The Benefits of Friendships in Academic Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Friendships can positively impact students' academic performance and grade point average (GPA) by providing emotional support and reducing stress, thereby leading to improved focus and better concentration on studies. Peer connections and friendships often result in collaborative learning and the exchange of academic ideas, improving comprehension and retention of course materials, ultimately leading to higher GPAs. In contrast, negative friendships or excessive social distractions can adversely affect GPA, which highlights the importance of striking a fine balance between social connections and academic responsibilities. This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. It involved a thorough electronic search on PubMed, Ebsco, and Web of Science databases with no time restrictions. We considered studies from various parts of the world, which examined friendships and relations within the academic setting. This review delved into the substantial impact of friendships in academic settings. Friendships foster a supportive environment for collaboration and knowledge-sharing, ultimately enhancing motivation, reducing stress, and improving GPA, thereby contributing to a successful academic experience. While disparities were noted across studies due to geographical variations, study designs, and outcome measures, the majority of them revealed a positive correlation between friendship and academic performance. Some studies highlighted gender-related differences, with male friendships often proving beneficial for academic performance, though this is not a universal rule, as the quality of friendships mostly depends on compatibility rather than gender. To sum up, the extensive review of research underscores the pivotal role of friendships in academic settings, which act as crucial support systems for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and motivation among students, leading to enhanced academic performance. Despite regional and methodological variations, a consistent positive correlation between friendship and academic success was observed across diverse studies.

Circulating Long Non-Coding RNA GAS5: A Non-Invasive Molecular Marker for Prognosis, Response to Treatment and Survival in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Circulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are dysregulated in several diseases, especially cancers, e.g. non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Of specific notice in this regard is growth arrest-specific 5 gene (lncRNA GAS5), which is principally recognised as a tumor suppressor gene in numerous cancers. Functionally, GAS5 is involved in arresting cellular growth and induction of apoptosis. We analysed plasma GAS5 expression by qRT-PCR in 100 patients with NSCLC before and after tumour resection surgery. We reported a downregulation of GAS5 expression in NSCLC tissue and plasma, which showed elevation after surgery. Downregulation of GAS5 was associated with poor prognosis of NSCLC patients.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for the Treatment of First-Time Spontaneous Pneumothorax versus Conservative Treatment.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: Recent studies have shown that video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) is safe and beneficial as first time treatment for patients presenting with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). In this study we will compare the outcome of patients presenting with first time PSP treated by VATS with those treated conservatively. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective double-blind, randomized clinical trial conducted at our hospital, Forty one patients, presented to the hospital with first attack PSP from January 2010 to January 2013, were randomized to be treated by chest tube drainage (conservative group, group 1) or by primary video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS group, group 2). Outcomes were; duration of intercostal tube drainage, mean hospital stay, and recurrence rates of pneumothorax during the period of follow up. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in both groups regarding demographic data. The mean durations of removal of intercostal tube and hospital stay were significantly higher in conservative group than in VATS group. The recurrence rate in conservative group was 40.9% versus 0% in VATS group (highly significant). CONCLUSIONS: Initial VATS is considered an efficient treatment modality for PSP as it has a shorter hospital stay and lower recurrence than conservative treatment, which if occurs, requires re-hospitalization with needs for VATS or surgery.

Complications of extrapleural pneumonectomy.

Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is a technically demanding operation that includes two body cavities within the operative field. Avoidance of postoperative deaths requires an experienced team that can identify common morbidities. The ability to recognize and intervene correctly in the early phases of postoperative complications can avoid deaths. Although our group has experienced only 20 deaths following 496 EPPs (4% mortality), there were 328 patients (66%) who suffered morbidity. We have drawn upon our single-institution experience to describe the most common source of morbidity following EPP and to offer successful interventions.