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Topic Review
Antibacterial Cationic Peptide Dendrimers
On the alarming scenario of the increasing antimicrobial resistance, causing a growing number of untreatable bacterial infections, we decided to report in a serie of entries, the state of the art concerning the development and application of the main types of cationic antibacterial dendrimers, proposed as unconventional options to the no longer effective traditional antibiotics. In a first recent entry, a general overview including an introduction to the topic, and sections which summarize the main types of dendrimers in existence and the main ones that have demonstrated antibacterial properties disclosed in the past decade, the main types of cationic antibacterial dendrimers have been introduced.  In particular, the PAMAM and PPI-based cationic dendrimers developed in the last decade, which showed considerable antibacterial properties, have been reviewed. In this second entry, we have provided an updated overview concerning the most studied class of antibacterial cationic dendrimers, i.e. the antimicrobial peptide ones. Significant case studies concerning the most active agents belonging to this category which have been prepared in the last decade have been reported. 
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Probiotic Endophytes for Banana
Endophytic bacteria reside in the internal tissues of the plant, establishing a strong symbiotic relationship that promotes plant growth and provides protection in exchange for a niche to carry out its life cycle. The nature of their mutualistic association depends on their location in the plant tissue, either intercellularly or intracellularly. Since they promote plant growth, increase crop yields, and afford disease resistance under harsh environmental conditions, endophytic bacteria are considered plant probiotics.
  • 1.2K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Enumeration of Brettanomyces in Wine Using Impedance
Brettanomyces bruxellensis is a wine spoilage concern in wineries around the world. In order to maintain wine quality during storage and ageing, it is imperative to control and monitor this yeast. Being a fastidious slow growing yeast, which requires 5 to 14 days of incubation for visible growth in agar plates, it is difficult to detect growth (colonies) by conventional agar plate count method. Yeast enumeration by impedance was investigated because previous research using other microorganisms has shown that it is potentially faster than plate counting. The relationship between plate counting and impedance detection times was investigated for Brettanomyces inoculated in red wine samples. A linear relationship between log plate count concentrations and impedance detection times was found. Incubation time was reduced from 120 h down to 0.9 and 57.7 h for samples with 6.7 × 10E7 and 1.8 × 10E2 cfu/mL, respectively, using the ‘indirect’ impedance method. The ‘indirect’ impedance method has the potential to be used by the wine industry to control and monitor the Brettanomyces numbers in wines.
  • 1.2K
  • 17 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Imaging of Soft-Tissue infections
Musculoskeletal soft-tissue infections include a wide range of clinical conditions that are commonly encountered in both emergency departments and non-emergency clinical settings. Since clinical signs, symptoms, and even laboratory tests can be unremarkable or non-specific, imaging plays a key role in many cases. 
  • 1.2K
  • 06 Dec 2022
Topic Review
ST2
Suppression of tumorigenicity-2 ST2 has emerged as one of the most promising biomarkers in assessing the evolution and prognosis of patients with HF. The uniqueness of ST2 is determined by its structural particularities. Its transmembrane isoform exerts cardioprotective effects, while the soluble isoform (sST2), which is detectable in serum, is associated with myocardial fibrosis and poor outcome in patients with HF.
  • 1.2K
  • 20 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Rhodococci
Rhodococci are relatively new objects of environmental and industrial biotechnologies. Their metabolic potential for biodegradation and inactivation of complex pollutants, in addition to their mechanisms of stress resistance, are far from being exhausted. However, one should be conscious that some members of this genus are pathogens, and their number is gradually expanding, which clearly limits the practical application of rhodococci.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria
It has been estimated that 100 g of bulk soil can host about 2000–4000 nematodes and this amount is increased 5-fold in the rhizosphere. A certain number of these nematodes are pathogenic for plants and cause yield and economic losses. Application of chemical nematicides is the most common method used to reduce nematode populations, but these chemicals can have a negative impact on both the environment and human health. Therefore, other more environmentally friendly methods of suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes have been proposed. Among them, the use of plant beneficial soil bacteria, behaving as biocontrol agents against nematodes, represent a potential alternative to chemicals.
  • 1.2K
  • 18 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Influenza A viral (IAV) infections are common, yet persistent as one of the major contributors towards respiratory viral diseases. With the complete eradication of IAVs seemingly impossible, IAV infections are of major public health concern globally as evident by the need for constant surveillance and vaccine renewals. This entry focuses on the innate immune response against influenza infections and in particular, the roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in this response. We first detailed the conventional methods of pathogen recognition of influenza viruses by pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs), leading to the activation of pathways involved in the anti-viral response. Predominantly, we have highlighted the roles that MAPKs (ERK, p38 and JNK) play in the activation of Type I Interferons (IFNs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines to resolve IAV infections. Taking a step further, we also looked at how highly pathogenic influenza A viruses (HPIAVs), as well as aberrant and dysfunctional signalling of the MAPK pathways may lead to a hyperactive immune response that is unwarranted, leading to the progression into acute lung injuries and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from a simple infection. Taken together, we hope that this entry may shed some light on the important roles that MAPKs play in the innate immune response towards IAV infections, and to provide important considerations when tackling this global challenge.
  • 1.2K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV)
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is an emerging TBV of the Nairoviridae family that causes serious disease that can be fatal in humans.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Infectious Agents in Celiac Disease
The ingestion of wheat gliadin (alcohol-soluble proteins, an integral part of wheat gluten) and re-lated proteins induce, in genetically predisposed individuals, celiac disease (CD), which is charac-terized by immune-mediated impairment of the small intestinal mucosa. The lifelong omission of gluten and related grain proteins, i.e., a gluten-free diet (GFD), is at present the only therapy for CD. Although a GFD usually reduces CD symptoms, it does not entirely restore the small intesti-nal mucosa to a fully healthy state. Recently, the participation of microbial components in patho-genetic mechanisms of celiac disease was suggested.
  • 1.2K
  • 17 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Long-Term Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Gut Microbiota
Obesity is a worldwide disease characterized by an excessive body fat accumulation and by the presence of a subclinical  chronic inflammatory status, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. There are multiple pharmacological and non-pharmacological (exercise or dietary interventions) therapeutic strategies to face this disease. However, when these therapies failed, bariatric surgery is the most efficient treatment for obesity. In the last few years, different research studies have demonstrated a key role of gut microbiota, defined as all the microorganisms that habit in the digestive tract, in the development and progression of obesity. For that reason, going deepen in the knowledge of the link between bariatric surgery and gut microbiota could elucidate mechanistic and therapeutic approaches.
  • 1.2K
  • 23 Nov 2021
Topic Review
The Brain-Gut-Microbiome System and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Gastrointestinal dysfunction is one of the most prevalent physiological symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A growing body of largely preclinical research suggests that dysbiotic gut microbiota may modulate brain function and social behavior, yet little is known about the mechanisms that underlie these relationships and how they may influence the pathogenesis or severity of ASD. 
  • 1.2K
  • 17 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Thymus zygis L. and Thymus willdenowii Boiss. Oils
Essential oils (EOs) are chemical products produced by odoriferous glands from a variety of plants. These essential oils have many health benefits: antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. So due to these medicinal properties, the present study was designed to analyze essential oils of Thymus zygis L. and Thymus willdenowii Boiss. for their chemical composition and biological activities. These two thyme species were collected from the region of Ifrane, Middle Atlas of Morocco. 
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Human Microbiome for Identifying Disease Diagnostic Biomarkers
The human microbiome encodes more than three million genes, outnumbering human genes by more than 100 times, while microbial cells in the human microbiota outnumber human cells by 10 times. Thus, the human microbiota and related microbiome constitute a vast source for identifying disease biomarkers and therapeutic drug targets.
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Epidemiology of Elizabethkingia spp. Infections in Southeast Asia
Elizabethkingia spp. is a ubiquitous pathogenic bacterium that has been identified as the causal agent for a variety of conditions such as meningitis, pneumonia, necrotizing fasciitis, endophthalmitis, and sepsis and is emerging as a global threat including in Southeast Asia. Elizabethkingia infections tend to be associated with high mortality rates (18.2–41%) and are mostly observed in neonates and immunocompromised patients. Difficulties in precisely identifying Elizabethkingia at the species level by traditional methods have hampered the understanding of this genus in human infections. In Southeast Asian countries, hospital outbreaks have usually been ascribed to E. meningoseptica, whereas in Singapore, E. anophelis was reported as the main Elizabethkingia spp. associated with hospital settings. Misidentification of Elizabethkingia spp. could, however, underestimate the number of cases attributed to the bacterium, as precise identification requires tools such as MALDI-TOF MS, and particularly whole-genome sequencing, which are not available in most hospital laboratories. Elizabethkingia spp. has an unusual antibiotic resistance pattern for a Gram-negative bacterium with a limited number of horizontal gene transfers, which suggests an intrinsic origin for its multidrug resistance.
  • 1.2K
  • 22 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Caseinolytic Protease Protease Families
Bacterial proteases participate in the proteolytic elimination of misfolded or aggregated proteins, carried out by members of the AAA+ protein superfamily such as Hsp100/Clp (heat shock protein-100/caseinolytic protease), Lon, and FtsH. It is estimated that the Clp and Lon families perform around 80% of cellular proteolysis in bacteria. The HSP100/Clp family of ATPases plays crucial roles in the folding, assembly, and degradation of proteins during normal growth and, mainly, under stress-inducing conditions. This family is formed by several ATPase chaperones and the peptidase ClpP (caseinolytic protease proteolytic subunit).
  • 1.2K
  • 18 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Black Fungi and Hydrocarbons
Environmental pollution with alkylbenzene hydrocarbons such as toluene is a recurring phenomenon. Their toxicity and harmful effect on people and the environment drive the search for sustainable removal techniques such as bioremediation, which is based on the microbial metabolism of xenobiotic compounds.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Novel Pathogenic Mucorales Identified by Silkworm
Mucormycosis, a rare but highly fatal infection, is caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. Due to their ubiquitous nature, reduced susceptibility to antifungals, acid tolerance, and ability to infect immunocompromised patients through rapid dissemination, these fungi have been frequently reported to infect the COVID-19 patients. In order to develop strategies to overcome mucormycosis, it is essential to understand and identify novel Mucorales present in the environment. 
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Yersiniabactin and Yersinopine
The pathogenic anaerobic bacteria Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), which is well known as the plague causative agent, has the ability to escape or inhibit innate immune system responses, which can result in host death even before the activation of adaptive responses. Yersinia pestis produces two metallophores: yersiniabactin, for iron chelation (siderophore), and an opine type metallophore called yersinopine.
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Antimicrobial Peptide against Resistant Bacteria
The emergence of bacteria resistant to conventional antibiotics is of great concern in modern medicine because it renders ineffectiveness of the current empirical antibiotic therapies. Infections caused by vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) strains represent a serious threat to global health due to their considerable morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, there is an urgent need of research and development of new antimicrobial alternatives against these bacteria. In this context, the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is considered a promising alternative therapeutic strategy to control resistant strains. Therefore, a wide number of natural, artificial, and synthetic AMPs have been evaluated against VRSA and VISA strains, with great potential for clinical application. In this regard, we aimed to present a comprehensive and systematic review of research findings on AMPs that have shown antibacterial activity against vancomycin-resistant and vancomycin-intermediate resistant strains and clinical isolates of S. aureus, discussing their classification and origin, physicochemical and structural characteristics, and possible action mechanisms. This is the first review that includes all peptides that have shown antibacterial activity against VRSA and VISA strains exclusively. 
  • 1.2K
  • 28 Jul 2021
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