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Since the discovery of lanthanides, the expanding range of applications and the growing demand for lanthanides in different aspects of life have escalated their dispersion in the environment, raising concerns about their impact on the living world. This review explores the interaction between lanthanides and different groups of living organisms (bacteria, algae, lichens, plants, invertebrates, and low vertebrates), reflecting the current state of scientific knowledge. We have aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of relevant studies, highlight existing gaps, and suggest potential areas for future research to enhance the understanding of this topic.

The substantial heterogeneity exhibited by head and neck cancer (HNC), encompassing diverse cellular origins, anatomical locations, and etiological contributors, combined with the prevalent late-stage diagnosis, poses significant challenges for clinical management. Genomic sequencing endeavors have revealed extensive alterations in key signaling pathways that regulate cellular proliferation and survival. Initiatives to engineer therapies targeting these dysregulated pathways are underway, with several candidate molecules progressing to clinical evaluation phases, including FDA approval for agents like the EGFR-targeting monoclonal antibody cetuximab for K-RAS wild-type, EGFR-mutant HNSCC treatment. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), owing to their enhanced stability in biological fluids and their important roles in intracellular and intercellular signaling within HNC contexts, are now recognized as potent biomarkers for disease management, catalyzing further refined diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, edging closer to the personalized medicine desideratum. Enhanced comprehension of the genomic and immunological landscapes characteristic of HNC is anticipated to facilitate a more rigorous assessment of targeted therapies benefits and limitations, optimize their clinical deployment, and foster innovative advancements in treatment approaches. This review presents an update on the molecular mechanisms and mutational spectrum of HNC driving the oncogenesis of head and neck malignancies and explores their implications for advancing diagnostic methodologies and precision therapeutics.

The imbalance of microbial composition and diversity in favor of pathogenic microorganisms combined with a loss of beneficial gut microbiota taxa results from factors such as age, diet, antimicrobial administration for different infections, other underlying medical conditions, etc. Probiotics are known for their capacity to improve health by stimulating the indigenous gut microbiota, enhancing host immunity resistance to infection, helping digestion, and carrying out various other functions. Concurrently, the metabolites produced by these microorganisms, termed postbiotics, which include compounds like bacteriocins, lactic acid, and hydrogen peroxide, contribute to inhibiting a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. This review presents an update on using probiotics in managing and treating various human diseases, including complications that may emerge during or after a COVID-19 infection.

Mammalians sense antigenic messages from infectious agents that penetrate the respiratory and digestive epithelium, as well as signals from damaged host cells through membrane and cytosolic receptors. The transduction of these signals triggers a personalized response, depending on the nature of the stimulus and the host’s genetics, physiological condition, and comorbidities. Interferons (IFNs) are the primary effectors of the innate immune response, and their synthesis is activated in most cells within a few hours after pathogen invasion. IFNs are primarily synthesized in infected cells, but their anti-infective effect is extended to the neighboring cells by autocrine and paracrine action. The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic in 2019 was a stark reminder of the potential threat posed by newly emerging viruses. This pandemic has also triggered an overwhelming influx of research studies aiming to unveil the mechanisms of protective versus pathogenic host immune responses induced by SARS‐CoV‐2. The purpose of this review is to describe the role of IFNs as vital players in the battle against SARS‐CoV-2 infection. We will briefly characterize and classify IFNs, present the inductors of IFN synthesis, their sensors, and signaling pathways, and then discuss the role of IFNs in controlling the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its clinical outcome. Finally, we will present the perspectives and controversies regarding the prophylactic and therapeutic potential of IFNs in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most common type of cancer, with more than half a million new cases annually. This review focuses on the role of oral dysbiosis and HPV infection in HNCs, presenting the involved taxons, molecular effectors and pathways, as well as the HPV-associated particularities of genetic and epigenetic changes and of the tumor microenvironment occurred in different stages of tumor development. Oral dysbiosis is associated with the evolution of HNCs, through multiple mechanisms such as inflammation, genotoxins release, modulation of the innate and acquired immune response, carcinogens and anticarcinogens production, generation of oxidative stress, induction of mutations. Thus, novel microbiome-derived biomarkers and interventions could significantly contribute to achieving the desideratum of personalized management of oncologic patients, regarding both early diagnosis and treatment. The results reported by different studies are not always congruent regarding the variations in the abundance of different taxons in HNCs. However, there is a consistent reporting of a higher abundance of Gram-negative species such as Fusobacterium, Leptotrichia, Treponema, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella, Bacteroidetes, Haemophilus, Veillonella, Pseudomonas, Enterobacterales, which are probably responsible of chronic inflammation and modulation of tumor microenvironment. Candida albicans is the dominant fungi found in oral carcinoma being also associated with shorter survival rate. Specific microbial signatures (e.g., F. nucleatum, Bacteroidetes and Peptostreptococcus) have been associated with later stages and larger tumor, suggesting their potential to be used as biomarkers for tumor stratification and prognosis. On the other hand, increased abundance of Corynebacterium, Kingella, Abiotrophia is associated with a reduced risk of HNC. Microbiome could also provide biomarkers for differentiating between oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers as well as between HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumors. Ongoing clinical trials aim to validate non-invasive tests for microbiome-derived biomarkers detection in oral and throat cancers, especially within high-risk populations. Oro-pharyngeal dysbiosis could also impact the HNCs therapy and associated side-effects of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. HPV-positive tumors harbor fewer mutations, as well as different DNA methylation pattern and tumor microenvironment. Therefore, elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by which oral microbiota and HPV infection influence the HNC initiation and progression, screening for HPV infection and vaccination against HPV, adopting a good oral hygiene, and preventing oral dysbiosis are important tools for advancing in the battle with this public health global challenge.

In the last decade, silicon-based quantum dots (SiQDs) have attracted the attention of researchers due to their unique properties for which they are used in medical applications and in vivo imaging. Detection of cytotoxic effects in vivo is essential for understanding the mechanisms of toxicity, a mandatory step before their administration to human subjects. In this context, we aimed to evaluate the in vivo hepatic and renal acute toxicity of SiQDs obtained by laser ablation. The nanoparticles were administrated at different doses (0, 1, 10, and 100 mg of QDs/kg of body weight) by intravenous injection into the caudal vein of Swiss mice. After 1, 6, 24, and 72 h, the animals were euthanatized, and liver and kidney tissues were used in further toxicity tests. The time- and dose-dependent effects of SiQDs on the antioxidant defense system of mice liver and kidney were investigated by quantifying the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase) in correlation with the morphological changes and inflammatory status in the liver and kidneys. The results showed a decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes and histopathological changes, except for superoxide dismutase, in which no significant changes were registered compared with the control. Furthermore, the immunohistochemical expression of TNF-α was significant at doses over 10 mg of QDs/kg of body weight and were still evident at 72 h after administration. Our results showed that doses under 10 mg of SiQDs/kg of b.w. did not induce hepatic and renal toxicity, providing useful information for further clinical trials.

Since the end of 2019, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally, affecting people worldwide. Patients with severe COVID-19 require intensive care unit (ICU) admission for acute respiratory failure; over 10% need noninvasive and invasive mechanical ventilation. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) severity and ventilation management determine a negative outcome and a 90-day mortality of 31%. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of superinfections in ICUs has progressively increased, especially carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB). Infections caused by A. baumannii represent a significant concern for COVID-19 patients. The data about superinfections complicating COVID-19 are scant. A significant proportion of these patients are treated with empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, which increases the risk of developing infections caused by CRAB. Finally, drugs targeting cytokines, such as IL-1 and IL-6, might also increase the risk of superinfections in patients with COVID-19. Appropriate prescription and optimized use of antimicrobials according to the principles of antimicrobial stewardship, quality diagnosis, and aggressive infection control measures may help prevent CRAB infections during this pandemic. Recommended guidelines for antimicrobial stewardship in COVID-19 patient treatment are discussed regarding the minimization of empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic use. In this mini-review, we will present the impact of CRAB infections on the outcome of patients with COVID-19 requiring ICU admission. Subsequently, we will discuss the joint efforts needed to prevent and control the A. baumannii confection in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are included in the list of the most threatening antibiotic resistance microorganisms, being responsible for often insurmountable therapeutic issues, especially in hospitalized patients and immunocompromised individuals and patients in intensive care units. The enzymatic resistance to carbapenems is encoded by different β-lactamases belonging to A, B or D Ambler class. Besides compromising the activity of last-resort antibiotics, CRE have spread from the clinical to the environmental sectors, in all geographic regions. The purpose of this review is to present present and future perspectives on CRE-associated infections treatment.

Carbapenem-resistant (CR) Gram-negative bacilli, including Enterobacteriaceae and the non-fermenters, represent the most notorious pathogens due to the high incidence of morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients in intensive care units. Carbapenem resistance is mainly associated with the production of carbapenemases, which are β-lactamases belonging to different Ambler classes (A, B, D) that can be encoded by both chromosomal and plasmid-mediated genes. These enzymes represent the most potent β-lactamases, hydrolyzing a wide variety of β-lactams, including carbapenems, cephalosporins, penicillin, and aztreonam. The major issues associated with carbapenemase production are both clinical, posing significant challenges in the treatment of healthcare-associated infections by compromising the activity of the last-resort antibiotics, and epidemiological, due to their dissemination across almost all geographic regions. An important advancement is a handful of newly launched antibiotics targeting some of the current most problematic Gram-negative pathogens, namely carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). The most appropriate antimicrobial therapy to treat CRE infections is still controversial. Combination therapy is preferred over monotherapy due to its broad-spectrum coverage, synergic activity, and low probability of selecting resistance. In this mini-review, current and future promising antibiotics that are currently under investigation for winning the war against the emerging CRE are discussed.