7 research outputs found
The application of artificial intelligence in diabetic retinopathy screening: a Saudi Arabian perspective
IntroductionDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of preventable blindness in Saudi Arabia. With a prevalence of up to 40% of patients with diabetes, DR constitutes a significant public health burden on the country. Saudi Arabia has not yet established a national screening program for DR. Mounting evidence shows that Artificial intelligence (AI)-based DR screening programs are slowly becoming superior to traditional screening, with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating research into this topic as well as changing the outlook of the public toward it. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the perception and acceptance of AI in DR screening among eye care professionals in Saudi Arabia.MethodsA cross-sectional study using a self-administered online-based questionnaire was distributed by email through the registry of the Saudi Commission For Health Specialties (SCFHS). 309 ophthalmologists and physicians involved in diabetic eye care in Saudi Arabia participated in the study. Data analysis was done by SPSS, and a value of p < 0.05 was considered significant for statistical purposes.Results54% of participants rated their level of AI knowledge as above average and 63% believed that AI and telemedicine are interchangeable. 66% believed that AI would decrease the workforce of physicians. 79% expected clinical efficiency to increase with AI. Around 50% of participants expected AI to be implemented in the next 5âyears.DiscussionMost participants reported good knowledge about AI. Physicians with more clinical experience and those who used e-health apps in clinical practice regarded their AI knowledge as higher than their peers. Perceived knowledge was strongly related to acceptance of the benefits of AI-based DR screening. In general, there was a positive attitude toward AI-based DR screening. However, concerns related to the labor market and data confidentiality were evident. There should be further education and awareness about the topic
Expression of claudin-1 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCCs) and its significance
. Background. A large body of scientific
evidence points to the important roles of tight junction
proteins in tumor development, progression and
dissemination. The larynx has only a few studies,
analyzing the role of this group of junctional proteins in
its oncogenesis. In this study, the author sheds some
light on the expression and possible role of claudin-1 in
laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.
Materials and methods. This study analyzed the
expression of claudin-1, using immunohistochemistry, in
a tissue microarray of 80 cases of laryngeal squamous
cell cancers. Clinicopathological parameters were
analyzed according to claudin-1 expression in the tissue
microarray. Furthermore, the expression of slug/snail1,
an Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) linked
protein, was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in the
same microarray, and the expressions of the two proteins
were assessed for correlation.
Results. A significant majority of laryngeal
squamous cell cancers exhibited positive expression of
claudin-1 proteins. The majority of those tumors
expressed claudin-1 in their cytoplasm. The overall
majority of those same tumors also exhibited a
cytoplasmic shift of the slug-snail-1 protein from the
nuclei to the cytoplasm. There was also evidence of
correlation of the two proteins' expressions in the
cytoplasm of laryngeal tumors.
Conclusion. The above may suggest a role for
claudin-1 in the development and progression of laryngeal
squamous cell carcinoma. Overall, claudin-1's aberrant
expression in laryngeal cancer is in line with evidence
seen in other head and neck cancers. Its co-expression
with slug/snail-1 in LSCC patients should be investigated
further to understand the nature of the relationship of the
two proteins in LSCC and their possible contribution to its
development and progression
Filamin-A expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical significance
Background. Laryngeal squamous cell
carcinomas (LSCCs) are tumours with a high incidence
of treatment failure and recurrence. Recent strategies to
improve the five-year survival rate and to decrease the
rates of recurrence and metastases did not improve
outcomes significantly. Research efforts in recent years
have started focusing on discovering biomarkers of
prognosis and management in LSCCs. Filamin-A
reportedly has been associated with metastatic disease in
a recent study. Analysis of this proteinâs expression in
LSCCs is lacking in the literature.
Materials and Methods. This study analysed the
expression of filamin-A, using immunohistochemistry,
in a tissue microarray of 80 cases of laryngeal squamous
cell cancers. Clinical-pathological parameters were
analysed according to filamin-A expression in the tissue
microarray. Furthermore, a review of possible
mechanisms of this protein in cancer, in general, was
presented, along with a review of the proteinâs
expression in other head and neck tumours.
Results. A significant majority of laryngeal
squamous cell cancers exhibited positive expression of
filamin-A protein. All the filamin-A positive tumours
expressed it in their cytoplasm. Significant correlation
between filamin-A expression and grade, stage, lymph
node status and metastases were found.
Conclusion. The above may suggest an important
role for filamin-A in LSCCs. Overall, filamin-A
expression in laryngeal cancer is in line with evidence
seen in other head and neck cancers. Further studies are
in order to pinpoint the exact role of this protein in
LSCCs, and its possible utilization in the management of
these difficult-to-treat tumours
Claudin-1 role in colon cancer: An update and a review
Tight junction proteins are essential for
sealing the cellular sheets and controlling para-cellular
ion flux. Our understanding of the role that tight junction
proteins, particularly claudins, play in cellular functions
and pathologic conditions is continuously expanding.
Particularly, the role of claudin-1 in oncogenesis in
multiple locations in the human body is coming to light.
This review will shed light on the role of claudin-1 in
colon cancer. It will address the mechanisms through
which claudin-1 becomes dysregulated in colon cancer.
This will provide a platform to address results of
claudin-1 expression in the third most common
malignant tumour worldwide. Furthermore, it will
provide updates about possible use of this biomarker in
the surveillance of difficult colon maladies, such as
inflammatory bowel disease. The use of claudin-1 as a
biomarker of diagnostic and prognostic values will
provide Medicine with much needed ammunition in the
fight against cancer and will bring about, with added
refinements, a new chapter in the era of personalized
medicine to tackle this disease and match its destructive
course with equally powerful and specifically targeted
therapies
Claudins in human cancer, A review
Claudins are tight junction proteins that are
critical for the sealing of cellular sheets and controlling
paracellular ion flux. The claudin family of proteins is
composed of at least 24 closely related transmembrane
proteins, most of them are well characterized at the gene
and protein levels. The claudins are present in variety of
normal tissues, hyperplastic conditions, benign
neoplasms, and cancers that exhibit epithelial
differentiation. Loss of claudins expression has also been
reported in several malignancies as well. Differential
expression of various members of the claudins family in
cancers can be used in confirming the histologic identity
of certain cancers and excluding others. Examples
include the use of immunohistochemical detection of
claudins to differentiate between oncocytoma and
chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, endometrial
endometrioid carcinoma and seropapillary carcinoma,
mesothelioma and metastatic adenocarcinoma,
hepatocellular and biliary tract carcinomas, and between
intestinal-type and diffuse-type gastric carcinoma.
Expression of certain claudins can also be used as
markers that can predict patientâs prognosis. Thus, it
seems that attempts to identify expression claudins in
cancers are becoming increasingly useful in histologic
diagnosis of tumors as well as means to assess patientâs
prognosis