Afrocentric screening program for breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer among immigrant patients in Ontario.

PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Black and immigrant populations across Canada have lower screening rates than Canadian-born white populations, predisposing them to increased cancer morbidity and mortality. Effective interventions are required to increase cancer screening rates among these populations. OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM: To improve breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening rates at TAIBU Community Health Centre, which has a mandate to provide primary health care services to the Black and immigrant community in the greater Toronto area. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: An Afrocentric quality improvement program was developed and implemented, consisting of provider audits, cancer screening education programs, a patient call-back program, and a mammography promotion day. CONCLUSION: TAIBU Community Health Centre's continuous quality improvement approach was successful in engaging health care providers and patients to increase cancer screening participation sustainably in a racially and socioeconomically diverse setting. Rates of breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening offered to eligible patients increased from 17% to 72%, 18% to 67%, and 59% to 70%, respectively, between 2011 and 2018.

Face Masks Are Beneficial Regardless of the Level of Infection in the Fight Against COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently a global pandemic that has affected over 7 million people worldwide, resulting in over 400,000 deaths. In the past 20 years, they have been several viral epidemics that were primarily transmitted by respiratory droplets. The use of face masks is proven to be effective in protecting health-care workers as they perform their duties. Still, there is limited evidence about whether the widespread use of face mask would be very useful in protecting the general population. This study aimed to conduct a review to determine if face masks would be beneficial in the general population as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19. The widespread implementation of wearing face masks by the general population is challenging due to a variety of factors. However, the extensive use of cloth masks in conjunction with other preventative measures such as social distancing and handwashing can potentially reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Apoptosis in wild-type and CRISPR/Cas9-IGF/IGFBP3 knocked-out Osteosarcoma Cells.

Osteosarcoma affects both adolescents and adults, and some improvement in the survival rate for affected patients has been reached in the last decade. Still, non-specificity and systemic toxicity may limit traditional therapeutic approaches to some extent. The insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1) and its binding protein (IGFBP3) have been implicated in the tumorigenesis. Nanoparticles, such as graphene oxide (GO), can provide an effective treatment for cancer as they can specifically target cancer cells while reducing undesired side effects. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of GO on osteosarcoma in vitro using tumor cell lines with and without knocking out the IGF and IGFBP3 genes. Human osteosarcoma cell lines, U2OS and SAOS2, and the normal osteoblast cell line hFOB1.19 were used. The IGF1 and IGFBP3 genes were eliminated using CRISPR/Cas9. Tumor cells were cultured and treated with GO. Apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed by Annexin V-FITC and ROS assays. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), which is a crucial regulator of cellular resistance to oxidants, was investigated by Western blotting. We found a significantly higher rate of apoptosis in the OS than hFOB1.19, especially in U2OS cells in which IGF1 and IGFBP3 were knocked out. ROS increase due to GO exposure was remarkably time and concentration-dependent. Based on the rate of apoptosis, ROS, Nrf-2 decrease, and cytomorphological changes, GO has a significant cytotoxic effect against OS. Targeting the IGF1 and IGFBP3 signaling pathway may strengthen GO-related cytotoxicity with the potential to increase the survival of patients affected by this tumor.