19 research outputs found
Rhinitis associated with asthma is distinct from rhinitis alone: TARIAâMeDALL hypothesis
Asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis (AD) are interrelated clinical phenotypes that partly overlap in the human interactome. The concept of âone-airway-one-disease,â coined over 20âyears ago, is a simplistic approach of the links between upper- and lower-airway allergic diseases. With new data, it is time to reassess the concept. This article reviews (i) the clinical observations that led to Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), (ii) new insights into polysensitization and multimorbidity, (iii) advances in mHealth for novel phenotype definitions, (iv) confirmation in canonical epidemiologic studies, (v) genomic findings, (vi) treatment approaches, and (vii) novel concepts on the onset of rhinitis and multimorbidity. One recent concept, bringing together upper- and lower-airway allergic diseases with skin, gut, and neuropsychiatric multimorbidities, is the âEpithelial Barrier Hypothesis.â This review determined that the âone-airway-one-diseaseâ concept does not always hold true and that several phenotypes of disease can be defined. These phenotypes include an extreme âallergicâ (asthma) phenotype combining asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) Phase 4 (2018) : Change management in allergic rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity using mobile technology
Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) has evolved from a guideline by using the best approach to integrated care pathways using mobile technology in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma multimorbidity. The proposed next phase of ARIA is change management, with the aim of providing an active and healthy life to patients with rhinitis and to those with asthma multimorbidity across the lifecycle irrespective of their sex or socioeconomic status to reduce health and social inequities incurred by the disease. ARIA has followed the 8-step model of Kotter to assess and implement the effect of rhinitis on asthma multimorbidity and to propose multimorbid guidelines. A second change management strategy is proposed by ARIA Phase 4 to increase self-medication and shared decision making in rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity. An innovation of ARIA has been the development and validation of information technology evidence-based tools (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network [MASK]) that can inform patient decisions on the basis of a self-care plan proposed by the health care professional.Peer reviewe
Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19
Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe
Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies
There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity
Classification of current anticancer immunotherapies
During the past decades, anticancer immunotherapy has evolved from a promising
therapeutic option to a robust clinical reality. Many immunotherapeutic regimens are
now approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines
Agency for use in cancer patients, and many others are being investigated as standalone
therapeutic interventions or combined with conventional treatments in clinical
studies. Immunotherapies may be subdivided into âpassiveâ and âactiveâ based on
their ability to engage the host immune system against cancer. Since the anticancer
activity of most passive immunotherapeutics (including tumor-targeting monoclonal
antibodies) also relies on the host immune system, this classification does not properly
reflect the complexity of the drug-host-tumor interaction. Alternatively, anticancer
immunotherapeutics can be classified according to their antigen specificity. While some
immunotherapies specifically target one (or a few) defined tumor-associated antigen(s),
others operate in a relatively non-specific manner and boost natural or therapy-elicited
anticancer immune responses of unknown and often broad specificity. Here, we propose
a critical, integrated classification of anticancer immunotherapies and discuss the clinical
relevance of these approaches
Purakau Myths & Legends Mitos y Leyendas | Waikato Museum
All cultures have myths and legends woven into the fabric of their traditions.
Eleven artists and fourteen writers from Aotearoa, Cuba, Mexico and Spain respond to the idea of myths and legends, creating twelve posters that tell of legends and contemporary political myths, challenging our complacency with war, the planet, colonisation and life.
Over nine months, we will reveal to you four posters at a time... allowing each to tell their tale in Maaori, Spanish and English. We encourage you to read these walls
PĆ«rÄkau / Myths and legends / Mitos y leyendas
Trilingual Publication (English, Spanish and Te Reo Maori)
Posters from Aotearoa, Cuba & Mexico
PĆ«rÄkau = a Maori term referring to myths, legends and "lessons for life"
Poster = a print-based medium that uses visual devices to form opinion, persuade, provoke, unite and divide us.
In 2009 Xavier Meade (NZ) and Flor de Lis LĂłpez HernĂĄndez (Cuba) invited twelve artists from Aotearoa, Cuba and Mexico to produce posters in response to the theme of âPĆ«rÄkauâ.
The artists activated a diverse range of indigenous myths and legends: âThe Tanglerâ, âthe Disappearance of Matias Perezâ, âOrigin of the Poisonous Guao Plantâ among others. The stories are deeply embedded in their cultures or origin, but the underlying themes resonate across cultures.
The craftsmanship of the posters is exquisite. The Cuban contributors come from a long-standing tradition of handcrafted screen-printing which has been maintained since the Cuban Revolution. All posters are made in their country of origin, through screen-print and lithographic processes.
PĆ«rÄkau follows in the footsteps of Xavier Meadeâs highly successful âAotearoa Liberatorsâ project, a collaborative exhibition of posters that found an audience in New Zealand, Mexico and Cuba. http://ramp.mediarts.net.nz/aotearoaliberators/
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PĆ«rÄkau / Myths and Legends / Mitos y Leyendas is a publication accompanying the international poster project PĆ«rÄkau.
Curated by expatriate Mexican artist Xavier Meade together with Cuban curator Flor de Lis LĂłpez HernĂĄndez, the project exchanges the shape of poet-colonial resistance in the form of indigenous myths and legends. Taking its cue from Cuban revolutionary design, the collected posters use bold graphic imagery to convey pĆ«rÄkau, or âlessons for lifeâ.
This touring exhibition brought together twelve leading artists from Cuba, Mexico and Aotearoa New Zealand to exchange indigenous myths and legends through poster design: Denis O'Connor, Natalie Robertson, Michael Reed, Claudio Sotolongo Menéndez, Giselle Monzón Calero, Michele Miyares Hollands, Eric Silva, Mario & Yesca, Arturo Meade and Carlos Pez.
The publication is presented in three languages â English, MÄori and Spanish â and features writing by Jon Bywater, Danny Butt, Yani MonzĂłn Calero, Ernesto PĂ©rez Castillo, Claudio Sotolongo, Carlos Meade, Luis Delaç, Los Appo Stoles Irreverentes, the curators and many of the artists
Aotearoa Liberators & PĂșrĂĄkau (Myths and Legends - Mitos y leyendas)
Two series of limited edition Posters with contributions from Mexican, Cuban and New Zealand asrists, designers and writers
The Polarity and Specificity of Antiviral T Lymphocyte Responses Determine Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients with Cancer and Healthy Individuals
International audienceAbstract Vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) relies on the in-depth understanding of protective immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). We characterized the polarity and specificity of memory T cells directed against SARS-CoV-2 viral lysates and peptides to determine correlates with spontaneous, virus-elicited, or vaccine-induced protection against COVID-19 in disease-free and cancer-bearing individuals. A disbalance between type 1 and 2 cytokine release was associated with high susceptibility to COVID-19. Individuals susceptible to infection exhibited a specific deficit in the T helper 1/T cytotoxic 1 (Th1/Tc1) peptide repertoire affecting the receptor binding domain of the spike protein (S1-RBD), a hotspot of viral mutations. Current vaccines triggered Th1/Tc1 responses in only a fraction of all subject categories, more effectively against the original sequence of S1-RBD than that from viral variants. We speculate that the next generation of vaccines should elicit Th1/Tc1 T-cell responses against the S1-RBD domain of emerging viral variants. Significance: This study prospectively analyzed virus-specific T-cell correlates of protection against COVID-19 in healthy and cancer-bearing individuals. A disbalance between Th1/Th2 recall responses conferred susceptibility to COVID-19 in both populations, coinciding with selective defects in Th1 recognition of the receptor binding domain of spike. See related commentary by McGary and Vardhana, p. 892. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 87
Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RNA virus shedding and lymphopenia are hallmarks of COVID-19 in cancer patients with poor prognosis
International audiencePatients with cancer are at higher risk of severe coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the mechanisms underlying virusâhost interactions during cancer therapies remain elusive. When comparing nasopharyngeal swabs from cancer and noncancer patients for RT-qPCR cycle thresholds measuring acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 1063 patients (58% with cancer), we found that malignant disease favors the magnitude and duration of viral RNA shedding concomitant with prolonged serum elevations of type 1 IFN that anticorrelated with anti-RBD IgG antibodies. Cancer patients with a prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection exhibited the typical immunopathology of severe COVID-19 at the early phase of infection including circulation of immature neutrophils, depletion of nonconventional monocytes, and a general lymphopenia that, however, was accompanied by a rise in plasmablasts, activated follicular T-helper cells, and non-naive Granzyme B + FasL + , Eomes high TCF-1 high , PD-1 + CD8 + Tc1 cells. Virus-induced lymphopenia worsened cancer-associated lymphocyte loss, and low lymphocyte counts correlated with chronic SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding, COVID-19 severity, and a higher risk of cancer-related death in the first and second surge of the pandemic. Lymphocyte loss correlated with significant changes in metabolites from the polyamine and biliary salt pathways as well as increased blood DNA from Enterobacteriaceae and Micrococcaceae gut family members in long-term viral carriers. We surmise that cancer therapies may exacerbate the paradoxical association between lymphopenia and COVID-19-related immunopathology, and that the prevention of COVID-19-induced lymphocyte loss may reduce cancer-associated death