Osteopontin (OPN), a phosphorylated sialoprotein, has been shown to overexpress in a variety of cancers and to contribute tumor progression and metastasis by increasing cell migration and adhesion. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic and predictive role of OPN in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
 
  A total of 42 consecutive chemonaive patients with advanced gastric cancer and 29 healthy controls were included. The patients were treated with a modified DCF regimen. The blood samples were obtained before each chemotherapy cycle from the patients and once from the healthy controls. The plasma OPN measured by ELISA.
 
  The overall response and disease stabilization rates were 25% and 72%, respectively. The median serum OPN level of the patient group was significantly higher compared to healthy controls (176.9 ng/ml (range 41.5 -521.4) vs 64.3 ng/ml (range 42.1-105.3 ng/ml), p<0.0001).The median overall survival time was 7.0 ± 1.1 (95% CI 4.9-9.2) months and 1- year overall survival rate was %20.8. The patients who respond to mDCF had lower plasma OPN levels than the nonresponder ones (110.7±29.3 ng/mL, 211.9±24.4 ng/mL respectively, p=0.002). The performance status and the plasma OPN levels were found to be significant factors for overall survival in the multivariate analysis (p=0.004 and 0.016, respectively).
 
  The serum OPN seems to be a novel significant prognostic and predictive factor in patients with advanced gastric cancer whom treated with DCF regimen.
 The serum OPN seems to be a novel significant prognostic and predictive factor in patients with advanced gastric cancer whom treated with DCF regimen.
  Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing, rapidly spreading pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV2). Among all the infected countries around the globe as of now (June 15, 2020), the total confirmed positive cases reported are 7,805,148, with the death of 431,192. At present, no specialized treatments evolved to cure COVID-19. Its treatment is symptomatic. Though huge efforts are being made to produce potential therapies to scuffle COVID-19, no drug has been discovered so far.
 
  Natural products have been playing a significant role in disease control since ancient days.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/vt104.html  These products serve as templates for designing new anti-microbial agents with a different mechanism of action and also open a door for investigation of effective anti-viral drugs to combat COVID-19. By focusing on this, the authors have narrated the basic structure, infection, and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV2 virus in humans and also reported various natural products or plant-based extracts/bioactive compounds tested against coronaviruses like SARS and MERS, as these viruses are structurally similar to SARS-CoV2 and can be used in designing novel drug against this virus.
 
  The natural products having the potential to combat SARS, MERS, and other viruses reviewed in this review article might have anti-viral activities against the SARS-CoV2 virus and can be used directly for further preclinical studies. Therefore, all efforts should be focused on overcoming this serious problem to save many people's lives all over the world.
 The natural products having the potential to combat SARS, MERS, and other viruses reviewed in this review article might have anti-viral activities against the SARS-CoV2 virus and can be used directly for further preclinical studies. Therefore, all efforts should be focused on overcoming this serious problem to save many people's lives all over the world.In 2020, it is already 43 years since Braestrup and Squires discovered 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), known until 2006 as "peripheral benzodiazepine receptor". During this time, the functions of this receptor, which is located on the outer membrane of mitochondria, were studied in detail. One of the key functions of TSPO is the transfer of cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, which is the limiting stage in the synthesis of neurosteroids. TSPO is also involved in the transport of porphyrins, mitochondrial respiration, the opening of mitochondrial pores, apoptosis and cell proliferation. This review presents current information on the structure of TSPO, the mechanism of its participation in neurosteroidogenesis, as well as endogenous and synthetic TSPO ligands. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of approaches to the design of synthetic ligands and their neuropsychotropic activity in vitro and in vivo. The presented review demonstrates the promise of constructing new neuropsychotropic drugs in the series of TSPO ligands.Point-of-care (POC) testing decentralizes the diagnostic tests to the sites near the patient. Many POC tests rely microfluidic platforms for sample-to-answer analysis. Compared to other microfluidic systems, magnetic digital microfluidics demonstrate compelling advantages for POC diagnostics. In this review, we have examined the capability of magnetic digital microfluidics-based POC diagnostic platforms. More importantly, we have categorized POC settings into three classes based on "where is the point", "who to care" and "how to test", and evaluated the suitability of magnetic digital microfluidics in various POC settings. Furthermore, we have addressed other technical issues associated with POC testing such as controlled environment, sample-system interface, system integration and information connectivity. We hope this review would provide a guideline for the future development of magnetic digital microfluidics-based platforms for POC testing.The last couple of months have witnessed the world in a state of virtual standstill. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has overtaken globe to economic and social lockdown. Many patients with COVID-19 have compromised immunity, especially in an aged population suffering from Parkinson disease (PD). Alteration in dopaminergic neurons or deficiency of dopamine in PD patients is the most common symptoms affecting 1% population above the age of 60 years. The compromised immune system and inflammatory manifestation in PD patients make them an easy target. The most common under trial drugs for COVID-19 are Remdesivir, Favipiravir, Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin along with adjunct drugs like Amantadine with some monoclonal antibodies. Presently, clinically US FDA approved drugs in PD includes Levodopa, catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitors, (Entacapone and Tolcapone), Dopamine agonists (Bromocriptine, Ropinirole, Pramipexole, and Rotigotine), Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitors (Selegiline and Rasagiline), Amantadine and Antimuscarinic drugs.