Association between genetic variants of TLR2, TLR4, TLR9 and schizophrenia.

Background And Study Aim: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a multifactorial disorder involving complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors, where immune dysfunction plays a key etiopathogenic role. In order to explore the control of innate immune responses in SZ, we aimed to investigate the potential association between twelve TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 variants (TLR2: rs4696480T>A, rs3804099T>C, rs3804100T>C; TLR4: rs1927914G>A, rs10759932T>C, rs4986790A>G, rs4986791T>C, rs11536889G>C, rs11536891T>C; TLR9: rs187084A>G, rs352139T>C and rs352140C>T) and SZ susceptibility in a Tunisian population.

Patients And Methods: This study included 150 patients and 201 healthy controls with no history of psychiatric illness.

Spectral Behavior of a Conjugated Polymer MDMO-PPV Doped with ZnO Nanoparticles: Thin Films.

The purpose of the presented study is to examine the impact of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the spectrum features of poly [2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1, 4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV). The characteristics of the MDMO-PPV and doped ZnO NPS samples were assessed using several techniques. A set of solutions of MDMO-PPV in toluene that were doped with different ratio percentages of ZnO NPs was prepared to obtain thin films.

The Covid 19 Pandemic learning strategy: From traditional simulation to online simulation.

Introduction: In Tunisia, during the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face teaching was replaced by online teaching.

Aim: This study aimed to compare three teaching periods: face-to-face teaching in October 2020, screen-based simulation in November 2020 and screen-based simulation in April 2021.

Methods: It was a comparison of the three periods of face-to-face teaching "October 2020" versus online teaching "November 2020" versus "April 2021" online teaching using Chi-square and Fisher Exact test when appropriate for categorical variables and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for quantitative variables.

Double-Chambered Left Ventricle Diagnosed in Fetus and Follow-up During the First Year of Life: A Case Report.

Double-chambered left ventricle (DCLV) is a rare congenital cardiac lesion. It is usually an incidental finding in children and young adults. Diagnosis during fetal life is exceedingly rare.

Mental illness stigma as a moderator in the relationship between religiosity and help-seeking attitudes among Muslims from 16 Arab countries.

Background: Determining the potential barriers responsible for delaying access to care, and elucidating pathways to early intervention should be a priority, especially in Arab countries where mental health resources are limited. To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have examined the relationship between religiosity, stigma and help-seeking in an Arab Muslim cultural background. Hence, we propose in the present study to test the moderating role of stigma toward mental illness in the relationship between religiosity and help-seeking attitudes among Muslim community people living in different Arab countries.

A novel and economical approach for the synthesis of short rod-shaped mesoporous silica nanoparticles from coal fly ash waste by Bacillus circulans MTCC 6811.

Coal fly ash (CFA) is an industrial byproduct produced during the production of electricity in thermal power plants from the burning of pulverized coal. It is considered hazardous due to the presence of toxic heavy metals while it is also considered valuable due to the presence of value-added minerals like silicates, alumina, and iron oxides. Silica nanoparticles' demands and application have increased drastically in the last decade due to their mesoporous nature, high surface area to volume ratio, etc.

Frequency of antithyroid antibodies in patients with primary biliary cholangitis.

Objective: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease of liver that may be associated with other conditions, including autoimmune thyroid diseases. We aimed to investigate the frequency of anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab), antithyroglobulin antibodies (TG-Ab), and anti-thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TSHR-Ab) in Tunisian patients with PBC.

Methods: Sera of 80 patients with PBC were collected over a 9-year period.

Short-term effect of COVID-19 pandemic on cryptocurrency markets: A DCC-GARCH model analysis.

This research examines the impact of the coronavirus index on the returns and volatility of ten major cryptocurrencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, we applied a multivariate volatility GARCH model with an integrated dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) approach to daily cryptocurrency values observed data during the January-December, 2020 period. Moreover, we used the Granger causality test to study return-volume correlations.

Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Nine Item Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Screen (NIAS) in a community sample of adults.

Background: No epidemiological data is yet available on Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in Arab countries, which may in part be due to the lack of measures available in Arabic language. This constitutes a major obstacle to further progress of our understanding of the nature, aetiology, course, treatment, and prevention of ARFID, especially as some evidence suggested that ARFID may vary across cultures and food environments. We aimed to contribute to the literature in the eating disorders field by examining the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Nine Item ARFID Screen (NIAS).

MPNST of the abdominal wall in a patient with lynch syndrome: A case report of a rare presentation and unique association.

Introduction: The abdominal wall is an extremely rare location for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). Besides presenting a rare location of MPNST, the peculiarity of our case lies in its association with Lynch syndrome, which is to our knowledge the first reported case of its kind.

Presentation Of Case: We present a case report of a 39-year-old male with a personal history of colonic cancer.

Does loneliness mediate the association between social media use disorder and sexual function in Lebanese university students?

Research on the association between social media use disorder (SMUD) and face-to-face sexual function remains controversial, surprisingly scarce and even non-existing in certain vulnerable populations such as university students. We aimed to explore the mediating role of loneliness between SMUD and two dimensions of sexual function (sexual arousal and desire) in a sample of Lebanese university students. A total of 363 university students participated in a cross-sectional survey.

A multiband SSr diode RF rectifier with an improved frequency ratio for biomedical wireless applications.

This paper described a four-band implantable RF rectifier with simplified circuit complexity. Each RF-rectifier cell is sequentially matched to the four operational frequencies to accomplish the proposed design. The proposed RF rectifier can harvest RF signals at 1.

Exploring negative symptoms heterogeneity in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder using cluster analysis.

Background: Dissecting the heterogeneity of schizophrenia may help foster progress in understanding its etiology and lay the groundwork for the development of new treatment options for primary or enduring negative symptoms (NS). In this regard, the present study aimed to: (1) to use cluster analysis to identify subgroups of Lebanese patients diagnosed with either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder based on NS clusters, and (2) to relate the statistically-derived subgroups to clinically relevant external validators (including measures if state and trait depression, stigma, insight, loneliness, social support).

Method: A total of 202 adult long-stay, chronic, and clinically remitted patients (166 diagnosed with schizophrenia and 36 with schizoaffective disorder) were enrolled.

Vasculitis and the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Purpose Of Review: Vasculitis are a group of heterogeneous conditions characterized by chronic inflammation of blood vessels, leading to tissue destruction and organ failure. Vasculitis is an inflammatory process in which immune effector cells infiltrate blood vessels and surrounding tissues. The involvement of inflammasomes seems to occur during inflammatory processes.

Amoeboma of the gallbladder mimicking a cholangiocarcinoma: A case report.

Introduction And Importance: Amoeboma is a pseudotumoral presentation of amebiasis which is a parasitic infection caused by entamoeba histolytica. Its location in the gallbladder is extremely rare. Indeed, only one other case was found in the literature.

Disintegrin-like Protein Strategy to Inhibit Aggressive Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Venoms are a rich source of bioactive compounds, and among them is leberagin-C (Leb-C), a disintegrin-like protein derived from the venom of snakes. Leb-C has shown promising inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation. Previous studies have demonstrated that this SECD protein specifically targets α5β1, αvβ3, and αvβ6 integrins through a mimic mechanism of RGD disintegrins.

Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the multidimensional assessment of interoceptive awareness (MAIA-2) questionnaire in a non-clinical sample of Arabic-speaking adults.

Background: Interoception refers to processes through which the nervous system identifies, analyzes, and integrates the information generated by the physiological state of the body (e.g., from internal organs such as the stomach, heart, or lungs).

Probability of the 10-year Risk of Hip and Major Osteoporotic Fracture in Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis.

Background: Fracture risk in non-radiographic spondyloarthritis is underestimated. A reliable tool such as the Fracture Risk Assessment tool (FRAX) may assess this risk probability. This study aimed to assess the fracture risk by the FRAX score in patients with nr-axSpA and to determine factors associated with high fracture risk.

The World Psychiatry Exchange Program in Iran: a unique academic and personal experience.

The World Psychiatry Exchange Program in Iran is an academic experience we are delighted to share. As two participating early career psychiatrists, a local psychiatry faculty member manager, and the lead founder and international coordinator of the programme, we focus in this article on the unfolding of this new learning experience, the difficulties we encountered and the main lessons learned by the participants: commonalities and differences in training and practice in general adult psychiatry and child psychiatry in Tunisia and Iran, as well as in idioms of distress between the Arab and Persian cultures.

Complications, treatment, and follow-up of peutz-jeghers syndrome: About 2 case reports.

Introduction: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is an inherited disorder distinguished by hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract and pigmented mucocutaneous lesions. Treatment of the polyps is never definitive, with most patients needing several laparotomies. For this reason, surgeons should be economical in terms of surgical resection to prevent a short bowel syndrome in the long run.

Predictive Factors of Liver Hydatid Cyst Recurrence in Children.

Background: Liver hydatid cyst affects approximately 95% of the world's echinococcosis cases. Despite advances in treatment, the recurrence rate remains high and is influenced by several factors that are yet to be determined. The objective of this study was to identify the predictive factors of liver hydatid cyst recurrence following surgery in children and to establish a treatment regimen aimed at preventing this postoperative morbidity.