Cancers and neurological disorders are two major types of diseases. We previously developed a new concept termed “Aberrant Cell Cycle Diseases” (ACCD), revealing that these two diseases share a common mechanism of aberrant cell cycle re-entry. The aberrant cell cycle re-entry is manifested as kinase/oncogene activation and tumor suppressor inactivation, which are hallmarks of both tumor growth in cancers and neuronal death in neurological disorders. Therefore, some cancer therapies (e.g., kinase inhibition, tumor suppressor elevation) can be leveraged for neurological treatments. The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has so far approved 74 kinase inhibitors, with numerous other kinase inhibitors in clinical trials, mostly for the treatment of cancers. In contrast, there are dire unmet needs of FDA-approved drugs for neurological treatments, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), ischemic stroke (IS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and others. In this review, we list these 74 FDA-approved kinase-targeted drugs and identify those that have been reported in preclinical and/or clinical trials for neurological disorders, with a purpose of discussing the feasibility and applicability of leveraging these cancer drugs (FDA-approved kinase inhibitors) for neurological treatments.

Cancers and neurological disorders are two major types of diseases in humans. We developed the concept called the “Aberrant Cell Cycle Disease (ACCD)” due to the accumulating evidence that shows that two different diseases share the common mechanism of aberrant cell cycle re-entry. The aberrant cell cycle re-entry is manifested as kinase/oncoprotein activation and tumor suppressor (TS) inactivation, which are associated with both tumor growth in cancers and neuronal death in neurological disorders. Therefore, some cancer therapies (e.g., kinase/oncogene inhibition and TS elevation) can be leveraged for neurological treatments. MicroRNA (miR/miRNA) provides a new style of drug-target binding. For example, a single tumor suppressor miRNA (TS-miR/miRNA) can bind to and decrease tens of target kinases/oncogenes, producing much more robust efficacy to block cell cycle re-entry than inhibiting a single kinase/oncogene. In this review, we summarize the miRNAs that are altered in both cancers and neurological disorders, with an emphasis on miRNA drugs that have entered into clinical trials for neurological treatment.

Language barriers hinder colorectal cancer screening in underserved populations of non-native English speakers, particularly in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities; however, patient educational materials are not readily available in languages other than English and Spanish. In this pilot study, American College of Gastroenterology infographics were translated into Chinese (traditional/simplified), Hmong, and Vietnamese and distributed along with a translated pre-post survey to average-risk patients aged 45-75 years at a safety-net clinic. Primary outcomes were colorectal cancer screening rates and secondary outcomes were patients' perceptions of colorectal cancer screening. Colorectal cancer screening rates increased from 19.5% to 54.3% (p80.0% patients noted increased understanding of colorectal cancer and plans to pursue screening. These findings demonstrate that providing translated and language-concordant infographics significantly increased colorectal cancer screening rates and patient understanding among non-native English speakers. Creating and integrating the use of culturally and linguistically tailored educational materials in resource-limited clinics can help eliminate disparities and narrow the colorectal cancer screening gap in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Purpose: The study aims to investigate the ease of use, acceptability, and accuracy of a simple at-home vision screening kit in a non-English speaking socially disadvantaged population. Design: This is a single site, prospective, cross-sectional study. Methods: Patients at a clinic that provided free medical care to an urban, predominantly Asian, underserved population were invited to participate in this study. We designed a program for at-home vision assessment, which consisted of a simple at-home vision kit (Rosenbaum near card, Amsler grid) and instructions for use given in verbal and written form in the patient’s own language. Testing was performed in each eye during an in-person visit. Patients were then asked to test at-home and were later contacted by telephone to record the results. A survey questionnaire assessing the ease of use and acceptability of the vision kit was then administered. Results: One hundred and one of 141 patients completed the study. Of those patients, 60.4% were female, 79.2% were Asian, 95% were born outside of the United States, 81.2% did not speak English as their primary language, 47.5% were not enrolled in health insurance, and 67.3% expressed difficulty in accessing eye care. The results of our survey (n = 101) demonstrated that 90% would continue utilizing the vision screening kit, 91.1% would recommend the vision screening kit to others, and 82.2% rated the vision screening kit as extremely easy to use. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for the in-person VA logMAR scores and at-home VA logMAR scores was calculated to be ρ = 0.862, p < 0.0001 in the right eye and ρ = 0.834, p < 0.0001 in left eye. Conclusion: Our tailored protocol and design of a simple at-home vision screening kit was widely accepted and easy to use by an underserved population in which English was not the primary spoken language. The kit demonstrated excellent correlation between in-person and at-home VA results.

Background: Misinformation and vaccination hesitancy contribute to disparities in vaccination rates, particularly in under-resourced communities. This study aims to investigate perceptions and factors influencing vaccination decisions at free clinics serving diverse, under-resourced communities. Methods: Surveys were conducted across eight free clinics in the Greater Sacramento area, targeting uninsured or underinsured individuals. Information on demographics, sources of vaccine information, access to vaccines, vaccine perceptions, and vaccination decisions as pertaining to influenza and COVID-19 were collected on Qualtrics software. Chi-square and t-tests were used to analyze associations between demographics and vaccination rates. Results: Among 109 participants (24–82 years old), vaccination rates were found to be higher than the county average, with notable demographic variations. Contrary to initial hypotheses, men had higher vaccination rates than women, and recent immigrants exhibited higher vaccination rates than more long-term U.S. residents. A higher number of participants regarded the COVID-19 vaccine as effective than as safe, while the reverse was true for the influenza vaccine. Healthcare providers were the most trusted and influential sources for vaccine information, followed by government agencies, and then family and friends. Answers to hypothetical vaccine scenarios elicited assessments on risks and benefits. Conclusion: The study provides insight into the dynamics of vaccine hesitancy and factors that play into the decision-making process in under-resourced communities, underscoring the role of trust in healthcare providers. These findings are vital for tailoring community outreach strategies to create trust, address barriers, and enhance vaccine uptake within free community clinics.