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
Seaweeds in Human Diet
Seaweeds have been harvested and used as food since ancient times in Asian countries, such as Korea, China, and especially Japan. There are over 600 recognized edible seaweed species and around 200 are consumed worldwide.
  • 821
  • 11 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Neuroimaging-Based Assessments of OXPHOS-Related Complexes and Metabolites
In post-mortem studies, a significant dysregulation of electron transport chain (ETC) complexes was observed in patients with neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). These findings strongly implicate that mitochondrial dysfunction-linked alterations in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) can be considered a highly relevant molecular mechanism in different NDs. Histopathological examinations revealed decreased complex I level, preferentially in the substantia nigra (SN), in patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD). These findings are consistent with the fact that inhibitors of complex I (such as the environmental toxins MPTP or rotenone) can cause parkinsonism in animal models and humans. Huntington’s disease (HD) has been associated with defects of complex II and, to a lesser extent, complex IV. The chronic administration of the complex II inhibitor 3-nitropropionic acid causes an HD-like phenotype in rodent and non-human primate models. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), widespread cortical complex IV defects were identified in post-mortem brain tissue. The in vivo neuroimaging-based assessment of electron transport chain (ETC)-related metabolite levels could thus help elucidate the complex role of OXPHOS disturbances in NDs.
  • 805
  • 07 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Telocytes in the Rainbow Trout Intestinal Stem-Cell Niche
Histological and ultrastructural studies revealed peculiar mesenchymal cells adjacent to the epithelium that generated an intricate mesh spanning from the folds’ base to their apex. Their voluminous nuclei, limited cytoplasm and long cytoplasmic projections characterized them as telocytes (TCs). 
  • 786
  • 10 Feb 2022
Topic Review
The Na+/H+ Exchangers in Cardiac Physiology Regulation
The Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) are membrane transporters that exchange one intracellular pro-ton for one extracellular Na+. The first discovered NHE isoform, NHE1, is expressed almost ubiquitously in all tissues, especially in the myocardium. During myocardial ische-mia-reperfusion, NHE1 catalyzes increased uptake of intracellular Na+, which in turn leads to Ca2+ overload and subsequently myocardial injury. Numerous preclinical research has shown that NHE1 is involved in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, but the exact molecular mecha-nisms remain elusive.
  • 785
  • 27 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Perivascular Astrocyte Endfeet
Astrocytes (ACs) are the most abundant cells in the brain and, importantly, are the master connecting and communicating cells that provide structural and functional support for brain cells at all levels of organization. Further, they are recognized as the guardians and housekeepers of the brain. Protoplasmic perivascular astrocyte endfeet and their basal lamina form the delimiting outermost barrier (glia limitans) of the perivascular spaces in postcapillary venules and are important for the clearance of metabolic waste. They comprise the glymphatic system, which is critically dependent on proper waste removal by the pvACef polarized aquaporin-4 water channels. Also, the protoplasmic perisynaptic astrocyte endfeet (psACef) are important in cradling the neuronal synapses that serve to maintain homeostasis and serve a functional and supportive role in synaptic transmission. Enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) are emerging as important aberrant findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and are associated with white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, and aging, and are accepted as biomarkers for cerebral small vessel disease, increased obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Knowledge is exponentially expanding regarding EPVS along with the glymphatic system, since EPVS are closely associated with impaired glymphatic function and waste removal from the brain to the cerebrospinal fluid and systemic circulation.
  • 771
  • 12 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Adrenal Gland of Squamata
The adrenal gland is a complex endocrine organ composed of two components: a steroidogenic tissue, which produces steroid hormones, and a chromaffin tissue, which mainly produces norepinephrine and epinephrine. Through evolution, their relationships with each other changed. They begin as isolated chromaffin and steroidogenic cell aggregates, typical of fish, and end with the advanced compact gland, typical of mammals, which consists of an external steroidogenic cortical zone and an internal chromaffin medullary zone. The adrenal gland of reptiles is unique because, with few exceptions, it is near the gonads and genital ducts, and the chromaffin and steroidogenic tissues are closely associated. 
  • 745
  • 31 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Anti-Cancer Potential of Edible/Medicinal Mushrooms in Breast Cancer
Edible/medicinal mushrooms have been traditionally used in Asian countries either in the cuisine or as dietary supplements and nutraceuticals. Among the different pharmacological activities reported (antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiviral, immunomodulating, antidiabetic, etc.), edible/medicinal mushrooms have been shown to exert in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects on several kinds of tumors, including breast cancer. 
  • 735
  • 25 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Effect of Resveratrol on Distinct Skeletal Muscle Components
Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol utilized in Chinese traditional medicine and thought to be one of the determinants of the “French Paradox”. Some groups evidenced its properties as a calorie-restriction mimetic, suggesting that its action passes through the modulation of skeletal muscle metabolism. Accordingly, the number of studies reporting the beneficial effects of resveratrol on skeletal muscle form and function, in both experimental models and humans, is steadily increasing.
  • 721
  • 14 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Approaches towards Healthier Meat Products
Meat products are a staple of many diets around the world, but they have been subject to criticism due to their potential negative impact on human health. There has been a growing interest in developing novel approaches to improve the healthy characteristics of meat products, with a particular focus on reducing the levels of harmful salts, lipids, and nitrites. 
  • 687
  • 10 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Subtelomeric Heterochromatin in Rye
The genome of cultivated rye, Secale cereale L., is considered one of the largest among species of the tribe Triticeae and thus it tops the average angiosperm genome and the genomes of its closest evolutionary neighbors, such as species of barley, Hordeum (by approximately 30–35%), and diploid wheat species, Triticum (approximately 25%).The review provides an analysis of the structural organization of subtelomeric heterochromatic regions of rye chromosomes with a description of the molecular mechanisms contributing to their size increase during evolution and the classes of DNA sequences involved in these processes. 
  • 685
  • 26 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Oilseed Crops with Fish Oil-like Levels ω3 LC-PUFA
Omega-3 long-chain (≥C20) polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 LC-PUFA) play a critical physiological role in health and are nutritionally important for both humans and animals. The abundance of marine-derived resources of the health-benefitting ω3 LC-PUFA is either static or in some cases declining. Alternative source of ω3 LC-PUFA is required to meet the increasing demand. Oilseed crops containing fish oil-levels of ω3 LC-PUFA and importantly also containing a high ω3/ω6 ratio have been developed.
  • 682
  • 10 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Mechanical Stress on Hyaluronan Fragments’ Inflammatory Cascade
The mechanical stress can depolymerize into small pieces at low molecular weight and have a high inflammatory capacity. Many of these pieces are then further degraded into small oligosaccharides. Recently, it has been demonstrated that oligosaccharides are able to stop this inflammatory process. These data support that deep friction could metabolize self-aggregated hyaluronan (HA) chains responsible for increasing loose connective tissue viscosity, catalyzing a local HA fragment cascade that will generate soreness but, at the same time, facilitate the reconstitution of the physiological loose connective tissue properties. This information can help to explain the meaning of the inflammatory process as well as the requirement for it for the long-lasting resolution of these alterations.
  • 668
  • 22 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Health-Promoting Effects of Bioactive Compounds from  Endophytic Fungi
Plant endophytic fungi reside within the living tissues of plants, forming a unique symbiotic relationship. One of their defining features is their ability to exist within the plant for extended periods, often throughout the plant’s life cycle. They colonize various plant tissues, including leaves, stems, and roots, and display remarkable adaptability to different environmental conditions. Unlike pathogens, they do not provoke an immune response from the host plant, allowing them to maintain a stealthy coexistence. Endophytic fungi have evolved diverse mechanisms to survive within the plant’s internal environment. Some form specialized structures called “microsclerotia” or “sclerotia”, which protect them from adverse conditions. Others produce secondary metabolites, including bioactive compounds, which contribute to their ecological success and their potential to influence plant health
  • 657
  • 13 Oct 2023
Topic Review
HMGB1 and Post-Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is characterized by a robust sterile inflammatory response immediately after the subarachnoidal bleed. Several damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) are liberated upon injury of the brain cells from different intracellular compartments and have the capability to activate immune cells through the ligation of their cognizant receptors (pattern recognition receptors (PRRs)). Among them, high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), which acts normally as a transcription factor, when released extracellularly upregulates inflammation due to its interaction with TLR-2, TLR-4 and RAGE during early brain injury after aSAH. However, recent investigations show that different isoforms of HMGB1 exist and may dominate during different phases of the brain injury with different consequences. Surprisingly, the oxidized isoform of HMGB1 plays an anti-inflammatory and pro-resovling role contrary to well accepted pro-inflammatory role of HMGB1 after aSAH.
  • 638
  • 17 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Tracking the Humoral and Cellular Components of Neuroinflammation
Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging technique that uses the radioactive decay of specifically designed radiotracers. In PET imaging, the annihilation of two photons that are produced back-to-back after positron emission from the radiotracer is measured by a technique called coincidence detection. After amplifying the signal, reconstruction algorithms are used to generate the image. One of the most commonly used diagnostic radiotracers in patients with neurodegenerative disorders (PwND) is [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose, which serves as a surrogate marker of glucose metabolism. 
  • 637
  • 19 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Sedentary Lifestyle and Masticatory Dysfunction
Unhealthy brain aging and cognitive decline associate with a sedentary lifestyle and, at a cellular level, this is accompanied by astrocyte hypertrophy, myelin dysregulation, neurovascular dysfunction and the impairment of neurogenesis.
  • 633
  • 28 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Giant Arachnoid Granulations
Arachnoid granulations (AGs) are macroscopically visible arachnoid tissue outpouchings that protrude into bone, dura, and/or dural venous sinuses (DVSs).
  • 605
  • 01 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Biomimetic Nerve Guidance Conduits for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Injuries to the peripheral nervous system are a common clinical issue, causing dysfunctions of the motor and sensory systems. Surgical interventions such as nerve autografting are necessary to repair damaged nerves. Even with autografting, i.e., the gold standard, malfunctioning and mismatches between the injured and donor nerves often lead to unwanted failure. Thus, there is an urgent need for a new intervention in clinical practice to achieve full functional recovery. Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs), providing physicochemical cues to guide neural regeneration, have great potential for the clinical regeneration of peripheral nerves. Typically, NGCs are tubular structures with various configurations to create a microenvironment that induces the oriented and accelerated growth of axons and promotes neuron cell migration and tissue maturation within the injured tissue. Once the native neural environment is better understood, ideal NGCs should maximally recapitulate those key physiological attributes for better neural regeneration.
  • 605
  • 20 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Structure-Dynamic Determinants of Regulatory Divergence in Eukaryotic NCXs
The plasma-membrane Na+/Ca2+ exchangers (NCXs) mediate Ca2+ extrusion/entry to dynamically shape Ca2+ signaling in biological systems ranging from bacteria to humans. The NCX gene orthologs, isoforms, and their splice variants are expressed in a tissue-specific manner and exhibit nearly 104-fold differences in the transport rates and diverse regulatory specificities to match the cell-specific requirements. About 280 residues are directly involved in the folding of Ca2+ binding CBD1 and CBD2 domains that form a two-domain regulatory tandem (CBD12). The X-ray and NMR structures of the CBD1, CBD2, and CBD12 domains reveal a β-immunoglobulin (Ig)-like folding, where two antiparallel β-sheets (with A-B-E and D-C-F-G strands) form a seven-strand β-sandwich motif. The remarkable similarity between the folding structures of CBD1 and CBD2 is evident since the overlay of the CBD1 and CBD2 crystal structures display nearly identical folding with RMSD = 1.3 Å, although all the Ca2+ binding sites in both CBDs reside at the C-terminal ends of distal loops. However, the striking difference between the CBDs is that the CBD1 domain contains four Ca2+ binding sites in all known variants, whereas in the CBD2 domain, the splicing segment varies the number of Ca2+ binding sites from zero to three. The challenge is to resolve the underlying structure-dynamic mechanisms that can explain how the Ca2+ interactions with different variants of eukaryotic NCXs can result in positive, negative, and neutral responses. 
  • 588
  • 09 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Plasma Membrane in Atherogenesis
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are an important medical problem due to their high prevalence, impact on quality of life and prognosis. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is an urgent medical and social problem, the solution of which may improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment of patients. Atherosclerosis is a complex chain of events, which proceeds and in which many cells in the bloodstream and the vascular wall are involved. A growing body of evidence suggests that there are complex, closely linked molecular mechanisms that occur in the plasma membranes of cells involved in atherogenesis. Lipid transport, innate immune system receptor function, and hemodynamic regulation are linked to plasma membranes and their biophysical properties. A better understanding of these interrelationships will improve diagnostic quality and treatment efficacy.
  • 570
  • 21 Nov 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 6
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