No abstract

The propensity of cancer cells to escape the immune system and to initiate a complex balance environment is due to its ability to utilize immune cells via associated factors, including non-tumoral components such as blood vessels, fibroblasts, cells, and signaling molecules. Collectively, these are referred to as the tumor microenvironment (TME). TME is the tumor's surrounding environment and has a crucial role in promoting tumor progression, angiogenesis, metastasis, and increasing tumor resistance to several therapies. TME's immunosuppressive factors depress the immune response after altering the metabolism of immune cells within TME. Accordingly, targeting TME with nanoparticles may be a beneficial tool to regulate and enhance the efficacy of tumor immunotherapies. Here, we review distinct structural and functional properties of immune cells within TME, tumor-associated immunosuppressive factors, and the interaction between TME and immune cells. We finish with a summary of recent findings related to novel nanoparticle strategies to target TME.

Legionnaires’ disease (LD) is a type of severe pneumonia that mainly caused by bacteria of the genus Legionella. LD bacteria reside in the water systems of facilities where lack of water exchange or flow plays a crucial role in enhancing bacterial growth. The under-recognition of the dangers of Legionella along with easing of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions and global reopening, pose a potential increased risk of developing LD. Various Legionella species can lead to legionellosis infections, including LD and Pontiac fever. Legionellosis cases is generally found in natural or artificial aquatic environments such as cooling towers, hot water tanks, or air conditioning. The bacteria elude the host’s immune responses by various strategies, including releasing effector proteins. Thus, this review provides insight into the microbiology, epidemiology, and host cell biology of L. pneumophila, as well as an emphasis on the bacterial novel survival strategies of L. pneumophila. Also, suggests taking intensive actions towards closed buildings as a potential source of bacterial infection.

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> COVID-19-related stigma is the level of stigma associated with being involved with the pandemic. It has been reported that a significant number of healthcare workers experienced anxiety, depression, stigmatization, physical violence, harassment during the COVID-19 pandemic; even the families of the healthcare workers were victims of discrimination and stigmatization. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of COVID-19-related stigma among the healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia and to assess the COVID-19-related stigma, its associated factors, and burnout correlate. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Web-based, self-administered questionnaire has been sent to healthcare workers’ official emails through the internal communication department in the targeted hospitals. It includes the COVID-19-related stigma-validated scale “E16-COVID19-S” and two questions relative to the full Maslach Burnout Inventory assessing the burnout. The required sample is 377 based on the sample size calculation with a response rate of 50%. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 407 responses were received from the targeted population. Of them, 49.4% scored high on the COVID-19-related stigma scale. The correlation between the COVID-19-related stigma and burnout was found to be moderately positive and statistically significant (rs = 0.515, <i>p</i>= &#x3c;0.001). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> It has been found that gender, workplace capacity, ever taking COVID-19 test during the pandemic had a significant impact on scoring high on the COVID-19-related stigma scale. Moreover, there is a correlation between being stigmatized during the pandemic and being burned out.