Ethical Use of Cadaveric Images in Anatomical Textbooks, Atlases, and Journals: A Consensus Response From Authors and Editors.

Nowadays, consent to use donor bodies for medical education and research is obtained from the body donors and their families before the donation. Recently, the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) published guidelines that could restrict the appearance of cadaveric images in commercial anatomical resources such as textbooks and other educational products. These guidelines state that the donor must expressly consent to using such images for this purpose.

The effect of tumor downsizing on surgical complexity during nephrectomy after immune checkpoint inhibitors for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Immune Checkpoints Inhibitors (ICI) have changed the therapeutic landscape of metastatic renal cell carcinoma first-line treatment with complete response (CR) at metastatic sites observed in 10 to 15% of cases. Delayed nephrectomy could be discussed for patients having a clinical benefit from immunotherapy-based treatment. However, it is unclear whether prior immunotherapy exposure adversely influences the complexity of surgery.

Three-Year Outcomes With a Supra-Annular, Self-Expanding Bioprosthesis and a Pericardial Wrap-The FORWARD PRO Study.

Background: The self-expanding, supra-annular Evolut valve is an established platform for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). Evolut PRO introduced an outer sealing wrap to mitigate paravalvular leakage. We evaluated the 3-year clinical outcomes and valve performance of the Evolut PRO in standard clinical practice for severe aortic stenosis (AS) patients at intermediate or higher risk for surgery.

A genome-wide association meta-analysis links hidradenitis suppurativa to common and rare sequence variants causing disruption of the Notch and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.

Background: The contributions of genetic and environmental risk factors to hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are both poorly understood.

Objective: To identify sequence variants that associate with HS and determine the contribution of environmental risk factors and inflammatory diseases to HS pathogenesis.

Methods: A genome-wide association meta-analysis of 4814 HS cases (Denmark: 1977; Iceland: 1266; Finland: 800; UK: 569; and US: 202) and 1.

Locally advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer in Lebanon: focus on ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Treatment of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC) has evolved over the last decade. According to studies, the use of targeted therapies has significantly increased the life expectancy of patients. Moreover, ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs) have improved clinical outcomes.

Contemporary Perioperative Nutritional Care.

Over the last decades, surgical complication rates have fallen drastically. With the introduction of new surgical techniques coupled with specific evidence-based perioperative care protocols, patients today run half the risk of complications compared with traditional care. Many patients who in previous years needed weeks of hospital care now recover and can leave in days.

Pleural Kaposi Sarcoma in Two HIV-Positive Patients.

Kaposi sarcoma is a neoplasm caused by human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) that commonly presents as subcutaneous lesions but can also involve visceral organs such as the gastrointestinal and pulmonary systems. Diagnosis is achieved through histopathological analysis of cutaneous lesions or lymph nodes. In this study, we report two patients, recently diagnosed with HIV, who were later found to have cutaneous and visceral (pleural) Kaposi sarcoma.

Patient Preferences for Ulcerative Colitis Treatment in the Middle East Region: A Discrete-Choice Experiment.

Background And Aims: Treatments for ulcerative colitis (UC) differ in safety, efficacy, and route of administration; patient preferences for treatment attributes should be considered in treatment decisions. No study to date has explored patient preferences for moderate-to-severe UC treatment in Middle Eastern countries.

Methods: A discrete-choice experiment aimed to quantify treatment preferences in patients with moderate-to-severe UC in 5 Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon).

Management of massive haemorrhage in transfusion medicine services in the Middle East and North Africa.

Background And Objectives: Massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) are critical in managing haemorrhage, yet their utilization varies. There is lack of data on the utilization of MTPs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study aims to assess the degree of utilization of MTPs in the region.

Liquid biopsy as a tool for KRAS/NRAS/BRAF baseline testing in metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: The absence of KRAS and NRAS gene mutations (RAS wild type) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), is associated with a good response to targeted therapy with anti-EGFR receptor antibodies. The current gold standard for RAS mutational status identification is genetic testing on tissue biopsy samples.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relevance of liquid biopsy as a less invasive alternative to tissue biopsy for detecting KRAS/NRAS and BRAF mutations in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Start codon variant in LAG3 is associated with decreased LAG-3 expression and increased risk of autoimmune thyroid disease.

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is a common autoimmune disease. In a GWAS meta-analysis of 110,945 cases and 1,084,290 controls, 290 sequence variants at 225 loci are associated with AITD. Of these variants, 115 are previously unreported.

EULAR recommendations for the involvement of patient research partners in rheumatology research: 2023 update.

Background: Since the publication of the 2011 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for patient research partner (PRP) involvement in rheumatology research, the role of PRPs has evolved considerably. Therefore, an update of the 2011 recommendations was deemed necessary.

Methods: In accordance with the EULAR Standardised Operational Procedures, a task force comprising 13 researchers, 2 health professionals and 10 PRPs was convened.

Adhesive and biofilm-forming Candida glabrata Lebanese hospital isolates harbour mutations in subtelomeric silencers and adhesins.

Background: The prevalence of Candida glabrata healthcare-associated infections is on the rise worldwide and in Lebanon, Candida glabrata infections are difficult to treat as a result of their resistance to azole antifungals and their ability to form biofilms.

Objectives: The first objective of this study was to quantify biofilm biomass in the most virulent C. glabrata isolates detected in a Lebanese hospital.

Cross-sectional evaluation of health resource use in patients with functional neurological disorders referred to a tertiary neuroscience centre.

Introduction: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common cause of referral to neurology services. FND has been shown to lead to significant healthcare resource use and is associated with significant disability, comorbidity and distress. This leads to substantial direct, indirect and intangible costs to the patient and society.

Sequential Induction of Drug Resistance and Characterization of an Initial Drug-Sensitive Isolate.

Background: The pathogenic fungus is a leading agent of death in immunocompromised individuals with a growing trend of antifungal resistance.

Methods: The purpose is to induce resistance to drugs in a sensitive strain followed by whole-genome sequencing to determine mechanisms of resistance. Strains will be assayed for pathogenicity attributes such as ergosterol and chitin content, growth rate, virulence, and biofilm formation.

Patient research partner involvement in rheumatology research: a systematic literature review informing the 2023 updated EULAR recommendations for the involvement of patient research partners.

Background: Patient research partners (PRPs) are people with a disease who collaborate in a research team as partners. The aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to assess barriers and facilitators to PRP involvement in rheumatology research.

Methods: The SLR was conducted in PubMed/Medline for articles on PRP involvement in rheumatology research, published between 2017 and 2023; websites were also searched in rheumatology and other specialties.

Unique Case of Rare Non-Neural Granular Cell Tumor of the Rectus Abdominis Muscle.

: Our report contributes a unique case of a non-neural GCT occurring in an unusual location, with its development during pregnancy adding to its rarity. : Granular cell tumors (GCTs), also known as Abrikossoff's tumors, are rare neoplasms of Schwann cell origin with predominantly benign behavior. We present a case of a 29-year-old female with a non-neural variant of a GCT discovered incidentally during a cesarean section, situated on the posterior surface of the rectus abdominis muscle.

Integrative common and rare variant analyses provide insights into the genetic architecture of liver cirrhosis.

We report a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study on liver cirrhosis and its associated endophenotypes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and γ-glutamyl transferase. Using data from 12 cohorts, including 18,265 cases with cirrhosis, 1,782,047 controls, up to 1 million individuals with liver function tests and a validation cohort of 21,689 cases and 617,729 controls, we identify and validate 14 risk associations for cirrhosis. Many variants are located near genes involved in hepatic lipid metabolism.

Brodalumab Versus Guselkumab in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis with an Inadequate Response to Ustekinumab: A Randomized, Multicenter, Double-Blind Phase 4 Trial (COBRA).

Introduction: Despite improved treatment options for plaque psoriasis within the last decades, some patients still have an inadequate response to treatment. Direct clinical evaluation between therapies used after biologic failure could facilitate physicians' choice of treatment.

Methods: COBRA (NCT04533737) was a randomized (1:1), blinded (patient and assessor), 28-week, active-comparator trial conducted in Europe from December 2020 to December 2022.