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Topic Review
Circadian Control
The disruption of circadian rhythms by environmental conditions can induce alterations in body homeostasis, from behavior to metabolism. The light:dark cycle is the most reliable environmental agent, which entrains circadian rhythms, although its credibility has decreased because of the extensive use of artificial light at night. Light pollution can compromise performance and health, but underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Metabolism is under strong circadian control and its disruption can lead to various pathologies. Here, we address differences between physiological responses to constant light and dim light at night. 
  • 964
  • 02 Feb 2021
Topic Review
MSCs for the IVD regeneration
Chronic low back pain (LBP) remains a challenging condition to treat, and especially to cure. If conservative treatment approaches fail, the current “gold standard” for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD)-provoked back pain is spinal fusion. However, due to its invasive and destructive nature, the focus of orthopedic research related to the intervertebral disc (IVD) has shifted more towards cell-based therapeutic approaches. They aim to reduce or even reverse the degenerative cascade by mimicking the human body’s physiological healing system. The implementation of progenitor and/or stem cells and, in particular, the delivery of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has revealed significant potential to cure the degenerated/injured IVD.
  • 964
  • 14 Apr 2021
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 Alpha Variant Infection
The ongoing global coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), poses major challenges to health systems worldwide. While the majority of infected people have mild to moderate symptoms, some patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring intensive care treatment and mechanical ventilation.
  • 964
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Promotes Lung Infection
Prevailing dogma indicates that the lung of cystic fibrosis (CF) individuals is infected by multiple pathogens due to the abundant accumulation of mucus, which traps most of inhaled organisms. However, this hypothesis does not explain how specific opportunists, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are selected in the CF lung to cause chronic disease. This strongly suggests that other factors than mucus are accrued in the human airway and might predispose to bacterial disease, especially by P. aeruginosa. In this review we discuss the role of macrophage metabolites, like succinate and itaconate, in P. aeruginosa pneumonia. 
  • 962
  • 06 Aug 2021
Topic Review
ME/CFS and Long COVID Recovery Behaviour
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or ME/CFS, is a seriously debilitating chronic multisystem disease, and not a psychiatric or psychosomatic one, according to the prestigious American Institute of Medicine (IOM), now known as the National Academy of Medicine, and the Dutch Health Council.
  • 959
  • 09 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Animal Models to Study Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, multigenic, multifactorial, and non-cell autonomous neurodegenerative disease characterized by upper and lower motor neuron loss. Several genetic mutations lead to ALS development and many emerging gene mutations have been discovered in recent years. Over the decades since 1990, several animal models have been generated to study ALS pathology including both vertebrates and invertebrates such as yeast, worms, flies, zebrafish, mice, rats, guinea pigs, dogs, and non-human primates. Although these models show different peculiarities, they are all useful and complementary to dissect the pathological mechanisms at the basis of motor neuron degeneration and ALS progression, thus contributing to the development of new promising therapeutics.
  • 957
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
EGCG for NDs Treatment
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are common chronic diseases typically characterized by a progressive loss of function and death of neurons in the brain or peripheral nervous system. NDs are among the most widespread health problems, affecting millions of people worldwide. The potential to treat NDs of the major bioactive compound of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), is well documented. Numerous findings now suggest that EGCG targets protein misfolding and aggregation, a common cause and pathological mechanism in many NDs.
  • 955
  • 27 May 2021
Topic Review
T Cell Senescence and EOC
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths among women and is associated with age and age-related diseases. With increasing evidence of risks associated with metabolic inflammatory conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it is important to understand the complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cancer progression and metastasis. Age-related conditions can lead to both genotypic and phenotypic immune function alterations, such as induction of senescence, which can contribute to disease progression.
  • 953
  • 25 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Upregulation of PD-L1 Mitigates Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
The innate and adaptive immunities have been documented to participate in the pathogenesis of nephrotoxic acute kidney injury (AKI); however, the mechanisms controlling these processes have yet to be established. In cisplatin-induced AKI mouse model, researchers show pathological damage to the kidneys, with the classical markers elevated, consistent with the response to cisplatin treatment. Through assessments of the components of the immune system, both locally and globally, researchers demonstrate that the immune microenvironment of injured kidneys was associated with an increased infiltration of CD4+ T cells and macrophages concomitant with decreased Treg cell populations. Researchers' cell-based assays and animal studies further show that cisplatin exposure downregulated the protein levels of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), an immune checkpoint protein, in primary renal proximal tubular epithelial cells, and that these inhibitions were dose-dependent. After orthotopic delivery of PD-L1 gene into the kidneys, cisplatin-exposed mice displayed lower levels of both serum urea nitrogen and creatinine upon PD-L1 expression. Researchers data suggest a renoprotective effect of the immune checkpoint protein, and thereby provide a novel therapeutic strategy for cisplatin-induced AKI.
  • 953
  • 16 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Impaired Folate-Mediated One-Carbon Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes
Impaired folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) is associated with many pathologies and developmental abnormalities. FOCM is a metabolic network of interdependent biosynthetic pathways that is known to be compartmentalized in the cytoplasm, mitochondria and nucleus. 
  • 950
  • 17 Jan 2022
Topic Review
The Epigenetic Effects of Diet
The pathophysiology behind obesity involves a myriad of genetic, epigenetic, physiological, and macroenvironmental factors that drive food intake and appetite and increase the obesity risk for susceptible individuals. Metabolically, food intake and appetite are regulated via intricate processes and feedback systems between the brain, gastrointestinal system, adipose and endocrine tissues that aim to maintain body weight and energy homeostasis but are also responsive to environmental cues that may trigger overconsumption of food beyond homeostatic needs.
  • 947
  • 07 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia, defined as a serum potassium level greater than 5.0 mmol/L, may cause life-threatening cardiac and neuromuscular alterations, and it is associated with high mortality rates. Its treatment includes a multifaceted approach, guided by potassium levels and clinical presentation. In general, treatment of hyperkalemia may be directed towards stabilizing cell membrane potential, promoting transcellular potassium shift and lowering total K+ body content. The latter can be obtained by dialysis, or by increasing potassium elimination by urine or the gastrointestinal tract
  • 947
  • 30 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Salivary Gland Cancers
Salivary gland cancers (SGCs) are diagnosed using histopathological examination, which significantly contributes to their progression, including lymph node/distant metastasis or local recurrence. In the current World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Head and Neck Tumors: Salivary Glands (5th edition), malignant and benign epithelial tumors are classified into 21 and 15 tumor types, respectively. All malignant tumors have the potential for lymph node/distant metastasis or local recurrence. In particular, mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC), salivary duct carcinoma, salivary carcinoma, not otherwise specified (NOS, formerly known as adenocarcinoma, NOS), myoepithelial carcinoma, epithelial–myoepithelial carcinoma, and carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (PA) are relatively prevalent. 
  • 943
  • 22 May 2023
Topic Review
Artificial Intelligence for Pancreatic Disorders
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in various medical imaging applications has expanded remarkably, and several reports have focused on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) images of the pancreas.
  • 939
  • 09 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Genetic Bases of Bicuspid Aortopathy
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) associated with aortopathy is the most common congenital heart disease in the general population. Far from being a simple harmless valve malformation, it can be a complex and heterogeneous disease and a source of chronic and acute pathology (early valvular disease, aneurysm, dissection). In the previous years, intense research has been carried out to find out and understand its mechanisms, but the pathophysiology of the disease is still not fully understood and many questions remain open. Recent studies have discovered several genetic mutations involved in the development of valvular and aortic malformations, but still cannot explain more than 5–10% of cases. Other studies have also focused on molecular alterations and cellular processes (TGF-β pathway, microRNAs, degradation of the extracellular matrix, metalloproteinases, etc.), being a field in constant search and development, looking for a therapeutic target to prevent the development of the disease. Increased knowledge about this multifaceted disorder, derived from both basic and clinical research, may influence the diagnosis, follow-up, prognosis, and therapies of affected patients in the near future. 
  • 939
  • 07 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Immune Modulation of Sepsis
Sepsis represents an acute syndrome of major interest for intensive care physicians because of significant incidence and severe clinical outcomes. Pathophysiology of sepsis originates from a non-physiological, non-protective, non-adaptive inflammatory response to microbiological threats. Sepsis may be theoretically improved by pharmacological and extracorporeal immune modulating therapies. Pharmacological immune modulation may have long lasting clinical effects, that may even worsen patient-related outcomes. On the other hand, extracorporeal immune modulation allows short-term removal of inflammatory mediators from the bloodstream.
  • 939
  • 11 Jun 2021
Topic Review
MicroRNA Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer by Ultrasound-Based Identification
MiRNAs are ~22-nucleotide long noncoding sequences of RNA that are located across the genome, within an intron or untranslated region (UTR) of a coding gene. Pri-miRNAs are transcribed from their genes in longer primary transcripts which are processed by two RNase III proteins—Drosha and Dicer—to form a functional miRISC complex that binds to the 3′ UTR of target mRNAs and induces their degradation and translational repression . miRNAs were found to be highly stable in blood and other body fluids, where they circulate in a cell-free form, bound to other proteins, lipids, or lipoprotein or encapsulated in exosomes. The development of specific high-throughput detection methods allowing miRNA detection in extracellular fluids, besides the fact that profiles of miRNAs were shown to be either downregulated or overexpressed across several cancer types compared to normal counterparts, has paved the way for serum miRNAs to be developed as biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of tumor evolution. However, significant challenges remain, such as the low concentration of miRNAs released in the blood, especially in early-stage disease, and the difficult identification of biomarker release sites.
  • 938
  • 12 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Factors Influence Candida β-glucan Masking
Among the several human fungal pathogens, Candida genus represents one of the most implicated in the clinical scenario. There exist several distinctive features that govern the establishment of Candida infections in addition to their capacity to adapt to multiple stress conditions inside humans which also include evasion of host immune responses. The complex fungal cell wall of the prevalent pathogen, Candida albicans, is one of the main targets of antifungal drugs and recognized by host immune cells. The wall consists of tiered arrangement of an outer thin but dense covering of mannan and inner buried layers of β-glucan and chitin. However, the pathogenic fungi adopt strategies to evade immune recognition by masking these molecules. This capacity to camouflage the immunogenic polysaccharide β-glucan from the host is a key virulence factor of C. albicans. 
  • 935
  • 05 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Celiac Diseases
Celiac Disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disease triggered by the ingestion of gluten from wheat and other cereals, such as barley and rye. The gluten intake exerts toxic effects through several pathways involving gut barrier integrity, intestinal microbiota composition and immune system stimulation. Immunity against peptides generated by an incomplete gluten digestion is mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by both innate and adaptive system response in individuals unable to adequately digest them. A lifelong adherence to a gluten-free (GF) diet is currently the only treatment for CD. However, despite the great benefit of the GF diet for CD patients, the adherence to a GF diet determines nutritional deficiencies as well as the risk of an excessive intake of fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate micronutrients and fibers, which are lacking in gluten free foods, as well as follow controlled dietary regimes. In this regard, it is very important to adjust and improve the formulations of GF products, in order to ensure the consumer a diet that is as balanced and tastier as possible.
  • 930
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Sialorrhea in Parkinson’s Disease
Sialorrhea, or excessive saliva beyond the margin of the lip, is a common problem in many neurological diseases. Previously, sialorrhea has been underrecognized in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Despite this, many patients rank sialorrhea as one of the most debilitating complaints of Parkinson’s disease. Previous treatment for sialorrhea has been suboptimal and has been plagued by significant side effects that are bothersome and can be dangerous in patients with a concurrent neurodegenerative disease. This review sought to review the anatomy, function, and etiology of sialorrhea in PD. It then sought to examine the evidence for the different treatments of sialorrhea in PD, and further examined newer evidence for safety and efficacy in minimally invasive treatment such as botulinum toxin.
  • 926
  • 11 Nov 2020
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