Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Microbial Colonization of Stone
Colonization and deterioration of stone heritage buildings by microorganisms, especially cyanobacteria. Aesthetic, chemical and physical types of deterioration are covered. Future changes in climate will affect these processes. Seven figures illustrate various aspects and organisms involved.
  • 1.5K
  • 16 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Staphylococcus schweitzeri
The Staphylococcus aureus-related complex is formed by the Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus schweitzeri, Staphylococcus argenteus, Staphylococcus roterodami and Staphylococcus singaporensis. Within this complex, S. schweitzeri is the only species mainly found in African wildlife, but it is rarely detected as a colonizer in humans or as a contaminant of fomites. The few detections in humans are most likely spillover events after contact with wildlife. However, since S. schweitzeri can be misidentified as S. aureus using culture-based routine techniques, it is likely that S. schweitzeri is under-reported in humans. The low number of isolates in humans, though, is consistent with the fact that the pathogen has typical animal adaptation characteristics (e.g., growth kinetics, lack of immune evasion cluster and antimicrobial resistance); however, evidence from selected in vitro assays (e.g., host cell invasion, cell activation, cytotoxicity) indicate that S. schweitzeri might be as virulent as S. aureus. In this case, contact with animals colonized with S. schweitzeri could constitute a risk for zoonotic infections. 
  • 1.5K
  • 24 May 2022
Topic Review
Heat-stable Enterotoxin b
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is known to cause travelers’ diarrhea and diarrhea in farm animals. The global burden of ETEC infection is extensive and remains a major public health issue. In 2006, the World Health Organization estimated annually 400–500 million diarrheal episodes in newborns and children and 400 million in individuals 15 years or older, all ETEC related. ETEC can be characterized by its capability to produce and secrete several virulence factors, including colonization factors (adhesins) and enterotoxins. Adhesins allow for the attachment of the bacteria to intestinal epithelial cells. These can be characterized as filamentous appendages on the surface of the bacteria called fimbriae, on which adhesins can be found. The loss of these colonization factors may render the bacteria unable to colonize and cause infection. Colonization of the intestinal tract allows for specific delivery of enterotoxins which disrupt normal intestinal fluid homeostasis. ETEC enterotoxins are differentiated by their heat stability. They are classified into heat-labile (LT-I and LT-II) and heat-stable (STa and STb) enterotoxins.
  • 1.5K
  • 16 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Na+-ATPase in Protozoan Parasites
The ENA ATPases (from exitus natru: the exit of sodium), also known as Na+-ATPases, are responsible for exchanges Na+ for H+; it belongs to the P-type ATPases are structurally very similar to the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA). ENA ATPases are essential for salt tolerance and in alkaline conditions, where other transporters cannot mediate an uphill Na+ efflux. P-type ATPases are classified in subclasses like types IIA, IIB, IIC, IID, and recently, was identified the type ATP4-type ATPases, related to Na+-ATPases found in Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. In malaria, some drugs, like spiroindolones, targets PfATP4 and destroy Na+ homeostasis; these drugs are now in clinical trials. The ENA P-type (IID P-type ATPase) and ATP4-type ATPases have no structural homolog in mammalian cells, appearing only in fungi, plants, and protozoan parasites, e.g., Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania sp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Plasmodium falciparum. This exclusivity turns the Na+-ATPase a potential candidate for the biologically-based design of new therapeutic interventions; for this reason, Na+-ATPases deserves more attention.
  • 1.5K
  • 06 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Mycobacterium Avium-Intracellulare Infection
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection (MAI) is an atypical mycobacterial infection, i.e. one with nontuberculous mycobacteria or NTM, caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), which is made of two Mycobacterium species, M. avium and M. intracellulare. This infection causes respiratory illness in birds, pigs, and humans, especially in immunocompromised people. In the later stages of AIDS, it can be very severe. It usually first presents as a persistent cough. It is typically treated with a series of three antibiotics for a period of at least six months. M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. chimaera are each saprotrophic organisms present in soil and water; entry into hosts is usually via the gastrointestinal tract, but also can be via the lungs. MAC infections can cause fevers, diarrhea, malabsorption, as well as loss of appetite and weight loss, and can disseminate to the bone marrow. MAI is typically resistant to standard mycobacterial therapies.
  • 1.5K
  • 10 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Inteins in Science
Inteins are mobile genetic elements that apply standard enzymatic strategies to excise themselves post-translationally from the precursor protein via protein splicing. Since their discovery in the 1990s, recent advances in intein technology allow for them to be implemented as a modern biotechnological contrivance. Radical improvement in the structure and catalytic framework of cis- and trans-splicing inteins devised the development of engineered inteins that contribute to various efficient downstream techniques. 
  • 1.5K
  • 26 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Applications of Nanotechnology in Food & Cosmetics Preservation
Cosmetic and food products containing water are prone to contamination during the production, storage, and transit process, leading to product spoilage and degraded organoleptic characteristics. The efficient preservation of food and cosmetics is one of the most important issues the industry is facing today. The use of nanotechnology in food and cosmetics for preservation purposes offers the possibility to boost the activity of antimicrobial agents and/or promote their safer distribution into the end product upon incorporation into packaging or film constructions.
  • 1.5K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Lactic Acid Bacteria from Vagina
During the selection process of probiotics for vaginal applications, twenty-five lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from human vagina belonging to six different species were tested for antimicrobial resistance by a microdilution method. Gene-specific PCR amplifications proved the strains carry no acquired antibiotic resistance genes, except for a tet(W) gene present in two tetracycline-susceptible Bifidobacterium bifidum strains. Genome analysis of a selected set of strains showed no other acquired resistance determinants. The tet(W) of B. bifidum was inactive by the insertion of two guanine residues in the middle of the gene. Surprisingly, the inactive gene became active and functional very easily, providing resistance to tetracycline and remaining stable afterward. LAB intended to be used in health applications must be free of acquired antimicrobial resistance genes; these could be spread and transferred to human pathogens.
  • 1.5K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Pectobacterium Brasiliense
Pectobacterium brasiliense (Pbr) is a worldwide-distributed bacterial plant pathogen causing soft rot of a wide range of economically important crops.
  • 1.5K
  • 04 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Antimicrobial Peptides with Antiendotoxin
A strategy was described to design antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with enhanced salt resistance and antiendotoxin activities by linking two helical AMPs with the Ala-Gly-Pro (AGP) hinge. Among the designed peptides, KR12AGPWR6 demonstrated the best antimicrobial activities even in high salt conditions (NaCl ~300 mM) and possessed the strongest antiendotoxin activities. These activities may be related to hydrophobicity, membrane-permeability, and α-helical content of the peptide. Amino acids of the C-terminal helices were found to affect the peptide-induced permeabilization of LUVs, the α-helicity of the designed peptides under various LUVs, and the LPS aggregation and size alternation. A possible model was proposed to explain the mechanism of LPS neutralization by the designed peptides. These findings could provide a new approach for designing AMPs with enhanced salt resistance and antiendotoxin activities for potential therapeutic applications.
  • 1.5K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Nanomaterials for Wound Healing and Infection Control
Wound healing has been intensely studied in order to develop an "ideal" technique that achieves expeditious recovery and reduces scarring to the minimum, thus ensuring function preservation. The classic approach to wound management is represented by topical treatments, such as antibacterial or colloidal agents, in order to prevent infection and promote a proper wound-healing process. Nanotechnology studies submicroscopic particles (maximum diameter of 100 nm), as well as correlated phenomena. Metal nanoparticles (e.g., silver, gold, zinc) are increasingly being used in dermatology, due to their beneficial effect on accelerating wound healing, as well as treating and preventing bacterial infections. Other benefits include: ease of use, less frequent dressing changes and a constantly moist wound environment. This entry highlights recent findings regarding nanoparticle application in wound management.
  • 1.5K
  • 18 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Hydrodynamics on Microbial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation
Studying microbial adhesion and biofilm growth is crucial for understanding the physiology of sessile organisms and forming the basis for the development of novel antimicrobial materials. Fluid hydrodynamics is one of the most important factors affecting cell adhesion, as well as biofilm structure and behavior. Therefore, to simulate the relevant biofilms of different fields (environment, industry, and medicine) in the laboratory, it is of utmost importance to select an adequate biofilm platform and be able to operate it at hydrodynamic conditions that are as close as possible to those encountered in a real scenario.
  • 1.5K
  • 21 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Campylobacteriosis
Campylobacteriosis is an infection by the Campylobacter bacterium, most commonly C. jejuni. It is among the most common bacterial infections of humans, often a foodborne illness. It produces an inflammatory, sometimes bloody, diarrhea or dysentery syndrome, mostly including cramps, fever and pain.
  • 1.5K
  • 30 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Resuscitation of Viable but Nonculturable Bacteria
The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is a survival strategy for bacteria when encountered with unfavorable conditions. Under favorable environments such as nutrient supplementation, external stress elimination, or supplementation with resuscitation-promoting substances, bacteria will recover from the VBNC state, which is termed “resuscitation”.
  • 1.4K
  • 03 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Classification of Postbiotics
Postbiotics are (i) “soluble factors secreted by live bacteria, or released after bacterial lysis, such as enzymes, peptides, teichoic acids, peptidoglycan-derived muropeptides, polysaccharides, cell-surface proteins and organic acids”; (ii) “non-viable metabolites produced by microorganisms that exert biological effects on the hosts”; and (iii) “compounds produced by microorganisms, released from food components or microbial constituents, including non-viable cells that, when administered in adequate amounts, promote health and wellbeing”. A probiotic- and prebiotic-rich diet ensures an adequate supply of these vital nutrients. During the anaerobic fermentation of organic nutrients, such as prebiotics, postbiotics act as a benevolent bioactive molecule matrix. Postbiotics can be used as functional components in the food industry by offering a number of advantages, such as being added to foods that are harmful to probiotic survival. Postbiotic supplements have grown in popularity in the food, cosmetic, and healthcare industries because of their numerous health advantages. Their classification depends on various factors, including the type of microorganism, structural composition, and physiological functions. 
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Yogurt with Incorporated Probiotics
Probiotics are commonly added to yogurt to provide many health benefits for the consumer. A description is provided for some commonly used probiotics in yogurt. A GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list of probiotic bacteria that can be added to yogurt or similar types of products is provided. Additionally, prebiotics, synbiotics (combination of prebiotics and probiotics), postbiotics, paraprobiotics, and psychobiotics can be added to yogurt. Probiotic yogurt can come in various forms in addition to spoonable yogurt, and yogurt can be used as an ingredient in other food products. Many useful functional ingredients can be applied to probiotic yogurt. The safety of probiotics must be addressed, especially for critically ill patients and other susceptible populations.
  • 1.4K
  • 21 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Probiotics and Photobiomodulation
Multiple interconditioning between photobiomodulation (PBM), probiotics, and the human microbiota, their effects on the human body, and their implications for the management of viral infectious diseases is essential. Coupled complex PBM and probiotic interventions can control the microbiome, improve the activity of the immune system, and save the lives of people with immune imbalances. 
  • 1.4K
  • 20 May 2021
Topic Review
Amino-Acid Metabolism in Apicomplexan Parasites
The review covers the current knowledge on the presence of amino acid biosynthesis and uptake within the Apicomplexa phylum, focusing on human-infecting pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum. Given the complex multi-host lifecycle of these pathogens, we hypothesize that amino acids are made, rather than acquired, depending on the host niche. We summarize the stage-specificities of the biosynthesis enzymes, the role of amini acid transporters and the relevance of amino acids for parasite pathogenesis in vivo.
  • 1.4K
  • 12 Feb 2021
Topic Review
L. reuteri in Human Gut
Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (L. reuteri) is a probiotic that can colonize different human body sites, including primarily the gastrointestinal tract, but also the urinary tract, the skin, and breast milk. Literature data showed that the administration of L. reuteri can be beneficial to human health. 
  • 1.4K
  • 13 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Scalindua
"Candidatus Scalindua" is a bacterial genus, and a proposed member of the order Planctomycetes. These bacteria lack peptidoglycan in their cell wall and have a compartmentalized cytoplasm. They are ammonium oxidizing bacteria found in marine environments.
  • 1.4K
  • 25 Nov 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 52
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Reprints

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Medieval Royal Iconography
Academic Video Service
Feedback