Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among refugees and other migrant populations: A systematic scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to map the existing literature to identify predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among refugees, immigrants, and other migrant populations. METHODS: A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Scopus, APA PsycInfo and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was conducted up to 31 January 2023 to identify the relevant English peer-reviewed observational studies. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts, selected studies, and extracted data. RESULTS: We identified 34 cross-sectional studies, primarily conducted in high income countries (76%). Lower vaccine acceptance was associated with mistrust in the host countries' government and healthcare system, concerns about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, limited knowledge of COVID-19 infection and vaccines, lower COVID-19 risk perception, and lower integration level in the host country. Female gender, younger age, lower education level, and being single were associated with lower vaccine acceptance in most studies. Additionally, sources of information about COVID-19 and vaccines and previous history of COVID-19 infection, also influence vaccine acceptance. Vaccine acceptability towards COVID-19 booster doses and various vaccine brands were not adequately studied. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine hesitancy and a lack of trust in COVID-19 vaccines have become significant public health concerns within migrant populations. These findings may help in providing information for current and future vaccine outreach strategies among migrant populations.

The Effect of Oral Administration of Silymarin on Serum Levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukin-1ß in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic chronic autoimmune disease. Several inflammatory agents play key roles in RA pathogenesis, among which tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß) are of great importance. Silymarin is a potent anti-oxidant extracted from Silybummarianum L. seeds. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of silymarin on serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß in patients with RA. METHODS: Patients with stable RA received 140 mg of silymarin, 3 times a day, for 3 months. Serum samples were collected before and after the treatment. Both TNF-α and IL-1ß serum levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: 42 patients (14.3% male, and 85.7% female, with a mean age of 47.59±12.8 years old) completed the treatment course. There was no significant difference in the overall mean concentration of either TNF-α (p=0.14) or IL-1ß (p=0.27) in all 42 patients after the treatment with silymarin. CONCLUSION: The addition of silymarin to the treatment regimen of patients with stable RA has no significant effect on the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß, however, this study needs further evaluation with a larger sample size.

The effect of a single 75 mg preoperative dose of pregabalin on postoperative pain in rhinoplasty: A double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of a single preoperative dose of 75 mg of pregabalin on postoperative pain in rhinoplasty. Volunteers with a physical status of ASA I were included in our study after informed written consent. This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. All pregabalin and placebo capsules were given to patients orally 1 h prior to surgery. A standard open rhinoplasty procedure was performed on all patients. All patients underwent the same general anesthesia and postoperative analgesic protocol, with the only difference between the two studied groups being the use of a single dose of pregabalin prior to surgery. Finally, pain intensity was measured at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h after surgery, using a horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS), and was analyzed statistically. 128 volunteers - 33 men (25.8%) and 95 women (74.2%) - with a mean age of 26.23 ± 7.16 were included in this study. Pain intensity scores were consistently lower in patients who received pregabalin preoperatively (p = 0.002); however, the incidence of nausea, drowsiness, difficulty in concentrating, dry mouth, and constipation showed no differences between the two study groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the administration of pregabalin should be added to the perioperative protocol whenever appropriate.

Genistein Suppression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Expression in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Like Cells Isolated from High and Low Grade Gliomas

Objective: Brain tumors cause great mortality and morbidity worldwide, and success rates with surgical treatment remain very low. Several recent studies have focused on introduction of novel effective medical therapeutic approaches. Genistein is a member of the isoflavonoid family which has proved to exert anticancer effects. Here we assessed the effects of genistein on the expression of MMP-2 and VEGF in low and high grade gliomas in vitro. Materials and Methods: High and low grade glioma tumor tissue samples were obtained from a total of 16 patients, washed with PBS, cut into small pieces, digested with collagenase type I and cultured in DMEM containing 10% FBS. When cells reached passage 3, they were exposed to genistein and MMP-2 and VEGF gene transcripts were determined by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Expression of MMP-2 demonstrated 580-fold reduction in expression in low grade glioma cells post treatment with genistein compared to untreated cells (P value= 0.05). In cells derived from high grade lesions, expression of MMP-2 was 2-fold lower than in controls (P value> 0.05). Genistein caused a 4.7-fold reduction in VEGF transcript in high grade glioma cells (P value> 0.05) but no effects were evident in low grade glioma cells. Conclusion. Based on the data of the present study, low grade glioma cells appear much more sensitive to genistein and this isoflavone might offer an appropriate therapeutic intervention in these patients. Further investigation of this possibility is clearly warranted.