One of the most important questions in microbiology nowadays, is how apparently harmless, commensal yeasts like Candida spp. can cause a rising number of infections. The occurrence of the disease requires firstly the attachment to the host cells, followed by the invasion of the tissue. The adaptability translates into a rapid ability to respond to stress factors, to take up nutrients or to multiply under different conditions. By forming complex intracellular networks such as biofilms, Candida spp. become not only more refractive to antifungal therapies but also more prone to cause disease. The inter-microbial interactions can enhance the virulence of a strain. In vivo, the fungal cells face a multitude of challenges and, as a result, they develop complex strategies serving one ultimate goal: survival. This review presents the virulence factors of the most important Candida spp., contributing to a better understanding of the onset of candidiasis and raising awareness of the highly complex interspecies interactions that can change the outcome of the disease.

There is an increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), particularly type 2 DM (T2DM), and its associated complications. T2DM is linked to insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress, which can lead to both macrovascular and microvascular complications, including peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PDN). Inflammatory processes play a key role in the development and progression of T2DM and its complications, with specific markers like C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukins (ILs), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α being associated with increased risk. Other key inflammatory markers such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) are activated under hyperglycemic and oxidative stress conditions and contribute to the aggravation of PDN by regulating inflammatory gene expression and enhancing endothelial dysfunction. Other important roles in the inflammatory processes are played by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), caveolin 1 (CAV1), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1). There is a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and PDN, highlighting the critical role of vitamin D in regulating inflammation and immune responses. The involvement of macrophages in PDN is also suspected, emphasizing their role in chronic inflammation and nerve damage in diabetic patients. Vitamin D supplementation has been found to reduce neuropathy severity, decrease inflammatory markers, and improve glycemic control. These findings suggest that addressing vitamin D deficiency could offer therapeutic benefits for PDN. These molecular pathways are critical in understanding the pathogenesis of DM complications and may offer potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets including anti-inflammatory treatments, vitamin D supplementation, macrophage phenotype modulation, and lifestyle modifications, aimed at reducing inflammation and preventing PDN. Ongoing and more extensive clinical trials with the aim of investigating anti-inflammatory agents, TNF-α inhibitors, and antioxidants are needed to advance deeper into the understanding and treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy.

Obesity and aging are associated with an inflammatory state, which represents the common background for a wide range of diseases. This study aims to explore the correlation between hsCRP, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and white blood cell count (WBC) and adipometrics (arm, waist, and hip circumferences: AC, WC, HC; total body fat mass: TBFM, visceral fat level: VFL, body mass index: BMI; waist/hip ratio: WHR; waist/height ratio: WHtR) in young and healthy adults aged 20–35 years old. The subjects were divided by BMI into the overweight/obesity (OW/OB) group and normal weight (NW) group, and by hsCRP level into Group 1 (<1 mg/L), Group 2 (≥1–2.99 mg/L), and Group 3 (≥3 mg/L). The concentration of all inflammatory biomarkers was significantly higher in the OW/OB group compared to the NW group, with the exception of IL-1β. Significant positive correlations were found between hsCRP, TNF-α, WBC, and all adipometrics; between IL-6 and WHR, WHtR, BMI, TBFM, and VFL; and between IFN-γ and HC, BMI, and TBFM. IL-1β correlates positively with WHR and VFL. In Groups 1–3, all the differences between the adipometrics showed significant differences. Subclinical inflammation persists in association with being overweight and obese in healthy young adults aged 20–35 years old.

Cutaneous metastases from internal organ cancers are diagnosed in approximately 0.2% of skin biopsies. This diagnosis can be the first sign of a previously undiagnosed malignancy with an internal organ origin. We conducted a retrospective study that included all cases of cutaneous metastases diagnosed in our hospital. A total of 25 patients were identified (14 females and 11 males). The average age of the patients included was 62.3. The most common primary cancer site was the lung for male patients, while for female patients it was the breast. In seven of our cases, cutaneous metastases were the first sign of an internal organ cancer. Common sites for cutaneous metastases in our study involved the anterior thoracic wall, the abdomen, and the scalp. Our study aims to highlight the importance of recognizing the histopathology of metastatic tumors and differentiating them from primary skin neoplasms. Immunohistochemistry is a mandatory tool for differential diagnosis in all cases, especially for patients who do not have a history of neoplasia.

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between age, the severity of erectile dysfunction (ED), and the various hormones that may influence erectile function. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2015 and December 2023. The study assessed age, sexual function using the IIEF-15 questionnaire, and the levels of total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), FSH, LH, estradiol, prolactin (PRL), and SHBG. Results: A total of 411 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 63.19 years. The vast majority (91.73%) exhibited some degree of ED. The severity of ED increases with age, ranging from 56.26 years for patients without ED to 73.12 years for those with severe ED. A statistically significant negative correlation was observed between IIEF and age, while a positive correlation was observed between IIEF and serum levels of TT and FT (p < 0.05). Age was significantly correlated with all evaluated hormones (p < 0.01), except estradiol and prolactin. Total testosterone levels progressively decreased with the increase in the severity of erectile dysfunction, from a median of 7.05 ng/mL in patients with normal erectile function to 3.56 ng/mL in those with severe symptoms, remaining above the normal minimum threshold across all groups, whereas free testosterone (FT) levels also declined progressively. All erectile dysfunction groups had median FT levels below the normal minimum threshold. FSH, LH, and SHBG showed an increase with each progressive severity of erectile dysfunction. The multivariate linear regression revealed that IIEF scores are significantly associated with age, TT, and FT levels, while FSH did not present a statistically significant association in this model. Conclusions: Age shows a significant statistical correlation with both the severity of erectile dysfunction and the levels of total testosterone, free testosterone, LH, FSH, and SHBG. Total and free testosterone levels are significantly associated with the severity of erectile dysfunction, with free testosterone median values remaining above the normal minimum threshold in all patients with erectile dysfunction. Therefore, free testosterone should be considered a routine test, alongside total testosterone. In contrast, LH, estradiol, SHBG, and prolactin do not demonstrate any statistical correlation with erectile dysfunction and should not be recommended as routine investigations.

Background and Objectives: Obesity-associated chronic low-grade inflammation supports various systemic alterations. In this descriptive study, 122 apparently healthy adults aged 20 to 35 years were voluntarily included and classified based on body mass index (BMI) as normal-weight (NW), overweight (OW), and obese (OB). This study aims to characterize peripheral blood (PB) lymphocyte (Ly) phenotypes and investigate their correlations with body composition indices (BCIs) in healthy young adults. Materials and Methods: The following BCIs were measured: waist circumference, hip circumference, height, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, total body fat mass, visceral fat level, weight, and BMI. White blood cell count (WBC), Ly absolute count, serum TNF-α, and IFN-γ were quantified. Ly subpopulations were analyzed as follows: total TLy (TTLy—CD45⁺CD3⁺), early activated TLy (EATLy—CD45⁺3⁺69⁺), total NKLy (TNKLy—CD45⁺CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁺), NK^dim (low expression of CD56⁺), NK^bright (high expression of CD56⁺), BLy (CD45⁺CD3⁻CD19⁺), T helper Ly (ThLy—CD45⁺CD3⁺CD4⁺), and T cytotoxic Ly (TcLy—CD45⁺CD3⁺CD8⁺). Results: Higher BMI has significantly higher WBC and BLy (p < 0.0001; p = 0.0085). EATLy significantly decreased from NW to OB (3.10—NW, 1.10—OW, 0.85—OB, p < 0.0001). Only EATLy exhibited significant negative correlations with all the BCIs. A significantly higher TNF-α was observed in the OW and OB groups compared to the NW group. IFN-γ increased linearly but nonsignificantly with BMI. TTLy showed a nonsignificant positive correlation with both IFN-γ and TNF-α, while EATLy showed a negative correlation, significant only for IFN-γ. NKLy subpopulations exhibited a consistent negative correlation with TNF-α, significant only for NK^dim (p = 0.0423), and a nonsignificant consistent positive correlation with IFN-γ. A nonsignificant negative correlation between age and both TNKLy (r = −0.0927) and NK^dim (r = −0.0893) cells was found, while a positive correlation was found with NK^bright (r = 0.0583). Conclusions: In conclusion, the baseline immunological profile of PB is influenced by excessive adipose tissue in healthy young adults.