MTORopathies represent a group of neurodevelopmental disorders linked to dysregulated mTOR signaling, resulting in conditions such as tuberous sclerosis complex, focal cortical dysplasia, hemimegalencephaly, and Smith–Kingsmore Syndrome. These disorders often manifest with epilepsy, cognitive impairments, and, in some cases, structural brain anomalies. The mTOR pathway, a central regulator of cell growth and metabolism, plays a crucial role in brain development, where its hyperactivation leads to abnormal neuroplasticity, tumor formation, and heightened neuronal excitability. Current treatments primarily rely on mTOR inhibitors, such as rapamycin, which reduce seizure frequency and tumor size but fail to address underlying genetic causes. Advances in gene editing, particularly via CRISPR/Cas9, offer promising avenues for precision therapies targeting the genetic mutations driving mTORopathies. New delivery systems, including viral and non-viral vectors, aim to enhance the specificity and efficacy of these therapies, potentially transforming the management of these disorders. While gene editing holds curative potential, challenges remain concerning delivery, long-term safety, and ethical considerations. Continued research into mTOR mechanisms and innovative gene therapies may pave the way for transformative, personalized treatments for patients affected by these complex neurodevelopmental conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has posed unprecedented challenges to global health systems, particularly among vulnerable populations such as the elderly. Understanding the interplay between anthropometric markers, molecular profiles, and disease severity is crucial for effective clinical management and intervention strategies. We conducted a cohort study comprising 43 elderly COVID-19 patients admitted to São Lucas Hospital, PUCRS, Brazil. Anthropometric measurements, including calf circumference (CC) and abdominal circumference (AC), were assessed alongside molecular analyses of peripheral blood samples obtained within 48 h of hospital admission. Sociodemographic data were collected from electronic medical records for comprehensive analysis. Our findings revealed a possible relationship between overweight status, increased abdominal adiposity, and prolonged hospitalization duration, alongside heightened disease severity. We also found no significant correlations between BMI, vitamin D levels, and clinical outcomes. Elevated oxygen requirements were observed in both normal and overweight individuals, with the latter necessitating prolonged oxygen therapy. Molecular analyses revealed changes in the inflammatory profile regarding the outcome of the patients. Our study highlights the critical importance of both anthropometric and molecular markers in predicting disease severity and clinical outcomes in elderly individuals with COVID-19.

Existem diversos meios de se obter um nanocompósito com muitas variáveis para serem analisadas. Por conta disso, viu-se como uma necessidade fazer uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a produção de nanocompósitos, envolvendo matrizes poliméricas e nanotubos de carbono. O objetivo deste artigo é reunir os principais métodos, apontando pontos indispensáveis na produção dos nanocompósitos. Ademais, foram analisadas possíveis falhas nas metodologias que prejudicaram o resultado final. Este estudo foi baseado em artigos científicos, dissertações e periódicos, encontrados nas plataformas ScienceDirect, Scielo e Google Scholar. Os polímeros analisados foram o Acrilonitrila-butadieno-estireno (ABS), Polietileno de alta densidade (PEAD) e o Polipropileno (PP). A partir dessa revisão bibliográfica, verificou-se a importância do controle de algumas variáveis, como temperatura e quantidade de nanomaterial adicionado à matriz. Como projeções futuras, têm-se a necessidade da comprovação prática, produzindo os nanocompósitos poliméricos estudados e comparando-os de forma padronizada. Palavras-chave: polímeros, nanocompósitos, nanotubos de carbono.

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) has emerged as an important player in intrinsic tumor cell biology besides its canonical immune checkpoint function. Cumulative experimental data points to a role for PD-L1 in promoting and maintaining an invasive cell phenotype within different cancer cells through its interaction with mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. In this review, we summarize the main experimental data pointing to the PD-L1/mTOR interaction in tumor cell invasion capacity both in vitro and in vivo. In this crosstalk, PD-L1 expression is induced by IFN-γ/STAT1 and IL-6/STAT3 pathways, as well as mTOR activity by its upstream effectors like EGFR and other tyrosine kinase receptor ligands. Interestingly, PD-L1 itself seems to play a role in mTOR activation. In many of these models, the PD-L1 importance in cell migration capacity is evidenced by two major observations: (1) its knockout impairs cell invasion capacity and, (2) its upregulation is associated with increased cell migration and both the induction and maintenance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype markers, such as increased N-cadherin and ZEB1 and decreased E-cadherin. We also summarize the main clinical trials combining mTOR pathway inhibitors with anti-PD-L1 antibodies in different cancer types.