Macrophages are essential components of the immune system’s response to tumors, engaging in intricate interactions shaped by factors such as tumor type, progression, and the surrounding microenvironment. These dynamic relationships between macrophages and cancer cells have become a focal point of research, as scientists seek innovative ways to harness the immune system, including macrophages, for cancer immunotherapy. In this study, we introduce a novel model that examines the interaction between tumor and macrophage cells. We provide an in-depth analysis of the equilibrium points and their stability, as well as a thorough investigation into the solution properties of the model. Moreover, by incorporating a stochastic approach, we account for inherent randomness and fluctuations within the system, offering a more comprehensive understanding of tumor-immune dynamics. Numerical simulations further validate the model, providing key insights into how stochastic elements may influence tumor progression and immune response.

Amaç: Çalışmada sağlıklı, astımlı ve alerjik rinitli çocukların nazofaringeal bakteriyel mikrobiyotasının karşılaştırılması, hastalarda olası mikrobiyal disbiyozisin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya toplam 15 olgu alınmıştır. Olguların beşi astımlı, beşi alerjik rinitli ve beşi sağlıklı kontrol grubudur. Nazal lavaj örneklerinden 16S metagenomiks ile üst solunum yolu mikrobiyotası belirlenmiştir. Bulgular: Üst solunum yolu mikrobiyotasında en baskın şube astım hastalarında Firmucutes, sağlıklı kontrol grubu ve alerjik rinit grubunda ise Proteobacteria olarak saptanmıştır. Üst solunum yolu mikrobiyotasındaki en baskın cins ise astım hastalarında Dolosigranulum, sağlıklı kontrol grubunda Moraxella olarak saptanmıştır. Kontrol grubuyla karşılaştırıldığında astım hastalarında Moraxella cinsinin oranın azaldığı; Staphylococcus, Streptococcus ve Corynebacterium cinslerinin oranlarının arttığı belirlenmiştir. Sonuç: Sonuç olarak; çocukluk çağında üst solunum yolu mikrobiyotasının alerjik rinit ve astım patogenezini belirlemedeki rolü kesin olarak saptanamamıştır. Gruplar arası oransal fark bulunması, tüm havayolu mikrobiyomunun çalışılması durumunda olası bir farkın olabileceğini desteklemektedir.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and remains a major cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide; recent advancements in nanomedicine provide promising prospects for its treatment. Studies in the field of nanomedicine in recent years emphasize that copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) can be used as significant drug carriers in liver cancer. However, the excessive variability in their cytotoxic profiles restricts the safe use of these particles as drug delivery vehicles. Our study aimed to determine concentration ranges of CuNPs with minimal detectable effects on cellular viability and homeostasis in a liver cancer cell model. Methods: The cytotoxic potential of ~50 nm CuNPs synthesized via a chemical reduction method (NaBH₄/PVP) was evaluated in well-differentiated Huh7 and poorly differentiated Mahlavu cell lines. Results: SEM analysis revealed CuNPs with particle sizes of approximately 42–55 nm (~50 nm), while DLS measurements showed hydrodynamic diameters of 60–80 nm. Cell viability assays demonstrated that CuNPs reduced cell viability in Huh7 and Mahlavu cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Optimized concentrations at which cell viability was not significantly affected were defined as 0.04 µg/mL for Huh7 and 0.1 µg/mL for Mahlavu. At these specific doses, colony-forming capacity was not significantly affected, apoptosis was not induced in HCC cells, and cellular morphology remained preserved. Furthermore, pAKT(Ser473)/AKT signaling was not significantly altered in Mahlavu cells at the optimized concentration, whereas pAKT(Ser473) was not reliably detectable in Huh7 cells under the experimental conditions. The levels of the pro-apoptotic protein cleaved caspase-3 were not significantly altered at the optimized concentrations. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that, at optimized concentrations, CuNPs exhibit minimal intrinsic biological effects on HCC cells, supporting their further investigation as potential drug-delivery platforms for HCC.