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Topic Review
Gene Therapy in PolyQ SCAs
Polyglutamine spinocerebellar ataxias (PolyQ SCAs) are a group of 6 rare autosomal dominant diseases, which arise from an abnormal CAG repeat expansion in the coding region of their causative gene. These neurodegenerative ataxic disorders are characterized by progressive cerebellar degeneration, which translates into progressive ataxia, the main clinical feature, often accompanied by oculomotor deficits and dysarthria. Currently, PolyQ SCAs treatment is limited only to symptomatic mitigation, and no therapy is available to stop or delay the disease progression, which culminates with death.
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Pathophysiology of Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease, with a chronic relapsing-remitting course, which affects 2–3% of the worldwide population. Psoriasis vulgaris is a common inflammatory, immune-mediated, chronic, and recurrent dermatosis, caused by the interplay between multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. The clinical feature of psoriasis is dominated by erythematous-squamous plaques which usually, but non-exclusively arise symmetrically on the extensor surfaces of the elbows and knees, scalp, lumbosacral area, and it reflects some pathogenetic mechanisms underlying psoriasis, i.e., inflammation, hyperproliferation, angiogenesis.
  • 1.2K
  • 28 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions
Adverse drug reaction (ADR) is a pressing health problem, and one of the main reasons for treatment failure with antiepileptic drugs. This has become apparent in the event of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), which can be life-threatening. Early diagnosis of SCARs that helps in the identification of the culprit drugs is important in the acute stages of the reaction. 
  • 1.2K
  • 16 May 2021
Topic Review
Folates
Folates are crucial to life, as a component and catalyst for essential biochemical reactions, particularly and especially via their central role in the metabolism of nucleotides for DNA synthesis and methylation processes involved in imprinting and epigenesis.
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Rheumatoid Arthritis Gene Therapy
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory joint disease affecting about 1% of the population worldwide. Current treatment approaches do not ensure a cure for every patient. Moreover, classical regimens are based on nontargeted systemic immune suppression and have significant side effects. Biological treatment has advanced considerably but efficacy and specificity issues remain. Gene therapy is one of the potential future directions for RA therapy, which is rapidly developing. Several gene therapy trials done so far have been of moderate success, but experimental and genetics studies have yielded novel targets. As a result, the arsenal of gene therapy tools keeps growing. Currently, both viral and nonviral delivery systems are used for RA therapy.
  • 1.2K
  • 13 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Telomerase in Brain
Telomerase is an enzyme that in its canonical function extends and maintains telomeres, the ends of chromosomes. However, telomere-independent functions are known for the telomerase protein TERT like shuttling from the nucleus to mitochondria where it decreases oxidative stress, apoptosis sensitivity and DNA damage. Recently, a protective role of TERT was found in brain where it protects neurons from stress and toxic proteins connected to neurodegenerative diseases. Telomerase activators are able to boost this protection in brain. The entry summarises our current knowledge about telomerase in the brain and highlights possible therapeutic approaches.
  • 1.2K
  • 31 May 2021
Topic Review
PIPAC
Theoretical considerations as well as comprehensive preclinical and clinical data suggest that optimizing physical parameters of intraperitoneal drug delivery might help to circumvent initial or acquired resistance of peritoneal metastasis (PM) to chemotherapy. Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC) is a novel minimally invasive drug delivery system systematically addressing the current limitations of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The rationale behind PIPAC is: (1) optimizing homogeneity of drug distribution by applying an aerosol rather than a liquid solution; (2) applying increased intraperitoneal hydrostatic pressure to counteract elevated intratumoral interstitial fluid pressure; (3) limiting blood outflow during drug application; (4) steering environmental parameters (temperature, pH, electrostatic charge etc.) in the peritoneal cavity for best tissue target effect. In addition, PIPAC allows repeated application and objective assessment of tumor response by comparing biopsies between chemotherapy cycles. 
  • 1.2K
  • 09 Aug 2021
Topic Review
NO Signaling Pathways in Aging
Nitric Oxide (NO) is a potent signaling molecule involved in the regulation of various cellular mechanisms and pathways under normal and pathological conditions. NO production, its effects, and its efficacy, are extremely sensitive to aging-related changes in the cells. 
  • 1.2K
  • 12 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Metformin in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Metformin is a synthetic biguanide that improves insulin sensitivity and reduces hepatic gluconeogenesis. Aside being the first-line therapy for Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), many pleiotropic effects have been discovered in recent years, such as its capacity to reduce cancer risk and tumorigenesis.
  • 1.2K
  • 25 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Sarcopenia and Cognitive Function
Sarcopenia is a geriatric syndrome characterized by the progressive degeneration of muscle mass and function. It is associated with cognitive impairment, defined as a decline in cognitive domains such as language, memory, reasoning, social cognition, planning, making decisions, and solving problems. Several studies have shown that skeletal muscle can regulate brain functions, including mood, learning, locomotor activity, and neuronal injury protection, showing the existence of muscle-brain crosstalk. 
  • 1.2K
  • 04 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Chronothyroidology and Chronobiology
Chronobiology is the scientific discipline which considers biological phenomena in relation to time, which assumes itself biological identity. Many physiological processes are cyclically regulated by intrinsic clocks and many pathological events show a circadian time-related occurrence. Even the pituitary–thyroid axis is under the control of a central clock, and the hormones of the pituitary–thyroid axis exhibit circadian, ultradian and circannual rhythmicity.
  • 1.2K
  • 25 May 2021
Topic Review
Antidiabetic Properties of Naringenin
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia and is associated with personal health and global economic burdens. Current strategies/approaches of insulin resistance and T2DM prevention and treatment are lacking in efficacy resulting in the need for new preventative and targeted therapies. In recent years, epidemiological studies have suggested that diets rich in vegetables and fruits are associated with health benefits including protection against insulin resistance and T2DM. Naringenin, a citrus flavanone, has been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, immunomodulatory and antidiabetic properties.
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Proteomics, Personalized Medicine and Cancer
Cancer, a major public health issue worldwide, is the second most common cause of death. Initiatives such as the Human Genome Project (HGP) and Human Proteome Project (HPP) have greatly advanced the understanding of human health and disease, including cancer, and are supporting the current trend towards personalized/precision medicine.
  • 1.2K
  • 01 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutations in Glioma
Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) are commonly observed in lower-grade glioma and secondary glioblastomas. IDH mutants confer a neomorphic enzyme activity that converts α-ketoglutarate to an oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate, which impacts cellular epigenetics and metabolism. IDH mutation establishes distinctive patterns in metabolism, cancer biology, and the therapeutic sensitivity of glioma. Thus, a deeper understanding of the roles of IDH mutations is of great value to improve the therapeutic efficacy of glioma and other malignancies that share similar genetic characteristics.
  • 1.2K
  • 25 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Bone Health in Patients with Dyslipidemias
Despite the high heterogeneity and the variable quality of evidence, dyslipidemia, mainly high TC and LDL-C and, to a lesser extent, TG concentrations, seems to be associated with low bone mass and increased fracture risk. This detrimental effect may be mediated directly through the increased oxidative stress and systemic inflammation that dyslipidemia is associated with, leading to increased osteoclastic activity and reduced bone formation, or through the atherosclerotic process, which affects bone’s vascularization. Other mechanisms, such as low estrogen, vitamin D and K status, and increased concentrations of PTH, homocysteine, and lipid oxidation products, may also contribute to this interplay. Regarding the effect of lipid-lowering therapy on bone metabolism, statins may slightly increase BMD, with a tendency to reduce fracture risk as shown in case-control and cohort studies, although available RCTs have not shown any effect of statins on fracture risk. This is also the case for omega-3 FA, whereas inconsistent or insufficient evidence exists for other commonly used lipid-lowering medications, such as ezetimibe, fibrates, and niacin. There is an exigent need for prospective, well-designed studies in males and females to elaborate on the putative association between lipids and bone strength.
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Role of Cytokine IL-37 in Modulating Inflammation
Inflammation constitutes an essential response of tissues to infection or injury. The cytokine IL-37 is a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines, otherwise known for its pivotal role in promoting inflammation. This cytokine (a former member 7 of the IL-1 family) was characterized by computational cloning, which revealed its role as a negative regulator of the cytokine IL-18, which in addition to IL-1β is the key proinflammatory cytokine of the IL-1 cytokine family. There is growing interest in the therapeutic potentials of IL-37.
  • 1.2K
  • 20 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Assertive Community Treatment
Assertive community treatment (ACT) is an intensive and highly integrated approach for community mental health service delivery. ACT teams serve individuals with the most serious forms of mental illness, predominantly but not exclusively the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. ACT service recipients may also have diagnostic profiles that include features typically found in other DSM-5 categories (for example, bipolar, depressive, anxiety, and personality disorders, among others). Many have histories of frequent psychiatric hospitalization, substance abuse, victimization and trauma, arrests and incarceration, homelessness, and additional significant challenges. The symptoms and complications of their mental illnesses have led to serious functioning difficulties in several areas of life, often including work, social relationships, residential independence, money management, and physical health and wellness. By the time they start receiving ACT services, they are likely to have experienced failure, discrimination, and stigmatization, and their hope for the future is likely to be quite low.
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis (GIOP)
In a physiological state, glucocorticoids stimulate mature osteoblasts to produce Wnt proteins functioning as signaling molecules, causing a Wnt/β-catenin cascade to be activated. This signaling cascade affects mesenchymal progenitor cells, and has a positive effect on their differentiation into osteoblasts instead of chondrocytes or adipocytes. Glucocorticoids are the most widely used anti-inflammatory drug around the world. Despite their excellent effect in managing many acute inflammatory diseases and autoimmune disorders, the usage of glucocorticoids has been limited due to substantial adverse effects. One of the most well-known side effects is osteoporosis, which further induces bone fracture and other musculoskeletal problems.
  • 1.2K
  • 18 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Intervention Strategies Using Antimicrobial Peptides
The emergence of multidrug-resistant H. pylori poses a public healthcare threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Recently, the World Health Organization has classified clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori as high priority in the research and discovery of novel antibiotics. This study was aimed to systematically review the prevalence of primary antibiotic resistance in H. pylori in Southeast Asian countries (SEAC) and to review current studies of antimicrobial peptides against H. pylori. We systematically searched through electronic databases of studies conducted on antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori in SEA countries. Furthermore, we searched articles that conducted studies on antimicrobial peptides, naturally occurring host’s defense molecules, against H. pylori. After a series of screening processes, 15 studies were included in our systematic review. Our analysis revealed that primary resistance of H. pylori to metronidazole, clarithromycin, and levofloxacin were high in SEAC, although the primary resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline remains low. Multidrug-resistant H. pylori are emerging in SE Asian countries. The antimicrobial peptides show promising antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against drug-resistant H. pylori. The research and discovery of antimicrobial peptides against H. pylori in SEAC will help in limiting the spread of antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori. 
  • 1.2K
  • 17 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Thymus Gland
The thymus gland is the chief lymphoid organ that regulates the functions of the immune and endocrine systems by controlling the levels of hormones and cytokines. The thymus gland protects against various internal and external stresses through immunoregulatory properties, nerve systems, and endocrine pathways. The thymus gland controls cell proliferation, apoptosis, hormones, and neuropeptides, as well as regulating intrathymic T cell differentiation and production of a repertoire of the T cell.
  • 1.2K
  • 26 Oct 2021
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