Interplay of interleukins (IL6, IL10) and 25 hydroxycholecalciferol in asthmatic subjects with chronic post-COVID condition (PCC)

@#The study aimed to compare and correlate serum levels of IL-6, 10, and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in individuals with asthma with and without post-COVID condition (PCC). The study was designed to investigate the inflammatory response and serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol status in asthmatics with and without PCC. A cross-sectional study of 252 subjects (128 asthmatics and 124 non-asthmatic subjects) was carried out. Interleukins and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels were estimated on ELISA. The principle findings were that IL-6 and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels were significantly increased (p<0.001), while IL-10 levels were non-significant in asthmatics with PCC compared to those without PCC. However, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels were significantly increased, but no significant change was observed in IL-6, and IL-10 levels in non-asthmatics with and without chronic PCC. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.258) was found between 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and IL-6 but a significant negative correlation (r = -0.227) with IL-10 in asthmatics with PCC. Similarly, a significant negative correlation (r = -0.285) was found between 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and IL-10 but was non-significant with IL-6 in asthmatics without PCC. The correlation of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol with IL-10 was significant (0.683), but IL-6 was non-significant in non-asthmatics with PCC. Multiple regression analysis showed that age, IL-6, gender, and PCC were significantly related in adjusted values to 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. This study sheds light on the complex liaison between 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels and inflammatory responses in asthmatics, especially those with PCC. The findings suggest that although asthmatics with PCC maintain sufficient levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, they show a substantial increase in the proinflammatory response. This suggests that PCC exacerbates the pro-inflammatory response in asthma. Moreover, the study reveals that asthmatics, whether with or without PCC, display a negative correlation between 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and the anti-inflammatory response. This emphasizes the main influence of asthma on the overall inflammatory response. These findings reveal a complex interplay between vitamin D levels and inflammatory mediators in asthmatic individuals with and without PCC.

Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding dengue and its vector among medical practitioners in Malakand region, Pakistan

Abstract Dengue fever (DF) is increasingly recognized as one of the worlds major mosquito borne diseases and causes significant morbidity and mortality in tropical and subtropical countries. Dengue fever is endemic in most part of Pakistan and continues to be a public health concern. Knowledge, attitude and practices can play an important role in management of the disease. Current study was aimed to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and practices regarding dengue fever among health practitioners, to study the level of knowledge and attitude with preventive practices for dengue fever. A cross sectional study was carried out in medical practitioners of the four districts of Malakand region during October to November 2019. A pre-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from medical practitioners. Data was analyzed using Graph Pad version 5. Significant value was considered when less than 0.05 (at 95% confidence of interval). The results revealed that most of participants have seen dengue vector (62%), the media being the most quoted source of information. Nearly 81.2% participants were aware from transmission of dengue fever is by mosquito bite. Practices based upon preventive measures were found to be predominantly focused towards prevention of mosquito bites rather than elimination of breeding places. Although the knowledge regarding DF and mosquito control measure was quite high among the medical practitioners but this knowledge was not put into practice. Further studies are required to aware the people about dengue and its vector in order to get prevention and control.

Resumo A dengue (DF) é cada vez mais reconhecida como uma das principais doenças transmitidas por mosquitos do mundo e causa significativa morbidade e mortalidade em países tropicais e subtropicais. A dengue é endêmica na maior parte do Paquistão e continua a ser um problema de saúde pública. Conhecimento, atitude e práticas podem desempenhar papel importante no manejo da doença. O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar o nível de conhecimento, atitude e práticas em relação à dengue entre os profissionais de saúde, para estudar o nível de conhecimento e atitude com as práticas preventivas da dengue. Um estudo transversal foi realizado com médicos dos quatro distritos da região de Malakand de outubro a novembro de 2019. Um questionário pré-estruturado foi usado para coletar dados de médicos. Os dados foram analisados no Graph Pad versão 5. Valor significativo foi considerado quando menor que 0,05 (com intervalo de confiança de 95%). Os resultados revelaram que a maioria dos participantes já viu o vetor da dengue (62%), sendo a mídia a fonte de informação mais citada. Quase 81,2% dos participantes sabiam que a transmissão da dengue é por picada de mosquito. Constatou-se que as práticas baseadas em medidas preventivas se concentravam predominantemente na prevenção de picadas de mosquitos, e não na eliminação de criadouros. Embora o conhecimento sobre DF e medidas de controle de mosquitos fosse bastante elevado entre os médicos, esse conhecimento não foi colocado em prática. Mais estudos são necessários para conscientizar a população sobre a dengue e seu vetor, a fim de se obter prevenção e controle.

Comprehensive Roles of TP53 in Cell Signaling, Apoptosis and Carcinogenesis – A Review.

TP53 gene is a tumor suppressor gene and it inhibits the emergence of cancerous growth. The signaling of TP53 takes part in the co-ordination of cellular response to various kinds of stress like hypoxia and DNA damage. The downstream signals start to multiple processes such as MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), apoptosis, and the arrest of cell cycle. TP53 becomes inactivated when encounters tumor growth. According to estimation, more than half of all cancers imply the inactivating mutations of TP53, which leads to the expression of mutant p53 protein. An extensive range of cancers carry the mutations of TP53 or certain other defects which deregulate p53 and its cofactors, making this gene a significant and highly studied tumor suppressor gene. Most of the mutations that are found in human cancers are not inherited but are acquired. As p53 protein binds DNA, it triggers another gene to synthesize a protein named p21 inside the cell, which interferes with a cell division-stimulating kinase (cdk2). When p21 forms a complex with cdk2 the cell cannot pass onto the next phase of cell division. Therefore, Mutant p53 can no longer get itself attached to DNA effectively, and as a result, the p21 protein is not made available to function as the 'stop signal' for the division of cell.