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Topic Review
Hepatic LKB1 and NAFLD
Hepatic lipid droplets, expression of AR, and phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) increased in the presence of testosterone. Concurrently, the expression of LKB1, an upstream regulator of AMPK, was increased by testosterone treatment.
  • 662
  • 25 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Ivacaftor Treatment in Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare, progressive, multi-organ genetic disease. CF results from mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which lead to defective transport of chloride and sodium ions across the epithelial cell membrane of multiple organs, including the lungs, pancreas, gallbladder, intestine, and reproductive system. The recently developed CFTR modulators treat the underlying cause of CF. Ivacaftor (Kalydeco®, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, MA, USA), a small-molecule CFTR modulator, was the first approved CFTR modulator. Although clinical trials have provided valuable evidence on the safety and efficacy of ivacaftor, it is important that real-world outcomes in routine clinical practice are understood. Here, we systematically reviewed data from real-world observational studies of ivacaftor treatment in people with CF.
  • 657
  • 09 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Acyldepsipeptide Analogues for Tuberculosis Treatment
Acyldepsipeptides (ADEPs) are a new class of emerging antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are currently explored for treatment of pathogenic infections, including tuberculosis (TB). These cyclic hydrophobic peptides have a unique bacterial target to the conventional anti-TB drugs, and present a therapeutic window to overcome Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (M. tb) drug resistance. ADEPs exerts their antibacterial activity on M. tb strains through activation of the protein homeostatic regulatory protease, the caseinolytic protease (ClpP1P2). ClpP1P2 is normally regulated and activated by the ClpP-ATPases to degrade misfolded and toxic peptides and/or short proteins. ADEPs bind and dysregulate all the homeostatic capabilities of ClpP1P2 while inducing non-selective proteolysis. The uncontrolled proteolysis leads to M. tb cell death within the host. ADEPs analogues that have been tested possess cytotoxicity and poor pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties
  • 652
  • 30 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Hyperhomocysteinemia in Adult Patients
Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a metabolic condition characterized by elevated blood homocysteine (Hcy) levels, which is implicated in various disorders, serving as a potential risk factor for serious complications.
  • 646
  • 05 Jan 2024
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.
  • 641
  • 25 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Biomarkers Tied to UVA Exposure and Melanoma
Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) is considered to be a multidimensional illness whose etiology is unknown. However, reports from Chernobyl, as well as those from the United States, have revealed an association between radiation exposure and the development of CFIDS.
  • 640
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Immunohistochemical Profile of Parathyroid Tumours
Immunohistochemistry remains an indispensable tool in diagnostic surgical pathology. In parathyroid tumours, it has four main applications: to detect (1) loss of parafibromin; (2) other manifestations of an aberrant immunophenotype hinting towards carcinoma; (3) histogenesis of a neck mass and (4) pathogenetic events, including features of tumour microenvironment and immune landscape. Parafibromin stain is mandatory to identify the new entity of parafibromin-deficient parathyroid neoplasm, defined in the WHO classification (2022).
  • 637
  • 28 Jul 2022
Topic Review
TDM of Antiseizure Medications
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antiseizure medications (ASMs) represents a valuable tool to establish an appropriate patient therapy, to collect important information about drugs’ interactions and to evaluate patient’s metabolic capabilities. In recent years, a new volumetric absorptive microsampling technique using VAMS® technology and Mitra® devices, consisting of a sampling technique for the collection of fixed-volume capillary blood, was developed. These new devices provide a new home-sampling technique for whole blood that has been spread out to simplify sample collection from finger-pricks. 
  • 630
  • 08 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Therapies for Chronic Kidney Disease-Related Protein Energy Wasting
Protein energy wasting (PEW) is a common complication both in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Of note, PEW is one of the stronger predictors of morbidity and mortality in this patient population. The pathogenesis of PEW involves several mechanisms, including anorexia, insulin resistance, acidosis and low-grade inflammation. In addition, “sterile” muscle inflammation contributes to PEW at an advanced CKD stage. Both immune and resident muscle cells can activate innate immunity; thus, they have critical roles in triggering “sterile” tissue inflammation. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) can detect endogenous danger-associated molecular patterns generated or retained in blood in uremia and induce a sterile muscle inflammatory response via NF-κB in myocytes. In addition, TLR4, though the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, links the sensing of metabolic uremic stress in muscle to the activation of pro-inflammatory cascades, which lead to the production of IL-1β and IL-18. Finally, uremia-induced accelerated cell senescence is associated with a secretory phenotype that favors fibrosis in muscle.
  • 627
  • 12 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Hereditary Angioedema (HAE)
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease caused by a genetic alteration of the SERPING1 gene and characterized by recurrent attacks of angioedema that involve the skin, and the mucosae of the gastrointestinal tract and upper airways, which significantly affect the quality of life of patients. 
  • 620
  • 23 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Dysuricemia on the Path toward Normouricemia
The disease concept of “dysuricemia” includes hyperuricemia and hypouricemia. Both influence diseases in humans. Uric acid plays dual roles in oxidative stress: it has both an anti-oxidative protective effect and a pro-oxidative and/or a harmful crystal-forming effect. Extensive research on the relationship between the serum urate (SU) level and several common disease risks show characteristic patterns that are broadly classifiable into three patterns: the “gout pattern,” “neurodegenerative disease (ND) pattern,” and “chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) pattern”. In short, “the lower, the better” is incorrect; the ideal is to maintain normouricemia, or an optimal SU level, to reduce the risks of the common diseases associated with dysuricemia.
  • 619
  • 22 Jan 2024
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.
  • 617
  • 20 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Physiological Roles of TRPM4
Transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) is a unique member of the TRPM protein family and, similarly to TRPM5, is Ca2+ sensitive and permeable for monovalent but not divalent cations. It is widely expressed in many organs and is involved in several functions; it regulates membrane potential and Ca2+ homeostasis in both excitable and non-excitable cells. 
  • 615
  • 11 Jan 2022
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.
  • 614
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Concentrative Movement Therapy
Concentrative movement therapy (CMT) is a psychotherapeutic method for group and individual therapy which is based on thought models stemming from psychodynamic psychotherapy and depth psychology. Taking as its point of departure the theory that perception is composed of sensation and experience (Viktor von Weizsäcker), CMT is interested in the conscious perception of the body in the "here and now" against the background of the individual life and learning story.
  • 612
  • 24 Oct 2022
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.
  • 595
  • 17 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance
Vitamin D seems to be involved in infections, autoimmune diseases, cardiometabolic diseases, and cancer development. The relationship between vitamin D and insulin resistance has been a topic of growing interest. Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels appear to be associated with most of the insulin resistance disorders described to date. In fact, vitamin D deficiency may be one of the factors accelerating the development of insulin resistance. Vitamin D deficiency is a common problem in the population and may be associated with the pathogenesis of diseases related to insulin resistance, such as obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome (MS) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). An important question is the identification of 25(OH)D levels capable of generating an effect on insulin resistance, glucose metabolism and to decrease the risk of developing insulin resistance related disorders.
  • 590
  • 08 Aug 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.
  • 588
  • 13 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Renal Rehabilitation
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem. In patients with CKD, exercise endurance is decreased, especially as renal dysfunction advances. This is due to the combined effects of protein-energy wasting, uremic acidosis, and inflammatory cachexia, which lead to sarcopenia and are aggravated by a sedentary lifestyle, resulting in a progressive downward spiral of deconditioning.
  • 587
  • 29 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.
  • 584
  • 04 Jul 2022
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