Publications by authors named "Georgios Vakadaris"
Article Synopsis
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading type of primary liver cancer, with increasing incidence and high mortality rates, and there are currently limited curative treatment options available despite advances in diagnosis and therapy.
- Recent advances in understanding the tumor microenvironment have brought attention to immunotherapy as a promising approach for treating advanced HCC, although only a small number of patients benefit from existing solutions.
- The glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR) shows potential as a therapeutic target for HCC due to its role in enhancing T-cell function and inhibiting regulatory T-cells, along with evidence suggesting it may aid in anti-tumor effects and liver regeneration.
Connexins, a family of tetraspan membrane proteins forming intercellular channels localized in gap junctions, play a pivotal role at the different stages of tumor progression presenting both pro- and anti-tumorigenic effects. Considering the potential role of connexins as tumor suppressors through multiple channel-independent mechanisms, their loss of expression may be associated with tumorigenic activity, while it is hypothesized that connexins favor the clonal expansion of tumor cells and promote cell migration, invasion, and proliferation, affecting metastasis and chemoresistance in some cases. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), characterized by unfavorable prognosis and limited responsiveness to current therapeutic strategies, has been linked to gap junction proteins as tumorigenic factors with prognostic value.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, rapidly escalated into a worldwide public health crisis. Despite numerous clinical treatment endeavors, initial defenses against the virus primarily relied on hygiene practices like mask-wearing, meticulous hand hygiene (using soap or antiseptic solutions), and maintaining social distancing. Even with the subsequent advent of vaccines and the commencement of mass vaccination campaigns, these hygiene measures persistently remain in effect, aiming to curb virus transmission until the achievement of herd immunity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract, with the gut microbiome playing a role in their development.
- A review of 33 studies involving 2,713 adult patients compared the effects of probiotics to placebos or non-probiotic treatments, finding mixed results for CD and more consistent effectiveness for UC.
- While some studies showed probiotics can help achieve remission in ulcerative colitis, more research is needed to confirm their benefits for Crohn's disease specifically.
The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions can impact mental health. To quantify the mental health burden of COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching World Health Organization COVID-19/PsycInfo/PubMed databases (09/29/2020), including observational studies reporting on mental health outcomes in any population affected by COVID-19. Primary outcomes were the prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress, sleep problems, posttraumatic symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF