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Background: Liver cancer is a global health concern, with overweight and obese individuals exhibiting an increased risk of its development. Understanding the interplay between obesity-related factors and liver cancer incidence is crucial for early prediction and intervention.Aim: The aim of this investigation was to construct and validate an extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) based machine learning model for the purpose of establishing a one-year liver cancer risk prediction system specifically tailored to overweight and obese patients. In addition, this study sought to compare the predictive performance of the XGBoost model with those of a random forest model and a logistic regression model, while also identifying the most influential predictive features for liver cancer incidence.Methods: A comprehensive retrospective analysis was conducted on MIMIC III data comprising 2,354 patients. To predict the risk of liver cancer development, three machine learning models were developed: XGBoost, random forest, and logistic regression. Feature selection was executed using a stepwise regression procedure encompassing both forward selection and backward elimination.Results: The stepwise regression technique unveiled 14 predictive factors for liver cancer incidence. Among the patient cohort, 132 individuals developed liver cancer within a year of follow-up, while 2,222 did not. Notably, most liver cancer cases occurred in male patients (60%). Statistically significant differences were observed between patients with liver cancer and those without, in terms of age, gender, total bilirubin, platelet, albumin, chloride, potassium, sodium, prothrombin time (PT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The XGBoost model exhibited an impressive area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 99%, Random Forest (RF) of 99%, and Logistic Regression (LR) of 90%. In a multivariate analysis, total bilirubin, creatinine levels, age, gender, ALT, alkaline phosphate (ALP), PT, calcium, and chloride emerged as independent predictors for liver cancer incidence.Conclusion: The XGBoost model demonstrated superior predictive performance when compared to the RF and LR models. If corroborated through prospective studies, the XGBoost model may prove to be a valuable tool for the early prediction of liver cancer risk in overweight or obese individuals. Such predictive capabilities could, in turn, facilitate the implementation of timely preventive interventions against liver cancer.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a consequence of an arrest in normal retinal neural and vascular development, which determines the aberrant retinal regeneration [1,2]. ROP is a disease process mostly reported in preterm neonates ranging from mild, transient changes in the retina with regression to severe progressive vasoproliferation, scarring, detachment of retina and blindness and it is common blinding disease in children and a major cause of vision loss among preterm infants [3]. Today it is well known that oxygen therapy is not the single causative factor, but many other risk factors play a causative role in the pathogenesis of ROP [4,5]. The risk factors for ROP include oxygen administration, hypoxia, hypercapnia, blood transfusion exchange transfusion, apnea,sepsis and total parenteral nutrition. The incidence of ROP has been reported to be similar in multiple and singleton births [6-8]. Twin studies show that from 70% to 80% of the susceptibility to ROP is conditioned by genetic factors [9,10]. Hence this study is to find out the incidence of ROP in twins in a tertiary care centre in a developing country. It also attempts to identify the difference in risk factors among twins which predispose to ROP in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

pH buffer solutions are those in which minimal pH variations occur when moderate amounts of strong acids or bases are added or diluted. The most common buffers are those used in the intermediate pH zone and are made up of an acid-base conjugate pair (HA/A-), with Ca and Cb as analytical concentrations of acid and base respectively. The buffer capacity of a solution is the measure of its effectiveness in preserving the pH value when adding an acid or a base. Three new programs working under the Windows 10 environment have been developed. The first one, the BUFFER program, allows to prepare buffers of known ionic strength without the need of adding an inert electrolyte, calculating the pH and buffering capacity. On the other hand, the BRÖMSTED method allows calculating the pH of conjugated acid-base systems applying the Newton-Raphson method. In this work two more programs are described, one applying the Brömsted method to monoprotic acids and another new one to diprotic acids.

Visual impairment is a global health problem. Cataract is responsible for 50% of blindness worldwide [1]. Posterior capsular opacification is the most common late complication of cataract surgery as a result of proliferation of residual lens epithelial cells overall 25% of patients undergoing extra-capsular cataract surgery develops visually significant PCO within 5 years of the operation [2]. Nd: YAG laser provides the advantage of cutting the posterior lens capsule, thereby avoiding and minimizing infection, wound leaks, and other complication of intraocular surgery. Thus Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy is noninvasive, effective and relatively safe technique [3]. However, this procedure is associated with complications such as- postoperative increased intraocular pressure (IOP), cystoid macular edema (CME), disruption of the anterior vitreous surface, uveitis, lens subluxation, increased incidence of retinal detachment and pitting of the IOL [4]. Laser shots can be applied in several patterns such as “Cruciate or Cross pattern”, “Can opener”, inverted “U-Method” and in a “Circular pattern”. Many authors promote the use of a cruciate pattern in the Centre of the visual axis, with the clinician starting off on both axes away from the Centre to avoid pitting the lens centrally [5]. This study mainly aims to analyze the effect of various forms of PCO capsulotomy openings on visual function after Nd: YAG capsulotomy.

Background: The effect of salpingectomy on ovarian response is a matter of debate. Due to conflicting data, alternative techniques were developed to perform salpingectomy for treatment of hydrosalpinges in infertile patients. This study aims to evaluate the effect of salpingectomy on ovarian response after stimulation with gonadotropins. Methods: In a retrospective analysis, one hundred fifty-seven patients with tubal infertility were divided into three groups according to their surgical histories: bilateral salpingectomy (BS group); unilateral salpingectomy (US group); and no history of salpingectomy (NS group). Ovarian response and IVF outcomes were compared between groups by analysis of variance. Prognostic factors for ovarian response were estimated by linear regression models. Results: In the BS group, the total numbers of oocytes retrieved, and embryos obtained were significantly lower than those in the NS group (p = 0.02). Poor ovarian response was also more frequent in the BS group (p = 0.02). In the US group, follicle development was reduced on the operated side. This effect was more pronounced when salpingectomies were performed for hydrosalpinges than when performed for ectopic pregnancies, and significant decreases were observed in follicle recruitment (p = 0.005) and oocyte retrieval (p = 0.02) on the operated side. Conclusion: Salpingectomy could have a minor negative effect on ovarian response. This is particularly true with bilateral salpingectomies, in which the ovarian blood supply could be disrupted, with no possible compensation by the contralateral side.

Purpose: We have studied in 18-month 21 patients showing kerato-conjunctivitis and/or dermato-blefaritis, where we will find a constant presence of mycoplasma in SEM optical cytology samples. The 21 patients were divided as follows: 7 allergic, 7 alleged allergic and 7 not-allergic, this division it makes between a clinical approach considering clinical history and symptoms. At the first examination, 16 of the 21 patients had a single or multiple infection in which the main pathogenic element was found to be Mycoplasma; the remaining 7, 4 of them were suspected allergic patients, 2 of it, were allergic subjects with the presence of eosinophils or mast cells. Material and methods: All the study is constructed on citological optical microscopy and citological electron scanning microscopy (SEM) images for demonstrate the efficacy of the SEM in clinical approach at allergic, not allergic and suspected allergic patients. Therapeutic treatment and Results: Treatment of the allergic and false allergic patients has made with local somministration of galenic composition with ialuronic acid 3 ml and Tetracycline hydrochloride 30 mg and with low level of cortisone and antisthaminic therapy. This treatment is necessary to eradicate the Mycoplasma infection and counteract toxic action of this pathogen on mucosa. Discussion: After appropriate therapy we note that allergic patients have a greater predisposition to redundancy in infections in the short period (minimum 20 days), while alleged allergic patients have more prolonged infection periods (between 3 and 5 months), with constant presence at low levels of persistent Mycoplasma. The latter continue to show signs and symptoms similar to allergic patients, but with a negative test for tear IgE and absence of eosinophils and/or mast cells, in the optical and SEM samples displayed.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a common dementia problem of the old population. The two main hallmarks of AD are tau protein and amyloid-beta protein. The relevant investigations on AD suggest that these proteins are also seen in the eye. There are many tests and imaging modalities are used for AD diagnosis. But these techniques are still unable to predict the disease effectively. In this regard, the lens of the eye may help in diagnosing AD. Therefore, a reliable technique for measuring the lens or retina must be selected. In this paper, we focus on the different types of retinal diseases occur in AD patients and the use of the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) technique is used for diagnosing AD. 

Epithelioid angiomyolipomas (AML) are uncommon mesenchymal neoplasms, belonging to the group of perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasms (PECOMA). Hepatic PECOMA is even rarer. It’s difficult to diagnose in preoperative by imaging, especially when the fatty component is scant or absent. The gold standard for the diagnosis is histologic examination coupled with an immunohistochemical study. Positive HMB45 immunostaining of the myoid cells is a major diagnostic feature. Herein, we report a particular case of hepatic angiomyolipoma in a middle-aged woman with no significant medical past history. The preoperative diagnosis was difficult given the absence of specific clinical manifestations, even the radiologists considered high suspicion of hepatocellular carcinoma. The final diagnosis has been made by post-operative histology coupled with an immunohistochemistry study.

The pandemic of COVID-19 has adversely affected the world in many aspects. The health and economic sectors suffer most of the repercussions of this disease. The search for a cure for this rapidly spreading virus which is causing massive life losses worldwide requires clear understanding of the immunopathogenesis of this virus so as to develop pinpointed targeted therapies rather than relying mainly on supportive care measures and drug repurposing to fight this life-threatening virus infection. Neutrophils, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and NETosis are not well studied not only in COVID-19, but also in coroviruses in general. The review will shed lights on the functions of neutrophils, NETs, and NETosis in various infectious complications as well as in sepsis and acute lung conditions in an attempt to understand their actual roles and in order to help in designing targeted therapies in the near future.

Hypertension is a complex disorder involving multiple organ systems and the primarily modifiable risk factor for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the World. Although both men and women develop hypertension, distinct gender differences in the incidence and severity of hypertension are well established where men have a higher incidence of hypertension compared with women of the same age until the sixth decade of life [1,2]. Despite gender differences in human hypertension, the treatment guidelines do not differ by gender [3]. Even if the causes of hypertension are complex and are related to genetic factors, lifestyle, diet structure, and environmental factors including air pollution [4], coupled with the potential determinants of hypertension, sex differences in hypertension-which exist in human populations-are attributed to both biological and behavioural factors. The biological factors include sex hormones, chromosomal differences, and other biological sex differences that are protective against hypertension in women. These factors become prominent in adolescence and persist through adulthood until women reach menopause. Behavioural risk factors for hypertension include high body mass index, smoking, and low physical activity.