Background Social media is one of the most rapid and impactful ways of obtaining and delivering information in the modern era. Objective The aim of this study was to rapidly obtain information on public perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors related to COVID-19 in order to identify deficiencies in key areas of public education. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, a survey web link was posted on the social media and messaging platforms Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp by the study investigators. Participants, aged ≥18 years, filled out the survey on a voluntary basis. The main outcomes measured were knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, protective measures against COVID-19, and source(s) of information about COVID-19. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine the effects of age, gender, underlying illness, and working or studying in the health care industry on the perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19 and getting vaccinated. Results A total of 5677 subjects completed the survey over the course of 1 week. “Fever or chills” (n=4973, 87.6%) and “shortness of breath” (n=4695, 82.7%) were identified as the main symptoms of COVID-19. Washing and sanitizing hands (n=4990, 87.9%) and avoiding public places and crowds (n=4865, 85.7%) were identified as the protective measures most frequently used against COVID-19. Social media was the most utilized source for information on the disease (n=4740, 83.5%), followed by the World Health Organization (n=2844, 50.1%). Subgroup analysis revealed that younger subjects (<35 years), males, and those working or studying in health care reported a higher perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19, whereas older subjects, females, and those working or studying in non–health care areas reported a lower perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19. Similar trends were observed for vaccination against COVID-19, with older subjects, females, and those working or studying in non–health care sectors reporting a lower likelihood of vaccinating against COVID-19. Conclusions Our results are indicative of a relatively well-informed cohort implementing appropriate protective measures. However, key knowledge deficiencies exist with regards to vaccination against COVID-19, which future efforts should aim at correcting.

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Naltrexone-bupropion is a recently approved drug combination for chronic weight management. In this article, we discuss the rationale for its use as a combination followed by a comprehensive review of safety and efficacy data from major preclinical, phase II and III clinical trials.

Objectives Autologous islet transplantation (AIT) is performed to preserve insulin secretory function in chronic pancreatitis patients undergoing total pancreatectomy (TP). No data exist on the effect of time lapse on beta cell function post TP-AIT. We aimed to investigate the factor of time lapse on beta cell function following TP-AIT. Methods Retrospectively, we identified 31 adult patients with chronic pancreatitis who underwent TP-AIT between 2008 and 2016. Changes in beta cell function were assessed using (1) BETA-2 scores and (2) analysis of posttransplant mixed-meal tolerance testing. Results Significant decrease in functional beta cell capacity expressed by BETA-2 scores was seen in the first 2 years following TP-AIT, with an annual decrease of 6.3 points in median BETA-2 score (interquartile range, 4.6–11.6; P = 0.002). In the mixed-meal tolerance testing analysis, nonsignificant trends toward higher glucose, lower insulin, and lower C-peptide were seen with time lapse. Additionally, higher hemoglobin A1c values (P = 0.033) and higher insulin requirements (P = 0.04) were seen with longer follow-up after AIT. Conclusions A steady drop in functional beta cell capacity was observed in the 2 years following TP and AIT. To our knowledge, to date this is the first report of the BETA-2 score applicability in the AIT setting.

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Review Article introduCtionRamadan fasting (RF) observed by adult Muslims entails abstinence from food, water, all oral substances, intravenous fluid therapy, and smoking between dawn and sunset during the 9 th month of the Muslims' lunar calendar. [1] Ramadan's impact on health and disease stems from the biological effects of prolonged fasting during the daytime and possible overfeeding at night and its various social changes. The last three decades witnessed a rising interest in the research on RF in health and disease. [2] Diabetes has been the most extensively studied single medical condition in connection with RF. [3] Despite the increase in volume of the literature, concern has been voiced regarding the quality of publications on the subject. [4,5] The literature on health aspects of Ramadan fasting (RF) is widely spread in many journals, making it not readily accessible to those interested in the subject. We therefore aimed to provide a thematic overview of the global research work conducted in the realm of RF during 2020 on the impact of RF in people with diabetes. We aimed to provide a concise bird's eye view of the literature published in a year and to identify the basis of evidence that may guide clinical practices for the years to come. matErials and mEthodsThis is a narrative, nonsystematic review of the literature retrieved from one online database over a full calendar year (2020). The PubMed search engine of the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine was used. The search term ("Ramadan Fasting" OR "Fast of Ramadan") AND diabetes, with time filters from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, was used to identify the relevant records. Retrieved articles were examined forThe literature on health aspects of Ramadan fasting (RF) is widely spread in many journals, making it not readily accessible to those interested in the subject. We aimed to provide a narrative overview of the global literature production in 1 year (2020) on diabetes and RF. This was a narrative, nonsystematic review of the international literature from a single major medical online database (i.e., PubMed) during the year 2020. The search term "Ramadan fasting AND Diabetes" was used, and the relevant literature was narrated in a concise thematic account. The publications spanned a vast array of topics related to RF, including assessments of safety and efficacy profiles of older and newer diabetes therapies, modes of insulin delivery, evaluating the role of utilizing advanced technology for the treatment, and monitoring of blood glucose during RF. Increased interest was evident in capturing patients' perspectives and healthcare professionals' perceptions, attitudes, and practices during Ramadan. Fasting by high-risk groups was studied. Not surprisingly, some reports covered COVID-19 and Ramadan and the role of telemedicine in ramadan. The current literature review presents this year's research data on the safety of fasting practices, care models, and patients' experiences and perspectives....

Dermoid cysts account for only a small fraction of intracranial masses, with extradural dermoid cysts being considered a much rarer entity than those located intradurally. Intracranial dermoid cysts vary in clinical presentations: some maybe asymptomatic whilst others harbor features of raised intracranial pressure, neurological deficits, or even aseptic meningitis. Dermoid cysts may also present with cutaneous lesions. Herein, we report a rare case of a 1-year-old female presenting with a midline, scalp abscess. Brain MRI revealed an intracranial, extradural tumor, with features suggestive of a dermoid cyst, unusually located in the crista galli, and complicated by the formation of two cutaneous sinus tracts. After identification and characterization by MRI, bitemporal craniotomy was performed with complete excision of the mass and sinus tracts. Histological analysis confirmed dermoid cyst as the final diagnosis. Postoperatively, the patient recovered fully and had no evidence of recurrence in subsequent visits. The case mentioned above highlights the rarity of such a presentation for an intracranial extradural dermoid cyst and the vitality of early imaging for midline cutaneous lesions for identification of intracranial extensions and avoidance of detrimental consequences.