Objective Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV2) was first detected in Wuhan, China in December, 2019. The emerging virus causes a respiratory illness, that can trigger a cytokine storm in the body. Method Cytokine storm in patient’s body is associated with severe forms of disease. It is one of the main complications of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), in which immune cells play a major role. Studies have shown immune cells in the tumor environment can be effective to induce resistance to chemotherapy in cancer patients. Result Therefore, considering the role of immune cells to induce cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients, and their role to cause resistance to chemotherapy, they are effective on disease progression and creation of severe form of disease. Conclusion By examining the signaling pathways and inducing resistance to chemotherapy in tumor cells and the cells affect them, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of severe forms of the disease in cancer patients with COVID-19; it is applicable using target therapy and other subsequent treatment strategies.

Background: Regardless of the cause, pulmonary hypertension can increase patient complications and mortality. This study compared the effect of nebulized versus intravenous (IV) milrinone on reducing pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with pulmonary hypertension candidates for open-cardiac surgery. Methods: This double-blind, randomized clinical trial was performed on 32 patients undergoing elective on-pump cardiac surgery during January 2021-January 2022 in the Cardiac Operating Room of Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran. Patients were randomly divided into test groups nebulize milrinone (N = 16) and IV milrinone (N = 16). The medication was administered after the cross-clamp of the aorta opening. The outcome variables included hemodynamic data, cardiac output, cardiac index, stroke volume, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary vascular resistance, MAP/mPAP ratio, time until extubation, duration of hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and duration of hospital stay. Results: In the nebulized group, MAP and MAP/mPAP were significantly higher than in the IV milrinone group (P = 0.09 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The time of extubation (P = 0.001), duration of hospitalization in the ICU (P = 0.009), and duration of hospital stay (P = 0.026) in the nebulized milrinone group were significantly shorter than in the IV milrinone group. Conclusions: Nebulized milrinone administration before weaning off cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) can be accelerated and facilitate weaning off CPB. Moreover, despite maintaining MAP, nebulized milrinone significantly reduces mPAP. According to the results of this study, nebulized milrinone is recommended in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with pulmonary hypertension.

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Background: Aberrant activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in various types of cancers, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC), which is a prevalent malignancy. Targeting the Wnt signaling pathway has gained a reputation as an attractive therapeutic strategy, mainly because of its potential for regulating cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. Objectives: The aim of the current research was to investigate the effects of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and bovine alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells (BAMLET), a complex of oleic acid with bovine α-lactalbumin protein, on colon cancer cells focusing on the Wnt signaling pathway. Methods: For this purpose, HT-29 and HCT116 cells were treated with 5-FU and BAMLET, and the expression levels of Wnt signaling-related proteins (β-catenin and E-cadherin) and VEGF as angiogenesis regulators were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western Blot analysis. Results: Bovine alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells (BAMLET) treatment down-regulated the expression of β-catenin and up-regulated the expression of E-cadherin significantly compared to the 5-FU (P < 0.0001). The reduced mRNA levels of VEGF in treated cells revealed the effectiveness of 5-FU and BAMLET on angiogenesis. Conclusions: Bovine alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells (BAMLET) can be considered for targeting the Wnt signaling pathway and angiogenesis. It is amenable to further investigation in the development of CRC treatment.