Recent Publications

The remit of this review is confined to the experimental scientific works and surgeries based on the Integral Theory Paradigm (ITP). Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a major societal problem which is said to occur in up to 20% of women. The pathogenesis of CPP of "unknown origin" is said to be unknown and CPP is said to be incurable. According to the ITP, however, CPP is said to be mainly caused by the inability of loose or weak uterosacral ligaments (USLs) to mechanically support visceral nerve plexuses (VPs), T11-L2 and S2-4. 

A mother's milk is considered the gold standard of nutrition in neonates and is a source of cytokines, immunoglobulins, growth factors, and other important components, yet little is known about the components of canine milk, specifically colostrum, and the knowledge related to its microbial and metabolic profiles is particularly underwhelming. In this study, we characterized canine colostrum and milk microbiota and metabolome for several breeds of dogs and examined profile shifts as milk matures in the first 8 days post-whelping.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most widespread cancer among Palestinian patients. As cancer care improves in hospitals across the West Bank, services like palliative care, targeted therapy, bone marrow transplantation, and individualized therapy are still limited. This study aimed to assess the CRC stages, treatment protocols, and survival rates of patients in the West Bank.

At our center, natural home-like delivery settings have been established in or near conventional labor wards, for the care of pregnant women who prefer little or no medical intervention during labor and birth. We compared obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of women in active spontaneous labor, between those who chose to deliver in a natural-delivery setup and those who chose a conventional setting.

Regional odontodysplasia (ROD) is a rare developmental disorder characterized by hypo-mineralization and hypoplasia of enamel and dentin. Symptoms include poorly developed tooth buds, delayed eruption of permanent teeth in affected quadrants, and ghost teeth. The affected teeth often become necrotic, due to abnormal enamel and dentin development, making them susceptible to caries and infection. The aim of this case report is to describe the treatment of ROD through pulp revascularization.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) causes considerable morbidity, mortality, and economic cost. Advanced age, prolonged stay in healthcare facility, and exposure to antibiotics are leading risk factors for CDI. Data on CDI clinical outcomes in the very elderly patients are limited.

Provoked vulvodynia represents a challenging chronic pain condition, characterized by its multifactorial origins. The inherent complexities of human-based studies have necessitated the use of animal models to enrich our understanding of vulvodynia's pathophysiology. This review aims to provide an exhaustive examination of the various animal models employed in this research domain

α-Klotho protein has three isoforms: a transmembrane (mKL), a shed- soluble isoform, and a circulating soluble isoform (sKL). mKL is expressed in the kidney and placenta, while sKL is detectable in blood and urine. It is known that α-Klotho levels fluctuate during pregnancy mainly in women with complications such as preeclampsia (PE) and intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR).

(Shehada Sabren, Tadmor Hagar, Nardeen Khateeb, Farber Evgeny, Francis-Nakhle Yara, Youri Perlitz, Nakhoul Farid)

Neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) describes the cognitive, memory, and affective emotional burdens faced by many lupus patients. While NPSLE's pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, clinical imaging studies and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings, namely elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, point to ongoing neuroinflammation in affected patients. Not only linked to systemic autoimmunity, IL-6 can also activate neurotoxic glial cells the brain. A prior pre-clinical study demonstrated that IL-6 can acutely induce a loss of sucrose preference; the present study sought to assess the necessity of chronic IL-6 exposure in the NPSLE-like disease of MRL/lpr lupus mice.

Psilocybin, and its metabolite psilocin, induces psychedelic effects through activation of the 5-HT2A receptor. Psilocybin has been proposed as a treatment for depression and anxiety but sometimes induces anxiety in humans. An understanding of mechanisms underlying the anxiety response will help to better develop therapeutic prospects of psychedelics. In the current study, psilocybin induced an acute increase in anxiety in behavioral paradigms in mice.

The extremely obese patient deserves special consideration: significant comorbidities, technical difficulties, and increased postoperative morbidity and mortality are all expected in this patient population. The study compared early postoperative complications (≤30-day) following one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) morbidity in patients with morbid obesity class IV obesity, body mass index (BMI) ≥50-59.9 kg/m², and class V obesity, BMI ≥60 patients.

The 'diabetic bone paradox' suggested that type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients would have higher areal bone mineral density (BMD) but higher fracture risk than individuals without T2D. In this study, we found that the genetically predicted T2D was associated with higher BMD and lower risk of fracture in both weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) and two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses

Obesity is a significant public health problem. Prevalence is rising in children and young people, with lifelong health impacts and implications for paediatric clinical practice. Obesity stigma is increasingly acknowledged as a problem within health services. Health professionals can inadvertently contribute to this stigma, which is harmful and in itself can promote weight gain. A complex web of factors contributes to obesity, and a simplistic approach exclusively focused on personal responsibility, diet and exercise is unhelpful. A more nuanced, sensitive and informed approach is needed, with careful use of language and non-judgemental partnership working.

Examines the accuracy of sonographic fetal weight to predict birthweight in very preterm infants (<32 weeks), and to compare the accuracy of estimated fetal weight (EFW) between those small for gestational age (SGA) and those appropriate for gestational age (AGA).

Point-of-care ultrasound has become a universal practice, employed by physicians across various disciplines, contributing to diagnostic processes and decision-making. Aim: To assess the association of reduced (<50%) left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) based on prospective point-of-care ultrasound operated by medical students using an artificial intelligence (AI) tool and 1-year primary composite outcome, including mortality and readmission for cardiovascular-related causes.