Cancer-associated fibroblasts in hepatocellular carcinoma: heterogeneity, mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the common malignant cancers worldwide. Although immunotherapy has improved the treatment outcome in HCC, a significant percentage of patients with advanced HCC still cannot benefit from immunotherapy. Therefore, developing new targets or combination therapeutic strategies to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy is urgently needed.

Cost Effectiveness of Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) as Destination Therapy: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) can extend life and improve quality of life among advanced heart failure patients ineligible for transplantation (destination therapy). High-quality evidence on the cost effectiveness of LVADs compared with optimal medical management is needed to inform policy. This study identifies economic evaluations of LVADs for destination therapy and assesses their methodological quality.

Concentrated growth factor scaffold-based pulpotomy of permanent molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Objectives: : Pulpotomy is a minimally invasive procedure that aims to retain the vitality of the radicular pulp by removing the inflamed coronal pulp tissue. This case series presents the successful management of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis by pulpotomy with concentrated growth factor (CGF) scaffolds.

Methods: Six permanent mandibular molars with a diagnosis of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis were included.

Global prevalence of loneliness in immigrants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The feeling of loneliness is one of the global challenges for immigrants with adverse consequences on mental health. Also, no comprehensive meta-analysis study was found in this regard. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to investigate the global prevalence of loneliness in immigrants.

The first international experience with histotripsy: a safety analysis of 230 cases.

Background: Histotripsy is a novel, noninvasive, nonionizing, and nonthermal approach that uses focused ultrasound waves to treat liver tumors. This technology received a de novo Food and Drug Administration grant in late 2023. This study aimed to provide the first report on post-trial real-world clinical safety data.

Budget Impact Analysis of Intravitreal Injections Used to Treat Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Macular Edema in the Dubai Healthcare System.

Objectives: With the rising prevalence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME), this study assesses the budget impact of current intravitreal injections (faricimab, brolucizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept) on Dubai's private sector. The aim is to identify the most cost-effective intervention by evaluating utilization costs based on injection frequencies and direct acquisition expenses.

Methods: An Excel-based budget impact model, aligned with the current standard of care, incorporates direct medical costs only, acquisition prices of the 4 interventions, procedure costs, optical coherence tomography diagnosis and consultation visit costs, and average administration costs in Dubai's healthcare system.

Utilizing machine learning for predicting drug release from polymeric drug delivery systems.

Polymeric drug delivery systems (PDDS) play a crucial role in controlled drug release, providing improved therapeutic outcomes. However, formulating PDDS and predicting their release profiles remain challenging due to their complex structures and the numerous variables that influence their behavior. Traditional mathematical and empirical prediction methods are limited in capturing these complexities.

Evaluating patient experience in maternity services using a Bayesian belief network model.

Pregnancy and childbirth are commonly seen as positive experiences, but they can also pose distinct challenges and risks, especially when care is insufficient. This study investigates the factors influencing maternity patient experience by exploring the complex interactions among these factors. Using data from the 2021 maternity patient survey by the National Health Services (NHS) in England, we implemented a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) to model these interactions.

The Gastroprotective Effects of Salvia indica L. and Selenium In Vivo Study.

Salvia indica L. is a traditional therapeutic herb used for numerous health purposes, including intestinal and stomach disorders. The current investigation includes the phytochemical profiling, acute toxicity, and gastroprotective roles of Salvia indica leave extracts (SILE) in combination with selenium (known to facilitate mucosal regeneration, reduce lipid peroxidation, and increase antioxidant activity) in the gastric ulcer animal model.

Systems genomics of salinity stress response in rice.

Populations can adapt to stressful environments through changes in gene expression. However, the fitness effect of gene expression in mediating stress response and adaptation remains largely unexplored. Here, we use an integrative field dataset obtained from 780 plants of ssp.

Evaluation of Cardiovascular and Hepatic Changes in Myocardial Infarction Patients Post-Covid-19 Vaccination.

Introduction: The global COVID-19 vaccination campaign has significantly reduced severe illness and mortality; however, emerging evidence raises concerns regarding its potential cardiovascular effects, particularly myocardial infarction (MI).

Method: This study investigates the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and MI incidence among first-time MI patients in Saudi Arabia. Post-COVID-19 vaccination within six months postvaccination accounted for potential confounding factors, such as pre-existing health conditions, age, and lifestyle.

A Social Constructionist Influenced Scoping Review of Addictions, Deviance and Crime: Biopsychosocial Perspectives for the Emerging Forensic Mental Health Nursing and Healthcare Services of the Middle East.

Background: Nurses and healthcare professionals employed in correctional and forensic mental health settings encounter unique challenges in the care of their patients due to custodial and restrictive environments.Regions within the Middle East, such as the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have recently experienced exponential economic and healthcare infrastructure development. Mental health has been prioritized for development by recent legislation and practice that incorporate the development of specialist forensic psychiatry services that mediate the need for specialized nurses and allied healthcare staff.

Portrayal of gender roles in Emirati television dramas: a content analysis.

This research investigates the portrayal of gender roles in Emirati television dramas and movies, contextualizing them within the evolving socio-cultural landscape of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study conducts a comprehensive analysis of Emirati dramas and movies, categorizing prevalent gender role trends and their alignment with Emirati culture. Through content analysis, the research identifies four primary patterns: the ratio of male to female characters, gender role diversity and plot-power, themes relating to culture and religion, and the intensity of gender role manifestation with external factors.

Exploring Gendered Perspectives on Personality Traits and Entrepreneurial Performance in Lebanon during the COVID-19 Crisis.

We investigate the impact of gendered personality traits on the entrepreneurial performance of male and female entrepreneurs in Lebanon during the COVID-19 crisis. Using the Big Five personality model and survey data from 500 entrepreneurs, the research examines how traits such as agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience influence business outcomes in high-pressure environments. The findings reveal that agreeableness and neuroticism benefit female entrepreneurs more than males during crises, while conscientiousness significantly deteriorates the financial performance of female entrepreneurs.

Unveiling the Interplay: Neurovascular Coupling, Astrocytes and G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease.

Astrocytes are a type of glial cell that are involved in actively modulating synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter homeostasis, and neuroinflammatory responses. More importantly, they coordinate neuronal activity and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in what is known as neurovascular coupling (NVC). NVC is an essential mechanism that maintains the high energy demand the brain requires by supplying continuous and rapid supply of oxygen and nutrients through CBF.

Eco-fertility: examining the climate change-total fertility rate nexus in the context of sustainable developmental goals in a systematic review approach.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are paramount as the global community confronts the ramifications of climate alterations, especially its implications on population dynamics. Initial studies suggest an intricate relationship between environmental determinants and reproductive choices. This systematic review elucidates the complex interplay between climate-related challenges and observed global fertility rate variations.

Exopolysaccharides from camel milk-derived C66: Structural characterization, bioactive and rheological properties for food applications.

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are valued as safe, functional bio-ingredients in food. Produced by microorganisms like lactic acid bacteria (LAB), they enhance the rheological and sensory properties of food products. In this study, C66 (EPS-C66), was utilized to produce EPS.

Recent advances on anticancer activity of benzodiazine heterocycles through kinase inhibition.

The benzodiazines (phthalazine, quinazoline, quinoxaline, and cinnoline) have emerged as attractive scaffolds for creating novel anticancer drugs. These nitrogen-containing heterocycles are intriguing because they have a variety of configurations and can change chemically, allowing us to tailor their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features. Numerous studies have found that derivatives of these compounds have potent anticancer properties inhibiting topoisomerases, protein kinases, and receptor tyrosine kinases.

Real-World Effectiveness of Intravenous Belimumab on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Saudi Arabia: The OBSErve Observational Study.

Purpose: To describe intravenous (IV) belimumab's clinical effectiveness in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in real-world practice in Saudi Arabia.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective, observational OBSErve study (GSK Study 215349) analyzed medical record data for adults with SLE receiving IV belimumab. Index date was the date of belimumab initiation.

An efficient sparse code shrinkage technique for ECG denoising using empirical mode decomposition.

Accurate denoising of Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is essential for reliable cardiac diagnostics, but traditional methods often struggle with high-frequency noise and artifacts, leading to potential misinterpretations. It is often impeded by interference such as power line interference (PLI) and Gaussian noise. To address this challenge, we suggest a novel ECG denoising technique that combines empirical mode decomposition (EMD) with wavelet domain sparse code shrinking.

"I am responsible": Perceptions of employees on health and safety program implementation in small and medium sized businesses in Indonesia.

Background: Prior research conducted in the small bag manufacturing sector in Indonesia reported that occupational injuries occurred almost every month, with some workers reporting severe injuries that led to their fingers being amputated. Another study mentioned that the food manufacturing sectors tend to be more focused on improving their production activities than on paying attention to protecting their workers. Despite these conditions, employees are commonly seen by the owners as being responsible for their own safety at the workplace.

Interdisciplinary Hybrid Solar-Driven Evaporators: Theoretical Framework of Fundamental Mechanisms and Applications.

The global water and energy crisis seems to be mitigated with promising prospects of emerging interdisciplinary hybrid solar-driven evaporator technology (IHSE). However, the lack of numeric standards for comparison between enormously reported systems and the synergistic effects of interdisciplinary hybridization remains a significant challenge. To entice researchers from various domains to collaborate on the design of a system for realistic, large-scale applications, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the interdisciplinary approaches to IHSE from the domains of physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering, along with their guiding principles and underlying challenges.

Improving the structure of lentil proteins during fermentation and their association with nutritional values and solubility.

Lentil proteins (LPs) may encounter challenges in their food industry applications due to certain limitations in their functional properties. This study focused on enhancing the quality of LPs through physical modifications and investigating the effects of a 24-hr fermentation process with . The protein structures of LPs were analysed using several techniques, including ultraviolet spectra, fluorescence spectra, and FT-IR spectra, respectively, resulting in the protein structure of LPs substantial modifications ( 0.

Utilitarian psychology and influenza vaccine acceptance in the United Arab Emirates: implications for moral education and public policy.

Seasonal influenza is still a challenge in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There is consensus that the most effective way to address this problem is through yearly vaccination campaigns. Despite governmental efforts to make the influenza vaccine available, there remains some hesitancy among the population.

Effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation during hemodialysis on muscle strength, functional capacity and postural balance in patients with end-stage renal disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Hemodialysis patients (HD) have a limited physical capacity and this often means low adherence to rehabilitation programs based on conventional exercise. This study investigated the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) during HD therapy on muscle strength, functional capacity and postural balance in HD patients.

Methods: Twenty-two HD patients were randomly assigned to a control group (CG) or a neuromuscular electrical stimulation training group (NSTG).