Endothelial Dysfunction Linked to Ventricular Dysfunction in Children With Sickle Cell Disease, a 3D Speckle Tracking Study.

Background: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is not a hematologic disease that occurs in isolation; it results in multi-organ complications. There is growing evidence of vascular stiffness as its underlying cause. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between endothelial stiffness and LV dysfunction in SCD patients and to explore its pathophysiology, particularly regarding the depletion of vasodilators such as Nitric Oxide (NO).

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Contributed to Diagnostic Bias.

Diagnosis bias in the medical field is a recognized entity that can contribute to misdiagnoses and incorrect management. It remains a constant challenge that must be recognized and addressed. Several factors play a role in the formation of preconceptions which influence the physicians' decision-making process.

The role of miRNAs in viral myocarditis, and its possible implication in induction of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines-induced myocarditis.

Background: Several reports of unheeded complications secondary to the current mass international rollout of SARS-COV-2 vaccines, one of which is myocarditis occurring with the FDA fully approved vaccine, Pfizer, and others.

Main Body Of The Abstract: Certain miRNAs (non-coding RNA sequences) are involved in the pathogenesis in viral myocarditis, and those miRNAs are interestingly upregulated in severe COVID-19. We hypothesize that the use of mRNA-based vaccines may be triggering the release of host miRNAs or that trigger the occurrence of myocarditis.

The potential use of ABO blood group system for risk stratification of COVID-19.

ABO blood groups is a cheap and affordable test that can be immediately retrieved from COVID-19 patients at the diagnosis. There is increasing evidence that non-O blood groups have both higher susceptibility and higher severity of COVID-19 infections. The reason behind such relationship seems elusive.

Single cell sequencing unraveling genetic basis of severe COVID19 in obesity.

COVID-19 has shown a substantial variation in the rate and severity by which it impacts different demographic groups. Specifically, it has shown a predilection towards obese patients as well as well as other vulnerable groups including predilection of males over females, old age over young age and black races over Caucasian ones. Single cell sequencing studies have highlighted the role of cell polarity and the co-expression of proteases, such as Furin, along with ACE2 in the genesis of coronavirus disease rather than exclusively link tissue involvement with ACE2 levels thought previously.

A multicenter consensus: A role of furin in the endothelial tropism in obese patients with COVID-19 infection.

Furin, a cleavage enzyme, is increasingly recognized in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Its cleavage action is an essential activation step for the endothelial pathogenicity of several viruses including SARS-CoV-2. This Furin-mediated endothelial tropism seems to underlie the multi-organ system involvement of COVID-19; which is a feature that was not recognized in the older versions of coronaviridae.