Clinical Assessment of SDF Effect in Arresting Dental Caries in Deciduous Teeth.

Objectives: Current research was done to evaluate the effectiveness of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) on carious lesions in deciduous teeth. Materials and Method: The study included kids who had at least one carious lesion in accordance to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System II. A 38% SDF (FAgamin, Tedequim Company, Córdoba, Argentina) solution was applied directly to the lesion on the deciduous teeth as per the manufacturer's instructions. A follow-up evaluation was performed after one, three, and six months. Clinical results were used to assess the efficacy of SDF. The obtained data were statistically evaluated. Result: When it came to halting dental caries in primary teeth, 38% SDF was 92% effective. Conclusion: In conclusion, 38% SDF can be used to effectively stop caries in primary teeth.

Genomic instability detected from the saliva of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma patients: Association with clinical implications.

OBJECTIVES: Genomic instability in cancers is often associated with poor disease outcomes. In Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), saliva being the contact fluid contains cancers cells shed from the primary tumour. This study detected genomic instability from cancer cells shed in saliva and correlated the same with clinical implications. DESIGN: Genomic instability in HNSCC patients (n = 81) was analysed and compared with control subjects (n = 30). Alu sequences were amplified from the DNA of the cells shed in saliva and from the blood (Germline DNA) using Alu-PCR. Band variations between amplified products of salivary cells' DNA and germline DNA were compared. 'Instability Score' was calculated by counting the band variation(s). The 'Instability Score' was further used as a measure of genomic instability. RESULTS: Higher instability was detected in patients as compared to the controls (p < 0.0001). After treatment, there was a significant decrease (p < 0.0001) in the Instability score and patients with higher instability scores responded better to radiotherapy. The patient group consuming both tobacco and alcohol had a higher instability score in comparison to the tobacco group (p = 0.0056). Also, Instability scores are inversely correlated with nodal metastasis (p = 0.0075). A high Instability score before treatment resulted in a better prognosis in HNSCC patients (HR: 1.8, 95%CI: 1.024-3.164, p = 0.0306). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that genomic instability estimated from the tumour cells shed in the saliva of HNSCC patients by amplifying Alu sequence (Alu-PCR) is associated with radiotherapy response.

The microbiome and precision oncology: an emerging paradigm in anticancer therapy.

Understanding the host-microbiome interactions has emerged as an essential factor in improving human health and disease. Recent advances in understanding the intimate relationship of microbes with the host have uncovered various previously unknown underlying causes of disease development, progression, and treatment failure. The dynamic behaviour of the microbiome confers the heterogeneity in treatment response by modulating the immune response and inflammation in various diseases, including cancer. The growing insights into the microbial modulation of cancer through immunoregulation, xenometabolism, and increase in toxicity open a new era of personalised medicine. In the current review, we discuss the essential roles played by the microbiome in modulating the efficacy and toxicity of anticancer therapies (immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy). We also outline the current state of personalised medicine in the context of cancer and microbiome modulation. The knowledge about the role of cancer-microbiome communication will lead to designing other precise microbial modulation strategies for cancer treatment through enhanced efficacy and decreased toxicity.

Gene of the month: Cornulin.

Cornulin (CRNN) gene encodes a 495 amino acid long protein and is located on chromosome 1q21.3. Primarily, it functions as the marker of differentiation. Initially, it was found to be specific for the squamous cells of oesophagus. However, later on, several studies have revealed the presence of Cornulin downregulation in various epithelial squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, oesophagus and cervix and clinically associated it with worsening of cancer and the poor prognosis. Cornulin levels also showed dysregulation in other diseases such as Eczema and Psoriasis. Besides the differentiation marker, it was identified to be involved in the stress response. The studies, in psoriasis and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, has elucidated that the dysregulation in the Cornulin is associated with the cell cycle events such as G1/S transition. However, the actual function of Cornulin is still yet to be explored in detail.

Glycyrrhiza Genus: Enlightening Phytochemical Components for Pharmacological and Health-Promoting Abilities.

The Glycyrrhiza genus, generally well-known as licorice, is broadly used for food and medicinal purposes around the globe. The genus encompasses a rich pool of bioactive molecules including triterpene saponins (e.g., glycyrrhizin) and flavonoids (e.g., liquiritigenin, liquiritin). This genus is being increasingly exploited for its biological effects such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and cytotoxic activities. The species Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and the compound glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid) have been studied immensely for their effect on humans. The efficacy of the compound has been reported to be significantly higher on viral hepatitis and immune deficiency syndrome. This review provides up-to-date data on the most widely investigated Glycyrrhiza species for food and medicinal purposes, with special emphasis on secondary metabolites' composition and bioactive effects.

Correction to: "Silent Hypoxemia" Leads to Vicious Cycle of Infection, Coagulopathy and Cytokine Storm in COVID-19: Can Prophylactic Oxygen Therapy Prevent It?

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s12291-021-00967-0.].

Exploration of Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) Biology: A Paradigm Shift in Liquid Biopsy.

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs), are disseminated tumour cells found in the blood in solid tumour malignancies. Identification of CTCs act as emerging tools in the field of the Liquid Biopsy. Majority of the studies focused on detection and enumeration of CTCs due to technological challenges those results from the rarity of CTCs in the blood. Enumeration of CTCs has already proven their value as prognostic as well as predictive biomarkers for disease prognosis. However, recent advances in technology permitted to study the molecular and functional features of CTCs and these features have the potential to change the diagnostic, prognostic and predictive landscape in oncology. In this review, we summarize the paradigm shift in the field of liquid biopsy-based cancer diagnostics using CTC isolation and detection. We have discussed recent advances in the technologies for molecular characterization of CTCs which have aided a shift from CTC enumeration to an in-depth analysis of the CTC genome, transcriptomes, proteins, epigenomes along with various functional features. Finally, as a prognosticating strategy, the potentials of CTCs as a tool of liquid biopsy to predict micrometastasis, monitor prognosis and how to use them as an additional tool for cancer staging has been discussed.

"Silent Hypoxemia" Leads to Vicious Cycle of Infection, Coagulopathy and Cytokine Storm in COVID-19: Can Prophylactic Oxygen Therapy Prevent It?

Humankind is facing its worst pandemic of the twenty-first century, due to infection of a novel coronavirus named as SARS-CoV2, started from Wuhan in China. Till now, 15 million people are infected, causing more than 600,000 deaths. The disease, commonly known as, COVID-19, was initially thought to be associated with ARDS only, but later on revealed to have many unexplained and atypical clinical features like coagulopathy and cytokinemia, leading to multi-organ involvements. The patients also suffer from 'Silent Hypoxemia', where there is no immediate respiratory signs and symptoms even though alarmingly low SpO2 level. We hypothesize that this covert hypoxemia may lead to molecular changes exacerbating coagulopathy and cytokine storm in COVID19 patients, which again, in turn, causes a vicious cycle of more hypoxemia/hypoxia and progression of the infection to more severe stages through HIF-1α dependent pathway. Although molecular mechanisms are yet to be substantiated by scientific evidence, hypoxemia remains an independent worsening factor in serious COVID 19 patients. Keeping all in mind, we propose that even in the early and asymptomatic cases, prophylactic oxygen therapy to be initiated to break the vicious cycle and to reduce the mortality in COVID 19 to save precious human lives.