Wroclaw Medical University

Łukasz Lewandowski: Statistical Editor in European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Aleksandra Królikowska: Editorial Board Member in Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy (KSSTA); Section Editor in Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine (ACEM); Member of the ESSKA Rehabilitation Committee. Jon Karlsson: Editor Emeritus in KSSTA. Mahmut Enes Kayaalp: Editor in KSSTA; Co-Editor of Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics (JEO); Member of the ESSKA U-45 Committee. Roland Becker: Editorial Board Member in KSSTA. Robert Prill: Associate Editor in KSSTA; Section Editor in ACEM; Member of the ESSKA Rehabilitation Committee.

Influenza viruses pose a significant global health threat due to their rapid mutation and resistance to conventional therapies. This study uses network pharmacology and computational approaches to explore the multitarget antiviral potential of Artemisia annua against influenza. Seventeen bioactive compounds from A. annua were screened for drug-likeness and non-toxicity via ADMET/Protox analyses. Using network pharmacology, 194 common targets between A. annua compounds and influenzarelated genes were identified, with hub genes TNF, AKT1, SRC, EGFR, and STAT3 implicated in immune modulation and viral replication. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities (docking scores: -6.5 to -15 kcal/mol) between key compounds (e.g., bauerenol, 6-epi-β-bisabolol) and influenza-associated proteins, outperforming controls like baloxavir marboxil. Molecular dynamics simulations over 100 ns demonstrated stable ligand-receptor complexes, with RMSD fluctuations ≤6 Å and favorable MM-GBSA binding energies (-50 to -150 kcal/mol). Findings of this study suggest that A. annua exerts synergistic, multitarget antiviral effects via its bioactive compounds, with several components outperforming conventional therapies in computational assays. A. annua primarily disrupts viral pathogenesis through immunomodulation and direct antiviral mechanisms. This study provides robust computational evidence for the therapeutic potential of A. annua against influenza, identifying critical compound-target-pathway interactions. Further experimental validation is recommended to confirm efficacy and translation of insights into clinical applications.

The large-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine has resulted not only in physical disabilities among both military personnel and civilians (injuries, burns, poisoning, etc.), but also in the development or exacerbation of mental health disorders such as panic attacks, neuroses, and hysteria. These conditions arise under severe stress and manifest through functional disturbances of mental health and pain syndromes. We examined a cohort of 145 patients aged 30–58 years who developed mental health disorders in the context of massive stress. Twenty-five of them had pre-existing neurotic manifestations that had been compensated by medication; however, stress associated with hostilities reactivated these disturbances and significantly aggravated their condition. Clinical examinations were performed by dentists, neurologists, cardiologists, and otolaryngologists (when required). Additional diagnostic procedures included CT, MRI, ultrasound, ECG, and dental radiography. Laboratory investigations comprised blood glucose, cholesterol and lipoprotein levels, biochemical blood tests, and coagulation profiles. These examinations allowed us to exclude organic lesions of the brain and internal organs and to confirm mental health disturbances. Furthermore, inpatient assessments using international diagnostic scales were conducted to validate the diagnoses. Mental health disorders may present as anxiety, panic attacks, depression, delirium, psychosis, neurasthenia, hysteria, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other conditions, which can be acute or chronic. Such disorders may occur in association with neurological and somatic diseases (cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or internal organ pathology). Therefore, the task of internists, family physicians, neurologists, cardiologists, and dentists is to collect a thorough medical, life, and allergy history, review previous treatment methods, and develop a comprehensive management plan at both pre-hospital and hospital stages.

A consensus exists among vascular surgery societies that blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) should be treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with favorable aortic anatomy. However, selecting the correct landing zones and endograft sizing remains challenging in patients with BTAI. To overcome these limitations, conformable endografts are often used for TEVAR, even in patients with BTAI. This study aimed to analyze the outcomes of these patients with respect to anatomical and technical factors. This retrospective study included all patients with BTAI who underwent TEVAR at a tertiary vascular center. The primary endpoint was aortic-related reintervention-free survival. Secondary endpoints were 30-day in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, and radiological findings. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1, patients with a conformable endograft (cTAG Gore), and group 2, patients with a nonconformable endograft. Between June 2001 and May 2019, 57 patients (50 men; mean age, 37.3 years) with BTAI received 30 (52.6%) conformable (Gore cTAG) and 27 (47.4%) nonconformable endografts. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year aortic-related reintervention-free survival was 100%, 100%, and 96.7% in group 1 and 81.4%, 81.4%, and 77.7% in group 2, respectively (p=0.03). Two postoperative type Ia endoleaks and 3 postoperative type II endoleaks were observed in group 2. The bird beak sign was noted more often in group 2 (70.4% vs 53.3, p=0.32). This study, in a small cohort of patients, demonstrated that the Gore cTAG, when properly selected according to the patient's anatomy, appears to provide better outcomes after TEVAR for patients with BTAI than nonconformable devices. A bird beak sign occurred frequently in both groups and were not associated with poor outcomes. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.Clinical ImpactThis study in a small cohort of patients demonstrated that the Gore cTAG endoprosthesis, when properly selected to match the patient's anatomy, appears to result in better outcomes after TEVAR in patients with BTAI than nonconformable devices. In addition, the BBS was common in both groups of patients and was not associated with a worse outcome.

There is a growing interest in the role of sphingolipids in the background of multiple sclerosis (MS). The goal of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of antibodies against ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P) subclasses and their relationships with clinical status in MS. The study groups comprised 39 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 26 patients with other neurological diseases (OND) and 12 healthy subjects (HS). Anti-C1P IgG levels in serum were determined using ELISA test. Levels of anti-C18:0-C1P and anti-C24:1-C1P IgG were significantly increased (p = 0.003; p < 0.0001, respectively) in RRMS compared to HS, while anti-C16:0-C1P and anti-C24:0-C1P IgG – significantly lower p < 0.0001 in RRMS compared to OND, with large effect size (r ≥ 0.5) in all above cases. In both settings the acceptable discriminatory performance for RRMS subtype from HS (AUC = 78.1%, 95% CI 66.1–90.4 and AUC = 76.9%, 95% CI 60.3–93.6, respectively) as well as from OND (AUC = 79.8%, 95% CI 68.2–91.4 and AUC = 94.2%, 95% CI 88.6–99.8, accordingly) by receiver operating curve (ROC) was shown. Validation of ROC by cluster analysis confirmed the ability of these anti-C1P IgG panels to discriminate between the study groups. No relationships were found between levels of antibodies in the anti-C1P IgG panel in RRMS group and disease duration, degree of disability or Link index. These findings highlight the relevant role of C1P as a target and/or mediator of autoimmune response in MS and potential value of anti-C1P antibodies as biomarkers in differential diagnosis of this disease.

Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) antigens is a crucial component of the cellular immune response presented during tuberculosis infection. This reaction is driven primarily by T lymphocytes, which recognize mycobacterial antigens and trigger a focused inflammatory cascade. Cytokines produced by T lymphocytes stimulate the formation of granulomas, organized structures that help contain the bacteria and prevent their spread. DTH is essential for controlling the infection and forms the basis of diagnostic tools, including the still widely practiced tuberculin skin test despite its limitations. This immunological mechanism is also used as an important therapeutic target in the treatment of tuberculosis by modulating the cellular response. These approaches include immunomodulatory agents, therapeutic vaccines and host-directed treatment. Ongoing research offers promising opportunities for future interventions aimed at decreasing the global mortality associated with tuberculosis.