Acylase-Based Coatings on Sandblasted Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Materials for Antimicrobial Applications.

Indwelling medical devices, such as urinary catheters, often experience bacterial colonization, forming biofilms that resist antibiotics and the host's immune defenses through quorum sensing (QS), a chemical communication system. This study explores the development of antimicrobial coatings by immobilizing acylase, a quorum-quenching enzyme, on sandblasted polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces. PDMS, commonly used in medical devices, was sandblasted to increase its surface roughness, enhancing acylase attachment.

Early-Stage Luminal B-like Breast Cancer Exhibits a More Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment than Luminal A-like Breast Cancer.

Background: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous malignant disease with a varying prognosis and is classified into four molecular subtypes. It remains one of the most prevalent cancers globally, with the tumor microenvironment playing a critical role in disease progression and patient outcomes.

Methods: This study evaluated tumor samples from 40 female patients with luminal A and B breast cancer, utilizing flow cytometry to phenotypically characterize the immune cells and tumor cells present within the tumor tissue.

Internalizing and externalizing symptoms in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) frequently report psychosocial problems, among which internalizing and externalizing symptoms are the most poorly understood due to limited research and inconsistent evidence. This hinders the overall attendance of their psychosocial needs and has a major impact on their quality of life. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize existing findings on the degree to which individuals with NF1 experience internalizing and externalizing symptoms, compared with the unaffected population, and explore moderators of the group disparities.

Opicapone as adjunct to levodopa in treated Parkinson's disease without motor complications: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitors are routinely used to manage motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease (PD). We assessed the effect of opicapone on motor symptom severity in levodopa-treated patients without motor complications.

Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, 24-week, placebo-controlled study of opicapone 50 mg as adjunct to levodopa (NCT04978597).

Association of systemic inflammation and long-term dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: A prospective cohort.

COVID-19 has significant long-term impacts, including a chronic syndrome known as long-COVID, characterized by persistent symptoms post-recovery. The inflammatory response during acute infection is hypothesized to influence long-term outcomes. This study aimed to identify inflammatory biomarkers predictive of functional outcomes one year after hospital discharge.