Synergistic effects of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) and immunotherapy for brain tumor recurrence: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The confluence of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) with immunotherapeutic approaches represents a promising option for managing recurrent brain lesions. However, the potential synergy between these modalities is still unclear. This meta-analysis examines the literature to elucidate the adverse effects and overall survival associated with this combination in treating recurrent brain metastases and glioblastoma.

Correlations Between Spirituality, Anxiety, and Depression in Hemodialysis Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Spirituality is widely recognized as a potential moderator of the adverse effects of hemodialysis on mental health. Understanding its impact on mental health in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world, however, remains a significant research gap. Hence, this study aims to explore the correlations between spirituality, anxiety, and depression among Saudi Arabian patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Older Postmenopausal Women.

Background: Epidemiological studies have been inconsistent regarding an association between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and risk of primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.

Methods: We studied 85,189 postmenopausal women (mean age 63 years at baseline) without known CVD at enrollment into the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (1993-1998). PPI use was determined from medication inventories at baseline and Year-3.

Prevalence and Influencing Factors of Tobacco Use Among Physicians in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia, in 2024.

Background Smoking is recognized as a major public health issue globally; it is widely distributed among people of various origins and races in the world despite hard efforts on cessation programs. Its health hazards extend to dangerous complications, which mostly end in death according to statistics around the world. Tobacco use is influenced by several factors, which may include social pressures from peers, family influences, and media portrayals of smoking.

Severe Xanthogranulomatous prostatitis mimicking prostate cancer: a case report.

Background: Xanthogranulomatous prostatitis is a rare, noncancerous inflammatory condition of the prostate that clinically resembles prostatic carcinoma, necessitating a pathological examination for accurate diagnosis.

Case Presentation: A 75-year-old Egyptian male presented with urinary symptoms and an elevated serum prostate-specific antigen. Initial clinical and imaging findings suggested a locally advanced carcinoma of the prostate.

Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Prior Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Two-Country Perspective.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Treatments such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are crucial for managing CAD. While CABG is often preferred for complex cases, many patients require PCI due to graft failure or new blockages post-CABG.

Life's Essential 8 and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in U.S. Women With Breast Cancer.

Background: Relationships between lifestyle risk factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women with breast cancer (BC) are underexplored.

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of CVD in relation to the Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score among women with BC.

Methods: Data from the Women's Health Initiative were utilized.

Cupping Therapy for the Treatment of Migraine Headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

Objectives: Cupping therapy is a widely used complementary medicine for the treatment of migraine headaches globally. However, conflicting evidence exists on its effectiveness. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cupping therapy in treating migraine headache disorder.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of hyperglycemia on admission for acute myocardial infarction in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Introduction: Regarding a potential relationship between diabetes and the prognostic significance of hyperglycemia in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), there is still debate. Therefore, we aimed in this study to demonstrate the effect of hyperglycemia on different outcomes in AMI patients, whether they are diabetic or not.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using the following search strategy: "Diabetes" or "Diabetic" AND "Acute myocardial infarction" OR "AMI" AND "hyperglycemia" OR "glucose level" to find eligible articles that needed to go through the screening process for inclusion in our study.

Diabetes risk reduction diet and risk of liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality: A prospective cohort study.

Background: We aimed to prospectively evaluate the association between a diabetes risk reduction diet (DRRD) score and the risk of liver cancer development and chronic liver disease-specific mortality.

Methods: We included 98,786 postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative-Observational Study and the usual diet arm of the Diet Modification trial. The DRRD score was derived from eight factors: high intakes of dietary fiber, coffee, nuts, polyunsaturated fatty acids, low intakes of red and processed meat, foods with high glycemic index, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and trans fat based on a validated Food-Frequency Questionnaire administered at baseline (1993-1998).

Joint effect of rheumatoid arthritis and diet quality on cardiovascular and mortality outcomes: insights from the Women's Health Initiative.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the combined impact of diet quality and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on development of cardiovascular and mortality outcomes among postmenopausal women.

Methods: A total of 99,840 women without baseline RA and 10,494 women with baseline RA were prospectively followed for an average of 12.7 years through the Women's Health Initiative.

Synergistic Interventions for Silencing Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Dyslexia in a Child With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case Report From Albania.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this article is the first of its kind in Albania and neighboring countries to investigate the transformative synergistic intervention approach through cognitive behavioral therapy, parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), and heavy metal detoxification on a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and dyslexia. The limited mental health awareness in Albania, particularly regarding PCIT and similar treatments, highlights the importance of the applicability and adaptability of such interventions. This study suggests that the rapid management of comorbidities in ADHD, such as ODD and dyslexia, is better achieved by a combined intervention approach and by investigating the biological aspects.

Priming mesenchymal stem cells to develop "super stem cells".

The stem cell pre-treatment approaches at cellular and sub-cellular levels encompass physical manipulation of stem cells to growth factor treatment, genetic manipulation, and chemical and pharmacological treatment, each strategy having advantages and limitations. Most of these pre-treatment protocols are non-combinative. This editorial is a continuum of Li 's published article and Wan 's editorial focusing on the significance of pre-treatment strategies to enhance their stemness, immunoregulatory, and immunosuppressive properties.

Reversing the Norm: Successful Cholecystectomy in a Patient With Situs Inversus.

Situs inversus totalis (SIT), affecting 1 in 6,000 to 10,000 individuals, involves a complete reversal of chest and abdominal organs. About one-third of SIT cases coincide with primary ciliary dyskinesia, leading to diverse symptoms. Surgical challenges arise in procedures like liver transplantation and biliary interventions due to organ abnormalities.

Mesenchymal stem cells' "garbage bags" at work: Treating radial nerve injury with mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes.

Unlike central nervous system injuries, peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are often characterized by more or less successful axonal regeneration. However, structural and functional recovery is a senile process involving multifaceted cellular and molecular processes. The contemporary treatment options are limited, with surgical intervention as the gold-standard method; however, each treatment option has its associated limitations, especially when the injury is severe with a large gap.

Exploring predictors and prevalence of postpartum depression among mothers: Multinational study.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) affects around 10% of women, or 1 in 7 women, after giving birth. Undiagnosed PPD was observed among 50% of mothers. PPD has an unfavorable relationship with women's functioning, marital and personal relationships, the quality of the mother-infant connection, and the social, behavioral, and cognitive development of children.

Sociodemographic Determinants of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Hepatitis B Infection Among Pregnant Women: A Cross-National Study in Jordan.

Background Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is significant, as most infants infected at birth go on to develop chronic hepatitis B. Vaccination and antiviral treatment during pregnancy could primarily prevent vertical transmission. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess pregnant Jordanian females' knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) toward HBV.

Systolic Blood Pressure and Survival to Very Old Age: Results From the Women's Health Initiative.

Background: The relationship between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and longevity is not fully understood. We aimed to determine which SBP levels in women ≥65 years of age with or without blood pressure medication were associated with the highest probability of surviving to 90 years of age.

Methods: The study population consisted of 16 570 participants enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative who were eligible to survive to 90 years of age by February 28, 2020, without a history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or cancer.

Adherence to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: A multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are predisposed to an increased risk of infection signifying the importance of vaccination to protect against its potentially severe complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (CDC/ACIP) issued immunization re-commendations to protect this patient population.

Aim: To assess the adherence of patients with DM to the CDC/ACIP immunization recommendations in Saudi Arabia and to identify the factors associated with the vaccine adherence rate.

Practical guide: Glucagon-like peptide-1 and dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in diabetes mellitus.

In 2005, exenatide became the first approved glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since then, numerous GLP-1 RAs have been approved, including tirzepatide, a novel dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 RA, which was approved in 2022. This class of drugs is considered safe with no hypoglycemia risk, making it a common second-line choice after metformin for treating T2DM.

High glucose microenvironment and human mesenchymal stem cell behavior.

High glucose (HG) culture conditions and persistent exposure to hyperglycemia in diabetes patients are detrimental to stem cells, analogous to any other cell type in our body. It interferes with diverse signaling pathways, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling, to impact physiological cellular functions, leading to low cell survival and higher cell apoptosis rates. While elucidating the underlying mechanism responsible for the apoptosis of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a recent study has shown that HG culture conditions dysregulate mTOR-PI3K-Akt signaling in addition to mitochondrial malfunctioning due to defective mitochondrial membrane potential (MtMP) that lowers ATP production.

Attitudes and Practices Regarding Helicobacter Pylori Infection Among the Public in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a major infection that can cause a variety of complications, including stomach cancer and peptic ulcers. There is a scarcity of research on the awareness of H. pylori in the general population in Jordan.

Depressive symptoms and antidepressant use in relation to white blood cell count among postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative.

Inflammation can play a role in the pathophysiology of depression, and specific types of antidepressants may have inflammatory or anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, depression and antidepressant use has been linked to white blood cell (WBC) count, a routinely measured inflammatory marker. We examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships of depressive symptoms and/or antidepressant use with WBC count among postmenopausal women.