Int J Med Sci
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Menopause is the leading cause of osteoporosis for elderly women due to imbalanced bone remodelling in the absence of oestrogen. The ability of tocotrienol in reversing established bone loss due to oestrogen deficiency remains unclear despite the plenitude of evidence showcasing its preventive effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of self-emulsified annatto tocotrienol (SEAT) on bone histomorphometry and remodelling in ovariectomised rats. ⋯ Only SEAT significantly increased bone formation rate and reduced RANKL/OPG ratio (p<0.05 vs untreated OVX). However, no changes in osteoclast-related parameters were observed among the groups (p>0.05). In conclusion, SEAT exerts potential skeletal anabolic properties by increasing bone formation, suppressing sclerostin expression and reducing RANKL/OPG ratio in rats with oestrogen deficiency.
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Rationale: Up to date, the exploration of clinical features in severe COVID-19 patients were mostly from the same center in Wuhan, China. The clinical data in other centers is limited. This study aims to explore the feasible parameters which could be used in clinical practice to predict the prognosis in hospitalized patients with severe coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). ⋯ In the course, persistently lower lymphocyte with higher levels of CRP, PCT, IL-6, neutrophil, LDH, D-dimer, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and increased CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocyte ratio and were observed in death events group, while these parameters stayed stable or improved in discharge group. Conclusions: On admission, the levels of SpO2, lymphocyte, CRP, PCT, and LDH could predict the prognosis of severe COVID-19 patients. Systematic inflammation with induced cardiac dysfunction was likely a primary reason for death events in severe COVID-19 except for acute respiratory distress syndrome.
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Since the end of 2019, a new type of coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading rapidly throughout the world. Previously, there were two outbreaks of severe coronavirus caused by different coronaviruses worldwide, namely Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This article introduced the origin, virological characteristics and epidemiological overview of SARS-CoV-2, reviewed the currently known drugs that may prevent and treat coronavirus, explained the characteristics of the new coronavirus and provided novel information for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
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Cancer is a leading cause of death and poor quality of life globally. Even though several strategies are devised to reduce deaths, reduce chronic pain and improve the quality of life, there remains a shortfall in the adequacies of these cancer therapies. Among the cardinal steps towards ensuring optimal cancer treatment are early detection of cancer cells and drug application with high specificity to reduce toxicities. ⋯ In this review, we outline the commonly used nanomaterials which are employed in cancer diagnosis and therapy. We have highlighted the suitability of these nanomaterials for cancer management based on their physicochemical and biological properties. We further reviewed the challenges that are associated with the various nanomaterials which limit their uses and hamper their translatability into the clinical setting in certain cancer types.
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Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), an extracellular matrix protein with various biological functions, is known to be upregulated in multiple chronic diseases such as liver fibrosis and congestive heart failure, but the mechanism it undertakes to cause alveolar bone loss in periodontitis remains elusive. The present study therefore investigates the pathways involving CTGF in chronic periodontitis. RNA sequencing revealed a notable increase in the expression of CTGF in chronic periodontitis tissues. ⋯ Moreover, CTGF upregulated the expressions of v-ATPase V0 subunit d2 (ATP6v0d2) and Dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP) which are osteoclastic genes specifically required for osteoclast cell-cell fusion in pre-osteoclasts. Findings from this study suggest that CTGF promotes the fusion of pre-osteoclasts by downregulating Bcl6 and subsequently increasing the expression of DC-STAMP in periodontitis. Understanding this novel mechanism that leads to increased osteoclastogenesis in periodontitis may be employed for the development of new therapeutic targets for preventing periodontitis-associated alveolar bone resorption.