Experience With the Lattice Technique of Palliative Radiotherapy for Treating Voluminous Metastases of Renal Cancer in the Radiotherapy Department of Solca Quito, Ecuador: A Case Report.

Lattice radiotherapy (LRT) is a type of spatially fractionated radiation therapy (SFRT) that enables the delivery of ablative doses to specific internal regions of large tumoral lesions, while surrounding tissues and nearby critical structures receive significantly lower exposure. This technique relies on a spatial distribution strategy that allows dose levels of radiation to be applied within the tumor in a single session or, alternatively, over the course of five sessions. Over time, LRT has gained attention as a promising method for managing large tumors, especially in cases where conventional treatments may pose higher risks or be less effective, offering the benefit of reduced side effects.

Weight management for Black United States Veterans: Employee and patient perspectives.

Objective: Veterans who self-identify as Black (hereafter Black veterans) and use the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)'s MOVE!® Weight Management Program lose less weight than other veterans. Understanding factors affecting this difference could identify solutions.

Methods: We interviewed 18 MOVE! employees and 26 Black veterans who engaged in MOVE! in the United States of America (2022/2023).

The Role of Output Monitoring and Review on Teacher Job Performance in Secondary Schools: Evidence from Kasese District, Uganda.

Background: Teacher job performance is an important factor influencing the quality of education and student learning outcomes. Effective output monitoring and review ensure teachers adhere to instructional standards. This study examines the impact of output monitoring and review on teacher job performance in secondary schools in Kasese District.

Platelet factor 4 and stromal cell-derived factor are novel prognostic biomarkers for cerebral vasospasm and mortality after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a life-threatening condition associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, mainly due to post-hemorrhagic complications such as cerebral vasospasm (CVS) and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Recent evidence implicates platelet activation and inflammatory mediators in the cascade of secondary injury following aSAH. Monitoring and timely treatment of post-SAH complications is critical to improve clinical outcomes.

Clinical and radiological outcome after microsurgical management of ruptured and unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations.

The treatment of unruptured & ruptured AVMs remains controversial. Microsurgical resection of the AVM offers the higher cure rate, but the associated morbidity and mortality may exceed that of the AVM's natural history. Single center retrospective cohort study of 120 consecutive patients harboring intracranial AVM operated on between January 2010 and June 2023.

Heavy metals toxicity in plants: understanding mechanisms and developing coping strategies for remediation: a review.

Heavy metal (HM) contamination is an increasing environmental and agricultural concern due to the persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulative nature of metals such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As). These pollutants are primarily introduced through industrial effluents, mining, and agrochemicals, negatively impacting soil health, crop productivity, and food safety, ultimately posing serious risks to both ecosystems and human health. Conventional remediation methods can be costly, labor-intensive, and environmentally disruptive.

Exploring Body Image Satisfaction in Post-Mastectomy Female Breast Cancer Patients.

Objective: Mastectomy is a widely used surgical intervention for breast cancer in Pakistan, where late-stage diagnoses are common and breast-conserving options are often limited. While effective oncologically, mastectomy can significantly affect a woman's body image, emotional well-being, and social relationships. In Pakistan, sociocultural norms and limited reconstructive services further shape the post-mastectomy experience.

The Roles of Flavonoids and Other Plant-Based Phenolics in Mitigating Diabetes-Induced Macrovascular Complications.

Macrovascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) are diseases of the peripheral and coronary arteries and the cerebrovascular system. Despite the availability of several conventional antidiabetic drugs, the macrovascular complications associated with DM remain a major health burden, partly because the focus of diabetes management has been glucocentric. Interestingly, phytochemicals, particularly flavonoids and other phenolics, were highly promising in the treatment of diabetes-associated macrovascular complications.

The local application of a 1% simvastatin gel improves bone regeneration in osteoporotic mandibular defects: a rat model study.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of simvastatin in the bone formation of osteoporotic mandible in the rat model.

Methods And Materials: Eight Wistar male rats at the age of 6 months, with a weighted average of 250-300 grams, were purchased from the Atomic Energy Authority in Damascus (Syria). Osteoporosis was induced through bilateral orchiectomy, a procedure that involves the removal of the testes, under anesthesia with a combination of ketamine and xylazine.

Metabolite and Sensory Profiling of Microwave-Assisted and Ultrasonic-Assisted Alkalized Cocoa Powders.

Microwave (MA)- and ultrasonic-assisted (UA) alkalization were applied to cocoa powders for 5, 10, and 15 min to investigate their effects on metabolite composition, sensory profile, and consumer liking. Widely targeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed alkalization altered metabolite profiles: Natural cocoa powders contained more amino acids, sugars, and flavonoids, while alkalized samples had elevated organic acids. Compared to conventionally alkalized (CA) samples, only UA15 showed a significant increase in 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid.

Low Rates of Conversion to Total Elbow Arthroplasty and Olecranon Osteotomy-Related Complications Following Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Intraarticular Distal Humerus Fractures.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of conversion to total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with olecranon osteotomy for intraarticular distal humerus fractures.

Methods: This retrospective case series included adult patients who underwent ORIF with olecranon osteotomy for AO/OTA 13C distal humerus fractures between January 2010 and April 2024 at two academic level 1 trauma centers. The primary outcome was the rate of conversion to TEA.

Prevalence of African Horse Sickness Virus Antibodies in Horses and Selected Wildlife in Four Geographical Regions of Nigeria.

African horse sickness (AHS) is a severe, infectious arthropod-borne disease of equids caused by the AHS virus (AHSV). It is endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa, and several sporadic outbreaks of the disease have been reported in Nigeria in the past 5 decades. Following a recent outbreak of the disease in Lagos State, this study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of (AHSV) antibodies in apparently healthy horses and some selected wildlife sampled in four geographical regions of Nigeria.

Creating an atlas of variant effects to resolve variants of uncertain significance and guide cardiovascular medicine.

Cardiovascular diseases are leading global causes of death and disability, often presenting as interrelated phenotypes of atherosclerotic vascular disease, heart failure and arrhythmias. Cardiovascular diseases arise from interactions between environmental factors and predisposing genotypes and include common Mendelian lipid disorders, cardiomyopathies and arrhythmia syndromes. The identification of a pathogenic variant through genetic testing can inform disease diagnosis, risk prediction, treatment and family screening.

Femoral bowing in the coronal plane: A computed tomography analysis of 1313 femurs.

Introduction: Appreciation of femoral bowing in the sagittal plane has led to optimization of implant design and placement techniques. However, little is known about femoral bowing in the coronal plane. The objective of this study was to describe coronal bowing of the femur and how demographic characteristics were associated with bowing.

Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B dye over Ni-Cd doped and co-doped ZnO nanoparticles.

This study demonstrates the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of doped NiZnO and co-doped CdNiZnO NPs. Initially, ZnO NPs with a unique mesoporous ellipsoidal morphology were synthesized by simple precipitation and calcination. Powder X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of a hexagonal phase of the wurtzite structure.

End-of-Life Trajectories Among Hospitalized Muslim Patients: Evolving from Aggressive to Comfort-Focused Care Across ICU, Post-ICU, and Ward Settings.

BackgroundMuslim patients have historically received aggressive end-of-life care, though palliative acceptance is growing. The factors that influence ICU (aggressive) vs ward (comfort-focused) deaths remain unclear, limiting value-concordant care.PurposeTo examine end-of-life care patterns and predictors of ICU vs ward death among Muslim patients, to guide culturally sensitive care.

A Cost-Effective 3D-Printed Conductive Phantom for EEG Sensing System Validation: Development, Performance Evaluation, and Comparison with State-of-the-Art Technologies.

This paper presents the development and validation of a cost-effective 3D-printed conductive phantom for EEG sensing system validation that achieves 85% cost reduction (48.10 vs. 300-500) and 48-hour fabrication time while providing consistent electrical properties suitable for standardized electrode testing.

Neuroprotective Effect Against Ischemic Stroke of the Novel Functional Drink Containing Anthocyanin and Dietary Fiber Enriched-Functional Ingredient from the Mixture of Banana and Germinated Jasmine Rice.

Due to the stroke-protective effects of dietary fiber and anthocyanin together with the synergistic interaction, we hypothesized that the functional drink containing the anthocyanins and dietary fiber-enriched functional ingredient from banana and germinated black Jasmine rice (BR) should protect against ischemic stroke. BR at doses of 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg body weight (BW) was orally given to male Wistar rats weighing 290-350 g once daily for 21 days, and they were subjected to ischemic reperfusion injury induced by temporary occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO/IR) for 90 min. The treatment was prolonged for 21 days after MCAO/IR.

Effects of Superground Leaves on Growth Performance and Immune Function in New Zealand Rabbits.

The rabbit industry urgently needs natural alternatives to maintain gut health. This need is growing due to the higher incidence of intestinal problems in antibiotic-free production systems. (Brazilian ginseng) is a medicinal plant rich in bioactive compounds.

Tricuspid valve replacement outcomes by baseline tricuspid regurgitation severity: the TRISCEND II trial.

Background And Aims: The TRISCEND II trial demonstrated superior clinical benefits for patients with ≥severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) treated with the EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) system plus medical therapy versus medical therapy alone. This work reports 1-year and 18-month outcomes in patients stratified by baseline TR severity.

Methods: The multicentre, prospective TRISCEND II trial enrolled 400 patients with symptomatic, ≥severe TR and randomised 2:1 to TTVR (n=267) or control (n=133).

A Multilamellar, Thermoreversible, Phase-Selective Galactose-Triazole Organogelator: Role of Noncovalent Interactions and Porous Nanostructure in Environmental Remediation.

This article describes the design and synthesis of an efficient galactose-triazole-based reversed N-nucleoside as a thermoreversible, low molecular weight organogelator 8a. The gelator 8a shows a phase-selective behavior toward ethyl acetate with respect to water. Powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV results show that the xerogel has a multilamellar structure due to supramolecular forces identified as H-bonding, van der Waals interactions, and π-π stacking.

Vulnerability analysis and sustainable rehabilitation strategies for mangrove ecosystems in Bedono coastal area, Central Java.

Mangrove ecosystems in Bedono Village, Demak Regency, Central Java, are seriously degraded due to aggressive coastal abrasion, extreme soil salinity (45‰-80‰), and failure of previous rehabilitation programmes. This study aims to assess the level of vulnerability of mangrove habitat and formulate an integrated rehabilitation strategy that includes ecological and institutional aspects. Data were collected through tidal analysis, measurement of sediment texture and soil salinity, identification of plankton and macrobenthos diversity, and analysis of mangrove species community structure.

Safety and efficacy of index admission cholecystectomy in severity-stratified acute cholangitis hospitalizations.

Introduction: Cholecystectomy (CCY) is generally advocated for patients presenting with acute cholangitis (AC) to ensure definitive management and prevent recurrence. The optimal timing for cholecystectomy (CCY), however, remains to be determined. This study aims to comprehend the clinical outcomes and financial implications of performing a CCY during index admission.