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Pancreatic cancer is the eleventh most common cancer type and the seventh leading cause of cancer mortality globally. Although chemotherapy is widely employed in the treatment of any cancer type, the response rate in pancreatic cancer is very low. Hence, new and effective techniques in the treatment of pancreatic cancer are needed. Recent advances in molecular profiling as well as high-throughput sequencing technologies, for example, next-generation sequencing technologies, have revolutionized the field of cancer research. Protein-protein interaction among cancer and normal cells plays an important role in any cancer molecular mechanisms, and identifying key genes or protein via experimental technologies requires huge expenditures of capital and time. Thus, integrated computational approaches are urgently needed in cancer research. In this review, we discuss different computational approaches developed to detect novel key genes (TRIM24, CDK14, ECT2 and PSRC1), miRNA (e.g., miR-424, miR-203, miR-1266, miR-1293, and miR-4772), and pancreatic cancer drugs (e.g., trifluoperazine dihydrochloride and trifluoperazine). In the near future, the information presented here will be highly useful in the early diagnosis as well as treatment of pancreatic malignancy.

Background:Colorectal cancer is the third important cause of cancer-associated deaths across the world. Hence, there is an urgent need for understanding the complete mechanism associated with colorectal cancer, which in turn can be utilized toward early detection as well as the treatment of colorectal cancer in humans. Though colorectal cancer is a complex process and chemotherapy is the first step toward the treatment of colorectal cancer, recently several studies suggested that dietary phytochemicals may also aid significantly in reducing colorectal cancer risk in human. However, only few phytochemicals, specifically curcumin derived from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa, have better chemotherapeutic property, which might be because of its ability to regulate the activity of key factors associated with the initiation, promotion, as well as progression of tumors.Objectives:In the present review, the authors made an attempt to summarize the physiochemical properties of curcumin, which in turn prevent colorectal cancer via regulating numerous cell signaling as well as genetic pathways.Conclusions:Accumulated evidence suggested that curcumin suppresses tumour/colon cancer in various ways, (a) restricting cell cycle progression, or stimulating apoptosis, (b) restricting angiogenesis, anti-apoptotic proteins expression, cell survival signaling pathways & their cross-communication and (c) regulating immune responses. The information discussed in the present review will be useful in the drug discovery process as well as the treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer in humans.

An attempt was made to understand the bidirectional causal relationship between diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer. One theory claims that diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer. Supporting this, several studies have reported that four type 2 diabetes-associated polymorphisms, namely, rs8050136 of FTO, rs1387153 of MTNR1B, rs11039149 of MADD and rs780094 of GCKR, are associated risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Enhanced concentration of circulating C-peptide/insulin during hyperglycaemia is also reported to be the risk factors for developing both colorectal and pancreatic cancer. However, another theory claims that pancreatic cancer is risk factor for developing diabetes mellitus. Insulin sensitivity in pancreatic cancer patients is reported to increase after tumour resection supporting pancreatic cancer as a causal agent of DM. Incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) leading to pancreatic cancer is more in comparison to type 1 diabetes. Successful treatment of obesity and T2DM decreases pancreatic cancer risk. Nevertheless, treatment of T2DM with insulin, insulin analogues, and insulin secretagogues enhances the risk for pancreatic cancer. Metformin, an antidiabetic and antineoplastic drug, is reported to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer and should be considered as first-line therapy in all new-onset diabetes patients. Apart from metformin, antimalarial drug, namely, chloroquine, and other nutritional supplements, like limonene and melatonin, are also utilised in pancreatic cancer prevention and treatment. In near future, this information may be utilised in reversing the increasing incidence of pancreatic cancer.

Extended-spectrumβlactamases (ESBLs) continue to be a major challenge in clinical setups world over, conferring resistance to the expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. An attempt was made to study the prevalence of ESBL-producingKlebsiella pneumoniaeclinical isolates in a tertiary care hospital in Kurnool. A total of hundred collected isolates ofKlebsiella pneumoniaewas studied for their susceptibility patterns to various antibiotics and detection of ESBL producers by double disc synergy test (DDST) and phenotypic confirmatory disc diffusion test (PCDDT). Of the 100 isolates tested for their antibiogram, 61% isolates have shown susceptibility to 3rd-generation cepholosporins and 39% were resistant. Amoxycillin showed the highest percentage of resistance followed by tetracyclins and cotrimoxazole. Among 39 resistant isolates ofKlebsiella pneumoniae, 17 were ESBL producers detected by DDST and PCDDT. ESBL producers were more in the hospital isolates (28%) compared to community isolates (6%). Maximum percentage of ESBL producers were noticed from blood sample with 57.14%. In the present study, a large number of isolates were found to be multidrug resistant and ESBL producers. PCDDT was found to be better than DDST in the detection of ESBLs. Continued monitoring of drug resistance is necessary in clinical settings for proper disease management.

Chikungunya fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of CHIKV virus infected Aedes mosquitoes. During monsoon outbreak of chikungunya fever, we carried out the genetic predisposition to chikungunya in disease affected 100 families by doing blood group (ABO) tests by focusing on individuals who were likely to have a risk of chikungunya and identified the blood group involved in susceptibility/resistance to chikungunya. In the present study, based on blood group antigens, the individuals were kept in four groups – A (108), B (98), AB (20) and O (243). The result obtained was showed all Rh positive blood group individuals are susceptible to chikungunya fever. Among ABO group, the blood group O +ve individuals are more susceptible to chikungunya than other blood groups. No blood group with Rh negative was affected with chikungunya, it indicates Rh -ve more resistance to chikungunya.