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Topic Review
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
Dyadic developmental psychotherapy is a psychotherapeutic treatment method for families that have children with symptoms of emotional disorders, including complex trauma and disorders of attachment. It was originally developed by Daniel Hughes as an intervention for children whose emotional distress resulted from earlier separation from familiar caregivers. Hughes cites attachment theory and particularly the work of John Bowlby as theoretical motivations for dyadic developmental psychotherapy. Dyadic developmental therapy principally involves creating a "playful, accepting, curious, and empathic" environment in which the therapist attunes to the child's "subjective experiences" and reflects this back to the child by means of eye contact, facial expressions, gestures and movements, voice tone, timing and touch, "co-regulates" emotional affect and "co-constructs" an alternative autobiographical narrative with the child. Dyadic developmental psychotherapy also makes use of cognitive-behavioral strategies. The "dyad" referred to must eventually be the parent-child dyad. The active presence of the primary caregiver is preferred but not required. A study by Arthur Becker-Weidman in 2006, which suggested that dyadic developmental therapy is more effective than the "usual treatment methods" for reactive attachment disorder and complex trauma, has been criticised by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC). According to the APSAC Taskforce Report and Reply, dyadic developmental psychotherapy does not meet the criteria for designation as "evidence based" nor provide a basis for conclusions about "usual treatment methods". A 2006 research synthesis described the approach as a "supported and acceptable" treatment, but this conclusion has also proved controversial. A 2013 review of research recommended caution about this method of therapy, arguing that it has "no support for claims of effectiveness at any level of evidence" and a questionable theoretical basis.
  • 353
  • 17 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Cholesterol Remnants
Randomized clinical trials with statins and other lipid-lowering drugs have shown the presence of a “residual cardiovascular risk” in those treated to “target” for LDL-cholesterol. This risk is mainly associated to lipid components other than LDL and in particular to remnant cholesterol (RC) and to lipoproteins rich in triglycerides in fasting and non-fasting conditions. Remnant lipoproteins and inflammation, as well as LP (a), are causally related to risk of ACVD in individuals already treated with statin therapyremnant lipoproteins and inflammation, as well as LP (a), are causally related to risk of ACVD in individuals already treated with statin therapyremnant lipoproteins and inflammation, as well as LP (a), are causally related to risk of ACVD in individuals already treated with statin therapy.
  • 353
  • 10 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Altered Pathways in Fabry Disease
Fabry disease is a rare X-linked disease characterized by deficient expression and activity of alpha-galactosidase A (α-GalA) with consequent lysosomal accumulation of glycosphingolipid in various organs. Enzyme replacement therapy is the cornerstone of the treatment of all Fabry patients, although in the long-term it fails to completely halt the disease’s progression. This suggests on one hand that the adverse outcomes cannot be justified only by the lysosomal accumulation of glycosphingolipids and on the other that additional therapies targeted at specific secondary mechanisms might contribute to halt the progression of cardiac, cerebrovascular, and renal disease that occur in Fabry patients. 
  • 353
  • 15 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Hydrolyzable Tannins' (Castanea Sativa) Mechanism of Action
Hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) deriving from chestnuts have demonstrated, through numerous studies, the ability to exert multiple beneficial effects, including antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, on the lipid metabolism and cancer cells. The latter effect is very fascinating, since different polyphenols deriving from chestnuts were able to synergistically induce the inhibition of cancerous cells through multiple pathways. Moreover, the main mechanisms by which tannins induce antioxidant functions include: the reduction in oxidative stress, the ability to scavenge free radicals, and the modulation of specific enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase. 
  • 350
  • 03 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Insulin—Low Threshold of Therapy
The global prevalence of comorbid diabetes and frailty is increasing due to increasing life expectancy. Frailty appears to be a metabolically heterogeneous condition that may affect the clinical decision making on the most appropriate glycaemic target and the choice of the most suitable hypoglycaemic agent for each individual. The metabolic profile of frailty appears to span across a spectrum that starts at an anorexic malnourished (AM) frail phenotype on one end and a sarcopenic obese (SO) phenotype on the other.
  • 346
  • 04 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Etiopathogenic Factors for Obesity
Obesity is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that represents a health risk, and it is characterized by reaching a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30 kg/m2. Obesity is a chronic disease of multifactorial etiology that involves an energy imbalance, genetic and epigenetic factors, alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, disorders of adipose tissue functioning, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and alterations in the intestinal microbiota, among others.
  • 344
  • 05 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Insulin and Transcriptional Regulation of Lipid Metabolism
There is a wide variety of kinds of lipids, and complex structures which determine the diversity and complexity of their functions. With the basic characteristic of water insolubility, lipid molecules are independent of the genetic information composed by genes to proteins, which determine the particularity of lipids in the human body, with water as the basic environment and genes to proteins as the genetic system. After the well-studied PI3K-AKT pathway, insulin affects fat synthesis by controlling the activity and production of various transcription factors.
  • 343
  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Biological Links between Aging and Frailty
The life expectancy of the global population has increased. Aging is a natural physiological process that poses major challenges in an increasingly long-lived and frail population. Several molecular mechanisms are involved in aging.
  • 342
  • 15 Mar 2023
Topic Review
The Global Medicines Agency Charter
The charter of the Global Medicines Agency (GMA) is based on learning from the working of these agencies to enable reaching the goal by bringing clarity, rationality, and practicality to the registration of drugs to overcome their accessibility issues.
  • 337
  • 25 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Diagnostic Evaluation of Crush Syndrome
Crush syndrome (CS), also known as traumatic rhabdomyolysis, is a syndrome with a wide clinical spectrum; it is caused by external compression, which often occurs in earthquakes, wars, and traffic accidents, especially in large-scale disasters. A series of clinical complications caused by crush syndrome, including hyperkalemia, myoglobinuria, and, in particular, acute kidney injury (AKI), is the main cause of death in crush syndrome. The early diagnosis of crush syndrome, the correct evaluation of its severity, and accurate predictions of a poor prognosis can provide personalized suggestions for rescuers to carry out early treatments and reduce mortality. 
  • 336
  • 13 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes
The management and early treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) are essential to prevent further complications involving loss of quality of life and premature death. It is unclear whether vitamin D deficiency might be contributing to an increased T2D risk. A vast body of evidence associates vitamin D deficiency and T2D. This relationship could be mediated by the direct and indirect effects of vitamin D on glucose homeostasis such as insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, and systemic inflammation.
  • 332
  • 08 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter 2 and Kidney Function
Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are a relatively novel class of molecules named gliflozines that were originally designed to control glycemia, but over and above their effect on the glycemic metabolism, they unexpectedly improved the management of clinical conditions involving the function of the heart and kidneys. Importantly, the benefits of SGLT2i go beyond guideline-directed medical therapy, in that the drug’s metabolic effects on the kidneys and heart ameliorate the entire cardio–circulatory outcome.
  • 323
  • 20 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Inflammation in Obesity
Obesity, as a part of metabolic syndrome, represents the leading factor for disability, and is correlated with higher inflammation status, morbidity, and mortality. Biomarkers of high-level chronic inflammation are recognized as important predictors of pro-inflammatory disease. Besides the well-known pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as WBCs (white blood cells), IL-1 (interleukin-1), IL-6 (interleukin-6), TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), and hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), as well as anti-inflammatory markers, such as adiponectin and systemic inflammation, can be determined by a variety of blood tests as a largely available and inexpensive inflammatory biomarker tool.
  • 321
  • 13 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Therapeutic Strategies for Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD)
The key approach to reduce diabetic kidney disease (DKD)-mediated end-stage renal disease (ESRD)  is to prevent and delay the renal function decline, as once a fall in renal function occurs, it is difficult to regain, apart from when normoglycemic conditions are implemented for a long time, such as following pancreas transplantation. In parallel to lifestyle, glycemic and blood pressure control, all cornerstones for the prevention of DKD, the researchers outline five major treatment “pillars” that possess major renal protective properties
  • 318
  • 18 May 2023
Topic Review
Therapeutic Applications of Probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that induce health benefits to the host. Prebiotics, such as inulin and fructooligosaccharides, are nondigestible food components that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon, whereas synbiotics are a mixture of live microorganisms with substrates that are selectively utilized by host which can provide even more benefits than prebiotics alone.
  • 314
  • 25 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Vaccination Hesitancy
Vaccines are an important tool of preventive medicine. Although organized vaccination programs have saved large populations from serious infectious diseases, there is a considerable part of the population who oppose vaccinations. In particular, anti-vaccination perceptions, among travelers to countries with endemic diseases, are a major public health concern.
  • 314
  • 17 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Pulvermacher's Chain
The Pulvermacher chain, or in full as it was sold the Pulvermacher hydro-electric chain, was a type of voltaic battery sold in the second half of the 19th century for medical applications. Its chief market was amongst the numerous quack practitioners who were taking advantage of the popularity of the relatively new treatment of electrotherapy, or "electrification" as it was then known. Its unique selling point was its construction of numerous linked cells, rendering it mechanically flexible. A variant intended to be worn wrapped on parts of the body for long periods was known as Pulvermacher's galvanic chain or electric belt. The Pulvermacher Company attracted a great deal of antagonism from the medical community due to their use of the names of well-known physicians in their advertising without permission. The nature of their business; in selling to charlatans and promoting quack practices also made them unpopular with the medical community. Despite this, the Pulvermacher chain was widely reported as a useful source of electricity for medical and scientific purposes, even amongst the most vocal critics of the Pulvermacher Company.
  • 312
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
IL-33/IL-31 Axis in Autoimmune Disorders
Several allergic and immunologic diseases including asthma, food allergy (FA), chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), atopic dermatitis (AD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Behçet’s disease (BD) are characterized by the involvement of Th2 immunity. Several mediators lead to immunoglobulin (Ig)E production, thus including key cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Among them, IL-31 and IL-33 have been recently studied as novel biomarkers and future therapeutic targets for allergic and immunological disorders. IL-31 is a proinflammatory cytokine—it regulates cell proliferation and is involved in tissue remodeling. IL-33, acting through its receptor suppression of tumorigenity (ST2L), is an alarmin cytokine from the IL-1 family, whose expression is mediated by tissue damage. The latter has a pleiotropic effect, as it may modulate specific and innate immune cells functions.
  • 312
  • 01 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Use of 3D Spheroid Models in Different Cancers
Advanced tissue engineering processes and regenerative medicine provide modern strategies for fabricating three-dimensional (3D) spheroids. Several different 3D cancer models are being developed to study a variety of cancers. Three-dimensional spheroids can correctly replicate some features of solid tumors (such as the secretion of soluble mediators, drug resistance mechanisms, gene expression patterns and physiological responses) better than 2D cell cultures or animal models. Tumor spheroids are also helpful for precisely reproducing the three-dimensional organization and microenvironmental factors of tumors. Because of these unique properties, the potential of 3D cell aggregates has been emphasized, and they have been utilized in in vitro models for the detection of novel anticancer drugs. 
  • 304
  • 18 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Possible Evolutionary Origin of Alzheimer’s Disease
The enormous, 2–3-million-year evolutionary expansion of hominin neocortices to the current enormity enabled humans to take over the planet. However, there appears to have been a glitch, and it occurred without a compensatory expansion of the entorhinal cortical (EC) gateway to the hippocampal memory-encoding system needed to manage the processing of the increasing volume of neocortical data converging on it. The resulting age-dependent connectopathic glitch was unnoticed by the early short-lived populations. It has now surfaced as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in today’s long-lived populations. With advancing age, processing of the converging neocortical data by the neurons of the relatively small lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) inflicts persistent strain and high energy costs on these cells. This may result in their hyper-release of harmless Aβ1–42 monomers into the interstitial fluid, where they seed the formation of toxic amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) that initiate AD. At the core of connectopathic AD are the postsynaptic cellular prion protein (PrPC). Electrostatic binding of the negatively charged AβOs to the positively charged N-terminus of PrPC induces hyperphosphorylation of tau that destroys synapses. The spread of these accumulating AβOs from ground zero is supported by Aβ’s own production mediated by target cells’ Ca2+-sensing receptors (CaSRs).
  • 302
  • 05 Jul 2023
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