Life sciences
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Treatment with immunotherapy has made a significant impact on the outcomes for those patients suffering from lung cancer and its usage is currently an established treatment modality. Immune checkpoint inhibition that has blocking antibodies which target cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) along with the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway [programmed death - 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)] have shown promising results for numerous malignancies. ⋯ Despite such benefits, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors is associated with a unique pattern of immune-related adverse effects or side effects. Also, resistance is routinely developing in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The current review provides an overview of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in lung cancer, its resistance, and adverse effects.
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The prevalence of autoimmune diseases (ADs) has increased over the past few decades. Vitamin D deficiency is a common factor in many of these diseases, whose etiology remains poorly understood. ⋯ Most studies show that adequate supplementation can prevent and improve the development of some of these diseases, although the optimal vitamin D dose remains controversial. We highlight the importance of measuring serum vitamin D levels of the population and developing strategies to improve and maintain levels with no health risks.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the suppressor of activator protein-1 regulated by interferon (SARI), in the development and progression of prostate cancer. ⋯ In this study, high SARI expression was found to be negatively correlated with the development and progression of prostate cancer.
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Evidence suggests that task-specific gait training improves locomotor impairments in people with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI); however, plastic changes in brain areas remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the possible effects of a task-specific overground gait training on locomotor recovery and neuroplasticity markers in the cortex, cerebellum, and lumbar spinal cord in an experimental model of incomplete-SCI. ⋯ Task-specific overground gait training improves locomotor recovery in a rat model of incomplete thoracic-SCI. Furthermore, training promotes motor cortex plasticity, evidenced for increasing expression of the neuroplasticity markers that may support the functional recovery.
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Sepsis is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Autophagy may play a protective role in sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD). The present study investigated whether valproic acid (VPA), a class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, can attenuate SIMD by accelerating autophagy. ⋯ This study found that VPA attenuates SIMD through myocardial autophagy acceleration by increasing PTEN expression and inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway. These findings preliminarily suggest that VPA may be a potential approach for the intervention and treatment of SIMD.