Substance P (SP) in patients with symptomatic apical periodontitis (SAP). Enrolled patients were randomly assigned to either cryotherapy or control group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
May 2024
Motivated by the recent report on penta-MgN sheet [ , 38, 101259] that is the first realization of type-5 pentagonal 2D tessellation with exposed regularly distributed Mg ions, we carried out density functional theory studies on the interactions of H molecules with 1D penta-nanotube, 2D penta-sheet, and 3D porous structures based on penta-MgN. We found that when the penta-MgN sheet is assembled to a 3D porous structure or curved to a nanotube, the bandgap increases from 1.18 to 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: Pulmonary artery banding serves as an important palliative procedure used for the management of several congenital heart lesions. This study aims to describe a 20-year experience of pulmonary artery banding at a tertiary care center in a developing country.
Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent pulmonary artery banding over a 20-year period between January 2000 and July 2020 in a tertiary care center in a developing country.
The application of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition (mTORi) as primary prophylactic therapy to optimize T cell effector function while preserving allograft tolerance remains challenging. Here, we present a comprehensive two-step therapeutic approach in a male patient with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and heart transplantation followed with concomitant longitudinal analysis of systemic immunologic changes. In the first step, calcineurin inhibitor/ mycophenolic acid is replaced by the mTORi everolimus to achieve an improved effector T cell status with increased cytotoxic activity (perforin, granzyme), enhanced proliferation (Ki67) and upregulated activation markers (CD38, CD69).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAppl Radiat Isot
July 2024
This work is dedicated to study the possibility of using UV-VIS spectrophotometer, a non-invasive technique with a versatile applications that is being used to determine the optical properties of matter, to estimate the CR-39 exposure to alpha particles. CR-39 detectors were exposed to alpha particles from two different alpha sources: Am and radon gas. Tracks densities on CR-39 were determined using the traditional counting method by an optical microscope.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Oncol (R Coll Radiol)
June 2024
Aims: Differential attainment (DA) in post graduate medical training is a recognised challenge and refers to unexplained variation across groups when split by several protected characteristics. The Royal College of Radiology is committed to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and equality with the goal of narrowing existing gaps and improving training outcomes.
Materials And Methods: This was a mixed methods study aiming to understand the causes of DA with view to helping the RCR develop strategies to address this.
Introduction: Most kidneys from small pediatric donors are transplanted to adult recipients because of the perceived risk of surgical complications and graft thrombosis. In this study, we aim to demonstrate our favorable outcomes in transplanting pediatric kidneys from donors <15 k into pediatric recipients.
Methods: This study retrospectively analyzes the outcomes of seven pediatric recipients of en block kidney transplants from pediatric donors weighing <15 kg performed at King Fahad Specialist Hospital-Dammam from December 2014 to January 2018.
The intersection of mathematical modeling, nanotechnology, and epidemiology marks a paradigm shift in our battle against infectious diseases, aligning with the focus of the journal on the regulation, expression, function, and evolution of genes in diverse biological contexts. This exploration navigates the intricate dance of viral transmission dynamics, highlighting mathematical models as dual tools of insight and precision instruments, a theme relevant to the diverse sections of Gene. In the context of virology, ethical considerations loom large, necessitating robust frameworks to protect individual rights, an aspect essential in infectious disease research.
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