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B Conclusions: b In the era of novel agents, pts with relapsed cHL after ASCT were found to have a median OS reaching almost a decade. Prior to brentuximab vedotin (BV) and checkpoint inhibitors (CPI), the median overall survival (OS) of pts with cHL relapse after ASCT was 2-3 years. [Extracted from the article]

Post-ASCT brentuximab vedotin (BV) consolidation improves PFS in pts with high-risk relapse as per ATHERA criteria: early relapse [ER], primary refractory disease [PRD] or extra nodal disease (END). B Background: b Salvage chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) have cure rates of 60-70% in relapsed refractory (R/R) classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). In propensity score weighted analysis, BV consolidation was associated with better survival in the subgroup of pre-ASCT PMR but not pre-ASCT CMR. [Extracted from the article]

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains a major health problem worldwide, with a steadily rising incidence yet no cure. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase-γ (PI3Kγ), a member of a family of lipid kinases expressed primarily in leukocytes, has been the subject of substantial research for its role in inflammatory diseases. However, the role of PI3Kγ inhibition in suppressing autoimmune T1D remains to be explored. We tested the role of the PI3Kγ inhibitor AS605240 in preventing and reversing diabetes in NOD mice and assessed the mechanisms by which this inhibition abrogates T1D. Our data indicate that the PI3Kγ pathway is highly activated in T1D. In NOD mice, we found upregulated expression of phosphorylated Akt (PAkt) in splenocytes. Notably, T regulatory cells (Tregs) showed significantly lower expression of PAkt compared with effector T cells. Inhibition of the PI3Kγ pathway by AS605240 efficiently suppressed effector T cells and induced Treg expansion through the cAMP response element-binding pathway. AS605240 effectively prevented and reversed autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice and suppressed T-cell activation and the production of inflammatory cytokines by autoreactive T cells in vitro and in vivo. These studies demonstrate the key role of the PI3Kγ pathway in determining the balance of Tregs and autoreactive cells regulating autoimmune diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Levels of acute phase cytokines secreted ex vivo by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have been shown to be associated with clinical conditions or histologic lesions in renal transplant recipients. One of the limiting factors for the potential use of this assay as a diagnostic tool is the incubation time needed to measure adequate cytokine levels. Here, we validated that shorter time periods than the usual 48h are sufficient for the production of acute phase cytokines. Cytokine levels were measured with the Luminex platform. We observed that, in contrast to cytokines associated with adaptive immunity, cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α are measurable as early as 2h following incubation at a concentration of 1.5million PBMC/150μL. Levels obtained in the 2h cultures have good correlations with the levels obtained after 48h of culture for IL-1β and TNF-α (R=0.79, P =0.004 and R=0.92, P <0.001 respectively). We conclude that same-day incubation of PBMCs and measurement of these cytokines following blood collection in transplant recipients is feasible. It provides a rationale for further studies using shorter incubation times for ex vivo cellular assay measuring acute phase cytokine levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents a case study of tax reform in Lebanon in the 1990's. Outline of debt servicing cost incurred by Lebanese government; Examination of investment and income tax structure; Possible direct and indirect corporate tax reform options that may be implemented in the short-to-medium term.