Publications by authors named "A Lasfar"

Menopause negatively impacts women's health. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether an olive leaf extract (OLE) improves postmenopausal symptoms, body composition, handgrip strength and blood lipid profile in postmenopausal women. In a randomized, double-blinded parallel study design, 60 healthy postmenopausal women aged 47-70 years received either OLE (250 mg/day) or placebo supplementation for 12 weeks.

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A well-functioning immune system requires balanced immune responses. studies have shown that plant stanols contribute to restoring the T-helper (Th)1/Th2 ratio when it is imbalanced. However, effects of plant stanols on healthy immune responses are unknown.

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Article Synopsis
  • Immunotherapies are increasingly used as primary treatments for advanced cancers, and this study explores how combining oncolytic virus (OV) and radiation therapy (RT) might enhance treatment outcomes.
  • The research used mouse and human cancer cell lines, along with a skin cancer mouse model, showing that the combination therapy not only reduces tumor growth but also transforms 'cold' tumors into 'hot' tumors, which are more responsive to immune attacks.
  • A patient with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma experienced significant improvement after receiving the combined treatment, remaining free of disease progression for over 44 months, suggesting that the combination of OV, RT, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) could be beneficial for patients with refractory cancers.
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The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can trigger a hyperinflammatory state characterized by elevated cytokine levels known as hypercytokinemia or cytokine storm, observed most often in severe patients. Though COVID-19 is known to be a primarily respiratory disease, neurological complications affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems have also been reported. This review discusses potential routes of SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion and pathogenesis, summarizes reported neurological sequelae of COVID-19, and examines how aberrant cytokine levels may precipitate these complications.

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Reprogramming the tumor microenvironment to increase immune-mediated responses is currently of intense interest. Patients with immune-infiltrated "hot" tumors demonstrate higher treatment response rates and improved survival. However, only the minority of tumors are hot, and a limited proportion of patients benefit from immunotherapies.

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