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Topic Review
HFE Hereditary Haemochromatosis
Hereditary haemochromatosis (or hemochromatosis) is a genetic disorder characterized by excessive intestinal absorption of dietary iron, resulting in a pathological increase in total body iron stores. Humans, like most animals, have no means to excrete excess iron. Excess iron accumulates in tissues and organs, disrupting their normal function. The most susceptible organs include the liver, adrenal glands, heart, skin, gonads, joints, and the pancreas; patients can present with cirrhosis, polyarthropathy, adrenal insufficiency, heart failure, or diabetes. The hereditary form of the disease is most common among those of Northern European ancestry, in particular those of Celtic descent. The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. Most often, the parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.
  • 1.5K
  • 26 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Microneedle Array Technology in Nanomedicine
Organic and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have shown promising outcomes in transdermal drug delivery. NPs can not only enhance the skin penetration of small/biomacromolecule therapeutic agents but also can impart control over drug release or target impaired tissue. Thanks to their unique optical, photothermal, and superparamagnetic features, NPs have been also utilized for the treatment of skin disorders, imaging, and biosensing applications. Despite the widespread transdermal applications of NPs, their delivery across the stratum corneum, which is the main skin barrier, has remained challenging. Microneedle array (MN) technology has recently revealed promising outcomes in the delivery of various formulations, especially NPs to deliver both hydrophilic and hydrophobic therapeutic agents.
  • 1.5K
  • 26 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health concern worldwide and is classified based on severity into mild, moderate, and severe. The mechanical injury in TBI leads to a metabolic and ionic imbalance, which eventually leads to excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a state of oxidative stress. To date, no drug has been approved by the food and drug administration (FDA) for the treatment of TBI. Nevertheless, it is thought that targeting the pathology mechanisms would alleviate the consequences of TBI. For that purpose, antioxidants have been considered as treatment options in TBI and were shown to have a neuroprotective effect. Of these, edaravone and mitoquinone seem to be promising. 
  • 1.5K
  • 21 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Diet and DNA Methylation
Over the past decades, DNA methylation has been proposed as a molecular mechanism underlying the positive or negative effects of diet on human health. Despite the number of studies on this topic is rapidly increasing, the relationship between dietary factors, changes in DNA methylation and health outcomes remains unclear. In this entry, we summarize the literature from observational studies which examined the association of dietary factors (nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns) with DNA methylation markers among diseased or healthy people during the lifetime.
  • 1.5K
  • 23 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Fusion Imaging (CT/MRI–CEUS) in Oncology
Fusion imaging depicts an innovative technique by which previously performed computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging can be integrated and reconstructed with advanced contrast-enhanced ultrasound using modern ultrasound devices in a real-time manner. Fusion imaging allows for complementing strengths and reducing restrictions of the combined imaging modalities. The visualization of parenchymal and tumoral microperfusion by contrast-enhanced ultrasound can be dynamically fused and assessed with images from previous cross-sectional studies and may help to decipher underlying entities of indeterminate lesions or validate suspicious morphology. The findings from our study demonstrate the benefits of fusion imaging for evaluating focal hepatic and renal lesions. The excellent safety profile, accessibility, repeatability and cost-effectiveness are advantages of fusion imaging which make it a powerful diagnostic tool for the modern radiologist. 
  • 1.5K
  • 09 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Adipose Tissue Macrophages in Obesity and Insulin Resistance
Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic that poses a severe threat to human health. Evidence suggests that many obesity comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, steatohepatitis, and cardiovascular diseases, are related to obesity-induced chronic low-grade inflammation. Macrophages are the primary immune cells involved in obesity-associated inflammation in both mice and humans. Intensive research has yielded tremendous progress in the understanding of the additional roles of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) beyond classical M1/M2 polarization in obesity and related comorbidities.
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Nosocomial Infections
Nosocomial infections (NIs) pose an increasing threat to public health. The majority of NIs are bacterial, fungal, and viral infections; however, parasites also play a considerable role in NIs, particularly in our increasingly complex healthcare environment with a growing proportion of immunocompromised patients. Moreover, parasitic infections acquired via blood transfusion or organ transplantation are more likely to have severe or fatal disease outcomes compared with the normal route of infection. Many of these infections are preventable and most are treatable, but as the awareness for parasitic NIs is low, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed, resulting not only in higher health care costs but, importantly, also in prolonged courses of disease for the patients.
  • 1.5K
  • 06 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Diagnostic Network Optimization
Diagnostics services are an essential component of healthcare systems, advancing universal health coverage and ensuring global health security, but are often unavailable or under-resourced in low- and middle-income (LMIC) countries. Typically, diagnostics are delivered at various tiers of the laboratory network based on population needs, and resource and infrastructure constraints. A diagnostic network additionally incorporates screening and includes point-of-care testing that may occur outside of a laboratory in the community and clinic settings; it also emphasizes the importance of supportive network elements, including specimen referral systems, as being critical for the functioning of the diagnostic network. To date, design and planning of diagnostic networks in LMICs has largely been driven by infectious diseases such as TB and HIV, relying on manual methods and expert consensus, with a limited application of data analytics. Recently, there have been efforts to improve diagnostic network planning, including diagnostic network optimization (DNO). The DNO process involves the collection, mapping, and spatial analysis of baseline data; selection and development of scenarios to model and optimize; and lastly, implementing changes and measuring impact.
  • 1.5K
  • 18 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast type of cancer with no expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). It is a highly metastasized, heterogeneous disease that accounts for 10–15% of total breast cancer cases with a poor prognosis and high relapse rate within five years after treatment compared to non-TNBC cases. 
  • 1.5K
  • 11 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Clinical Trials Registry
A clinical trials registry is an official platform and catalog for registering a clinical trial. Some countries require clinical trials being conducted in that country to be registered; others do not require it, but often strongly encourage it. ClinicalTrials.gov, run by the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) was the first online registry for clinical trials and is the largest and most widely used today. Clinical trials are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions (e.g., drugs, diagnostics, devices, therapy protocols). The goal of a clinical trials registry is to provide increased transparency and access to clinical trials, made available to the public. Clinical trials registries are often searchable (for example, trials can be searchable by disease/indication, drug, location, etc.). Trials are registered by the pharmaceutical, biotech or medical device company (Sponsor) or by the hospital or foundation which is sponsoring the study, or by another organization, such as a contract research organization (CRO) which is running the study. There has been a push from governments and international organizations, especially since 2005, to make clinical trial information more widely available and to standardize registries and processes of registering. The World Health Organization is working toward "achieving consensus on both the minimal and the optimal operating standards for trial registration".
  • 1.5K
  • 02 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Autism and Working Memory
Autism is a variation of neural development diagnosed as impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. In this article, the word autism is used for referring to the whole range of variations on the autism spectrum, which is not uncommon. Working memory is the system that actively holds multiple pieces of transitory information in the mind, where they can be manipulated. This system has a limited capacity. Working memory is a part of the executive functions (EF), an umbrella term for cognitive processes that regulate, control, and manage other cognitive processes, for instance planning and attention.
  • 1.5K
  • 17 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Pelvic Girdle Pain
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) refers specifically to musculoskeletal pain localised to the pelvic ring and can be present at its anterior and/or posterior aspects. Causes such as trauma, infection and pregnancy have been well-established, while patients with hypermobile joints are at greater risk of developing PGP.
  • 1.5K
  • 11 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Impulse Control Disorder
Impulse-control disorder (ICD) is a class of psychiatric disorders characterized by impulsivity – failure to resist a temptation, an urge, an impulse, or the inability to not speak on a thought. Many psychiatric disorders feature impulsivity, including substance-related disorders, behavioral addictions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, conduct disorder and some mood disorders. The fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) that was published in 2013 includes a new chapter (not in DSM-IV-TR) on Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders covering disorders "characterized by problems in emotional and behavioral self-control".Five behavioral stages characterize impulsivity: an impulse, growing tension, pleasure on acting, relief from the urge and finally guilt (which may or may not arise).
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Military Sexual Trauma
As defined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, military sexual trauma (MST) are experiences of sexual assault, or repeated threatening sexual harassment that occurred while a person was in the United States Armed Forces.
  • 1.5K
  • 14 Oct 2022
Topic Review
PPARα and Ocular Dieseases
Mounting evidence suggests that peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor alpha (PPARα) activation can be a  therapeutic target for various ocular diseases including diabetic retinopathy (DR). Here we describe functions of PPARα in the eye contributing to ocular homeostasis.
  • 1.5K
  • 24 Nov 2020
Topic Review
CD47
The integrin associated protein (CD47) is a widely and moderately expressed glycoprotein in all healthy cells. Cancer cells are known to induce increased CD47 expression. Similar to cancer cells, all immune cells can upregulate their CD47 surface expression during infection. The CD47-SIRPa interaction induces an inhibitory effect on macrophages and dendritic cells (dendritic cells) while CD47-thrombospondin-signaling inhibits T cells. Therefore, the disruption of the CD47 interaction can mediate several biologic functions. Upon the blockade and knockout of CD47 reveals an immunosuppressive effect of CD47 during LCMV, influenza virus, HIV-1, mycobacterium tuberculosis, plasmodium and other bacterial pneumonia infections. 
  • 1.5K
  • 17 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Cyclospora Cayetanensis
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a coccidian protozoan that causes cyclosporiasis, a severe gastroenteric disease, especially for immunocompromised patients, children, and the elderly. The parasite is considered as an emerging organism and a major contributor of gastroenteritis worldwide. Although the global prevalence of cyclosporiasis morbidity and mortality has not been assessed, global concern has arisen since diarrheal illness and gastroenteritis significantly affect both developing and industrialized countries. In the last two decades, an increasing number of foodborne outbreaks have been associated with the consumption of fresh produce that is difficult to clean thoroughly and is consumed without processing. Investigations of these outbreaks have revealed the necessity to increase the awareness in clinicians of this infection, since this protozoan is often ignored by surveillance systems, and to establish control measures to reduce contamination of fresh produce.
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Therapeutic Approaches to Bacterial Infections
The quick spread of infectious diseases and their unpredictable consequences, in terms of human lives and economic losses, will require a change in our strategy, both at the clinical and the research level. Ultimately, we should be ready to fight against infectious diseases affecting a huge number of people in different parts of the world. This new scenario will require rapid, inexpensive diagnostic systems, applicable anywhere in the world and, preferably, without the need for specialized personnel. Also, treatments for these diseases must be versatile, easily scalable, cheap, and easy to apply. All this will only be possible with the joint support of governments, which will have to make the requirements for the approval of new therapies more flexible. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical sector must commit to prioritizing products of global interest over the most profitable ones. Extreme circumstances demand a vehement response, and any profit losses may well pay dividends going forward.
  • 1.5K
  • 05 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Smallpox Virus Retention Controversy
The smallpox virus retention controversy is a debate that has been ongoing among international scientists and other officials since smallpox was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980. It centers on whether to finally and irreversibly destroy the two last remnants of the virus that causes smallpox, which reside in government laboratories in the United States and Russia . Advocates of final destruction maintain that there is no longer any valid rationale for retaining the samples, which represent a hazard, while opponents of it maintain that the samples are needed for further research as smallpox virus may still exist in the world outside of the two labs, and thus may re-emerge, particularly as a bio-weapon.
  • 1.5K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
A pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (Including atypical autism) (PDD-NOS) is one of the four autistic disorders (AD) in the DSM-5 and also was one of the five disorders classified as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) in the DSM-IV According to the DSM-4, PDD-NOS is a diagnosis that is used for "severe or pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction and/or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and/or activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific PDD" or for several other disorders. PDD-NOS includes atypical autism, because the criteria for autistic disorder are not met, for instance because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these. Even though PDD-NOS is considered milder than typical autism, this is not always true. While some characteristics may be milder, others may be more severe.
  • 1.5K
  • 12 Dec 2022
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