Echoes of the blast: A qualitative study of loss and adaptation among bereaved families of the 2020 Beirut explosion.

On August 4, 2020, an explosion in the Beirut Port in Lebanon caused over 220 deaths and 76,000 injuries. The blast, which is considered a national tragedy, had profound impacts on Lebanese citizens, notably the traumatic loss for families who lost a loved one. This qualitative study explored the experiences of loss and adaptation among bereaved families following the Beirut Port explosion from a psychosocial perspective.

Thirty-day unplanned readmissions following hospitalization for atrial fibrillation in a tertiary Syrian center: A real-world observational cohort study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide. Data regarding 30-day readmission following index admission for AF in the developing world are poorly described.

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the rate, predictors, and trends of 30-day readmission after index admission for AF in Syria.

2024 HRS perspective on advancing workflows for CIED remote monitoring.

Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) generate substantial data, often stored in image or PDF formats. Remote monitoring, now an integral component of patient care, places considerable administrative burdens on clinicians and staff, in large part due to the challenge of integrating these data seamlessly into electronic health records. Since 2006, the Heart Rhythm Society, in collaboration with the CIED industry, has led an initiative to establish a unified standard nomenclature.

Informational rescaling of PCA maps with application to genetic distance.

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a powerful multivariate tool allowing the projection of data in low-dimensional representations. Nevertheless, datapoint distances on these low-dimensional projections are challenging to interpret. Here, we propose a computationally simple heuristic to transform a map based on standard PCA (when the variables are asymptotically Gaussian) into an entropy-based map where distances are based on mutual information (MI).

Overweight, obesity, and cardiovascular disease in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: the EAS FH Studies Collaboration registry.

Background And Aims: Overweight and obesity are modifiable risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the general population, but their prevalence in individuals with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) and whether they confer additional risk of ASCVD independent of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) remains unclear.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 35 540 patients with HeFH across 50 countries, in the EAS FH Studies Collaboration registry. Prevalence of World Health Organization-defined body mass index categories was investigated in adults (n = 29 265) and children/adolescents (n = 6275); and their association with prevalent ASCVD.

Compensation Study of Vascular Surgeons in the United States.

Objective: The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) partnered with Phairify, Inc, an organization with experience in physician compensation data compilation for several other medical specialties, to survey its membership and assess factors influencing vascular surgeon compensation.

Methods: The SVS Compensation Study Task Force developed a vascular surgery-specific survey between January 2023 and May 2023 including experience level, academic rank, bonuses, incentives, gender, race, ethnicity, geography, on-call pay, and other factors influencing overall reimbursement. After a soft launch on May 1, 2023, with an initial phase of SVS leadership engagement in completion, the survey was formally introduced to the SVS membership on June 14, 2023.

Deep Learning for Classification of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity in Whole Slide Images of Colonic Histopathology.

Grading activity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using standardized histopathological scoring systems remains challenging due to limited availability of pathologists with IBD expertise and inter-observer variability. In this study, a deep learning model was developed to classify activity grades in hematoxylin and eosin-stained whole slide images (WSIs) from patients with IBD, offering a robust approach for general pathologists. This study utilized 2,077 WSIs from 636 patients who visited Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in 2018 and 2019, scanned at 40× magnification (0.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for patients undergoing radical cystectomy: Surgeons' perspectives and recommendations ten years after its implementation.

Background And Objectives: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines for Radical Cystectomy (RC) were published over ten years ago. Aim of this systematic review is to update ERAS recommendations for patients undergoing RC and to give an expert opinion on the relevance of each single ERAS item.

Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify the impact of each single ERAS item on RC outcomes.

Barriers to medication administration error reporting in a tertiary hospital in Lebanon.

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify the key barriers that prevent medication administration errors (MAEs) from being reported by nurses in Lebanese hospitals.

Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted at Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 275 responses were recorded and analysed using the IBM SPSS software V.

Exploring Health Sciences Students' Perspectives on Using Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: A Qualitative Study.

The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic settings has the potential to revolutionize learning experiences, enhance educational outcomes, and streamline academic processes. The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of Lebanese health sciences students regarding the use of generative AI in higher education. A qualitative descriptive research design informed by descriptive phenomenology was employed.

Medical Management of the Near-Narrowed Internal Auditory Canal Pathology in the Adult Population: A Preliminary Study.

: Objective: To discuss therapeutic outcomes in patients with symptomatic near-narrow internal auditory canal (NNIAC). : We retrospectively analyzed the records of 26 symptomatic patients diagnosed with NNIAC, who had been treated with anti-epileptic drugs. In addition to clinical and radiological data, we recorded I-III latencies of auditory brainstem responses prior to and after medical therapy.

Real-Time PPG-Based Biometric Identification: Advancing Security with 2D Gram Matrices and Deep Learning Models.

The integration of liveness detection into biometric systems is crucial for countering spoofing attacks and enhancing security. This study investigates the efficacy of photoplethysmography (PPG) signals, which offer distinct advantages over traditional biometric techniques. PPG signals are non-invasive, inherently contain liveness information that is highly resistant to spoofing, and are cost-efficient, making them a superior alternative for biometric authentication.

Preclinical Models for Functional Precision Lung Cancer Research.

Patient-centered precision oncology strives to deliver individualized cancer care. In lung cancer, preclinical models and technological innovations have become critical in advancing this approach. Preclinical models enable deeper insights into tumor biology and enhance the selection of appropriate systemic therapies across chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapies, antibody-drug conjugates, and emerging investigational treatments.

The Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Disordered Eating Among Adult Athletes in Italy and Lebanon.

Background/objectives: Disordered eating (DE) is a wide-spectrum condition, represented by altered eating patterns, behaviors, and attitudes aimed at controlling food intake, body weight, and shape, which does not necessarily satisfy the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder of clinical severity. DE is frequently reported among athletes, but its prevalence and associated factors have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we intended to assess the prevalence of DE among adult athletes from different sports disciplines in Italy and Lebanon and to identify the factors associated with DE.

Attachment to Meat and Willingness Towards Cultured Alternatives Among Consumers: A Cross-Sectional Study in the UAE.

: The escalating global demand for meat, as a sequela of population growth, has led to unsustainable livestock production, resulting in a host of environmental and food security concerns. Various strategies have been explored to mitigate these issues, including the introduction of a novel food product, cultured meat. Cultured meat is not yet commercially available, yet public perceptions are already taking shape.

Lifestyle Factors Associated with Children's and Adolescents' Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Living in Mediterranean Countries: The DELICIOUS Project.

Traditional dietary patterns are being abandoned in Mediterranean countries, especially among younger generations. This study aimed to investigate the potential lifestyle determinants that can increase adherence to the Mediterranean diet in children and adolescents. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of data from five Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, and Lebanon) within the context of the EU-funded project DELICIOUS (UnDErstanding consumer food choices & promotion of healthy and sustainable Mediterranean Diet and LIfestyle in Children and adolescents through behavIOUral change actionS).

S6K2 in Focus: Signaling Pathways, Post-Translational Modifications, and Computational Analysis.

S6 Kinase 2 (S6K2) is a key regulator of cellular signaling and is crucial for cell growth, proliferation, and survival. This review is divided into two parts: the first focuses on the complex network of upstream effectors, downstream modulators, and post-translational modifications (PTMs) that regulate S6K2 activity. We emphasize the dynamic nature of S6K2 regulation, highlighting its critical role in cellular homeostasis and its potential as a therapeutic target in diseases like cancer.

Application of a New Thermal Model for the Determination of London Dispersive Properties of H-β-Zeolite/Rhodium Catalysts Using New 2D Chromatographic Models.

A new methodology based on the Hamieh thermal model was applied for the determination of the surface properties of solid surfaces. The new approach consisted of the accurate quantification of the London dispersive surface energy of materials using the two-dimensional inverse gas chromatography technique at infinite dilution. This technique used the notion of the net retention volume of adsorbed molecules on the solid catalysts, allowing the determination of the free energy of adsorption.

Cigarette smoke extract induces p38-mediated expression and ROS/rho-mediated translocation of alpha 2C adrenoceptor in human microvascular smooth muscle cells.

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a vascular disease characterized by exaggerated vasoconstriction in response to stressors, mainly cold and emotional stress. This vasoconstriction is mediated solely by alpha 2C-adrenoceptors (α-AR) expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells of dermal arterioles. Several factors, among which is cigarette smoking, are associated with aggravated symptoms of and increased risk for RP.

Thoracic Surgery Outcomes Research Network (ThORN) Consensus Document on Defining a High Quality Wedge Resection for Early Stage Lung Cancer.

With the publication of CALGB 140503, an increase in wedge resections for small, peripheral non-small cell lung cancer is expected; however, a relative paucity of data exists as to what defines a high quality oncologic wedge resection. The Thoracic Surgery Outcomes Research Network (ThORN), through expert discussion, guided by review of what limited data does exist, and through use of a modified Delphi process, provides these consensus statements defining an oncologically sound, high quality wedge resection. The statements are classified into five categories: 1) Preoperative Considerations 2) Technical Aspects 3) Lymph Node Assessment 4) Margin Assessment and 5) Tissue Handling by Pathology.

Multiomics dissection of human RAG deficiency reveals distinctive patterns of immune dysregulation but a common inflammatory signature.

Human recombination-activating gene (RAG) deficiency can manifest with distinct clinical and immunological phenotypes. By applying a multiomics approach to a large group of -mutated patients, we aimed at characterizing the immunopathology associated with each phenotype. Although defective T and B cell development is common to all phenotypes, patients with hypomorphic variants can generate T and B cells with signatures of immune dysregulation and produce autoantibodies to a broad range of self-antigens, including type I interferons.

Current and future burden of female breast cancer in the Middle East and North Africa region using estimates from GLOBOCAN 2022.

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed female cancer and the most common cause of cancer death in women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In this study, we aimed to describe the current patterns of breast cancer among women in the MENA region and estimate the burden for the year 2050. We used the estimates of the breast cancer incidence and mortality from the GLOBOCAN 2022 database and predicted the burden of breast cancer in 2050 according to different scenarios.