Toll-like receptors (TLR) belong to the pattern recognition receptors (PRR). TLR7 and the closely correlated TLR8 affiliate with toll-like receptors family, are located in endosomes. They recognize single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules and synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)/RNA analogs—oligoribonucleotides. TLRs are primarily expressed in hematopoietic cells. There is compiling evidence implying that TLRs also direct the formation of blood cellular components and make a contribution to the pathogenesis of certain hematopoietic malignancies. The latest research shows a positive effect of therapy with TRL agonists on the course of hemato-oncological diseases. Ligands impact activation of antigen-presenting cells which results in production of cytokines, transfer of mentioned cells to the lymphoid tissue and co-stimulatory surface molecules expression required for T-cell activation. Toll-like receptor agonists have already been used in oncology especially in the treatment of dermatological neoplastic lesions. The usage of these substances in the treatment of solid tumors is being investigated. The present review discusses the direct and indirect influence that TLR7/8 agonists, such as imiquimod, imidazoquinolines and resiquimod have on neoplastic cells and their promising role as adjuvants in anticancer vaccines.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has become a treatment option for otherwise non-curative conditions, both malignant and benign, affecting children and adults. Nevertheless, the latest research has been focusing extensively on transplantation from related and unrelated haploidentical donors, suitable for patients requiring emergent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in the absence of an HLA-matched donor. Haploidentical HSCT (haplo-HSCT) can be an effective treatment for non-malignant pediatric disorders, such as primary immunodeficiencies or hemoglobinopathies, by enabling a much quicker selection of the appropriate donor for virtually all patients, low incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and transplant-related mortality (TRM). Moreover, the outcomes of haplo-HSCT among children with hematological malignancies have improved radically. The most demanding tasks for clinicians are minimizing T-cell-mediated alloreactivity as well as early GVHD prevention. As a result, several T-cell depletion approaches, such as ex vivo T-cell depletion (TCD), and T-cell replete approaches, such as a combination of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy), cyclosporine/tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, or methotrexate, have been taken up. As more research is needed to establish the most beneficial form of therapy, haplo-HSCT is currently considered an alternative donor strategy for pediatric and adult patients with complications like viral and bacterial infections, invasive fungal disease, and GVHD.

Venetoclax is a strongly effective B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitor (BCL-2) with an ability to selectively restore the apoptotic potential of cancerous cells. It has been proven that in combination with immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and lower-intensity therapies such as hypomethylating agents (HMAs) or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC), the drug can improve overall outcomes for adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and multiple myeloma (MM), amongst other hematological malignancies, but its benefit in pediatric hematology remains unclear. With a number of preclinical and clinical trials emerging, the newest findings suggest that in many cases of younger patients, venetoclax combination treatment can be well-tolerated, with a safety profile similar to that in adults, despite often leading to severe infections. Studies aim to determine the activity of BCL-2 inhibitor in the treatment of both primary and refractory acute leukemias in combination with standard and high-dose chemotherapy. Although more research is required to identify the optimal venetoclax-based regimen for the pediatric population and its long-term effects on patients’ outcomes, it can become a potential therapeutic agent for pediatric oncology.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the second most common type of leukemia in children, is a heterogeneous disease known to be caused by genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional changes, predominantly somatic and germline abnormalities. Despite significant improvement of overall survival rates, the prognosis of pediatric AML remains unfavorable in comparison with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), especially in relapsed or refractory settings. The current status and future directions are focused on establishing an accurate diagnosis and treatment strategies based on the genomic background. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies enable a broader understanding of the basis of the disease for the purpose of determining pathology-associated mutations and additional prognostic biomarkers in pediatric AML. This review focuses on providing an overview of the known and possible prognostic factors, as well as genetic landscape of pediatric AML patients and how it can be used to accurately differentiate and risk stratify patients. It also presents potential candidate modifications for risk adjustment and targeted therapy. Furthermore, we describe in this article a case of a 22-month-old male patient with relapsed M5 high-risk group (HRG) AML with complex karyotype. Due to belonging to the HRG, as well as unsatisfactory chemotherapy response, the patient underwent matched unrelated donor (MUD) stem cell transplantation (SCT).

Introduction and purpose: Wearable technologies have become widely adopted tools for monitoring physical activity and optimizing athletic training, yet comprehensive evaluations of their accuracy and effectiveness remain fragmented. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on wearable technology in physical activity monitoring and sport-specific training. Materials and methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and CENTRAL was conducted for studies published between 2015 and 2025, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and primary validation studies were synthesized. Brief description of the state of knowledge: Step counting reached acceptable accuracy in leading consumer devices (mean absolute percentage error below 25%), and optical heart rate sensors performed well at rest and moderate intensity (MAPE below 10%). Energy expenditure estimation remained inaccurate across all devices (MAPE exceeding 30%). An umbrella review of 39 systematic reviews found that 79% of physical activity analyses favored wearable interventions. A meta-analysis of 23 trials involving 4,566 older adults reported significant improvements in daily step counts and physical activity time, whereas no significant effects were found in youth populations. Summary: Wearable devices offer acceptable accuracy for step counting and heart rate but not energy expenditure. Standardized validation protocols, algorithmic transparency, and long-term effectiveness studies are needed to maximize clinical and sporting utility.

Introduction and aim: Depression and anxiety disorders are leading causes of disability worldwide, and many patients respond inadequately to conventional treatment. The microbiota–gut–brain axis has emerged as a candidate contributor to their pathogenesis. This review aimed to synthesise mechanistic and clinical evidence linking gut microbiota, bacterial metabolites, and vagal signalling to depression and anxiety. Material and methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus (2011–2025) was performed following PRISMA principles, using terms for the gut–brain axis, microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, tryptophan, vagus nerve, depression, and anxiety. Studies were synthesised narratively across three mechanistic pillars. Results: Patients with depression and anxiety show reduced short-chain-fatty-acid-producing taxa and enrichment of pro-inflammatory bacteria. Bacterial metabolites—short-chain fatty acids, tryptophan catabolites, and gamma-aminobutyric acid—modulate neuroinflammation, blood–brain-barrier integrity, and neurotransmission. Several anxiolytic and antidepressant-like microbial effects are abolished by vagotomy, confirming a vagal route. Randomised trials of psychobiotics show small but significant reductions in depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The gut–brain axis is a biologically plausible, therapeutically tractable contributor to mood and anxiety disorders, though heterogeneity and causal uncertainty remain.