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Objectives: This study sought to correlate the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody response level to the BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech) mRNA vaccine after the first and second doses with the reported adverse events., Methods: This cohort study examined the adverse events profiles of people vaccinated with BNT162b2 in our institute between late 2020 and May 2021. Adverse events, age, and sex were reported using an electronic questionnaire, and their SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels were retrieved from the hospital database., Results: Between 20 December 2020 and 31 May 2021, the adverse events questionnaire was completed by 9700 individuals who received the first vaccine dose and 8321 who received the second dose. After the first and second doses, the average antibody levels were 62.34 AU/mL (mean 4-373) and 188.19 AU/mL (mean 20-392), respectively. All of the adverse events, except local pain, were more common after the second vaccine dose. Multivariate analysis showed that after the first vaccine dose, female sex and younger age (but not IgG titres) were associated with a higher probability of adverse events (OR 2.377, 95% CI, 1.607-3.515, p = 0.000; OR 0.959, 95% CI, 0.944-0.977, p £0.000; OR 1.002, 95% CI, 0.995-1.008, p £0.601; respectively); however, all three parameters were associated with the incidence of adverse events after the second dose (OR 2.332, 95% CI, 1.636-3.322, p = 0.000; OR 0.984, 95% CI, 0.970-0.999, p £0.039; OR 1.004, 95% CI, 1.001-1.007, p £0.022; respectively)., Discussion: Adverse events are significantly more common after the second BNT162b2 vaccine dose than after the first dose. We found an association between sex, age, and SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titre with the incidence of adverse events., (Copyright © 2022 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain emergence raised concerns that its enhanced infectivity is partly due to altered spread/contamination modalities. We therefore sampled high-contact surfaces and air in close proximity to patients who were verified as infected with the Omicron strain, using identical protocols applied to sample patients positive to the original or Alpha strains. Cumulatively, for all 3 strains, viral RNA was detected in 90 of 168 surfaces and 6 of 49 air samples (mean cycle threshold [Ct]=35.2±2.5). No infective virus was identified. No significant differences in prevalence were found between strains., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None declared., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Emerging studies have highlighted brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neuronal growth factor abundant in the peripheral blood, and its tyrosine kinase receptor TRKB, as onco-genes and proteins that support the survival of malignant hematological cells. In contrast, other researchers reported on a favorable association between BDNF blood levels and prognosis, chemotherapy response and neurological side effects in patients with hematological malignancies. Here, we review the accumulated data regarding the expression of BDNF and its receptors in normal hematopoietic and lymphatic cells and tissue. In addition, in-vitro experiments, animal models and human sample studies that investigated the role of BDNF and its receptors in hematological malignancies are discussed. Finally, directions for future research aimed at revealing the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of BDNF in patients with these diseases are suggested., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) offers curative therapy for patients who are in complete remission. Historically, there was great hesitation to offer this modality to patients with ALL due to the high attendant morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, the outstanding results in childhood ALL led many to believe that significant long-term survival could be achieved using chemotherapy-based regimens alone. The International ALL Study jointly conducted by ECOG and MRC completely changed perceptions indicating, surprisingly to many, that transplantation - particularly for patients at standard risk - offered a significant survival advantage. There followed trials of more intensive chemotherapy demonstrating improved results that may obviate the need for allogeneic transplantation. While a certain controversy reigns, there are unequivocal high-risk scenarios where allogeneic transplantation still forms the core of curative therapy. Such transplants should be performed as early as possible in the course of the disease once remission has been obtained., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Therapeutic options for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) caused by reactivation of John Cunningham virus (JCV) are limited and inefficient in preventing neurological progression and death. The current study investigated the course of JCV reactivation resulting in PML in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) and assessed the feasibility and potential significance of preemptive JCV detection in peripheral blood, enabling early cessation of immunosuppressive therapy and immune restoration. Two allografted patients were diagnosed with PML at 188 and 808 days post-allo-SCT. Stored DNA samples of both patients, originally obtained for quantitative cytomegalovirus PCR analysis since transplantation, were evaluated for JCV. JCV reactivation in peripheral blood was found to precede the appearance of neurological symptoms by 126 and 105 days. JCV blood levels were found to be highly correlated with the steroid dosage administered for treating graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In one patient, the cessation of immunosuppression, including steroids, led to the disappearance of JCV in peripheral blood, with a remarkable improvement in neurological symptoms. In conclusion, the current study suggests the feasibility of early detection of JCV reactivation in blood. Immune restoration at that point may prevent PML development; however prospective studies are warranted to elucidate these issues., (Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) often present with systemic symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and night sweats, mimicking pregnancy-related features which may result in delayed disease diagnosis. Furthermore, the wish to avoid investigational imaging, aiming to protect the fetus from radiation exposure, may lead to a further delay, which does not often result in significant changes in HL clinical nature and patient outcome. In contrast, a more aggressive behavior (i.e., advanced disease stage and reproductive organ involvement) of most NHL types diagnosed in pregnancy may require urgent therapeutic intervention to prevent disease progression. Current management of pregnancy-associated NHL depends on histological subtype of the disease, gestational stage at diagnosis and the urgency of treatment for a specific patient. Patients diagnosed with indolent lymphoma may often be just followed, whereas those presenting with aggressive or highly aggressive disease need to be urgently treated with chemoimmunotherapy, either after undergoing an elective pregnancy termination if diagnosed at an early gestational stage, or with pregnancy preservation, if diagnosed later. Supportive care of NHL is also important; however, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) which is commonly used outside of pregnancy, should be cautiously employed, considering its established teratogenicity in animals, though this is less proven in humans. In conclusion, given the paucity of studies prospectively evaluating the outcome of pregnant women with NHL, international efforts are warranted to elucidate critical issues and develop guidelines for the management of such patients., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Thrombomodulin (TM) is a predominantly endothelial transmembrane glycoprotein that modulates hemostatic function through a domain that controls thrombin-mediated proteolysis and an N-terminal lectin-like domain that controls inflammatory processes. To test the hypothesis that TM is a determinant of malignancy and dissect the importance of these functional domains in cancer biology, metastatic potential was evaluated in TM(Pro) mice expressing a mutant form of TM with reduced thrombin affinity and TM(LeD) mice lacking the N-terminal lectin-like domain. Studies of TM(Pro) mice revealed that TM is a powerful determinant of hematogenous metastasis. TM(Pro) mice exhibited a strongly prometastatic phenotype relative to control mice that was found to result from increased survival of tumor cells newly localized to the lung rather than any alteration in tumor growth. The impact of the TM(Pro) mutation on metastasis was dependent on both tumor cell-associated tissue factor and thrombin procoagulant function. In contrast, expression of a mutant form of TM lacking the lectin-like domain had no significant impact on metastasis. These studies directly demonstrate for the first time that TM-mediated regulation of tumor cell-driven procoagulant function strongly influences metastatic potential and suggest that endothelial cell-associated modulators of hemostasis may represent novel therapeutic targets in limiting tumor dissemination.