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Radiation‑induced normal tissue toxicity is a common acute and chronic outcome of radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer (PCa). There are currently no existing pre‑assessments before treatment to predict acute and late RT‑induced toxicity. Novel predictive blood biomarkers in radiation oncology may improve treatment decision‑making and therapeutic monitoring for patients with PCa. A comprehensive systematic search of microRNA (miRNA/miR) profiling studies published in PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar was performed. The present systematic review, supported by meta‑analysis, summarises key findings and discusses the results of prospective clinical studies investigating miRNA expression levels and their association with RT‑induced toxicity in PCa. Out of seven clinical studies, six highlighted levels of 10 miRNAs changing in plasma, serum or peripheral blood mononuclear cells during RT. The post‑RT expression levels of miRNA‑132‑5p, miRNA‑1‑3p, miRNA‑410 and miRNA‑221 were increased, and miRNA‑23a‑3p expression was decreased among patients with low‑grade RT‑induced toxicity. Furthermore, in patients with high‑grade RT toxicity, miRNA‑197‑3p, miRNA‑151a‑5p, miRNA‑18b‑5p, miRNA‑99a and miRNA‑21 expression was increased, while miRNA‑132‑5p expression was decreased. The present miRNA meta‑analysis could be the focus of future studies to identify their potential clinical value as PCa biomarkers and therapeutic mediators in RT‑induced toxicity. The variations in miRNA levels post‑RT could be used as predictive biomarkers of RT‑induced toxicity. However, further extensive validation is required to establish the relationship between miRNA expression levels and RT‑induced toxicity in PCa and to confirm their predictive value.

Background: The novel coronavirus is quickly spreading and mutating, putting the public health and lifestyle in shambles. The development and approval of mRNA vaccines came up as a breakthrough. The breadth of immune response after a single-dose vaccination in the already infected population is discovered for understanding the hybrid immunity and side effects associated with second dose. Administering a single-dose vaccine to the seropositive population can spare the doses for the population at higher risk. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Google scholar, medRxiv and Cochrane library were explored to extract the original data on the efficacy of single-dose mRNA vaccines in seropositive subjects. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the studies. Results: 6 studies evaluating the immunogenicity of single-dose mRNA vaccine were incorporated along with some observational studies and literature. These studies present promising evidence for administering only single-dose mRNA vaccine in seropositive subjects, providing biphasic immune response of higher breadth and duration. Limitations: Most studies had a small sample size, did not correlate the results with higher age groups, with potential risk factors and the percentage of individuals who contracted breakthrough infections. Conclusions: Single-dose mRNA vaccine can be immunogenic and protective enough for already seropositive population by increasing the number of Spike protein-specific memory B-cells. Vaccination schedules based on existing anti-body titers in such individuals can spare doses for vulnerable groups, especially when there is limited production and supply of vaccines worldwide.

The present study was carried out to ascertain the attitude of library users towards information technology applications in two university libraries, viz. Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and Punjabi University, Patiala. Survey method of research was used based on random sampling. 391 responses were collected from three user categories, i.e., PG Students, Research Scholars and Faculty Members in the faculties of Social Sciences and Sciences. Five departments from each faculty were taken further to attain more insight into users' attitude. The simple percentage, Chi-square test, and Mann Whitney U test were used to analyze the data collected through a structured questionnaire. The study reveals that despite having constraints of in-house training facilities and minimal involvement of end-users in the decision-making of IT incorporation, there is positive attitude among the users. In conclusion, the study offers a few suggestions for the success of future IT initiatives.

The effect of traditional products viz. turmeric powder, turmeric grits, garlic powder along with standard check (7 cm layer of sand on the top of stored seed) was evaluated on the biochemical aspects of stored mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.)] infested with Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius). Treatments with garlic powder at 1.5 % concentration recorded significantly less egg laying (2.00), less larval penetration (5.00%), less adult emergence (1.02%) as compared to other treatments. Alcoholic acidity increased significantly from 0.51 to 0.59, 0.46 to 0.55 and 0.38 to 0.49 % by turmeric powder at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 % concentration, respectively, as compared to control samples. Garlic powder was found to be most effective in checking uric acid at concentration of 1.5 % during four months of storage, followed by turmeric powder @ 2.0 % and turmeric grits @ 1.0 %. Order of effectiveness of used traditional products was garlic powder> turmeric powder>turmeric grits.

Molecular markers can be used to identify residual cancer at the surgical margins of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and assist in evaluating the complete resection of the tumour. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression levels of prognostic molecular markers at the histological tumour free surgical margins. In the present clinical retrospective study, 24/48 patients were selected with negative surgical margins for further analysis with immunohistochemical staining. Contingency tables and Fisher's exact tests were used to investigate the association between the expression levels of p53 and eukaryotic translation imitation factor 4E (eIF4E) with the clinical outcomes for patients with HNSCC. The expression levels of p53 and eIF4E were 54.2 and 87.5%, respectively, in the surgical margins of patients with HNSCC. A total of 3/7 patients with recurrent cancer (42.8%) were identified with p53‑positive margins, and 6 (85.7%) patients exhibited recurrence with eIF4e‑positive margins. No statistically significant differences were identified for the recurrence risk between the overexpression of p53 and eIF4E in the surgical margins (P=0.88 and P=0.99, respectively). The eIF4E marker appears to be a more marked prognosticator compared with p53, as overexpression of eIF4E was identified in the margins of 6/7 patients with local recurrence.

The UNITWIN Cooperation Programme on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) is based on an initiative from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAoC). The main objectives of the UNITWIN network are to foster collaboration among member universities, to build capacity in each of the countries in order to empower them to advance media and information literacy and intercultural dialogue, and to promote freedom of speech, freedom of information and the free flow of ideas and knowledge. The MILID university network now consists of 17 universities from all regions of the world. The year 2015 is a pivotal year as it marks the end of the period during which the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were to be reached and the year in which new global development targets are to be set. The MILID Yearbook 2015 provides a case for media and information literacy (MIL) as a tool for open and inclusive sustainable development. It draws on research findings, theories and practices of MIL, and developments focusing on the theme identified for the 2015 MILID Yearbook: Media and Information Literacy for the Sustainable Development Goals. This third MILID Yearbook is a joint initiative of the UNESCO-UNAOC University Cooperation Programme on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) published by Nordicom’s International Clearinghouse on Children, Youth and Media.