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The pandemic of 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2019), reminiscent of the 2002-SARS-CoV outbreak, has completely isolated countries, disrupted health systems and partially paralyzed international trade and travel. In order to be better equipped to anticipate transmission of this virus to new regions, it is imperative to track the progress of the virus over time. This review analyses information on progression of the pandemic in the past 3 months and systematically discusses the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2019 virus including its epidemiologic, pathophysiologic, and clinical manifestations. Furthermore, the review also encompasses some recently proposed conceptual models that estimate the spread of this disease based on the basic reproductive number for better prevention and control procedures. Finally, we shed light on how the virus has endangered the global economy, impacting it both from the supply and demand side.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a proinflammatory cytokine known to control a diverse array of pathological and physiological conditions during normal development and tumorigenesis. TGF-β-mediated physiological effects are heterogeneous and vary among different types of cells and environmental conditions. TGF-β serves as an antiproliferative agent and inhibits tumor development during primary stages of tumor progression; however, during the later stages, it encourages tumor development and mediates metastatic progression and chemoresistance. The fundamental elements of TGF-β signaling have been divulged more than a decade ago; however, the process by which the signals are relayed from cell surface to nucleus is very complex with additional layers added in tumor cell niches. Although the intricate understanding of TGF-β-mediated signaling pathways and their regulation are still evolving, we tried to make an attempt to summarize the TGF-βmediated SMAD-dependent andSMAD-independent pathways. This manuscript emphasizes the functions of TGF-β as a metastatic promoter and tumor suppressor during the later and initial phases of tumor progression respectively.

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Eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), a fundamental effector and rate limiting element of protein synthesis, binds the 7‐methylguanosine cap at the 5′ end of eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA) specifically as a constituent of eIF4F translation initiation complex thus facilitating the recruitment of mRNA to the ribosomes. This review focusses on the engagement of signals contributing to growth factor originated maxim and their role in the activation of eIF4E to achieve a collective influence on cellular growth, with a key focus on conjuring vital processes like protein synthesis. The review invites considerable interest in elevating the appeal of eIF4E beyond its role in regulating translation viz a viz cancer genesis, attributed to its phosphorylation state that improves the prospect for the growth of the cancerous cell. This review highlights the latest studies that have envisioned to target these pathways and ultimately the translational machinery for therapeutic intervention. The review also brings forward the prospect of eIF4E to act as a converging juncture for signaling pathways like mTOR/PI3K and Mnk/MAPK to promote tumorigenesis.