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Topic Review
HBV Reactivation in Hemato-Oncologic Patients with COVID-19
Onco-hematologic patients are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and, once infected, frequently develop COVID-19 due to the immunosuppression caused by tumor growth, chemotherapy and immunosuppressive therapy. In addition, COVID-19 has also been recognized as a further cause of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation, since its treatment includes the administration of corticosteroids and some immunosuppressive drugs.
  • 525
  • 27 May 2022
Topic Review
Naturally Acquired Antibodies against Malaria
Here, we discuss naturally acquired antibodies in malaria, and the potentially harmful or beneficial effects of them.Most studies have focused on the inhibitory effect of antibodies, but we review both the beneficial as well as the potentially harmful roles of naturally acquired antibodies, as well as autoantibodies formed in malaria. We discuss different studies that have sought to understand acquired antibody responses against P. falciparum antigens, and potential problems when different antibodies are combined such as in naturally acquired immunity.
  • 524
  • 04 Aug 2021
Topic Review
FREM1
FREM1 (Fras-related extracellular matrix 1) and its splice variant TILRR (Toll-like interleukin-1 receptor regulator) have been identified as integral components of innate immune systems. The potential involvement of FREM1 in HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus 1) acquisition was suggested by a genome-wide SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) analysis of HIV-1 resistant and susceptible sex workers enrolled in the Pumwani sex worker cohort (PSWC) in Nairobi, Kenya.
  • 523
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Synthetic mRNAs
The structure of synthetic mRNAs as used in vaccination against cancer and infectious diseases contain specifically designed caps followed by sequences of the 5′ untranslated repeats of β-globin gene. The strategy for successful design of synthetic mRNAs by chemically modifying their caps aims to increase resistance to the enzymatic deccapping complex, offer a higher affinity for binding to the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (elF4E) protein and enforce increased translation of their encoded proteins. However, the cellular homeostasis is finely balanced and obeys to specific laws of thermodynamics conferring balance between complexity and growth rate in evolution. An overwhelming and forced translation even under alarming conditions of the cell during a concurrent viral infection, or when molecular pathways are trying to circumvent precursor events that lead to autoimmunity and cancer, may cause the recipient cells to ignore their differential sensitivities which are essential for keeping normal conditions. The elF4E which is a powerful RNA regulon and a potent oncogene governing cell cycle progression and proliferation at a post-transcriptional level, may then be a great contributor to disease development. This Fact Sheet underscores the basic elements from within the official text of publication to highlight the hallmarks of disease progression due to synthetic mRNAs stability structures (analogue caps, 5’ untranlslated repeats of β-globin gene and poly A tails) fundamentally used in design of all synthetic mRNAs to promote the efficiency of translation of their encoded sequences by the human cell and therefore the organism. Specific bullet points in bold mean for urgency of further toxicity evaluation studies that need to be overtaken in order to ensure for safety of mRNAs in vaccines at current stages of development.
  • 523
  • 01 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Clinical Phenotypes of COVID-19 Associated Mucormycos
Mucormycosis is a rare infection caused the members of the order Mucorales. Its prevalence ranges from 0.005 to 1.7 per million people worldwide, while in India, it reaches 14 cases per 100,000 inhabitants . During the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in mucormycosis cases has been observed, especially in India, where the Government of India portal reported 47,508 cases from 5 May 2021 to 3 August 2021. Characteristically, Samir Joshi et al. reported 160 cases of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) from April to May 2021 in the Ear, Nose, Throat Department of BJGMC-SGH hospital in India, compared with 3–8 cases of mucormycosis detected each year from 2016 to 2020.
  • 522
  • 26 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Drug Remedies and Host Cell Responses for COVID-19
In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, ongoing research has centered on minimizing viral spread either by stopping viral entry or inhibiting viral replication. Repurposing antiviral drugs, typically nucleoside analogs, has proven successful at inhibiting virus replication. 
  • 522
  • 20 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Alternatives to Antibiotics
Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) are one of the major global health challenges. In addition to developing new antibiotics to combat ARB, sensitizing ARB, or pursuing alternatives to existing antibiotics are promising options to counter antibiotic resistance.  Anti-ARB strategies include the following: (i) discovery of novel antibiotics by modification of existing antibiotics, screening of small-molecule libraries, or exploration of peculiar places; (ii) improvement in the efficacy of existing antibiotics through metabolic stimulation or by loading a novel, more efficient delivery systems; (iii) development of alternatives to conventional antibiotics such as bacteriophages and their encoded endolysins, anti-biofilm drugs, probiotics, nanomaterials, vaccines, and antibody therapies. 
  • 522
  • 12 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Microbial Natural Products and COVID-19 Infection
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused the COVID-19 infection, was discovered two and a half years ago. It caused a global pandemic, resulting in millions of deaths and substantial damage to the worldwide economy. Only a few vaccines and antiviral drugs are available to combat SARS-CoV-2. However, there has been an increase in virus-related research, including exploring new drugs and their repurposing. Since discovering penicillin, natural products, particularly those derived from microbes, have been viewed as an abundant source of lead compounds for drug discovery. 
  • 521
  • 14 Jul 2022
Topic Review
History of Infectious Diseases and Medicine
From ancient times to the present, mankind has experienced many infectious diseases, which have mutually affected the development of society and medicine: (1) Classical Western medicine pioneered by Hippocrates and Galen without the concept of infectious diseases (ancient times to 15th century); (2) traditional Western medicine expanded by the publication of printed medical books and organized medical education (16th to 18th century); (3) early modern medicine transformed by scientific research, including the discovery of pathogenic bacteria (19th century); (4) late modern medicine, suppressing bacterial infectious diseases by antibiotics and elucidating DNA structure as a basis of genetics and molecular biology (20th century, prior to the 1980s); and (5) exact medicine saving human life by in vivo visualization and scientifically verified measures (after the 1990s).
  • 521
  • 11 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Klebsiella pneumoniae vs. Non-Klebsiella pneumoniae Pyogenic Liver Abscess
Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is a common global public health problem as it contributes to 13% of intra-abdominal abscesses. With advancements in diagnostic microbiology, imaging technology, improved understanding of sepsis and critical care, and minimally invasive image-guided interventions such as percutaneous drainage (PD), clinical outcomes continue to improve; however, PLA-related mortality remains high, in the range of 10–30%. Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) is the leading causative organism for PLA, followed by Escherichia coli (EC). Klebsiella pneumoniae pyogenic liver abscess (KPPLA) is associated with DM and gas formation, possibly impacting clinical outcomes.
  • 520
  • 07 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Syndecan-4
Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants pose threats to vaccination campaigns against COVID-19. Being more transmissible than the original virus, the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 lineage, named the Delta variant, swept through the world in 2021. The mutations in the Delta’s spike protein shift the protein towards a net positive electrostatic potential. Compared to the wild-type spike, the Delta one shows a higher affinity towards heparan sulfate proteoglycans than ACE2. Cellular studies showed that syndecan-4, the syndecan isoform abundant in the lung, enhances the transmission of the Delta variant by attaching its mutated spike glycoprotein and facilitating its cellular entry. In addition to the attachment to the polyanionic heparan sulfate chains, the Delta spike’s molecular interactions with syndecan-4 also involve syndecan-4’s cell-binding domain that mediates cell-to-cell adhesion. Exogenously added heparin or syndecan-4 knockdown efficiently blocks the Delta variant’s cellular entry. A profound understanding of syndecan-4-mediated endocytosis enables the development of molecularly targeted yet simple strategies to reduce the Delta variant’s spread.
  • 518
  • 20 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Gas6/TAM Axis Involvement in COVID-19 Patients
Gas6 (growth arrest-specific gene 6) is a widely expressed vitamin K-dependent protein that is involved in many biological processes such as homeostatic regulation, inflammation and repair/fibrotic processes. It is known that it is the main ligand of TAMs, a tyrosine kinase receptor family of three members, namely MerTK, Tyro-3 and Axl, for which it displays the highest affinity. Gas6/TAM axis activation is known to be involved in modulating inflammatory responses as well as fibrotic evolution in many different pathological conditions. The Axl is a SARS-CoV-2 infection driver, the use of existing Axl inhibitors is beneficial for COVID-19 management. 
  • 518
  • 12 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Novel Heterocyclic Derivatives against SARS-CoV-2
The heterocyclic ring derivatives were evaluated for their therapeutic potentials against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, Spro, and RdRp. All the compounds reported showed excellent binding affinities with the various target proteins. Among the derivatives, compound C13 exhibits the highest binding affinity for the drug targets Spro (−10.6 kcal/mol) and RdRp (−9.5 kcal/mol), respectively. At a binding affinity of −8.8kcal/mol, the compound C15 exhibits the highest binding affinity for Mpro. The compounds interacted with the LEU A:271, LEU A:287, ASP A:289, and LEU A:272 of Mpro and the HIS A:540, PRO A:415, PHE A:486, and LEU A:370 of the Spro receptor binding motif and some active site amino acids of RdRp. The compounds also possess a favourable ADMET profile and showed no tendency towards hERG inhibition, hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, or drug-liver injury. 
  • 517
  • 17 Dec 2021
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Clinical Applications of Isothermal Diagnosis for Human Schistosomiasis
About 250 million people affected, 779 million people at risk of infection, and 440 million people with residual morbidity are globally attributable to schistosomiasis. Highly sensitive and specific, simple and fast to perform diagnostics are required for detecting trace infections, and applications in resource-poor settings and large-scale assessments. Research assessing isothermal diagnoses of S. japonicum, S. haematobium, S. mansoni, mixed infections, and schistosomal hybrids among clinical human specimens was investigated. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and combined techniques were identified. Both, LAMP and RPA reached species-dependent 100% sensitivity, and detection levels within femtogram and nanogram amounts for pure and hybridale breeds. Cross-reactivity among Schistosoma species and co-endemic pathogens was rare though research on diagnostic markers and primer optimization should continue. Operating with ready-to-use lyophilized reagents, simplified and inexpensive nucleic acid extraction, tolerability to likely inhibitors, and enzyme stability at ambient temperature is advantageous. RPA performed optimal at 35–39ºC within 5–10 minutes while LAMP operated at 61–65ºC for up to 120 minutes; properties are preferable over assays requiring expensive laboratory equipment. DNA degradation could be prevented by stabilizing substances. A limitation throughout warranting future research is the small sample size reaching a few hundred participants at the maximum. Isothermal diagnostics are highly valuable in detecting trace infections seen subsequent to chemotherapeutic treatment, and among apparently healthy individuals, both constituting likely sources of ongoing pathogen transmission. Its expansion to the vaccine field for assessing parasitological trial endpoints could be considered.
  • 517
  • 26 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines Today: Are T-cells Key Players?
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has heavily mutated since the beginning of the coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this regard, the so-called variants of concern (VOCs) feature mutations that confer increased transmissibility and evasion of antibody responses. The VOCs have caused significant spikes in COVID-19 cases, raising significant concerns about whether COVID-19 vaccines will protect against current and future variants. In this research, whereas the protection COVID-19 vaccines offer against the acquisition of infection appears compromised, the protection against severe COVID-19 is maintained. From an immunologic standpoint, this is likely underpinned by the maintenance of T-cell responses against VOCs. Therefore, the role of T-cells is essential to understanding the broader adaptive immune response to COVID-19, which has the potential to shape public policies on vaccine protocols and inform future vaccine design.
  • 516
  • 21 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics
Since life on earth developed, parasitic microbes have thrived. Increases in host numbers, or the conquest of a new species, provide an opportunity for such a pathogen to enjoy, before host defense systems kick in, a similar upsurge in reproduction. Outbreaks, caused by “endemic” pathogens, and epidemics, caused by “novel” pathogens, have thus been creating chaos and destruction since prehistorical times. To study such (pre)historic epidemics, recent advances in the ancient DNA field, applied to both archeological and historical remains, have helped tremendously to elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of pathogens.
  • 515
  • 11 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Insight into Prevention of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus) and Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) are important global pathogens which cause the sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhea and meningitis, respectively, as well as sepsis. Non-B meningococcal serogroups showed that the 4CMenB vaccine could potentially offer some level of protection against non-B meningococcal serogroups and N. gonorrhoeae. The assessment of the potential protection conferred by 4CMenB is further challenged by the fact that further studies are still needed to fully understand natural immune responses against gonococcal infections. A further limitation could be the potential differences between the protection mechanisms against N. gonorrhoeae, which causes local infections, and the protection mechanisms against N. meningitidis, which causes systemic infections.
  • 515
  • 02 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP4) on COVID-19 Physiopathology
DPP4/CD26 is a single-pass transmembrane protein with multiple functions on glycemic control, cell migration and proliferation, and the immune system, among others. It has acquired an especial relevance due to the possibility to act as a receptor or co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2, as it has been already demonstrated for other coronaviruses. The broad spectrum of functions regulated by DPP4 is performed both as a protease enzyme, as well as an interacting partner of other molecules on the cell surface. 
  • 514
  • 07 Sep 2022
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Algeria
To explore the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Algeria, a dataset comprising ninety-five genomes originating from SARS-CoV-2 sampled from Algeria and other countries worldwide, from 24 December 2019, through 4 March 2021, was thoroughly examined. 
  • 513
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Marine Antiviral Peptides
The marine environment presents a favorable avenue for potential therapeutic agents as a reservoir of new bioactive natural products. Due to their numerous potential pharmacological effects, marine-derived natural products—particularly marine peptides—have gained considerable attention. These peptides have shown a broad spectrum of biological functions, such as antimicrobial, antiviral, cytotoxic, immunomodulatory, and analgesic effects. The emergence of new virus strains and viral resistance leads to continuing efforts to develop more effective antiviral drugs.
  • 513
  • 26 Apr 2022
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