13 research outputs found
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric renal tumour presentation and management, a SIOP renal tumour study group study
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic had global catastrophic effects on the management of non-communicable diseases including paediatric cancers. Restrictions during the start of 2020 complicated timely referrals of patients to specialized centres. We aimed to evaluate the pandemic's impact on the number of new diagnoses, disease characteristics and management delay for paediatric renal tumour patients included in the SIOP-RTSG-UMBRELLA study, as compared with data from a historical SIOP-RTSG trial (2005-2009). METHODS: The number of intensive care admissions, population mobility rates and national lockdown periods/restrictions were used as proxies of the pandemic's severity and impact on societies. Clinical and tumour data were extracted from the SIOP-RTSG-UMBRELLA study and from historical SIOP-RTSG trials. RESULTS: During the first lockdown in Europe, the number of newly diagnosed patients decreased following restrictions and population immobilisation. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of advanced disease (37% vs. 17% before and after COVID-9, p < 0.001) and larger median tumour volume (559 cm3 vs. 328 and 434 cm3 before and after, p < 0.0001). Also in Brazil, the proportion of advanced disease was higher during the national decrease in mobilisation and start of restrictions (50% and 24% vs. 11% and 18% before and after, p < 0.01). Tumour volume in Brazil was also higher during the first months of COVID-19 (599 cm3 vs. 459 and 514 cm3 ), although not significant (p = 0.17). We did not observe any delays in referral time nor in time to start treatment, even though COVID-19 restrictions may have caused children to reach care later. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic briefly changed the tumour characteristics of children presenting with renal tumours. The longer-term impact on clinical outcomes will be kept under review
Synthesis of Spherical Mn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanozymes from Different Green Precursors for their Innovative Applications in Catalytic Properties and Bioactivity
Here,
spherical Mn2O3 nanozymes were synthesized
via a one-step green method using different green precursors, and
their physicochemical properties and biological activities were monitored
with various green precursors. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) was
performed to determine the crystalline properties and phases involved
in the formation of cubic Mn2O3 nanozymes. The
synthesized nanozymes were spherical and
examined by SEM and FESEM studies. All of the samples synthesized
using different green precursors exhibited different sizes but similar
spherical shapes. Moreover, all green-synthesized nanozymes catalyzed
the oxidation reaction of the chromogenic substrate 3,3′5,5′
tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the absence of H2O2, and A2 (lemon-mediated Mn2O3 nanozymes),
which the followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics, showed the best
activity. Therefore, A2 (lemon-mediated nanozyme) showed oxidase-mimicking
activity with distinct Km and Vmax values calculated by the Lineweaver–Burk
plot. Furthermore, the current nanozymes demonstrated a significant
ability to kill both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well
as effectively destroy biofilms under physiological conditions. Moreover,
the green-mediated nanozymes also displayed ROS-scavenging activity.
Our nanozymes exhibited scavenging activity toward OH and O2–• radicals and metal chelation activity,
which were investigated colorimetrically. Therefore, these nanozymes
might be used as effective antibacterial agents and also for the consumption
of reactive oxygen species
Incidence and survival of paediatric renal tumours in the Netherlands between 1990 and 2014
Background: This population-based study is the first to provide a detailed analysis of trends in incidence and survival of children and adolescents diagnosed with renal malignancies in the Netherlands. Methods: Data on all renal malignancies diagnosed in paediatric patients (0–18 years) between 1990 and 2014 [N = 648, 92% Wilms tumour (WT)] were extracted from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Five-year overall survival (OS) was estimated using the actuarial method. Time trends in incidence were assessed by calculating average annual percentage change. A parametric survival model was used to compare the multivariable-adjusted risk of dying from WT between two diagnostic periods. Results: The incidence was 8 per million person-years and was constant over time (average annual percentage change -0.8%, p = 0.29). Patients with WT had a favourable outcome in both time periods; 5-year OS was 88% in 1990–2001 and 91% in 2002–2014. Multivariable analysis showed that the risk of dying from WT was not significantly decreased in the latest period (hazard ratio, 95% CI: 0.7, 0.4–1.3). Five-year OS decreased with increasing disease stage, ranging from 95 to 100% for stage I-II and about 80% for stage III–IV to 74% for bilateral disease. Five-year OS were 81% for renal cell carcinoma, 77% for clear cell sarcoma of the kidney and 20% for malignant rhabdoid tumour of the kidney. Conclusions: Incidence of paediatric renal malignancies in the Netherlands has been stable since the 1990s. Five-year OS of WT reached 91% and was similar to findings for other developed countries. Contrary to the excellent outcome for WT, the outcome of malignant rhabdoid tumour of the kidney remained inferior
Reconditioned monocytes are immunomodulatory and regulate inflammatory environment in sepsis
Abstract Sepsis is caused by dysregulated immune response to severe infection and hyper inflammation plays a central role in worsening the disease. The immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been evaluated as a therapeutic candidate for sepsis. Reconditioned monocytes (RM), generated from healthy human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exhibit both macrophage and MSCs-like properties. RM were administered at different stages of sepsis in a mouse model. It reduced serum levels of IL6, MCP-1, IL-10, improved hypothermia, increased survival, and recovery from 0 to 66% when combined with antibiotics in the mouse model. The reduced human leucocyte antigen DR molecules expression on RM enables their co-culture with PBMCs of sepsis patients which resulted in reduced ROS production, and up-regulated TGF-β while down-regulating IL6, IL8, and IL-10 in-vitro. RM are potentially immunomodulatory, enhance survival in sepsis mouse model and modulate inflammatory behaviour of sepsis patient’s PBMCs