Publications by authors named "Drayson M"

CD34 progenitor cells with angiogenic capabilities traffic into blood during exercise and extravasate afterwards but the magnitude of this response varies between people. We examined whether exercise-induced progenitor cell trafficking is influenced by cardiorespiratory fitness (maximum oxygen uptake; ). Ten males (age: 23 ± 3 years; : 61.

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Neutrophils, pivotal cells of innate and adaptive immune responses, employ reactive oxygen species (ROS) to combat pathogens and control gene expression. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is widely used as an analgesic and antipyretic medication, yet its precise mechanisms of action are not yet fully understood. Here, we investigate the impact of both ingested and in-vitro paracetamol on neutrophil ROS activity, using flow cytometry and antioxidant assays.

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Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells represent a novel targeted approach to overcome deficits in the ability of the host immune system to detect and subsequently eradicate tumors. The identification of antigens expressed specifically on the surface of tumor cells is a critical first step for a targeted therapy that selectively targets cancer cells without affecting normal tissues. 5T4 is a tumor-associated antigen expressed on the cell surface of most solid tumors.

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  • The study focuses on short- and long-term antibody responses to pneumococcal vaccines in HIV-infected adults, comparing two types of vaccines: Pneumovax-23 (PPV) and Prevenar-13 (PCV).
  • A subgroup of 152 participants from a larger study had their antibody levels measured before and after vaccination, with ongoing assessments for four years. Results indicated that those vaccinated with PCV had a higher likelihood of achieving the World Health Organization's antibody threshold than those who received PPV.
  • Specifically, 54% of PCV recipients reached the target after one dose compared to 33% with PPV, and this advantage continued with booster doses, showing better cumulative rates
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  • The study evaluates the effectiveness of a treatment regimen (ixazomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone) followed by maintenance with ixazomib after salvage autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma, compared to observation.
  • Conducted as part of a larger trial (Myeloma XII) across 79 UK hospitals, it involved patients aged 18+ with measurable disease and certain health criteria, randomized into two treatment groups.
  • The primary measurement for effectiveness was progression-free survival, with safety assessments also being conducted, and a total of 206 patients participated in this phase of the trial.
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Introduction: Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation is the primary procedure used to collect hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Single bouts of exercise transiently enrich peripheral blood with HSPCs and cytolytic natural killer cells (CD56), which are important in preventing post-transplant complications. To provide a rationale to investigate the utility of exercise in a PBSC donation setting (≈3 h), this study aimed to establish whether interval cycling increased peripheral blood HSPC and CD56 concentrations to a greater degree than continuous cycling.

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Deeper responses are associated with improved survival in patients being treated for myeloma. However, the sensitivity of the current blood-based assays is limited. Historical studies suggested that normalisation of the serum free light chain (FLC) ratio in patients who were negative by immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) was associated with improved outcomes.

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Background: High levels of physical activity are associated with reduced risk of the blood cancer multiple myeloma (MM). MM is preceded by the asymptomatic stages of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smouldering multiple myeloma (SMM) which are clinically managed by watchful waiting. A case study (N = 1) of a former elite athlete aged 44 years previously indicated that a multi-modal exercise programme reversed SMM disease activity.

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  • Advances in treatment have improved survival rates for myeloma, but delayed diagnosis remains a significant issue, leading to serious health complications and early deaths due to vague symptoms and its rarity in primary care.
  • The Myeloma UK early diagnosis programme is working to address this delay by improving laboratory practices and introducing a 'GP Myeloma diagnostic tool' to enhance detection and diagnosis.
  • The article emphasizes the need for better integration between laboratory services and haematology, advocating for more efficient processes to ensure timely and cost-effective diagnoses of myeloma.
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Objective: To describe determinants of persisting humoral and cellular immune response to the second COVID-19 vaccination among patients with myeloma.

Methods: This is a prospective, observational study utilising the RUDYstudy.org platform.

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Introduction: Pneumococcal disease (PD) significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality, carrying substantial economic and public health burden. This article is a targeted review of evidence for pneumococcal vaccination in the UK, the definitions of groups at particular risk of PD and vaccine effectiveness.

Areas Covered: Relevant evidence focusing on UK data from surveillance systems, randomized controlled trials, observational studies and publicly available government documents is collated and reviewed.

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This Good Practice Paper provides recommendations for the diagnosis, risk stratification and management of the monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). It describes the recently recognised entity of the monoclonal gammopathy of clinical significance (MGCS), and recommends how it should be managed. The potential for targeted population screening for MGUS is also discussed.

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Background: Early trials of long-term lenalidomide use reported an increased incidence of second primary malignancy (SPM), including acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Later, meta-analysis suggested the link to be secondary to lenalidomide in combination with melphalan.

Methods: Myeloma XI is a large, phase III randomised trial in-which lenalidomide was used at induction and maintenance, in transplant eligible (TE) and non-eligible (TNE) newly diagnosed patients (NCT01554852).

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  • The study investigates the presence of salivary antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers, both after infection and vaccination, revealing that while serum antibodies are common, salivary antibodies are less prevalent and often non-neutralising.
  • Serum samples showed a high prevalence of IgG antibodies after vaccination, but only a fraction also showed salivary antibodies, indicating a disconnect between systemic and mucosal immune responses.
  • The findings emphasize the necessity for mucosal vaccines to improve oral and nasopharyngeal immunity, as salivary antibodies alone cannot reliably reflect overall antibody response from serum measurements.
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Health behaviours such as being physically active and having good quality sleep have been associated with decreased susceptibility to infection and stronger antibody responses to vaccination. Less is known about how such factors might influence the maintenance of immunity following naturalistic infection and/or prior vaccination, particularly among older adults who may have formed initial antibodies some time ago. This analysis explored antibody levels against a range of common infectious diseases in 104 older adults (60 women) aged 65+ years, and whether these relate to self-reported physical activity (PA) and sleep.

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Multiple myeloma (MM) patients risk diagnostic delays and irreversible organ damage. In those with newly diagnosed myeloma, we explored the presenting symptoms to identify early signals of MM and their relationships to organ damage. The symptoms were recorded in patients' own words at diagnosis and included diagnostic time intervals.

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A history of infection has been linked with increased risk of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and related myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Furthermore, AML and MDS patients suffer frequent infections because of disease-related impaired immunity. However, the role of infections in the development and progression of AML and MDS remains poorly understood.

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Introduction: B cells, which have long been thought to be minor players in the development of anti-tumor responses, have been implicated as key players in lung cancer pathogenesis and response to checkpoint blockade in patients with lung cancer. Enrichment of late-stage plasma and memory cells in the tumor microenvironment has been shown in lung cancer, with the plasma cell repertoire existing on a functional spectrum with suppressive phenotypes correlating with outcome. B cell dynamics may be influenced by the inflammatory microenvironment observed in smokers and between LUAD and LUSC.

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  • The OPTIMUM trial tested a combination treatment (Dara-CVRd) for newly diagnosed ultra-high-risk multiple myeloma patients before and after autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT) and compared outcomes to another recent study (Myeloma XI).
  • The study involved screening patients for specific genetic risk markers to identify those with ultra-high-risk disease, who then received Dara-CVRd therapy, ASCT, and maintenance treatment.
  • Results showed that at 30 months, the OPTIMUM trial had significantly better progression-free survival (77%) and overall survival (83.5%) compared to the Myeloma XI trial (39.8% and 73.5% respectively), indicating the effectiveness of the treatment with
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  • Secondary immunodeficiency (SID) means that some people get sick more often because their immune system doesn't work well, especially those with blood cancers.
  • In a study of 75 people, some were treated with special antibiotics, while others needed immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) after the antibiotics didn't help.
  • People who got IgRT had a lot more serious infections and fewer hospital visits after treatment, showing that better testing could help doctors give the right treatment quicker.
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Post-acute cardiac sequelae, following SARS-CoV-2 infection, are well recognized as complications of COVID-19. We have previously shown the persistence of autoantibodies against antigens in skin, muscle, and heart in individuals following severe COVID-19; the most common staining on skin tissue displayed an inter-cellular cement pattern consistent with antibodies against desmosomal proteins. Desmosomes play a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of tissues.

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Objectives: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of obstetric morbidity, with no definitive therapy other than delivery. We aimed to compare complement markers in maternal and fetal circulation, and placental tissue, between women with PE and healthy pregnant controls.

Study Design: Maternal and umbilical cord blood was tested for iC3b, C3, C4, properdin, Ba and C5b-9, and placental tissue for C3d, C4d, C9 and C1q, from women with PE (n = 34) and healthy pregnant controls (n = 33).

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