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  • Casey Frye posted an update 2 weeks, 1 day ago

    Currently, there are no approved treatments for infants with acute bronchiolitis, the leading cause for hospitalization of infants worldwide, and thus the recommended approach is supportive. Inhaled Nitric oxide (iNO), possesses anti-viral properties, improves oxygenation, and was shown to be safe in infants with respiratory conditions. Hospitalized infants with acute bronchiolitis were therefore recruited to a prospective double-blinded, multi-center, randomized controlled pilot study. They received intermittent high dose iNO (160 ppm) plus oxygen/air for 30 min or oxygen/air alone (control), five times/day, up to 5 days. Sixty-nine infants were enrolled. No difference was observed in frequencies of subjects with at least one Adverse Event (AE) in iNO (44.1%) vs. control (55.9%); neither was Methemoglobin >7% safety threshold. No drug-related serious AEs (SAEs) were reported. Analysis of Per-Protocol population revealed that length of stay (LOS), time to SpO2 ≥92%, and time to mTal clinical score ≤5 improved by 26.7 ± 12.7 (Welch’s t-test p = 0.04), 20.8 ± 8.9 (p = 0.023), and 14.6 ± 9.1 (p = 0.118) hours, respectively, in the iNO group compared to the control. Overall, high dose iNO (160ppm) was safe, well-tolerated, reduced LOS and showed rapid improvement of oxygen saturation, compared to the standard therapy. Further investigation in larger cohorts is warranted to validate these encouraging efficacy outcomes. (Trial registration NCT03053388).Within the last century, millions of lives have been lost to the four major Influenza pandemics. These influenza pandemics were all caused by Influenza Type A viruses (IAV) through their ability to undergo antigenic drifts and shifts. A greater understanding of IAV and host-pathogen interactions is required to develop effective therapeutics against future outbreaks. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a phospholipid binding, calcium-dependent protein known to play essential roles in multiple cellular functions including inflammation, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. ANXA1 was previously shown to enhance apoptosis after IAV infection. The current study explores the role of ANXA1 in IAV infection of A549 lung epithelial cells further in the context of RIG-I-dependent signaling using A549 and Crispr/Cas9 ANXA1 deleted (A549∆ANXA1) cells. ANXA1 was found to enhance the expression of a cytoplasmic RNA sensor, RIG-I basally and post-infection. Gefitinib RIG-I activation by 5’ppp-RNA in A549 lung epithelial cell induces apoptotic cell death, which is inhibited when ANXA1 is deleted, and reversed when ANXA1 is re-expressed. RIG-I activation by 5’ppp-RNA stimulates the production of IFNβ from lung epithelial cells to the same extent as monocytic cells, albeit very late after infection at 48-72 h, through IRF3 and STAT1 activation. ANXA1 deletion delays the phosphorylation of IRF3 and STAT1, leading to lower expression of interferon-stimulated genes, such as IFIT1, and silencing IFIT1 inhibited RIG-I-induced cell death. In all, these results suggest that ANXA1 plays a regulatory role in RIG-I signaling and cell death in A549 lung epithelial cells.Public opinion is shaped in significant part by online content, spread via social media and curated algorithmically. The current online ecosystem has been designed predominantly to capture user attention rather than to promote deliberate cognition and autonomous choice; information overload, finely tuned personalization and distorted social cues, in turn, pave the way for manipulation and the spread of false information. How can transparency and autonomy be promoted instead, thus fostering the positive potential of the web? Effective web governance informed by behavioural research is critically needed to empower individuals online. We identify technologically available yet largely untapped cues that can be harnessed to indicate the epistemic quality of online content, the factors underlying algorithmic decisions and the degree of consensus in online debates. We then map out two classes of behavioural interventions-nudging and boosting- that enlist these cues to redesign online environments for informed and autonomous choice.Tumor heterogeneity is one major reason for unpredictable therapeutic outcomes, while stratifying therapeutic responses at an early time may greatly benefit the better control of cancer. Here, we developed a hybrid nanovesicle to stratify radiotherapy response by activatable inflammation magnetic resonance imaging (aiMRI) approach. The high Pearson’s correlation coefficient R values are obtained from the correlations between the T1 relaxation time changes at 24-48 h and the ensuing adaptive immunity (R = 0.9831) at day 5 and the tumor inhibition ratios (R = 0.9308) at day 18 after different treatments, respectively. These results underscore the role of acute inflammatory oxidative response in bridging the innate and adaptive immunity in tumor radiotherapy. Furthermore, the aiMRI approach provides a non-invasive imaging strategy for early prediction of the therapeutic outcomes in cancer radiotherapy, which may contribute to the future of precision medicine in terms of prognostic stratification and therapeutic planning.In the past, osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) was generally reported with bisphosphonate drugs; hence, the term BRONJ (bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw) was initially proposed. This was followed by the term ARONJ (antiresorptive osteonecrosis of the jaw). More recently, other novel medications such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and humanised antibodies that affect osteoclastic action have been reported to initiate ONJ in several cases. For this reason, in 2014, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) changed the term to MRONJ – medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. The review primarily focuses on ONJ associated with emerging therapies for the management of bone disorders. This article sheds some light on the risk factors that predispose dental patients to the development of osteonecrosis, the mechanisms of drug therapies associated with MRONJ, and potential treatment and management regimes for MRONJ patients.