A novel gelation method of food biomacromolecule protein induced by high-intensity ultrasound directly.

High-intensity ultrasound (HIU) has been widely used to improve the protein gel property. However, the direct induction of food biomacromolecule protein gelation by HIU replacing traditional heat-induced gel still remains unknown. This study developed a novel HIU (20 kHz, 400 W, 4-10 min) gelation method to induce food biomacromolecule protein gels directly.

Thoracic Adipose Volume is Associated with Occult Nodal Disease and Disease-Free Survival in Females with Clinically Node-Negative Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: In non-small cell lung cancer, reduced adipose cross-sectional area at the L3 vertebral level is associated with worse survival, however its association with occult nodal disease (OND) in patients with clinically node negative (cN0) non-small cell lung cancer remains unknown.

Methods: Patients who underwent lung resection with guideline-concordant nodal staging between 2010-2021 were identified from an institutional database. Occult nodal disease was defined as patients who were cN0 and pathologically node-positive (pN+).

Association Between Surgical Start Time and Major Morbidity or Mortality After Pulmonary Resection.

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the association between the operative start time of pulmonary resections and the incidence of major morbidity or mortality after resection.

Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was queried for patients who underwent lobar or sublobar pulmonary resections for non-small cell lung cancer between 2015 and 2023. Exclusion criteria included missing data on 30-day mortality, sex, and tumor staging, emergent cases, multiple primary procedures, and an American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥IV or Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of ≥4.

Association Between Social Vulnerability Index and Time to Treatment in Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Social determinants of health, including race, education, and insurance status, have been linked to delays in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, although quantification has been challenging. This study investigated whether the social vulnerability index (SVI), a quantitative measure of social determinants of health, is associated with time to treatment.

Methods: Patients with surgically resected NSCLC at a single institution from 2010 to 2021 were identified.

Difficult Decisions in the Multidisciplinary Treatment of Resectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

The management of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has evolved dramatically over the past three decades. Once limited to surgery, treatment strategies now include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapies. Despite advances in clinical trials and updated guidelines, several gray areas persist in practice.

Social Vulnerability Index Is Associated With Major Morbidity After Lung Resection.

Background: Little is known about the prognostic impact of the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection.

Methods: Patients who underwent lung resection for stage IA-IIB NSCLC at a single institution between 2010 and 2021 were included in the study. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons definition of major morbidity, consisting of 14 postoperative events, was used.

Effects of modified KGM on the gelling capability of fish protein: Novel insights into hooking effect.

This study investigated the effects of modified Konjac-Gluco-Mannan (KGM) on the gelling capability of fish protein through experimental and dynamic simulation methods. The addition of deacetylated KGM (DKGM) and carboxymethylated KGM (CKGM) significantly increased the gel strength of myosin gel by 0.69 times and 0.

Postoperative Sarcopenia and Association with Recurrence in Resected Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Cancer.

Background: We hypothesize that reduction in skeletal muscle volume between the time of surgery and the first postoperative surveillance CT scan is associated with recurrence in resected patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Study Design: Patients who underwent lung resection for pT1-2aN0 NSCLC between 2010 and 2021 were identified. Exclusion criteria included neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy, missing CT scan data, and steroid use.

Gender inequality in healthcare leadership: the challenges women face in breaking through the glass ceiling.

Background: Women comprise more than two-thirds of the academic medicine faculty and half of the general population in Pakistan, yet their representation in healthcare leadership roles remains disproportionately low.

Aim: The study aims to explore the experiences of Pakistani women in healthcare leadership positions to unravel the challenges they face in acquiring and sustaining leadership positions and to identify the factors that help them overcome these challenges.

Methods: An exploratory qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews was conducted.

Increased Systemic Immune-Inflammatory Index and Association with Occult Nodal Disease in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: It has been proposed that more aggressive tumors trigger a stronger inflammatory response than less aggressive types. We hypothesize that systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) is associated with occult nodal disease (OND) in clinically node-negative patients undergoing lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Study Design: The study included patients who underwent lung resection with nodal dissection, according to current guidelines, at a single center between 2010 and 2021 for NSCLC.

Minimally invasive vs. conventional mitral valve surgery: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Objective: The evidence underlying the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) is inconclusive. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate whether MIMVS improves clinical outcomes compared with conventional sternotomy.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.

AI4Work Project: Human-Centric Digital Twin Approaches to Trustworthy AI and Robotics for Improved Working Conditions in Healthcare and Education Sectors.

AI and robotics aim to transform workplace landscapes in a several sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, construction, agriculture, and education. Central to this evolution is the innovative use of Digital Twin technology, which creates real-time updated virtual replicas of physical systems and entities. This technology is especially transformative in healthcare and education, promising customized and efficient experiences for all involved.

Minimally Invasive Pneumonectomy vs Open Pneumonectomy: Outcomes and Predictors of Conversion.

Background: In the modern era, whether minimally invasive pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) provides a survival advantage over open pneumonectomy is unknown.

Methods: Patients who underwent pneumonectomy for NSCLC between 2015 and 2020 were queried from the National Cancer Database. Surgical approach was categorized as robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS), video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), or open pneumonectomy on an intention-to-treat basis.

Women are Underrepresented in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To perform a systematic review of clinical trials examining non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to better understand the equity afforded to women in the study of lung cancer.

Methods: An electronic search was conducted for all NSCLC clinical trials published between 2010 and 2020 with included words "carcinoma, non-small cell, lung" and "non-small cell lung cancer." Studies from PubMed, Cochrane, and SCOPUS were included and were uploaded into Covidence to assist with systematic review.

Deciphering the role of wound healing genes in skin cutaneous melanoma: Insights into expression, methylation, mutations, and therapeutic implications.

Skin Cutaneous Melanoma (SKCM) is a form of cancer that originates in the pigment-producing cells, known as melanocytes, of the skin. Delay wound healing is often correlated with the occurrence of and progression of SKCM. In this comprehensive study, we investigated the intricate roles of two important wound healing genes in SKCM, including Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9).

Pericardioesophageal fistulae after left atrial ablation: a case series.

Pericardioesophageal fistula is an uncommon, yet serious complication that can occur after left atrial ablation for cardiac arrhythmias. Timing of this complication is variable; however, it has been reported to occur from a week to over a month post-ablation. The incidence of this complication after ablation is <0.

A Serendipitous Outcome of COVID-19: Modifications to ICU Management.

Nosocomial infections are common in intensive care units (ICUs) and often cause increased morbidity and mortality rates in ICU patients. With the emergence of the highly infectious COVID-19, the high prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in ICU has caused much more concern because patients admitted to the ICU have a more severe and prolonged form of the disease. These patients are more likely to develop HAIs than non-ICU patients.

Microlearning Environment of Orthodontic Postgraduate Training Programmes in Pakistan: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: To explore the perception of residents regarding the microlearning environment of orthodontic postgraduate training programmes across Pakistan.

Study Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional, multicentre study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Orthodontics, Dental College, HITEC Institute of Medical Sciences, Taxila, from February to July 2022.

Perioperative prophylactic corticosteroids for cardiac surgery in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Perioperative corticosteroids have been used for pediatric cardiac surgery for decades, but the underlying evidence is conflicting. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of perioperative prophylactic corticosteroids in pediatric heart surgeries.

Methods: We searched electronic databases until March 2023 to retrieve all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that administered perioperative prophylactic corticosteroids to children undergoing heart surgery.