Arch Med Sci
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The outbreak of a newly identified coronavirus, the SARS-CoV-2 (alternative name 2019-nCoV), capable of jumping across species causing zoonosis with severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS), has alerted authorities worldwide. Soon after the epidemic was first detected in the city of Wuhan in the Hubei Province of China, starting in late December 2019, the virus spread over multiple countries in different continents, being declared a pandemic by March 2020. The demographic characteristics of the infected patients suggest that age, sex, and comorbidities are predictive factors for the fatality of the infection. ⋯ This brings new insights into the possibilities of exploiting viral entry mechanisms to limit associated complications by means of enhancing the resistance of the infected patients using methods of regulating the RAS and strategies of modulating ACE2 expression. In this perspective article we exploit the mechanisms of COVID-19 pathogenesis based on the demographic characteristics of the infected patients reported in the recent literature and explore several approaches of limiting the initial steps of viral entry and pathogenesis based on viral interactions with ACE2 and RAS. We further discuss the implications of reproductive hormones in the regulation of the RAS and investigate the premise of using endocrine therapy against COVID-19.
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Diabetes mellitus is a systemic disease and has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system. This paper aimed to present a retrospective analysis of morbidity associated with heart failure in subgroups of patients with and without diabetes in Poland in 2012. ⋯ Diabetes mellitus significantly increases risk of heart failure in both women and men. The risk is significantly high after the age of 60 years and higher in females.
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This study aimed to explore the biological functions of AKAP12 in lung adenocarcinoma and investigate the interaction between AKAP12 and miR-338-3p. ⋯ AKAP12 acts as a tumor promoter in lung adenocarcinoma development. Upregulation of MiR-338-3p could suppress AKAP12 expression in lung cancer cells and contribute to a better prognosis.
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Repeated measurements of ankle-brachial index (ABI) using Doppler method were shown to be accurate during atrial fibrillation. Oscillometric devices are effective in ABI measurement, but their accuracy during atrial fibrillation is unknown. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether atrial fibrillation influences ABI obtained with the automatic oscillometric method. ⋯ The automated oscillometric method of ABI measurements should not replace the reference Doppler method in patients with atrial fibrillation. More research related to the oscillometric measurements is needed in subjects with peripheral artery disease and atrial fibrillation.
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Replicative senescence results in dysregulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, which plays a role in the regenerative defects observed during age-related muscle atrophy. Vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant, which potentially ameliorates a wide range of age-related manifestations. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) in modulating the expression of proliferation- and differentiation-associated proteins in senescent human myoblasts during the differentiation phase. ⋯ TRF modulates the expression of regulatory factors related to proliferation and differentiation in senescent human myoblasts and could be beneficial for ameliorating the regenerative defects during aging.