Adv Exp Med Biol
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The rapid epidemiological shift from an epidemic/outbreak in Wuhan, China, to a global pandemic of COVID-19 in less than 3 months came with lessons the world's health system should learn to prepare for the future outbreaks. Since February 20, 2020, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been increased very slowly in the countries of East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, and China, when compared with those in the Western countries. ⋯ It includes an evaluation of the potential influence of culture on the implementation of different protective measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic while at the same time offering suggestions that will make it easier for all populations to adapt protective steps against COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases. Finally, the chapter provides a detailed discussion of lessons we have learned from the pandemic, leading to the conclusion that the transition from individualism to collaborative efforts is the treatment of universal pandemics.
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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is classified as a most common inflammatory skin disease. The condition is characterized by recurrent eczematous lesions and intense pruritus or itch, a hallmark of AD. The aim of this study was to identify the provoking factors of itch in severe AD adult patients. ⋯ Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the intensity of itch and the level of sIgE antibodies to dust mite (p < 0.001). The content of IL-33 was significantly higher in AD patients with severe skin lesions. This exploratory study shows that skin dryness, dust exposure, and distress play an essential role in the exacerbation of AD in the adult population.
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Meta Analysis
The Level of Procalcitonin in Severe COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
There is data from individual clinical trials suggesting that procalcitonin (PCT) may be a prognostic factor in the severity of COVID-19 disease. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to investigate PCT levels in severe COVID-19 patients. We searched Embase, ProQuest, MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and ISI/Web of Science for studies that reported the level of PCT of patient with severe COVID-19. ⋯ The odds of having more severe COVID-19 disease was higher in subjects with elevated PCT (≥0.05 ng/mL) compared with those having low procalcitonin (<0.05 ng/mL) [n = 6, OR(95% CI) = 2.91(1.14, 7.42), p = 0.025). After estimating the mean and standard deviation values from the sample size, median, and interquartile range, a pooled effect analysis indicated higher serum PCT concentrations in patients with severe versus less severe disease [n = 6, SMD(95% CI) = 0.64(0.02, 1.26), p = 0.042]. The results of this study showed that PCT is increased in patients with severe COVID-19 infection.
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Following the outbreaks of SARS-CoV in 2002 and MERS-CoV in 2012, the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has become an increasing threat to human health around the world. Numerous studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 appears similar to the SARS-CoV as it uses angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor to gain entry into cells. The main aims of this scoping review were to identify the primary hosts of coronaviruses, the relationship between the receptor binding domain of coronaviruses and ACE2, the organ specificity of ACE2 expression compared with clinical manifestations of the disease, and to determine if this information can be used in the development of novel treatment approaches for the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The process of efferocytosis involves removal of dying or dead cells by phagocytosis. Another term "efferosome" is used which means a fluid-filled membrane vesicle which engulfs dead cells. The process of efferocytosis works in coordination with apoptosis because before the contents of apoptotic cells are bleached out, they are engulfed by efferosomes. ⋯ Since the key players in efferocytosis are macrophages and dendritic cells, development of antigen-dependent antitumor immunity is affected by efferocytosis. The literature analysis suggests that efferocytosis is an underappreciated immune checkpoint, perhaps one that might be therapeutically targeted in the setting of cancer. The current status of efferocytosis and its role in tumor microenvironment is discussed in this article.