snake venom antibody-2 (ViperaTAb)

The Ultrastructure of the Spectacle, Cornea and Conjunctiva of the Short-Nosed Sea Snake Aipysurus apraefrontalis (Elapidae, Squamata) With Particular Reference to the Sub-Spectacular Space and Its Contents.

Collin H Barry HB, Liu Boyin B, Wilson Sarah S, Crowe-Riddell Jenna M JM et al.

The eyes of snakes possess an outer protective spectacle, continuous with the dermis, and an inner cornea, continuous with the scleral eyecup, that encloses a fluid-filled space. While the spectacle and cornea provide transparency and contribute to the refractive power of the eye, little is known of their ultrastructure and role in maintaining the contents of the sub-spectacular space. Using micro computed tomography, light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, this study reveals that the conjunctival portions of the corneal epithelial and spectacular endothelial lining of the short-nosed sea snake Aipysurus apraefrontalis possess high densities of microvilli to increase the surface area and aid in intra- and extracellular movement of nutrients and waste products, and at least two types of vesicles that contain what appear to be mucin fibrils and actin filaments, respectively, that may play a role in secretion of their contents into the sub-spectacular space. The discovery of several ducts in the conjunctiva suggests that the Harderian gland may also deliver (non-lipid-bearing) fluid and granules to this space via several routes. The likely functions of the conjunctival secretory tissue are discussed in the context of maintaining the fluid within the sub-spectacular space and the need to assist in the control of smooth eye movements beneath the immobile spectacle.

Association between body mass index and influenza antibody titer and immune cell count after influenza vaccination: an exploratory study.

Böll Selina S, Schmitz Timo T, Eggers Maren M, Linseisen Jakob J et al.

Obesity is associated with altered immune function and may therefore influence the response to influenza vaccination. So, the objective was to investigate whether body mass index (BMI) affected influenza-specific antibody titers and immune cell counts after vaccination. A subgroup of 25 participants from the MEGA cohort, a prospective observational study in Augsburg, Germany, aged 25-65 years, was analyzed, including 18 normal-weight individuals and 7 participants with obesity. Influenza antibody titers and immune cell phenotypes were assessed at four visits over nine months following vaccination. Differences between normal-weight and obese individuals were analyzed graphically using boxplots and tested using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney-U-test. At baseline, no significant differences in antibody titers were observed between BMI groups. Following vaccination, antibody titers increased in both groups and remained above pre-vaccination levels throughout follow-up. In the normal-weight group, the titers for all four analyzed antibodies differed significantly at every visit compared to visit 1. This was not the case in the obese group, where only the titers for the antibodies B/Colorado/06/2017 and B/Phuket/3073/2013 differed at the different visits in comparison to visit 1. Furthermore, obese participants showed a non-significant downward trend in Treg cell proportions over time; total T-cell counts did not demonstrate clear group-specific differences. B-cell proportions showed no consistent time trend, but significant within-group differences were observed between visits 1 and 4 in the normal-weight group and visits 1 and 2 in the obese group, with significant differences between groups at visits 1 and 3. The findings suggest that BMI may influence cellular immune responses after influenza vaccination, whereas antibody responses appeared broadly similar among BMI groups. Given the limited sample size these observations should be interpreted as exploratory. Larger studies are needed to clarify this relationship and to inform the development of tailored vaccination strategies for obese individuals.

First myostatin-targeted antibody approved for spinal muscular atrophy.

Mullard Asher A

Interim efficacy and preliminary survival outcomes of polatuzumab vedotin in combination for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a retrospective real-world study.

Liu Songshen S, Zhao Xia X, Shi Xue X, Xu Hong H et al.

The standard first-line R-CHOP regimen achieves cure in only approximately 50% of patients. Polatuzumab vedotin (Pola) is a novel antibody-drug conjugate targeting the B-cell receptor component CD79b; however, evidence regarding its real-world efficacy remains relatively limited. This retrospective study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Pola in combination therapy. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 140 patients with complete clinical records treated at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between September 2022 and September 2025. Among them, 114 patients received combination regimens containing Pola, while 26 patients received regimens without Pola. Given the limited follow-up duration, this study primarily assessed interim efficacy, with preliminary survival data also reported. Among the 140 eligible patients, 4 deaths and 20 disease progressions occurred. The age range was 23-91, with a median age of 67; 45.0% were female. An ECOG performance status ≥2 was observed in 16.4% of patients, and 20.7% presented with B symptoms. Elevated LDH levels were found in 57.9% of patients. Ann Arbor stage III or IV disease was present in 65.0% of patients, and an IPI score >2 was recorded in 50.7%. Double-expressor lymphoma was diagnosed in 40.0% of cases. Bone marrow involvement was detected in 20.0% of patients, while 83.6% had lymph node extracapsular extension. Immunohistochemistry staining showed 36 patients (25.7%) with GCB subtype and 99 patients (70.7%) with non-GCB subtype. Median follow-up was 11 months (95% CI: 10.85-13.15). The objective response rate (ORR) was 94.4% in the Pola group and 70.0% in the non-Pola group (OR = 7.1, 95% CI: 2.0-27.2, P<0.001). Complete remission (CR) rates were 53.7% and 20.0%, respectively (OR = 4.6, 95% CI: 1.7-14.9, P = 0.002). The Pola group showed a statistically significant advantage in progression-free survival (PFS). Six-month PFS rates were 90.4% (95% CI: 84.8%-96.3%) for the Pola group and 76.9% (95% CI: 62.3%-94.9%) for the non-Pola group, while 12-month PFS rates were 87.2% (95% CI: 80.5%-94.6%) and 67.9% (95% CI: 51.7%-89.2%), respectively. Combination regimens containing Polatuzumab vedotin demonstrated a marked interim efficacy advantage, which may translate into potential long-term survival benefits.