Category: Nevin Manimala

Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2021 Oct 13. doi: 10.1080/14737140.2021.1991317. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

IntroductionFor the clinical treatment of cancer patients, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) can cause serious immune-related problems. Cancer patients, who experience immunosuppression due to the pathogenesis and severity of disease, may become more aggressive due to multiple factors such as age, comorbidities, and immunosuppression. In this pandemic era, COVID-19 causes lymphopenia, cancer cell awakening, inflammatory diseases, and a cytokine storm that worsens disease-related morbidity and prognosis.Areas coveredWe discuss all the risk factors of COVID-19 associated with cancer patients and propose new strategies to use antiviral and anticancer drugs for therapeutic purposes. We bring new drugs, cancers and COVID-19 treatment strategies together to address the immune system challenges face by oncologists.Expert opinionThe chronic inflammatory microenvironment caused by COVID-19 awakens dormant cancer cells through inflammation and autoimmune activation. Drug-related strategies to ensure that clinical treatment can reduce the susceptibility of cancer patients to COVID-19, and possible counter-measures to minimize the harm caused by the COVID-19 have been outlined. The response to the pandemic and recovery has been elaborated which can provide information for long-term cancer treatment and speed up the optimization process.

PMID:34643141 | DOI:10.1080/14737140.2021.1991317

Pediatr Int. 2021 Oct 13. doi: 10.1111/ped.15024. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Many articles recommend early surgery for ovarian hernia to avoid the risk of ovarian torsion. However, while ovarian hernia is known to undergo spontaneous reduction (SR) in early infancy, few reports have described the timing of SR. We therefore investigated the clinical features of SR for ovarian hernia in early infancy.

METHODS: Between 2008 and 2018, a total of 610 girls were diagnosed with inguinal hernia. We focused on infants who had an ovarian hernia onset within three months of age. We retrospectively reviewed the age at the onset of hernia and age at SR. The data were compared statistically using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS: Sixty-one infants with inguinal hernia were included in this study. Thirty-nine patients (64%) had ovarian hernia. The mean age at the onset of hernia was 44 ±17 days of age. Thirty cases underwent SR (77%). A Kaplan Mayer analysis showed that 75% of ovarian hernias underwent SR by 6 months of age. There were no cases of ovarian torsion.

CONCLUSIONS: Since most cases of ovarian hernia underwent SR, patients with ovarian hernia in early infancy might be treated by elective surgery after six months of age.

PMID:34643013 | DOI:10.1111/ped.15024

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 12;11(1):20252. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99455-x.

ABSTRACT

The transverse momentum spectra of light nuclei (deuteron, triton and helion) produced in various centrality intervals in Gold-Gold (Au-Au), Lead-Lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-Lead (p-Pb) collisions, as well as in inelastic (INEL) proton-proton (p-p) collisions are analyzed by the blast wave model with Boltzmann Gibbs statistics. The model results are nearly in agreement with the experimental data measured by STAR and ALICE Collaborations in special transverse momentum ranges. We extracted the bulk properties in terms of kinetic freezeout temperature, transverse flow velocity and freezeout volume. It is observed that deuteron and anti-deuteron freezeout later than triton and helion as well as their anti-particles due to its smaller mass, while helion and triton, and anti-helion and anti-triton freezeout at the same time due to isospin symmetry at higher energies. It is also observed that light nuclei freezeout earlier than their anti-nuclei due to the large coalescence of nucleons for light nuclei compared to their anti-nuclei. The kinetic freezeout temperature, transverse flow velocity and kinetic freezeout volume decrease from central to peripheral collisions. Furthermore, the transverse flow velocity depends on mass of the particle which decreases with increasing the mass of the particle.

PMID:34642381 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-99455-x

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 12;11(1):20202. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99766-z.

ABSTRACT

This study uses protection motivation theory (PMT) to examine the quitting intentions and behaviours of smokers who have varying levels of nicotine dependence. Our goals are to identify the psychological factors that influence smoking cessation and to provide valuable evidence to promote theory-guided interventions. This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted from July to August 2020. Participants were randomly selected on the streets of 26 provinces on mainland China. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews. Our analysis was conducted in three steps. First, we employed descriptive statistics to present the overall characteristics of our sample. Second, we analysed the association between PMT constructs and quitting intentions stratified by nicotine dependence. Third, we tested how quitting intentions were associated with quitting behaviours in each subgroup using logistic regression models. For intention, almost all the PMT constructs were significantly associated with quitting intention in the low-dependence group. For the moderate- and high-dependence groups, only perceived vulnerability (coefficient = 0.35, P = 0.04) was positively associated with quitting intention. For behaviour, we found a stronger association between quitting intention and behaviour in the low-dependence group (Coef. = 1.67, P = 0.00) than for the other groups. We found a significant association between e-cigarette use and quitting behaviour only in the low-dependence group (Coef. = 1.34, P = 0.00). Coefficients for the moderate- and high-dependence groups were not statistically significant. Smokers at various levels of nicotine dependence have different psychological factors that influence their intentions to stop smoking. Quitting intention was more significantly associated with quitting behaviour for the low nicotine-dependence group than for the other groups. More convincing research is necessary to determine how e-cigarette use affects quitting behaviour in the long term.

PMID:34642382 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-99766-z

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 12;11(1):20235. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99477-5.

ABSTRACT

In these last 25 years, the Neonatal Emergency Transport (NET) service has been widely improved in Italy. To date, all National areas are covered by a NET service; 53 NET centers have been activated in all the Italian territory. Herein, the authors present an observational study to evaluate the rate of infantile mortality after introduction of NET in Sicily, and to study the efficiency of this service in reducing these rates of mortality in vulnerable neonates, transported from primary care birth centers to tertiary facilities to undergo to specialized NICU assistance. All neonates who required an emergency transport by NETS were included. No exclusions criteria were applied. Demographic and regional infantile mortality data, expressed as infant mortality rate, were selected by the official government database (ISTAT- National Statistic Institute- http://www.istat.it ). All data were respectively divided into three groups: data concerning transport, clinical condition, and mortality of the transported patients. We transported by NET 325 neonates. The analysis of the infant mortality rate (per 1.000 live births) in Catania from 2016 to 2018 was reduced compared to the same rate calculated before NETS activation (4.41 index before 2016 vs 4.17 index after 2016). These data showed an increase in other provinces (Enna, Caltanissetta, and Agrigento). 61% of neonates showed a respiratory disease. During the study period the proportion of neonates with a Mortality Index for Neonatal Transportation-MINT < 6 has been reduced, while there was an increase of neonates with higher Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability-TRIPS score results. The slight decrease of infantile mortality in Catania during the first three years after introduction of NET follows the same trend of all Italian territories, showing the importance of this service in reducing infantile mortality.

PMID:34642378 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-99477-5

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 12;11(1):20249. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-98811-1.

ABSTRACT

Few biodiversity indicators are available that reflect the state of broad-sense biodiversity-rather than of particular taxa-at fine spatial and temporal resolution. One such indicator, the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII), estimates how the average abundance of the native terrestrial species in a region compares with their abundances in the absence of pronounced human impacts. We produced annual maps of modelled BII at 30-arc-second resolution (roughly 1 km at the equator) across tropical and subtropical forested biomes, by combining annual data on land use, human population density and road networks, and statistical models of how these variables affect overall abundance and compositional similarity of plants, fungi, invertebrates and vertebrates. Across tropical and subtropical biomes, BII fell by an average of 1.9 percentage points between 2001 and 2012, with 81 countries seeing an average reduction and 43 an average increase; the extent of primary forest fell by 3.9% over the same period. We did not find strong relationships between changes in BII and countries’ rates of economic growth over the same period; however, limitations in mapping BII in plantation forests may hinder our ability to identify these relationships. This is the first time temporal change in BII has been estimated across such a large region.

PMID:34642362 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-98811-1

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 12;11(1):20264. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99563-8.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the role of cesarean section (CS) in mortality and morbidity of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) weighing less than 1500 g. This nationwide prospective cohort study of the Korean Neonatal Network consisted of 9,286 VLBWIs at 23-34 gestational weeks (GW) of age between 2013 and 2017. The VLBWIs were stratified into 23-24, 25-26, 27-28 and 29-34 GW, and the mortality and morbidity were compared according to the mode of delivery. The total CS rate was 78%, and was directly proportional to gestational age. The CS rate was the lowest at 61% in case of infants born at 23-24 GW and the highest at 84% in VLBWIs delivered at 29-34 GW. Contrary to the significantly lower total mortality (12%) and morbidities including sepsis (21%) associated with CS than vaginal delivery (VD) (16% and 24%, respectively), the mortality in the 25-26 GW (26%) and sepsis in the 27-28 GW (25%) and 29-34 GW (12%) groups were significantly higher in CS than in VD (21%, 20% and 8%, respectively). In multivariate analyses, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for mortality (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.89-1.25) and morbidity including sepsis (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.98-1.27) were not significantly reduced with CS compared with VD. The adjusted ORs for respiratory distress syndrome (1.89, 95% CI 1.59-2.23) and symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (1.21, 95% CI 1.08-1.37) were significantly increased with CS than VD. In summary, CS was not associated with any survival or morbidity advantage in VLBWIs. These findings indicate that routine CS in VLBWIs without obstetric indications is contraindicated.

PMID:34642372 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-99563-8

NPJ Breast Cancer. 2021 Oct 12;7(1):136. doi: 10.1038/s41523-021-00345-2.

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer is heterogeneous in prognoses and drug responses. To organize breast cancers by gene expression independent of statistical methodology, we identified the Breast Cancer Consensus Subtypes (BCCS) as the consensus groupings of six different subtyping methods. Our classification software identified seven BCCS subtypes in a study cohort of publicly available data (n = 5950) including METABRIC, TCGA-BRCA, and data assayed by Affymetrix arrays. All samples were fresh-frozen from primary tumors. The estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BCCS subtypes were: PCS1 (18%) good prognosis, stromal infiltration; PCS2 (15%) poor prognosis, highly proliferative; PCS3 (13%) poor prognosis, highly proliferative, activated IFN-gamma signaling, cytotoxic lymphocyte infiltration, high tumor mutation burden; PCS4 (18%) good prognosis, hormone response genes highly expressed. The ER- BCCS subtypes were: NCS1 (11%) basal; NCS2 (10%) elevated androgen response; NCS3 (5%) cytotoxic lymphocyte infiltration; unclassified tumors (9%). HER2+ tumors were heterogeneous with respect to BCCS.

PMID:34642313 | DOI:10.1038/s41523-021-00345-2

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 12;11(1):20242. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-98517-4.

ABSTRACT

Dravet syndrome (DS) is an uncommon epilepsy syndrome that may negatively affect the patients and their caregivers. However, reliable and valid measures of its impact on caregivers and the characteristics of patients with DS in Taiwan are lacking. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of patients with DS and concerns of their caregivers and establish a baseline frequency of disease characteristics using a cross-sectional survey in Taiwan. We assessed the caregivers of patients with DS using an online anonymous questionnaire. The seizure frequency decreased with age, although lacking statistical significance. Vaccines show no influence on the condition of patients with DS. Our findings revealed the highest impact on the domains affecting the caregivers’ daily life, including additional household tasks, symptom observation, further medical plan, and financial issues. Caregivers also expressed concerns regarding the lack of independence/constant care, seizure control, speech/communication, and impacts on siblings because of long-term care of the patients in parents’ absence. Our findings highlight the significant effects of caring for a child with DS on the lives of their caregivers in Taiwan; these findings will help raise awareness regarding the needs of these families. Furthermore, we discussed the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of associated comorbidities.

PMID:34642351 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-98517-4

J Physiol Pharmacol. 2021 Apr;72(2). doi: 10.26402/jpp.2021.2.13. Epub 2021 Jul 10.

ABSTRACT

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channels (KATP) link cellular metabolic state and electrical activity of cardiomyocytes. Pharmacological studies indicated the involvement of KATP in pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy, but the alteration of pore-forming subunits, Kir6.1 and Kir6.2, at membranes and subcellular fractions is unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in the distribution and levels of Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 in rat cardiomyocytes responding to chronic pressure overload. Male Wistar rats were separated into a sham-operated group (sham) and a pressure overload or transverse aortic constriction (TAC) group. Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac structure and functions at the 4^th month after operation. Ventricular cardiomyocytes in both groups were isolated and then subjected to extract protein into cytoplasm, organelle membrane, and plasma membrane fractions. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry techniques were performed to detect and measure Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 protein levels. Echocardiographic parameters showed left ventricular hypertrophy with hypercontractility in TAC rats. The immunoblotting showed the presence of Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 at plasma membranes and only Kir6.1 at organelle membranes. Significantly, Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 levels were decreased in the plasma membrane fraction of the TAC group (n = 8 and 6 for Kir6.1 and Kir6.2, respectively), whereas Kir6.1 in the organelle membrane fraction tended to be higher in TAC but did not reach statistical significance (n = 7). These results seemed to relate to a left ventricular immunohistochemistry study, which showed the trend of decreased staining of Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 in pressure overload left ventricular tissue. In conclusion, both Kir6.1 and Kir6.2 plasma membrane subunits were decreased significantly in pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy.

PMID:34642259 | DOI:10.26402/jpp.2021.2.13