Exosomes and immune response in cancer: Friends or foes?

Exosomes are a type of extracellular vesicle whose study has grown exponentially in recent years. This led to the understanding that these structures, far from being inert waste by-products of cellular functioning, are active players in intercellular communication mechanisms, including in the interactions between cancer cells and the immune system. The deep comprehension of the crosstalk between tumors and the immune systems of their hosts has gained more and more importance, as immunotherapeutic techniques have emerged as viable options for several types of cancer. In this review, we present a comprehensive, updated, and elucidative review of the current knowledge on the functions played by the exosomes in this crosstalk. The roles of these vesicles in tumor antigen presentation, immune activation, and immunosuppression are approached as the relevant interactions between exosomes and the complement system. The last section of this review is reserved for the exploration of the results from the first phase I to II clinical trials of exosomes-based cell-free cancer vaccines.The laboratory is supported by FEDER—Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020—Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by FCT— Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia/Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Inovacao in the framework of the projects “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274), (PTDC/BIM-ONC/2754/2014), and (PTDC/BIM-MEC/2834/2014); and by Norte Portugal Regional Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), in the framework of the project NORTE- 01-0145-FEDER-000029. SM is supported by FCT (IF/00543/2013)

Olanzapine-Induced Hyperprolactinemia: Two Case Reports

Background: Hyperprolactinemia is a common consequence of treatment with antipsychotics. It is usually defined by a sustained prolactin level above the laboratory upper level of normal in conditions other than that where physiologic hyperprolactinemia is expected. Normal prolactin levels vary significantly among different laboratories and studies. Several studies indicate that olanzapine does not significantly affect serum prolactin levels in the long term, although this statement has been challenged. Aims: Our aim is to report two olanzapine-induced hyperprolactinemia cases observed in psychiatric consultations. Methods: Medical records of the patients who developed this clinical situation observed in psychiatric consultations in the Psychiatry Department of the Prof. Dr. Fernando Fonseca Hospital during the year of 2017 were analyzed, complemented with a non-systematic review of the literature. Results: The case reports consider two women who developed prolactin-related symptoms after the initiation of olanzapine. No baseline prolactinemia was obtained, and prolactin serum levels were only evaluated after prolactin-related symptoms developed: at the time of its measurement, both patients had been taking olanzapine for more than 24 weeks. Hyperprolactinemia was found to be present in Case 2, whereas Case 1 (a 49-year-old woman) had "normal" serum prolactin levels for premenopausal and prolactin levels slightly above the maximum levels for postmenopausal women. Both patients underwent similar pharmacological adjustments, which comprised switches from olanzapine to aripiprazole. After all pharmacological changes, prolactin serum levels decreased to normal range values and prolactin-related symptoms disappeared. Discussion/Conclusions: Laboratorial and literature prolactinemia values variability and discrepancies may make the management of borderline hyperprolactinemia clinical situations difficult. Baseline prolactin levels should have been obtained, as they help in the management of patients who develop neuroleptic-induced hyperprolactinemia. Prolactin-related symptoms can occur with borderline or normal standardized prolactinemia values. Olanzapine-induced hyperprolactinemia is a rare but possible event. Aripiprazole was used as a suitable alternative for olanzapine-induced hyperprolactinemia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Relationship between tissue retention efficiency and production traits in a slow-growing broiler population

An experiment was conducted using 96 individually caged male broilers between 49 and 77 d of age. One objective was to establish phenotypic relationships between some production traits [feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed consumption, residual feed consumption (RFC), relative weight gain (RWG), weight gain (WG) and live weight (LW)] and “tissue retention efficiency” (TRE) traits in a slow-growing broiler population. The other objective was the characterization of Campero-INTA broilers for TRE traits. Weight and feed consumption were recorded weekly. Forty four broilers were slaughtered at 44 d of age to estimate initial body composition while the remaining birds were slaughtered at 79 d of age. Ether extract and crude protein content of the carcasses were used to estimate TRE traits: Energy retained as protein (ERP), energy retained as fat (ERF), ERP/(ERP+ERF), ERF/(ERP+ERF), protein retention efficiency and lipid-protein ratio. Correlation coefficients between traits were obtained and regression analyses were done for the evaluation of the influence of production traits on TRE traits. The independent variable that best explained ERF was WG (R2 = 0.49). Inclusion of final LW and RWG raised the R2 to 0.58 and decreased the error term. The ERP was best explained by RWG (R2 = 0.37); lipid-protein ratio by final LW (R2 = 0.49); protein retention efficiency by FCR (R2 = 0.34) and fraction of retained energy (ERF-ERP/ERP+ERF) by WG (R2 = 0.29). The TRE traits were not well predicted by the measured production traits. The high phenotypic variability observed in some of the TRE traits suggested a need for further studies on these characteristics. Keywords: Broiler; tissue retention; efficiency; slow-growing stock South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 37 (3) 2007: pp.164-16

Mapping of Alternative Oilseeds from the Brazilian Caatinga and Assessment of Catalytic Pathways toward Biofuels Production

Biofuels are increasingly important renewable resources in the world's energy matrix that have challenged the scientific community as well as small and large farmers to develop alternatives to fossil fuels in order to achieve the aims of energy transition. In particular, Brazil's proven competitiveness in agribusiness together with its rich biodiversity put the country in a key position in the biofuels market. The semiarid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil, an exclusive biome rich in many oilseed species suitable for potential energy purposes, is of particular interest in this field. Nowadays, soybeans are the main feedstock used for the production of biodiesel, but, due to the increasing demand for biofuels, the search for alternative sources of oil from tropical flora with high productivity is crucial. Under this premise, this systematic review focuses on mapping Caatinga's vegetable oil crops that could be used as alternative raw materials for biofuels' production in Brazil, in addition to traditional soybeans and sugarcane. To gain more detailed insight into these matrices, their main properties, including oil content, fatty acid profile and physicochemical properties, are discussed. Moreover, an overview is provided of processes to synthesize different types of biofuels, particularly biodiesel and aviation biokerosene, including the routes employing homogeneous, enzymatic and mainly heterogeneous catalysts. Finally, future prospects and challenges for renewable biofuels and the Caatinga biome are addressed

Intramural Vesical Leiomyoma in a Patient with a Pelvic Fibrous Tumour - Case Report

Introdução: O leiomioma vesical é um tumor benigno raro que representa,aproximadamente, 0,5% do total de neoplasias da bexiga. É frequentemente um achado imagiológico, sendo a sua localização e dimensões determinantes no desenvolvimento de sintomatologia e no tipo de procedimento a efectuar. Caso Clínico: Reporta-se o caso de um doente com queixas urinárias de disúria, polaquiúria e esforço miccional, inicialmente interpretadas como HBP. A investigação diagnóstica culminou com a enucleação de uma volumosa massa intramural da bexiga, com diagnóstico histológico de leiomioma, num doente com antecedentes de doença de Madelung e excisão prévia de um tumor fibroso paravesical. Discussão: O leiomioma vesical, embora apresentando características imagiológicas típicas, deve ser sempre biopsado para confirmação histológica da sua etiologia. O tumor fibroso pélvico apresenta sempre indicação cirúrgica pois, numa minoria de casos, pode apresentar comportamento agressivo com infiltração dos órgãos adjacentes

Cultivares de batata para sistemas orgânicos de produção.

Informações a respeito de cultivares adaptadas ao sistema de cultivo orgânico são escassas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar, sob sistema de cultivo orgânico, genótipos nacionais e estrangeiros desenvolvidos para o cultivo convencional, quanto ao potencial produtivo, em condições de campo. O experimento foi conduzido em 2008, no Pólo APTA Leste Paulista, em Monte Alegre do Sul-SP. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com 18 tratamentos e quatro repetições. Cada parcela foi constituída por 80 batatas-semente, dispostas em quatro linhas de 5 m de comprimento, espaçadas de 80 cm, com 25 cm entre tubérculos. Os genótipos avaliados foram Agata, Asterix, Caesar, Cupido, Éden, Melody, Novella e Vivaldi, de origem estrangeira; e Apuã, Aracy, Catucha, IAC Aracy Ruiva, Itararé, Monte Alegre 172, IAC 6090, APTA 16.5, APTA 15.20 e APTA 21.54, nacionais. Foram avaliadas as características de produtividade total e comercial de tubérculos, massa média total e comercial de tubérculos, teor de matéria seca e severidade da pinta-preta (Alternaria solani). Os clones APTA 16.5, APTA 21.54 e IAC 6090, e as cultivares Cupido, Apuã, Itararé e Monte Alegre 172 foram os mais produtivos. ‘APTA 21.54’ superou os demais em relação a produtividade comercial (18,07 t ha-1), sendo que ‘APTA 16.5’, ‘Cupido’, ‘IAC 6090’ e ‘Itararé’ formaram o segundo grupo. As maiores massas médias de tubérculos foram apresentadas pelas cultivares Itararé e Cupido. O clone IAC 6090 e as cultivares Aracy e Aracy Ruiva foram as que apresentaram maiores teores de matéria seca, com valor médio de 22,91%. ‘APTA 16.5’, ‘Apuã’, ‘Aracy’, ‘Aracy Ruiva’, ‘Éden’, ‘Ibituaçú’ e ‘Monte Alegre 172’ apresentaram alto nível de resistência à pinta-preta. As cultivares Itararé, Apuã e Cupido são adaptadas ao cultivo orgânico, e os clones avançados APTA 16.5, APTA 21.54 e IAC 6090 apresentam potencial de cultivo no sistema orgânico

Odontología mínimamente invasiva para el tratamiento del desgaste dental

El desgaste dental patológico, ocasionado por el bruxismo, es una alteración que se observa frecuentemente en la clínica odontológica. En este caso clínico fue realizado un procedimiento mínimamente invasivo, a fin de restablecer una guía anterior alterada por desgaste dental, asociado a otros tratamientos, tales como, el blanqueamiento dental y el ajuste oclusal. Este abordaje restaurador directo, asociado a las otras técnicas, posibilitó la máxima preservación de estructura dental remanente, alcanzando un excelente resultado estético y funcional, con una correcta adaptación del sistema estomatognático. MINIMALLY INVASIVE DENTISTRY FOR THE TREATMENT OF TOOTH WEARThe dental tooth wear due to bruxism is an alteration that is seen frequently in the today´s clinic. In this clinical case, a minimal invasive procedure was conducted aiming to restore the altered anterior guide by bruxism, associating other treatments, such as occlusal adjustment and bleaching. This direct restorative approach associated to the aforementioned treatments, made possible the maximum preservation of the tooth structure, reaching excellent functional and esthetic results, with a correct adaptation of the stomatognathic system

Total immersion : Designing for affective symbiosis in a virtual reality game with haptics, biosensors, and emotive agents

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