Since the emergence of COVID 19, the authentic SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into a range of novel variants that are of more global concern. In late November 2021, the Omicron (lineage B.1.1.529) variant was identified as a new variant and considered as the fifth variant of concern. Omicron harbors a genetic profile that is exceedingly unusual, with a huge number of mutations. Above thirty mutations are localized in the S protein, while some are found in other structural and non-structural proteins. Half of the mutations in the S protein are in the RBD, which is a major target of antibodies, showing that Omicron mutations may affect antibody binding affinity to the S protein. The Omicron variant has been found to result in immune escape, therapeutic or vaccine escape, as well as increased transmissibility and reinfection risk, explaining its rapid international spread that sparks a global alarm even more serious than the previously reported variants. Omicron has the capability to bypass at least some of the multi-faceted immune responses induced by prior infection or vaccination. It is shown to extensively escape neutralizing antibodies while evading cell mediated immune defense to a lesser extent. The efficacy of COVID 19 vaccines against Omicron variant is decreased with primary vaccination, showing that the vaccine is less efficient in preventing Omicron infections. However, after receiving a booster vaccine dose, the immunological response to Omicron significantly improved and hold promising results. Despite the mild nature of the disease in most vaccinated people, the rapid spread of Omicron, as well as the increased risk of re-infection, poses yet another major public health concern. Therefore, effort should be devoted to maintaining the existing COVID 19 preventive measures as well as developing new vaccination strategies in order to control the fast dissemination of Omicron.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a novel, customized immunotherapy that is considered a ‘living’ and self-replicating drug to treat cancer, sometimes resulting in a complete cure. CAR T-cells are manufactured through genetic engineering of T-cells by equipping them with CARs to detect and target antigen-expressing cancer cells. CAR is designed to have an ectodomain extracellularly, a transmembrane domain spanning the cell membrane, and an endodomain intracellularly. Since its first discovery, the CAR structure has evolved greatly, from the first generation to the fifth generation, to offer new therapeutic alternatives for cancer patients. This treatment has achieved long-term and curative therapeutic efficacy in multiple blood malignancies that nowadays profoundly change the treatment landscape of lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. But CART-cell therapy is associated with several hurdles, such as limited therapeutic efficacy, little effect on solid tumors, adverse effects, expensive cost, and feasibility issues, hindering its broader implications.

Cardiometabolic disease is a spectrum of diseases including, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome. It is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with premature deaths being preventable. Currently, sleep has emerged as a potential target for cardiometabolic disease prevention. Several epidemiological studies have provided ample evidence that objectively measured short sleep duration increases the risk of cardiometabolic disease. However, the findings are inconsistent, and few studies measure sleep duration on cardiometabolic profiles objectively. Therefore, in this review, we focused on the recently published literature that explored the association between objectively measured sleep duration and cardiometabolic profiles (cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome), seeking more insights regarding the applicability and, in turn, the impact of objectively measured sleep duration on cardiometabolic health, which is relatively understudied. We retrieved the information manually from PubMed, Google Scholar, HINARI, and the Cochrane Library from 2015 to 2022 using appropriate search terms, we included 49 articles. In this review, we found a strong relationship between objectively measured sleep duration and the risk of cardiometabolic disease, indicating that objectively measured short sleep durations increase cardiometabolic risks. In general, the association between objectively measured sleep duration and increased cardiometabolic risks (CMR) has been well-documented in higher-income countries. Several studies found that longer sleep duration was associated with a more favorable cardiometabolic profile in early adolescence, independent of other risk factors. On the other hand, objectively measured short sleep duration is associated with adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome.

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