Local Increase of Arginase Activity in Lesions of Patients with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Ethiopia

The leishmaniases are a complex of diseases caused by Leishmania parasites. Currently, the diseases affect an estimated 12 million people in 88 countries, and approximately 350 million more people are at risk. The leishmaniases belong to the most neglected tropical diseases, affecting the poorest populations, for whom access to diagnosis and effective treatment are often not available. Leishmania parasites infect cells of the immune system called macrophages, which have the capacity to eliminate the intracellular parasites when they receive the appropriate signals from other cells of the immune system. In nonhealing persistent leishmaniasis, lymphocytes are unable to transmit the signals to macrophages required to kill the intracellular parasites. The local upregulation of the enzyme arginase has been shown to impair lymphocyte effector functions at the site of pathology. In this study, we tested the activity of this enzyme in skin lesions of patients presenting with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis. Our results show that arginase is highly upregulated in these lesions. This increase in arginase activity coincides with lower expression of a signalling molecule in lymphocytes, which is essential for efficient activation of these cells. These results suggest that increased arginase expression in the localized cutaneous lesions might contribute to persistent disease in patients presenting with cutaneous leishmaniasis

The global burden of adolescent and young adult cancer in 2019 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background In estimating the global burden of cancer, adolescents and young adults with cancer are often overlooked, despite being a distinct subgroup with unique epidemiology, clinical care needs, and societal impact. Comprehensive estimates of the global cancer burden in adolescents and young adults (aged 15-39 years) are lacking. To address this gap, we analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, with a focus on the outcome of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), to inform global cancer control measures in adolescents and young adults. Methods Using the GBD 2019 methodology, international mortality data were collected from vital registration systems, verbal autopsies, and population-based cancer registry inputs modelled with mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). Incidence was computed with mortality estimates and corresponding MIRs. Prevalence estimates were calculated using modelled survival and multiplied by disability weights to obtain years lived with disability (YLDs). Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated as age-specific cancer deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. The main outcome was DALYs (the sum of YLLs and YLDs). Estimates were presented globally and by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintiles (countries ranked and divided into five equal SDI groups), and all estimates were presented with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). For this analysis, we used the age range of 15-39 years to define adolescents and young adults. Findings There were 1.19 million (95% UI 1.11-1.28) incident cancer cases and 396 000 (370 000-425 000) deaths due to cancer among people aged 15-39 years worldwide in 2019. The highest age-standardised incidence rates occurred in high SDI (59.6 [54.5-65.7] per 100 000 person-years) and high-middle SDI countries (53.2 [48.8-57.9] per 100 000 person-years), while the highest age-standardised mortality rates were in low-middle SDI (14.2 [12.9-15.6] per 100 000 person-years) and middle SDI (13.6 [12.6-14.8] per 100 000 person-years) countries. In 2019, adolescent and young adult cancers contributed 23.5 million (21.9-25.2) DALYs to the global burden of disease, of which 2.7% (1.9-3.6) came from YLDs and 97.3% (96.4-98.1) from YLLs. Cancer was the fourth leading cause of death and tenth leading cause of DALYs in adolescents and young adults globally. Interpretation Adolescent and young adult cancers contributed substantially to the overall adolescent and young adult disease burden globally in 2019. These results provide new insights into the distribution and magnitude of the adolescent and young adult cancer burden around the world. With notable differences observed across SDI settings, these estimates can inform global and country-level cancer control efforts. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

The global burden of adolescent and young adult cancer in 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: In estimating the global burden of cancer, adolescents and young adults with cancer are often overlooked, despite being a distinct subgroup with unique epidemiology, clinical care needs, and societal impact. Comprehensive estimates of the global cancer burden in adolescents and young adults (aged 15–39 years) are lacking. To address this gap, we analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, with a focus on the outcome of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), to inform global cancer control measures in adolescents and young adults. Methods: Using the GBD 2019 methodology, international mortality data were collected from vital registration systems, verbal autopsies, and population-based cancer registry inputs modelled with mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). Incidence was computed with mortality estimates and corresponding MIRs. Prevalence estimates were calculated using modelled survival and multiplied by disability weights to obtain years lived with disability (YLDs). Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated as age-specific cancer deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. The main outcome was DALYs (the sum of YLLs and YLDs). Estimates were presented globally and by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintiles (countries ranked and divided into five equal SDI groups), and all estimates were presented with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). For this analysis, we used the age range of 15–39 years to define adolescents and young adults. Findings: There were 1·19 million (95% UI 1·11–1·28) incident cancer cases and 396 000 (370 000–425 000) deaths due to cancer among people aged 15–39 years worldwide in 2019. The highest age-standardised incidence rates occurred in high SDI (59·6 [54·5–65·7] per 100 000 person-years) and high-middle SDI countries (53·2 [48·8–57·9] per 100 000 person-years), while the highest age-standardised mortality rates were in low-middle SDI (14·2 [12·9–15·6] per 100 000 person-years) and middle SDI (13·6 [12·6–14·8] per 100 000 person-years) countries. In 2019, adolescent and young adult cancers contributed 23·5 million (21·9–25·2) DALYs to the global burden of disease, of which 2·7% (1·9–3·6) came from YLDs and 97·3% (96·4–98·1) from YLLs. Cancer was the fourth leading cause of death and tenth leading cause of DALYs in adolescents and young adults globally. Interpretation: Adolescent and young adult cancers contributed substantially to the overall adolescent and young adult disease burden globally in 2019. These results provide new insights into the distribution and magnitude of the adolescent and young adult cancer burden around the world. With notable differences observed across SDI settings, these estimates can inform global and country-level cancer control efforts. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, St Baldrick's Foundation, and the National Cancer Institute

Investigation and Characterization of in-Situ Polymer Brush SEI Core Shell Layer Effects on Si Anode Material and Its Battery Performance

Silicon is a promising material for lithium-ion batteries due to its super high capacity.1 However, the volume expansion and the pulverization of Si limit its perforamce.2 This study investigates the effect of a polymer brush core-shell structure of Si as an anode material. The polymer brush is designed through Si-C covalent bond of vinyl monomers by thermal hydrosilylation reaction. According to the results, the PBCS structure provides three significant functions on Si particles because of the intramolecular effect of hydrogen bonding with PBCS and binder delivers a good dispersion in the slurry, a mechanical protection during cycling, and excellent ionic conductivity for high-rate tests. Compared with the unmodified electrode (SiNP), the modified electrodes (SiNP-M1 and SiNP-M2) incorporating the PBCS provides better initial columbic efficiency of 87.1% with the first discharge capacity of 1988.9 mAh g-1. The TEM and operando TXM results display that the PBCS structure significantly protects the nano Si from cracking owing to the high elastic function and intramolecular hydrogen bonding effect of the PBCS. Operando X-ray diffraction is also used to provide the phase information of the Si electrodes. With this novel PBCS-Si material, a high energy density lithium-ion battery contains pure Si can be expected. Reference Li, C.; Shi, T.; Li, D.; Yoshitake, H.; Wang, H., Effect of surface modification on electrochemical performance of nano-sized Si as an anode material for Li-ion batteries. RSC Advances 2016, 6 (41), 34715-34723. Gao, Y.; Yi, R.; Li, Y. C.; Song, J.; Chen, S.; Huang, Q.; Mallouk, T. E.; Wang, D., General Method of Manipulating Formation, Composition, and Morphology of Solid-Electrolyte Interphases for Stable Li-Alloy Anodes. J Am Chem Soc 2017, 139 (48), 17359-17367. Figure 1 <jats:p /

Fabrication and Study of LaNi0.6Fe0.4O3-δ and Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ Composite Cathode

Abstract In this paper, the composite cathode material of of LaNi0.6Fe0.4O3-δ(LNF) and Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ(SSC) is investigated and the cell performance of BaCe0.7Y0.2Zr0.1O3-δ(BZCY)-based proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell (H-SOFC) is evaluated. LNF powders and SSC powders with different ratios (1:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 0:1 wt. %) are mixed as the composite cathode to explore the optimized composition. The phase structure of the fabricated cathode powders is analyzed through X-ray diffraction method (XRD) and no second phase was observed below 1000oC, showing good chemical compatibility. The electrochemical properties consisted of I-V and EIS curves reveal that the single cell with LNF-SSC73 cathode has the best electrochemical performance, exhibiting a polarization resistance of 0.10 Ω·cm2 and a relatively high maximum power density of 636 mWcm2 at 700oC. These results above indicate that LNF-SSC73 composite material could improve the performance of fuel cells, which would be a prospective material in the field of H-SOFC.</jats:p