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Cellular Microbiology Nov 2019Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a parasitic protist that can infect nearly all nucleated cell types and tissues of warm-blooded vertebrate hosts. T. gondii utilises a... (Review)
Review
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a parasitic protist that can infect nearly all nucleated cell types and tissues of warm-blooded vertebrate hosts. T. gondii utilises a unique form of gliding motility to cross cellular barriers, enter tissues, and penetrate host cells, thus enhancing spread within an infected host. However, T. gondii also disseminates by hijacking the migratory abilities of infected leukocytes. Traditionally, this process has been viewed as a route to cross biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier. Here, we review recent findings that challenge this view by showing that infection of monocytes downregulates the program of transendothelial migration. Instead, infection by T. gondii enhances Rho-dependent interstitial migration of monocytes and macrophages, which enhances dissemination within tissues. Collectively, the available evidence indicates that T. gondii parasites use multiple means to disseminate within the host, including enhanced motility in tissues and translocation across biological barriers.
Topics: Animals; Blood-Brain Barrier; Cell Movement; Central Nervous System Infections; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Integrins; Leukocytes; Macrophages; Monocytes; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis; Transendothelial and Transepithelial Migration
PubMed: 31219666
DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13070 -
Digital Health 2023During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers have taken to social media platforms to discuss a variety of issues that concern their personal and professional lives....
INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE
During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers have taken to social media platforms to discuss a variety of issues that concern their personal and professional lives. In particular, TikTok's increased prominence as a social media channel has proved significant for enhancing the public presence of healthcare workers and their ability to disseminate content to a wider audience. The ways that healthcare workers use TikTok draws attention to the type of health information disseminated to the public through social media platforms. This provides the public with succinct and often visually entertaining information that may not be otherwise distributed to them directly from elsewhere. This study also provides relevant insights into how social media-TikTok in particular-can be used as a tool for disseminating knowledge about COVID-19 related topics and combatting misinformation by using the credibility of frontline workers.
METHODS
This study collected a sample of over 2100 TikTok videos posted by healthcare workers that were coded according to the dominant overarching themes.
RESULTS
The themes that arose from this sample were: (1) healthcare workers' mental health and working conditions, (2) healthcare heroes/appreciation, (3) criticism against official authorities, (4) countering misinformation, (5) humor/satire, and (6) educational content.
CONCLUSION
Due to the rise in public appreciation for frontline workers, examining the effects of the pandemic through the eyes of frontline workers has drawn attention to their lived realities in various forms. This study provided some insight into how frontline workers use TikTok to disseminate information and education to the public, often relying on their perceived credibility.
PubMed: 36776404
DOI: 10.1177/20552076231152766 -
Asian Journal of Neurosurgery 2021The objective of this study was to provide an overview of acute disseminating encephalomyelitis, a potential and serious complication of COVID-19. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to provide an overview of acute disseminating encephalomyelitis, a potential and serious complication of COVID-19.
METHODS
Three primary databases were used, PubMed, LitCovid, and WHO. The final review articles reported acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) in COVID-19-positive patients and were full-text, peer-reviewed articles. Articles which did not have patient data such as studies and articles with unclear inference were excluded.
RESULTS
Out of 21 cases of ADEM, the diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 was confirmed in 18 and suspected in 3. Among the neurological symptoms, altered consciousness was most common (7/21), followed by anosmia (3), paraplegia (3/21), brain stem involvement (3/21), sphincter involvement (2/21), and quadriplegia (1/21). Raised inflammatory markers were most commonly seen in 9/17. Central nervous system imaging was abnormal in 19 cases and unavailable in 2 cases. Fifteen patients were treated with corticosteroids, 11 patients received intravenous immunoglobulin, while 3 patients received convalescent plasma. Two patients needed surgical intervention. Complications included seizures (1), acute kidney injury and septicemic shock (1), raised intracranial pressure (1), and supraventricular tachycardia secondary to hydroxychloroquine (1). One patient recovered completely and one had good recovery with mild deficits. Thirteen patients had incomplete recovery with residual neurological deficit while three patients died as the consequence of the disease.
CONCLUSION
The physicians and neurosurgeons should be diligent while treating the COVID-19 patients with neurological manifestations and include ADEM as a differential diagnosis and stress on early diagnosis and treatment to reduce mortality and achieve satisfactory clinical outcome.
PubMed: 34660355
DOI: 10.4103/ajns.AJNS_406_20 -
Implementation Science : IS Jun 2016The aim of this systematic literature review was to assess what dissemination strategies are feasible to inform and educate patients about recommendations (also known as... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The aim of this systematic literature review was to assess what dissemination strategies are feasible to inform and educate patients about recommendations (also known as guidelines).
METHODS
The search was performed in February 2016 in PubMed, Ebsco/PsycINFO, Ebsco/CINAHL and Embase. Studies evaluating dissemination strategies, involving patients and/or reaching patients, were included. A hand search and a search in the grey literature, also done in February 2016, were added. Searches were not restricted by language or publication type. Publications that referred to (1) guideline(s) or recommendation(s), (2) dissemination, (3) dissemination with patients/patient organisations and (4) dissemination to patients/patient organisations were included in this article. Criteria 1 AND 2 were mandatory together with criteria 3 OR 4.
RESULTS
The initial search revealed 3753 unique publications. Forty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected for detailed review. The hand search and grey literature resulted in four relevant articles. After reading the full text of the 47 articles, 21 were relevant for answering our research question. Most publications had low levels of evidence, 3 or 4 of the Oxford levels of evidence. One article had a level of evidence of 2(b). This article gives an overview of tools and strategies to disseminate recommendations to patients. Key factors of success were a dissemination plan, written at the start of the recommendation development process, involvement of patients in this development process and the use of a combination of traditional and innovative dissemination tools. The lack of strong evidence calls for more research of the effectiveness of different dissemination strategies as well as the barriers for implementing a strategic approach of dissemination.
CONCLUSION
Our findings provide the first systematic overview of tools and strategies to disseminate recommendations to patients and patient organisations. Participation of patients in the whole process is one of the most important findings. These findings are relevant to develop, implement and evaluate more (effective) dissemination strategies which can improve health care.
Topics: Health Communication; Humans; Patient Education as Topic; Practice Guidelines as Topic
PubMed: 27268061
DOI: 10.1186/s13012-016-0447-x -
Cancers Nov 2020Cancer immunotherapy has shifted the paradigm in cancer therapy by revitalizing immune responses against tumor cells. Specifically, in primary tumors cancer cells evolve... (Review)
Review
Cancer immunotherapy has shifted the paradigm in cancer therapy by revitalizing immune responses against tumor cells. Specifically, in primary tumors cancer cells evolve in an immunosuppressive microenvironment, which protects them from immune attack. However, during tumor progression, some cancer cells leave the protective tumor mass, disseminating and seeding secondary organs. These initial disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) should potentially be susceptible to recognition by the immune system in the new host tissues. Although Natural Killer or T cells eliminate some of these DTCs, a fraction escape anti-tumor immunity and survive, thus giving rise to metastatic colonization. How DTCs interact with immune cells and the underpinnings that regulate imperfect immune responses during tumor dissemination remain poorly understood. Uncovering such mechanisms of immune evasion may contribute to the development of immunotherapy specifically targeting DTCs. Here we review current knowledge about systemic and site-specific immune-cancer crosstalk in the early steps of metastasis formation. Moreover, we highlight how conventional cancer therapies can shape the pre-metastatic niche enabling immune escape of newly arrived DTCs.
PubMed: 33207601
DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113385 -
International Braz J Urol : Official... Jul 2020Never before in human history has it been possible to communicate so quickly during a pandemic, social media platforms have been a key piece for the dissemination of... (Review)
Review
Never before in human history has it been possible to communicate so quickly during a pandemic, social media platforms have been a key piece for the dissemination of information; however, there are multiple advantages and disadvantages that must be considered. Responsible use of these tools can help quickly disseminate important new information, relevant new scientific findings, share diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up protocols, as well as compare different approaches globally, removing geographic boundaries for the first time in history. In order to use these tools in a responsible and useful way, it is recommended to follow some basic guidelines when sharing information on social networks in the COVID-19 era. In this paper, we summarize the most relevant information on the influence, and advantages, and disadvantages of the use of social networks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Topics: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Consumer Health Information; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Information Dissemination; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; Social Media
PubMed: 32550706
DOI: 10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2020.S121 -
Current Psychiatry Reports Mar 2015The research-practice gap is of concern in the treatment of eating disorders. Despite the existence of empirically supported treatments, few receive them. The barriers... (Review)
Review
The research-practice gap is of concern in the treatment of eating disorders. Despite the existence of empirically supported treatments, few receive them. The barriers to wider dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatment include clinician attitudes towards such treatments and the lack of sufficient numbers of suitably trained therapists to provide treatment. In this review we discuss these barriers in the context of the wider issue of the dissemination and implementation of psychological treatments and review the research with regard to the treatment of eating disorders. Particular emphasis is placed on examining recent efforts to expand the availability and reach of treatments by making treatment delivery and training more scalable. We highlight promising developments and areas where further research is needed.
Topics: Evidence-Based Medicine; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Health Personnel; Humans; Mental Health
PubMed: 25663154
DOI: 10.1007/s11920-015-0551-7 -
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment May 2018To review the empirical evidence to support the conventional (sequential) model of breast cancer progression, which is based on the paradigm that cancer passes through... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To review the empirical evidence to support the conventional (sequential) model of breast cancer progression, which is based on the paradigm that cancer passes through several stages, including an in situ stage prior to an invasive stage, and thereafter (in some cases) disseminates to the lymph nodes and distant organs.
METHODS
We review the cancer literature of the last 50 years which relates to the prevention of invasive breast cancer (through radiotherapy or surgery) and reductions in the mortality for breast cancer.
RESULTS
For both invasive cancers and DCIS, the literature indicates that prevention of in-breast invasive recurrences does not prevent death from breast cancer. Moreover, the presence of residual cancer cells in the breast after breast-conserving surgery does not compromise the cure rate.
CONCLUSION
We propose an alternate (parallel) model of breast cancer wherein there is a small pool of cancer stem cells which have metastatic potential from their inception and which disseminate synchronously through several routes-to the breast stroma, to the lymph nodes and to distant organs. Cancer cells which disseminate to the breast give rise to cells which make up the bulk of the tumour mass but these are not the source of the distant metastases.
Topics: Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; Female; Humans; Lymph Nodes; Lymphatic Metastasis; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
PubMed: 29353366
DOI: 10.1007/s10549-017-4644-3 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is considered the deadliest gynecological disease and is normally diagnosed at late stages, at which point metastasis has already... (Review)
Review
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is considered the deadliest gynecological disease and is normally diagnosed at late stages, at which point metastasis has already occurred. Throughout disease progression, EOC will encounter various ecosystems and the communication between cancer cells and these microenvironments will promote the survival and dissemination of EOC. The primary tumor is thought to develop within the ovaries or the fallopian tubes, both of which provide a microenvironment with high risk of causing DNA damage and enhanced proliferation. EOC disseminates by direct extension from the primary tumors, as single cells or multicellular aggregates. Under the influence of cellular and non-cellular factors, EOC spheroids use the natural flow of peritoneal fluid to reach distant organs within the peritoneal cavity. These cells can then implant and seed distant organs or tissues, which develop rapidly into secondary tumor nodules. The peritoneal tissue and the omentum are two common sites of EOC metastasis, providing a microenvironment that supports EOC invasion and survival. Current treatment for EOC involves debulking surgery followed by platinum-taxane combination chemotherapy; however, most patients will relapse with a chemoresistant disease with tumors developed within the peritoneum. Therefore, understanding the role of the unique microenvironments that promote EOC transcoelomic dissemination is important in improving patient outcomes from this disease. In this review article, we address the process of ovarian cancer cellular fate at the site of its origin in the secretory cells of the fallopian tube or in the ovarian surface epithelial cells, their detachment process, how the cells survive in the peritoneal fluid avoiding cell death triggers, and how cancer- associated cells help them in the process. Finally, we report the mechanisms used by the ovarian cancer cells to adhere and migrate through the mesothelial monolayer lining the peritoneum. We also discuss the involvement of the transcoelomic ecosystem on the development of chemoresistance of EOC.
Topics: Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; Ecosystem; Epithelial Cells; Female; Humans; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Ovarian Neoplasms; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 35574025
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.886533 -
Journal of Korean Medical Science Feb 2021Infographics are pictorial representations of information intended to disseminate information quickly and clearly. Their use has increased in the past decade due to... (Review)
Review
Infographics are pictorial representations of information intended to disseminate information quickly and clearly. Their use has increased in the past decade due to wider and easy access to technology. Infographics are being increasingly used for public advisories, disseminating protocols for healthcare professionals, and post-publication promotion of research. Due to their potential to rapidly reach a vast audience, these have gained larger importance during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Two key aspects determine the quality of infographics, content and visual appeal. In this brief, the authors attempt to delineate the key aspects of designing an infographic, and the freeware that they may have at their disposal for creating informative, appealing, and useful infographics.
Topics: Audiovisual Aids; Biomedical Research; COVID-19; Computer Graphics; Health Communication; Health Personnel; Humans; Information Dissemination; Pandemics; Social Media
PubMed: 33527783
DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e41