Introduction: Once the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, the world was waiting for the clue that would be able to cut down the progression of the disease. Vaccines play a crucial role in reducing the disease and saving many people worldwide. However, there are several side effects of these vaccines, like pain, fatigue, fever, and neurological defects like Bell’s palsy. In this systematic review, we presented evidence about the occurrence of Bell’s palsy followed by COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: We searched PubMed, SCOPUS, EBSCO, and Web of Science (WOS) from inception till October 2022. The quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute, National Institute of Health, and Newcastle-Ottawa. The analysis was conducted on SPSS. Results: Thirty-five records were involved in our study. The results of our cases revealed that most of the patients (62.8%) experienced unilateral facial paralysis. Also, the majority of the cases were reported after the first dose, and most cases were after Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sputnik V vaccines, respectively. The patients who were treated with corticosteroids, IVIG, and anti-viral drugs, showed marked recovery afterward. Conclusion: The rate ratio of Bell’s palsy after COVID-19 vaccination was 25.3 per 1,000,000. The ratio was higher after the first dose compared to the second dose and was higher among those who took Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine compared to other vaccines. However, this condition was reported in a small number of cases among a large number of vaccinated people worldwide. It is important to note that the benefits of getting vaccinated far outweigh any potential risks.

A new breakthrough development in cancer treatment is chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy. In this review, we focussed on its efficacy & safety in prostate cancer, obstacles impeding its...

Background Sarcopenia is an age-related condition marked by muscle loss and weakened muscular strength. It is a new predictor of poor clinical outcomes in several illnesses. The association between sarcopenia and poor outcomes in Crohn’s disease is still debated. Our main objective is to evaluate the impact of sarcopenia vs non-sarcopenia on the development of adverse outcomes in patients with Crohn’s disease. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing observational studies, which were retrieved by systematically searching PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Cochrane until October 1, 2024. The odd ratio (OR) for dichotomous outcomes with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was used. Results There were fourteen studies with a total of 2334 patients. The sarcopenia group was associated with a higher risk of hospitalization (OR, 1.87 with 95% CI [1.19–2.93], P = 0.006) and developing abscess (OR, 5.03 with 95% CI [2.05–12.38], P = 0.0004). However, there was no statistically significant difference between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups, regarding the need for surgery (OR, 1.12 with 95% CI [0.5–2.5], P = 0.79), loss of biological response (OR, 1.11 with 95% CI [0.34–3.66], P = 0.86), need for biological therapy (OR, 0.77 with 95% CI [0.43–1.36], P = 0.36), and surgical site leak (OR, 2.01 with 95% CI [0.66–6.18], P = 0.22). Conclusion Our study showed that sarcopenia is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and abscess formation in patients with Crohn’s. However, sarcopenia does not significantly affect the need for surgery, loss of biological response, need for biological therapy, or the occurrence of surgical site leaks. Further studies are required to explore the mechanisms underlying these associations.

The delayed presentation of cancer patients to healthcare facilities for diagnosis is a pressing issue, as late-stage cancer cases are often more challenging to treat effectively. In low-resource settings, such as those with limited access to healthcare facilities, the impact of inadequate awareness of cancer signs and symptoms can be particularly severe. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate public knowledge of cancer signs and symptoms and risk factors in the context of Jordan. This cross-sectional study was conducted among participants from all settings. Data was obtained from an Arabic version of the cancer awareness measure (CAM), which was answered online. It described demographic data and knowledge of cancer prevalence, age-related risk, signs, symptoms, and risk factors in recall and recognition-type questions. Participants (n = 1998) completed the questionnaire with a Median age of 35 and an interquartile range of 24. About half (n = 1070) thought that cancer is unrelated to age. Most participants identified breast cancer as the most common cancer among women (81%). Awareness of cancer signs/symptoms significantly differed in the level of knowledge in favor of females. The symptom “unexplained weight loss” was most commonly recognized (66.3%) and “persistent difficulty swallowing” the least (42.6%). As for risk factors, “smoking” was the most identified (76.9%) and “eating less than 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day” was the least (19%), and “doing <30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 times a week” as a close second least (19.95%). Females identified “smoking,” “passive smoking,” “HPV infection,” and “having a close relative with cancer” as risk factors significantly more than males. Those with good economic status were more aware that smoking is a cancer risk factor by 1.51 times compared to those with poor economic status. To enhance early diagnosis and presentation in Jordan, there is a need for increased public awareness of the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of cancer. One effective strategy to achieve this goal is to conduct targeted public campaigns that cater to different population groups, such as the youth, to improve their understanding and ensure that the message resonates.

Long non-coding RNAs (IncRNAs) are regulatory RNA transcripts that have recently been associated with the onset of many neurodegenerative illnesses, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several IncRNAs have been found to be associated with AD pathophysiology, each with a distinct mechanism. In this review, we focused on the role of IncRNAs in the pathogenesis of AD and their potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Searching for relevant articles was done using the PubMed and Cochrane library databases. Studies had to be published in full text in English in order to be considered. Some IncRNAs were found to be upregulated, while others were downregulated. Dysregulation of IncRNAs expression may contribute to AD pathogenesis. Their effects manifest as the synthesis of beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques increases, thereby altering neuronal plasticity, inducing inflammation, and promoting apoptosis. Despite the need for more investigations, IncRNAs could potentially increase the sensitivity of early detection of AD. Until now, there has been no effective treatment for AD. Hence, InRNAs are promising molecules and may serve as potential therapeutic targets. Although several dysregulated AD-associated lncRNAs have been discovered, the functional characterization of most lncRNAs is still lacking.