Randomized study of temporary diaphragm pacing for enhanced recovery after surgery in cardiac surgery patients at risk of prolonged mechanical ventilation.

Objective: Prolonged mechanical ventilation after cardiac surgery significantly increases morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to establish the role of diaphragmatic pacing to decrease mechanical ventilation burden in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods: This is a prospective, randomized trial of temporary diaphragmatic pacing electrode use in patients undergoing cardiac surgery (NCT04899856).

Real world experience with [Tc]Tc-HYNIC-iPSMA SPECT prostate cancer detection: interim results from the global NOBLE registry.

Purpose: [Tc]Tc-HYNIC-iPSMA is a novel technetium-99m-labelled small molecule inhibitor of the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) for detecting prostate cancer (PC). The objective of this registry was to collect and evaluate [Tc]Tc-HYNIC-iPSMA patient data and images to establish the safety and tolerability, and clinical utility of this agent in imaging at different stages of PC.

Methods: Patients 18 to 80 years old with primary staging and metastatic PC were eligible.

Targeted Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy With 177 Lu-DOTATATE Alters Joints Inflammation.

High and frequent expression of somatostatin receptors in differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasms has paved the way for receptor-based, targeted peptide receptor radionuclide therapy especially for nonoperable or metastatic disease. Besides tumors, radiation, in one form or another, has been tested to treat inflammatory disease as well, and this goes back to the early 1990s when the first case of pneumonia treated with radiation showed complete resolution. Currently, radiotracers help in not only in vivo inflammation detection, characterization, and staging but also, and more importantly, for selection of treatment in individual patients.

Evaluation of leukocyte-platelet rich fibrin as an antibiotic slow-release biological device in the treatment of moderate periodontitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the accumulation of biofilm. Antimicrobials have been used as adjuncts to non-surgical periodontal therapy. However, systemic antibiotics often require large dosages to achieve suitable concentrations at the disease site.

A Prospective Evaluation of Chemokine Receptor-4 (CXCR4) Overexpression in High-grade Glioma Using Ga-Pentixafor (Pars-Cixafor™) PET/CT Imaging.

Background: While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains the gold standard for morphological imaging, its ability to differentiate between tumor tissue and treatment-induced changes on the cellular level is insufficient. Notably, glioma cells, particularly glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), demonstrate overexpression of chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4). This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of non-invasive Ga-Cixafor™ PET/CT as a tool to improve diagnostic accuracy in patients with high-grade glioma.

Percutaneous decannulation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation using MANTA device: A real-world single-center experience.

Background: The MANTA vascular closure device (VCD) represents a novel approach to achieving hemostasis after large-bore femoral access procedures. Numerous clinical studies have evaluated the efficacy of the MANTA device across a range of patient populations undergoing different procedures. However, there is still a paucity of data available concerning the use of MANTA devices in aiding the decannulation of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for an Emerging Adult Female With Misophonia: A Case Study.

Misophonia is characterized by decreased tolerance to idiosyncratic and repetitive human-generated sounds (ie, triggers), coupled with affective-based reactions that result in impairment and distress. Often having its onset in youth, misophonia can become especially prominent during key developmental periods, including emerging adulthood. While efforts to develop interventions for misophonia remain ongoing, a consensus has not yet been reached concerning recommended first-line treatments.

The assessment of zeolite addition to diets with or without urea on some productive and physiological indicators in Awassi lambs.

Background: Interest is growing in the search for alternatives to traditional feed additives, so this study aimed to investigate the effect of adding zeolite to the concentrate diets of Awassi lambs with or without urea on growth performance, nutrient digestion, and health status. A total of 45 Awassi lambs similar in weight (24 ± 2 kg) and age (3 months ± 4 days) were divided into three groups: the first group (G1) fed on a concentrate diet supplemented with 1% urea; the second group (G2) fed on the concentrate diet supplemented with 1% urea and 3% zeolite, and the third group (G3) fed on a urea-free diet supplemented with 3% zeolite.

Results: The results showed a significant increase (P ≤ 0.

Effect of Stress on Sleep Quality among Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: It has long been understood that sleep is a necessary therapeutic element of human physiology and is crucial for healthy functioning, mental health, and quality of life. Medical students frequently minimize their sleep and habits to cope with their workload and their stressful lives, which has a negative influence on both mental health and academic performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of stress and its effect on sleep quality among medical students (in both the preclinical and clinical years) at Jazan University in Saudi Arabia.

Assessing the Impact of Smartphone Use on Neck Pain and Related Symptoms Among Residents in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The widespread adoption of smartphones has transformed global communication but raised health concerns like Text Neck Syndrome - a musculoskeletal condition arising from prolonged device use, causing discomfort in the cervical spine. This study investigates its prevalence and associated factors among smartphone users in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, focusing on usage patterns, symptoms, and awareness.

Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was conducted from June 1 to June 30, 2024.

Investigating the therapeutic efficacy of psilocybin in advanced cancer patients: A comprehensive review and meta-analysis.

Background: Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms, is known for its effects on anxiety and depression. It has recently gained increasing interest for its potential therapeutic effects, particularly in patients with advanced cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the effects of psilocybin on adult patients with advanced cancer.

Coherence-Enhanced Single-Qubit Thermometry out of Equilibrium.

The metrological limits of thermometry operated in nonequilibrium dynamical regimes are analyzed. We consider a finite-dimensional quantum system, employed as a quantum thermometer, in contact with a thermal bath inducing Markovian thermalization dynamics. The quantum thermometer is initialized in a generic quantum state, possibly including quantum coherence with respect to the Hamiltonian basis.

(2+δ)-dimensional theory of the electromechanics of lipid membranes: Electrostatics.

The coupling of electric fields to the mechanics of lipid membranes gives rise to intriguing electromechanical behavior, as, for example, evidenced by the deformation of lipid vesicles in external electric fields. Electromechanical effects are relevant for many biological processes, such as the propagation of action potentials in axons and the activation of mechanically gated ion channels. Currently, a theoretical framework describing the electromechanical behavior of arbitrarily curved and deforming lipid membranes does not exist.

Association between Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Hepatic Cancer: Current Concepts and Future Challenges.

This study systematically reviewed the association between metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and the development of hepatic cancer. Previous research has highlighted MASLD as a predisposing condition. To collect recent global data on the relationship between MASLD and hepatic cancer.

Acetylated oligopeptide and N-acetylcysteine protect against iron overload-induced dentate gyrus hippocampal degeneration through upregulation of Nestin and Nrf2/HO-1 and downregulation of MMP-9/TIMP-1 and GFAP.

Iron accumulation in the brain causes oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, and neurodegeneration. We examined the preventive effects of acetylated oligopeptides (AOP) from whey protein on iron-induced hippocampal damage compared to N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). This 5-week study used 40 male albino rats.

Clinical value of 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/MRI in primary staging of patients with intermediate- to high-risk prostate cancer.

Objective: To assess the utility of 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/MRI in initial staging of intermediate- to high-risk prostate cancer (HRPCa).

Methods: A total of 46 patients with pathologically verified intermediate and/or HRPCa who underwent 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/MRI with dedicated pelvic high-resolution multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) were included.

Results: PET/MRI showed 100% sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy in detecting seminal vesicle (SV) and rectal invasion, versus 87.

Association of Bariatric Surgery with Risk of Incident Obesity-Associated Malignancies: a Multi-center Population-Based Study.

Introduction: Obesity has a known association with certain types of malignancy, and we aimed to determine whether bariatric surgery has a protective effect against de novo obesity-associated cancer development in adult patients.

Methods: We performed a multi-center retrospective cohort studying utilizing TriNetX national database. Patients were identified utilizing ICD-10-CM coding, and propensity score matching was performed.

Prevalence of Hemorrhoids and Their Risk Factors Among the Adult Population in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Hemorrhoids are defined as the symptomatic enlargement and distal displacement of the normal anal cushions. They can be either internal, external, or internoexternal, according to their position in relation to the dentate line. They can cause significant financial burdens and personal discomfort.

The Occurrence of Depression Among Adults With Sickle Cell Disease in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Sickle cell disease (SCD) is recognized as a widely prevalent genetic disorder that impacts individuals globally and is inherited within families. The primary cause of SCD is a singular genetic mutation that affects the globin chain of the hemoglobin protein. Depression and its symptoms are frequently observed in individuals with SCD.

Predictors of protein losing enteropathy after Fontan completion: An 8-year retrospective study at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.

Background: The Fontan procedure is the final stage of a three-stage palliation process in patients born with a univentricular heart as part of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) or other pathologies with a univentricular heart. As essential as this procedure has proven to be for such cases, the Fontan physiology diminishes cardiac output and expands systemic venous pressure, which then leads to venous congestion that can be complicated by protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). This retrospective study aimed to identify the predictors of such complications in all patients who underwent completion of the Fontan procedure at our center (Sheikh Khalifa Medical City/SKMC) in the past eight years.

Uncovering the Burden of Immune-Related Adverse Events in Immunotherapy: Insights from a Nationally Representative Sample.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown promising efficacy in multiple malignancies and, therefore, have been increasingly used over the past decade. Clinical data have suggested anti-cancer efficacy associated with immune-related adverse events that could have added healthcare resource utilization and costs.

Objective: We used a nationwide dataset to investigate the association between immune-related adverse events and healthcare resource utilization, charges, and mortality among patients receiving various immune checkpoint inhibitors for indicated cancers.