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
Innovative Therapies for Wound Healing
Wound healing is divided into four overlapping phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling/maturation. During hemostasis, endothelial cells secrete the von Willebrand factor, favoring the adhesion of platelets, which release mediators. During the inflammatory phase mast cells promote vasodilation by the secretion of histamine or serotonin. During the proliferative phase, fibroblasts, in addition to being involved in the formation of granulation tissue, are involved both in the regulation of keratinocyte migration and proliferation other than in angiogenesis. The main processes that distinguish the maturation (or remodeling) phase are collagen restoration and wound contraction, the latter due to myofibroblasts originating from the fibroblasts.
  • 1.7K
  • 19 Sep 2023
Topic Review
RNA Deregulation in ALS
RNA metabolism is central to cellular physiopathology. Almost all the molecular pathways underpinning biological processes are affected by the events governing the RNA life cycle, ranging from transcription to degradation. The deregulation of these processes contributes to the onset and progression of human diseases.
  • 1.6K
  • 29 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Neuroinflammation in Friedreich’s Ataxia
Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the gene frataxin, encoding for a mitochondrial protein involved in iron handling and in the biogenesis of iron−sulphur clusters, and leading to progressive nervous system damage.
  • 1.6K
  • 10 Jun 2022
Topic Review
miRNAs in Cancer
Scientific investigations have shown the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) as a new key factor for cancer development and progression. Owing to their role in the regulation of gene expression and their stability (resistance to endogenous RNase activity) in body fluids, miRNAs have been extensively shown to be of particular interest for diagnosis, recurrence, identification, and treatment of cancer metastasis.  Despite miRNAs being considered small conserved regulators with the limitation of target specificity, we outline the dual role of melanoma-associated miRNAs, as oncogenic and/or tumor suppressive factors, compared to other tumors. 
  • 1.6K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
GOLPH3, a PI(4)P Binding Protein
Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3), a Phosphatidylinositol 4-Phosphate [PI(4)P] effector at the Golgi, is required for several intracellular functions, including Golgi ribbon structure maintenance, Golgi glycosylation and vesicle trafficking. It is amplified in several solid tumor types and its overexpression correlates with poor prognosis. GOLPH3 influences tumorigenesis through (i) regulation of Golgi-to-plasma membrane trafficking; (ii) turnover and glycosylation of cancer-relevant glycoproteins; (iii) influence on DNA damage response and maintenance of genomic stability.
  • 1.6K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Antioxidant Therapy in Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by major lung pathology including excess mucous build-up, chronic inflammation, persistent bacterial infections and progressive lung dysfunction. CF is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). CFTR is an ion channel protein responsible for transport of chloride ions (Cl-) across epithelial cell membranes and, hence, regulates fluid secretion and homeostasis. CFTR also facilitates the efflux of intracellular glutathione (GSH), one of the most predominant antioxidants in animal cells, with impaired function causing systemic deficiency in extracellular GSH. Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by inflammatory immune cells and bacterial infection leads to a highly oxidative extracellular environment, which further contributes to lung damage.
  • 1.6K
  • 26 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Bacteriophages in Cancer
Bacteriophages are a class of prokaryotic viruses with different sizes and shapes (icosahedral, such as T4, T7, or λ; filamentous, such as M13), which infect the host bacterial cell initiating either a lytic or a lysogenic cycle.
  • 1.6K
  • 03 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Oxidative Stress in Human Pathology
Accumulating evidence shows that oxidative stress plays an essential role in the pathogenesis and progression of many diseases. The imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidant systems has been extensively studied in pulmonary, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders; however, its contribution is still debated in gastrointestinal disorders. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress affects gastrointestinal motility in obesity, and post-infectious disorders by favoring the smooth muscle phenotypic switch toward a synthetic phenotype. Here is to gain insight into the role played by oxidative stress in gas-trointestinal pathologies (GIT), and the involvement of ROS in the signaling underlying the mus-cular alterations of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
  • 1.6K
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Hepcidin-Ferroportin Interaction Controls Systemic Iron-Homeostasis
Despite its abundance in the environment, iron is poorly bioavailable and subject to strict conservation and internal recycling by most organisms. In vertebrates, the stability of iron concentration in plasma and extracellular fluid, and the total body iron content are maintained by the interaction of the iron-regulatory peptide hormone hepcidin with its receptor and cellular iron exporter ferroportin (SLC40a1). Ferroportin exports iron from duodenal enterocytes that absorb dietary iron, from iron-recycling macrophages in the spleen and the liver, and from iron-storing hepatocytes. Hepcidin blocks iron export through ferroportin, causing hypoferremia. During iron deficiency or after hemorrhage, hepcidin decreases to allow iron delivery to plasma through ferroportin, thus promoting compensatory erythropoiesis. As a host defense mediator, hepcidin increases in response to infection and inflammation, blocking iron delivery through ferroportin to blood plasma, thus limiting iron availability to invading microbes. Genetic diseases that decrease hepcidin synthesis or disrupt hepcidin binding to ferroportin cause the iron overload disorder hereditary hemochromatosis.
  • 1.6K
  • 22 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Adnexotropic Variants of Interface Dermatitides
Interface dermatitis is a pathological pattern characterized by the presence of basal cell vacuolization and apoptotic keratinocytes. A variety of dermatoses exhibit interface dermatitis on pathology including the lichenoid dermatoses, graft versus host disease, connective tissue diseases, and drug reactions, among others. Several entities of interface dermatitides are known to have distinct rare adnexotropic variants whereby the inflammation involves the adnexa of the skin such as the hair follicle or the sweat gland. In lichen planus for example, follicular and syringotropic variants have been classically described. Adnexal involvement can also at times be seen on histopathology of the interface dermatitides that do not have distinct adnexotropic variants. For example, adnexal inflammation can be seen in lichen striatus or in pityriasis lichenoides.
  • 1.6K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Human Gut Mycobiome in IBD
The human microbiota is a diverse microbial ecosystem associated with many beneficial physiological functions, as well as numerous disease etiologies. Dominated by bacteria, the microbiota also includes commensal populations of fungi, viruses, archaea, and protists. Unlike bacterial microbiota, which was extensively studied in the past two decades, these non-bacterial microorganisms, their functional roles, and their interaction with one another or with host immune system have not been as widely explored. This review covers the recent findings on the fungal communities of the human gastrointestinal microbiota, termed the “mycobiome”, and their involvement in health and disease, with particular focus on the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease.
  • 1.6K
  • 25 Apr 2020
Topic Review
HSP in Diabetes and Alzheimer
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are growing in prevalence worldwide. The development of T2D increases the risk of AD disease, while AD patients can show glucose imbalance due to an increased insulin resistance. T2D and AD share similar pathological features and underlying mechanisms, including the deposition of amyloidogenic peptides in pancreatic islets (i.e., islet amyloid polypeptide; IAPP) and brain (β-Amyloid; Aβ). Both IAPP and Aβ can undergo misfolding and aggregation and accumulate in the extracellular space of their respective tissues of origin. As a main response to protein misfolding, there is evidence of the role of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in moderating T2D and AD. HSPs play a pivotal role in cell homeostasis by providing cytoprotection during acute and chronic metabolic stresses. In T2D and AD, intracellular HSP (iHSP) levels are reduced, potentially due to the ability of the cell to export HSPs to the extracellular space (eHSP). The increase in eHSPs can contribute to oxidative damage and is associated with various pro-inflammatory pathways in T2D and AD.
  • 1.6K
  • 27 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Diabetic Foot Ulcers
The main factors contributing to the development of diabetic foot ulcers are peripheral neuropathy (sensory, motor and autonomic) and peripheral arterial disease. Both complications predispose to the development of lesions and the destruction or infection of tissue, which are the precursors to amputations in most cases. Currently, we have a great deal of information on preventive and therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing the sequence of events (foot at risk, injury and subsequent amputation); but other aspects, such as patient mortality and how certain clinical factors, blood glucose control, ulcer evolution and severity influence patient survival, are less well known. 
  • 1.6K
  • 05 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Pharmacological Chaperones
Pharmacological chaperones are small molecular weight drugs that are used when the primary cause of a disease is the instability of a particular protein. The hallmark of pharmacological chaperones is their ability to bind and stabilize their targets specifically. Pharmacological chaperones offer a hope to cure some genetic diseases with small drugs that can be administered orally and reach the central nervous system. This will not be possible for all the genotypes associated to a given diseases but requires a personalized approach.
  • 1.6K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Obesity-Related Changes in HDL Metabolism
In obese individuals, atherogenic dyslipidemia is a very common and important factor in the increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Adiposity-associated dyslipidemia is characterized by low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and an increase in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Several factors and mechanisms are involved in lowering HDL-C levels in the obese state and HDL quantity and quality is closely related to levels of adiponectin. Recent studies have shown that obesity profoundly alters HDL metabolism, resulting in altered HDL subclass distribution, composition, and function. 
  • 1.6K
  • 11 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Microglia
Microglia, the innate immune cells of the brain, are commonly perceived as resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS). This definition, however, requires further specification, as under healthy homeostatic conditions, neither morphological nor functional properties of microglia mirror those of classical macrophages.
  • 1.6K
  • 04 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors (rAAV)-Vector Elements
Inherited retinal dystrophies and optic neuropathies cause chronic disabling loss of visual function. The development of recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) gene therapies in all disease fields have been promising, but the translation to the clinic has been slow. The safety and efficacy profiles of rAAV are linked to the dose of applied vectors. DNA changes in the rAAV gene cassette affect potency, the expression pattern (cell-specificity), and the production yield. Here, we present a library of rAAV vectors and elements that provide a workflow to design novel vectors. We first performed a meta-analysis on recombinant rAAV elements in clinical trials (2007-2020) for ocular gene therapies. We analyzed 33 unique rAAV gene cassettes used in 57 ocular clinical trials. The rAAV gene therapy vectors used six unique capsid variants, 16 different promoters, and six unique polyadenylation sequences. Further, we compiled a list of promoters, enhancers, and other sequences used in current rAAV gene cassettes in preclinical studies. Then, we give an update on pro-viral plasmid backbones used to produce the gene therapy vectors, inverted terminal repeats, production yield, and rAAV safety considerations. Finally, we assess rAAV transgene and bioactivity assays applied to cells or organoids in vitro, explants ex vivo, and clinical studies.
  • 1.6K
  • 22 Jun 2020
Topic Review
Role of Neutrophils in Thrombosis
Neutrophils, the major innate immune cells, eliminate pathogens by phagocytosis or by releasing antimicrobial proteolytic enzymes present in their granules.
  • 1.6K
  • 19 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Human Permanent Denervated Muscles Recovery
We demonstrated the long-term clinical value of co-activating thigh muscles through hbFES strategy using high currents and large surface electrodes. This Vienna Strategy is able to reverse, at clinically relevant levels, the adverse effects of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), even in the worst-case scenario of complete lesion of lower motor neurons, as it may occur in complete conus and cauda equina syndrome. Continued regularly, hbFES for denervated, degenerating muscles helps to maintain healthier leg muscles and skin, reducing the risks of life-threatening SCI complications. By products of these studies are new approaches for counteracting aging muscle atrophy, new color clinical imaging of muscle tissue and Machine Learning Predictive Systems for skeletal muscle diagnostics and managements.
  • 1.6K
  • 01 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Total Knee Arthroplasty
Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a highly effective procedure for advanced osteoarthritis of the knee. Thirty-day hospital readmission is an adverse outcome related to complications, which can be mitigated by identifying associated risk factors. 
  • 1.6K
  • 21 Jan 2021
  • Page
  • of
  • 39
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