Long-term health complications of chemical weapon exposure: a study on Halabja chemical attack survivors (Iraqi Kurds).

Objective: In 1988, the Iraqi government used a range of chemical weapons (CWs) against the Iraqi Kurds of Halabja. Here, we aim to investigate the long-term health consequences in exposed survivors as they are not sufficiently studied.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted from November 2019 to May 2020 assessing the health status of all exposed Halabja chemical attack survivors compared to non-exposed people from the same area.

Mechanism of inert inflammation in an immune checkpoint blockade-resistant tumor subtype bearing transcription elongation defects.

The clinical response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) correlates with tumor-infiltrating cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) prior to treatment. However, many of these inflamed tumors resist ICB through unknown mechanisms. We show that tumors with transcription elongation deficiencies (TE), which we previously reported as being resistant to ICB in mouse models and the clinic, have high baseline CTLs.

A Murine Cell Line Based Model of Chronic CDK9 Inhibition to Study Widespread Non-Genetic Transcriptional Elongation Defects (TEdeff) in Cancers.

We have previously reported that a subset of cancers is defined by global transcriptional deregulations with widespread deficiencies in mRNA transcription elongation (TE)-we call such cancers as TE. Notably, TE cancers are characterized by spurious transcription and faulty mRNA processing in a large set of genes, such as interferon/JAK/STAT and TNF/NF-κB pathways, leading to their suppression. The TE subtype of tumors in renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma patients significantly correlate with poor response and outcome in immunotherapy.

Effects of vitamin D supplementation along with endurance physical activity on lipid profile in metabolic syndrome patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Background And Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the effects of vitamin D supplementation along with endurance physical activity on lipid profile among metabolic syndrome patients.

Materials And Methods: In a parallel randomized placebo controlled trial, 70 metabolic syndrome patients, were randomly assigned into three groups. Biochemical tests were assessed as baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention.

Comparative effects of vitamin D and vitamin C supplementations with and without endurance physical activity on metabolic syndrome patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Vitamin D and C levels have inverse relation with the metabolic syndrome components and they are used as antioxidant supplements during enduring metabolic activities. In the present study, we hypothesized that the intake of vitamin D and/or C with endurance physical activity might reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Methods: A randomized control study recruited 180 participants of both genders, aged between 30 and 50 years.

Defective transcription elongation in a subset of cancers confers immunotherapy resistance.

The nature and role of global transcriptional deregulations in cancers are not fully understood. We report that a large proportion of cancers have widespread defects in mRNA transcription elongation (TE). Cancers with TE defects (TE) display spurious transcription and defective mRNA processing of genes characterized by long genomic length, poised promoters and inducible expression.

FLYWCH1, a Novel Suppressor of Nuclear β-Catenin, Regulates Migration and Morphology in Colorectal Cancer.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a critical role during development of both normal and malignant colorectal cancer tissues. Phosphorylation of β-catenin protein alters its trafficking and function. Such conventional allosteric regulation usually involves a highly specialized set of molecular interactions, which may specifically turn on a particular cell phenotype.

Surgical management of Stenson's duct injury by using double J stent urethral catheter.

Background: Parotid duct or gland injury can be caused by assault with a knife, bottle, electrical-saw, road traffic accident, or rarely gunshot and fractures of the facial skeleton. The injury can be in the form of laceration, ductal exposure, total cutting, or crushing of the duct. These conditions are difficult to diagnose because of complex anatomy and variable forms of the injury.

STAT3 paradoxically stimulates β-catenin expression but inhibits β-catenin function.

Wnt signalling and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) are oncogenic signalling pathways which are deregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). Here we investigated the interaction of these two pathways. Firstly, we investigated biochemical interaction by inhibiting STAT3 and β-catenin (through gene knock-down and dominant-negative TCF4 expression) in nine CRC cell lines.

Cten is targeted by Kras signalling to regulate cell motility in the colon and pancreas.

CTEN/TNS4 is an oncogene in colorectal cancer (CRC) which enhances cell motility although the mechanism of Cten regulation is unknown. We found an association between high Cten expression and KRAS/BRAF mutation in a series of CRC cell lines (p = 0.03) and hypothesised that Kras may regulate Cten.

FBXW7 influences murine intestinal homeostasis and cancer, targeting Notch, Jun, and DEK for degradation.

The Fbxw7 (F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 7; also called CDC4, Sel10, Ago, and Fbw7) component of the SCF (Skp1/Cullin/F-box protein) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex acts as a tumor suppressor in several tissues and targets multiple transcriptional activators and protooncogenes for ubiquitin-mediated degradation. To understand Fbxw7 function in the murine intestine, in this study, we specifically deleted Fbxw7 in the murine gut using Villin-Cre (Fbxw7(ΔG)). In wild-type mice, loss of Fbxw7 in the gut altered homeostasis of the intestinal epithelium, resulted in elevated Notch and c-Jun expression, and induced development of adenomas at 9-10 mo of age.