Immunotherapy in hematological malignancies: recent advances and open questions.

Over recent years, tremendous advances in immunotherapy approaches have been observed, generating significant clinical progress. Cancer immunotherapy has been shown, in different types of blood cancers, to improve the overall survival of patients. Immunotherapy treatment of hematopoietic malignancies is a newly growing field that has been accelerating over the past years. Several US FDA approved drugs and cell-based therapies are being exploited in the late stage of clinical trials. This review attempt to highlight and discuss the numerous innovative immunotherapy approaches of hematopoietic malignancy ranging from nonmyeloablative transplantation, T-cell immunotherapy, natural killer cells and immune agonist to monoclonal antibodies and vaccination. In addition, a brief discussion on the future advances and accomplishments required to counterpart the current immunotherapeutic approaches for hematopoietic malignancies were also highlighted.

Formulation and Evaluation of Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer Gels to Prevent the Spread of Infections during Pandemics.

Hand hygiene is an essential factor to prevent or minimize the spread of infections. The ability to prepare an alcohol-free hand sanitizer (AFHS) with antimicrobial properties is crucial, especially during pandemics, when there are high demands and a low supply chain for ethanol and isopropanol. The objective of this study was to prepare AFHS gels based on natural materials that contain essential oils (EOs) that would be effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens. The results showed that the organoleptic characteristics of all prepared hand sanitizer gels were considered acceptable. The pH of the formulations was slightly acidic (circa 3.9) owing to the presence of aloe vera in large proportions (90% v/v), which is known for its acidity. The spreadability for all tested formulations was in the acceptable range. The antimicrobial effectiveness test demonstrated that the prepared hand sanitizer gels had antimicrobial activities against different gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans yeast. The highest antibacterial effect was observed with tea tree oil hand sanitizers, which lack activity against the yeast, while clove oil hand sanitizers showed effectiveness against all microorganisms, including Candida albicans. The lavender hand sanitizer exhibited the least antimicrobial efficiency. The acceptability study on 20 human volunteers showed that the hand sanitizer gel containing 1.25% (v/v) clove oil did not produce any signs of skin irritation. This study suggested that the prepared natural hand sanitizer gel with 1.25% (v/v) clove oil can be a potential alternative to commonly used alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHS).

Current views in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease pathogenesis and management.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung dysfunction caused mainly by inhaling toxic particles and cigarette smoking (CS). The continuous exposure to ruinous molecules can lead to abnormal inflammatory responses, permanent damages to the respiratory system, and irreversible pathological changes. Other factors, such as genetics and aging, influence the development of COPD. In the last decade, accumulating evidence suggested that mitochondrial alteration, including mitochondrial DNA damage, increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), abnormal autophagy, and apoptosis, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD. The alteration can also extend to epigenetics, namely DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA. This review will discuss the recent progressions in COPD pathology, pathophysiology, and molecular pathways. More focus will be shed on mitochondrial and epigenetic variations related to COPD development and the role of nanomedicine as a potential tool for the prevention and treatment of this disease.