A review concerning the breast cancer-related tumour microenvironment.

Breast cancer (BC) is currently the most common malignant tumour in women and one of the leading causes of their death around the world. New and increasingly personalised diagnostic and therapeutic tools have been introduced over the last few decades, along with significant advances regarding the study and knowledge related to BC. The tumour microenvironment (TME) refers to the tumour cell-associated cellular and molecular environment which can influence conditions affecting tumour development and progression. The TME is composed of immune cells, stromal cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) and signalling molecules secreted by these different cell types. Ever deeper understanding of TME composition changes during tumour development and progression will enable new and more innovative therapeutic strategies to become developed for targeting tumours during specific stages of its evolution. This review summarises the role of BC-related TME components and their influence on tumour progression and the development of resistance to therapy.

Strategies for studying immune and non-immune human and canine mammary gland cancer tumour infiltrate.

The tumour microenvironment (TME) is usually defined as a cell environment associated with tumours or cancerous stem cells where conditions are established affecting tumour development and progression through malignant cell interaction with non-malignant cells. The TME is made up of endothelial, immune and non-immune cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) components and signalling molecules acting specifically on tumour and non-tumour cells. Breast cancer (BC) is the commonest malignant neoplasm worldwide and the main cause of mortality in women globally; advances regarding BC study and understanding it are relevant for acquiring novel, personalised therapeutic tools. Studying canine mammary gland tumours (CMGT) is one of the most relevant options for understanding BC using animal models as they share common epidemiological, clinical, pathological, biological, environmental, genetic and molecular characteristics with human BC. In-depth, detailed investigation regarding knowledge of human BC-related TME and in its canine model is considered extremely relevant for understanding changes in TME composition during tumour development. This review addresses important aspects concerned with different methods used for studying BC- and CMGT-related TME that are important for developing new and more effective therapeutic strategies for attacking a tumour during specific evolutionary stages.

Clinical manifestations and immune response to tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is a far-reaching, high-impact disease. It is among the top ten causes of death worldwide caused by a single infectious agent; 1.6 million tuberculosis-related deaths were reported in 2021 and it has been estimated that a third of the world's population are carriers of the tuberculosis bacillus but do not develop active disease. Several authors have attributed this to hosts' differential immune response in which cellular and humoral components are involved, along with cytokines and chemokines. Ascertaining the relationship between TB development's clinical manifestations and an immune response should increase understanding of tuberculosis pathophysiological and immunological mechanisms and correlating such material with protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis continues to be a major public health problem globally. Mortality rates have not decreased significantly; rather, they are increasing. This review has thus been aimed at deepening knowledge regarding tuberculosis by examining published material related to an immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycobacterial evasion mechanisms regarding such response and the relationship between pulmonary and extrapulmonary clinical manifestations induced by this bacterium which are related to inflammation associated with tuberculosis dissemination through different routes.

Mechanisms Associated with Trypanosoma cruzi Host Target Cell Adhesion, Recognition and Internalization.

Chagas disease is caused by the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by hematophagous insect bites. The parasite's lifecycle has an obligate intracellular phase (amastigotes), while metacyclic and bloodstream-trypomastigotes are its infective forms. Mammalian host cell recognition of the parasite involves the interaction of numerous parasite and host cell plasma membrane molecules and domains (known as lipid rafts), thereby ensuring internalization by activating endocytosis mechanisms triggered by various signaling cascades in both host cells and the parasite. This increases cytoplasmatic Ca2+ and cAMP levels; cytoskeleton remodeling and endosome and lysosome intracellular system association are triggered, leading to parasitophorous vacuole formation. Its membrane becomes modified by containing the parasite's infectious form within it. Once it has become internalized, the parasite seeks parasitophorous vacuole lysis for continuing its intracellular lifecycle, fragmenting such a vacuole's membrane. This review covers the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in T. cruzi adhesion to, recognition of and internalization in host target cells.

Volatile Organic Compounds, Spectral Characterization and Morphology of Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) Samples.

Ammonium nitrate fuel oil is an explosive mixture found in most antipersonnel landmines (APL) buried throughout the Colombian territory. During more than 50 years of internal conflict, the Colombian government has found that trained dogs are the most effective method to detect APL. However, the olfactive signature in ANFO is unknown and also if there are differences in detection related to the explosive manufacturing origin. Therefore, this work begins with the analytical validation of the method used to determine ammonia, in its derivatized form as carbamate, released by home-made ANFO using HS-SPME-GC-FID. Once validated, the method was used to identify ammonia and other organic volatile compounds present in ANFO, under laboratory and simulated field conditions. The validation process includes the evaluation of the optimum conditions for the derivation and extraction of butylcarbamate, the determination of the working ranges with linear response in FID, the limits of detection and quantification, the sensitivity, and the precision. The results of the validation established linearity and sensitivity in a concentration between 20 and 120 mg/L, as well as low limits of detection and quantification of 6.4 and 21.4 mg/L, respectively. Also, an intermediate precision of 11% for butylcarbamate with a repeatability of 8%. The validated method showed in real samples of home-made ANFO besides ammonia, the presence of low molecular methylamines, and also exhibited differences in volatile compositions according to the origin. The objective of this work is to offer a reliable analytical methodology for the extraction and analysis of volatile compounds from ANFO.

Tin(ii) chloride dihydrate/choline chloride deep eutectic solvent: redox properties in the fast synthesis of N-arylacetamides and indolo(pyrrolo)[1,2-a]quinoxalines.

In this contribution a physicochemical, IR and Raman characterization for the tin(ii) chloride dihydrate/choline chloride eutectic mixture is reported. The redox properties of this solvent were also studied by cyclic voltammetry finding that it can be successfully used as an electrochemical solvent for electrosynthesis and electroanalytical processes and does not require negative potentials as verified by the reduction of nitrobenzene. The potential use of this eutectic mixture as a redox solvent was further explored in obtaining aromatic amines and N-arylacetamides starting from a wide variety of nitroaromatic compounds. In addition, a fast synthetic strategy for the construction of a series of indolo(pyrrolo)[1,2-a]quinoxalines was developed by reacting 1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-indole(pyrrole) with aldehydes. This simple protocol offers a straightforward method for the construction of the target quinoxalines in short reaction times and high yields where the key step involves a tandem one-pot reductive cyclization-oxidation.

En Dengue con signos de alarma ¿Podemos predecir evolución a grave desde la emergencia? / Can Progression to Severe Dengue in Dengue with Warning Signs Be Predicted in the Emergency Room?

Introducción: El dengue se ha convertido en un serio problema de salud pública en Paraguay. La existencia de factores clínicos o laboratoriales que puedan predecir la evolución de la enfermedad, durante su evaluación en los Servicios de Urgencias, puede favorecer la identificación temprana de individuos con mayor riesgo y así optimizar los recursos en época de epidemias. Objetivos: Determinar los factores de riesgo clínicos y laboratoriales de Dengue Grave (DG) al ingreso, en pacientes hospitalizados por Dengue con Signos de Alarma (DSA). Materiales y Métodos: Estudio de casos y controles, llevado a cabo en el Servicio de Urgencias del Hospital General Pediátrico "Niños de Acosta Ñu" de febrero a junio de 2012. Para identificar los aspectos asociados a la evolución a Dengue Grave se realizó el análisis univariado de las variables clínicas y laboratoriales al ingreso hospitalario. De las variables con significancia estadística se procedió al análisis de regresión logística. Resultados: 217 niños fueron incluidos, 57 casos de DG y 160 controles. La media de edad fue de 11 años (p: 0,719). Los días de enfermedad al ingreso fueron similares 3,4 versus 3,6 (p: 0,643). Presentó asociación con Dengue Grave: la hemoconcentración y descenso de plaquetas (OR: 3,3 IC 95% 2,0-11,3 p: 0,027) y el antecedente de vómitos (OR: 3,2 IC 95% 1,7-7,2 p: 0,007). Para la hemoconcentración y caída de plaquetas la sensibilidad fue del 26% y la especificidad 93%, VPP 57,7% y VPN 78%. La presencia de vómitos, tuvo una sensibilidad del 78,9% y especificidad del 48,8%, con un VPP 35,4% y VPN 86%. La extravasación se produjo entre el 3º y 6° día de enfermedad, media: 5,3 ± 0,9. Conclusiones: La hemoconcentración con descenso de plaquetas aumentó 3,3 veces la posibilidad de tener Dengue Grave cuando está presente, pero su ausencia no implicó que no lo desarrollarían. Ninguna de las variables permitió predecir con suficiente solvencia la evolución a Dengue Grave en el momento del ingreso hospitalario.

Introduction: Dengue has become a serious public health problem in Paraguay. Knowledge of clinical or laboratory test parameters that could predict progression of the disease during assessment in emergency services could improve early identification of individuals at greater risk and optimize use of resources during epidemics. Objectives: We sought to determine the clinical and laboratory test risk factors for severe dengue (SD) on admission in patients hospitalized for dengue with warning signs (DWS). Materials and Methods: We conducted a case-control study in the emergency department of the general pediatric hospital Niños de Acosta Ñu in Paraguay between February and June of 2012. Univariate analysis of clinical and laboratory test values at admission was done to identify characteristics associated with progression to severe dengue. Statistically significant variables were subjected to logistic regression analysis. Results: We included 217 children, 57 with SD and 160 controls with a mean age of 11 years (p= 0.719). Days of illness preceding admission were similar: 3.4 versus 3.6 (p= 0.643). Severe dengue was associated with hemoconcentration and decreased platelet count (OR: 3.3, CI 95% 2.0-11.3, p= 0.027) and a history of vomiting (OR: 3.2, CI 95% 1.7-7.2, p= 0.007). Sensitivity was 26% and sensitivity 93% for hemoconcentration and platelet decrease with a PPV of 57.7% and NPV of 78%. Vomiting showed a sensitivity of 78.9% and specificity of 48.8% with a PPV of 35.4% and NPV of 78%. Extravasation occurred between the third and sixth day of illness, with a mean of 5.3 ± 0.9. Conclusions: Hemoconcentration with decreased platelet count predicted a 3.3 times greater possibility of severe dengue, but its absence did not indicate that it would not occur. None of the associations allowed prediction of severe dengue at time of admission with sufficient certainty.