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Topic Review
Influenza Vaccination and COVID-19
Influenza could circulate in parallel with COVID-19. In the context of COVID-19, some studies observed inverse associations between influenza vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection and clinical outcomes, while others did not. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the association between influenza vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection and clinical outcomes, aiming to provide evidence for COVID-19 prevention and vaccination promotion. We searched four databases from inception to 10 March, 2021. Random effects and fixed effects models were used to pool odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  • 927
  • 26 May 2021
Topic Review
Mechanism of Metabolic Syndrome Formation
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that can predispose an individual to a greater risk of developing type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The cluster includes abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia, all of which are risk factors to public health. While searching for a link among the aforementioned malaises, clues have been focused on the cell membrane domain caveolae, wherein the MetS-associated active molecules are co-localized and interacted with to carry out designated biological activities. Caveolae disarray could induce all of those individual metabolic abnormalities to be present in animal models and humans, providing a new target for therapeutic strategy in the management of MetS. Using a cellular model of caveolae inter-cellular movement (with the eGFP-labelledcaveolae), several potential herbal extracts and nutrients have shown their effects on externalization of caveolae, opening an initiative for the associated metabolic pathways. This also is supported by recent publications which have demonstrated that some clinical effective Chinese herbal or herbal extracts for the treatments of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia can have a stimulating effect on cellular caveolae bioactivity. A new therapeutic target to effectively treat and prevent metabolic syndrome safely without significant side effects may become possible.
  • 926
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Air China Flight 112
Air China Flight 112 was a scheduled international passenger flight on 15 March 2003 that carried a 72-year-old man infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). This man would later become the index passenger for the infection of another 20 passengers and two aircraft crew, resulting in the dissemination of SARS north to inner Mongolia and south to Thailand. The incident demonstrated how a single person could spread disease via air travel and was one of a number of superspreading events in the global spread of SARS in 2003. The speed of air travel and the multidirectional routes taken by affected passengers accelerated the spread of SARS with a consequential response from the World Health Organization (WHO), the aviation industry and the public. The incident was atypical in that passengers sitting at a distance from the index passenger were affected and the flight was only three hours long. Until this event, it was thought that there was only a significant risk of infection in flights of more than eight hours duration and in just the two adjacent seating rows. Other flights at the time with confirmed passengers with SARS did not have the same extent of infection spread. Some experts have questioned the interpretation of the incident and highlighted that some passengers may have been infected already. The role of cabin air has also come under question and the incident involving Flight 112 has led to some experts calling for further research into patterns of airborne transmission on commercial flights.
  • 926
  • 06 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Impulse-Control Disorder
Impulse-control disorder (ICD) is a class of psychiatric disorders characterized by impulsivity – failure to resist a temptation, an urge, or an impulse; or having the inability to not speak on a thought. Many psychiatric disorders feature impulsivity, including substance-related disorders, behavioral addictions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, conduct disorder and some mood disorders. The fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) that was published in 2013 includes a new chapter (not in DSM-IV-TR) on disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders covering disorders "characterized by problems in emotional and behavioral self-control". Five behavioral stages characterize impulsivity: an impulse, growing tension, pleasure on acting, relief from the urge, and finally guilt (which may or may not arise).
  • 925
  • 06 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Colonic Anastomotic Leakage
Although surgeries involving anastomosis are relatively common, anastomotic leakages are potentially deadly complications of colorectal surgeries due to increased risk of morbidity and mortality. As a result of the potentially fatal effects of anastomotic leakages, a myriad of techniques and treatments have been developed to treat these unfortunate cases.
  • 923
  • 06 Jan 2021
Topic Review
War on Cancer
The War on Cancer refers to the effort to find a cure for cancer by increased research to improve the understanding of cancer biology and the development of more effective cancer treatments, such as targeted drug therapies. The aim of such efforts is to eradicate cancer as a major cause of death. The signing of the National Cancer Act of 1971 by United States president Richard Nixon is generally viewed as the beginning of this effort, though it was not described as a "war" in the legislation itself. Despite significant progress in the treatment of certain forms of cancer (such as childhood leukemia), cancer in general remains a major cause of death 40+ years after this war on cancer began, leading to a perceived lack of progress and to new legislation aimed at augmenting the original National Cancer Act of 1971. New research directions, in part based on the results of the Human Genome Project, hold promise for a better understanding of the genetic factors underlying cancer, and the development of new diagnostics, therapies, preventive measures, and early detection ability. However, targeting cancer proteins can be difficult, as a protein can be undruggable.
  • 921
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Acellular Umbilical Cord-Derived Tissues
Blood derived products have become a valuable source of tissue for the treatment of ocular surface diseases that are refractory to conventional treatments. These can be obtained from autologous or allogeneic sources (patient’s own blood or from healthy adult donors/umbilical cord blood, respectively). Allogeneic cord blood demonstrates practical advantages over alternatives and these advantages will be discussed herein. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) can be divided, generally speaking, into two distinct products: first, mononuclear cells, which can be used in regenerative ophthalmology, and second, the plasma/serum (an acellular fraction), which may be used in the form of eyedrops administered directly to the damaged ocular surface. The rationale for using umbilical cord serum (UCS) to treat ocular surface diseases such as severe dry eye syndrome (DES), persistent epithelial defects (PED), recurrent epithelial erosions, ocular chemical burns, graft versus host disease (GVHD), among others, is the considerably high concentration of growth factors and cytokines, mimicking the natural healing properties of human tears. Allogeneic serum also offers the opportunity for therapeutic treatment to patients who, due to poor heath, cannot provide autologous serum. The mechanism of action involves the stimulation of endogenous cellular proliferation, differentiation and maturation, which is highly efficient in promoting and enhancing corneal epithelial healing where other therapies have previously failed.
  • 913
  • 24 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Pesticides Risks in Africa
On the African continent, ongoing agriculture intensification is accompanied by the increasing use of pesticides, associated with environmental and public health concerns. Agriculture production systems are at the same time under pressure due to climate change, the need to produce about double the amount of food by 2050, and to achieve some of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
  • 911
  • 16 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Intensive Interaction
Intensive interaction is an approach for teaching communication skills to children and adults who have autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties who are still at early stages of development. The approach focuses on teaching the fundamentals of communication – the communication concepts and performances that precede speech development, though it may include many people who have some speech and language development.
  • 911
  • 02 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Usage of Antibiotics by COVID-19 Patients with Comorbidities
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health issue that plays a significant role in morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients. It also becomes a serious threat to the successful treatment of many bacterial infections. The widespread and irrelevant use of antibiotics in hospitals and local clinics is the leading cause of AMR.
  • 910
  • 31 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Precision Medicine in Rare Diseases
The own patient-derived cells can be used to perform personalized pharmacological screening in genetic rare diseases. For precision medicine to be successful at the therapeutic level, in addition of the information provide from genomics, pharmacogenomics, metabolomics and proteomics, our proposal argues that it is also necessary to know the cellular response, and therefore the behavior of particular mutations in vitro, to various therapeutic options. Precision medicine relies on the assumption that different mutations and marked inter-individual genetic variation can contribute significantly to drug response. The goal of personalized medicine is to maximize the probability of therapeutic efficacy for an individual patient.
  • 909
  • 23 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Insulin Resistance and Heart Disease
Insulin resistance is defined as an impaired biological response to insulin actions in the insulin-responsive tissues and is considered key to metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of insulin resistance has increased globally, and it is known to be from 15.5 to 46.5% of adults. Previous studies have suggested that insulin resistance is significantly related to the development and progression of coronary atherosclerosis and adverse plaque characteristics and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases via pathophysiological mechanisms. Insulin resistance is also the common pathophysiology of prehypertension and prediabetes. 
  • 909
  • 04 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) Control
Control of excessive oxidative stress is vital within cells to maintain cellular and genome integrity. Damage to the genome is particularly detrimental to host organisms and cells have evolved complex pathways to detect and coordinate response to and repair of DNA damage. But even with successful DNA damage repair, activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) can modulate inflammatory responses directly and through epigenetic mechanisms. Studies indicate that many pathophysiological states that are characterized by elevated oxidative stress are also associated with upregulation of the DNA damage response (DDR).
  • 907
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Calprotectin in Lung Diseases
Calprotectin (CLP) is a heterodimer formed by two S-100 calcium-binding cytosolic proteins, S100A8 and S100A9. It is a multifunctional protein expressed mainly by neutrophils and released extracellularly by activated or damaged cells mediating a broad range of physiological and pathological responses. It has been more than 20 years since the implication of S100A8/A9 in the inflammatory process was shown; however, the evaluation of its role in the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases or its usefulness as a biomarker for the appropriate diagnosis and prognosis of lung diseases have only gained attention in recent years. This entry aimed to provide current knowledge regarding the potential role of CLP in the pathophysiology of lung diseases and describe how this knowledge is, up until now, translated into daily clinical practice. CLP is involved in numerous cellular processes in lung health and disease. In addition to its anti-microbial functions, CLP also serves as a molecule with pro- and anti-tumor properties related to cell survival and growth, angiogenesis, DNA damage response, and the remodeling of the extracellular matrix.
  • 905
  • 26 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Adiponectin in Chronic Kidney Disease
Adiponectin is the adipokine associated with insulin sensitization, reducing liver gluconeogenesis, and increasing fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake. Adiponectin is present in the kidneys, mainly in the arterial endothelium and smooth muscle cells, as well as in the capillary endothelium, and might be considered as a marker of many negative factors in chronic kidney disease. The last few years have brought a rising body of evidence that adiponectin is a multipotential protein with anti-inflammatory, metabolic, anti-atherogenic, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) protective actions. Similarly, adiponectin has shown many positive and direct actions in kidney diseases, and among many kidney cells. Data from large cross-sectional and cohort studies showed a positive correlation between serum adiponectin and mortality in chronic kidney disease. This suggests a complex interaction between local adiponectin action, comorbidities, and uremic milieu.
  • 904
  • 23 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Osteoarthritis and Treatment
Osteoarthritis (OA) affects one in three people over the age of 65, and it is more common among women than men. This multifactorial disease leads to structural changes of the joint, and it is connected to chronic conditions. OA is characterized by pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion (ROM). These factors lead to poor quality of life—insomnia, depression, lack of confidence, and limitations in daily activities, work, or hobbies. OA causes very serious problems for patients and significant social and economic costs.
  • 904
  • 24 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Vaccine Injury
A vaccine injury is an injury caused by vaccination. Allegations and confirmed instances of vaccine injuries in recent decades have appeared in litigation in the United States. Some families have won substantial awards from sympathetic juries,[weasel words] even though many public health officials have said that the claims of injuries are unfounded. In response, several vaccine makers stopped production, threatening public health, and laws were passed to shield makers from liabilities stemming from vaccine injury claims.
  • 904
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Symptom Targeted Intervention
Symptom targeted intervention (STI) is a clinical program being used in medical settings to help patients who struggle with symptoms of depression or anxiety or adherence to treatment plans but who are not interested in receiving outpatient mental health treatment. STI is an individualized therapeutic model and clinical program that teaches patients brief, effective ways to cope with difficult thoughts, feelings, and behaviors using evidence-based interventions. Its individualized engagement process employs techniques from solution-focused therapy, using a Rogerian, patient-centered philosophy. This engagement process ensures that even challenging, at-risk, and non-adherent patients are able to participate. Social workers and other mental health practitioners and medical professionals use STI to assist patients with a number of specific concerns, from sleep and stress to pain management, relationships and mood management. STI's coping tools are cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness interventions that have been condensed and modified to make them user friendly and effective in brief sessions. After meeting with the clinician, the patient takes charge, performing interventions at home through assignments that extend and reinforce learning. Using STI, the clinician helps the patient identify the most problematic symptom of the depression (such as depressed mood, insomnia, anxiety, rumination, irritability, negative thinking, social isolation), then together the clinician and patient address that symptom using STI's evidence-based selection of brief cognitive, behavioral, and mindfulness techniques. The emphasis is on keeping interactions brief since mental health treatment in the primary care setting is typically time limited—although the Collaborative Care and Integrated Care models provides hope for improved and expanded mental health services in the primary care setting. As patients learn better coping skills, they become more engaged with their treatment and more adherent to doctors’ recommendations. STI also gives social workers ways to uncover their clinical strengths and tools to continue to work with resistant patients. With STI training, clinicians learn a nuanced approach to all patients, even those who resist help, since often those are the individuals who need help most. After learning STI, clinicians report that they are more likely to approach rather than avoid difficult patient situations.
  • 903
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
SENSOR-Pesticides
Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR)-Pesticides is a U.S. state-based surveillance program that monitors pesticide-related illness and injury. It is administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), twelve state health agencies participate. NIOSH provides technical support to all participating states. It also provides funding to some states, in conjunction with the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Pesticide-related illness is a significant occupational health issue, but it is believed to be underreported. Because of this, NIOSH proposed the SENSOR program to track pesticide poisonings. Because workers in many industries are at risk for pesticide exposure, and public concern exists regarding the use of and exposure to pesticides, government and regulatory authorities experience pressure to monitor health effects associated with them. SENSOR-Pesticides state partners collect case data from several different sources using a standard case definition and set of variables. This information is then forwarded to the program headquarters at NIOSH where it is compiled and put into a national database. Researchers and government officials from the SENSOR-Pesticides program have published research articles that highlight findings from the data and their implications for environmental and occupational pesticide issues. These issues include eradication of invasive species, pesticide poisoning in schools, birth defects, and residential use of total release foggers, or "bug bombs," which are devices that release an insecticide mist.
  • 901
  • 14 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Uric Acid in Heart Failure
UA is an independent predictor of mortality in acute and chronic HF, making it a significant prognostic factor in both settings. High serum levels have been also associated with an increased incidence of HF, thus expanding the clinical utility of UA. 
  • 899
  • 20 Feb 2021
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