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Tethered platelets in severe infection

Platelets are cell fragments that plug leaks in blood vessels, preventing bleeding. However, they also form clots that impede blood flow (thrombosis) and increase inflammation.

Activated platelets, which can bind to each other, and hyporesponsive platelets, which do not form clots, are detected in patients with acute severe infections, such as COVID-19 and sepsis. How to uncouple the protective and harmful proinflammatory functions of platelets is a therapeutic dilemma.

In Science, researchers report the formation of platelet-derived integrin-and tetraspanin-enriched tethers (PITTs) in patients with severe infections.

PITTs, which are enriched in specific platelet proteins, remain anchored to the blood vessel wall (endothelium) and promote neutrophil recruitment, inflammation, and tissue damage, whereas the main platelet body shears off and reenters circulation in a hyporesponsive state. PITTs may contribute to blood clotting, immune dysregulation, and bleeding complications that characterize severe infections.

Learn more in a new Science Perspective.

Platelet-derived structures in blood vessel walls increase inflammation and bleeding risk.

Continue reading “Tethered platelets in severe infection” | >

Patent Foramen Ovale Closure in Stroke and PASCAL

Among patients with Stroke and PatentForamenOvale, the PASCAL classification system identified those likely to benefit from closure and those at risk of increased atrial fibrillation.

Question Among young and middle-aged individuals (ages 18–60 years) with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and otherwise cryptogenic ischemic stroke enrolled in pivotal trials, can the PASCAL classification system identify those who will experience net benefit and those who will experience net harm from PFO closure in the next 5 years?

Finding This meta-analysis showed that in the PASCAL groups probable and possible, PFO closure reduced recurrent ischemic stroke more often than it caused atrial fibrillation, but in the unlikely group, closure did not reduce stroke and caused a larger amount of atrial fibrillation.

Meaning The PASCAL classification system may identify as many as 4 of 5 patients who will experience net benefit and 1 of 5 who will experience net harm from PFO closure.

Tenecteplase in Prosthetic Valve Thrombosis

RCT: Among patients with obstructive prosthetic heart valve thrombosis, tenecteplase achieved higher complete thrombolytic success (97.5%) than alteplase (81.5%) and a shorter hospital stay.

Question What is the safety and efficacy of a single bolus of intravenous tenecteplase as compared with a low-dose slow-infusion protocol of alteplase in patients with obstructive mechanical prosthetic heart valve thrombosis?

Findings In this randomized clinical trial including 83 patients, tenecteplase was found to have noninferior rates of complete thrombolytic therapy success compared with alteplase. There was no difference in adverse events between the 2 groups.

Meaning Study results show that a regimen of bolus-dose tenecteplase may be a safe and efficacious alternative to current therapy for patients with prosthetic heart valve thrombosis.

Using data to reduce subjectivity in landslide susceptibility mapping

In recent years, numerous landslides on hillsides in urban and rural areas have underscored that understanding and predicting these phenomena is more than an academic curiosity—it is a human necessity. When unstable slopes give way after intense rainfall, the consequences can be devastating, with both human and material losses. These recurring tragedies led us to a simple yet powerful question: Can we build landslide susceptibility maps that are more objective, transparent, and useful for local authorities and residents?

The answer led us to compare two susceptibility analysis methods: the traditional Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and its statistical version, the Gaussian AHP. After months of multidisciplinary work, we found that the Gaussian AHP, which relies on data rather than subjective judgments, better identifies critical areas in a more balanced manner and is consistent with the landslide patterns observed in the field. We share here our journey and the lessons we learned. Our findings are published in Scientific Reports.

Traditional AHP is a decision-support technique widely used in geosciences and urban planning. It relies on pairwise comparisons of factors such as slope, soil type, and distance to rivers or roads to assign relative weights based on expert opinion. One advantage is that it allows the incorporation of accumulated experience; a disadvantage is the subjectivity and the effort required when many factors are involved. In our case, we worked with 16 physical and environmental variables that influence slope instability—from terrain morphometry to land cover and proximity to rivers.

Abstract: Over 100 years ago, platelets were observed to interact with neutrophils in a blood clot

Eric Boilard & team now detail platelet-neutrophil interactions as being more abundant in arthritic mice than in healthy mice, reporting neutrophils migrate in tissue to play a pathogenic role in autoimmune arthritis and noting that they fail to migrate in the absence of platelets:

Image credit: Emma Bourgeault (emmabourgeault).

1Faculté de Médecine de l’Université Laval, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada.

2Centre de Recherche ARThrite – Arthrite, Recherche, Traitements, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada.

3Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires du Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada.

17 Month Life Extension Headed to Human Trial!

New preprint reports 17-month lifespan extension in mice with some living nearly 5 years. The intervention targets immune aging through CD4+ T cells and is expected to enter human trials in 2026.
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A new preprint by Lanna et al. reports one of the largest lifespan extensions ever seen in mice; approximately 17 months, with some mice living close to 5 years. The study focuses on metabolically reprogramming CD4+ T cells from aged mice using a peptide called DOS, which enables these cells to produce \.

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