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Topic Review
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a widespread, tick-borne pathogen that causes Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) with high morbidity and mortality. CCHFV is transmitted to humans through tick bites or direct contact with patients or infected animals with viremia. Currently, climate change and globalization have increased the transmission risk of this biosafety level (BSL)-4 virus.
  • 1.2K
  • 04 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Biofilm Formation Based on Studies with Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Studies with the bacterium P. aeruginosa provide important information about the attachment process. One important consideration is how bacteria sense a surface. In P. aeruginosa, there are two distinct surface sensing mechanisms. The first one involves a WSP chemosensory system. In response to the surface contact, the WSP system stimulates the production of cyclic diguanylate. The initial event is uncertain; it probably involves distortion of the cell membrane, which then activates membrane proteins. A second surface sensing mechanism involves type 4 pili. Upon contact with the surface, the methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein Pil J transduces a signal to the protein CyaB, stimulating its activity. 
  • 1.2K
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Cytoskeletal Filaments in Coronaviridae
The cytoskeleton is an intricate network of filaments running through the cytoplasm that helps cells to maintain their shape and internal organization. Coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 are intimately involved in cytoskeleton-related physiological and pathological processes. The discovery of the exact mechanisms of the subversion of host cells by SARS-CoV-2 is critical to the validation of specific drug targets and effective treatments.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
VLP-Based Vaccines for Trypanosomatid Diseases
Virus-like particle (VLP) technology is involved in many vaccines, including those undergoing studies related to COVID-19. The potential use of VLPs as vaccine adjuvants opens an opportunity for the use of protozoan antigens for the development of vaccines against diseases caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania spp., and Trypanosoma brucei. 
  • 1.2K
  • 21 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Impacts of COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused widespread morbidity and mortality since its emergence. The COVID-19 pandemic has become widespread and known as a pathology of the respiratory system, affecting the ciliary epithelium at an early stage. In severe cases, COVID-19 can lead to development of lung disease: acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A variety of extrapulmonary symptoms may also occur, including acute renal failure (AKI); acute heart failure; coagulopathy; thromboembolic complications, including stroke and pulmonary embolism; and circulatory shock. The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus remains a global public health concern due to the systemic nature of the infection and its long-term consequences, many of which remain to be elucidated. SARS-CoV-2 targets endothelial cells and blood vessels, altering the tissue microenvironment, its secretion, immune-cell subpopulations, the extracellular matrix, and the molecular composition and mechanical properties.
  • 1.2K
  • 05 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Mechanism of Action of Curcumin
Curcumin, one of the major ingredients of turmeric (Curcuma longa), has been widely reported for its diverse bioactivities, including against malaria and inflammatory-related diseases. Curcumin’s low bioavailability limits its potential as an antimalarial and anti-inflammatory agent. Therefore, research on the design and synthesis of novel curcumin derivatives is being actively pursued to improve the pharmacokinetic profile and efficacy of curcumin.
  • 1.2K
  • 05 May 2023
Topic Review
Organoid Models of SARS-CoV-2
Organoids are defined as three-dimensional structures grown from stem cells and consist of organ-specific cell types that self-organize to recapitulate key features and functional characteristics of tissues in a dish. Organoids can be initiated from two main types of stem cells: (1) pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells or synthetically induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and (2) organ-restricted stem cells. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was classified as a pandemic in March 2020. Organoids from diverse human organs have been adopted to understand COVID-19 and the effects the virus has on organs.
  • 1.2K
  • 17 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Basophils and Mast Cells in COVID-19 Pathogenesis
Basophils and mast cells are among the principal inducers of Th2 responses and have a crucial role in allergic and anti-parasitic protective immunity. Basophils can function as antigen-presenting cells that bind antigens on their surface and boost humoral immune responses, inducing Th2 cell differentiation. Their depletion results in lower humoral memory activation and greater infection susceptibility. Basophils seem to have an active role upon immune response to SARS-CoV-2. In fact, a coordinate adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is magnified by basophils. It has been observed that basophil amount is lower during acute disease with respect to the recovery phase and that the grade of this depletion is an important determinant of the antibody response to the virus. Moreover, mast cells, present in a great quantity in the nasal epithelial and lung cells, participate in the first immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Their activation results in a hyperinflammatory syndrome through the release of inflammatory molecules, participating to the “cytokine storm” and, in a longer period, inducing pulmonary fibrosis. 
  • 1.2K
  • 01 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Vaccinology in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era
Different approaches have been used in parallel to make COVID-19 vaccines, including the use of nucleic acid-based vectors, whole virus (live-attenuated and inactivated), viral vectors (replicating and nonreplicating), adjuvant recombinant protein nanoparticles, and virus-like particles (VLPs). Among the protective antigens of SARS-CoV-2, the attention has mainly focused on the native S protein, which is able to induce potent neutralizing antibodies, even if its presentation to the immune system differs substantially between the different categories of vaccines. However, new evidence is being raised about potential roles for other, more conserved non-spike viral antigens, such as nucleocapsid (N) proteins, which might represent an innovation in the fight against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and a source for universal vaccines providing long-lasting immunity.
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Apr 2022
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Trial Results
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed over 7 million lives worldwide, providing a stark reminder of the importance of pandemic preparedness. Due to the lack of approved antiviral drugs effective against coronaviruses at the start of the pandemic, the world largely relied on repurposed efforts. Here, the researchers summarise results from randomised controlled trials to date, as well as selected in vitro data of directly acting antivirals, host-targeting antivirals, and immunomodulatory drugs. Overall, repurposing efforts evaluating directly acting antivirals targeting other viral families were largely unsuccessful, whereas several immunomodulatory drugs led to clinical improvement in hospitalised patients with severe disease. In addition, accelerated drug discovery efforts during the pandemic progressed to multiple novel directly acting antivirals with clinical efficacy, including small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies.
  • 1.2K
  • 09 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Beneficial Effects of Thymoquinone against COVID-19
In order to overcome the serious complications associated with COVID-19 and to prevent SARS-CoV-2 entry into the host cell, it is necessary to repurpose drugs with a broad medicinal application as soon as they become available. It is in this pattern that Nigella sativa seeds manifest their extensive therapeutic effects, which have been reported to be particularly effective in the treatment of skin diseases, jaundice, and gastrointestinal problems. One important component of these seeds is thymoquinone (TQ), which has a wide range of beneficial properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial and parasitic properties, in addition to anticarcinogenic, antiallergic, and antiviral properties.
  • 1.2K
  • 17 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Antituberculosis Targeted Drug Delivery
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the microorganism that causes tuberculosis. The discovery of the antituberculosis agents in the 20th century has managed to improve the recovery rate and reduce the death rate tremendously. However, the conventional antituberculosis therapy is complicated by the development of resistant strains and adverse drug reactions experienced by the patients. Targeted drug delivery may be a potentially useful approach to be developed into clinically accepted treatment modalities. Active targeting utilizes a specifically designed targeting agent to deliver a chemically conjugated drug(s) towards Mtb. Passive targeting is very widely explored, with the development of multiple types of nanoparticles from organic and inorganic materials. The nanoparticles will be engulfed by macrophages and this will eliminate the Mtb that is present in the macrophages, or the encapsulated drug may be released at the sites of infections that may be in the form of intra- and extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Omicron vs. Delta Variant
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in Wuhan city in December 2019, and became a grave global concern due to its highly infectious nature. The Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus-2, with its predecessors (i.e., MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV) belong to the family of Coronaviridae. Reportedly, COVID-19 has infected 344,710,576 people around the globe and killed nearly 5,598,511 persons in the short span of two years. On November 24, 2021, B.1.1.529 strain, later named Omicron, was classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC). SARS-CoV-2 has continuously undergone a series of unprecedented mutations and evolved to exhibit varying characteristics.
  • 1.2K
  • 04 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Metal and Metal Oxide Nanomaterials
The misuse and mismanagement of antibiotics have made the treatment of bacterial infections a challenge. This challenge is magnified when bacteria form biofilms, which can increase bacterial resistance up to 1000 times. It is desirable to develop anti-infective materials with antibacterial activity and no resistance to drugs. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, anti-infective strategies based on metal and metal oxide nanomaterials have been widely used in antibacterial and antibiofilm treatments.
  • 1.2K
  • 02 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Nucleic Acid Vaccines for COVID-19
Nucleic acid vaccines employ genetic material from a pathogen, such as a virus or bacteria, to induce an immune response against it. Based on the vaccination, the genetic material might be DNA or RNA; as such, it offers instructions for producing a specific pathogen protein that the immune system will perceive as foreign and mount an immune response. Nucleic acid vaccines for multiple antigens might be made in the same facility, lowering costs even more. Most traditional vaccine regimens do not allow for this.  Nucleic acid vaccines could also be applied to COVID-19.
  • 1.2K
  • 05 Nov 2021
Topic Review
PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras-Based Antiviral Strategies
The PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTAC), a technology for targeted protein degradation, relies on using heterobifunctional molecules to recruit intracellular protein degradation machinery to the intracellular target protein of interest. This chemically-induced proximity between protein degradation machinery and the target POI results in polyubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation of the target protein. Despite the field of PROTAC technology being relatively new, PROTACs have found wide applications not just as a technical tool but also as a therapeutic approach for infectious and non-infectious diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
  • 1.2K
  • 10 May 2023
Topic Review
Regulation of cGAS Activity and Downstream Signaling
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is a predominant and ubiquitously expressed cytosolic dsDNA sensor that activates innate immune responses by producing a second messenger, cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), and activating the stimulator of interferon genes (STING). cGAS contains a highly disordered N-terminus, which can sense genomic/chromatin DNA, while the C terminal of cGAS binds dsDNA liberated from various sources, including mitochondria, pathogens, and dead cells. Furthermore, cGAS cellular localization dictates its response to foreign versus self-DNA.
  • 1.2K
  • 23 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Treatment of Bacterial Infections in T2DM Patients
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the metabolic disease with the highest morbidity rates worldwide. The condition is characterized by hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and chronic inflammation, among other detrimental conditions. These decrease the efficiency of the immune system, leading to an increase in the susceptibility to bacterial infections. Maintaining an optimal blood glucose level is crucial in relation to the treatment of T2DM, because if the level of this carbohydrate is lowered, the risk of infections can be reduced.
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Adult Abdominal Tuberculosis Diagnosis
Tuberculosis is a common systemic infection with the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is primarily found in the lungs and causes caseous inflammation in lung tissue and other organs. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that spreads via the air. Tuberculosis is an endemic disease in developing countries, due to the wide spread of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), it might represent a problem in developed countries, as well. Only around one-fifth of patients diagnosed with abdominal TB have pulmonary disease. 
  • 1.1K
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Subacute Thyroiditis and the COVID-19
Subacute thyroiditis (SAT), also known as De Quervain or granulomatous thyroiditis, is caused by a viral infection, especially (but not exclusively) of the upper respiratory tract or by post-viral inflammation. Since 2020, the entity has been listed in association with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, and since 2021 it has been related to the vaccine against the virus.
  • 1.1K
  • 02 Jun 2022
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