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Topic Review
Copper Toxicity and Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, age-related progressive neurological disorder, and the most common type of dementia in aged people. Neuropathological lesions of AD are neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and senile plaques comprise the accumulated amyloid-beta (Aβ), loaded with metal ions including Cu, Fe, or Zn. Some reports have identified metal dyshomeostasis as a neurotoxic factor of AD, among which Cu ions seem to be a central cationic metal in the formation of plaque and soluble oligomers, and have an essential role in the AD pathology. Cu-Aβ complex catalyzes the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and results in oxidative damage. Several studies have indicated that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AD. The connection of copper levels in AD is still ambiguous, as some researches indicate a Cu deficiency, while others show its higher content in AD, and therefore there is a need to increase and decrease its levels in animal models, respectively, to study which one is the cause. For more than twenty years, many in vitro studies have been devoted to identifying metals’ roles in Aβ accumulation, oxidative damage, and neurotoxicity. Towards the end, a short review of the modern therapeutic approach in chelation therapy, with the main focus on Cu ions, is discussed. However, some recent reports of genetic-regulating copper transporters in AD models have shed light on treating this refractory disease. This study aims to succinctly present a better understanding of Cu ions’ current status in several AD features, and some conflicting reports are present herein.
  • 1.1K
  • 20 Apr 2021
Topic Review
High-Flow Nasal Therapy
High-flow nasal therapy (HFNT) is a unique system that delivers humidified, heated oxygen-enriched air via nasal cannula at high flow rates. It is a promising therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Several studies have examined the physiologic effects of this therapy in the patient population and have revealed that it improves mucociliary clearance, reduces nasopharyngeal dead space, and subsequently increases CO2 washout. It also improves alveolar recruitment and gas exchange. These mechanisms may explain the promising results observed in recently published studies that examined the role of HFNT in stable COPD patients.
  • 1.1K
  • 10 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Radiation-induced Keloid
Keloid, also known as keloid disorder and keloidal scar, is the formation of a type of scar which, depending on its maturity, is composed mainly of either type III (early) or type I (late) collagen. It is a result of an overgrowth of granulation tissue (collagen type 3) at the site of a healed skin injury which is then slowly replaced by collagen type 1. Keloids are firm, rubbery lesions or shiny, fibrous nodules, and can vary from pink to the color of the person's skin or red to dark brown in color. A keloid scar is benign and not contagious, but sometimes accompanied by severe itchiness, pain, and changes in texture. In severe cases, it can affect movement of skin. Worldwide, men and women of African, Asian, Hispanic and European descent can develop these raised scars. In the United States keloid scars are seen 15 times more frequently in people of sub-Saharan African descent than in people of European descent. There is a higher tendency to develop a keloid among those with a family history of keloids and people between the ages of 10 and 30 years. Keloids should not be confused with hypertrophic scars, which are raised scars that do not grow beyond the boundaries of the original wound.
  • 1.1K
  • 03 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Intra-Operative Electron Radiation Therapy
Intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOeRT) was developed to improve precision in local cancer treatment by combining real-time surgical exploration and resection with high-energy electron irradiation, reducing toxicity in healthy tissues and increasing the therapeutic index.
  • 1.1K
  • 17 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Multifaceted Mechanisms of Metformin
While there are various kinds of drugs for type 2 diabetes mellitus at present, in this review article, we focus on metformin which is an insulin sensitizer and is often used as a first-choice drug worldwide. Metformin mainly activates adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the liver which leads to suppression of fatty acid synthesis and gluconeogenesis. Metformin activates AMPK in skeletal muscle as well, which increases translocation of glucose transporter 4 to the cell membrane and thereby increases glucose uptake. Further, metformin suppresses glucagon signaling in the liver by suppressing adenylate cyclase which leads to suppression of gluconeogenesis. In addition, metformin reduces autophagy failure observed in pancreatic β-cells under diabetic conditions. Furthermore, it is known that metformin alters the gut microbiome and facilitates the transport of glucose from the circulation into excrement. It is also known that metformin reduces food intake and lowers body weight by increasing circulating levels of the peptide hormone growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF15). Furthermore, much attention has been drawn to the fact that the frequency of various cancers is lower in subjects taking metformin. Metformin suppresses the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) by activating AMPK in pre-neoplastic cells, which leads to suppression of cell growth and an increase in apoptosis in pre-neoplastic cells. It has been shown recently that metformin consumption potentially influences the mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19). Taken together, metformin is an old drug, but multifaceted mechanisms of action of metformin have been unraveled one after another in its long history.
  • 1.1K
  • 09 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Egyptian Carob Pods (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Aqueous Extract
Ceratonia siliqua (Carob) is an evergreen Mediterranean tree, and carob pods are potentially nutritive and have medicinal value. 
  • 1.1K
  • 15 Dec 2021
Topic Review
ICG NIR Fluorescence
Nowadays, surgical innovations incorporate new technological conquests and must be validated by evidence-based medicine. The use of augmented reality-assisted indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence has generated a myriad of intraoperative applications such as demonstration of key anatomical landmarks, sentinel lymph nodes, and real-time assessment of local blood flow.
  • 1.1K
  • 15 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Impact of Chemical Endocrine Disruptors on Endocrine System
Endocrine disruptors may be derived from natural animal, human, or plant (phytoestrogen) sources. However, the best-known are chemical endocrine disruptors (EDCs). EDCs include industrial ones (dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and alkyphenols), agricultural ones (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides), phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), drugs (mitotane, ketoconazole, cardiac glycosides, nitrofurans, carbamazepine, and astazene), and heavy metals.
  • 1.1K
  • 27 May 2022
Topic Review
Hybrid Systems for Tissue Engineering
Biomimetic Hybrid Systems for Tissue Engineering: New Materials and Fabrication Techniques. Tissue engineering approaches appear nowadays highly promising for the regeneration of injured/diseased tissues. Biomimetic scaffolds are continuously been developed to act as structural support for cell growth and proliferation as well as for the delivery of cells able to be differentiated, and also of bioactive molecules like growth factors and even signaling cues. The current research concerns materials employed to develop biological scaffolds with improved features as well as complex preparation techniques. In this work, hybrid systems based on natural polymers are discussed and the efforts focused to provide new polymers able to mimic proteins and DNA are extensively explained.
  • 1.1K
  • 28 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Viral Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation due to a viral infection. It may present in acute form as a recent infection with relatively rapid onset, or in chronic form. The most common causes of viral hepatitis are the five unrelated hepatotropic viruses hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Other viruses can also cause liver inflammation, including cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and yellow fever. There also have been scores of recorded cases of viral hepatitis caused by herpes simplex virus.
  • 1.1K
  • 28 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
Chronic hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia hamper beta cell function, leading to glucolipotoxicity. Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) detoxifies reactive aldehydes, such as methylglyoxal (MG) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), derived from glucose and lipids, respectively. 
  • 1.1K
  • 11 Nov 2021
Topic Review
The Effect of Smoking Cessation on Body Weight
Smokers with diabetes mellitus substantially lower their risks of microvascular and macrovascular diabetic complications, in particular cardiovascular disease, by quitting smoking. However, subsequent post-smoking-cessation weight gain may attenuate some of the beneficial effects of smoking cessation and discourage attempts to quit. Weight gain can temporarily exacerbate diabetes and deteriorate glycemic control and metabolic profile. The molecular mechanisms by which quitting smoking leads to weight gain are largely associated with the removal of nicotine’s effects on the central nervous system. 
  • 1.1K
  • 27 Oct 2022
Topic Review
COVID-19 Vaccination
The vaccination for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is undergoing its final stages of analysis and testing. It is an impressive feat under the circumstances that we are on the verge of a potential breakthrough vaccination. This will help reduce the stress for millions of people around the globe, helping to restore worldwide normalcy. In this review, the analysis looks into how the new branch of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) came into the forefront of the world like a pandemic. This review will break down the details of what COVID-19 is, the viral family it belongs to and its background of how this family of viruses alters bodily functions by attacking vital human respiratory organs, the circulatory system, the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. 
  • 1.1K
  • 10 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Wrinkle
A wrinkle, also known as a rhytide, is a fold, ridge or crease in the skin or on fabric. Skin wrinkles typically appear as a result of aging processes such as glycation, habitual sleeping positions, loss of body mass, or temporarily, as the result of prolonged immersion in water. Age wrinkling in the skin is promoted by habitual facial expressions, aging, sun damage, smoking, poor hydration, and various other factors.
  • 1.1K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Pulmonary Delivery of Fenretinide
At present, there is no vaccine or effective standard treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) which frequently leads to lethal pulmonary inflammatory responses. COVID-19 pathology is characterized by extreme inflammation and amplified immune response with activation of a cytokine storm. A subsequent progression to acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can take place, which is often followed by death. The causes of these strong inflammatory responses in SARS-CoV-2 infection are still unknown. As uncontrolled pulmonary inflammation is likely the main cause of death in SARS-CoV-2 infection, anti-inflammatory therapeutic interventions are particularly important. Fenretinide N‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl) retinamide is a bioactive molecule characterized by poly-pharmacological properties and a low toxicity profile. Fenretinide is endowed with anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and immunomodulating properties other than efficacy in obesity/diabetic pathologies. Its anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activities, in particular, could likely have utility in multimodal therapies for treatment of ALI/ARDS in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, fenretinide administration by pulmonary delivery systems could further increase its therapeutic value by carrying high drug concentrations to the lungs and triggering a rapid onset of activity. This is particularly important in SARS-CoV-2 infection where only a narrow time window exists for therapeutic intervention.
  • 1.1K
  • 09 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Health Effects of Coumestrol
Coumestrol is a phytoestrogen produced in pulses including alfalfa, clover or soy. Its production is mainly associated to fungal attacks. It has been involved in the ewes' infertility syndrome discovered in the late 1940s in Australia and New-Zealand. Mainly considered as a toxic compound, it can be used to relief symptoms of estrogen deficiencies and therefore exhibits both adverse and beneficial effects at least in animal models.
  • 1.1K
  • 03 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Marine Sterols against Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disorder characterized by a progressive decline in memory and cognition, mostly affecting the elderly. Numerous functional bioactives have been reported in marine organisms, and anti-Alzheimer’s agents derived from marine resources have gained attention as a promising approach to treat AD pathogenesis. Marine sterols have been investigated for several health benefits, including anti-cancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, anti-aging, and anti-Alzheimer’s activities, owing to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Marine sterols interact with various proteins and enzymes participating via diverse cellular systems such as apoptosis, the antioxidant defense system, immune response, and cholesterol homeostasis.
  • 1.1K
  • 21 May 2021
Topic Review
Project Medishare
Project Medishare is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization registered in the State of Florida. It was founded by Dr. Barth Green and Arthur Fournier from the University of Miami School of Medicine. The organization was created in 1994 to improve healthcare in Haiti. Since then, it has been committed to help its Haitian partners by establishing and funding sustainable programs, providing technology and equipment to hospitals, clinics, and other affiliated programs and training of Haitian physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals. Project Medishare’s focus program include Community Health, Maternal Health, Child Health and Nutrition, and Medical Training and Education. The geographic areas served by the organization include Port-au-Prince and the Central Plateau in Haiti. The organization provides direct beneficiaries for more than 80,000 people every year.
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Skin-Derived ABCB5+ Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Inflammatory Diseases
The ATP-binding cassette superfamily member ABCB5 identifies a subset of skin-resident mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that exhibit potent immunomodulatory and wound healing-promoting capacities along with superior homing ability. The ABCB5+ MSCs can be easily accessed from discarded skin samples, expanded, and delivered as a highly homogenous medicinal product with standardized potency.
  • 1.1K
  • 10 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Tuberculosis Meningitis
Worldwide, Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most important infectious disease in causing morbidity and death. About one-third of the population worldwide has currently contracted TB infection through Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The human host serves as the natural reservoir for M tuberculosis. The underlying mechanisms responsible for successful dissemination of M tuberculosis to the meninges to cause TB meningitis remains poorly understood. Given the magnitude of the health problem and the emergence of drug-resistant strains of the organism, a better understanding of the protective immunity and pathogenesis of TB meningitis, development of reliable rapid laboratory diagnosis, therapeutics and effective vaccine are highly desirable.
  • 1.1K
  • 27 Oct 2020
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