Development of a Novel Circulating Autoantibody Biomarker Panel for the Identification of Patients with 'Actionable' Pulmonary Nodules.

Due to poor compliance and uptake of LDCT screening among high-risk populations, lung cancer is often diagnosed in advanced stages where treatment is rarely curative. Based upon the American College of Radiology's Lung Imaging and Reporting Data System (Lung-RADS) 80-90% of patients screened will have clinically "non-actionable" nodules (Lung-RADS 1 or 2), and those harboring larger, clinically "actionable" nodules (Lung-RADS 3 or 4) have a significantly greater risk of lung cancer. The development of a companion diagnostic method capable of identifying patients likely to have a clinically actionable nodule identified during LDCT is anticipated to improve accessibility and uptake of the paradigm and improve early detection rates. Using protein microarrays, we identified 501 circulating targets with differential immunoreactivities against cohorts characterized as possessing either actionable (n = 42) or non-actionable (n = 20) solid pulmonary nodules, per Lung-RADS guidelines. Quantitative assays were assembled on the Luminex platform for the 26 most promising targets. These assays were used to measure serum autoantibody levels in 841 patients, consisting of benign (BN; n = 101), early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; n = 245), other early-stage malignancies within the lung (n = 29), and individuals meeting United States Preventative Screening Task Force (USPSTF) screening inclusion criteria with both actionable (n = 87) and non-actionable radiologic findings (n = 379). These 841 patients were randomly split into three cohorts: Training, Validation 1, and Validation 2. Of the 26 candidate biomarkers tested, 17 differentiated patients with actionable nodules from those with non-actionable nodules. A random forest model consisting of six autoantibody (Annexin 2, DCD, MID1IP1, PNMA1, TAF10, ZNF696) biomarkers was developed to optimize our classification performance; it possessed a positive predictive value (PPV) of 61.4%/61.0% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 95.7%/83.9% against Validation cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. This panel may improve patient selection methods for lung cancer screening, serving to greatly reduce the futile screening rate while also improving accessibility to the paradigm for underserved populations.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) in Egypt (2000-2022): a systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B infection seriously threatens global public health, especially in developing nations. Despite several investigations on HBV incidence, the national pooled prevalence remains unknown, particularly in populations at-risk at whom interventions should be primarily aimed. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of the following databases: Medline [PubMed], Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. I-squared and Cochran's Q were used to measure the heterogeneity between the studies. Publications that matched the following were included: Primary studies published in Egypt from 2000 to 2022 reported HBV prevalence based on HBsAg. We excluded any studies that were not performed on Egyptians or that were performed on patients suspected of acute viral hepatitis or studies focusing on occult hepatitis or vaccination evaluation studies, or national surveys. RESULTS: The systematic review included 68 eligible studies reporting a total of 82 incidences of HBV infection based on hepatitis B surface antigen with a total sample size of 862,037. The pooled national prevalence among studies was estimated to be 3.67% [95% CI; 3: 4.39]. Children under 20 with a history of HBV vaccination during infancy had the lowest prevalence of 0.69%. The pooled prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women, blood donors, and healthcare workers was 2.95%, 1.8%, and 1.1%, respectively. While patients with hemolytic anemia and hemodialysis patients, patients with malignancies, HCC patients, and chronic liver disease patients had the highest prevalences at 6.34%, 25.5%, 18.6%, and 34%, respectively. Studies reporting HBV prevalence in urban settings compared to rural settings revealed a similar HBV prevalence of 2.43% and 2.15%, respectively. Studies comparing HBV prevalence in males and females revealed a higher prevalence among males (3.75%) than females (2.2%). CONCLUSION: In Egypt, hepatitis B infection is a significant public health issue. The blocking of mother-to-infant hepatitis B transmission, the scaling up of the scope of the existing vaccination program, and implementing new strategies, including screen-and-treat, may reduce the prevalence of the disease.

Genome-wide association study for systemic lupus erythematosus in an egyptian population.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility has a strong genetic component. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) across trans-ancestral populations show both common and distinct genetic variants of susceptibility across European and Asian ancestries, while many other ethnic populations remain underexplored. We conducted the first SLE GWAS on Egyptians-an admixed North African/Middle Eastern population-using 537 patients and 883 controls. To identify novel susceptibility loci and replicate previously known loci, we performed imputation-based association analysis with 6,382,276 SNPs while accounting for individual admixture. We validated the association analysis using adaptive permutation tests (n = 109). We identified a novel genome-wide significant locus near IRS1/miR-5702 (Pcorrected = 1.98 × 10-8) and eight novel suggestive loci (Pcorrected < 1.0 × 10-5). We also replicated (Pperm < 0.01) 97 previously known loci with at least one associated nearby SNP, with ITGAM, DEF6-PPARD and IRF5 the top three replicated loci. SNPs correlated (r 2 > 0.8) with lead SNPs from four suggestive loci (ARMC9, DIAPH3, IFLDT1, and ENTPD3) were associated with differential gene expression (3.5 × 10-95 < p < 1.0 × 10-2) across diverse tissues. These loci are involved in cellular proliferation and invasion-pathways prominent in lupus and nephritis. Our study highlights the utility of GWAS in an admixed Egyptian population for delineating new genetic associations and for understanding SLE pathogenesis.

Increased percentage of apoptotic and CTLA-4 (CD152) expressing cells in CD4+/CD8+ cells in COVID-19 patients.

Coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) confirmed cases are characterized by T lymphopenia. Total apoptotic and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) expressing cells among CD4+/CD8+ cells were analyzed in 24 COVID-19 patients (16 out-patients and 8 in-patients) and 18 healthy volunteers using flow cytometry to detect their possible role in T lymphopenia. Hospitalized patients did not show significant difference compared to non-hospitalized patients. While the percentage and absolute count of CD4+/CD8+ cells were significantly reduced in COVID-19 cases compared to healthy control (P < .05), the proportion of apoptotic and CTLA-4 expressing CD4+/CD8+ cells were significantly up-regulated in COVID-19 patients (P < .05). In addition, apoptotic and CTLA-4+/CD4+ cells were directly related to dyspnea duration, chest CT score, ferritin, and C-reactive protein and inversely correlated with platelet count in COVID-19 patients. While apoptotic and CTLA-4+/CD8+ cells were directly related to lymphocyte count in COVID-19 patients. The apoptotic and CTLA-4+ cells were directly related to each other in CD4+/CD8+ cells (P < .05). White blood cells (WBCs) (×103/L), eosinophils (ratio and count), lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil/CD4 ratio, neutrophil/CD8 ratio, CD4+ cells ratio, and CTLA-4+ cells percentage), and CD8+ cells (ratio, count, total apoptotic cell, and CD152 + cells) were all found to be significantly altered in association with COVID-19. Total lymphopenia and depletion of CD4+/CD8+ cells are characterizing COVID-19 patients. Increased apoptosis and CTLA-4 expression in CD4+/CD8+ cells in COVID-19 and their correlations with reduced cell count and severity indicators as CRP and ferritin can be used for diagnosis and follow up of the clinical severity. Our current study proposes promising future diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

In-Silico targeting of SARS-CoV-2 NSP6 for drug and natural products repurposing.

Non-Structural Protein 6 (NSP6) has a protecting role for SARS-CoV-2 replication by inhibiting the expansion of autophagosomes inside the cell. NSP6 is involved in the endoplasmic reticulum stress response by binding to Sigma receptor 1 (SR1). Nevertheless, NSP6 crystal structure is not solved yet. Therefore, NSP6 is considered a challenging target in Structure-Based Drug Discovery. Herein, we utilized the high quality NSP6 model built by AlphaFold in our study. Targeting a putative NSP6 binding site is believed to inhibit the SR1-NSP6 protein-protein interactions. Three databases were virtually screened, namely FDA-approved drugs (DrugBank), Northern African Natural Products Database (NANPDB) and South African Natural Compounds Database (SANCDB) with a total of 8158 compounds. Further validation for 9 candidates via molecular dynamics simulations for 100 ns recommended potential binders to the NSP6 binding site. The proposed candidates are recommended for biological testing to cease the rapidly growing pandemic.

Evaluation of the Egyptian knowledge bank using the information systems success model.

The appearance of the coronavirus pandemic had several implications on the educational process, which caused students, at all educational levels, to resort to digital libraries as the available educational opportunity in this challenging time. This study sheds light on the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) as one of the largest digital libraries in the world. It empirically evaluates the EKB, using the updated Information Systems Success (ISS) model proposed by DeLone and McLean (2003), among postgraduate business students in the context of Egyptian universities with a sample of 245 students. The results indicate that all nine hypotheses derived from the research model are supported and significant, contributing either directly or indirectly to the success of the EKB. Hence, the results confirm the validity of the ISS model in measuring the success of the EKB. These findings highlight as well the significance of investing more deeply in digital libraries as a coping mechanism for the educational recovery process from COVID-19 and the importance of creating awareness among students about digital libraries in order to sustain the learning process in a safe environment.

Frontal lobe hypometabolism associated with Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) risk: An objective PET study.

OBJECTIVE: Abnormalities of brain structures and neuronal networks have been identified in MRI studies of patients with Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) as well as in those at elevated risk. The goal of this study was to identify common patterns of objectively detected brain glucose metabolic abnormalities associated with SUDEP patients and those at high SUDEP risk. METHODS: Patients with refractory epilepsy (n = 78, age: 16-61 years, 44 females), who underwent comprehensive presurgical evaluation, were assessed for their risk of SUDEP using the revised SUDEP-7 inventory. From the 57 patients with low SUDEP risk, 35 were selected to match their demographic and clinical characteristics to those with high SUDEP risk (n = 21). [18F]fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) abnormalities were evaluated in the high- and low-SUDEP risk subgroups compared to FDG-PET scans of a healthy adult control group using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). Individual FDG-PET scans of 4 additional patients, who died from SUDEP, were also analyzed by SPM. RESULTS: Mean SUDEP-7 score was 6.1 in the high and 2.7 in the low SUDEP risk group. MRI showed no lesion in 36 patients (64%). Statistical parametric mapping analysis of the high SUDEP risk subgroup showed bilateral medial frontal and inferior frontal hypometabolism as a common pattern. The low-risk group showed no specific common metabolic abnormalities on SPM group analysis. Individual PET scans of all 4 patients who died from SUDEP also showed bilateral frontal lobe hypometabolism. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that bilateral frontal lobe involvement on FDG-PET, especially the medial and inferior frontal cortex, may be a common metabolic pattern associated with high SUDEP risk and SUDEP itself, in patients with refractory focal epilepsy.

Design and implementation of the European-Mediterranean Postgraduate Programme on Organ Donation and Transplantation (EMPODaT) for Middle East/North Africa countries.

This prospective study reports the design and results obtained after the EMPODaT project implementation. This project was funded by the Tempus programme of the European Commission with the objective to implement a common postgraduate programme on organ donation and transplantation (ODT) in six selected universities from Middle East/North Africa (MENA) countries (Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco). The consortium, coordinated by the University of Barcelona, included universities from Spain, Germany, Sweden and France. The first phase of the project was to perform an analysis of the current situation in the beneficiary countries, including existing training programmes on ODT, Internet connection, digital facilities and competences, training needs, and ODT activity and accreditation requirements. A total of 90 healthcare postgraduate students participated in the 1-year training programme (30 ECTS academic credits). The methodology was based on e-learning modules and face-to-face courses in English and French. Training activities were evaluated through pre- and post-tests, self-assessment activities and evaluation charts. Quality was assessed through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The project results on a reproducible and innovative international postgraduate programme, improvement of knowledge, satisfaction of the participants and confirms the need on professionalizing the activity as the cornerstone to ensure organ transplantation self-sufficiency in MENA countries.

VoroCrust: Voronoi Meshing Without Clipping.

Polyhedral meshes are increasingly becoming an attractive option with particular advantages over traditional meshes for certain applications. What has been missing is a robust polyhedral meshing algorithm that can handle broad classes of domains exhibiting arbitrary curved boundaries and sharp features. In addition, the power of primal-dual mesh pairs, exemplified by Voronoi-Delaunay meshes, has been recognized as an important ingredient in numerous formulations. The VoroCrust algorithm is the first provably correct algorithm for conforming Voronoi meshing for non-convex and possibly non-manifold domains with guarantees on the quality of both surface and volume elements. A robust refinement process estimates a suitable sizing field that enables the careful placement of Voronoi seeds across the surface circumventing the need for clipping and avoiding its many drawbacks. The algorithm has the flexibility of filling the interior by either structured or random samples, while all sharp features are preserved in the output mesh. We demonstrate the capabilities of the algorithm on a variety of models and compare against state-of-the-art polyhedral meshing methods based on clipped Voronoi cells establishing the clear advantage of VoroCrust output.

Multifunctional Electrocatalytic Cathodes Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks for Advanced Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is a promising candidate for the next generation of energy storage technology, owing to the high theoretical capacity, high specific energy density, and low cost of electrode materials. The main drawbacks in the development of long-life Li-S batteries are capacity fading and the sluggish kinetics at the cathode caused by the polysulfides shuttle. These limitations are addressed through the design of novel nanocages containing cobalt phosphide (CoP) nanoparticles embedded in highly porous nitrogen-doped carbon (CoP-N-GC) by thermal annealing of ZIF-67 in a reductive atmosphere followed by a phosphidation step using sodium hypophosphite. The CoP nanoparticles, with large surface area and uniform homogeneous distribution within the N-doped nanocage graphitic carbon, act as electrocatalysts to suppress the shuttle of soluble polysulfides through strong chemical interactions and catalyze the sulfur redox. As a result, the S@CoP-N-GC electrode delivers an extremely high specific capacity of 1410 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C (1 C=1675 mA g-1 ) with an excellent coulombic efficiency of 99.7 %. Moreover, capacity retention from 864 to 678 mA h g-1 is obtained after 460 cycles with a very low decay rate of 0.046 % per cycle at 0.5 C. Therefore, the combination of the CoP catalyst and polar conductive porous carbon effectively stabilizes the sulfur cathode, enhancing the electrochemical performance and stability of the battery.

Laser Therapy Versus Electromagnetic Field on Mucosal Membrane Thickening in Children With Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Introduction: Rhinosinusitis is a frequent disease in children but may be underdiagnosed, that is to say, several causes of the disease are missed in children. Therefore, it seems essential to provide other modalities to treat chronic health conditions like such cases. This controlled clinical study was conducted to compare the effect of two non-pharmacological, painless, safe modalities; low-level laser therapy (LLLT), with pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on mucosal membrane thickening in children with chronic rhinosinusitis. Methods: Thirty children with chronic sinusitis participated in this study, their ages ranged from 6 to 13 years old, recruited from the outpatients ENT clinic, Kasr Al Aini teaching hospital. They were classified into 2 groups of equal number; study group A (PEMF group) and study group B (LLLT group). These children were evaluated before the starting and after the end of the study through CT scan full examination (coronal and axial) for all children. Results: This study showed that there were statistically significant improvements in mucosal membrane thickness in both groups (P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference between groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: From the obtained outcomes it can be concluded that both the laser and electromagnetic field can be used effectively in the management of symptoms in children with chronic rhinosinusitis, while no significant difference between these modalities obtained.

Extra operative intracranial EEG monitoring for epilepsy surgery in elderly patients.

OBJECT: The objective of the study is to investigate and report our experience with extra operative intracranial EEG monitoring for evaluation of epilepsy surgery among elderly (≥ 60 years) patients. METHODS: After IRB approval, we searched our prospectively maintained epilepsy surgery database to find patients who underwent eiEEG at the age of 60 years or older. Electronic medical records were reviewed to extract clinical and surgery-related information. Patients who underwent resective epilepsy surgery after eiEEG and had at least 1 year of clinical follow-up were assessed for seizure outcome. Categorical and continuous variables were compared using Pearson chi-square and Student's t-test, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients, with 13 (62%) women, underwent eiEEG in our center at the age of 60 years or older. The mean age at time of implantation was 63.8 ±â€¯2.7 years. Sub-dural grids (SDG) were implanted in five (24%) patients, whereas sixteen (76%) patients underwent stereo-EEG (SEEG) implantation. Median number of contacts in SDG were 106 (56-136) and depth electrodes in SEEG were 12 (9-14). There were 2 complications, including one mortality due to intracerebral hemorrhage. Sixteen (76%) patients underwent respective epilepsy surgery after eiEEG and eleven (69%) achieved Engel class I outcome on the last follow-up [mean follow-up duration of 2.7 (± 1.8) years]. CONCLUSION: We noticed an increased utilization of eiEEG in elderly patients after the introduction of SEEG at our center. Overall, we found that eiEEG can help achieve good seizure outcomes in the elderly population. However, the one eiEEG-related mortality serves a word of caution about the potential risks in this population.

Time to push the age limit: Epilepsy surgery in patients 60 years or older.

Objective: To summarize the existing literature on resective epilepsy surgery (RES) in older adults (≥60 years old) and examine seizure and neuropsychological outcomes in a single-center large cohort of older adults undergoing RES and their comparison to a consecutive, younger (25- to45-year-old) adult population who underwent RES in routine clinical practice. Methods: First, a comprehensive literature review was performed. Then, we identified older adults who underwent RES at our center (2000-2015). Outcome analysis was performed on patients who had ≥1 year of clinical follow-up. A younger cohort of patients who underwent RES during the same period was selected for comparison. The 2 groups were compared with respect to demographic and disease variables as well as key clinical outcomes. Results: Seizure outcomes on 58 older patients were reported in existing literature; 72% achieved Engel class I outcome ≥1 year postoperatively. Sixty-four older adults underwent RES at our center, accounting for 2.8% of all RES during the study period. A total of 51 older adults (Mage = 65) among them had ≥1-year clinical follow-up; 80% achieved Engel I outcome after a mean follow-up of 3.2 years. This was comparable to the 68% Engel class I outcome among 50 consecutive younger adults, despite later age of onset, longer epilepsy duration, and more comorbidities (all p < 0.001) among older adults. The majority (86%) of older adults were referred to our center after years of suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy. There were no group differences in surgical complications. However, 1 older adult passed away post-RES. There was no difference in post-RES neuropsychological outcomes compared to younger adults, except significantly higher number of older adults showed a decline in confrontational naming. Significance: RES in well-selected older adults is a safe and effective therapy, and advanced age should not preclude consideration of surgical therapy in older adults with pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

Sampling Conditions for Conforming Voronoi Meshing by the VoroCrust Algorithm.

We study the problem of decomposing a volume with a smooth boundary into a collection of Voronoi cells. Unlike the dual problem of conforming Delaunay meshing, a principled solution to this problem for generic smooth surfaces remained elusive. VoroCrust leverages ideas from weighted α-shapes and the power crust algorithm to produce unweighted Voronoi cells conforming to the surface, yielding the first provably-correct algorithm for this problem. Given a κ-sparse ε-sample, we work with the balls of radius δ times the local feature size centered at each sample. The corners of the union of these balls on both sides of the surface are the Voronoi sites and the interface of their cells is a watertight surface reconstruction embedded in the dual shape of the union of balls. With the surface protected, the enclosed volume can be further decomposed by generating more sites inside it. Compared to clipping-based algorithms, VoroCrust cells are full Voronoi cells, with convexity and fatness guarantees. Compared to the power crust algorithm, VoroCrust cells are not filtered, are unweighted, and offer greater flexibility in meshing the enclosed volume by either structured or randomly genenerated samples.

Breaking the age barrier: Epilepsy surgery in septuagenarians.

Resective epilepsy surgery (RES) has traditionally been offered to young patients (<50years). The reservation about offering RES to the elderly is multifactorial with their advanced age and comorbidities being the primary reason. The elderly age group (≥65years of age) is one of the fastest growing populations. The arbitrary age limits for RES need reconsideration in the face of an ever increasing elderly population. Considering such changes in demographics, we report the first case series in the literature of seven septuagenarians who underwent RES in the form of anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL). The 10-year median survival probability based on their comorbidities and age was more than 50%. Six patients had good surgical outcome (Engle I/II) with four of them being completely free of disabling seizures after a median follow-up of almost 2years. No significant medical or surgical morbidity was observed. However, three out of the four patients undergoing pre- and post-RES neuropsychological testing showed decline in memory function. Seizure-related injuries were noted in four out of seven patients and may have been a motivation to proceed with RES in our cohort. Our experience suggests that RES can be a safe and effective therapy in well-selected, septuagenarian patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Neuropsychological outcomes after RES in this population need further evaluation.

Trapping shape-controlled nanoparticle nucleation and growth stages via continuous-flow chemistry.

Continuous flow chemistry is used to trap the nucleation and growth stages of platinum-nickel nano-octahedra with second time resolution and high throughputs to probe their properties ex situ. The growth starts from poorly crystalline particles (nucleation) at 5 seconds, to crystalline 1.5 nm particles bounded by the {111}-facets at 7.5 seconds, followed by truncation and further growth to octahedral nanoparticles at 20 seconds.

Structural changes of electron and ion beam-deposited contacts in annealed carbon-based electrical devices.

The use of electron and ion beam deposition to make devices containing discrete nanostructures as interconnectors is a well-known nanofabrication process. Classically, one-dimensional materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been electrically characterized by resorting to these beam deposition methods. While much attention has been given to the interconnectors, less is known about the contacting electrodes (or leads). In particular, the structure and chemistry of the electrode-interconnector interface is a topic that deserves more attention, as it is critical to understand the device behavior. Here, the structure and chemistry of Pt electrodes, deposited either with electron or ion beams and contacted to a CNT, are analyzed before and after thermally annealing the device in a vacuum. Free-standing Pt nanorods, acting as beam-deposited electrode models, are also characterized pre- and post-annealing. Overall, the as-deposited leads contain a non-negligible amount of amorphous carbon that is consolidated, upon heating, as a partially graphitized outer shell enveloping a Pt core. This observation raises pertinent questions regarding the definition of electrode-nanostructure interfaces in electrical devices, in particular long-standing assumptions of metal-CNT contacts fabricated by direct beam deposition methods.

A study of lip print patterns among adults of Sebha city, Libya.

INTRODUCTION: Lip print patterns are individualistic and unique and can be used for identification of individuals. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to find out the different types of lip patterns, know the most common one and to know whether it has any gender predilection among adults of Sebha city. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 104 adults aged 18-35 years participated in this study. Lip prints were recorded and analyzed for lip print patterns. Statistical analysis was carried out using the computer software Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) 17.0 (Chicago, Illinos, USA). RESULTS: Type I lip print pattern was seen in 53.37% and 60.07% of lip quadrants in males and females, respectively. 27 (25.96%) subjects had same lip print pattern in all the four quadrants. CONCLUSION: Suzuki and Tsuchihashi's Type I lip print pattern was most common type of lip print pattern in the studied population, whereas Type I' was found to be the least common.

Association between mental well-being, depression, and periodontal attachment level among young adults of the postwar Sebha city, Libya: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: The present study was aimed to investigate the association of mental well-being and depression with periodontal clinical attachment loss among young adults in postwar urban population of Sebha city, Libya. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mental well-being and depression were assessed using Arabic versions of World Health Organization (WHO) five well-being index and major depression inventory (ICD-10), respectively. Random sample of 149 subjects were studied. Degree of periodontal attachment was measured at six sites per tooth using a rigid manual periodontal probe. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: A total of 59.11% of the studied samples had healthy mental well-being state, whereas 40.81% had poor mental well-being. The severity of depression was stronger in males than in females. In the present study mental well-being, depression, and all its categories did not have any significant effect on periodontal attachment loss. Further studies and health interventions can be planned based on this data.

Review on transarterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma: palliative, combined, neoadjuvant, bridging, and symptomatic indications.

The current review provides an overview on the palliative, combined, neoadjuvant, bridging, and symptomatic indications of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is based on an analysis of the current literature and the experience of the authors on the topic. Chemoembolization combines the infusion of chemotherapeutic drugs with particle embolization. Tumor ischemia raises the drug concentration compared to infusion alone, extends the retention of the chemotherapeutic agent and reduces systemic toxicity. Palliatively, TACE is performed to control symptoms and prolong survival in HCC patients; in some indications TACE allows a local tumor control of 18-63%. For combined indications, excellent results were achieved by combined therapies, such as percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI)/TACE, radiofrequency ablation (RF)/TACE, and laser-induced thermotherapy (LITT)/TACE. As a neoadjuvant therapy prior to liver resection TACE showed 70% tumor control. Though debatable, TACE still plays a role as a bridging tool before liver transplantation. Symptomatic indication of TACE in ruptured HCC showed 83-100% control of bleeding but survival was poor. Thus, TACE represents an important therapeutic tool against HCC in general in addition to its special role in cases of unresectable HCC.