"Aberrant" expression of skeletal muscle markers in neuroendocrine carcinomas: a significant diagnostic pitfall.

In this study, we investigate the expression of muscle markers, including the specific skeletal muscle markers myogenin and myoD1, in neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). The study included 23 NECs from various sites (14 small cell NECs and 9 large cell NECs). These were stained with desmin, myogenin and myoD1. Positive staining with at least one muscle marker was observed in 14 cases (61%). 8 (35%), 8 (35%) and 11 (48%) of the cases were positive with desmin, myogenin and myoD1 respectively. In most, but not all, cases positive staining was focal generally involving < 10% of tumour cells. Expression of muscle markers is not uncommon in NECs. This represents an important diagnostic pitfall of which pathologists should be aware. In reporting this phenomenon, we speculate on the pathogenesis of this "aberrant" expression of muscle markers.

Aerobic physical training reduces severe asthma phenotype involving kinins pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Aerobic physical training (APT) reduces eosinophilic airway inflammation, but its effects and mechanisms in severe asthma remain unknown. METHODS: An in vitro study employing key cells involved in the pathogenesis of severe asthma, such as freshly isolated human eosinophils, neutrophils, and bronchial epithelial cell lineage (BEAS-2B) and lung fibroblasts (MRC-5 cells), was conducted. Additionally, an in vivo study using male C57Bl/6 mice, including Control (Co; n = 10), Trained (Exe; n = 10), house dust mite (HDM; n = 10), and HDM + Trained (HDM + Exe; n = 10) groups, was carried out, with APT performed at moderate intensity, 5x/week, for 4 weeks. RESULTS: HDM and bradykinin, either alone or in combination, induced hyperactivation in human neutrophils, eosinophils, BEAS-2B, and MRC-5 cells. In contrast, IL-10, the primary anti-inflammatory molecule released during APT, inhibited these inflammatory effects, as evidenced by the suppression of numerous cytokines and reduced mRNA expression of the B1 receptor and ACE-2. The in vivo study demonstrated that APT decreased bronchoalveolar lavage levels of bradykinin, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-5, IL-17, IL-33, TNF-α, and IL-13, while increasing levels of IL-10, klotho, and IL-1RA. APT reduced the accumulation of polymorphonuclear cells, lymphocytes, and macrophages in the peribronchial space, as well as collagen fiber accumulation, epithelial thickness, and mucus accumulation. Furthermore, APT lowered the expression of the B1 receptor and ACE-2 in lung tissue and reduced bradykinin levels in the lung tissue homogenate compared to the HDM group. It also improved airway resistance, tissue resistance, and tissue damping. On a systemic level, APT reduced total leukocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes in the blood, as well as plasma levels of IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-5, IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-33, while elevating the levels of IL-10 and IL-1RA. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that APT inhibits the severe asthma phenotype by targeting kinin signaling.

Development of a Prognostic Model for Early Breast Cancer Integrating Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and Clinical-Pathological Characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer-related inflammation is critical in tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and patient prognosis. Several inflammatory markers derived from peripheral blood cells count, such as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) are considered as prognostic markers in several types of malignancy. METHODS: We investigate and validate a prognostic model in early patients with breast cancer to predict disease-free survival (DFS) based on readily available baseline clinicopathological prognostic factors and preoperative peripheral blood-derived indexes. RESULTS: We analyzed a training cohort of 710 patients and 2 external validation cohorts of 980 and 157 patients with breast cancer, respectively, with different demographic origins. An elevated preoperative NLR is a better DFS predictor than others scores. The prognostic model generated in this study was able to classify patients into 3 groups with different risks of relapse based on ECOG-PS, presence of comorbidities, T and N stage, PgR status, and NLR. CONCLUSION: Prognostic models derived from the combination of clinicopathological features and peripheral blood indices, such as NLR, represent attractive markers mainly because they are easily detectable and applicable in daily clinical practice. More comprehensive prospective studies are needed to unveil their actual effectiveness.

Being a Young Carer in Portugal: The Impact of Caring on Adolescents' Life Satisfaction.

Caring for an ill or disabled relative can present significant challenges that may exceed the personal resources of the caregiver. Young carers (YCs) often take on this role, providing support to family members or friends, which can have far-reaching effects on various aspects of their lives. This study involved 235 adolescents, 106 YCs, and 129 non-carers (NCs), who completed questionnaires assessing life satisfaction, satisfaction with social support, family functioning, academic functioning, and caregiving activities. Tests of group differences (MANOVA and MANCOVA controlling for age) showed YCs had more caregiving activities than NCs (as expected) and, critically, significantly lower life satisfaction. Hierarchical regressions with the YCS subsample showed academic functioning, social support, and the negative impact of caregiving were associated with life satisfaction, and that the negative influence of caregiving was linked to family functioning and the quantity of caregiving activities. For NCs, academic functioning, satisfaction with social support, and family functioning were associated with life satisfaction. In conclusion, caregiving in adolescents appears to be linked to lower life satisfaction, but this effect is determined by their social support, academic functioning, and negative impact of caring, which in turn depends on their family functioning and amount of caring activities.

Exerkines: A Crosstalk between Lactate Production, Exercise and Mental Health.

Muscle skeletal striated cells secrete a wide range of proteins called myokines or "exerkines", which in turn perform autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine functions. For being able to act in the communication between skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and mainly the brain, exerkines play a prominent role and potential influence on health promotion. Furthermore, we detected in the literature that one of these potential therapeutic substances derived from muscle contraction is a molecule derived from glycolytic metabolism that in the past was largely marginalized, the lactate. Currently, studies are dedicated to examining the target structures for exerkines that may contribute to the maintenance and restoration of mental health. Thus, lactate appears to be recognized as a critical mediator of exercise-related changes and their health benefits, particularly in their role in communication and coordination between organs. It is inferred that the BDNF expression mechanism can be induced by lactate, which in turn derives from the activation of SIRT pathways 1 and 2 and activates the PGC1-α cascade. The behavior of lactate concentration is intensity-dependent, directly related to the type of fast-twitch fibers (type IIb) and the recruitment of these fibers would potentiate the responses in the brain. In this sense, high-intensity exercise would establish itself as an important strategy to be considered. Despite this understanding, there is still much to be done. However, lactate appears to be a highly promising exerkine for future research initiatives and a potential biomarker to reduce illness and promote mental health.

Subjective well-being and school engagement before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic: What good are positive emotions?

The present study overcomes the limited empirical evidence on the association between well-being and school engagement in times of adversity by exploiting available data from two large and comparable samples of eighth graders; one obtained prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the second obtained during the pandemic. Results suggest that adolescents were less engaged with their learning context during the pandemic, as well as lower in positive and negative affect, but slightly more satisfied with life. Through SEM we found a stronger positive association between positive affect and school engagement in the COVID-19 group compared with the pre-COVID-19 group. This finding highlights the important role of positive affect in supporting better academic functioning in the aftermath of a global crisis.

Development of Cork Biocomposites Enriched with Chitosan Targeting Antibacterial and Antifouling Properties.

The demand for bio-based and safer composite materials is increasing due to the growth of the industry, human population, and environmental concerns. In this framework, sustainable and safer cork-polymer composites (CPC), based on green low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were developed using melt-based technologies. Chitosan and polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) were employed to enhance the CPC's properties. The morphology, wettability, mechanical, thermal, and antibacterial properties of the CPC against Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were examined. The CPC showed improved stiffness when compared with that of the LDPE matrix, preferably when combined with chitosan and PE-g-MA (5 wt. %), reinforcing the stiffness (58.8%) and the strength (66.7%). Chitosan also increased the composite stiffness and strength, as well as reduced the surface hydrophilicity. The CPCs' antibacterial activity revealed that cork significantly reduces the biofilm on the polymer matrix. The highest biofilm reduction was found with CPC containing cork and 5 wt. % chitosan for both P. putida (54% reduction) and S. aureus (36% reduction), confirming their potential to extend the lifespan of products for packaging and healthcare, among other applications. This work leads to the understanding of the factors that influence biofilm formation in cork composites and provides a strategy to reinforce their behavior using chitosan.

The Twenty Item Values Inventory (TwIVI) in Portuguese Adults: Factorial Structure, Internal Consistency, and Criterion-Related Validity.

The Schwartz Model of Basic Values is an influential framework that describes what people find important and worth pursuing in life. The model proposes that ten human values are found cross-culturally, and so significant efforts have gone into empirically testing these claims. While instruments such as the Portrait Values Questionnaire-40 (PVQ-40) reliably discriminated the full set of theorized values, briefer versions have either suffered from a lack of construct validity (PVQ-21) or from not having been put through a rigorous statistical test of its underlying structure (Twenty Item Values Inventory [TwIVI]) via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The present study, using a Portuguese sample of adults (n = 524), is the first to examine the factorial structure of the TwIVI via CFA. We apply a magnifying glass approach by testing two separate models, each covering five values, which reflect the Growth and Self-protective dimensions. Moreover, we provide evidences that the TwIVI is reliable and capable of capturing the theorized quasi-circumplex structure, and the cross-cultural gender differences and relative hierarchical importance of values. Finally, we establish criterion-related validity, with values correlating with political identity and social and economic issues.

Induction of pyroptotic cell death as a potential tool for cancer treatment.

Cancer is a complex pathological disease and the existing strategies for introducing chemotherapeutic agents have restricted potential due to a lack of cancer cell targeting specificity, cytotoxicity, bioavailability, and induction of multi-drug resistance. As a prospective strategy in tackling cancer, regulating the inflammatory pyroptosis cell death pathway has been shown to successfully inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of various cancer cell types. Activation of inflammasomes such as the NLRP3 results in pyroptosis through cleavage of gasdermins, which forms pores in the cell membranes, inducing membrane breakage, cell rupture, and death. Furthermore, pyroptotic cells release pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1ß and IL-18 along with various DAMPs that prime an auxiliary anti-tumor immune response. Thus, regulation of pyroptosis in cancer cells is a way to enhance their immunogenicity. However, immune escape involving myeloid-derived suppressor cells has limited the efficacy of most pyroptosis-based immunotherapy strategies. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis pathways in cancer cells, exploring how it could modulate the tumor microenvironment and be beneficial in anti-cancer treatments. We discuss various existing therapeutic strategies against cancer, including immunotherapy, oncolytic virus therapy, and nanoparticle-based therapies that could be guided to trigger and regulate pyroptosis cell death in cancer cells, and reduce tumor growth and spread. These pyroptosis-based cancer therapies may open up fresh avenues for targeted cancer therapy approaches in the future and their translation into the clinic.

Development and validation of a Community Resilience Scale for Youth (CRS-Y).

The purpose of this article is to present the development and validation of a Community Resilience Scale for Youth (CRS-Y) among a Portuguese sample of nearly 4000 young people growing up in regions on the border with Spain. The scale was developed for young people to assess their perception of the resilience of regional communities in terms of positive development and purposeful experiences for young people. Resilient communities, under a social ecological approach, are those able to move forward on social change and transformation. This concept is especially remarkable in more challenging contexts such as border regions of mainland Portugal which are characterised by economic, social, educational, and cultural disadvantages while discovering possibilities of resilience through promising local dynamics. A multi-step approach was used to develop this scale of 12-item scale. Items were generated based on an in-depth literature review and research previously conducted with young people in these contexts. The overall sample was randomly divided into two subsamples of 1828 and 1735 young people each. Principal component analysis was performed with one of the subsamples and yielded a three-factor structure, explaining 61.5% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis performed on the second showed good fit indexes. Furthermore, internal consistency of the three proposed components, gauged either by Cronbach's alpha or McDonald's omega, indicated good reliability. Given the results, the CRS-Y is a valid and reliable tool showing adequate psychometric properties. This scale will be useful for schools and policy makers at the local level. Indicators such as the promotion of opportunities to participate and be recognised, collective trust and the promotion of shared values and protection are relevant in assessing regional communities' resilience and informing youth policies.

Antifouling Marine Coatings with a Potentially Safer and Sustainable Synthetic Polyphenolic Derivative.

The development of harmless substances to replace biocide-based coatings used to prevent or manage marine biofouling and its unwanted consequences is urgent. The formation of biofilms on submerged marine surfaces is one of the first steps in the marine biofouling process, which facilitates the further settlement of macrofoulers. Anti-biofilm properties of a synthetic polyphenolic compound, with previously described anti-settlement activity against macrofoulers, were explored in this work. In solution this new compound was able to prevent biofilm formation and reduce a pre-formed biofilm produced by the marine bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas tunicata. Then, this compound was applied to a marine coating and the formation of P. tunicata biofilms was assessed under hydrodynamic conditions to mimic the marine environment. For this purpose, polyurethane (PU)-based coating formulations containing 1 and 2 wt.% of the compound were prepared based on a prior developed methodology. The most effective formulation in reducing the biofilm cell number, biovolume, and thickness was the PU-based coating containing an aziridine-based crosslinker and 2 wt.% of the compound. To assess the marine ecotoxicity impact of this compound, its potential to disrupt endocrine processes was evaluated through the modulation of two nuclear receptors (NRs), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and pregnane X receptor (PXR). Transcriptional activation of the selected NRs upon exposure to the polyphenolic compound (10 µM) was not observed, thus highlighting the eco-friendliness towards the addressed NRs of this new dual-acting anti-macro- and anti-microfouling agent towards the addressed NRs.

Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation of the European Portuguese Version of the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI).

INTRODUCTION: The Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI) is a self-administered questionnaire specifically used to determine the impact of shoulder instability on quality of life. The aim of this study was to translate the WOSI into European Portuguese and analyze its validity and reliability in a population with shoulder instability. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The WOSI was translated and culturally adapted from its original version into European Portuguese (WOSIPT). Internal consistency and test-retest analyses were conducted to determine the level of reliability of the scale. WOSI-PT, Quick-DASH, and SF-12 questionnaires were applied to 81 patients with symptomatic shoulder instability to assess validity, and reliability was tested by randomly selecting 50 patients within 72 hours using a test-retest design. RESULTS: The reliability of the WOSI-PT was very high, with Cronbach´s alpha equal to 0.97 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.98. Regarding the construct validity, the correlation between the WOSI-PT and QuickDASH was high and negative (-0.79). The correlations between WOSI-PT and SF-12 were positive, respectively, moderate with physical (0.66) and low with mental (0.34) health. CONCLUSION: WOSI-PT is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the functional impact of shoulder joint instability on quality of life.

Introdução: O Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI) é um questionário de autopreenchimento utilizado especificamente para determinar o impacto da instabilidade do ombro na qualidade de vida. O objetivo deste estudo foi traduzir o WOSI para português e analisar a sua validade e fiabilidade para a população portuguesa com instabilidade do ombro. Material e Métodos: O WOSI foi traduzido e adaptado culturalmente da sua versão original para Português (WOSI-PT). Foram efetuadas as análises de consistência interna e teste-reteste para determinar o seu nível de fiabilidade. Os questionários WOSI-PT, QuickDASH, and SF-12 foram aplicados a 81 pacientes com sintomas de instabilidade para avaliar a validade, enquanto a fiabilidade foi testada usando 50 desses pacientes selecionados de modo aleatório, num estudo do tipo teste-reteste com 72 horas de intervalo. Resultados: A fiabilidade do WOSI-PT foi excelente com alfa de Cronbach de 0,97 e um ICC (intraclass correlation coeficiente) de 0.98. Relativamente à validade de constructo, a correlação entre o WOSI-PT e a QuickDASH foi alta e negativa (-0,79). A correlação entre o WOSI-PT e o SF-12 foi positiva e moderada para a componente física (0,66) e positiva e baixa para a componente de saúde mental (0,34). Conclusão: O WOSI-PT é um instrumento fiável e valido para avaliar o impacto da instabilidade do ombro na qualidade de vida.

The Effect of Molecular Weight on the Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan from Loligo opalescens for Food Packaging Applications.

The growing requirement for sustainable processes has boosted the development of biodegradable plastic-based materials incorporating bioactive compounds obtained from waste, adding value to these products. Chitosan (Ch) is a biopolymer that can be obtained by deacetylation of chitin (found abundantly in waste from the fishery industry) and has valuable properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, and easy film-forming ability. This study aimed to produce and characterize poly(lactic acid) (PLA) surfaces coated with ß-chitosan and ß-chitooligosaccharides from a Loligo opalescens pen with different molecular weights for application in the food industry. The PLA films with native and depolymerized Ch were functionalized through plasma oxygen treatment followed by dip-coating, and their physicochemical properties were assessed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, water contact angle, and scanning electron microscopy. Their antimicrobial properties were assessed against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida, where Ch-based surfaces reduced the number of biofilm viable, viable but nonculturable, and culturable cells by up to 73%, 74%, and 87%, respectively, compared to PLA. Biofilm growth inhibition was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results suggest that Ch films of higher molecular weight had higher antibiofilm activity under the food storage conditions mimicked in this work, contributing simultaneously to the reuse of marine waste.

Development of Chitosan-Based Surfaces to Prevent Single- and Dual-Species Biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) are susceptible to microbial adhesion and biofilm formation, which lead to several clinical complications, including the occurrence of implant-associated infections. Polylactic acid (PLA) and its composites are currently used for the construction of IMDs. In addition, chitosan (CS) is a natural polymer that has been widely used in the medical field due to its antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties, which can be dependent on molecular weight (Mw). The present study aims to evaluate the performance of CS-based surfaces of different Mw to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation. For this purpose, CS-based surfaces were produced by dip-coating and the presence of CS and its derivatives onto PLA films, as well surface homogeneity were confirmed by contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antimicrobial activity of the functionalized surfaces was evaluated against single- and dual-species biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Chitosan-based surfaces were able to inhibit the development of single- and dual-species biofilms by reducing the number of total, viable, culturable, and viable but nonculturable cells up to 79%, 90%, 81%, and 96%, respectively, being their activity dependent on chitosan Mw. The effect of CS-based surfaces on the inhibition of biofilm formation was corroborated by biofilm structure analysis using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), which revealed a decrease in the biovolume and thickness of the biofilm formed on CS-based surfaces compared to PLA. Overall, these results support the potential of low Mw CS for coating polymeric devices such as IMDs where the two bacteria tested are common colonizers and reduce their biofilm formation.

Unveiling the Antifouling Performance of Different Marine Surfaces and Their Effect on the Development and Structure of Cyanobacterial Biofilms.

Since biofilm formation by microfoulers significantly contributes to the fouling process, it is important to evaluate the performance of marine surfaces to prevent biofilm formation, as well as understand their interactions with microfoulers and how these affect biofilm development and structure. In this study, the long-term performance of five surface materials-glass, perspex, polystyrene, epoxy-coated glass, and a silicone hydrogel coating-in inhibiting biofilm formation by cyanobacteria was evaluated. For this purpose, cyanobacterial biofilms were developed under controlled hydrodynamic conditions typically found in marine environments, and the biofilm cell number, wet weight, chlorophyll a content, and biofilm thickness and structure were assessed after 49 days. In order to obtain more insight into the effect of surface properties on biofilm formation, they were characterized concerning their hydrophobicity and roughness. Results demonstrated that silicone hydrogel surfaces were effective in inhibiting cyanobacterial biofilm formation. In fact, biofilms formed on these surfaces showed a lower number of biofilm cells, chlorophyll a content, biofilm thickness, and percentage and size of biofilm empty spaces compared to remaining surfaces. Additionally, our results demonstrated that the surface properties, together with the features of the fouling microorganisms, have a considerable impact on marine biofouling potential.

The Use of the Anticoagulant Heparin and Corticosteroid Dexamethasone as Prominent Treatments for COVID-19.

COVID-19 is spreading worldwide at disturbing rates, overwhelming global healthcare. Mounting death cases due to disease complications highlight the necessity of describing efficient drug therapy strategies for severe patients. COVID-19 severity associates with hypercoagulation and exacerbated inflammation, both influenced by ACE2 downregulation and cytokine storm occurrence. In this review, we discuss the applicability of the anticoagulant heparin and the anti-inflammatory corticosteroid dexamethasone for managing severe COVID-19 patients. The upregulated inflammation and blood clotting may be mitigated by administrating heparin and its derivatives. Heparin enhances the anticoagulant property of anti-thrombin (AT) and may be useful in conjunction with fibrinolytic drugs for severe COVID-19 patients. Besides, heparin can also modulate immune responses, alleviating TNF-α-mediated inflammation, impairing IL-6 production and secretion, and binding to complement proteins and leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Moreover, heparin may present anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential once it can impact viral infectivity and alter SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein architecture. Another feasible approach is the administration of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone. Although glucocorticoid's administration for viral infection managing is controversial, there is increasing evidence demonstrating that dexamethasone treatment is capable of drastically diminishing the death rate of patients presenting with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) that required invasive mechanical ventilation. Importantly, dexamethasone may be detrimental by impairing viral clearance and inducing hyperglycemia and sodium retention, hence possibly being deleterious for diabetics and hypertensive patients, two major COVID-19 risk groups. Therefore, while heparin's multitarget capacity shows to be strongly beneficial for severe COVID-19 patients, dexamethasone should be carefully administered taking into consideration underlying medical conditions and COVID-19 disease severity. Therefore, we suggest that the multitarget impact of heparin as an anti-viral, antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory drug in the early stage of the COVID-19 could significantly reduce the need for dexamethasone treatment in the initial phase of this disease. If the standard treatment of heparins fails on protecting against severe illness, dexamethasone must be applied as a potent anti-inflammatory shutting-down the uncontrolled and exacerbated inflammation.

Assessment of the environmental compatibility and antifouling performance of an innovative biocidal and foul-release multifunctional marine coating.

The control of marine biofouling has raised serious environmental concerns, thus the continuous release of toxic and persistent biocidal agents applied as anti-biofouling coatings have triggered the search for non-toxic strategies. However, most of them still lack rigorous evaluation of their ecotoxicity and antifouling effects under real scenarios and their correlation with simulated assays. In this work, the biocide releasing risk and ecotoxicity of a biocidal and foul-release polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based marine coating containing grafted Econea biocide (<0.6 wt.%) were evaluated under simulated real mechanical wear conditions at a pilot-scale system, and under extreme wear scenarios (washability settings). The coating system demonstrated low environmental impact against the model Vibrio fischeri bacterium and marine algae, associated with the effective biocide grafting in the coating matrix and subsequent biocide release minimization. This multifunctional coating system also showed auspicious antifouling (AF) effects, with an AF performance index significantly higher (API > 89) than a single foul-release system (AF < 40) after two and half years at a real immersion scenario in the Portuguese shore of the Atlantic Ocean. These field results corroborated the antibiofilm performance evaluated with Pseudoalteromonas tunicata at simulated dynamic marine conditions after seven-week assays. This eco-friendly multifunctional strategy, validated by both simulated testing conditions and real field tests, is believed to be a powerful tool for the development of AF technologies and a potential contribution to the quest for new environmentally friendly antifouling solutions.

NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated cytokine production and pyroptosis cell death in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed malignancy in women. Increasing evidence has highlighted the importance of chronic inflammation at the local and/or systemic level in breast cancer pathobiology, influencing its progression, metastatic potential and therapeutic outcome by altering the tumor immune microenvironment. These processes are mediated by a variety of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors that exert their biological functions either locally or distantly. Inflammasomes are protein signaling complexes that form in response to damage- and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (DAMPS and PAMPS), triggering the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The dysregulation of inflammasome activation can lead to the development of inflammatory diseases, neurodegeneration, and cancer. A crucial signaling pathway leading to acute and chronic inflammation occurs through the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome followed by caspase 1-dependent release of IL-1ß and IL-18 pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as, by gasdermin D-mediated pyroptotic cell death. In this review we focus on the role of NLRP3 inflammasome and its components in breast cancer signaling, highlighting that a more detailed understanding of the clinical relevance of these pathways could significantly contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.

Why are emergency medical technicians' coping strategies dysfunctional? Direct and indirect effects of resilience and perceived stress.

BACKGROUND: Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are at high risk for traumatic disorders, and these disorders are more likely if they resort to dysfunctional coping. However, few studies have examined how dysfunctional coping can be decreased, specifically by comparing the impact of personal characteristics, such as resilience, and of occupational factors, such as stress. This study examines the contribution of resilience and perceived stress on EMTs' dysfunctional coping. METHODS: A total of 502 EMTs (66% men), with a job experience of approximately 8 years (SD = 3.84), answered the Resilience Scale (Self and Life Acceptance; Personal Competence; Total score), Brief Cope, and Anxiety Depression Stress Scales. RESULTS: EMTs reported high resilience, low stress and dysfunctional coping. Resilience dimensions, specifically self and life acceptance, and stress contributed to dysfunctional coping. Stress displayed the highest regression coefficient. The effect of self and life acceptance on dysfunctional coping was no longer significant when accounting for stress, revealing a full mediation effect. CONCLUSIONS: How EMTs perceive stress can mitigate the protective role of acceptance on the use of dysfunctional coping. These findings suggest EMTs' occupational training may benefit from focusing on how to manage stressful and critical incidents, as well as on how to cope with stress.

The association between initial adhesion and cyanobacterial biofilm development.

Although laboratory assays provide valuable information about the antifouling effectiveness of marine surfaces and the dynamics of biofilm formation, they may be laborious and time-consuming. This study aimed to determine the potential of short-time adhesion assays to estimate how biofilm development may proceed. The initial adhesion and cyanobacterial biofilm formation were evaluated using glass and polymer epoxy resin surfaces under different hydrodynamic conditions and were compared using linear regression models. For initial adhesion, the polymer epoxy resin surface was significantly associated with a lower number of adhered cells compared with glass (-1.27 × 105 cells.cm-2). Likewise, the number of adhered cells was significantly lower (-1.16 × 105 cells.cm-2) at 185 than at 40 rpm. This tendency was maintained during biofilm development and was supported by the biofilm wet weight, thickness, chlorophyll a content and structure. Results indicated a significant correlation between the number of adhered and biofilm cells (r = 0.800, p < 0.001). Moreover, the number of biofilm cells on day 42 was dependent on the number of adhered cells at the end of the initial adhesion and hydrodynamic conditions (R2 = 0.795, p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate the high potential of initial adhesion assays to estimate marine biofilm development.