Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) has revolutionized the treatment of severe aortic stenosis in high-risk and inoperable patients. Despite significant advancements in patient selection, techniques, and the evolution of TAVI devices, stroke persists as a consistent adverse event over time, presenting a devastating complication of TAVI procedures and exerting a significant negative prognostic impact. Both acute and subsequent strokes following TAVI continue to pose significant challenges, with substantial implications for patient morbidity and mortality. This paper reviews the incidence, mechanisms, risk factors, and preventive strategies for stroke in TAVI, highlighting recent advancements, particularly in current protective devices, and ongoing challenges in minimizing this adverse outcome.

Cachexia is a complex multiorgan syndrome associated with various chronic diseases, characterized by anorexia and increased tissue wasting in the context of chronic inflammation. A specific form of this syndrome, known as cancer cachexia (CC), occurs alongside different types of tumors. The pathogenesis of CC is multifactorial. Inflammatory mediators and hormones released by both tumor and host cells have a relevant role in driving the peripheral catabolic process through several direct mechanisms. Accumulating evidence indicates that the central nervous system (CNS) plays an integral role in the pathogenesis of CC. The hypothalamus has emerged as a critical brain region that senses and amplifies peripheral stimuli, generating inappropriate neuronal signaling and leading to the dysregulation of energy homeostasis under cachexia conditions. Circulating cytokines may act in concert with hormones and neurotransmitters and perturb critical hypothalamic neurocircuits shifting their activity towards the anorexigenic pathway and increase of energy expenditure. This review discusses the mechanisms mediating the hypothalamic homeostatic imbalance in the context of anorexia and cachexia associated with cancer.

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis, a common congenital condition, presents unique challenges for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI) due to anatomical variations like cusp morphology, coexisting aortopathy and calcification. TAVI offers a viable option for BAV patients with refinements in technique and technology, though ongoing research is essential to optimize patient-specific approaches and long-term results. Key considerations for TAVI in BAV include precise valve sizing, positioning, and the need for rigorous pre-procedural imaging to mitigate risks such as paravalvular leak and stroke. Early results show TAVI’s safety and efficacy are comparable to surgery, though BAV patients undergoing TAVI often are exposed to higher rates of post-procedural pacemaker implantation. Emerging data on next-generation self-expandable (SE) and balloon-expandable (BE) valves reveal that while both offer success in this complex anatomical aortic valve variation, gaps remain in the long-term durability and management of BAV-related aortopathy. This review examines the latest advancements in TAVI for BAV, emphasizing how specialized approaches and device selection address BAV’s complexities.

CD71, also known as transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), is a transmembrane glycoprotein essential for cellular iron uptake, a prerequisite for cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. While its canonical role in iron metabolism is well documented, accumulating research highlights CD71’s broader involvement in oncogenic processes that extend far beyond iron regulation. This review provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the multifaceted roles of CD71 within cancer biology. Specifically, we examine how CD71 participates in key cancer-related mechanisms, including modulation of intracellular signaling cascades, such as MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways. We also mention the impact on regulation of apoptosis and autophagy, and orchestration of dynamic interactions within the tumor microenvironment such as adhesion/invasion and immune evasion. Emerging evidence indicates that CD71 not only sustains tumor growth and cancer cell proliferation through enhanced iron acquisition but also promotes metastasis, immune evasion, and therapy resistance. Moreover, CD71 contributes to the crosstalk between cancer and chronic diseases, with notable implications for cardiac, neurological, and gastrointestinal conditions often linked to malignancy. Through a comprehensive synthesis of current findings, we elucidate the complex and evolving roles of CD71 in cancer progression and therapy and provide an up-to-date account of its biology and pathophysiology. This review underscores the importance of understanding CD71 not only in oncology but also across the broader field of chronic diseases associated with malignancy. We suggest that future work should advance innovative therapeutic approaches that leverage CD71’s dual roles in cancer biology and systemic disease management to improve patient outcomes.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is presently recognized as a condition characterized by a reduction in coronary blood flow. CMD is associated with poor cardiac outcomes, and mounting evidence suggests that coronary microcirculation may be impaired in various cardiology pathologies. Non-invasive assessment of CMD remains challenging, and several imaging modalities—positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE), and transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTE)—are proven to quantify coronary flow reserve (CFR) and myocardial blood flow (MBF), both valuable markers of CMD. However, each modality is limited by availability, standardization, and diagnostic utility. Furthermore, a growing number of studies have attempted to correlate CMD indices with systolic myocardial function markers, such as left ventricular ejection fraction, global longitudinal strain, and myocardial work indices. This review refers to the current evidence on CMD imaging and examines the association between CMD indices and systolic function in cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the impact of CMD on myocardial function is essential, as it highlights the coronary microcirculation impairment pathway as a potential target for therapeutic strategies.

Background/Objectives: Haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic drug widely used for acute confusional state, psychotic disorders, agitation, delirium, and aggressive behavior. Methods: The toxicity of haloperidol was studied using zebrafish (ZF) embryos as a model organism. Dechorionated embryos were exposed to various concentrations of haloperidol (0.5–6.0 mg/L). The lethal dose concentration was estimated and was found to be 1.941 mg/L. Results: The impact of haloperidol was dose-dependent and significant from 0.25 mg/L. Haloperidol induced several deformities at sublethal doses, including abnormal somites, yolk sac edema, and skeletal deformities. Haloperidol significantly affected heart rate and blood flow and induced pericardial edema and hyperemia in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting its influence on heart development and function. Embryos exposed to haloperidol during their ontogenetic development had smaller body length and eye surface area than non-exposed ones in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: It was found that haloperidol significantly affects the behavior of the experimental organisms in terms of mobility, reflexes to stimuli, and adaptation to dark/light conditions.