Cycle threshold (Ct)values of SARS-CoV2 vary with the type of symptoms and comorbidities of the patients.

Background: Literature depicts no association of cycle threshold values for SARS-CoV-2 with the patient's demographics or clinical history. However, the severity of the COVID-19 symptoms showed some associations with Ct values in previous studies. We aimed to study the relationship of Ct values with type of the symptoms and comorbidities of the patients.

Trends in hepatitis C virus seroprevalence and associated risk factors among msm in Pakistan: insights from a community-based study.

Pakistan bears a substantial burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with the second-highest prevalence globally. This community-based cross-sectional study, conducted from January to December 2022 in Punjab, Pakistan, investigates the seroprevalence of HCV among the men who have sex with men (MSM) population. The study identifies demographic and behavioral risk factors associated with HCV infection within this population group.

Uncovering the impact of SARS-CoV2 spike protein variants on human receptors: A molecular dynamics docking and simulation approach.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus, has posed a significant global health threat since its emergence in late 2019. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020, due to its rapid global spread and impact on public health. New variants have raised concerns about their potential impact on the transmission of the virus and the effectiveness of current diagnostic tools, treatments, and vaccines.

Population-level median cycle threshold (Ct) values for asymptomatic COVID-19 cases can predict the trajectory of future cases.

Background: Recent studies indicate that the population-level SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold (Ct) values can inform the trajectory of the pandemic. The presented study investigates the potential of Ct values in predicting the future of COVID-19 cases. We also determined whether the presence of symptoms could change the correlation between Ct values and future cases.

Regulation of Lipid Metabolism Under Stress and Its Role in Cancer.

Within the tumor microenvironment, cancer cells are often exposed to oxygen and nutrient deficiency, leading to various changes in their lipid composition and metabolism. These alterations have important therapeutic implications as they affect the cancer cells' survival, membrane dynamics, and therapy response. This chapter provides an overview of recent insights into the regulation of lipid metabolism in cancer cells under metabolic stress.

Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) and Cancer Awareness Measure MYthical Causes Scale (CAM-MY) scores in Pakistani population.

Lifestyle modifications could prevent almost one-third to one-half of all cancer cases. The awareness of cancer risk factors could motivate people to make such changes in their behaviors and lifestyles. This work aims to investigate the cancer awareness level in the Pakistani population.

Factors associated with cycle threshold values (Ct-values) of SARS-CoV2-rRT-PCR.

Background: Presented work studies the association of COVID-19 severity, patient demographics, and clinical history with cycle threshold (Ct) values of SARS CoV2-rRT-PCR. We studied the Ct values for Orf1ab, N, and RdRp genes in association with all the factors mentioned above.

Methods And Results: We examined the individuals (n = 6331) that consulted two private diagnostic centers for COVID-19 testing.

Assessment of biosafety implementation in clinical diagnostic laboratories in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Laboratory diagnostic capacity is crucial for an optimal national response to a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventing laboratory-acquired infections and the loss of critical human resources, especially during a public health emergency, requires laboratories to have a good biorisk management system in place. In this study, we aimed to evaluate laboratory biosafety and biosecurity in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Too complex to fail? Targeting fatty acid metabolism for cancer therapy.

Given the central role of fatty acids in cancer pathophysiology, the exploitation of fatty acid metabolism as a potential antineoplastic therapy has gained much attention. Several natural and synthetic compounds targeting fatty acid metabolism were hitherto identified, and their effectiveness against cancer cell proliferation and survival was determined. This review will discuss the most clinically viable inhibitors or drugs targeting various proteins or enzymes mapped on nine interconnected fatty acid metabolism-related processes.

COVID-19 severity: Studying the clinical and demographic risk factors for adverse outcomes.

Background: The primary goal of the presented cross-sectional observational study was to determine the clinical and demographic risk factors for adverse coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes in the Pakistani population.

Methods: We examined the individuals (n = 6331) that consulted two private diagnostic centers in Lahore, Pakistan, for COVID-19 testing between May 1, 2020, and November 30, 2020. The attending nurse collected clinical and demographic information.

Antitumor effects of sodium selenite on acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Selenium is obligatory for proper functioning of body as it is the part of enzyme protection system. Its both organic and inorganic forms are thought to be active as an antitumor agent. We trialed the different dosages (0 × 10 M, 2.

Abundance, fatty acid composition and saturation index of neutral lipids in colorectal cancer cell lines.

Lipid droplets, the dynamic organelles that store triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol esters (CE), are highly accumulated in colon cancer cells. This work studies the TG and CE subspecies profile in colon carcinoma cell lines, SW480 derived from primary tumor, and SW620 derived from a metastasis of the same tumor. It was previously reported that the total TG and CE content is dramatically higher in SW620 cells; however, TG and CE subspecies profile has not been investigated in detail.

Expression of lipid transport-associated genes in lipid-deprived cancer cells.

Cancer cells are known to significantly alter their lipid profiles in response to changes in extracellular lipid availability. Recent studies have shown that in response to lipid deprivation, cancer cells display significant changes in their cellular lipid homeostasis. These changes have been linked to the modulation of de novo lipid synthesis pathways that are markedly altered under lipid-deprived growth conditions.

Revisiting the association between human leukocyte antigen and end-stage renal disease.

Multiple works have studied possible associations between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and end stage renal disease (ESRD) showing, however, contradictory and inconsistent results. Here, we revisit the association between ESRD and HLA antigens, comparing HLA polymorphism (at HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1 and DQA1 loci) in ESRD patients (n = 497) and controls (n = 672). Our data identified several HLA alleles that displayed a significant positive or negative association with ESRD.

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in Pakistan: Current Scenario and Review of Literature.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health concern globally, resulting in liver-related complications. Approximately 6% population of Pakistan is infected with HCV. HCV is error prone, due to which it is classified into 7 genotypes and 67 subtypes.

Cancer cell lipid class homeostasis is altered under nutrient-deprivation but stable under hypoxia.

Background: Cancer cells modify the balance between fatty acid (FA) synthesis and uptake under metabolic stress, induced by oxygen/nutrient deprivation. These modifications were shown to alter the levels of individual triglyceride (TG) or phospholipid sub-species. To attain a holistic overview of the lipidomic profiles of cancer cells under stress we performed a broad lipidomic assay, comprising 244 lipids from six major classes.

Lipid metabolism in cancer cells under metabolic stress.

Cancer cells are often exposed to a metabolically challenging environment with scarce availability of oxygen and nutrients. This metabolic stress leads to changes in the balance between the endogenous synthesis and exogenous uptake of fatty acids, which are needed by cells for membrane biogenesis, energy production and protein modification. Alterations in lipid metabolism and, consequently, lipid composition have important therapeutic implications, as they affect the survival, membrane dynamics and therapy response of cancer cells.

Correction to: Anthropometric and metabolic indices in assessment of type and severity of dyslipidemia.

After the publication of this work [1] an error was noticed in one of the formulas.

Anthropometric and metabolic indices in assessment of type and severity of dyslipidemia.

Background: It has been shown that obesity is associated with increased rates of dyslipidemia. The present work revisits the association between plasma lipid levels and classical indicators of obesity including body mass index (BMI). The significance of various anthropometric/metabolic variables in clinical assessment of type and severity of dyslipidemia was also determined.

Lipid-load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: Impact of food-consumption, dietary-macronutrients, extracellular lipid availability and demographic factors.

Lipid-load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has recently gained attention of the researchers working on nutritional regulation of metabolic health. Previous works have indicated that the metabolic circuitries in the circulating PBMCs are influenced by dietary-intake and macronutrient composition of diet. In the present work, we analyzed the impact of diet and dietary macronutrients on PBMCs' lipid-load.

Leukemia cells display lower levels of intracellular cholesterol irrespective of the exogenous cholesterol availability.

Background: Different types of cancer cells are previously shown to accumulate intracellular cholesterol. However, the data on intracellular cholesterol levels in leukemia cells provide contradictory evidence. Various previous works indicate either increase, decrease or no difference in total cholesterol levels between leukemia cells and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Atypical plasma lipid profiles in leukemia.

Numerous studies have reported alterations in the plasma lipid profiles of leukemia patients. However, there are several inconsistencies in these reports. The present review highlights and compiles findings from different research groups regarding association of plasma lipoprotein levels with the risk of developing leukemia.

Atypical plasma lipid profile in cancer patients: cause or consequence?

The aberrant blood lipoprotein levels in cancer patients are reported to be associated with cancer risk and mortality incidents however, there are several discrepancies in the previous reports. Hence the clinical usefulness of plasma/serum levels in risk stratification of a variety of cancers remains elusive. The present review highlights and compiles findings from different research groups regarding association of plasma lipoprotein levels with the risk of developing various types of cancer.