Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology

Despite an effective vaccine, the goal of measles elimination has remained elusive so far. Our study found that almost one-third of children with measles were less than 9 months of age, which suggests the need for strengthening routine immunisation along with adolescent vaccination.

Editorial on the Research Topic Exosomes, miRNAs, and lncRNAs in breast cancer: Therapeutic and diagnostic applications Breast cancer is a complex disease that can be influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors. It is classified into different subtypes based on the presence or absence of hormone receptors and HER2 expression, as well as the signature profile of the gene of the tumor cells. The presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors, which are proteins that respond to female hormones, is a paramount factor not only in breast cancer development but also treatment. Tumors that express these receptors are referred to as ER-positive or PR-positive, and can often be treated with hormone therapy. HER2 is another protein that plays a role in the growth and division of cells, and tumors that overexpress HER2 are referred to as HER2positive. In addition to these receptor-based subtypes, breast cancer can also be classified based on gene expression profiles, which can provide insight into the underlying biology of the tumor and help guide treatment decisions. Some common gene expression subtypes include HER2-enriched, luminal A, and B type, and triple-negative (when ER, PR, and HER2 are absent) breast cancer. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are released by cells and are decisive in intercellular communication. Exosomes possess biomolecules like DNA/RNA, lipids, or proteins. Recent research has shown that exosomal circRNAs (circular RNAs) can play a role in breast cancer progression by regulating gene expression and signaling pathways. CircRNAs are a type of non-coding RNA that forms a covalently closed continuous loop, which makes them more stable and resistant to degradation compared to linear RNAs. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of RNA molecule that have been found to play important roles in regulating gene expression. They are formed by covalently linking the 3′and 5′ends of a linear RNA molecule, resulting in a circular structure. One of the ways circRNAs can regulate gene expression is by acting as miRNA sponges. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that can bind to specific sequences in messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to their degradation or repression of translation. CircRNAs can contain miRNA-binding

Rationale: The Sarcoidosis Diagnostic Score (SDS) has been established to quantitate the clinical features consistent with sarcoidosis in a monocentric study. Objectives: We aimed to confirm the diagnostic value of SDS in a large, multicontinental study and to assess the utility of SDS in differentiating sarcoidosis from alternative diagnoses, including infectious and noninfectious granulomatous diseases. Methods: We included patients with biopsy-confirmed sarcoidosis at nine centers across the world. Patients without sarcoidosis seen at the same sites served as control patients. Using a modified World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders organ assessment instrument, we scored all patients for the presence of granuloma on biopsy, highly probable symptoms, and least probable symptoms for each area. Two sarcoidosis scores were generated: SDS Biopsy (with biopsy) and SDS Clinical (without biopsy). SDS Clinical and Biopsy were calculated for all patients. We calculated and compared the area under the curve (AUC) for SDS Clinical and Biopsy according to different diagnosis scenarios. Results: A total of 1,041 patients with sarcoidosis and 1,035 without sarcoidosis were included. The results for SDS Clinical (AUC, 0.888; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.874-0.902) and SDS Biopsy (AUC, 0.979; 95% CI, 0.973-0.985) according to AUC were good to excellent for differentiating sarcoidosis from alternative diagnosis. SDS Clinical was less discriminatory in males (P = 0.01) and in high tuberculosis prevalence centers (P < 0.001). However, SDS Clinical (AUC, 0.684; 95% CI, 0.602-0.766) and SDS Biopsy (AUC, 0.754; 95% CI, 0.673-0.835) were not sufficiently discriminative for noninfectious granulomatous diseases, but both SDSs could differentiate sarcoidosis from infectious granulomatous diseases. Algorithms were proposed for the SDS Clinical and SDS Biopsy to assist the clinician in the diagnostic process, and cutoff values were proposed for the SDS Clinical and SDS Biopsy, allowing the diagnosis of sarcoidosis to be safely confirmed or rejected in most cases except for noninfectious granulomatous disease. Conclusions: This multicontinental study confirms that both SDS Clinical and SDS Biopsy have good to excellent performance in discriminating sarcoidosis from alternative diagnoses. Differences in the AUC were seen for high tuberculosis prevalence versus low tuberculosis prevalence centers and for males versus females. Both SDSs had good discriminatory function for infectious granulomatous disease but failed in cases of noninfectious granulomatous disease such as berylliosis.

Graphical Abstract

Background. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a specific type of chronic fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD) that is progressive in course. Although evidence-based guidelines for IPF are available, these are difficult to interpret for the average physician and may not be suitable for use in resource-constrained settings. There was an unmet need to formulate guidelines that are pragmatic, easy to understand and suited for application in resource-limited settings.

Amniotic fluid (AF) provides critical biological and physical support for the developing fetus. While AF is an excellent source of progenitor cells with regenerative properties, recent investigations indicate that cell-free AF (cfAF), which consists of its soluble components and extracellular vesicles, can also stimulate regenerative and reparative activities. This review summarizes published fundamental, translational, and clinical investigations into the biological activity and potential use of cfAF as a therapeutic agent. Recurring themes emerge from these studies, which indicate that cfAF can confer immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and pro-growth characteristics to the target cells/tissue with which they come into contact. Another common observation is that cfAF seems to promote a return of cells/tissue to a homeostatic resting state when applied to a model of cell stress or disease. The precise mechanisms through which these effects are mediated have not been entirely defined, but it is clear that cfAF can safely and effectively treat cutaneous wounds and perhaps orthopedic degenerative conditions. Additional applications are currently being investigated, but require further study to dissect the fundamental mechanisms through which its regenerative effects are mediated. By doing so, rational design can be used to fully unlock its potential in the biotechnology lab and in the clinic.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most recognized form of OA, responsible for approximately 4/5th of the global burden of the OA [...].