Problem
Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii present, respectively, low and high congenital transmission rates. The placenta as an immune regulatory organ expresses TLRs, leading to the secretion of cytokines. Both parasites are recognized by TLR‐2, TLR‐4, and TLR‐9. Here, we studied if the parasites induce differences in TLR protein expression, cytokine profiles, and whether receptor inhibition is related to parasite infection.
Method of study
Placental tissue explants were infected ex vivo with each parasite, TLRs protein expression, cytokine profile and parasite infection were determined by Western blotting, ELISA and qPCR.
Results
Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii infection is related to TLR‐2 and TLR‐4/TLR‐9, respectively. Trypanosoma cruzi elicits an increase in TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8 and IL‐10 cytokine secretion whereas T. gondii only increases the secretion of IL‐8.
Conclusion
The susceptibility of the placenta to each parasite is mediated partially by the innate immune response.
Background
Arterial and venous thrombosis are reported to be common in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Method and results
This is a national multicenter retrospective observational study involving all consecutive adult COVID-19 patients who required intensive care units (ICU) admission between 23 January 2020 and 30 April 2020 in Singapore. One hundred eleven patients were included and the venous and arterial thrombotic rates in ICU were 1.8% (n = 2) and 9.9% (n = 11), respectively. Major bleeding rate was 14.8% (n = 16).
Conclusions
Critically ill COVID-19 patients in Singapore have lower venous thromboembolism but higher arterial thrombosis rates and bleeding manifestations than other reported cohorts.
A 70-year-old Chinese male presented with unexplained fever, relapsing polychondritis, macrocytic anemia, acute necrotising lymphadenitis, skin papules that were in keeping histologically with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease, and pulmonary embolism secondary to extensive unprovoked right lower limb deep vein thrombosis. Given the recent discovery of VEXAS (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked,
The prognostic value of measurable residual disease (MRD) by flow cytometry in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with non-intensive therapy is relatively unexplored. The clinical value of MRD threshold below 0.1% is also unknown after non-intensive therapy. In this study, MRD to a sensitivity of 0.01% was analyzed in sixty-three patients in remission after azacitidine/venetoclax treatment. Multivariable cox regression analysis identified prognostic factors associated with cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Patients who achieved MRD < 0.1% had a lower relapse rate than those who were MRD ≥ 0.1% at 18 months (13% versus 57%, p = 0.006). Patients who achieved an MRD-negative CR had longer median PFS and OS (not reached and 26.5 months) than those who were MRD-positive (12.6 and 10.3 months, respectively). MRD < 0.1% was an independent predictor for CIR, PFS, and OS, after adjusting for European Leukemia Net (ELN) risk, complex karyotype, and transplant (HR 5.92, 95% CI 1.34-26.09, p = 0.019 for PFS; HR 2.60, 95% CI 1.02-6.63, p = 0.046 for OS). Only an MRD threshold of 0.1%, and not 0.01%, was predictive for OS. Our results validate the recommended ELN MRD cut-off of 0.1% to discriminate between patients with improved CIR, PFS, and OS after azacitidine/venetoclax therapy.
Background: Arterial and venous thrombosis are reported to be common in critically ill COVID-19 patients.Method and Results: This is a national multicenter retrospective observational study involving all consecutive adult COVID-19 patients who required intensive care units (ICU) admission between 23 January 2020 and 30 April 2020 in Singapore. 111 patients were included and the venous and arterial thrombotic rates in ICU were 1.8% (n=2) and 9.9% (n=11), respectively. Major bleeding rate was 14.8% (n=16). Conclusions: Critically ill COVID-19 patients in Singapore have lower venous thromboembolism but higher arterial thrombosis rates and bleeding manifestations than other reported cohorts.
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