The process by which clathrin-coated vesicles are produced involves interactions of multifunctional adaptor proteins with the plasma membrane, as well as with clathrin and several accessory proteins and phosphoinositides. Here we review recent findings highlighting new insights into mechanisms underlying clathrin-dependent endocytosis.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has killed many people worldwide since December 2019, and Iran has been among the most affected countries. In this retrospective study, we aimed to determine the prognostic factors associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients by analyzing 396 survived and 63 non-survived patients in Shahid Modarres Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from January 30 th until April 5 th , 2020. As the results, the BMI > 35 (p = 0.0003), lung cancer (p = 0.007), chronic kidney disease (p = 0.002), Immunocompromised condition (p = 0.003), and diabetes (p = 0.018) were more frequently observed in the expired group. The history of statins use was more common in the discharged group (p = 0.002), while there was no significant difference in the drug history of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, and/or steroids, and in the past-year influenza vaccination. Multivariable regression demonstrated rising odds of in-hospital death related with age (odds ratio (OR) = 1.055, p = 0.002), levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR = 2.915, p < 0.001), creatinine (OR = 1.740, p = 0.023), lymphocyte count (OR = 0.999, p = 0.008), and magnesium level (OR = 0.032, p < 0.001) on admission. In conclusion, the patients with older age and higher BMI with lymphopenia, hypomagnesemia, elevated CRP and/or raised creatinine on admission are at higher risk of mortality due to the COVID-19 infection, which requires the physicians to use timely and strong therapeutic measures for such patients.

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Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is an uncommon disease marked by clotting of blood in cerebral venous, or dural sinuses, and, in rare cases, cortical veins. It is a rare but potentially fatal cause of acute neurological deterioration previously related to otomastoid, orbit, and central face cutaneous infections. After the advent of antibiotics, it is more often related to neoplasm, pregnancy, puerperium, systemic diseases, dehydration, intracranial tumors, oral contraceptives, and coagulopathies are the most common causes, but in 30% of cases no underlying etiology can be identified. It has been found in association with fibrous thyroiditis, jugular thrombosis after catheterization, or idiopathic jugular vein stenosis. Other factors include surgery, head trauma, arterio-venous malformations, infection, paraneoplastic, and autoimmune disease. This article presents a comprehensive review of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis etiologies.

Abstract. Mousavi SA, Berge KE, Leren TP (Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Norway). The unique role of PCSK9 in cholesterol homeostasis (Review). J Intern Med 2009; 266: 507-519.The LDL receptor (LDLR) plays an essential role in the regulation of plasma (LDL) cholesterol concentrations by virtue of its ability to clear plasma LDL. Down-regulation of the LDLR by proprotein convertase subtilisin ⁄ kexin 9 (PCSK9) has recently emerged as a regulatory mechanism that controls plasma LDL cholesterol concentrations. Studies in which PCSK9 is over-expressed in mice, have demonstrated that PCSK9, by enhancing hepatic LDLR degradation, decreases the availability of the LDLR for LDL uptake, resulting in increased plasma LDL cholesterol levels. However, PCSK9 has also recently been shown to mediate down-regulation of surface receptors other than the LDLR, suggesting that it may have much broader roles than initially thought.