Publications by authors named "J Harsfalvi"

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a multimer with a variable number of protomers, each of which is a head-to-head dimer of two multi-domain monomers. VWF responds to shear through the unfolding and extension of distinct domains, thereby mediating platelet adhesion and aggregation to the injured blood vessel wall. VWF's C segment uncoils and then the A domain unfolds and extends in a hierarchical and sequential manner.

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In contrast to red blood cells, platelets float rather than sediment when a column of blood is placed in the gravitational field. By the analogy of erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), it can be expressed with the platelet antisedimentation rate (PAR), which quantitates the difference in platelet count between the upper and lower halves of the blood column after 1 h of 1 g sedimentation. Venous blood samples from 21 healthy subjects were analyzed for PAR.

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Article Synopsis
  • The von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a large protein essential for platelet function, particularly under high shear stress conditions, and its structural changes under such conditions have been difficult to study.
  • Researchers used a process called molecular combing to stretch VWF from human blood plasma and analyzed it with atomic force microscopy, identifying seven different structural shapes in the extended VWF.
  • The study found that the VWF protomers undergo specific structural transitions, such as uncoiling and rearranging, revealing a hierarchical structure that may influence VWF's complex functions in the blood.
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  • - Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can lead to complications related to blood clotting due to damage in endothelial cells, with factors like platelets and von Willebrand factor (VWF) playing crucial roles in these complications.
  • - A study compared patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma undergoing HSCT, tracking changes in platelet count, VWF levels, ADAMTS13 activity, and C-reactive protein (CRP) to understand their effects on therapy response, differences between groups, and their correlation with remission 100 days post-transplantation.
  • - Results showed that CRP levels peaked when platelet counts were lowest, particularly in lymphoma patients, and indicated that VWF levels had
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  • Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is related to atherosclerosis in other arterial regions and is linked to serious cardiovascular risks and high mortality rates.
  • In a study of 90 PAD patients, higher levels of Cystatin C (Cys C) and a lower Cathepsin S (Cat S) to Cys C ratio were found to correlate with more severe stages of PAD, as indicated by low ankle-brachial index (ABI) scores.
  • The findings suggest that elevated Cys C and decreased Cat S/Cys C ratios may serve as important indicators of severe PAD and the presence of multiple arterial blockages.
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