Antimicrobial activity of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cell secretome against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is still a growing concern in the field of antimicrobial resistance due to its resistance to conventional antibiotics and its association with high mortality rates. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been shown as a promising and attractive alternative treatment for bacterial infections, due to their antibacterial properties and potential to bypass traditional resistance mechanisms. This study aims to shed light on the antibacterial potential of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (AD-MSC) secretome against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus spp.

Risk factors for silicotuberculosis among miners: a scoping review.

Background: Miners exposed to silica dust are susceptible to silicotuberculosis (STB) outcome - the development of tuberculosis (TB) in miners with silicosis. STB is an important occupational and public health issue in the twenty-first century. This scoping review aimed to map the risk factors associated with STB.

Analysis of choroidal markers of activity in pachychoroid disease spectrum.

Purpose: To detect choroidal markers of disease activity in eyes with chronic active unilateral pachychoroid disease spectrum (PDS) compared to the non-active contralateral eyes, based on multimodal imaging and particularly indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).

Methods: An observational retrospective case-control study. The study evaluated individuals diagnosed with chronic active unilateral PDS (group 1) by comparing the eyes with the non-active fellow eyes (group 2).

Outcomes Following Fenestrated/Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair for Failed Open Infrarenal Aortic Repair Compared with Primary Fenestrated/Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair.

Objective: As aneurysmal disease is progressive, proximal disease progression and para-anastomotic aneurysms are complications experienced after open infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAA). As such, fenestrated or branched endovascular repair (F/BEVAR) may be indicated in these patients. Data describing fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair after prior open repair are limited to institutional databases.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Breast Cancer Patient Care: Results From a Tertiary Care Center in Lebanon.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on breast cancer care in terms of the stage at presentation, treatment delays, and follow-up in a tertiary care center in Lebanon.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study compared patients with breast cancer who presented to a tertiary care center in Lebanon before (September 2019-December 2019) and during (September 2020-December 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. We extracted data from the electronic medical records of patients with breast cancer who had their initial presentation, were under treatment, or were on follow-up during our period of interest.

Prognostic utility of assessing ventricular-arterial coupling in arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

The assessment of myocardial function and its coupling with the arterial system, called ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC), is of paramount importance in many clinical fields, from arterial hypertension, which is the main cause of cardiovascular diseases and death, to heart failure. VAC has been the subject of studies for several decades both from an energetic cost and the impact it can exert on cardiovascular performance. Although more attention has been paid to the relationship between the left ventricle and the left arterial circuit in compromised hemodynamic stages, VAC has aroused interest in many other aspects of study, from its application in pathologies of the right sections of the heart to its clinical impact in prevention and cardiovascular risk factors.

Outcomes of chronic limb-threatening ischemia revascularization in patients with chronic kidney disease in the BEST-CLI trial.

Background: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a high risk of poor outcomes. We aimed to compare the outcomes of lower extremity revascularization in patients with CLTI stratified by CKD severity in patients enrolled in the prospective, randomized Best Endovascular vs Best Surgical Therapy in Patients with CLTI (BEST-CLI) trial.

Methods: The BEST-CLI trial dataset was queried to categorize patients into three groups according to CKD stage.

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) Classes in MASK-air Users.

Background And Objectives: The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines classify rhinitis as "intermittent" or "persistent" and "mild" or "moderate-severe". To assess ARIA classes in a real-world study in terms of phenotypic differences and their association with asthma.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional real-world study based on users of the MASK-air® app who reported data for at least 3 different months.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Aqueous Extract on the Liver and Kidney of PCOS Mice.

Background: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder associated with increased risk of kidney and liver damage. Current treatments have shown contradictory outcomes, and their long-term use causes unwanted side effects. could serve as a complementary medicine to current PCOS treatments.

Health-related physical fitness in children among five Mediterranean countries: a cross-cultural study from the DELICIOUS project.

Background: Health-related fitness (HRF) components are essential for supporting healthy growth and reducing long-term health risks in children. This study explored cross-cultural variations in HRF among children from five Mediterranean countries-Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Portugal, and Spain-within the framework of the DELICIOUS project.

Methods: A total of 860 children participated in the study, including 204 from Egypt ( = 204, 11.

Influenza vaccine hesitancy and its determinants among Lebanese public transportation drivers.

Introduction: According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, ensuring influenza vaccination for public transportation drivers is considered a public health objective, given that these drivers are at high risk of contracting influenza. The main purpose of this cross-sectional study is, thus, to evaluate influenza vaccine hesitancy (VH) and its determinants among a representative sample of Lebanese public transportation drivers.

Methods: A survey questionnaire is conducted between January and March 2023, with the participation of a proportionate purposeful sample of 509 drivers from various regions in Lebanon.

Association between the Taq1A polymorphism and problematic media use in preadolescent children.

Objective: Problematic media use (PMU) is addiction-like media use. No study has examined if genetic factors for addiction relate to PMU during childhood. This study tested the association between genetic risk factors for addiction and PMU among 9-to-12-year-olds.

Emerging contaminants in the Mediterranean Sea endangering Lebanon's Palm Islands Natural Reserve.

The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental marine environment renowned for its biodiversity and ecological significance. However, it is also one of the most polluted seas globally with significant levels of microplastics and heavy metals among other emerging contaminants. In Lebanon, inadequate waste management infrastructure and unregulated industrial discharges have exacerbated water quality deterioration by introducing these complex contaminants into surface and seawater.

Defying the Odds: A Case of Successfully Treated Harlequin Ichthyosis in Lebanon.

Harlequin ichthyosis is a rare skin disorder affecting newborns characterized by a scaly skin, flexed limbs, ectropium, and eclabium. The overall incidence of HI is 1 in 300,000 births, with approximately only 200 cases reported worldwide. Some studies uncovered a TH17 immune skewing in patients with HI, which is also seen in psoriasis.

Lessons From Implementing Research-Supported Practices to Address Psychiatric Illnesses in Two Countries.

Across the globe, psychiatric illnesses are common, painful, often disabling, and sometimes deadly. Although well-researched practices exist to address these disorders, most people with psychiatric illnesses do not have access to care that has been demonstrated to be effective. Practical clinical leadership experience and engagement in evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation research in Colombia and the United States have demonstrated that multisite EBP implementation is possible and that effective implementation improves outcomes for people who develop psychiatric illnesses.

Exploring the Intersection of Gender Diversity and Intellectual Disability: A Scoping Review With a Focus on Clinical Care.

Background: Little research has been conducted solely exploring gender diversity in people with intellectual disabilities. This review explores the literature, discusses the prevalence, and identifies clinical best practices for people at the intersection of gender diversity and intellectual disability.

Method: A scoping review was conducted utilising PRISMA methodology of the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), Cochrane Library (Wiley), Dissertations & Theses Global (ProQuest), PsycInfo (EBSCO), Scopus and Web of Science.

Cost-effectiveness of watchful waiting versus immediate emergency department transfer after epinephrine autoinjector use in Canada.

Background: Until recently, immediate emergency department (ED) transfer after food-related anaphylactic reactions was recommended regardless of symptom resolution following use of an epinephrine autoinjector (EAI). We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of delayed ED transfer after EAI use in non-medical settings (watchful waiting) compared to immediate ED transfer among pediatric patients with food allergies in Canada.

Methods: We developed a probabilistic Markov model of individuals starting at age of one year who are at risk of severe food-related allergic reactions requiring epinephrine.

Burden of pertussis in infants in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and the impact of maternal vaccination: a systematic review.

Background: Despite vaccine availability, Pertussis remains a global public health challenge, especially among infants. The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) presents a diverse epidemiological landscape with varying vaccination coverages and healthcare infrastructures. This systematic review aimed to assess the burden of pertussis in infants < 1 year of age in the EMR and evaluate the use and impact of pertussis vaccination during pregnancy.

Satiety: a gut-brain-relationship.

Many hormones act on the hypothalamus to control hunger and satiety through various pathways closely associated with several factors. When food is present in the gastro intestinal (GI) tract, enteroendocrine cells (EECs) emit satiety signals such as cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY), which can then communicate with the vagus nerve to control food intake. More specifically, satiety has been shown to be particularly affected by the GLP-1 hormone and its receptor agonists that have lately been acknowledged as a promising way to reduce weight.

A comparison of objective and subjective measures of physical activity, sedentary and sleep behaviors between persons with and without depressive symptoms.

Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is characterized by negative recall biases, which may impact how individuals with depressive symptoms report physical activity (PA), sedentary, and sleep behaviors. Additionally, there are discrepancies between subjective and objective behaviors in MDD. Thus, the current study investigated whether individuals with depressive symptoms differ in their subjective and objective PA, sedentary, and sleep behaviors, and whether the magnitude of these discrepancies differ from those in individuals without depressive symptoms.

Exploring risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns associated with bacteriuria among Syrian refugees in makeshift camps.

Background: The health and well-being of refugees are critically compromised by harsh living conditions, which foster the emergence of infectious diseases and the misuse of antimicrobial agents. This multicentre cross-sectional community-based study investigated the prevalence of urine carriage of bacteria and the associated antimicrobial resistance patterns among Syrian refugees living in makeshift camps in Lebanon, an East Mediterranean country.

Methods: We used multivariable logistic regression models to identify the risk factors associated with bacteriuria in this vulnerable population.

Treatment of vision-threatening branch retinal artery occlusion following coronary angioplasty with surgical displacement of embolus.

Purpose: To report a successful case of vision restoration and macular reperfusion following branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) using pars plana vitrectomy with undermining the artery off the retinal bed.

Methods: This case report involves a 75-year-old patient who was diagnosed immediately with BRAO following cardiac catheterization procedure. An embolus at the superior retinal artery bifurcation was noted.

Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.