25 research outputs found
Fibromyalgia Syndrome Care of Iraq- and Afghanistan-Deployed Veterans in Veterans Health Administration
Little is known regarding fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) care among Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OIF/OEF/OND) Veterans. Current recommendations include interdisciplinary, teambased combined care approaches and limited opioid use. In this study of OIF/OEF/OND Veterans who accessed Veterans Health Administration services between 2002 and 2012, we hypothesized that combined care (defined as at least 4 primary care visits/yr with visits to mental health and/or rheumatology) versus/yr only would be associated with lower risk of at least 2 opioid prescriptions 12 mo following an FMS diagnosis. Using generalized linear models with a loglink, the Poisson family, and robust standard errors, we estimated risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We found that 1% of Veterans had at least 2 FMS diagnoses (International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision-Clinical Modification code 729.1) or at least 1 FMS diagnosis by rheumatology. Veterans with (vs without) FMS were more likely to be female, older, Hispanic, and never/currently married. Combined primary, mental health, and rheumatology care was associated with at least 2 opioid prescriptions (RR [95% CI] for males 2.2 [1.1–4.4] and females 2.8 [0.4–18.6]). Also, combined care was associated with at least 2 nonopioid painrelated prescriptions, a practice supported by evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. In tandem, these results provide mixed evidence of benefit of combined care for FMS. Future studies of healthcare encounter characteristics, care coordination, and benefits for Veterans with FMS are needed
Oncolytic Virus Engineering and Utilizations: Cancer Immunotherapy Perspective
Oncolytic viruses have positively impacted cancer immunotherapy over the past 20 years. Both natural and genetically modified viruses have shown promising results in treating various cancers. Various regulatory authorities worldwide have approved four commercial oncolytic viruses, and more are being developed to overcome this limitation and obtain better anti-tumor responses in clinical trials at various stages. Faster advancements in translating research into the commercialization of cancer immunotherapy and a comprehensive understanding of the modification strategies will widen the current knowledge of future technologies related to the development of oncolytic viruses. In this review, we discuss the strategies of virus engineering and the progress of clinical trials to achieve virotherapeutics
Recent Advances in Cancer Immunotherapy Delivery Modalities
Immunotherapy is crucial in fighting cancer and achieving successful remission. Many novel strategies have recently developed, but there are still some obstacles to overcome before we can effectively attack the cancer cells and decimate the cancer environment by inducing a cascade of immune responses. To successfully demonstrate antitumor activity, immune cells must be delivered to cancer cells and exposed to the immune system. Such cutting-edge technology necessitates meticulously designed delivery methods with no loss or superior homing onto cancer environments, as well as high therapeutic efficacy and fewer adverse events. In this paper, we discuss recent advances in cancer immunotherapy delivery techniques, as well as their future prospects
Sense and Shoot: Unveiling the Electro-/Photocatalytic Potential of 2D White Graphene-Supported Perovskite Strontium Cobaltite from Detection to Remediation of Oxidative Stress Herbicide (Mesotrione)
In
this research, we employed a strategy akin to “Feeding
Two Birds with One Stone” aiming for the dual objectives of
highly selective electrochemical detection and photocatalytic degradation
of the environmentally hazardous herbicide mesotrione (MTN). We achieved
this by utilizing hexagonal boron nitride (BN)-supported strontium
cobaltite perovskite nanocomposites (SrCoO3/BN). The fabrication
of the innovative bifunctional SrCoO3/BN nanocomposites
involved a straightforward process of precipitation, followed by an
annealing treatment and ultrasonication. The successful formation
of these nanocomposites was corroborated through the application of
diverse spectroscopic tools. Notably, as-prepared SrCoO3/BN nanocomposites exhibited a remarkable sensing platform for MTN,
characterized by a notably low detection limit (11 nm), considerable
sensitivity (3.782 μA μM–1 cm–2), and outstanding selectivity, alongside remarkable stability. Concurrently,
these SrCoO3/BN nanocomposites demonstrated exceptional
visible-light-driven photocatalytic efficacy for MTN degradation (99%)
and complete mineralization. Our investigation systematically delved
into the influence of operational parameters, including catalyst loading
and the involvement of reactive oxidative species, in both the electrocatalytic
and photocatalytic reactions. Drawing from these comprehensive studies,
we have proposed plausible mechanisms for detecting and degrading
MTN. Our findings pave the way for catalyst development, offering
a unified solution for detecting and eliminating toxic organic compounds
from the environment