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Agnieszka Styczeń, Martyna Krysa, Paulina Mertowska, Ewelina Grywalska, Tomasz Urbanowicz, Maciej Krasiński, Malwina Grobelna, Weronika Topyła-Putowska, Mansur Rahnama-Hezavah and Michał Tomaszewski
Int. J. Mol. Sci.2025, 26(22), 11143; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262211143 (registering DOI) - 18 Nov 2025
Aberrant activation of innate immunity promotes the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, the role of pattern recognition by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) within the pulmonary vasculature remains unclear. To consolidate knowledge (as of June 2025) about TLRs and their interactions with viruses
[...] Read more.
Aberrant activation of innate immunity promotes the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, the role of pattern recognition by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) within the pulmonary vasculature remains unclear. To consolidate knowledge (as of June 2025) about TLRs and their interactions with viruses in PAH and to identify therapeutic implications. A narrative review of experimental and clinical studies investigating ten TLRs in the context of the pulmonary vascular microenvironment and viral infections. Activation of TLR1/2, TLR4, TLR5/6, TLR7/8, and TLR9 converges on the MyD88–NF-κB/IL-6 axis, thereby enhancing endothelial-mesenchymal transition, smooth muscle proliferation, oxidative stress, thrombosis, and maladaptive inflammation, ultimately increasing pulmonary vascular resistance. Conversely, TLR3, through TRIF–IFN-I, preserves endothelial integrity and inhibits vascular remodeling; its downregulation correlates with PAH severity, and poly (I:C) restitution has been shown to improve hemodynamics and right ventricular function. HIV-1, EBV, HCV, endogenous retrovirus K, and SARS-CoV-2 infections modulate TLR circuits, either amplifying pro-remodeling cascades or attenuating protective pathways. The “TLR rheostat” is shaped by polymorphisms, ligand biochemistry, compartmentalization, and biomechanical forces. The balance between MyD88-dependent signaling and the TRIF–IFN-I axis determines the trajectory of PAH. Prospective therapeutic strategies may include TLR3 agonists, MyD88/NF-κB inhibitors, modulation of IL-6, and combination approaches integrating antiviral therapy with targeted immunomodulation in a precision approach.
Full article
Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, namely, the biggest disruption to education in the last century, this article provides insights into the consequences it holds for teachers’ well-being, their (non)preparedness for and support needed in any such future disruptions in Slovenia. By utilising
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Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, namely, the biggest disruption to education in the last century, this article provides insights into the consequences it holds for teachers’ well-being, their (non)preparedness for and support needed in any such future disruptions in Slovenia. By utilising the Job Demands–Resources Model, insights are provided concerning job demands (stress) and job resources (support) on different levels (individual, micro, meso, macro, chrono) of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. The importance of complementing large-scale, representative, quantitative data (from the Responses to Educational Disruption Survey (REDS)) with qualitative data obtained from two focus groups comprising eight teachers in total is demonstrated to gain a comprehensive understanding of teachers’ well-being during educational disruptions. This study confirms that the intertwining of different levels in Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological system explains job demands (sources of stress) and job resources (support for teacher well-being) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of stressors at the time of the pandemic were identified on the micro level, whereas sources of support were primarily located on the individual and meso (school) levels. For any future educational disruptions, however, the most significant sources of support for teachers’ well-being are expected on the macro level (system and society).
Full article
Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) has become widely adopted worldwide as a standard of care for the early detection of congenital hearing loss. The Egyptian UNHS program started as a presidential initiative by the Ministry of Health in November 2019. The program was
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Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) has become widely adopted worldwide as a standard of care for the early detection of congenital hearing loss. The Egyptian UNHS program started as a presidential initiative by the Ministry of Health in November 2019. The program was initiated in 1346 primary health care units (PHCUs) located throughout the 26 governorates. A retrospective study was conducted to assess the performance of the Egyptian Program during the period from November 2019 to July 2023. Quality measures recommended by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing including coverage rate, rate of referral to a second screening, follow up rate of attendance of second screening, referral for diagnosis rate, and follow up rate of attendance of diagnostic assessment, were analyzed. Over a period of 3 years and 9 months, more than five and half million infants underwent a first screening. The coverage rate was initially 39% and increased to reach 82% in 2023. The rate of referral to a second screen was 7.2% in 2019 and reached 5.2% in 2023. The follow-up rate of attendance of a second screening improved throughout the study period, from 75.5% to 92.1% but did not reach the benchmark of 95%. The rate of referrals for diagnosis was less than 1.7% and rate of attendance of a diagnostic assessment was initially 20% and improved to more than 65% in 2023. The very low rate of attendance of diagnostic assessment in 2020 and 2021 was attributed to the effects of the COVID pandemic.
Full article
Background and Clinical Significance: Atrophic rhinitis (AR) is a rare, chronic inflammatory condition characterized by progressive atrophy of the nasal mucosa and underlying bone. The present report describes a case of severe secondary AR as a sequela of COVID-19-associated necrotizing rhinitis, highlighting
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Background and Clinical Significance: Atrophic rhinitis (AR) is a rare, chronic inflammatory condition characterized by progressive atrophy of the nasal mucosa and underlying bone. The present report describes a case of severe secondary AR as a sequela of COVID-19-associated necrotizing rhinitis, highlighting the diagnostic and management challenges posed by multi-drug resistant pathogens and extensive anatomical destruction. Case Presentation: A 75-year-old female developed progressive necrotizing rhinosinusitis with osteomyelitis following a COVID-19 infection. Computed tomography (CT) confirmed an osteolytic process and subsequent profound anatomical destruction, while histopathology ruled out invasive fungal disease. The resulting cavity was colonized by multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Management and Outcome: Management focused on preventing crust formation through a structured “nasal rest” protocol, supplemented by cleansing nasal douching with a surfactant (baby soap) and mechanical crust removal. This treatment led to significant clinical improvement, with reduced crusting and complete resolution of ozena symptoms. Conclusions: This case illustrates the potential for SARS-CoV-2 infection to precipitate severe necrotizing sinonasal complications leading to secondary AR. It demonstrates the efficacy of a management strategy focused on mechanical cleansing and nasal rest, particularly when conventional antibiotic therapy is limited by extensive drug resistance.
Full article
We examine how capital structure related to firm performance for UK companies in the FTSE All-Share over 2018–2023, explicitly segmenting pre-pandemic (2018–2019), pandemic (2020–2021), and post-pandemic (2022–2023) periods. Using Bloomberg data for 516 firms and panel fixed-effects models (Hausman-tested), we assess the impact
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We examine how capital structure related to firm performance for UK companies in the FTSE All-Share over 2018–2023, explicitly segmenting pre-pandemic (2018–2019), pandemic (2020–2021), and post-pandemic (2022–2023) periods. Using Bloomberg data for 516 firms and panel fixed-effects models (Hausman-tested), we assess the impact of short- and long-term leverage on ROA, ROCE, Tobin’s Q, and EPS, and compare financial versus non-financial firms. Leverage is, on average, negatively associated with ROA and EPS, consistent with pecking-order and agency-cost arguments: market-based outcomes (Tobin’s Q) show weaker, nuanced links. The adverse effects of debt are stronger for non-financial firms, particularly during and after COVID-19, while financial firms display a post-COVID positive association between short-term debt and ROA, suggesting sector-specific debt utilization under stress. Firm size relates negatively to Tobin’s Q for non-financials. Results highlight how crisis conditions and industry characteristics shape the leverage–performance nexus, offering practical guidance for managers and policymakers on capital structure decisions in turbulent environments.
Full article
The emergence of high-threat pathogens—such as Ebola, Lassa fever, and most recently SARS-CoV-2—has highlighted critical weaknesses in global surveillance systems, particularly in resource-limited settings where many zoonotic spillovers originate. Despite the World Health Organization’s (WHO) prioritization of these diseases for research and development
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The emergence of high-threat pathogens—such as Ebola, Lassa fever, and most recently SARS-CoV-2—has highlighted critical weaknesses in global surveillance systems, particularly in resource-limited settings where many zoonotic spillovers originate. Despite the World Health Organization’s (WHO) prioritization of these diseases for research and development (R&D), the current surveillance infrastructures in these regions remain under-resourced, fragmented, and often reactive rather than anticipatory. This narrative review explored the literature and structured relevant findings in three key dimensions: (i) the structural and operational limitations of existing surveillance systems for the WHO priority diseases in resource-limited settings including challenges in data integration, laboratory capacity, workforce, and community engagement; (ii) how these surveillance gaps could delay detection and hinder the response to future emerging threats, particularly a hypothetical but inevitable Disease X; and (iii) innovative and context-adapted strategies to strengthen epidemic intelligence including integrated One Health surveillance, digital and genomic tools, participatory approaches, and regional data-sharing mechanisms. We argue that building agile, equity-centered, and decentralized surveillance systems is not only essential for managing known threats, but also foundational to the early detection and rapid containment of the next public health emergency in resource-limited settings. This review uniquely frames surveillance limitations in resource-limited settings as a global security concern and outlines context-adapted, equity-centered innovations to strengthen epidemic intelligence in preparation for Disease X.
Full article
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025
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Submission Open
Keywords: COVID-19 neuropathology; neurodegenerative diseases; cognitive and movement impairments; metabolic– neurological axis sequelae; neuroendocrinology; COVID-19-related neurological effects; depression; anxiety; and other psychiatric disorders; neurodegeneration biomarkers and COVID-19; inflammation and COVID-19; host genome and neuroinflammation
The first webinar in the series, held on 17 April 2020, saw both Prof. Dr. Antoine Flahault, Director of the Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Switzerland, and Prof. Dr. Evelyne Bischof, Associate Professor, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China and Research physician, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland speak on this topic.
The second webinar in the series, entitled “Coronaviruses: history, replication, innate immune antagonism”, saw Prof. Dr. Susan R. Weiss, Professor of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania speak on this topic.
WEBINAR 3: Could the COVID-19 Crisis be the Opportunity to Make Cities Carbon Neutral, Liveable and Healthy
The third webinar in this series was presented by Prof. Dr. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, a world leading expert in environmental exposure assessment, epidemiology, and health risk/impact assessment with a strong focus and interest on healthy urban living.
WEBINAR 4: COVID-19 - Global Supply Chains and the SDGs
For the fourth webinar of this series, Prof. Dr. Max Bergman, Dr. Dorothea Schostok and Prof. Dr. Patrick Paul Walsh gave a presentation on Global Supply Chains and the SDGs.
WEBINAR 5: The New Role of Family Physicians in Times of COVID-19
The fifth webinar of the COVID-19 Series saw Prof. Dr. Christos Lionis discuss the new role of family physicians that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WEBINAR 6: Survey on Symptoms/Signs, Protective Measures, Level of Awareness and Perception Regarding COVID-19 Outbreak among Dentists
In the sixth webinar of this series, Prof. Dr. Guglielmo Campus and Prof. Dr. Maria Grazia present and discuss the risk and the preventions that can and should be taken by dentists during this pandemic.
WEBINAR 7: Living with COVID-19: An Early Intervention Therapeutic Strategy to Control the Pandemic
The seventh webinar of the COVID-19 series, Dr. Hamid Merchant discussed the different therapeutic strategies that can be adopted in the early stages of the infection.
WEBINAR 8: Impact of COVID-19 on Routine Immunization, Reproduction and Pregnancy Outcome
For the eighth COVID-19 webinar, Prof. Dr. Jon Øyvind Odland discussed the effect that COVID-19 seems to have on pregnant women; whereas Prof. Dr. Giovanni Gabutti discussed the role of routine immunization as a way of fighting COVID-19.
