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In immunocompromised patients, pneumonia presents a diagnostic challenge due to diverse etiologies, nonspecific symptoms, overlapping radiological presentation, frequent co-infections, and the potential for rapid progression to severe disease. Thus, timely and accurate diagnosis of all pathogens is crucial. This narrative review explores the latest advancements in microbiological diagnostic techniques for pneumonia in immunocompromised patients. It covers major available microbiological tools for diagnosing both community-acquired and hospital-acquired pneumonia, encompassing a wide spectrum of pathogens including bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic. While traditional culture methods remain pivotal in identifying many pneumonia-causing etiologies, their limitations in sensitivity and time to results have led to the rise of non-invasive antigen tests and molecular diagnostics. These are increasingly employed alongside cultures and microscopy for more efficient diagnosis, mainly in viral and fungal infections. Lastly, we report the future of pneumonia diagnostics, exploring the potential of metagenomics and CRISPR/Cas13a for more precise and rapid pathogen detection in immunocompromised populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) is a type of blood cancer that can be challenging to treat, especially when it does not respond to standard chemotherapy or relapses after treatment. New therapies, such as CAR-T cells and bispecific antibodies, have shown promise in treating these cases. However, not all patients benefit equally from these treatments, highlighting the need for new ways to predict treatment response. This study focuses on the tumor microenvironment, which includes the immune cells and molecules surrounding the LBCL tumor cells. By understanding how this environment affects CAR-T and bispecific antibody treatment outcomes, this manuscript aims to identify factors that can help predict success or resistance to therapy. These insights could lead to more personalized treatment approaches and improved outcomes for patients with LBCL. T-cell redirecting therapies, which include chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-Ts) and bispecific antibodies (BSAs), have revolutionized the treatment of relapsed\refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). Expanding clinical experience with these advanced therapies shows the potential for the optimization of their use with combination or consolidation strategies, which necessitates the prognostic stratification of patients. While traditional clinical prognostic factors identified in the era of chemotherapy are characterized by limited value, the tumor microenvironment (TME) is becoming a new prognostic cluster. We examine how the heterogeneity of LBCL, characterized by variations in tumor parameters and differences in TME immune cell composition, immune checkpoint expression, and cytokine milieu, correlates with both positive responses and resistance to treatment. While classical parameters such as histological subtype, cell of origin, and target antigen expression lack proven prognostic value for T-cell redirecting therapies, the density and functional state of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tumor-associated macrophages, and immune checkpoint molecules are shown to be critical determinants of therapeutic success, particularly in CAR-T therapy. We identify several gaps in the current knowledge and suggest that the insights gained from CAR-T experience could be instrumental in refining BSA applications. This report also highlights limitations in the current knowledge, as TME data derive from a limited number of registrational trials with varying methodologies, complicating cross-study comparisons and often focusing on immediate response metrics rather than long-term outcomes. By dissecting the complex interactions within the TME, this review aims to identify new prognostic factors and targets, ultimately fostering more effective and tailored treatment strategies for LBCL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neutropenic enterocolitis is a serious gastrointestinal complication that can develop in patients undergoing chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive treatments. It is characterized by inflammation and necrosis of the bowel, and most commonly affects the cecum and ascending colon. Although individual case reports have described the features of NE, a comprehensive synthesis of all the published cases is required. Methods: A systematic search of the literature databases was conducted to identify all NE case reports. Data on patient demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, treatment approaches, and outcomes were independently extracted by the five reviewers. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the associations between variables. Results: In total, 227 cases from 159 publications met the inclusion criteria. Most cases occur in patients with hematological cancers undergoing chemotherapy. Common presentations include abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea. Imaging typically shows a thickening of the bowel wall. Broad-spectrum antibiotics and bowel rest were the primary initial treatment. The overall mortality rate was 33.5%. While statistical analyses did not find significant associations, factors showing clinically significant increased odds for mortality included sepsis, multiorgan failure, and isolated ileocecal valve involvement, potentially representing important prognostic indicators. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis provides the largest consolidated analysis of NE cases. It identifies typical clinical features and helps characterize risk factors and prognostic indicators to aid in the early diagnosis and management of this potentially lethal complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are changing the roadmap in the treatment for B-cell lymphomas, especially in the relapsed/refractory setting. BsAbs are a subtype of bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) which are compounds designed to facilitate T-cell-mediated cell death by redirecting T-cells to attack tumor cells. This review examines the mechanism of action; the available published and ongoing data from clinical trials; and the management of therapy-related adverse events for anti-CD20, CD19, and CD30 BsAbs in the treatment of lymphoid malignancies. Backgroud: The introduction of highly active immunotherapies has changed the outcome of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) in the last two decades. Since then, important progress has been shown using newer and more active immunotherapies, including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T), conjugated monoclonal antibodies, and bispecific antobodies, which currently plays a significant role in the treatment of diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL), follicular (FL), and mantle cell (MCL) lymphoma. Purpose: In this review, we provide an updated overview of recently completed and ongoing BsAb trials in patients with relapsed/refractory(R/R) B-NHL and Hodgkin's lymphoma, including single-agent results, emerging combinations, safety data, and novel constructs. Conclusions: Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are a novel class of "off-the-shelf" T-cell-redirecting drugs capable of targeting various cell-surface antigens. New antigen targets are currently under investigation, such as CD19 × CD3 and CD30 × CD3 or CD30 × CD16, in different settings. BsAbs are among the most promising therapeutic options for lymphoma today since they have demonstrated significant single-agent activity, along with a manageable toxicity profile, in patients with heavily pretreated B-NHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the current biotechnological applications is nanofiber applications made from algae using the electrospinning technique. Nanofibers containing poly-caprolactone (PCL) extracted from the brown seaweed Hijiki (Sargassum fusiforme) were prepared using electrospinning technique. Water extraction was performed to preserve the integrity of Hijiki components, ensuring their efficacy in subsequent electrospinning and characterization. The morphology and chemical composition of the nanofibers were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses. Hijiki was found to combine well with electrospun biocompatible polymers and effectively provide the common properties of these materials. The cytotoxicity of algae-doped PCL nanofibers was examined in vitro using liver cancer and liver healthy cell lines (HepG2 and The-2). Among hepatic tumor cell lines, the HepG2 cell line has been preferred due to its wide range of scientific applications. Although the nanofibers caused a 28% decrease in liver cancer cell lines viability (HepG2), the decrease in healthy liver cell viability (The-2) was 12%. Algae-doped PCL nanofiber applied to bacteria showed antibacterial effect. Based on the findings, Hijiki macroalgae nanofibers show great promise for tissue regeneration and band-aid applications in the medical industry., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)