Publications by authors named "Raphael Lee"

Benign lipomas are a common medical problem that is not known to regress spontaneously. In addition, vitamin D (VD) is a known regulator of adipocyte proliferation and differentiation. Thus, the purpose of this multi-case study was to determine if optimizing serum 1,25(OH)D3 (VD3) concentrations to the 40-60 ng/mL range would catalyze regression of benign subcutaneous lipomas.

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Introduction: The 2017 reform of the third cycle of medical studies (R3C) was accompanied by modifications in the formats and number of specialty diplomas. The aim of this study was to investigate the evolution of the choice of the internal medicine and clinical immunology specialty before and after 2017.

Methods: We used the median ranking and its evolution, as well as incoming and outgoing remorse rights, as markers of attractiveness.

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Objectives: The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants has led to the development of Omicron-targeting bivalent mRNA vaccines. It is crucial to understand how bivalent vaccines may improve antibody responses against new variants.

Methods: A total of 107 participants, who had three COVID-19 WT mRNA vaccine doses, were recruited, and given either a monovalent (WT) or a bivalent mRNA vaccination (Pfizer/BioNTech Bivalent (WT and BA.

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Background: Tamoxifen is a known inhibitor of fibroblast transforming growth factor beta biosynthesis and wound scar formation. Tamoxifen is also known to be an estrogen antagonist and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. Cells treated with tamoxifen and other PKC/calmodulin inhibitors depolymerize their membrane focal adhesion complexes and cytoskeletal protein structures.

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Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a very rare and aggressive form of skin cancer that arises from the sebaceous glands. SC can occur anywhere on the body, but most commonly affects the head and neck, especially the upper eyelid. SC is the third most common malignancy of the eyelid and has the potential to metastasize and be fatal; therefore, it is vital for dermatologists to remain acquainted with this malignancy and its most current treatment options.

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Article Synopsis
  • SARS-CoV-2 variants and reduced vaccine immunity have led to increased cases of breakthrough infections, highlighting the need to understand vaccine protection mechanisms.
  • Researchers analyzed mRNA vaccinated individuals in Singapore during the Omicron surge to compare immune responses.
  • Findings suggest those who stayed uninfected developed a stronger variant-specific IgA response after booster shots, indicating IgA may play an important role in protecting against Omicron.
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Identification of the risk factors and the high-risk groups which are most vulnerable is critical in COVID-19 disease management at a population level. Evaluating the efficacy of vaccination against infections is necessary to determine booster vaccination strategies for better protection in high-risk groups. In this study, we recruited 158 mRNA-vaccinated individuals during the Delta wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Singapore and examined the antibody profiles of infected individuals.

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To assess and analyse the knowledge of recommended antibiotic treatments, focusing on the appropriate drugs and treatment durations for the most common community-acquired infections in general medical practice in Occitanie region, France. A web-based survey was conducted over a 3-month period, from October, 2018 to January, 2019. All participants answered directly through the online platform.

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Article Synopsis
  • The global scientific community has sequenced over 11 million SARS-CoV-2 genomes by May 2022, allowing real-time tracking of virus evolution.
  • Outbreak.info is a platform that monitors over 40 million variants and mutations across 7,000 locations, providing valuable insights for researchers and public health officials.
  • The platform features user-friendly visualizations and robust infrastructure for data ingestion and dissemination, supporting genomic surveillance and hypothesis generation regarding the pandemic.
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The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as the more transmissible Delta and Omicron variants, has raised concerns on efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Here, we examined the waning of antibody responses against different variants following primary and booster vaccination. We found that antibody responses against variants were low following primary vaccination.

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Airborne transmission in ferrets is a key component of pandemic risk assessment. However, some emerging avian influenza viruses transmit between ferrets but do not spread in humans. Therefore, we evaluated sequential rounds of airborne transmission as an approach to enhance the predictive accuracy of the ferret model.

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Objective: Despite the high vaccine efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, there are individuals who developed excessive reactogenic and/or allergic responses after the first mRNA dose and were considered ineligible for further mRNA doses. CoronaVac, an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, is recommended in Singapore as an alternative.

Methods: Individuals, ineligible for further mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273) because of excessive reactive responses to prime mRNA vaccination, were recruited and offered two doses of CoronaVac as booster vaccination 38-224 days post their mRNA vaccine dose.

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We propose a novel, non-discriminatory classification of monkeypox virus diversity. Together with the World Health Organization, we named three clades (I, IIa and IIb) in order of detection. Within IIb, the cause of the current global outbreak, we identified multiple lineages (A.

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The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern has prompted the need for near real-time genomic surveillance to inform public health interventions. In response to this need, the global scientific community, through unprecedented effort, has sequenced and shared over 11 million genomes through GISAID, as of May 2022. This extraordinarily high sampling rate provides a unique opportunity to track the evolution of the virus in near real-time.

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Seasonal Influenza H3N2 virus poses a great threat to public health, but its vaccine efficacy remains suboptimal. One critical step in influenza vaccine production is the viral passage in embryonated eggs. Recently, the strength of egg passage adaptation was found to be rapidly increasing with time driven by convergent evolution at a set of functionally important codons in the hemagglutinin (HA1).

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To enhance the stability of protein therapeutics, pharmaceutical companies have long used various copolymer surfactants as excipients. They act to stabilize proteins by adhering to the hydrophobic surface of the protein preventing denaturation and aggregation. However, some commonly used excipients possess polyoxyalkylene chains that are susceptible to oxidative degradation while in aqueous solution.

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The clinical spectrum of electrical injury ranges from the absence of any external physical signs to severe and life-threatening trauma. This article discusses the fundamental concepts and misunderstandings surrounding electrical injuries and the best practices for evaluation and treatment.

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Objective: Electrical injury (EI) is a significant, multifaceted trauma often with multi-domain cognitive sequelae, even when the expected current path does not pass through the brain. Chronic pain (CP) research suggests pain may affect cognition directly and indirectly by influencing emotional distress which then impacts cognitive functioning. As chronic pain may be critical to understanding EI-related cognitive difficulties, the aims of the current study were: examine the direct and indirect effects of pain on cognition following EI and compare the relationship between pain and cognition in EI and CP populations.

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Raphael Lee"

  • - Raphael Lee's recent research primarily focuses on the evolution of vaccination responses and the implications of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, particularly in relation to bivalent mRNA vaccines and antibody responses.
  • - His studies also examine trends in medical specialties, such as internal medicine and clinical immunology, particularly in the context of changes implemented following the 2017 reform of the medical education cycle.
  • - Lee's work extends into dermatological research, investigating the role of tamoxifen in gene expression related to collagenase in human dermal fibroblasts, and addressing specific clinical challenges like sebaceous carcinoma.