Retinal Vessels Whitening in Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Purpose: To characterize retinal vessel whitening (RVW) in Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).

Methods: Single-center cross-sectional study. Review of clinical notes of clinically confirmed RP patients was performed followed by grading ultra-widefield imaging.

Comparison of a Novel Ultra-Widefield Three-Color Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope to Other Retinal Imaging Modalities in Chorioretinal Lesion Imaging.

Purpose: To compare the assessment of clinically relevant retinal and choroidal lesions as well as optic nerve pathologies using a novel three-wavelength ultra-widefield (UWF) scanning laser ophthalmoscope with established retinal imaging techniques for ophthalmoscopic imaging.

Methods: Eighty eyes with a variety of retinal and choroidal lesions were assessed on the same time point using Topcon color fundus photography (CFP) montage, Optos red/green (RG), Heidelberg SPECTRALIS MultiColor 55-color montage (MCI), and novel Optos red/green/blue (RGB). Paired images of the optic nerve, retinal, or choroidal lesions were initially diagnosed based on CFP imaging.

Advanced pentosan polysulfate sodium maculopathy with low cumulative exposure and hydroxychloroquine use.

Purpose: To report a case of pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) maculopathy with cystoid macular edema (CME) with relatively low cumulative PPS exposure and a history of concurrent hydroxychloroquine use.

Observations: A 46-year-old female was treated with PPS daily for 10 years, and hydroxychloroquine intermittently over a span of five years, actively taking hydroxychloroquine for a sum of three years during PPS therapy. Despite a low risk for toxicity based on the cumulative exposure to either medication, fundoscopic examination and multimodal imaging revealed severe PPS maculopathy with CME two and a half years post-PPS cessation.

Evaluation of Perceived Stress and Its Association with Dental Caries in 290 Undergraduate Medical Students.

BACKGROUND Stress-induced health disorders are related to an unhealthy lifestyle. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of perceived stress among medical students and to correlate their respective stress levels with the caries index: decayed, missing, filled surfaces (DMFS). MATERIAL AND METHODS This study included 290 undergraduate medical students (140 men, 150 women) from 4 different grades.

Topological embedding and directional feature importance in ensemble classifiers for multi-class classification.

Cancer is the second leading cause of disease-related death worldwide, and machine learning-based identification of novel biomarkers is crucial for improving early detection and treatment of various cancers. A key challenge in applying machine learning to high-dimensional data is deriving important features in an interpretable manner to provide meaningful insights into the underlying biological mechanisms We developed a class-based directional feature importance (CLIFI) metric for decision tree methods and demonstrated its use for The Cancer Genome Atlas proteomics data. The CLIFI metric was incorporated into four algorithms, Random Forest (RF), LAtent VAriable Stochastic Ensemble of Trees (LAVASET), and Gradient Boosted Decision Trees (GBDTs), and a new extension incorporating the LAVA step into GBDTs (LAVABOOST).

Tobacco use, cirrhosis, and age are predictors of readiness to change and continued drinking following brief alcohol intervention in veterans.

Alcohol use disorder is prevalent within the Veterans Health System, especially in patients being seen in hepatology clinics, and needs a point-of-care strategy. A brief alcohol intervention based on AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) may be needed for the management of hazardous alcohol intake, but feasibility is unclear. We aimed to define predictors of readiness to cease alcohol intake (0-10, 10 being ready to quit now) and continued drinking after using a brief alcohol intervention in veterans seen in hepatology clinics cross-sectionally and longitudinally over 6 months.

PRPH2-ASSOCIATED RETINAL DISEASES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PHENOTYPIC FINDINGS.

Purpose: PRPH2-associated retinal diseases (PARD) result from pathogenic PRPH2 variants, primarily affecting photoreceptor outer segments and retinal pigment epithelium. The focus of this article is to review and discuss the phenotyping of PARD subtypes.

Design: A systematic review.

Utilization of Machine Learning Models to More Accurately Predict Case Duration in Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Background: Accurate operative scheduling is essential for the appropriation of operating room esources. We sought to implement a machine learning model to predict primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) case time.

Methods: A total of 10,590 THAs and 12,179 TKAs between July 2017 and December 2022 were retrospectively identified.

Atypical choroidal neovascular membrane.

Purpose: To report the course of atypical choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in a middle-aged woman experiencing sudden vision loss.

Observations: A middle-aged female presented with sudden onset vision loss. Following in depth investigations an initial diagnosis of presumed idiopathic CNV was made in her right eye.

GC-MS, Antibacterial and In silico Studies of Sudanese Stem Bark Alcoholic Extract.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is a critical global issue, and medicinal plants, as a key source of therapeutic agents, offer potential solutions by offering new antibacterial agents. tree, known as Al Kakamout in Sudan, is a significant source of Gum Arabic and has been traditionally used to treat bacterial diseases. This study aimed to investigate a hydro-ethanol extract of Kakamout stem bark through GC-MS analysis, evaluate its antibacterial activity against two standard bacterial strains, and conduct molecular docking and ADME studies.

Protein-Based Predictive Biomarkers to Personalize Neoadjuvant Therapy for Bladder Cancer-A Systematic Review of the Current Status.

The clinical outcome of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is poor despite the approval of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or immunotherapy to improve overall survival after cystectomy. MIBC subtypes, immune, transcriptome, metabolomic signatures, and mutation burden have the potential to predict treatment response but none have been incorporated into clinical practice, as tumor heterogeneity and lineage plasticity influence their efficacy. Using the PRISMA statement, we conducted a systematic review of the literature, involving 135 studies published within the last five years, to identify studies reporting on the prognostic value of protein-based biomarkers for response to neoadjuvant therapy in patients with MIBC.

Refractive Error in Inherited Retinal Disease.

Purpose: Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) lead to significant vision impairment. Refractive errors (REs) are also associated with vision impairment and an increased risk of ocular comorbidities and may compound impairment caused by IRDs. Identifying the pattern of RE in IRDs may assist in better management of patients with IRD and provide insights into understanding genetic associations with RE.

Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Presenting as Renal Failure From IgA Nephropathy.

Studies have highlighted a potential link between malignancies and immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). In such studies, the treatment of malignancy improved the symptoms of IgAN. Here, we report a patient case involving a history of hypertension, tobacco use disorder, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) presenting with hematuria with acute renal failure secondary to IgAN per renal biopsy.

Epidemiological exploration of fleas and molecular identification of flea-borne viruses in Egyptian small ruminants.

The study aimed to investigate molecularly the presence of flea-borne viruses in infested small ruminants with fleas. It was carried out in Egypt's Northern West Coast (NWC) and South Sinai Governorate (SSG). Three specific primers were used targeting genes, ORF103 (for Capripoxvirus and Lumpy skin disease virus), NS3 (for Bluetongue virus), and Rdrp (for Coronavirus), followed by gene sequencing and phylogenetic analyses.

Efficacy of topical treatments for mild-to-moderate acne: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

Acne is a common skin condition, but little data exist on the comparative efficacy of topical acne therapies. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of topical therapies for mild-to-moderate acne. Searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL via Ovid, Embase via Ovid and Web of Science were conducted on 29 November 2021.

Pathological Characterization and Management of , a Hemibiotroph with an Interkingdom Host Range.

Heart rot disease, caused by , is destructive for date palms and other woody plants. The disease was reported in several oases in Egypt, and the pathogen was found in association with infected trees suffering dieback and rachis blight. Seven phylogenetically distinct fungal isolates were selected, and their pathogenicity was confirmed on date palms.

Impact of Patient Education Formats on Treatment Adherence and Denture Hygiene in Edentulous Patients: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND Effective communication and patient education are important in geriatric dental care. Memory decline complicates patient adherence. This study aimed to compare verbal, audio, and video patient education material (PEM) and adherence to dental prosthetic management in edentulous patients.

Bacterial aetiology, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and factors associated with urinary tract infection among under-five children at primary health facility, North-Western Tanzania.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are common in under-five children, with significant consequences leading to bacteremia, dehydration, kidney scarring, and renal failure. The incidence of UTI varies with patients' demographics and geographic location. Limited studies have addressed UTI issues, particularly in children.

Body mass index, oral health status and OHRQoL among special health care needs children and parenting stress: a case-control study in Southern Saudi Arabia.

The appropriateness for determining Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of special children by their caregivers must be thoroughly assessed. The present study was conducted to assess the Oral health related quality of life of children with disability and the stress levels of their parents. Moreover, the study also evaluated the plaque, DMFT (Decayed, missing, filled teeth) and BMI (Body Mass Index) of disabled children (cases) and healthy children (controls).

Intraoperative Use of Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump to Generate Pulsatile Flow During Heart Transplantation: A Single-Center Experience.

The physiologic impact of pulsatile flow (PF) on end-organ perfusion during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is controversial. Using an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) to maintain PF during CPB for patients undergoing heart transplantation (HT) may impact end-organ perfusion, with implications for postoperative outcomes. A single-center retrospective study of 76 patients bridged to HT with IABP was conducted between January 2018 and December 2022.

New Insights into Hop Latent Viroid Detection, Infectivity, Host Range, and Transmission.

Hop latent viroid (HLVd), a subviral pathogen from the family , is a major threat to the global cannabis industry and is the causative agent for "dudding disease". Infected plants can often be asymptomatic for a period of growth and then develop symptoms such as malformed and yellowing leaves, as well as stunted growth. During flowering, HLVd-infected plants show reduced levels of valuable metabolites.

Correlation between head circumference and mesio-distal width of the maxillary central incisor: a cross sectional study among three different population groups.

The size and shape of a tooth vary between individuals of different ethnic groups and genders because of the influence of different genetic factors. The information regarding the different anatomical factors using maxillary anterior teeth is very scanty. Thus to give more clarity, a study was planned to assess the correlation between head circumference and tooth-mesiodistal width among children of different ethnic origins.