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Abstract Background Considering the enormous burden represented by the opioid use disorder (OUD), it is important to always consider, when implementing opioid agonist therapy (OAT), the potential impact on patient’s adherence, quality of life, and detoxification. Thus, the purpose of the study is to evaluate how the introduction of a novel OAT approach influences these key factors in the management of OUD. Case presentation This article marks the pioneering use of OAT through buprenorphine implant in Europe and delves into the experience of six patients diagnosed with OUD at a relatively young age. The patients, comprising both males and a female, are of Caucasian Italian and African Italian ancestry (case 4) and exhibit an age range from 23 to 63, with an average drug abuse history of 19 ± 12 years. All patients were on stable traditional OAT before transitioning to buprenorphine implants. Despite the heterogeneity in social and educational backgrounds, health status, and drug abuse initiation histories, the case series reveals consistent positive treatment outcomes such as detoxification, absence of withdrawal symptoms and of side effects. Notably, all patients reported experiencing a newfound sense of freedom and improved quality of life. Conclusions These results emphasise the promising impact of OAT via buprenorphine implants in enhancing the well-being and quality of life in the context of OUD.

Este escrito propone analizar las porosidades de la cárcel en tanto institución de castigo, pero a la vez, como experiencia posibilitadora de aprendizajes para revertir las violencias que tres mujeres, con quienes me he relacionado entre 2009 y 2021 durante el trabajo de campo en el marco de investigaciones doctorales y posdoctorales, padecieron a lo largo de sus vidas antes de del encierro. Asimismo, se centra en la reflexión sobre cómo el género atraviesa las trayectorias de vida y experiencias de encierro de estas tres mujeres y cómo esto se vincula con una doble estigmatización. Por un lado, la mirada social que se conforma negativamente sobre la población carcelaria, y más específicamente, cómo ser mujer además pone en tensión supuestos sociales, culturales y morales sobre lo que se espera de ellas.

IntroductionAdvanced urothelial carcinoma remains aggressive and very hard to cure, while new treatments will pose a challenge for clinicians and healthcare funding policymakers alike. The U-CHANGE Project aimed to redesign the current model of care for advanced urothelial carcinoma patients to identify limitations (“as is” scenario) and recommend future actions (“to be” scenario).MethodsTwenty-three subject-matter experts, divided into three groups, analyzed the two scenarios as part of a multidimensional consensus process, developing statements for specific domains of the disease, and a simplified Delphi methodology was used to establish consensus among the experts.ResultsRecommended actions included increasing awareness of the disease, increased training of healthcare professionals, improvement of screening strategies and care pathways, increased support for patients and caregivers and relevant recommendations from molecular tumor boards when comprehensive genomic profiling has to be provided for appropriate patient selection to ad hoc targeted therapies.DiscussionWhile the innovative new targeted agents have the potential to significantly alter the clinical approach to this highly aggressive disease, the U-CHANGE Project experience shows that the use of these new agents will require a radical shift in the entire model of care, implementing sustainable changes which anticipate the benefits of future treatments, capable of targeting the right patient with the right agent at different stages of the disease.

O presente relato descreveu o tratamento de um canino macho, adulto, não castrado e sem raça definida, apresentando lesões dérmicas na região oronasal, provenientes da infestação de miíases e que, após a retirada das larvas, tratamento e cura, foi necessária a intervenção cirúrgica reconstrutiva para correção dos defeitos secundários das lesões, utilizando a técnica de retalhos do plexo subdérmico onde se obteve sucesso na escolha de toda terapêutica adotada. Miíase refere-se a presença de larvas de moscas (ordem: Díptera) nos tecidos e mucosas dos animais e humanos. No Brasil além da espécie: Dermatobia hominis conhecida popularmente como “mosca varejeira”, a espécie Cochliomyia hominivorax, vulgarmente conhecida como ‘’mosca de bicheira’’ tem grande importância sanitária. Considerada uma zoonose de notificação obrigatória pela organização internacional de epizootias (OIE). Dentre as principais causas que favorecem o aparecimento das miíases, temos: falta de higiene no ambiente, otites e feridas expostas.

En este artículo analizaré el caso de dos residentes del barrio Villa La Tela, cuyas experiencias espirituales con San La Muerte regulan los sentidos con los que construyen valores morales y complejizan las relaciones con familiares y vecinos. Veremos cómo esto se vincula con el hecho de vivir en una zona periférica y empobrecida de la ciudad, socialmente estigmatizada. Mostraré de qué modo las trayectorias morales que ellos construyen -y que se asocian con el mal y el delito- se articulan con la de San La Muerte, con quien establecen relaciones recíprocas de confianza, respeto, amor y favores. Esto permite reflexionar sobre las fronteras fluctuantes y porosas entre el bien y el mal como categorías morales con las cuales las personas significan y dan sentido al mundo.

The present study highlights for the first time the interplay between model nanoplastics, such as the carboxyl-modified polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-COOH, 60 nm) NPs and the coelomocytes of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, a benthic grazer widely distributed in Mediterranean coastal area, upon acute in vitro exposure (4 h) (5 and 25 μg mL–1). Insight into PS-COOH trafficking (uptake and clearance) and effects on immune cell functions (i.e., cell viability, lysosomal membrane stability, and phagocytosis) are provided. Dynamic Light Scattering analysis reveals that PS NP suspensions in CF undergo a quick agglomeration, more pronounced for PS-COOH (608.3 ± 43 nm) compared to PS-NH2 (329.2 ± 5 nm). However, both PS NPs are still found as nano-scale agglomerates in CF after 4 h of exposure, as shown by the polydispersity index > 0.3 associated with the presence of different PS NP size populations in the CF. The observed changes in ζ-potential upon suspension in CF (–11.1 ± 3 mV and –12.1 ± 4 mV for PS-COOH and PS-NH2, respectively) confirm the formation of a bio-corona on both PS NPs. Optical fluorescence microscopy and fluorimetric analyses using fluorescently labeled PS-COOH (60 nm) reveal a fast uptake of PS-COOH primarily by phagocytes within 1 h of exposure. Upon transfer to PS NP-free CF, a significant decrease in fluorescence signal is observed, suggesting a fast cell clearance. No effect on cell viability is observed after 4 h of exposure to PS-COOH, however a significant decrease in lysosomal membrane stability (23.7 ± 4.8%) and phagocytic capacity (63.43 ± 3.4%) is observed at the highest concentration tested. Similarly, a significant reduction in cell viability, lysosomal membrane stability and phagocytosis is found upon exposure to PS-NH2 (25 μg mL–1), which confirms the important role of surface charges in triggering immunotoxicity. Overall, our results show that, although being quickly internalized, PS-COOH can be easily eliminated by the coelomocytes but may still be able to trigger an immune response upon long-term exposure scenarios. Taking into account that sediments along Mediterranean coasts are a sink for micro- and nanoplastics, the latter can reach concentrations able to exceed toxicity-thresholds for marine benthic species.

A topsoil sample obtained from a highly industrialized area (Taranto, Italy) was tested on the DR-CALUX® cell line and the exposed cells processed with proteomic and bioinformatics analyses. The presence of polyhalogenated compounds in the topsoil extracts was confirmed by GC-MS/MS analysis. Proteomic analysis of the cells exposed to the topsoil extracts identified 43 differential proteins. Enrichment analysis highlighted biological processes, such as the cellular response to a chemical stimulus, stress, and inorganic substances; regulation of translation; regulation of apoptotic process; and the response to organonitrogen compounds in light of particular drugs and compounds, extrapolated by bioinformatics all linked to the identified protein modifications. Our results confirm and reflect the complex epidemiological situation occurring among Taranto inhabitants and underline the need to further investigate the presence and sources of inferred chemicals in soils. The combination of bioassays and proteomics reveals a more complex scenario of chemicals able to affect cellular pathways and leading to toxicities rather than those identified by only bioassays and related chemical analysis. This combined approach turns out to be a promising tool for soil risk assessment and deserves further investigation and developments for soil monitoring and risk assessment.