The 21st century disaster: The COVID-19 epidemiology, risk factors and control.

The 21st century will be indelible in the world as ruin of the outbreak of COVID-19 was arose in Wuhan, China has now spread all over the world, up to August 2020. This study was based on the factors affecting the epidemiology of this virus in human societies of global concern. We studied the articles published in journals on various aspects of nCoVID19. The Wikipedia and WHO situation reports have also been searched out for related information. Outcomes were followed up until 2020. The COVID-19 is a virus with pandemic potential which may continue to cause regular infection in human. The pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 threatened public health across the globe in form of system as reflected in the shape of emergency. Approximately 21 million humans are infected and 759,400 have lost their lives till 2020 in all over the world. We have described epidemiological features, reservoirs, transmission, incubation period, rate of fatality, management including recent clinical chemotherapeutic approach and preventive measurements and masses which are at risk of COVID19. This virus causes viral pneumonia when it attacks on respiratory system and multiple failure which can leads to life threatening complications. It is believed to be zoonotic importance although it is not clear from which animal and how it is transmitted. Zoonotic transmission of COVID-19 has not yet known by science. The current study will help to establish a baseline for early effective control of this rapidly spreading severe viral illness. The available data on COVID-19 indicates that older males with comorbidities would have been more infected, which can result in severe respiratory complications. Implementation of preventive measurements, investigation of proper chemotherapeutics and detection of cross species transmission agents must be ensured.

Human papillomavirus, tobacco, and poor oral hygiene can act synergetically, modulate the expression of the nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway for the development and progression of head and neck cancer in the Pakistani population.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that progress owing to varied enviromental and genetic risk factors. Viral infections are threatening and adept at altering the expression of cellular transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and deregulation of other cellular proteins like NF kappa B inhibitor alpha (IκBα). The present study was conducted to detect high-risk genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) and protein expression of NF-κB signaling pathway in HNC patients with HPV infection. METHODS: For HPV detection, genomic DNA from 152 HNC tumors was extracted formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue DNA kit. For genotyping, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a general primer, HPV type-specific primers and agarose gel electrophoresis were performed. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed on 4-µm thick tissue sections using HPV E6 monoclonal antibody. Protein expression analysis of NF-κB signaling pathway including p50, p65, and IκBα was performed using IHC. RESULTS: PCR analysis showed that 24.3% (37/152) of HNC cases were HPV positive. Among HPV positive, 86.5% (32/37) were tobacco users, while among HPV negative, 66.9% (77/115) were tobacco users. A significant association of HPV positivity and tobacco user was observed by univariate analysis [ P   <  0.01; odds ratio (OR): 0.310, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.110 to 0.870]. More HPV positive patients were with poor oral hygiene (78.3%) when compared with patients with good oral hygiene (21.6%) [ P  < 0.03, OR: 2.440, 95% CI: 1.650 to 3.600]. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed that age, tobacco use and oral hygiene are significant predictors ( P  < 0.02). PCR and IHC staining results confirmed that HPV16 was predominant among HNC cases (64.8%) when compared with HPV18 (35.2%). Expression of NF-κB proteins (p50, p65, and IκBα inhibitor) were also observed in HPV and non-HPV infected HNC tissues. IHC expression of p50, and p65 showed nuclear staining, while IκBα inhibitor showed cytoplasmic staining. Protein expression in HPV cases was higher as compared to HPV naive cases ( P  < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: From the study, it can be established that the use of tobacco, oral hygiene, and HPV infection may be synergistically involved in modulating the expression of NF-κB signaling pathway for the development and progression of HNC in the Pakistani population.

NF-κB1 Intronic Region Polymorphisms as Risk Factor for Head and Neck Cancer in HPV-Infected Population from Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer (HNC) develops due to a number of risk factors, including infection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The genetic predisposition also plays an important role in deregulating different signaling pathways including the NF-KB pathway. Certain polymorphisms are reported to affect the NF-kB pathway genes. OBJECTIVES: The present research was conducted to study the association of HPV with NF-KB1 (p50) gene polymorphisms in HNC patients of the Pakistani population. METHODS: Genomic DNA from HNC tumors samples was extracted using the Exgene SV DNA extraction Kit. Allele-specific PCR and direct sequencing were done for analysis of NF-κB1 SNPs 94ins/del (rs28362491), rs1598858 and rs4648068. RESULTS: The genotypes AGrs1598858, AGrs4648068 and GGrs4648068 were associated with significantly increased risk of head and neck cancer in studied population. Furthermore the HNC cases with genotypes AGrs1598858 and GGrs4648068 displayed growing risk of HPV related cancers. Promotor region SNP 94ins/del (rs28362491) was not detected in studied population. Tobacco use, lymph nodes involvement and poorly differentiated tumors were positively associated with HPV induced cancers. CONCLUSION: It is the first comprehensive study from Pakistan, to evaluate the polymorphic variants of NF-κB1. Genotypes AGrs4648068, GGrs4648068, and AGrs1598858 of NF-κB1 gene are associated with increased risk of head and neck cancers in the studied HPV infected Pakistani population. It can be concluded that HPV infection, involvement of lymph nodes and tobacco use can act synergetic and add up in modulating HPV induced HNC with intronic SNPs of NF-κB1 gene in Pakistani population.

An overview of the anti-cancer actions of Tanshinones, derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen).

Tanshinone is a herbal medicinal compound described in Chinese medicine, extracted from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen). This family of compounds, including Tanshinone IIA and Tanshinone I, have shown remarkable potential as anti-cancer molecules, especially against breast, cervical, colorectal, gastric, lung, and prostate cancer cell lines, as well as leukaemia, melanoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma among others. Recent data has indicated that Tanshinones can modulate multiple molecular pathways such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK and JAK/STAT3, and exert their pharmacological effects against different malignancies. In addition, preclinical and clinical data, together with the safety profile of Tanshinones, encourage further applications of these compounds in cancer therapeutics. In this review article, the effect of Tanshinones on different cancers, challenges in their pharmacological development, and opportunities to harness their clinical potential have been documented.

Assessment Of Preanalytical Blood Sampling Errors In Clinical Settings.

BACKGROUND: Blood sampling is one of the common procedures done in every ward for disease diagnosis and prognosis. Daily hundreds of samples are collected from different wards but lack of appropriate knowledge of blood sampling by paramedical staff and accidental errors make the samples inappropriate for testing. Thus the need to avoid these errors for better results still remains. We carried out this research with an aim to determine the common errors during blood sampling; find factors responsible and propose ways to reduce these errors. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out at the Military and Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi during February and March 2014. A Venous Blood Sampling questionnaire (VBSQ) was filled by the staff on voluntary basis in front of the researchers. The staff was briefed on the purpose of the survey before filling the questionnaire. Sample size was 228. Results were analysed using SPSS-21. RESULTS: When asked in the questionnaire, around 61.6% of the paramedical staff stated that they cleaned the vein by moving the alcohol swab from inward to outwards while 20.8% of the staff reported that they felt the vein after disinfection. On contrary to WHO guidelines, 89.6% identified that they had a habit of placing blood in the test tube by holding it in the other hand, which should actually be done after inserting it into the stand. Although 86% thought that they had ample knowledge regarding the blood sampling process but they didn't practice it properly. CONCLUSIONS: Pre analytical blood sampling errors are common in our setup. Eighty six percent participants though thought that they had adequate knowledge regarding blood sampling, but most of them were not adhering to standard protocols. There is a need of continued education and refresher courses.