Racial disparity in uterine leiomyoma: new insights of genetic and environmental burden in myometrial cells.

Uterine leiomyoma (LM), also known as uterine fibroids, are common gynecological tumors and can reach a prevalence of 70% among women by the age of 50 years. Notably, the LM burden is much higher in Black women with earlier onset, a greater tumor number, size, and severity compared to White women. Published knowledge shows that there are genetic, environmental, and lifestyle-based risk factors associated with racial disparity for LM. Significant strides have been made on genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic data levels in Black and White women to elucidate the underlying pathomolecular reasons of racial disparity in LM development. However, racial disparity of LM remains a major area of concern in gynecological research. This review highlights risk factors of LM and their role in different races. Furthermore, we discuss the genetics and uterine myometrial microenvironment in LM development. Comparative findings revealed that a major racial difference in the disease is linked to myometrial oxidative burden and altered ROS pathways which is relevant to the oxidized guanine in genomic DNA and MED12 mutations that drive the LM genesis. Considering the burden and morbidity of LM, we anticipate that this review on genetic risk and myometrial microenvironment will strengthen understanding and propel the growth of research to address the racial disparity of LM burden.

Bioactivity-Guided Synthesis: In Silico and In Vitro Studies of ß-Glucosidase Inhibitors to Cope with Hepatic Cytotoxicity.

The major cause of hyperglycemia can generally be attributed to ß-glucosidase as per its involvement in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This clinical condition leads to liver carcinoma (HepG2 cancer). The phthalimides and phthalamic acid classes possess inhibitory potential against glucosidase, forming the basis for designing new phthalimide and phthalamic acid analogs to test their ability as potent inhibitors of ß-glucosidase. The study also covers in silico (molecular docking and MD simulations) and in vitro (ß-glucosidase and HepG2 cancer cell line assays) analyses. The phthalimide and phthalamic acid derivatives were synthesized, followed by spectroscopic characterization. The mechanistic complexities associated with ß-glucosidase inhibition were identified via the docking of the synthesized compounds inside the active site of the protein, and the results were analyzed in terms of the best binding energy and appropriate docking pose. The top-ranked compounds were subjected to extensive MD simulation studies to understand the mode of interaction of the synthesized compounds and binding energies, as well as the contribution of individual residues towards binding affinities. Lower RMSD/RMSF values were observed for 2c and 3c, respectively, in the active site, confirming more stabilized, ligand-bound complexes when compared to the free state. An anisotropic network model was used to unravel the role of loop fluctuation in the context of ligand binding and the dynamics that are distinct to the bound and free states, supported by a 3D surface plot. An in vitro study revealed that 1c (IC50 = 1.26 µM) is far better than standard acarbose (2.15 µM), confirming the potential of this compound against the target protein. Given the appreciable potential of the candidate compounds against ß-glucosidase, the synthesized compounds were further tested for their cytotoxic activity against hepatic carcinoma on HepG2 cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity profile of the synthesized compounds was performed against HepG2 cancer cell lines. The resultant IC50 value (0.048 µM) for 3c is better than the standard (thalidomide: IC50 0.053 µM). The results promise the hypothesis that the synthesized compounds might become potential drug candidates, given the fact that the ß-glucosidase inhibition of 1c is 40% better than the standard, whereas compound 3c holds more anti-tumor activity (greater than 9%) against the HepG2 cell line than the known drug.

Nanotechnology prospects in brain therapeutics concerning gene-targeting and nose-to-brain administration.

Neurological diseases are one of the most pressing issues in modern times worldwide. It thus possesses explicit attention from researchers and medical health providers to guard public health against such an expanding threat. Various treatment modalities have been developed in a remarkably short time but, unfortunately, have yet to lead to the wished-for efficacy or the sought-after clinical improvement. The main hurdle in delivering therapeutics to the brain has always been the blood-brain barrier which still represents an elusive area with lots of mysteries yet to be solved. Meanwhile, nanotechnology has emerged as an optimistic platform that is potentially holding the answer to many of our questions on how to deliver drugs and treat CNS disorders using novel technologies rather than the unsatisfying conventional old methods. Nanocarriers can be engineered in a way that is capable of delivering a certain therapeutic cargo to a specific target tissue. Adding to this mind-blowing nanotechnology, the revolutionizing gene-altering biologics can have the best of both worlds, and pave the way for the long-awaited cure to many diseases, among those diseases thus far are Alzheimer's disease (AD), brain tumors (glioma and glioblastoma), Down syndrome, stroke, and even cases with HIV. The review herein collects the studies that tested the mixture of both sciences, nanotechnology, and epigenetics, in the context of brain therapeutics using three main categories of gene-altering molecules (siRNA, miRNA, and CRISPR) with a special focus on the advancements regarding the new favorite, intranasal route of administration.

How fear of intimacy affects infertile men's neuropsychological functioning through mental toughness.

Objective: There is a significant need in Pakistan to investigate the psychological effects of infertility on the mental health of infertile men. The current study examined how fear of intimacy affects neuropsychological impairment and evaluated its relationship to other variables including quality of life and mental toughness. Method: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on infertile male patients in various healthcare settings in Punjab, Pakistan. The participants were recruited using a non-probability (purposive) sampling strategy. The sample size was 120 infertile. SPSS 26 was used to analyze the data. Results: Fear of intimacy was found significant impact on neuropsychological impairment (r = 0.40; ***p < 0.001), as well as fear of intimacy, significantly associated with emotional problems (r = 0.48; **p < 0.01), learning problems (r = 0.33; **p < 0.01), sensory and motor problem (r = 0.55; **p < 0.01), concentration problem (r = 0.21; **p < 0.01), mental & physical in coordination (r = 0.37; **p < 0.01) and depression (r = 0.22; **p < 0.01). Fear of intimacy has negative impact on QoL (r = -0.25; *p > 0.05). Similarly, neuropsychological impairment was found to be negatively associated with QoL (r = -0.52; **p > 0.01). The relationship between fear of intimacy and neuropsychological impairment was found to be significantly mediated by QoL. Furthermore, the findings revealed that mental toughness significantly moderated the relationship between fear of intimacy and neuropsychological impairment. Conclusion: Overall, infertile men in Pakistan had relatively high levels of fear of intimacy, which largely caused neuropsychological impairment. This study can help neuropsychological researchers, mental health professionals, as well as policymakers in improving clinical mental health practices for infertile patients.

Pathophysiological Association of Alzheimer's Disease and Hypertension: A Clinical Concern for Elderly Population.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia and the fifth leading cause of death in the adult population has a complex pathophysiological link with hypertension (HTN). A growing volume of published literature on a parallel elevation of blood pressure (BP), amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles formation in post-middle of human brain cells has developed new, widely accepting foundations on this association. In particular, HTN in elderly life mediates cerebral blood flow dysfunction, neuronal dysfunction, and significant decline in cognitive impairment, primarily in the late-life populace, governing the onset of AD. Thus, HTN is an established risk factor for AD. Considering the impact of AD, 1.89 million deaths annually, and the failure of palliative therapies to cure AD, the scientific research community is looking to adopt integrated approaches to target early modified risk factors like HTN to reduce AD burden. The current review highlights the significance and impact of HTN-based prevention in lowering the AD burden in the elderly by providing a comprehensive overview of the physiological relationship between AD and HTN with an in-detail explanation of the role and applications of pathological biomarkers in this clinical association. The review will gain worth in presenting new insights and providing inclusive discussion on the correlation between HTN and cognitive impairment. It will increase across a wider scientific audience to expand understanding of this pathophysiological association.

A Water-Soluble Hydrogen Sulfide Donor Suppresses the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Inhibiting the AKT/GSK-3ß/ß-Catenin and TGF-ß/Smad2/3 Signaling Pathways.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a disease with high morbidity, high mortality, and low cure rate. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is widely adopted in tissue engineering and drug delivery. 5-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1, 2-dithiol-3-thione (ADT-OH) is one of commonly used H2S donors. In our previous study, HA-ADT was designed and synthesized via coupling of HA and ADT-OH. In this study, compared with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, a fast H2S-releasing donor) and morpholin-4-ium (4-methoxyphenyl)-morpholin-4-ylsulfanylidenesulfido-λ5-phosphane (GYY4137, a slow H2S-releasing donor), HA-ADT showed stronger inhibitory effect on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle of human HCC cells. HA-ADT promoted apoptosis by suppressing the expressions of phospho (p)-protein kinase B (PKB/AKT), p-glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß), p-ß-catenin, and also inhibited autophagy via the downregulation of the protein levels of p-Smad2, p-Smad3, and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) in human HCC cells. Moreover, HA-ADT inhibited HCC xenograft tumor growth more effectively than both NaHS and GYY4137. Therefore, HA-ADT can suppress the growth of HCC cells by blocking the AKT/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin and TGF-ß/Smad2/3 signaling pathways. HA-ADT and its derivatives may be developed as promising antitumor drugs.

Effect of Fipronil Exposure on Hematological Aspects of Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta): Risk and Toxicity Assessment in Agro-Workers.

Background: Fipronil (FPN) is a broad-spectrum phenylpyrazole insecticide, widely used in agriculture and veterinary medicine. Published research on FPN toxicity has established the fact that its inhalation or dermal exposure may lead to very serious clinical outcomes in non-target animals. In line to its exposure and toxicity related damage, FPN has been investigated in many invertebrates, however, its exposure-related noxiousness is less reported in higher animals. Objective: To assess the FPN-induced effects to agro-workers in the field, in the present study, we used physiological human surrogates, adult rhesus monkeys as models. Method: We exposed well habituated, chair restraint adult rhesus monkeys with a field spray concentration of FPN (0.3 mg/1 mL distilled water) through an inhalation route in the closed system. Animals were divided into control and treatment groups, each containing three animals. Inflammatory and hematological effects were determined by evaluating the kidney and liver biomarker enzymes; serum creatinine and alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) levels respectively. Results: Our findings reveal that FPN treated monkeys show significantly increased levels of ALT (p = 0.000461), AST (p = 0.0681) and creatinine (p = 0.00656) as compared to the control group. Furthermore, significant differences of red blood cells (RBCs) (p = 0.0139) and white blood cells (WBCs) (p = 0.00642) were also observed in the treated and control group monkeys which reflect strong toxic effects on the blood cells. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that FPN exposure is very toxic to higher animals and causes severe damage to the liver and kidneys along with other clinical problems. The study highlights the effect and impact of passive inhalation of insecticides in intentionally carefree agro-workers and raises the concern of public awareness toward pesticides use.

A Nomogram-Based Study: A Way Forward to Predict the Anxiety Status in Medical Staff During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background and Objective: Anxiety influences job burnout and health. This study aimed to establish a nomogram to predict the anxiety status of medical staff during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A total of 600 medical members were randomized 7:3 and divided into training and validation sets. The data was collected using a questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis and Akaike information criterion (AIC) were applied to investigate the risk factors for anxiety. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated to establish a nomogram. Results: Participation time (OR=44.28, 95% CI=13.13~149.32), rest time (OR=38.50, 95% CI=10.43~142.19), epidemic prevention area (OR=10.16, 95% CI=3.51~29.40), epidemic prevention equipment (OR=15.24, 95% CI=5.73~40.55), family support (OR=9.63, 95% CI=3.55~26.11), colleague infection (OR=6.25, 95% CI=2.18~19.11), and gender (OR=3.30, 95% CI=1.15~9.47) were the independent risk factors (P<0.05) for anxiety in medical staff. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the training and validation sets were 0.987 and 0.946, respectively. The decision curve's net benefit shows the nomogram's clinical utility. Conclusion: The nomogram established in this study exhibited an excellent ability to predict anxiety status with sufficient discriminatory power and calibration. Our findings provide a protocol for predicting and identifying anxiety status in medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Screening of high-risk deleterious missense variations in the CYP1B1 gene implicated in the pathogenesis of primary congenital glaucoma: A comprehensive in silico approach.

Background: Primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) is the most common subtype of glaucoma caused by defects in the cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) gene. It is developing among infants in more than 80% of cases who exhibit impairments in the anterior chamber angle and the trabecular meshwork. Thus, a comprehensive in silico approach was performed to evaluate the effect of high-risk deleterious missense variations in the CYP1B1 gene. Material and methods: All the information for CYP1B1 missense variants was retrieved from the dbSNP database. Seven different tools, namely: SIFT, PolyPhen-2, PROVEAN, SNAP2, PANTHER, PhD-SNP, and Predict-SNP, were used for functional annotation, and two packages, which were I-Mutant 2.0 and MUpro, were used to predict the effect of the variants on protein stability. A phylogenetic conservation analysis using deleterious variants was performed by the ConSurf server. The 3D structures of the wild-type and mutants were generated using the I-TASSER tool, and a 50 ns molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) was executed using the GROMACS webserver to determine the stability of mutants compared to the native protein. Co-expression, protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology (GO), and pathway analyses were additionally performed for the CYP1B1 in-depth study. Results: All the retrieved data from the dbSNP database was subjected to functional, structural, and phylogenetic analysis. From the conducted analyses, a total of 19 high-risk variants (P52L, G61E, G90R, P118L, E173K, D291G, Y349D, G365W, G365R, R368H, R368C, D374N, N423Y, D430E, P442A, R444Q, F445L, R469W, and C470Y) were screened out that were considered to be deleterious to the CYP1B1 gene. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the majority of the variants occurred in highly conserved regions. The MD simulation analysis exhibited that all mutants' average root mean square deviation (RMSD) values were higher compared to the wild-type protein, which could potentially cause CYP1B1 protein dysfunction, leading to the severity of the disease. Moreover, it has been discovered that CYP1A1, VCAN, HSD17B1, HSD17B2, and AKR1C3 are highly co-expressed and interact with CYP1B1. Besides, the CYP1B1 protein is primarily involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics, chemical carcinogenesis, the retinal metabolic process, and steroid hormone biosynthesis pathways, demonstrating its multifaceted and important roles. Discussion: This is the first comprehensive study that adds essential information to the ongoing efforts to understand the crucial role of genetic signatures in the development of PCG and will be useful for more targeted gene-disease association studies.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Dihydropyridine and Pyridine Analogs as Potent Human Tissue Nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase Inhibitors with Anticancer Activity: ROS and DNA Damage-Induced Apoptosis.

Small molecules with nitrogen-containing scaffolds have gained much attention due to their biological importance in the development of new anticancer agents. The present paper reports the synthesis of a library of new dihydropyridine and pyridine analogs with diverse pharmacophores. All compounds were tested against the human tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (h-TNAP) enzyme. Most of the compounds showed excellent enzyme inhibition against h-TNAP, having IC50 values ranging from 0.49 ± 0.025 to 8.8 ± 0.53 µM, which is multi-fold higher than that of the standard inhibitor (levamisole = 22.65 ± 1.60 µM) of the h-TNAP enzyme. Furthermore, an MTT assay was carried out to evaluate cytotoxicity against the HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Among the analogs, the most potent dihydropyridine-based compound 4d was selected to investigate pro-apoptotic behavior. The further analysis demonstrated that compound 4d played a significant role in inducing apoptosis through multiple mechanisms, including overproduction of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damaging, and arrest of the cell cycle at the G1 phase by inhibiting CDK4/6. The apoptosis-inducing effect of compound 4d was studied through staining agents, microscopic, and flow cytometry techniques. Detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR) and molecular docking studies were carried out to identify the core structural features responsible for inhibiting the enzymatic activity of the h-TNAP enzyme. Moreover, fluorescence emission studies corroborated the binding interaction of compound 4d with DNA through a fluorescence titration experiment.

Cystathionine γ-lyase mediates cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelia-derived malignancy with a distinctive geographic distribution. Cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) is involved in cancer development and progression. Nevertheless, the role of CSE in the growth of NPC is unknown. In this study, we found that CSE levels in human NPC cells were higher than those in normal nasopharyngeal cells. CSE overexpression enhanced the proliferative, migrative, and invasive abilities of NPC cells and CSE downregulation exerted reverse effects. Overexpression of CSE decreased the expressions of cytochrome C, cleaved caspase (cas)-3, cleaved cas-9, and cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase, whereas CSE knockdown exhibited reverse effects. CSE overexpression decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and the expressions of phospho (p)-extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2, p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p-p38, but promoted the expressions of p-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), p-AKT, and p-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), whereas CSE knockdown showed oppose effects. In addition, CSE overexpression promoted NPC xenograft tumor growth and CSE knockdown decreased tumor growth by modulating proliferation, angiogenesis, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Furthermore, DL-propargylglycine (an inhibitor of CSE) dose-dependently inhibited NPC cell growth via ROS-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways without significant toxicity. In conclusion, CSE could regulate the growth of NPC cells through ROS-mediated MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascades. CSE might be a novel tumor marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of NPC. Novel donors/drugs that inhibit the expression/activity of CSE can be developed in the treatment of NPC.

Define the Two Molecular Subtypes of Epithelioid Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a fatal disease of respiratory system. Despite the availability of invasive biomarkers with promising results, there are still significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the treatment of MPM. One of three main mesothelioma cell types, epithelioid mesothelioma makes up approximately 70% of all mesothelioma cases. Different observational findings are under process, but the molecular heterogeneity and pathogenesis of epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma (eMPM) are still not well understood. Through molecular analysis, expression profiling data were used to determine the possibility and optimal number of eMPM molecular subtypes. Next, clinicopathological characteristics and different molecular pathways of each subtype were analyzed to prospect the clinical applications and advanced mechanisms of eMPM. In this study, we identified two distinct epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma subtypes with distinct gene expression patterns. Subtype I eMPMs were involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, and drug metabolism, while subtype II eMPMs were involved in rational metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, and chemical carcinogenesis pathways. Additionally, we identified potential subtype-specific therapeutic targets, including CCNE1, EPHA3, RNF43, ROS1, and RSPO2 for subtype I and CDKN2A and RET for subtype II. Considering the need for potent diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for eMPM, we are anticipating that our findings will help both in exploring underlying mechanisms in the development of eMPM and in designing targeted therapy for eMPM.

How Daily Obstacles Affect Frontline Healthcare Professionals' Mental Health during Omicron: A Daily Diary Study of Handwashing Behavior.

Based on coping theory, the current research examines how and why COVID-19 phobia affects frontline healthcare professionals' mental health, as well as their burnout and work-related stress. We focused on the mediating role of burnout and work-related stress in this study. In the current study, we also examined the moderating influence of healthcare professionals' handwashing behavior using the Hayes Process model. We employed a daily diary approach to collect data from respondents in Pakistan's frontline healthcare professionals (n = 79, 79 × 10 = 790) who were directly treating COVID-19 patients during the omicron wave. According to the findings of the study, COVID-19 phobia significantly disturbs healthcare professionals' mental health, as well as significantly strengthens burnout and work-related stress. The findings also demonstrated that burnout significantly negatively influences mental health. The mediation influence of burnout and work-related stress in the association between COVID-19 phobia and mental health has shown to be significant. The moderation analysis revealed that high handwashing behavior significantly buffers the negative impact of COVID-19 phobia, as well as the adverse effect of burnout on healthcare professionals' mental health. Moreover, our findings have theoretical and managerial implications, as well as new research directions for scholars to understand the adverse impact of daily obstacles on professionals' (nurses and doctors, etc.) mental health and work performance, as well as issues based on resource conversation philosophy.

Pharmacological Inhibition of Endogenous Hydrogen Sulfide Attenuates Breast Cancer Progression.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gaseous signaling molecule, is associated with the development of various malignancies via modulating various cellular signaling cascades. Published research has established the fact that inhibition of endogenous H2S production or exposure of H2S donors is an effective approach against cancer progression. However, the effect of pharmacological inhibition of endogenous H2S-producing enzymes (cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), cystathionine-ß-synthase (CBS), and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MPST)) on the growth of breast cancer (BC) remains unknown. In the present study, DL-propargylglycine (PAG, inhibitor of CSE), aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA, inhibitor of CBS), and L-aspartic acid (L-Asp, inhibitor of 3-MPST) were used to determine the role of endogenous H2S in the growth of BC by in vitro and in vivo experiments. An in silico study was also performed to confirm the results. Corresponding to each enzyme in separate groups, we treated BC cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) with 10 mM of PAG, AOAA, and L-Asp for 24 h. Findings reveal that the combined dose (PAG + AOAA + L-Asp) group showed exclusive inhibitory effects on BC cells' viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion compared to the control group. Further, treated cells exhibited increased apoptosis and a reduced level of phospho (p)-extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases such as p-AKT, p-PI3K, and p-mTOR. Moreover, the combined group exhibited potent inhibitory effects on the growth of BC xenograft tumors in nude mice, without obvious toxicity. The molecular docking results were consistent with the wet lab experiments and enhanced the reliability of the drugs. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the inhibition of endogenous H2S production can significantly inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells via the AKT/PI3K/mTOR pathway and suggest that endogenous H2S may act as a promising therapeutic target in human BC cells. Our study also empowers the rationale to design novel H2S-based anti-tumor drugs to cure BC.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Cancer Patients towards COVID-19 in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Cancer patients, being immunocompromised, are at higher risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The current study determines cancer patients' knowledge, attitude, perception, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Pakistan from 1 April 2020 to 1 May 2020. The study respondents were cancer patients with ages equal to or greater than 18 years. Following a request for participation, the URL for the survey was distributed on numerous channels. Other social media platforms, including WeChat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Messenger, and LinkedIn, were used to increase cancer patient interaction. The questionnaire comprised five different sections such as: (1) sociodemographic information, (2) knowledge, (3) attitude, (4) perception, and (5) impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients. Descriptive medical statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to illustrate the demographic characteristics of the study participants. To compare mean knowledge scores with selected demographic variables, independent sample t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used, which are also practical methods in epidemiological, public health and medical research. The cut-off point for statistical significance was set at a p-value of 0.05. Results: More than 300 cancer patients were invited, of which 208 agreed to take part. The response rate was 69.33% (208/300). Gender, marital status, and employment status had a significant association with knowledge scores. Of the total recruited participants, 96% (n = 200) (p < 0.01) knew about COVID-19, and 90% were aware of general symptoms of COVID-19 disease, such as route of transmission and preventive measurements. In total, 94.5% (n = 197) (p < 0.01) were willing to accept isolation if they were infected with COVID-19, and 98% (n = 204) (p < 0.01) had reduced their use of public transportation. More than 90% (n = 188) (p < 0.01) of cancer patients were found to be practicing preventative measures such as using a face mask, keeping social distance, and avoiding handshaking and hugging. Around 94.4% (n = 196) (p < 0.01) of cancer patients had been impacted by, stopped or had changed cancer treatment during this pandemic, resulting in COVID-related anxiety and depression. Conclusion: The included cancer patients exhibited a good level of COVID-19 knowledge, awareness, positive attitude, and perception. Large-scale studies and efforts are needed to raise COVID-19 awareness among less educated and high-risk populations. The present survey indicates that mass-level effective health education initiatives are required for developing countries to improve and reduce the gap between KAP and COVID-19.

Simvastatin-Loaded Lipid Emulsion Nanoparticles: Characterizations and Applications.

Simvastatin (SIM) is a diet drug to treat high lipid levels in the blood. It has the drawback of being metabolized in humans' gastrointestinal tract (GIT) when taken in an oral dosage form. To enhance the role of SIM in treating hyperlipidemias and bypassing its metabolism in GIT, a biodegradable nanocarrier as a SIM-loaded lipid emulsion nanoparticle via the solvent injection method was designed. Cholesterol acts as a lipid core, and Tween 80 was utilized to stabilize the core. The optimized nanoformulation was characterized for its particle diameter, zeta potential, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency, crystallinity, and molecular interaction. Furthermore, the transdermal hydrogel was characterized by physical appearance, rheology, pH, and spreadability. In vitro assays were executed to gauge the potential of LENPs and olive oil for transdermal delivery. The mean particle size and zeta potential of the optimized nanoparticles were 174 nm and -22.5 mV 0.127, respectively. Crystallinity studies and Fourier transform infrared analyses revealed no molecular interactions. Hydrogels showed a sustained release compared to SIM-loaded LENPs that can be proposed as a better delivery system for SIM. We encourage further investigations to explore the effect of reported formulations for transdermal delivery by in vivo experiments.

Hydrogen Sulfide Biology and Its Role in Cancer.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenous biologically active gas produced in mammalian tissues. It plays a very critical role in many pathophysiological processes in the body. It can be endogenously produced through many enzymes analogous to the cysteine family, while the exogenous source may involve inorganic sulfide salts. H2S has recently been well investigated with regard to the onset of various carcinogenic diseases such as lung, breast, ovaries, colon cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. H2S is considered an oncogenic gas, and a potential therapeutic target for treating and diagnosing cancers, due to its role in mediating the development of tumorigenesis. Here in this review, an in-detail up-to-date explanation of the potential role of H2S in different malignancies has been reported. The study summarizes the synthesis of H2S, its roles, signaling routes, expressions, and H2S release in various malignancies. Considering the critical importance of this active biological molecule, we believe this review in this esteemed journal will highlight the oncogenic role of H2S in the scientific community.

Association of Hypertension and Breast Cancer: Antihypertensive Drugs as an Effective Adjunctive in Breast Cancer Therapy.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy affecting women, and its incidence in younger women is rising worldwide. Early-onset of BC is a multi-step process involving various biological aggressive tumors such as triple negative and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-positive cancers. BC prevention is still arduous across the globe. A series of observational studies have established a conclusive non-genetic clinical link between hypertension (HTN) and the development of invasive BC. Those clinical associations have driven a pharmacological seek to use the anti-hypertension (AHTN) drugs as an effective adjunctive in BC therapy. The use of AHTN, especially beta-blockers and thiazides, has been recognized as a potent anti-tumor drug to mitigate BC progression, reduce the side effects of cancer treatment, and stop the reoccurrence of cancer in the survivors. Considering the dire need to disseminate the research on how AHTN drugs can be opted as the effective adjunctive therapy to cure the BC, the current review aimed to provide an update on novel understandings on association and mechanisms of AHTN-drugs against BC as an additional cancer therapy.

Skin cancer biology and barriers to treatment: Recent applications of polymeric micro/nanostructures.

Background: Skin cancer has been the leading type of cancer worldwide. Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers are now the most common types of skin cancer that have been reached to epidemic proportion. Based on the rapid prevalence of skin cancers, and lack of efficient drug delivery systems, it is essential to surge the possible ways to prevent or cure the disease. Aim of review: Although surgical modalities and therapies have been made great progress in recent years, however, there is still an urgent need to alleviate its increased burden. Hence, understanding the precise pathophysiological signaling mechanisms and all other factors of such skin insults will be beneficial for the development of more efficient therapies. Key scientific concepts of review: In this review, we explained new understandings about onset and development of skin cancer and described its management via polymeric micro/nano carriers-based therapies, highlighting the current key bottlenecks and future prospective in this field. In therapeutic drug/gene delivery approaches, polymeric carriers-based system is the most promising strategy. This review discusses that how polymers have successfully been exploited for development of micro/nanosized systems for efficient delivery of anticancer genes and drugs overcoming all the barriers and limitations associated with available conventional therapies. In addition to drug/gene delivery, intelligent polymeric nanocarriers platforms have also been established for combination anticancer therapies including photodynamic and photothermal, and for theranostic applications. This portfolio of latest approaches could promote the blooming growth of research and their clinical availability.

Chimeric Peptides/Proteins Encoded by circRNA: An Update on Mechanisms and Functions in Human Cancers.

The discovery of circular RNAs and exploration of their biological functions are increasingly attracting attention in cell bio-sciences. Owing to their unique characteristics of being highly conserved, having a relatively longer half-life, and involvement in RNA maturation, transportation, epigenetic regulation, and transcription of genes, it has been accepted that circRNAs play critical roles in the variety of cellular processes. One of the critical importance of these circRNAs is the presence of small open reading frames that enable them to encode peptides/proteins. In particular, these encoded peptides/proteins mediate essential cellular activities such as proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and apoptosis and develop an association with the development and progression of cancers by modulating diverse signaling pathways. In addition, these peptides have potential roles as biomarkers for the prognosis of cancer and are being used as drug targets against tumorigenesis. In the present review, we thoroughly discussed the biogenesis of circRNAs and their functional mechanisms along with a special emphasis on the reported chimeric peptides/proteins encoded by circRNAs. Additionally, this review provides a perspective regarding the opportunities and challenges to the potential use of circRNAs in cancer diagnosis and therapeutic targets in clinics.