A Type 2 Diabetes Subtype Responsive to ACCORD Intensive Glycemia Treatment.

Objective: Current type 2 diabetes (T2D) management contraindicates intensive glycemia treatment in patients with high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and is partially motivated by evidence of harms in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial. Heterogeneity in response to intensive glycemia treatment has been observed, suggesting potential benefit for some individuals.

Research Design And Methods: ACCORD was a randomized controlled trial that investigated whether intensively treating glycemia in individuals with T2D would reduce CVD outcomes.

Deletion of Kvβ2 (AKR6) Attenuates Isoproterenol Induced Cardiac Injury with Links to Solute Carrier Transporter SLC41a3 and Circadian Clock Genes.

Kvβ subunits belong to the aldo-keto reductase superfamily, which plays a significant role in ion channel regulation and modulates the physiological responses. However, the role of Kvβ2 in cardiac pathophysiology was not studied, and therefore, in the present study, we hypothesized that Kvβ2 plays a significant role in cardiovascular pathophysiology by modulating the cardiac excitability and gene responses. We utilized an isoproterenol-infused mouse model to investigate the role of Kvβ2 and the cardiac function, biochemical changes, and molecular responses.

The Association of microRNA-34a With High Incidence and Metastasis of Lung Cancer in Gejiu and Xuanwei Yunnan.

The incidence and associated mortality of lung cancer in tin miners in Gejiu County and farmers in Xuanwei Country, Yunnan Province have been very high in the world. Current published literatures on the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer initiation and progression in Gejiu and Xuanwei County are still controversial. Studies confirmed that microRNA-34a (miR-34a) functioned as a vital tumor suppressor in tumorigenesis and progression.

Any closer to successful therapy of multiple myeloma? CAR-T cell is a good reason for optimism.

Despite many recent advances on cancer novel therapies, researchers have yet a long way to cure cancer. They have to deal with tough challenges before they can reach success. Nonetheless, it seems that recently developed immunotherapy-based therapy approaches such as adoptive cell transfer (ACT) have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy against various kinds of tumors even the cancers in the blood (liquid cancers).

Bradycardia Due to Donepezil in Adults: Systematic Analysis of FDA Adverse Event Reporting System.

Background: Bradycardia is a physiological condition characterized by a decrease in heart rate and is a side effect of many drug classes. Bradycardia has been reported as an adverse event for patients receiving donepezil for Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment.

Objective: The purpose of the paper is to systematically investigate the association between the occurrence of bradycardia in adults and the usage of donepezil using clinical data derived from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells as a valuable source for the treatment of immune-mediated disorders.

Over recent years, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and their potential biomedical applications have received much attention from the global scientific community in an increasing manner. Firstly, MSCs were successfully isolated from human bone marrow (BM), but in the next steps, they were also extracted from other sources, mostly from the umbilical cord (UC) and adipose tissue (AT). The International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) has suggested minimum criteria to identify and characterize MSCs as follows: plastic adherence, surface expression of CD73, D90, CD105 in the lack of expression of CD14, CD34, CD45, and human leucocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR), and also the capability to differentiate to multiple cell types including adipocyte, chondrocyte, or osteoblast in vitro depends on culture conditions.

Flash Continuous Glucose Monitoring: A Practical Guide and Call to Action for Pharmacists.

Despite advances in diabetes technology, the proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes achieving recommended glycemic goals remains suboptimal. There is a growing interest in flash continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) among patients, pharmacists and providers. Pharmacists are well positioned to collaborate with patients and providers in ambulatory care or community-based settings to allow a greater number of patients with diabetes to harness the benefits of flash CGM.

Understanding the gaps in elimination of tuberculosis in India.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease, and it has the highest global burden on India with 21% prevalence rate and 27% of patients who do not receive pertinent medical treatment. Although India spends 23 billion dollars annually towards medical expenses for TB, India still ranks among the top 2 countries with the highest incidence and prevalence rates with more than 300,000 deaths excluding the patients with HIV and TB calling for prompt consideration. India faces a great challenge socially and economically.

Co-inhibition of CD73 and ADORA2B Improves Long-Term Cigarette Smoke Induced Lung Injury.

Adenosine (ADO) involvement in lung injury depends on the activation of its receptors. The ADO A receptor (ADORA2A) and A receptor (ADORA2B) are best described to have both tissue-protective and tissue-destructive processes. However, no approach has been effective in delineating the mechanism(s) involved with ADO shifting from its tissue-protective to tissue-destructive properties in chronic airway injury.

SARS-CoV-2 Immuno-Pathogenesis and Potential for Diverse Vaccines and Therapies: Opportunities and Challenges.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus that emerged from Wuhan, China in late 2019 causing coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 infection begins by attaching to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2) via the spike glycoprotein, followed by cleavage by TMPRSS2, revealing the viral fusion domain. Other presumptive receptors for SARS-CoV-2 attachment include CD147, neuropilin-1 (NRP1), and Myeloid C-lectin like receptor (CLR), each of which might play a role in the systemic viral spread.

CAR T cells in solid tumors: challenges and opportunities.

Background: CARs are simulated receptors containing an extracellular single-chain variable fragment (scFv), a transmembrane domain, as well as an intracellular region of immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) in association with a co-stimulatory signal.

Main Body: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are genetically engineered T cells to express a receptor for the recognition of the particular surface marker that has given rise to advances in the treatment of blood disorders. The CAR T cells obtain supra-physiological properties and conduct as "living drugs" presenting both immediate and steady effects after expression in T cells surface.

Synthesis of major pharmacogenomics pretest counseling themes: a multisite comparison.

The accessibility of pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing has grown substantially over the last decade and with it has arisen a demand for patients to be counseled on the use of these tests. While guidelines exist for the use of PGx results; objective determinants for who should receive PGx testing remain incomplete. PGx clinical services have been created to meet these screening and education needs and significant variability exists between these programs.

Emerging Nano-Formulations and Nanomedicines Applications for Ocular Drug Delivery.

Ocular diseases can deteriorate vision to the point of blindness and thus can have a major impact on the daily life of an individual. Conventional therapies are unable to provide absolute therapy for all ocular diseases due to the several limitations during drug delivery across the blood-retinal barrier, making it a major clinical challenge. With recent developments, the vast number of publications undergird the need for nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems in treating ocular diseases.

Hypoxia downregulated miR-4521 suppresses gastric carcinoma progression through regulation of IGF2 and FOXM1.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) show considerable promise as therapeutic agents to improve tumor treatment, as they have been revealed as crucial modulators in tumor progression. However, our understanding of their roles in gastric carcinoma (GC) metastasis is limited. Here, we aimed to identify novel miRNAs involved in GC metastasis and explored their regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic significance in GC.

DCs-based therapies: potential strategies in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Pneumonia caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading globally. There have been strenuous efforts to reveal the mechanisms that the host defends itself against invasion by this virus. The immune system could play a crucial role in virus infection.

Influence of Cigarettes and Alcohol on the Severity and Death of COVID-19: A Multicenter Retrospective Study in Wuhan, China.

Background: The recent emergence and rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is leading to public health crises worldwide. Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking (CS) are two known risk factors in many diseases including respiratory infections.

Methods: We performed a multi-center study in the four largest hospitals designated for COVID-19 patients in Wuhan.

Carbon Dots Fabrication: Ocular Imaging and Therapeutic Potential.

Vision loss is a major complication in common ocular infections and diseases such as bacterial keratitis, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). The prevalence of such ophthalmic diseases represents an urgent need to develop safe, effective, and long-term treatments. Current therapies are riddled with drawbacks and limitations which calls for the exploration of alternative drug delivery mechanisms.

Nanodelivery of Resveratrol-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles for Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration, precisely neovascular form, is the leading cause of vision loss and the key treatment includes intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents. A method to increase local concentration of drug at posterior segment of the eye and to reduce the frequency of intravitreal injections is an unmet need. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenol, was loaded in PLGA polymeric nanoparticles to study their sustained release property and effectiveness in reducing expression of VEGF protein in vitro.

Anticipatory guidance and systematic review of prescribing combination incretin therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

What Is Known And Objective: Few studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of combining a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Clinicians may frequently encounter this drug therapy combination in practice and should be aware of clinical evidence and risks associated with its use.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in Embase (1947-April 20, 2020), Medline - Ovid (1946-April 21, 2020), Medline - PubMed (1946-April 21, 2020), Cochrane Library CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials (1991-April 20, 2020) and Web of Science (1900-April 17, 2020).

Evaluation of cardiovascular and renal outcomes with ertugliflozin: what is the VERdict from the VERTIS-CV trial?

Introduction: A growing number of antidiabetic agents have demonstrated cardiovascular and renal benefits in cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs), despite such trials being principally required to rule out excess cardiovascular risk.

Areas Covered: This article addresses the Evaluation of Ertugliflozin Efficacy and Safety Cardiovascular Outcomes (VERTIS-CV) trial, its background, design, results, and implications. In patients at least 40 years of age with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the VERTIS-CV trial demonstrated ertugliflozin was non-inferior to placebo for major adverse cardiovascular events, though not superior.

Genomic Analysis of Germline Variation Associated with Survival of Patients with Colorectal Cancer Treated with Chemotherapy Plus Biologics in CALGB/SWOG 80405 (Alliance).

Purpose: Irinotecan/5-fluorouracil (5-FU; FOLFIRI) or oxaliplatin/5-FU (FOLFOX), combined with bevacizumab or cetuximab, are approved, first-line treatments for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We aimed at identifying germline variants associated with survival in patients with mCRC treated with these regimens in Cancer and Leukemia Group B/SWOG 80405.

Experimental Design: Patients with mCRC receiving either FOLFOX or FOLFIRI were randomized to either cetuximab or bevacizumab.