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IL-6 Signaling Blockade Therapy Is Effective in the Treatment of Severe COVID-19, New Study Found

As countries around the world compete to develop SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19) vaccines, scientists are trying to understand exactly how it leads to a range of seemingly long-standing symptoms after active viral infections. In a new study, researchers from Osaka University and Osaka Yanye Medical Center in Japan identified an effective treatment for the treatment of fatal inflammatory hyperactivation experienced by many patients with severe COVID-19. The results were recently published in the journal PNAS, entitled “IL-6 trans-induces plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from vascular endothelial cells in cytokine release syndrome”.

Cytokines are a group of small proteins that can enhance or suppress the immune response of our body to diseases such as infection, trauma, and cancer. One of their main roles is to stimulate inflammation and thus initiate the healing process. The problem is that overstimulation of the inflammatory response produces a range of deleterious complications, from asthma to severe autoimmune diseases. One of these complications, called cytokine release syndrome (CRS), is seen in patients who are hyper-immune to microbial infections or trauma and can lead to multiple organ failure or even death.

Sujin Kang of Osaka University, lead author of the paper, said, “Although it is known which cytokines are involved, there is still no specific immunotherapy for CRS, and treatment is limited to supportive care. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms of CRS pathogenesis, we first studied the cytokine profile in 91 patients (three groups of patients) diagnosed with CRS associated with bacterial sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or burns.”

Strikingly, these three groups of patients had elevated levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and MCP-10, as well as a protein called PAI-1, which causes small blood clots in blood vessels throughout the body, including in the lungs. Importantly, increased PAI-1 levels were associated with more severe cases of pneumonia, a common cause of death among COVID-19 patients.

Given that IL-6 is positively correlated with the levels of other cytokines and PAI-1, these researchers concluded that IL-6 signaling is essential for the appearance of CRS after infection or trauma and may play a role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.

Tadamitsu Kishimoto of Osaka University, corresponding author of the paper, said, “Studies of cytokine profiles in patients with severe COVID-19 have found that IL-6 increases early in the disease process, resulting in the release of PAI-1 from the blood vessels. Notably, PAI-1 levels were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory disorders.”

Most significantly, however, when severe COVID-19 patients are treated with a human monoclonal antibody drug called tocilizumab (Actemra), this drug blocks IL-6 signaling, rapidly decreases PAI-1 levels, and relieves severe disease symptoms. Therefore, IL-6 signaling blockade may be useful for the treatment of severe respiratory complications in both CRS and COVID-19.

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Top 5 Reason to Opt for Android App Development for your Startup

Every start-up begins with an idea to make our lives better. Start-ups can solve those day to day problems, which we leave unnoticed. The foundation of start-ups lays on an innovative thought, almost 90% of them fail and shut their operations forever.

There may be myriad reasons behind such a high failure rate. However, one of the strong reasons is that start-ups do not invest in searching the right market for their products. Even if they do, they lack a powerful strategy for customer engagement. The increasing competition makes it difficult for them to gain consumer attention.

One of the more natural ways is to boost your consumer base by interacting with them via a mobile app. There are many leading mobile app development platforms – Android, Windows, Linux, and iOS. However, the pool of benefits that Android app development provides to the start-ups is more significant than any other platform.

Let’s have a look at the top Android development benefits:

Broad Customer Reach – As per a study by Statista, Android has a global market share of more than 87%. It means that Android is the most preferred mobile platform by users. If you want to connect with a broader set of audience for your product, Android app development is the perfect choice for your start-up.
Cost-effective – Budget is one of the most critical concerns for the start-ups. Being an open source platform, Android helps to overcome this concern through budget-friendly app development. Almost all the Android apps use Java, the most used programming language in the world for app development. Java’s popularity makes it easy for you to hire dedicated Java developers within your budget.
Scalable – Android development offers excellent customization options which help you to update your app and proliferate customer engagement. As Android is open-source, it helps your start-up to transform into a big firm. Android is one of those platforms which can handle both small and large consumer base hassle-free with its highly scalable framework.
Faster Time-to-market – faster you launch the app, more customers you attract. In this competitive market, it becomes challenging to stay ahead. Android helps you to develop your mobile app before your competitors can think about it. Also, after passing the first hurdle of agile app development, another challenge is to get app permissions for making your app live. Android apps on Google Play have better approval rates than iOS on App Store or any other platforms.
Better Accessibility – Apart from approaching your audience, it is also essential to remain accessible to them at every hour of the day. It is equally crucial for increasing your customer reach. The faster development and deployment enables an instantaneous connection with the target audience. It also lets your customers reach out to you for their queries and suggestions through the help center of your Android app.
Conclusion – Ever since its inception, Android is revolutionizing the way of building Android apps for businesses. Reduce the time-to-market, increase consumer engagement, and improve the customer experience of your mobile app with cost-effective and efficient Android app development platform.

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Overcoming Financial Stress in Delhi, India’s Capital City

Being the capital city of the nation and a bustling metropolis, life in Delhi is very fast-paced and stress-inducing. In order to find some respite in this hectic life, residents of Delhi are seeking ways to find some relaxation and mental peace. There are many options which serve this purpose. One could go to the gym or enroll for art classes. But do they help beat the mental pressure that is a constant in many people’s lives today?

First of all, we need to understand whence this mental pressure springs. It largely stems from feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about the future. The entire world is in a state of flux. India too is going through a troubling phase with the economy in the doldrums and growth stagnating at 5%. Many banks are in trouble over their non-performing assets, the telecom sector is going through a crisis, major companies have shut down or are going through bankruptcy proceedings. Several people have lost their jobs and are staring at a bleak future. Little wonder that financial stress has become a way of life because the fear of losing jobs has come to haunt a lot of people in today’s world.

If you are a resident of Delhi who is facing financial stress and strain, hope is at hand in the form of Vedic astrology. Vedic astrology has been around for centuries and has been used to resolve many problems in the lives of people. In fact, it enjoys a huge cachet even in the West as westerners become more aware of our traditional knowledge and its richness. To seek solutions for your financial problems, consult one of the best Vedic astrologers in Delhi. After analyzing your birth chart they will tell you why you are facing such problems and what you can do to resolve them. Vedic astrologers are well-versed in prescribing Vedic remedies for all problems in your life. They will tell you where to focus your efforts and resources so that you can seize the opportunities that arise during a particular period. They will also warn you about potential negative situations and tell you how to avoid them.

Many people have benefited from the ancient knowledge of Vedic Astrology that is part of India’s rich cultural legacy. There are many renowned Vedic astrologers in Delhi who have been plying their craft for the benefit of mankind, armed with decades of experience and expertise. The fact is, your date and time of birth have a great role to play in your destiny. The position of planets in the sky when you were born laid down the blueprint for your life. This is the natal or birth chart which the Vedic astrologer will study in order to make his/her predictions about your personality and the events that will occur in your life.

A good Vedic astrologer will help you face the challenges in your life and take wise decisions that will lead to happiness and success. They will provide guidance on all aspects of life like love life, education, career, finances, health and family life. If you are facing financial problems, there is no dearth of good astrologers in Delhi who can provide the right solutions. Now, the good news is that you don’t have to travel far to consult the best astrologer in Delhi for they can be found online. They will also offer remedies like mantras, gemstones, doing acts of charity or visiting certain temples to avoid the negative effects of the planets in your birth chart. You can easily find many online sites that list the names, contact details and fees of good astrologers in Delhi. Most of them are genuine and reputable people so you can consult them with complete confidence.

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