Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a group of small (6–100 amino acids), biologically active molecules, which are produced by plants, mammals, and microorganisms (1). An important element of the innate immune response, AMP, possesses potent antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral activities. Furthermore, AMP may be involved in a number of other processes such as angiogenesis and modulation of the immune response such as stimulation of chemokines and chemotaxis of leukocytes. AMPs have been proposed as alternative therapies for infectious diseases. AMP may also exert cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. Further understanding of the biological function of these peptides during tumor development and progression may aid in the development of novel anti-tumor therapies with refined application of innate molecules. AMP and complement have distinct roles to play in shaping the microenvironment (Table 1). Components of the complement system are integral contributors in responding to infection and sterile inflammation. Moreover, complement plays a role in the trafficking of cells in the tumor microenvironment, and thereby possibly in the immune response to cancer. This article will try to outline characteristics of AMP and complement in mobilization and recruitment of cells in tumor microenvironment.

IntroductionThe tumour microenvironment is shaped by the interaction of immune, non immune, and tumour cells present in close proximity. Tumour cells direct the development of a locally immune suppressed state, affecting the activity of anti tumour T cells and preparing the escape phase of tumour development. Macrophages in the tumour typically develop into so‐called tumour associated macrophages with a distinct profile of activities which lead to a reduction in inflammation and antigen presentation. The direct impact of tumour cell conditioned medium on the activity profile of macrophages in dependence of their complement component expression has not yet been investigated.MethodsIn our in vitro study, macrophages differentiated from bone marrows of properdin deficient and wildtype mice were stimulated with conditioned medium of a syngeneic tumour cell line, B16F10, a mouse melanoma subline.ResultsIn comparison with macrophages from wildtype mice, those from congenic properdin deficient mice showed skewing towards M2 profile, encompassing mRNA expression for genes involved in arginine metabolism, production of type 2 cytokines, and relatively lower surface expression of molecules needed for antigen presentation.ConclusionsThese data suggest that properdin insufficiency promotes a tumour environment that helps the tumour evade the immune response.

Title Physiological jaundice occurs in the first week of life in newborns due to the increase in bilirubin level which in turn leads to yellowish discolouration of skin and sclera. Sever jaundice and toxic level of bilirubin can cause brain damage as bilirubin exists in the central nervous systems. Invasive blood sampling is the optimum method to measure bilirubin level; however, it is painful and stressful for the neonate, and it may cause blood loss and can lead to anaemia, especially when repeated blood tests are required. In addition, blood tests expose the infant to the risk of infections. Moreover, invasive tests are time-consuming as their results are not immediate. Due to all the problems mentioned earlier, this paper proposes a new system for jaundice detection that is based on skin colour analysis. The proposed system uses a digital camera as a colour based screening tool as it is affordable, objective, ubiquitous, and less painful to infants. Based on the analysis obtained from the captured images, jaundice was detected and estimated, opening the door for further case studies in medical applications, especially in diagnosis, monitoring patient’s health, and supplying active treatment.

Jaundice or Hyperbilirubinemia is a very common condition that affects newborns in their first few weeks of life. The main cause of jaundice is the high level of the bilirubin substance in the blood. As bilirubin is toxic to brain cells, acute bilirubin encephalopathy can occur in cases of extreme jaundice. This condition can result in brain trauma and lead to kernicterus, which causes repetitive and uncontrolled movements, a permanent upward look, and hearing loss. Thus, a timely diagnosis and treatment can help in preventing long-term damage. In this paper, a developed system based on a digital camera was proposed to diagnose and treat jaundice in newborns. The system detects jaundice and determines if the neonate needs treatment based on the analysis obtained from the real-time captured images. The treatment was achieved by using an Arduino Uno microcontroller to drive phototherapy lighting, which has proven to be an efficient treatment method for jaundice. In addition, the proposed system has the ability to send the diagnostic results to the mobile phone of the care provider. The obtained results from 20 infants inside the intensive care unit showed that the proposed system was accurate in terms of detecting jaundice, easy to implement, and affordable.