COVID-19 and lung pathologies.

COVID-19 is a global emergency with over 10 million cases and over 500, 000 deaths worldwide. The SARS CoV-2 is a RNA virus belonging to the family coronaviridae. It has high infectivity. The manifestations of the disease range from asymptomatic or mild symptoms to severe pneumonia and ARDS. The CT scan of lung shows consolidation and "Ground Glass Opacities". The persons with other comorbidities are considered to be at a higher rate of acquiring the infection. Asthma and other allergies have not been identified as major risk factors for COVID-19 as the number of asthmatic patients having COVID-19 is not high enough for it to be considered so. The occurrence of COVID-19 in COPD patients can be related with smoking. The ACE-2 expression in such patients was considerably high. The relation between COVID-19 and Tuberculosis can also be reflected in terms of the stigma associated with diagnosis and treatment of such diseases in some communities, eventually increasing the chances of people's reluctance to seek medical help. Cancer patients are usually more susceptible to infections. Lung cancer is no different. Additionally, lung cancer also has strong association with smoking further increasing the risk. The risk of getting infection and its severity is high for autoimmune disorders as well as fungal infections. Currently there is no definite treatment of COVID-19. However, some of the currently used modalities are hydroxychloroquine and antiviral drugs.

Activating BRAF mutation in sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia of the thyroid gland: two case reports and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia is a rare form of thyroid carcinoma. The underlying molecular mechanisms of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia tumorigenesis remain unknown. CASE PRESENTATION: We present two cases of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia, both with a concurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma. Patient 1, a 70-year-old Caucasian woman, presented with sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia with distant renal metastasis and coexisting papillary thyroid carcinoma. Patient 2, a 74-year-old Caucasian woman with a remote history of thyroid cancer treated with thyroidectomy, presented with locoregionally invasive sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia and recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma in the thyroid bed. BRAF mutation studies were performed on the sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia tumors. In both cases, sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia was positive for the BRAF V600E mutation by polymerase chain reaction. Patient 1 is the first reported case of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia with renal metastasis, to the best of our knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest, for the first time, to our knowledge, involvement of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia. Thus, BRAF inhibitors may prove to be a useful targeted medical therapy in the treatment of a subset of patients with aggressive sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia tumors who exhibit BRAF activating mutation.

Leptin signaling and circuits in puberty and fertility.

Leptin is an adipocyte-derived hormone involved in a myriad of physiological process, including the control of energy balance and several neuroendocrine axes. Leptin-deficient mice and humans are obese, diabetic, and display a series of neuroendocrine and autonomic abnormalities. These individuals are infertile due to a lack of appropriate pubertal development and inadequate synthesis and secretion of gonadotropins and gonadal steroids. Leptin receptors are expressed in many organs and tissues, including those related to the control of reproductive physiology (e.g., the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and gonads). In the last decade, it has become clear that leptin receptors located in the brain are major players in most leptin actions, including reproduction. Moreover, the recent development of molecular techniques for brain mapping and the use of genetically modified mouse models have generated crucial new findings for understanding leptin physiology and the metabolic influences on reproductive health. In the present review, we will highlight the new advances in the field, discuss the apparent contradictions, and underline the relevance of this complex physiological system to human health. We will focus our review on the hypothalamic circuitry and potential signaling pathways relevant to leptin's effects in reproductive control, which have been identified with the use of cutting-edge technologies of molecular mapping and conditional knockouts.