Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in sub-Saharan Africa and western Europe: a retrospective, population-based, cross-sectional study.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with a higher proportion of asymptomatic infections and lower mortality in sub-Saharan Africa than high-income countries. However, there is currently a lack of data on cellular immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in people living in Africa compared with people in high-income regions of the world. We aimed to assess geographical variation in peripheral and mucosal immune responses.

Patient reactions to proactive tobacco cessation counseling using a decision aid in primary care: A qualitative study.

Medications for smoking cessation can double quit rates but are underused in primary care. This qualitative study aimed to explore: (1) patients' perspectives regarding having their general practitioner (GP) use a proactive approach to smoking cessation treatment using an encounter decision aid (DA), and (2) their expectations regarding their GP's role. We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with participants of the FIRST randomized trial (adults who smoke daily with any level of motivation for tobacco quitting).

UVB radiation suppresses Dicer expression through β-catenin.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays prompt a natural response in epidermal cells, particularly within melanocytes. The changes in gene expression and related signaling pathways in melanocytes following exposure to UV radiation are still not entirely understood. Our findings reveal that UVB irradiation suppresses the expression of Dicer (also known as Dicer1).

Systematic review of randomised controlled clinical trials examining effectiveness of contingent financial rewards for smoking cessation during pregnancy: intention-to-treat and causal effects on birthweight.

Background: To examine birth weight change caused by adding financial rewards for smoking cessation compared to no rewards for pregnant women. To estimate the average expected birth weight change for those who quit because of rewards.

Methods: This study updates a previous systematic review and refocuses the outcome from smoking cessation to birth weight.

[Smoking cessation during pregnancy].

Smoking during pregnancy is associated with negative pregnancy and perinatal health outcomes. Physiological and societal particularities can modify the smoking behavior of pregnant women. Pregnancy is a teachable moment for smoking cessation.

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA3A modulates IRF3-dependent IFNβ expression.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis, persistently infects over 90% of the human adult population and is associated with several human cancers. To establish life-long infection, EBV tampers with the induction of type I interferon (IFN I)-dependent antiviral immunity in the host. How various EBV genes help orchestrate this crucial strategy is incompletely defined.

Novel -Dimethyl-idarubicin Analogues Are Effective Cytotoxic Agents for ABCB1-Overexpressing, Doxorubicin-Resistant Cells.

Anthracyclines comprise one of the most effective anticancer drug classes. Doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin, and idarubicin have been in clinical use for decades, but their application remains complicated by treatment-related toxicities and drug resistance. We previously demonstrated that the combination of DNA damage and histone eviction exerted by doxorubicin drives its associated adverse effects.

Smoking, nicotine and pregnancy 2 (SNAP2) trial: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of an intervention to improve adherence to nicotine replacement therapy during pregnancy.

Introduction: Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to unborn babies, infants and women. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is offered as the usual stop-smoking support in the UK. However, this is often used in insufficient doses, intermittently or for too short a time to be effective.

Do smoking abstinence periods among pregnant smokers improve birth weight? A secondary analysis of a randomised, controlled trial.

Objectives: Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight (LBW). Reduction of cigarette consumption does not seem to improve birth weight but it is not known whether implementation of periods of smoking abstinence improves it. We assessed whether the number of 7-day periods of smoking abstinence during pregnancy may help reduce the number of newborns with LBW.

Electronic Nicotine-Delivery Systems for Smoking Cessation.

Background: Electronic nicotine-delivery systems - also called e-cigarettes - are used by some tobacco smokers to assist with quitting. Evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of these systems is needed.

Methods: In this open-label, controlled trial, we randomly assigned adults who were smoking at least five tobacco cigarettes per day and who wanted to set a quit date to an intervention group, which received free e-cigarettes and e-liquids, standard-of-care smoking-cessation counseling, and optional (not free) nicotine-replacement therapy, or to a control group, which received standard counseling and a voucher, which they could use for any purpose, including nicotine-replacement therapy.

Tobacco smoking and diabetes. A comparative survey among diabetologists and smoking cessation specialists.

Aims: Because tobacco smoking is a major risk factor of mortality in diabetes and guidelines suggest evaluating smoking behavior among individuals with diabetes and helping smokers quit, we aimed to assess knowledge about the tobacco smoking - diabetes relationship among diabetologists and smoking cessation specialists (SCS).

Methods: An online cross sectional survey was conceived by the Working Group on Smoking and Diabetes, France. The questionnaire was tested by the members of the Working Group and deemed to be completed in less than 5 min.

CRB1 is required for recycling by RAB11A+ vesicles in human retinal organoids.

CRB1 gene mutations can cause early- or late-onset retinitis pigmentosa, Leber congenital amaurosis, or maculopathy. Recapitulating human CRB1 phenotypes in animal models has proven challenging, necessitating the development of alternatives. We generated human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived retinal organoids of patients with retinitis pigmentosa caused by biallelic CRB1 mutations and evaluated them against autologous gene-corrected hiPSCs and hiPSCs from healthy individuals.

RNF26 binds perinuclear vimentin filaments to integrate ER and endolysosomal responses to proteotoxic stress.

Proteotoxic stress causes profound endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane remodeling into a perinuclear quality control compartment (ERQC) for the degradation of misfolded proteins. Subsequent return to homeostasis involves clearance of the ERQC by endolysosomes. However, the factors that control perinuclear ER integrity and dynamics remain unclear.

Effect of the Nicotine Replacement Therapy on Biomarkers of Inflammation, Endothelial Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress, and Lipids in Smokers Who Quit Smoking.

Introduction: Our previous study showed major changes in biomarkers on quitting compared to the smoking state. They reflected a decrease in inflammation, endothelial activation, and oxidative stress, as well as an improved lipid profile. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is effective to increase the rate of successful quitting, but healthcare professionals may have concerns to prescribe this first-line smoking cessation treatment because its effect on inflammation and related processes is controversial.

Novel proposed cutoff values for anatabine and anabasine in differentiating smokers from non-smokers.

Objectives: Anatabine and anabasine are two tobacco alkaloids used to differentiate between tobacco users and abstainers, including users of nicotine replacement therapy. Cutoff values (>2 ng/mL for both alkaloids) have not been revised since their implementation in 2002. These values may be too high, leading to increased likelihood of misclassification between smokers and abstainers.

Changes in biomarkers of endothelial function, oxidative stress, inflammation and lipids after smoking cessation: A cohort study.

Background: Tobacco use is known to be involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases, which leads to premature mortality. Endothelial dysfunction, the first step in this process, was shown induced by smoking. It is reported that quitting smoking could reduce the risk of diseases, but the implied mechanisms are still unclear.

Ubiquitin and its relatives as wizards of the endolysosomal system.

The endolysosomal system comprises a dynamic constellation of vesicles working together to sense and interpret environmental cues and facilitate homeostasis. Integrating extracellular information with the internal affairs of the cell requires endosomes and lysosomes to be proficient in decision-making: fusion or fission; recycling or degradation; fast transport or contacts with other organelles. To effectively discriminate between these options, the endolysosomal system employs complex regulatory strategies that crucially rely on reversible post-translational modifications (PTMs) with ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin-like (Ubl) proteins.

Utilizing mixture design response surface methodology to determine effective combinations of plant derived compounds as prostate cancer treatments.

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is estimated to cause 13.1% of all new cancer cases in the United States in 2021. Natural bioactive compounds have drawn the interest of researchers worldwide in their efforts to find novel treatments for PC.

Smoking and Diabetes: Sex and Gender Aspects and Their Effect on Vascular Diseases.

Smoking and diabetes mellitus (DM) have been identified as 2 major cardiovascular risk factors for many years. In the field of cardiovascular diseases, considering sex differences, or gender differences, or both has become an essential element in moving toward equitable and quality health care. We reviewed the effect of sex or gender on the link between smoking and DM.

Potential Bias in Assessing the Tobacco/Nicotine-COVID-19 Association-How to Improve Our Level of Understanding.

The causative agents of COVID-19 are the variants of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) [...