Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Hemoadsorption and Antibiotics/Antifungals
The extracorporeal elimination of a pathogen or damage-associated molecular pattern via blood purification techniques is increasingly being used in patients with septic shock and other clinical conditions characterized by a life-threatening inflammatory response. The removal of these substances can be accomoplished by means of ultrafiltration or hemoadsorption. Independently from the blood putification technique used, they could also affect the clearance of antibacterial and antifungal agents with a potentially significant clinical impact.
  • 682
  • 08 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Human Monkeypox
Recently, numerous cases of monkeypox were reported from several non-endemic countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania, suggesting an unusual and alarming public health issue, particularly considering that the disease is not directly related to human or animal travels. Attention is currently being drawn to this phenomenon since more than 70% of the global population is no longer vaccinated against smallpox.
  • 678
  • 24 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Role of Deep Learning Applications in Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a naturally occurring phenomenon consisting mostly of acquired adaptative mechanisms. Antibiotic development faces economical and technical difficulties, with increased costs of research and marketing new antibiotics being some of the economic hardships. Technical difficulties include lack of equipment, infrastructure, and trained personnel in some regions. To overcome AR, international programs should be created and enforced globally. Such programs are currently developed with the aid of deep learning (DL)-constructed computer systems. DL is a subtype of machine learning (ML) that utilizes artificial neural networks (ANN). Every ANN consists of multitudinous interconnected neurons, grouped into layers, having similar functionality to biological neurons. They receive an input, process the data, and generate an output signal. In the beginning, the program’s generated predictions will be highly inaccurate. The parameters linking the neural networks (NN), namely the weights and biases, are thus far unrefined to form an appropriate processing pathway. However, the neural network architecture constantly evolves to form the correct pattern recognition.
  • 677
  • 19 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Diagnostic Approaches for Epstein–Barr Virus
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is the causative agent of many diseases including infectious mononucleosis (IM), and it is associated with different subtypes of lymphoma, sarcoma and carcinoma such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and gastric carcinoma. With the advent of improved laboratory tests for EBV, a timelier and accurate diagnosis could be made to aid better prognosis and effective treatment. For histopathological lesions, the in situ hybridization (ISH) of EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) in biopsy tissues remains the gold standard for detecting EBV.
  • 673
  • 23 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Isoniazid Preventive Therapy for Tuberculosis among HIV Patients
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV (PLWHIV). Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) prevents TB in PLWHIV, but estimates of its effects and actual implementation vary across countries. PLHIV who were on IPT, independently or simultaneously with ART, were less likely to develop TB than those without IPT. IPT interventions had a significant association with improved CD4 count and reduced all-cause mortality. IPT was less effective in people with advanced HIV infection. The major factors influencing IPT implementation and uptake were stock-outs, fear of developing isoniazid-resistant TB, patient’s refusal and non-adherence, and improper counseling and low commitment of HIV clinical care providers. IPT alone or in combination with ART significantly reduces the incidence of TB and mortality in PLHIV in Ethiopia than those without IPT. More research on safety is needed, especially on women with HIV who receive a combination of IPT and ART. 
  • 672
  • 19 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Antibiotics and Steroids on Nasal Microbiomein CRS Patients
The nasal microbiome represents the main environmental factor of the inflammatory process in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Antibiotics and steroids constitute the mainstay of CRS therapies. 
  • 672
  • 23 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Microbe-Specific Targeting by β-Lactams and Ureas
β-Lactams have been viewed as universal acylating agents of serine and cysteine enzymes of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Their use has been propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, thus broadening their application as inhibitors of viral enzymes. The urea-based drugs have been extensively studied as inhibitors of the aforementioned enzymes.
  • 671
  • 04 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Aspergillus in Lung Transplant Recipients
Fungal infections are a significant source of morbidity in the lung transplant population via direct allograft damage and predisposing patients to the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are imperative to limit allograft damage.  Aspergillus is among one of the most common sources of fungal infections in lung transplant recipients (LTR).
  • 670
  • 06 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Hyperbaric Oxygen in Restoring Host Homeostasis
Sepsis and septic shock continue to be a leading cause of death worldwide. Sepsis was previously thought to be an overwhelming, systemic, proinflammatory response to infection, which was followed by a phase of immunosuppression. New paradigms suggest that the proinflammatory and immunosuppression phases occurs simultaneously, and the pathophysiology begind the disease complex is not only explained by the pathogen’s type, load and virulence, but to a large extend also by host’s dysregulated response to infection. Many of these dysregulated host immune responses that occurs in sepsis are also targets of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment. HBO2 treatment has been shown to improve survival in clinical studies on patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections as well as experimental sepsis models. Inflammation and oxygen-sensing pathways are connected on the cellular level in a self-reinforcing and detrimental manner in inflammatory conditions, which may be interrupted when intervening with HBO2 treatment. HBO2 treatment acts to maintain homeostasis by protecting the host from collateral tissue damage during resistance to infection by reducing neutrophil extracellular traps, inhibiting neutrophil adhesion to vascular endothelium, reducing proinflammatory cytokines, and halting the Warburg effect, while also aiding the host in tolerance to infection by reducing iron-mediated injury and upregulating anti-inflammatory measures.
  • 667
  • 01 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Rapid Methods for Early Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Variants
SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) straightaway showed its tendency to mutate and adapt to the host, culminating in the emergence of variants; so it immediately became of crucial importance to be able to detect them quickly but also to be able to monitor in depth the changes on the whole genome to early identify the new possibly emerging variants.
  • 665
  • 29 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Boosters, Immunosenescence and Vaccinces of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be slowly diminishing with the passage of time with enhancement of preventive and therapeutic strategies, like social distancing, good hand washing, and use of antimicrobial mouth rinses. However, evolving clinical research and observations have resulted in additional recognized systemic manifestations, including but not necessarily limited to multiple organ dysfunction, hypercoagulation, acute lung injury, and multi-organ failure, including the kidneys and heart. These systemic complications associated with COVID-19 may have lingering effects with long haul COVID patients. Immunosenescense may limit the antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 and contribute to “breakthrough infections” despite vaccinations. Vaccines and boosters against SARS-CoV-2 and optimal systemic and oral health may prevent the spread of COVID-19 and increase survival. Current data for appropriate booster intervals is contingent on existing, recognized risk factors of vaccinated patients coupled with rate and extent of immunosenescense. 
  • 664
  • 01 Jul 2022
Topic Review
April 25: World Malaria Day
Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It primarily affects red blood cells, leading to cycles of fever, chills, and severe complications if untreated.
  • 664
  • 27 Apr 2025
Topic Review
Mast Cells against Fungal Host Defense
Mast cells take part in host defense against various microorganisms as they are numerous at the portal of infection, exert several essential mechanisms of pathogen destruction, and they express pattern recognition receptors. MCs can support immune responses to fungi and their specific constituents through initiated degranulation, synthesis and release of cytokines, chemokines, mediators, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as immune cells' recruitment, phagocytosis, or formation of extracellular DNA traps. 
  • 663
  • 06 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Heteroatom/Metal-Doped Carbon Dot-Based Image-Guided Photodynamic Therapy
Carbon nanodots (CNDs) are advanced nanomaterials with a size of 2–10 nm and are considered zero-dimensional carbonaceous materials. CNDs have received great attention in the area of cancer theranostics. 
  • 659
  • 28 Sep 2022
Topic Review
COVID-19 and Musculoskeletal Dysfunction
Although coronaviral infections are mainly linked to respiratory symptoms, skeletal-related risks and complications are also identified.
  • 656
  • 07 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Ocular Manifestations of Chikungunya Infection
The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) can cause long lasting symptoms and manifestations. The most frequent ocular symptoms of CHIKV infection included ocular pain, inflammation and reduced visual acuity, whilst conjunctivitis and optic neuritis were the most common manifestations of the disease. 
  • 656
  • 22 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Latent Tuberculosis Infection Screening in Ireland
Ireland is a country with a low incidence of tuberculosis (TB) that should be aiming for TB elimination. To achieve TB elimination in low-incidence countries, programmatic latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) management is important. This requires high-quality latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening.
  • 654
  • 29 Apr 2022
Topic Review
MAIT Cell-Directed Therapy for Tuberculosis Infection
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a distinct population of non-conventional T cells that have been preserved through evolution and possess properties of both innate and adaptive immune cells. They are activated through the recognition of antigens presented by non-polymorphic MR1 proteins or, alternately, can be stimulated by specific cytokines.
  • 653
  • 30 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Role of Biofilm in Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent bacterial infections in both community and healthcare settings. They account for approximately 40% of all bacterial infections and require around 15% of all antibiotic prescriptions. Although antibiotics have traditionally been used to treat UTIs for several decades, the significant increase in antibiotic resistance in recent years has made many previously effective treatments ineffective. Biofilm on medical equipment in healthcare settings creates a reservoir of pathogens that can easily be transmitted to patients. Urinary catheter infections are frequently observed in hospitals and are caused by microbes that form a biofilm after a catheter is inserted into the bladder. Managing infections caused by biofilms is challenging due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. 
  • 652
  • 11 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Therapy of Chronic Hepatitis D
Peg-IFN is the only therapy for chronic hepatitis D (CHD) recommended by professional societies (not approved by Drug Regulatory Agencies); it has limited efficacy, and valid treatment of CHD has so far remained an unmet medical need
  • 651
  • 10 Mar 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 32
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Reprints

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Medieval Royal Iconography
Academic Video Service
Feedback

Quick Survey

Encyclopedia MDPI is conducting a targeted survey to identify the specific barriers hindering efficient research. We invite you to spend 3 minutes defining the priorities for our next generation of structured knowledge tools.
Take Survey