Air pollution and venous thromboembolism: current knowledge and future perspectives.

Air pollution, comprising a variable mixture of gaseous and solid particulate material, represents a serious, unmet, global health issue. The Global Burden of Disease study reported that 12% of all deaths occurring in 2019 were related to ambient air pollution, with particulate matter often considered to be the leading cause of harm. As of 2024, over 90% of the world's population are exposed to excessive amounts of particulate matter, based on WHO maximum exposure level guidelines.

Human Herpes Virus-8 Oral Shedding Heterogeneity is Due to Varying Rates of Reactivation from Latency and Immune Containment.

Unlabelled: Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) is a gamma herpesvirus linked to the development of Kaposi sarcoma (KS). KS is more common in persons living with HIV (PLWH), but endemic KS in HIV-negative individuals is also common in sub-Saharan Africa. HHV-8 shedding occurs in the oral mucosa and is likely responsible for transmission.

CAR-T cell therapy in Multiple Myeloma: current status and future challenges.

The treatment of multiple myeloma has changed dramatically in recent years, with huge strides forward made in the field. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy targeting the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is now widely approved in relapsed refractory patients and is moving into earlier treatment lines. In this review, we discuss the evidence underpinning current regulatory approvals and consider mechanisms through which CAR-T cell efficacy could be improved.

How to undertake procedures while on antiplatelet agents: a hematologist's view.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality globally while also contributing to excess health system costs. Significant advancements have been made in the understanding and prevention of deaths from CVD. In addition to risk factor modifications, one of the key developments in this area is the appropriate prescribing of antiplatelet medications for secondary prevention of CVD.

deficiency disrupts V(D)J recombination to cause SCID and Omenn syndrome.

Inborn errors of T cell development present a pediatric emergency in which timely curative therapy is informed by molecular diagnosis. In 11 affected patients across four consanguineous kindreds, we detected homozygosity for a single deleterious missense variant in the gene NudC domain-containing 3 () Two infants had severe combined immunodeficiency with the complete absence of T and B cells (TB SCID), whereas nine showed classical features of Omenn syndrome (OS). Restricted antigen receptor gene usage by residual T lymphocytes suggested impaired V(D)J recombination.

A brief bout of moderate intensity physical activity improves preadolescent children's behavioral inhibition but does not change their energy intake.

Children in rural communities consume more energy-dense foods relative to their urban peers. Identifying effective interventions for improving energy intake patterns are needed to address these geographic disparities. The primary aim of this study was to harness the benefits of physical activity on children's executive functioning to see if these improvements lead to acute changes in eating behaviors.

An unusual case of pilonidal p16 positive squamous cell carcinoma-a case report.

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare and aggressive variant of squamous cell carcinoma. It is commonly seen in the oropharynx and strongly associated with p16-expressivity and high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV). We report the first case of primary cutaneous p16-positive BSCC in an elderly woman, with a background of chronic inverse psoriasis of the natal cleft.

Single-cell insights into immune dysregulation in rheumatoid arthritis flare versus drug-free remission.

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are typically characterised by relapsing and remitting flares of inflammation. However, the unpredictability of disease flares impedes their study. Addressing this critical knowledge gap, we use the experimental medicine approach of immunomodulatory drug withdrawal in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remission to synchronise flare processes allowing detailed characterisation.

CompHEAR: A Customizable and Scalable Web-Enabled Auditory Performance Evaluation Platform for Cochlear Implant Sound Processing Research.

Objective: Cochlear implants (CIs) are auditory prostheses for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, offering substantial but incomplete restoration of hearing function by stimulating the auditory nerve using electrodes. However, progress in CI performance and innovation has been constrained by the inability to rapidly test multiple sound processing strategies. Current research interfaces provided by major CI manufacturers have limitations in supporting a wide range of auditory experiments due to portability, programming difficulties, and the lack of direct comparison between sound processing algorithms.

Validation of epidermal AMBRA1 and loricrin (AMBLor) as a prognostic biomarker for nonulcerated American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I/II cutaneous melanoma.

Background: Combined expression of the autophagy-regulatory protein AMBRA1 (activating molecule in Beclin1-regulated autophagy) and the terminal differentiation marker loricrin in the peritumoral epidermis of stage I melanomas can identify tumour subsets at low risk of -metastasis.

Objectives: To validate the combined expression of peritumoral AMBRA1 and loricrin (AMBLor) as a prognostic biomarker able to identify both stage I and II melanomas at low risk of tumour recurrence.

Methods: Automated immunohistochemistry was used to analyse peritumoral AMBRA1 and loricrin expression in geographically distinct discovery (n = 540) and validation (n = 300) cohorts of nonulcerated American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage I and II melanomas.

Anticoagulation in chronic kidney disease: current status and future perspectives.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is being diagnosed increasingly worldwide. It is often identified in individuals with comorbidities, which may increase the already heightened risk of thrombosis and hemorrhage associated with CKD. Oral anticoagulation is an effective means of reducing rates of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation and minimizes the morbidity and mortality caused by venous thromboembolic disease.

Venous thromboembolism in multiple myeloma: Increasing evidence in support of direct oral anticoagulants.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) continues to cause significant morbidity and excess mortality in patients with multiple myeloma. The report by Costa and colleagues demonstrates superiority of direct oral anticoagulants over aspirin in terms of VTE prevention, without increased bleeding complications seen. Commentary on: Costa et al.

The prothrombotic tendency of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.

Our understanding of the function of the liver has evolved over the centuries. Early theories proposing that the liver could be used to divine the future have been superseded by our current knowledge of the importance of the liver in processes such as digestion and detoxification. Similarly, although liver disease was previously associated with only an increased risk of bleeding, there is now a substantial body of evidence demonstrating an increased thrombotic potential in patients with this disease.

Diversity and metabolic energy in bacteria.

Why are some groups of bacteria more diverse than others? We hypothesize that the metabolic energy available to a bacterial functional group (a biogeochemical group or 'guild') has a role in such a group's taxonomic diversity. We tested this hypothesis by looking at the metacommunity diversity of functional groups in multiple biomes. We observed a positive correlation between estimates of a functional group's diversity and their metabolic energy yield.

Sialofucosylation Enables Platelet Binding to Myeloma Cells via P-Selectin and Suppresses NK Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder that develops in the bone marrow (BM) and is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and the ability to disseminate to different sites of the skeleton. Sialofucosylated structures, particularly Sialyl Lewis a/x (SLe), facilitate the homing of MM cells into the BM, leading to resistance to bortezomib in vivo. Platelets have been shown to play an important role in tumor metastasis.

Bispecific Antibodies in Multiple Myeloma: Opportunities to Enhance Efficacy and Improve Safety.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common haematological neoplasm of adults in the Western world. Overall survival has doubled since the advent of proteosome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs), and monoclonal antibodies. However, patients with adverse cytogenetics or high-risk disease as determined by the Revised International Staging System (R-ISS) continue to have poorer outcomes, and triple-refractory patients have a median survival of less than 1 year.

Dilemmas in hematology: consults in patients with arterial thrombosis.

Arterial thrombotic events, particularly ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, are common, and mostly occur due to atherosclerotic disease or arrhythmias. The diagnosis and management of the majority of such events occurs without the involvement of a hematologist, following established guidelines or pathways. In this review, we discuss 3 scenarios in which optimal management is less certain.

Challenges in managing patients on anticoagulation: Thrombocytopenia, resumption after bleeding and recurrent thrombosis.

Prescribing of anticoagulation is increasing worldwide. This is partly reflective of an aging population with cardiovascular comorbidities such as arrhythmias and prosthetic heart valves, alongside improvements in cancer treatments and survival. In this review, we discuss three common challenges faced by clinicians.

Non-factor therapies for bleeding disorders: A primer for the general haematologist.

Management of patients with severe bleeding disorders, particularly haemophilia A and B, and to a lesser extent, von Willebrand disease, has come on leaps and bounds over the past decade. Until recently, patients relied upon the administration of factor concentrates to prevent or treat bleeding episodes. Factor administration requires intravenous access and, in up to one-third of patients, leads to the development of neutralising antibodies, or inhibitors, which are associated with more frequent bleeding episodes and higher morbidity.

Integrating Hepatitis C Care for Opioid Substitution Treatment Patients Attending General Practice: Feasibility, Clinical, and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among people who inject drugs, yet well-described barriers mean that only a minority have accessed HCV treatment. Recent developments in HCV diagnosis and treatment facilitate innovative approaches to HCV care that improve access to, and uptake of, care by people who inject drugs.

Objective: This study aims to examine feasibility, acceptability, likely clinical effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of an integrated model of HCV care for patients receiving opioid substitution treatment in general practice.