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Topic Review
Pharyngeal Patterns of Collapse in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) enables the three-dimensional and dynamic visualization of the upper airway (UA) during sleep, which is useful in selecting the best treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, particularly for surgical procedures. 
  • 1.3K
  • 12 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Black Widow Spider Tubuliform Silk
Spider silk is a high-performance fiber renowned for its extraordinary mechanical properties, rivaling steel, Kevlar, and a wide range of other natural and manmade materials.
  • 1.3K
  • 09 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Extremophilic Actinobacteria: Microbes to Medicine
Actinobacteria constitute prolific sources of novel and vital bioactive metabolites for pharmaceutical utilization. In recent years, research has focused on exploring actinobacteria that thrive in extreme conditions to unearth their beneficial bioactive compounds for natural product drug discovery. Natural products have a significant role in resolving public health issues such as antibiotic resistance and cancer. The breakthrough of new technologies has overcome the difficulties in sampling and culturing extremophiles, leading to the outpouring of more studies on actinobacteria from extreme environments. This review focuses on the diversity and bioactive potentials/medically relevant biomolecules of extremophilic actinobacteria found from various unique and extreme niches. Actinobacteria possess an excellent capability to produce various enzymes and secondary metabolites to combat harsh conditions. In particular, a few strains have displayed substantial antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), shedding light on the development of MRSA-sensitive antibiotics. Several strains exhibited other prominent bioactivities such as antifungal, anti-HIV, anticancer, and anti-inflammation. By providing an overview of the recently found extremophilic actinobacteria and their important metabolites, we hope to enhance the understanding of their potential for the medical world.
  • 1.3K
  • 17 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have great potential for applications as a drug delivery system (DDS) due to their unique properties such as large pore size, high surface area, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and stable aqueous dispersion. The MSN-mediated DDS can carry chemotherapeutic agents, optical sensors, photothermal agents, short interfering RNA (siRNA), and gene therapeutic agents. The MSN-assisted imaging techniques are applicable in cancer diagnosis. However, their synthesis via a chemical route requires toxic chemicals and is challenging, time-consuming, and energy-intensive, making the process expensive and non-viable. Fortunately, nature has provided a viable alternative material in the form of biosilica from marine resources.
  • 1.3K
  • 09 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Dipsogenic Diabetes Insipidus
Dipsogenic diabetes insipidus (DDI) is a subtype of primary polydipsia (PP), which occurs mostly in healthy people without psychiatric disease. 
  • 1.3K
  • 28 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Proline Isomerization in Human Disease
Proline isomerization influences protein folding and function tremendously and serves as a unique type of post-translational modification that regulates multiple biological pathways. Although impactful, the importance and prevalence of proline isomerization as a regulation mechanism in biological systems has not been fully understood or recognized. 
  • 1.3K
  • 21 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate is the most abundant macronutrient in the human diet, providing 45–70% of daily calories.
  • 1.3K
  • 13 May 2021
Topic Review
Encapsulins—Bacterial Protein Nanocompartments
Recently, a new class of prokaryotic compartments, collectively called encapsulins or protein nanocompartments, has been discovered. The shell proteins of these structures self-organize to form icosahedral compartments with a diameter of 25–42 nm, while one or more cargo proteins with various functions can be encapsulated in the nanocompartment. Non-native cargo proteins can be loaded into nanocompartments and the surface of the shells can be further functionalized, which allows for developing targeted drug delivery systems or using encapsulins as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. Since the genes encoding encapsulins can be integrated into the cell genome, encapsulins are attractive for investigation in various scientific fields, including biomedicine and nanotechnology.
  • 1.3K
  • 12 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Fungi and Climate Change
With the over 2000 marine fungi and fungal-like organisms documented so far, some have adapted fully to life in the sea, while some have the ability to tolerate environmental conditions in the marine milieu. These organisms have evolved various mechanisms for growth in the marine environment, especially against salinity gradients. Marine, freshwater and terrestrial fungi and fungal-like organisms vary greatly in their response to salinity. Generally, terrestrial and freshwater fungi grow, germinate and sporulate better at lower salinities, while marine fungi do so over a wide range of salinities. Zoosporic fungal-like organisms are more sensitive to salinity than true fungi, especially Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Labyrinthulomycota and marine Oomycota are more salinity tolerant than saprolegniaceous organisms in terms of growth and reproduction. Wide adaptability to saline conditions in marine or marine-related habitats requires mechanisms for maintaining accumulation of ions in the vacuoles, the exclusion of high levels of sodium chloride, the maintenance of turgor in the mycelium, optimal growth at alkaline pH, a broad temperature growth range from polar to tropical waters, and growth at depths and often under anoxic conditions, and these properties may allow marine fungi to positively respond to the challenges that climate change will bring.
  • 1.3K
  • 21 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Selenium Nanoparticles in Aquaculture
Balanced aquafeed is the key factor for enhancing the productivity of aquatic animals. In this context, aquatic animals require optimal amounts of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The original plant and animals’ ingredients in the basal diets are insufficient to provide aquafeed with suitable amounts of minerals. Concurrently, elements should be incorporated in aquafeed in optimal doses, which differ based on the basal diets’ species, age, size, and composition. Selenium is one of the essential trace elements involved in various metabolic, biological, and physiological functions. Se acts as a precursor for antioxidative enzyme synthesis leading to high total antioxidative capacity. Further, Se can enhance the immune response and the tolerance of aquatic animals to infectious diseases. Several metabolic mechanisms, such as thyroid hormone production, cytokine formation, fecundity, and DNA synthesis, require sufficient Se addition. The recent progress in the nanotechnology industry is also applied in the production of Se nanoparticles. Indeed, Se nanoparticles are elaborated as more soluble and bioavailable than the organic and non-organic forms. In aquaculture, multiple investigations have elaborated the role of Se nanoparticles on the performances and wellbeing of aquatic animals.
  • 1.3K
  • 09 Sep 2021
Topic Review
The Formation of Chronic Subdural Hematoma
Chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs) are commonly encountered in elderly individuals aged over 70 years, as they tend to be associated with brain atrophy. As the population ages worldwide, the incidence of CSDH is on the rise at an estimated rate of 1.7 to 21 per 100,000 people per year.
  • 1.3K
  • 28 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Allelopathy of Knotweeds as Invasive Plants
Perennial herbaceous Fallopia is native to East Asia, and was introduced to Europe and North America in the 19th century as an ornamental plant. Fallopia has been spreading quickly and has naturalized in many countries. It is listed in the world’s 100 worst alien species. Fallopia often forms dense monospecies stands through the interruption of the regeneration process of indigenous plant species. Allelopathy of Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), giant knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis), and Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica) has been reported to play an essential role in its invasion. The exudate from their roots and/or rhizomes, and their plant residues inhibited the germination and growth of some other plant species. These knotweeds, which are non-mycorrhizal plants, also suppressed the abundance and species richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the rhizosphere soil. Such suppression was critical for most territorial plants to form the mutualism with AMF, which enhances the nutrient and water uptake, and the tolerance against pathogens and stress conditions.
  • 1.3K
  • 31 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Salvigenin
Phytochemical analysis of the Iranian plant Achillea wilhelmsii led to the isolation of 17 pure secondary metabolites belonging to the classes of sesquiterpenoids and phenolics. Two of these compounds, named wilhemsin (7) and wilhelmsolide (9), are new sesquiterpenoids, and the first shows undescribed structural features. Their structures were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analysis, mainly based on 1D and 2D NMR, and chemical derivatization. Starting from plant traditional use and previous reports on the activity of the plant extracts, all the pure compounds were evaluated on endpoints related to the treatment of metabolic syndrome. The sesquiterpene hanphyllin (8) showed a selective cholesterol-lowering activity (−12.7% at 30 µM), santoflavone (13) stimulated glucose uptake via the GLUT transporter (+16.2% at 30 µM), while the trimethoxylated flavone salvigenin (14) showed a dual activity in decreasing lipid levels (−22.5% palmitic acid biosynthesis at 30 µM) and stimulating mitochondrial functionality (+15.4% at 30 µM). 
  • 1.2K
  • 13 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Redox-Responsive Drug Delivery Systems
With the widespread global impact of cancer on humans and the extensive side effects associated with current cancer treatments, a novel, effective, and safe treatment is needed. Redox-responsive drug delivery systems (DDSs) have emerged as a potential cancer treatment with minimal side effects and enhanced site-specific targeted delivery. 
  • 1.2K
  • 30 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Neurodegenerative Proteins in Epilepsy
Lack of disease-modifying therapy against epileptogenesis reflects the complexity of the disease pathogenesis as well as the high demand to explore novel treatment strategies. In the pursuit of developing new therapeutic strategies against epileptogenesis, neurodegenerative proteins have recently gained increased attention. Owing to the fact that neurodegenerative disease and epileptogenesis possibly share a common underlying mechanism, targeting neurodegenerative proteins against epileptogenesis might represent a promising therapeutic approach.
  • 1.2K
  • 04 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Microorganisms as a Source of Antioxidant Compounds
Microorganisms are a diverse group of microscopic organisms including archaea, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae, and viruses. Microbial diversity produces a massive pool of unique chemicals, which have become a valuable source for innovative biotechnology. Microorganisms can be used as a source of antioxidants with the advantage of fast growth under controlled conditions. 
  • 1.2K
  • 02 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Schwann Cell Involvement in Digestive System Disorders
Proper functioning of the digestive system is ensured by coordinated action of the central and peripheral nervous systems (PNS). Peripheral innervation of the digestive system can be viewed as intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic portion is mainly composed of the neurons and glia of the enteric nervous system (ENS). The extrinsic part is formed by sympathetic, parasympathetic, and sensory branches of the PNS with Schwann cells (SCs) being the chef glial cells. SCs are a crucial component of digestive tract innervation, and a great deal of research evidence highlights the important status of these glial cells in health and disease.
  • 1.2K
  • 16 May 2022
Topic Review
Angiogenesis and Inflammation in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual impairment in the aging population with a limited understanding of its pathogenesis and the number of patients are all the time increasing. AMD is classified into two main forms: dry and neovascular AMD (nAMD). Dry AMD is the most prevalent form (80–90%) of AMD cases. Neovascular AMD (10–20% of AMD cases) is treated with monthly or more sparsely given intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, but unfortunately, not all patients respond to the current treatments. A clinical hallmark of nAMD is choroidal neovascularization. The progression of AMD is initially characterized by atrophic alterations in the retinal pigment epithelium, as well as the formation of lysosomal lipofuscin and extracellular drusen deposits. Cellular damage caused by chronic oxidative stress, protein aggregation and inflammatory processes may lead to advanced geographic atrophy and/or choroidal neovascularization and fibrosis.
  • 1.2K
  • 02 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Retrotransposition of Protein Coding Genes
Retrotransposition of protein coding genes is RNA-based gene duplication leading to the creation of single exon nonfunctional copies. Nevertheless, over time, many of these duplicates acquire transcriptional capabilities. In human in most cases, these so-called retrogenes do not code for proteins but function as regulatory long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The mechanisms by which they can regulate other genes include microRNA sponging, modulation of alternative splicing, epigenetic regulation and competition for stabilizing factors, among others.
  • 1.2K
  • 19 May 2021
Topic Review
Osteoblast-Osteoclast Communication and Bone Homeostasis
Bone remodeling is tightly regulated by a cross-talk between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Osteoblasts and osteoclasts communicate with each other to regulate cellular behavior, survival and differentiation through direct cell-to-cell contact or through secretory proteins. Osteoclasts also influence osteoblast formation and differentiation through secretion of soluble factors, including S1P, SEMA4D, CTHRC1 and C3. Here the current knowledge regarding membrane bound- and soluble factors governing cross-talk between osteoblasts and osteoclasts was reviewed.
  • 1.2K
  • 16 Dec 2022
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