The emergence of glycosylated RNA (GlycoRNA) has expanded the paradigm of macromolecular glycosylation beyond proteins and lipids, revealing previously unrecognized layers of regulation within glycoscience and RNA biology. Increasing evidence suggests that GlycoRNA contributes to immune recognition and tumor progression. However, its biological functions and translational potential remain insufficiently characterized. GlycoRNAs are predominantly derived from small non-coding RNAs and are decorated with sialylated and fucosylated N- or O-linked glycans. Processed through canonical glycosylation pathways, they are displayed on the cell surface and contribute to tumor-immune interactions. Sialylated GlycoRNAs can bind sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins on immune cells, generating inhibitory signaling that facilitates immune escape. Conversely, partial removal of glycans exposes modified uridine structures such as acp³U, which can activate Toll-like receptor-mediated innate immunity, indicating a glycan-dependent dual regulatory mechanism. Beyond immune regulation, alterations in GlycoRNA abundance are also associated with cancer cell migration, invasion, and metabolic adaptation. In metabolically stressful microenvironments, such as brain metastases, enhanced glycolysis increases substrates, including UDP-GlcNAc, which may further drive GlycoRNA modification and cell-surface presentation, establishing a positive feedback loop linking metabolic reprogramming to immune regulation. Given their stability on tumor cells and in circulation, GlycoRNAs represent promising biomarkers for liquid biopsy and emerging targets for immunotherapy. A comprehensive understanding of GlycoRNA glycosylation, structural determinants, and immune interactions will be essential to guide the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in cancer.

Somatostatin (SRIF) and its receptors (SSTR) are key players in the regulation of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN), with significant implications for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. The field of SSTR-targeted drugs/ligands (SRL) is continuously evolving, with emerging novel therapeutic approaches aiming to address the numerous unmet needs and limitations of the standard-of-care (SOC) SRL. In the present manuscript we aim to provide a concise review of the field, focusing on the new and ongoing developments and potential novel approaches to be considered in the future. The paper a) provides insights into the pathophysiology of SSTR in relation to unmet needs in the SRL efficacy and limitations; b) presents a state-of-the-art assessment of knowledge on the SOC SRL; c) depicts current ongoing and future research, highlighting areas of insufficient knowledge for SRL in NEN routine practice.

Prostate cancer accounts for the largest group of cancer survivors in men. Hormone therapy is essential, especially in advanced disease. While its short-term effects are well studied, research into the long-term effects on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) remains limited. Therefore, this review aims to synthesize and identify key gaps in the literature on HRQOL and symptom burden in long-term prostate cancer survivors who underwent hormone therapy. After searching four databases until 15 April 2025, we identified 14 observational studies that reported on general and prostate cancer-specific HRQOL in prostate cancer survivors ≥ 5 years post-diagnosis. Survivors who underwent hormone therapy reported worse global health status and physical, emotional, and social functioning compared to those treated with local therapies like prostatectomy or radiation. These survivors also experienced greater symptom burdens, alongside worse vitality and mental health. Prostate cancer-specific issues, such as bowel and urinary bother and sexual dysfunction, were also more pronounced in hormone therapy recipients. Nevertheless, outcomes beyond 15 years remain under-researched. The findings of this review highlight the importance of discussing long-term HRQOL compromises with patients who consider hormone therapy. However, they warrant cautious interpretation, particularly due to limited details on hormone therapy regimens and inadequate control for stage.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is a chronic and challenging infectious condition with rising global prevalence, and its bronchiectatic subtype is particularly difficult to treat with conventional regimens due to frequent adverse effects, thus necessitating novel therapeutic approaches. This report presents a 42-year-old female patient diagnosed with bronchiectatic NTM-PD, characterized by persistent cough, sputum production, and hemoptysis, which was confirmed through radiological findings and microbiological testing. Following intolerance to conventional antimicrobial therapy, the patient was treated exclusively with nebulized inhalation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (HucMSC-Exos). This intervention led to significant alleviation of respiratory symptoms, stabilization of pulmonary function, and marked improvement in immunological parameters. In conclusion, nebulized HucMSC-Exos therapy demonstrated successful outcomes in this case, improving clinical symptoms, pulmonary function, and immune status, which suggests its potential as a viable and innovative therapeutic strategy for managing this complex condition and warrants further clinical investigation.

This protocol describes a study in which we would determine the facilitators and barriers to implementation of innovative integrated service delivery for tuberculosis (TB), community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in southern Nigeria.

This study will adopt a cross-sectional study design using qualitative data collection methods. It will involve key informant interviews (KIIs) for program managers and health service providers, including Directly Observed Treatment Short-course focal persons, radiographers and private care providers. Focus group discussions (FGDs) will be conducted for beneficiaries of the intervention and will include persons diagnosed and treated for TB, CAP or COPD. The study will be conducted in five hard-to-reach Local Government Areas (LGAs) in two states in Southern Nigeria. The LGAs selected for the study have perennial low TB case notifications, which may be attributed to poor active case finding. A total of twenty KIIs and four FGDs will be conducted.

In Nigeria, funding for single-disease programs is diminishing, hence unsustainable, making it necessary to adopt more cost-efficient approaches, including integrated service delivery, especially at the primary health care level.

The findings from this study will help in understanding the factors that influence the implementation of TB/CAP/COPD services and also inform policy/practice on the most suitable approaches to scale up the integrated service delivery for TB/CAP/COPD in Nigeria.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed structural vulnerabilities in the global health emergency workforce. Sustained monitoring of response competence dynamics is critical for maintaining health system resilience during protracted outbreaks.

This study aimed to investigate trends and structural transitions in nurses' infectious disease emergency response competence during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using the Healthcare Workers' Infectious Disease Emergency Response Competence Questionnaire, 3 repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted in February 2020, August 2021, and February 2023. The participants were matched in a 1:1:1 ratio by their demographic characteristics via propensity scores. Temporal trends were analyzed using ANOVA, and competence structure transitions were examined via network analysis.

Three-wave analyses (n=2525 per wave) demonstrated a sustained decline in competence, from 4.05 (SD 0.63) in February 2020 to 3.81 (SD 0.66) in August 2021 and further to 3.70 (SD 0.66) in February 2023. All pairwise comparisons were statistically significant (all P<.001). Network analysis identified critical structural shifts in competence architecture: in February 2020, the core network node was T24 (emergency management of body fluid exposure; strength=1.764), whereas in August 2021 and February 2023, the core network node was T19 (acquisition of key information on emerging infectious diseases; strength=1.759 and 1.852, respectively). Network structure comparisons revealed significant differences between February 2020 and August 2021 (P=.01) and between February 2020 and February 2023 (P=.01), whereas the difference between August 2021 and February 2023 was not significant (P=.07).

Despite accumulated pandemic experience, nurses' infectious disease response competence declined substantially, indicating systemic fragility during prolonged crises. However, this experience reshaped competence architecture, evolving from technical infection prevention toward higher-order competence in information integration and clinical decision-making under uncertainty. To rebuild resilience, phase-specific training programs are essential: early-phase training emphasizes infection prevention, whereas prolonged outbreaks focus on information identification and decision support. Additionally, standardized information platforms and psychological support are essential to manage ongoing pandemic pressures.

There have been rapid advances in nucleoside-modified messenger RNA-based vaccines, particularly during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, demonstrating a rapid and cost-effective approach for addressing infectious diseases. A major challenge remains in developing a delivery system that protects mRNA from degradation and facilitates its passage through tissue and cellular barriers. Current four-component lipid nanoparticles enable efficient endosomal escape and are a pivotal technology for the delivery of mRNA vaccines. However, challenges such as stability, availability, durability, and adverse effects persist. We have developed a self-assembling one-component ionizable amphiphilic Janus dendrimers (IAJD) delivery system with naturally occurring amino heads, capable of efficiently delivering mRNA to the spleen and lymph nodes. This single-component system simplifies synthesis, reduces development complexity, and enables rapid global distribution of mRNA vaccines during pandemics. As a proof of concept, one-component IAJD97, formulated with mRNA encoding norovirus mRNA capsid protein, demonstrates the potential of IAJDs as efficient delivery platform for mRNA vaccines, advancing their effectiveness and expanding applications to improve public health outcomes.

Wheezing episodes are common in childhood and can occur due to different health conditions. Globally, Indigenous children are particularly affected, with a high burden of respiratory diseases related to socioeconomic inequalities, demographic characteristics, and exposure to environmental risks.

We summarize the knowledge available in the global literature on the determinants of wheezing in Indigenous children and adolescents and develop a theoretical model for analyzing them in Indigenous Brazilian children.

Systematic review conducted under the PRISMA 2020 criteria for studies, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023395661). The Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS databases were searched until September 2024. The inclusion criterion was analytical observational studies that showed risk factors for wheezing in children and adolescents (0-19 years). Studies that did not show specific results in the age group of interest, even if they included children and adolescents in their samples, book chapters, conference annals, or outcomes associated with chronic lung disease complications were excluded. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Seventeen of the 263 analyzed studies were included in this systematic review, with a total of 139,783 participants. The most common design was cross-sectional (76.5%); most studies were conducted in North America (76.5%). Asthma was the most common type of wheezing episodes (88.2%). Male patients showed a more significant association with wheezing outcomes. Wheezing, when combined with asthma, was directly associated with age and inversely associated with age when accompanied by cold.

We identified three main factors for wheezing in Indigenous children and adolescents: Environmental (tobacco smoke, indoor pollution, and housing), socioeconomic (income, healthcare, and residence), and biological/clinical (sex, birth weight, infections, and allergies). We propose a model to analyze these factors in Indigenous Brazilian children. Differences in definitions, reliance on numerous cross-sectional studies, and focus on North America limit the generalizability of the results. Standardized methods and studies in new regions, particularly Brazil, are necessary for testing and refine this model.

The COVID-19 pandemic and intensifying climate-related disasters have highlighted the necessity of integrating psychosocial health and disaster risk management strategies. In the post-pandemic context, it is important to understand the psychosocial vulnerability factors that exacerbate stress and depression in order to inform interventions that enhance resilience during disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. Self-reported stress and depression were evaluated to assess risk and protective factors using questionnaires that were completed by 340 out of 446 participants in Durán, Ecuador in 2021. Considering social vulnerability factors of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity at individual and urban levels, this study applied Kendall's tau and odds ratio analyses to explore associations between stress and depression, identifying risks and protective factors within the sample population. Women (68.5%) self-reported to be vulnerable to moderate stress (67.8%) and mild depression (29.6%). There was a positive association between stress and depression levels (0.42, p: < 0.02). Odds ratio indicated adults experienced moderately severe stress, while those who were in domestic partnership had a 20% reduced risk of stress. Participants living in collective housing and rooms in tenement housing and apartments were more likely to experience higher levels of stress. Depression levels are associated with chronic illnesses (p < 0.02), residing in areas lacking paved roads (p < 0.005), without access to water (p < 0.036), and without COVID-19 vaccination (p < 0.043). The Duran study revealed the complex nature of psychosocial health, shaped by individual vulnerabilities, deficient urban infrastructure, and limited capacities of city systems. In the long-term recovery process, the integration of mental health and disaster risk management (DRM) would focus on community-engagement for preparedness, equitable access to health/mental services, inclusive urban planning, and partnerships intervention to enhance community adaptive capacity to improve resilience and promote sustainable recovery. In line with the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction (DRR), humanitarian emergencies, climate and health crises, and compound risks offer critical opportunities to advance resilience in urban and health systems by addressing structural vulnerabilities, enhancing interinstitutional coordination, and integrating mental and psychosocial health into disaster risk reduction and management strategies.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted healthcare systems, placing immense physical, emotional, and organizational strain on front line nursing staff, including registered nurses and nursing assistants. These professionals faced heightened stress due to increased virus exposure, global personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, and rapidly changing protocols. This study sought to explore the experiences of registered nurses and nursing assistants working in inpatient care during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on workplace stressors and available or recommended resources to mitigate these challenges. Despite extensive documentation of elevated stress and burnout among nurses during COVID-19, little is known about how registered nurses and nursing assistants appraised specific workplace stressors and evaluated the adequacy of available organizational resources during the pandemic. Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 registered nurses and six nursing assistants from COVID-19 and non COVID units at a large academic medical center. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman's Stress and Coping Model, the analysis identified a range of personal, interpersonal, organizational, and societal stressors. Personal stressors included long work hours, loss of loved ones to COVID-19, and feelings of isolation. Interpersonal stressors involved exposure risk, emotional strain from coworkers' stress, and shifts in bedside roles. Organizational stressors encompassed staffing shortages, changes in protocols, and being called off shifts. Societal stressors included inconsistent public health messaging and concerns about protecting vulnerable family members. Participants emphasized the importance of authentic leadership and nursing-centered delivery of resources in addressing these stressors. Six key resource categories emerged: emotional support, staffing, safety, compensation, communication, and stress management. Findings highlight the critical role of nurse managers, effective communication, and staffing policies in mitigating workplace challenges. While rooted in a U.S. context, these insights may inform strategies to support nursing staff globally in future crises, reinforcing the need for tailored, sustainable approaches to front line caregiver well-being.