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Topic Review
Antimicrobial Peptides Demonstrate Activity against Resistant Bacterial Pathogens
The antimicrobial resistance crisis is an ongoing major threat to public health safety. Low- and middle-income countries are particularly susceptible to higher fatality rates and the economic impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As an increasing number of pathogens emerge with multi- and pan-drug resistance to last-resort antibiotics, there is an urgent need to provide alternative antibacterial options to mitigate disease transmission, morbidity, and mortality. As identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), critically important pathogens such as Klebsiella and Pseudomonas species are becoming resistant to last-resort antibiotics including colistin while being frequently isolated from clinical cases of infection. Antimicrobial peptides are potent amino acid sequences produced by many life forms from prokaryotic, fungal, plant, to animal species. These peptides have many advantages, including their multi-hit mode of action, potency, and rapid onset of action with low levels of resistance being evident. These innate defense mechanisms also have an immune-stimulating action among other activities in vivo, thus making them ideal therapeutic options. Large-scale production and formulation issues (pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics), high cost, and protease instability hinder their mass production and limit their clinical application.
  • 242
  • 23 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Bioactive Molecules in Ascidians
The study of bioactive molecules of marine origin has created an important bridge between biological knowledge and its applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. Studies in different research fields, such as biomedicine, aim to discover marine molecules characterized by biological activities that can be used to produce potential drugs for human use. Increasing attention has been paid to a particular group of marine invertebrates, the Ascidians, as they are a source of bioactive products. 
  • 238
  • 25 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Cancer Caused by E-Cigarettes
E-Cigarettes work by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. When the liquid is heated, users inhale an aerosol into their lungs. While e-cigarettes are generally considered less harmful than traditional tobacco products, they still contain potentially harmful chemicals, which can damage DNA and lead to cancer.
  • 236
  • 23 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Soil Thermophiles and Their Extracellular Enzymes
During this century, a number of reports have described the potential roles of thermophiles in the upper soil layers during high-temperature periods. Soil thermophiles are able to adapt their extracellular enzyme activities to environmental conditions. These enzymes can present optimum activity under high temperatures and reduced water content. Consequently, these microorganisms have been shown to actively process and decompose substances (including pollutants) under extreme conditions (i.e., desiccation and heat) in soils.
  • 234
  • 03 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Incidence of Otolaryngological Manifestations in Individuals with ASD
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments with social interaction as well as restricted and stereotyped behaviors. Other hallmarks of ASD include a delay in speech and language development, delay in developmental milestones, and eye contact avoidance.
  • 232
  • 22 Feb 2024
Topic Review
The Genus Eranthis
Despite the limited geographic range of Eranthis plants, it is possible to search for active substances, develop methods for biological and chemical synthesis of the isolated substances, and create a finished therapeutic substance based on them. Seven out of ~14 species found in Asia and parts of Europe have been studied to various degrees. Here, data are presented on the diversity of sets of chromones, furochromones, triterpene saponins, coumarins, and other classes of secondary metabolites of Eranthis species according to the literature. For new compounds—isolated from Eranthis for the first time—structural formulas are also provided. 
  • 229
  • 23 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Cell Death versus Cell Communication
Although every type of cell death proceeds through different stages, it is when it has reached the point of no return, where the decay inflicted to it is irreversible, that a cell would be considered dead. However, determining the point of irreversible decay is not an easy task. Cell–cell communication can be realized by many different modes. In addition to secreted chemicals such as growth factors, cells can interact via direct contact between their cytoplasmic membranes. All these modes have been implicated, in one way or another, either in responding to or conveying cell death signals. 
  • 228
  • 29 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Connexins in Fibrosis, EMTs, and Wound Healing
Fibrosis initially appears as a normal response to damage, where activated fibroblasts produce large amounts of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during the wound healing process to assist in the repair of injured tissue. However, the excessive accumulation of the ECM, unresolved by remodeling mechanisms, leads to organ dysfunction. Connexins, a family of transmembrane channel proteins, are widely recognized for their major roles in fibrosis, the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and wound healing. Efforts have been made in recent years to identify novel mediators and targets for this regulation. Connexins form gap junctions and hemichannels, mediating communications between neighboring cells and inside and outside of cells, respectively. Recent evidence suggests that connexins, beyond forming channels, possess channel-independent functions in fibrosis, the EMT, and wound healing. One crucial channel-independent function is their role as the primary functional component for cell adhesion. Other channel-independent functions of connexins involve their roles in mitochondria and exosomes.
  • 220
  • 26 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Proteome of Extracellular Vesicles in Breast Cancer
Breast cancer (BC) accounts for the highest incidence of tumor-related mortality among women worldwide, justifying the growing search for molecular tools for the early diagnosis and follow-up of BC patients under treatment. Circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous nanocompartments produced by all human cells, including tumor cells. 
  • 219
  • 04 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Neurobiology of Pathogen Avoidance and Mate Choice
The risk of parasitic infection has a major influence on animal behaviour. Organisms must adjust their behaviour to avoid various modes of parasitic infection and pathogen acquisition. Social species are at an increased risk of parasitic transmission as they spend more time in the proximity of others that may carry parasites. The detection of parasitic risk is also critical in mate assessment and choice. Perceptual systems and behavioural responses have evolved to detect individuals who are parasitized and pose the risk of parasitic transmission. This includes the integration of inputs from various sensory modalities (e.g., olfaction), brain regions and networks, and neuromodulatory systems. Understanding the neurobiological systems involved in detecting the parasite infection risk and the expression of disgust will allow us to better understand the evolution and regulation of pathogen avoidance and mate choice.
  • 215
  • 25 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Nrf2 in Obesity-Related Insulin Resistance and T2D Prevention
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced mainly by mitochondrial respiration and function as signaling molecules in the physiological range. However, ROS production is also associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases, including insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
  • 207
  • 18 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Crosstalk between Lipids and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a complex liver disorder that can result in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, is the accumulation of fat in the liver seen in people due to metabolic dysfunction. The pathophysiology of NAFLD is influenced by several variables, such as metabolic dysregulation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and genetic susceptibility. This illness seriously threatens global health because of its link to obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. In recent years, lipid–NAFLD crosstalk has drawn a lot of interest. Through numerous methods, lipids have been connected to the onset and advancement of the illness. 
  • 202
  • 28 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Hydrogel as Delivery System in Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurological injury caused by traffic accidents, trauma, or falls, which leads to significant loss of sensory, motor, and autonomous functions and seriously affects the patient’s life quality. Although considerable progress has been made in mitigating secondary injury and promoting the regeneration/repair of SCI, the therapeutic effects need to be improved due to drug availability. Given their good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low immunogenicity, injectable hydrogels can be used as delivery systems to achieve controlled release of drugs and other substances (cells and proteins, etc.), offering new hope for SCI repair. 
  • 197
  • 19 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Physiological and Anti-Tumor Activities of Vitamin C
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid, ascorbate, VC) is an essential nutrient for the normal maintenance of cellular functions, such as neural pathways, molecule biosynthesis (e.g., collagen, norepinephrine), immune signaling, chromatin remodeling, and cell division. This versatile nutrient has the potential as an anti-tumor agent. At high doses, it acts as a pro-oxidant, selectively targeting cancer cells. At low doses, it acts as an antioxidant, enhancing anti-tumor immunity. VC's potential lies in its ability to target cancer stem cells (CSCs), the self-renewing cells responsible for tumor recurrence and chemoresistance. Recent studies suggest that VC can selectively target CSCs via epigenetic and metabolic pathways. Understanding how VC exerts anti-tumor activity by targeting CSCs provides a rationale for its use in cancer treatment.
  • 196
  • 05 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Insulin-like Growth Factor I in Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease
Despite decades of intense research, disease-modifying therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are still very much needed. Apart from the extensively analyzed tau and amyloid pathological cascades, two promising avenues of research that may eventually identify new druggable targets for AD are based on a better understanding of the mechanisms of resilience and vulnerability to this condition. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) activity in the brain provides a common substrate for the mechanisms of resilience and vulnerability to AD. Preserved brain IGF-I activity contributes to resilience to AD pathology as this growth factor intervenes in all the major pathological cascades considered to be involved in AD, including metabolic impairment, altered proteostasis, and inflammation, to name the three that are considered to be the most important ones. 
  • 195
  • 22 Nov 2023
Topic Review
MicroRNAs as Risk Biomarkers for Hypertension and/or Periodontitis
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and arterial hypertension is a recognized cardiovascular risk factor that is responsible for high morbidity and mortality. Arterial hypertension is the result of an inflammatory process that results in the remodeling and thickening of the vascular walls, which is associated with an immunological response. Previous studies have attempted to demonstrate the relationship between oral disease, inflammation, and the development of systemic diseases. The existence of an association between periodontitis and hypertension is a controversial issue because the underlying pathophysiological processes and inflammatory mechanisms common to both diseases are unknown.
  • 190
  • 21 Feb 2024
Topic Review
HDAC Inhibitors as Antiparasitic Agents
Ongoing therapy for human parasite infections has a few known drugs but with serious side effects and the problem of drug resistance, impelling us to discover novel drug candidates with newer mechanisms of action. Universally, this has boosted the research in the design and development of novel medicinal agents as antiparasitic drugs with a novel mode of action. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are used in a vast variety of diseases due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Drug repurposing strategies have already approved HDACis as cancer therapeutics and are now under investigation for many parasitic infections. Along with the expression of the gene, histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes also act as a slice of great multi-subunit complexes, targeting many non-histones, changing systemic and cellular levels signaling, and producing different cell-based specified effects. Zinc (Zn2+)- and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent HDACs of parasites play pivotal roles in the alteration of gene expression of parasites. Some of them are already known to be responsible for the survival of several parasites under odd circumstances; thus, targeting them for therapeutic interventions will be novel for potential antiparasitic targets. 
  • 186
  • 25 Jan 2024
Topic Review
CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing
The complexity of CRISPR-Cas9 applications in GBM research is highlighted, providing unique insights into apoptosis, cell proliferation, and immune responses within the tumor microenvironment. The studies challenge conventional perspectives on specific genes, emphasizing the potential therapeutic implications of manipulating key molecular players in cell cycle dynamics. Exploring CRISPR/Cas9 gene therapy in GBMs yields significant insights into the regulation of cellular processes, spanning cell interphase, renewal, and migration. Researchers, by precisely targeting specific genes, uncover the molecular orchestration governing cell proliferation, growth, and differentiation during critical phases of the cell cycle. The findings underscore the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in unraveling the complex dynamics of the GBM microenvironment, offering promising avenues for targeted therapies to curb GBM growth. 
  • 179
  • 30 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Cerebellum in Neurodegenerative Disorders
An important part of the central nervous system (CNS), the cerebellum is involved in motor control, learning, reflex adaptation, and cognition. Diminished cerebellar function results in the motor and cognitive impairment observed in patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA), and multiple sclerosis (MS), and even during the normal aging process. In most neurodegenerative disorders, impairment mainly occurs as a result of morphological changes over time, although during the early stages of some disorders such as AD, the cerebellum also serves a compensatory function. Biological aging is accompanied by changes in cerebellar circuits, which are predominantly involved in motor control.
  • 176
  • 31 Jan 2024
Topic Review
MicroRNAs in Depression
Depression is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. The discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis or prediction of treatment responses and as therapeutic agents is a current priority. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of short RNA molecules in the etiology of depression. The most extensively researched of these are microRNAs, a major component of cellular gene regulation and function. MicroRNAs function in a temporal and tissue-specific manner to regulate and modify the post-transcriptional expression of target mRNAs. They can also be shuttled as cargo of extracellular vesicles between the brain and the blood, thus informing about relevant mechanisms in the CNS through the periphery. 
  • 176
  • 15 Mar 2024
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