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Topic Review Peer Reviewed
COVID-19 and Bell’s Palsy
There are various neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Recent data suggest a connection between hemifacial paralysis, or Bell’s palsy, and COVID-19. Although the etiology of Bell’s palsy is unknown, the leading proposed etiology is viral in nature. Since the onset of the pandemic, numerous studies have investigated the relationship between Bell’s palsy, COVID-19 infection, and COVID-19 vaccination. The researchers studied the current literature on the topic of COVID-19 as it relates to Bell’s palsy. 
  • 1.4K
  • 13 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Anti-Biofilm Treatments: Single and Combination Antibiotic Therapy
The public health challenge of antibacterial resistance has escalated considerably over recent decades. Of all potentially pathogenic species of bacteria those that form biofilm, complex surface-attached communities of bacteria held together by self-produced polysaccharide extracellular matrices, show heightened resistance to antibiotics. Foremost among these is Staphylococcus, in particular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA). Determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) facilitates improved treatment of S. aureus biofilm infections. Although current approaches to combination therapy, typically using an antibiotic alongside an anti-biofilm agent, can achieve successful patient outcomes, complete removal of biofilm remains extremely difficult. Ongoing research aims to develop better means to address this important clinical concern.
  • 1.3K
  • 11 May 2022
Topic Review
Pathophysiology and Clinical Assessment of DFI
In the past 30 years, diabetic foot infections (DFI) have become increasingly prevalent due to the rising incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM). Twenty percent of diabetes-related hospital admissions in the U.S. are from DFI, which is typically introduced by direct inoculation through a traumatic entry site in an insensate foot.
  • 1.3K
  • 28 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Computational Drug Design of TB
Developing new, more effective antibiotics against resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis that inhibit its essential proteins is an appealing strategy for combating the global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. Finding a compound that can target a particular cavity in a protein and interrupt its enzymatic activity is the crucial objective of drug design and discovery. Such a compound is then subjected to different tests, including clinical trials, to study its effectiveness against the pathogen in the host. In recent times, new techniques, which involve computational and analytical methods, enhanced the chances of drug development, as opposed to traditional drug design methods, which are laborious and time-consuming. The computational techniques in drug design have been improved with a new generation of software used to develop and optimize active compounds that can be used in future chemotherapeutic development to combat global tuberculosis resistance.
  • 1.3K
  • 17 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Leptospirosis Kidney Disease
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic and waterborne disease worldwide. Leptospirosis emerges as a leading cause of acute febrile illness along with hepatorenal injury in many countries, including Thailand. Although acute kidney injury in the spectrum of interstitial nephritis is a well-described characteristic in severe leptospirosis, chronic kidney disease from leptospirosis is widely discussed. Early recognition of severe leptospirosis leads to reduce morbidity and mortality. 
  • 1.3K
  • 21 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Chronic Wounds
The chronicity of wounds is affected by several contributory factors, including hormonal imbalances, cytokines, invasive microbial infections, and growth factors. More importantly, bacterial infections have been implicated as the predominant feature in most chronic wound microenvironments, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These bacteria exist in polymicrobial forms forming biofilms that afford them protection against the host’s immunity and conventional antibiotics. S. aureus biofilms are sometimes present close to the surface of chronic wounds, while P. aeruginosa biofilms appear deep within wound tissue. The recalcitrant disposition of these microbes has been implicated as one of the causalities of antimicrobial resistance.
  • 1.3K
  • 17 May 2022
Topic Review
Anti-Inflammatory and Antiviral Effects of Cannabinoids
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus made it necessary to search for new options for both causal treatment and mitigation of its symptoms. Scientists and researchers around the world are constantly looking for the best therapeutic options. These difficult circumstances have also spurred the re-examination of the potential of natural substances contained in Cannabis sativa L. Cannabinoids, apart from CB1 and CB2 receptors, may act multifacetedly through a number of other receptors, such as the GPR55, TRPV1, PPARs, 5-HT1A, adenosine and glycine receptors. The complex anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects of cannabinoids have been confirmed by interactions with various signaling pathways. Considering the fact that the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes excessive immune response and triggers an inflammatory cascade, and that cannabinoids have the ability to regulate these processes, it can be assumed that they have potential to be used in the treatment of COVID-19.
  • 1.3K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Nipah Virus
Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly lethal zoonotic paramyxovirus that emerged in Malaysia in 1998. It is a human pathogen capable of causing severe respiratory infection and encephalitis. The natural reservoir of NiV, Pteropus fruit bats, remains a continuous virus source for future outbreaks, although infection in the bats is largely asymptomatic. NiV provokes serious disease in various mammalian species.
  • 1.2K
  • 28 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Epidemiology of Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis. About 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which, if left untreated, kills about half of those affected. Typical symptoms of active TB are a chronic cough with blood-containing mucus, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. It was historically called consumption due to the weight loss. Infection of other organs can cause a wide range of symptoms. Tuberculosis is spread from one person to the next through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough, spit, speak, or sneeze. People with latent TB do not spread the disease. Active infection occurs more often in people with HIV/AIDS and in those who smoke. Diagnosis of active TB is based on chest X-rays, as well as microscopic examination and culture of body fluids. Diagnosis of latent TB relies on the tuberculin skin test (TST) or blood tests. Prevention of TB involves screening those at high risk, early detection and treatment of cases, and vaccination with the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Those at high risk include household, workplace, and social contacts of people with active TB. Treatment requires the use of multiple antibiotics over a long period of time. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem with increasing rates of multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). As of 2018, one quarter of the world's population was thought to have latent infection with TB. New infections occur in about 1% of the population each year. In 2018, there were more than 10 million cases of active TB, resulting in 1.5 million deaths and making it the number one cause of death from an infectious disease at that time. As of 2018, most TB cases occurred in the regions of South-East Asia (44%), Africa (24%) and the Western Pacific (18%), with more than 50% of cases being diagnosed in eight countries: India (27%), China (9%), Indonesia (8%), the Philippines (6%), Pakistan (6%), Nigeria (4%) and Bangladesh (4%). The number of new cases each year has decreased since 2000. About 80% of people in many Asian and African countries test positive while 5–10% of people in the United States population test positive by the tuberculin test. Tuberculosis has been present in humans since ancient times. 
  • 1.2K
  • 09 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Arboviruses as a Cause of Undifferentiated Febrile Illnesses
Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are, by definition, transmitted between vertebrate hosts by biting arthropods (mosquitoes, ticks, sandflies, midges and gnats). Some arboviral infections — notably, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever and West Nile viruses — pose a major public health threat worldwide. Many others are known or thought to lead to acute undifferentiated febrile illness (UFI), of which a significant proportion of cases are not diagnosed. In low-income countries, a diagnosis of UFI is extremely common due to the lack of pathology laboratory resources. Yet, even in high-income nations, which have adequate access to and quality of diagnostic tools, up to one third of pyrexias may be of unknown origin. It has been estimated that between 12-35% of hospitalized patients with UFI die from UFI-associated complications. In this context, identifying the contribution of hitherto less studied arboviruses as potential etiological agents of UFI and prioritizing the development and availability of diagnostic tests may greatly assist in reducing the global burden of UFI-related disease.
  • 1.2K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
COVID-19: Gender and Outcomes
The existence of differences in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection between males and females in both incidence and outcomes is well documented in the scientific literature. These differences, which are still underestimated, may have important implications in terms of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19, with significant prognostic consequences. The greater severity of the infection observed in males, even more so if they are elderly, would seem, according to current knowledge, to be due to multiple influences: immunological and endocrinological, but also genetic and behavioral.
  • 1.2K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Biofilm Prevention and Therapy: Alternatives to Standard Antibiotics
In order to combat the global health crisis of escalating antibacterial resistance, guidelines on responsible antimicrobial stewardship are urgently required. Yet, currently there is no international consensus. Tackling discrepancies that may arise when implementing novel antibiotics is critical to their longevity of use. A wide range of antibiotics previously heavily used is no longer effective due to elevated minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) doses for treatment. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop effective way to prevent biofilm from forming as well as to carefully apply alternative therapies to standard antibiotic treatments.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 May 2022
Topic Review
The Importance of Capsules in Dry Powder Inhalers
Capsule-based dry powder inhalers (cDPI) use a hard capsule that contains a powder formulation which consists of a mixture of a micronized drug and a carrier usually the lactose, known for its good lung tolerance. The capsule is either inserted into the device during manufacturer or by the patient prior to use. After perforating, opening or cut the capsule in the device, patients take a deep and rapid breath to inhale the powder, using air as the vector of drug displacement. The system is simple, relatively cheap and characterized by a lower carbon footprint than that of pressurized metered dose inhalers. 
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Dermatophyte Infections
The burden of fungal infections is not widely appreciated. Although these infections are responsible for over one million deaths annually, it is estimated that one billion people are affected by severe fungal diseases. Mycoses of nails and skin, primarily caused by fungi known as dermatophytes, are the most common fungal infections. Trichophyton rubrum appears to be the most common causative agent of dermatophytosis, followed by Trichophyton interdigitale. An estimated 25% of the world’s population suffers from dermatomycosis. Although these infections are not lethal, they compromise the quality of life of infected patients. The outcome of antidermatophytic treatments is impaired by various conditions, such as resistance and tolerance of certain dermatophyte strains.
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Clavulanic Acid
Clavulanic acid is an irreversible β-lactamase enzyme inhibitor with a weak antibacterial activity produced by the filamentous actinomycete Streptomyces clavuligerus (S. clavuligerus) and, in a lesser extent, by other streptomyces species. Clavulanic acid is typically co-formulated with broad-spectrum β‑lactam antibiotics such as amoxicillin and ticarcillin, conferring them high potential to treat infectious diseases caused by β‑lactam-resistant bacteria like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Streptococcus pneumonia.
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Spirochetes as Causative Agents of Alzheimer’s Disease
Spirochetes are bacteria that can also form biofilms, and there is increasing evidence regarding infections with specific species. Borrelia burgdorferi, and several species of treponemes are some of the most studied spirochetes regarding Alzheimer’s Disease. Spirochetes were visualized in the neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques in the brains of individuals with AD, and peptidoglycan was also located near Aβ deposits.
  • 1.1K
  • 06 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Marine Cyclic Peptides
Oceans are a rich source of structurally unique bioactive compounds from the perspective of potential therapeutic agents. Marine peptides are a particularly interesting group of secondary metabolites because of their chemistry and wide range of biological activities. Among them, cyclic peptides exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities, including against bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. Moreover, there are several examples of marine cyclic peptides revealing interesting antimicrobial activities against numerous drug-resistant bacteria and fungi, making these compounds a very promising resource in the search for novel antimicrobial agents to revert multidrug-resistance.
  • 1.1K
  • 04 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Adipocytokines Produced by Adipose Tissue
The alterations of adipocyte-derived signal mediators strongly influence the regulation of inflammation, resulting in chronic low-grade inflammation.
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Ocular Sporotrichosis
Sporotrichosis is a subacute or chronic mycosis predominant in tropical and subtropical regions. It is an infection of subcutaneous tissue caused by Sporothrix fungus species, but occasionally resulting in an extracutaneous condition, including osteoarticular, pulmonary, nervous central system, and ocular disease. Cases of ocular sporotrichosis are rare, but reports have been increasing in recent decades. Ocular infections usually occur in hyperendemic areas of sporotrichosis. For its classification, anatomic criteria are used. The clinical presentation is the infection in the ocular adnexal and intraocular infection. Ocular adnexa infections include palpebral, conjunctivitis, and infections of the lacrimal sac. Intraocular infection includes exogenous or endogenous endophthalmitis.
  • 1.1K
  • 03 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Overview of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) α, β, and γ are nuclear receptors that orchestrate the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in a variety of biological responses, such as energy metabolism and homeostasis, regulation of inflammation, cellular development, and differentiation. The many roles played by the PPAR signaling pathways indicate that PPARs may be useful targets for various human diseases.
  • 1.1K
  • 16 Mar 2023
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