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Nanocarriers as an Emerging Platform for Cancer Therapy
Published in Lajos P. Balogh, Nano-Enabled Medical Applications, 2020
Dan Peer, Jeffrey M. Karp, Seungpyo Hong, Omid C. Farokhzad, Rimona Margalit, Robert Langer
It is possible to increase the efficacy of antibodies by conjugating a therapeutic agent directly to it for targeted delivery. For example, in 2000, the chemotherapeutic drug, calicheamicin, which is conjugated with the anti-CD33 antibody (marketed under the trade name Mylotarg), was the first clinically approved formulation that targets cancerous cells. Others include Zevalin and Bexxar, which use anti-CD20 antibodies to target radioisotopes to cancer cells (Table 2.1). Although the efficacy of these therapies has been proven, lethal side effects have been observed, likely due to non-specific binding [34] between the targeting agent and non-target moieties on the cell surface. Another reason could be the interaction of the targeting agent with its target expressed on non-cancerous cells. For example, BR96-doxorubicin—an immunoconjugate linked with doxorubicin and comprising an antibody that targets and binds to the Lewis-Y antigen (expressed on 75% of all breast cancers)—demonstrated significant anti-tumour activity in mouse tumour models. BR96-doxorubicin showed lower toxicity than that resulting from doxorubicin alone and it was efficacious in these animal models [35]. However, in dogs, an acute enteropathy (pathology of the intestine) was observed presumably due to binding of the conjugate to Lewis-Y-related antigens expressed by non-targeted gastrointestinal epithelial cells. In Phase II human clinical studies, BR96-doxorubicin immunoconjugates had limited anti-tumour activity and caused severe gastrointestinal toxicity, leading to termination of the study [36].
Clinical Effects of Pollution
Published in William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel, Reversibility of Chronic Disease and Hypersensitivity, Volume 5, 2017
William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel
As well as in food and chemicals, zinc deficiency seems to be a factor in celiac disease, as a recent study of 30 children with celiac disease demonstrated a significantly reduced serum level of zinc (0.64 vs. 0.94 μg/mL in controls).1123 Copper deficiency is a feature of celiac disease,1124 and copper is one of the transition metals that glyphosate binds to and chelates.1119,1121 Confirmed magnesium deficiency in celiac disease has been shown to be due to significant loss through the feces.1125 This would be expected through binding to phytates and/or glyphosate. A study of 23 patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy to assess magnesium status revealed that only one had serum magnesium levels below the normal range, whereas magnesium levels in erythrocytes and lymphocytes were markedly below normal, and this was associated with evidence of osteoporosis due to malabsorption.1126 Daily treatment with MgCl2 or Mg lactate led to a significant increase in bone mineral density, and was correlated with a rise in RBC Mg2+.
Hygiene in early childhood development centres in low-income areas of Blantyre, Malawi
Published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2023
Taonga Mwapasa, Kondwani Chidziwisano, David Lally, Tracy Morse
The practice of children sitting directly on a dirt floor during eating and playing has also been observed in several other ECDCs in Malawi (AECDM 2014; Khonje 2017). Comparable studies in Indonesia, Zambia and Haiti (Agustina et al. 2013; Medgyesi et al. 2018a; Reid et al. 2018; Satter 2019) have linked this practice to increased non-dietary hand-to-mouth contacts in the exploratory stage of childhood (i.e. between 3–6 years). As reported by Ngure et al. (2014) and George et al. (2020), non-dietary hand-to-mouth contacts promote the ingestion of faecal pathogens, helminths and roundworms through contact with soil and other contaminated objects leading to environmental enteropathy and diarrhoea in children. However, due to the high caregiver: child ratio in ECDCs (1:77 children), proper supervision of children’s mouthing during both meal and playtimes remains a challenge. The provision of plastic mats which can be easily cleaned could be an effective way to reduce the risk of non-dietary mouthing in these learning environments (AECDM 2014).
Differences in Factors Contributing to Child Undernutrition between Pastoral and Agro-pastoral Communities in Ethiopia
Published in Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 2021
Ana Florencia Moyeda-Carabaza, Mary Murimi
According to WHO and UNICEF, poor WASH practices are considered the primary risk factors for illnesses such as diarrhea, intestinal parasite infections or environmental enteropathy among children, which further affect their nutritional status.33 In this study, it was found that the agro-pastoral community had poorer practices of preparing drinking water than the pastoral community (p < .001). However, it is important to mention that almost all households (99.1%) in the agro-pastoral community had access to improved sources of drinking water and may not have needed to purify water further. Although half of households (49.6%) from the pastoral community had adequate practices to prepare drinking water, the other half with inadequate practices to prepare drinking water had greater odds of having underweight children (AOR = 3.673, 95% CI: 1.256–10.736). This result confirms what was found in a study conducted in Nepal, where households with inadequate practices of preparing drinking water had a greater risk of having underweight children (AOR = 2.48; 95% CI: 1.28–4.78).34 It is therefore critical to educate mothers on the health benefits of water sanitation and purification for reducing child malnutrition.
Water and sanitation in Dhaka slums: access, quality, and informality in service provision
Published in Water International, 2020
Sabrina Sharmin Haque, Monica Yanez-Pagans, Yurani Arias-Granada, George Joseph
Bangladesh’s rapid urbanization has propelled the country to be among the five fastest-growing economies in the world (World Bank, 2019) but has also placed stress on housing, infrastructure and overall quality of life in the cities, particularly for the poorest people. Low-income communities face unique challenges in accessing basic services, such as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Unsafe WASH remains a leading cause of mortality globally, estimated to account for over 1.6 million deaths and over 84 million disability-adjusted life years in 2017 alone (Stanaway et al., 2018). Poor WASH can cause repeated cases of diarrhoea and asymptomatic enteric infections, especially in early childhood, which in turn have been linked to environmental enteropathy, growth faltering, and impaired cognitive functioning (Checkley et al. 2008; Guerrant et al. 2002; Humphrey 2009; Ngure et al. 2014). The WASH disease burden could be particularly significant in areas of high population density such as Bangladesh (Hathi et al., 2017).