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Topic Review
Ginger
Ginger in its many forms, from juices of the fresh rhizome, to ginger powder and ginger essential oil, is growing in popularity for claimed universal health benefits. Nevertheless, and contrarily to the common notion of the public, ginger is not devoid of side effects, especially interactions with other drugs, and many of the claimed benefits remain to be substantiated. 
  • 2.0K
  • 17 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Lipid Metabolism in COVID-19
The current Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic has infected over two million people and resulted in the death of over one hundred thousand people at the time of writing this review. The disease is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Even though multiple vaccines and treatments are under development so far, the disease is only slowing down under extreme social distancing measures that are difficult to maintain. SARS-COV2 is an enveloped virus that is surrounded by a lipid bilayer. Lipids are fundamental cell components that play various biological roles ranging from being a structural building block to a signaling molecule as well as a central energy store. The role lipids play in viral infection involves the fusion of the viral membrane to the host cell, viral replication, and viral endocytosis and exocytosis. Since lipids play a crucial function in the viral life cycle, we asked whether drugs targeting lipid metabolism, such as statins, can be utilized against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. In this review, we discuss the role of lipid metabolism in viral infection as well as the possibility of targeting lipid metabolism to interfere with the viral life cycle.
  • 2.0K
  • 28 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Chital
The chital (/tʃiːtəl/; Axis axis), also known as spotted deer, chital deer, and axis deer, is a species of deer that is native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described by German naturalist Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben in 1777. A moderate-sized deer, male chital reach nearly 90 cm (35 in) and females 70 cm (28 in) at the shoulder. While males weigh 30–75 kg (66–165 lb), the lighter females weigh 25–45 kg (55–99 lb). It is sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females, and antlers are present only on males. The upper parts are golden to rufous, completely covered in white spots. The abdomen, rump, throat, insides of legs, ears, and tail are all white. The antlers, three-pronged, are nearly 1 m (3.3 ft) long.
  • 2.0K
  • 29 Sep 2022
Topic Review
MecA (Gene)
The mecA gene is a gene found in bacterial cells which allows a bacterium to be resistant to antibiotics such as methicillin, penicillin and other penicillin-like antibiotics. The most commonly known carrier of the mecA gene is the bacterium known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In Staphylococcus species, mecA is spread on the SCCmec genetic element. Resistant strains are responsible for many infections originating in hospitals. The mecA gene does not allow the ringlike structure of penicillin-like antibiotics to bind to the enzymes that help form the cell wall of the bacterium (transpeptidases), and hence the bacteria is able to replicate as normal. mecA is located on the staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec. The gene encodes the protein PBP2A (penicillin binding protein 2A). PBP2A has a low affinity for beta-lactam antibiotics such as methicillin and penicillin. This enables transpeptidase activity in the presence of beta-lactams, preventing them from inhibiting cell wall synthesis.
  • 2.0K
  • 03 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Applications of Lysozyme
Lysozyme (or muramidase or N-acetylmuramic acid hydrolase E.C. 3.2.1.17) is a protein that exerts its enzymatic activity through the hydrolysis of the β-1,4-glycosidic bonds between N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamide (NAG) in the polysaccharide backbone of the peptidoglycans of the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall. Peptidoglycan is composed of polysaccharide chains cross-linked by short peptides. The polysaccharide chains contain alternate units of NAM and NAG.
  • 2.0K
  • 24 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Massive Parallel Sequencing
Massive parallel sequencing or massively parallel sequencing is any of several high-throughput approaches to DNA sequencing using the concept of massively parallel processing; it is also called next-generation sequencing (NGS) or second-generation sequencing. Some of these technologies emerged in 1994-1998 and have been commercially available since 2005. These technologies use miniaturized and parallelized platforms for sequencing of 1 million to 43 billion short reads (50-400 bases each) per instrument run. Many NGS platforms differ in engineering configurations and sequencing chemistry. They share the technical paradigm of massive parallel sequencing via spatially separated, clonally amplified DNA templates or single DNA molecules in a flow cell. This design is very different from that of Sanger sequencing—also known as capillary sequencing or first-generation sequencing—that is based on electrophoretic separation of chain-termination products produced in individual sequencing reactions.
  • 2.0K
  • 29 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-15
The immune system is a complex network dedicated to protecting an organism against harmful substances, including the eradication of invading pathogens or malignant cells, maintenance of specific memory lymphocytes and elimination of autoreactive immune cells to yield self-tolerances. Homeostasis of immune systems relies on two main components—the innate and adaptive immune responses, which are regulated by a series of cytokines that are released in response to certain stimulus. One of the most extensively studied cytokines is the common cytokine receptor common gamma chain (γc) family of cytokines, including interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15 and IL-21, which is named based on the usage of γc subunit for their receptors. This set of cytokines display broad pleiotropic actions to regulate both the innate and adaptive immune system, collectively contributing to the development of various immune cell populations, modulating cell differentiation, and either promoting the survival or inducing the apoptosis depending on the cellular context.
  • 2.0K
  • 08 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Mabry Syndrome
Mabry syndrome is a condition characterized by intellectual disability, distinctive facial features, increased levels of an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase in the blood (hyperphosphatasia), and other signs and symptoms.
  • 2.0K
  • 23 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Pudu (Genus)
The pudus (Mapudungun püdü or püdu, Spanish: pudú, Spanish pronunciation: [puˈðu]) are two species of South American deer from the genus Pudu, and are the world's smallest deer. The name is a loanword from Mapudungun, the language of the indigenous Mapuche people of central Chile and south-western Argentina. The two species of pudus are the northern pudu (Pudu mephistophiles) from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and the southern pudu (Pudu puda; sometimes incorrectly modified to Pudu pudu) from southern Chile and south-western Argentina . Pudus range in size from 32 to 44 centimeters (13 to 17 in) tall, and up to 85 centimeters (33 in) long. The southern pudu is currently classified as near threatened, while the northern pudu is classified as Data Deficient in the IUCN Red List.
  • 2.0K
  • 20 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Debaryomyces Hansenii in Sausages, Dry-Meat
Debaryomyces hansenii is a hemiascomycetous yeast of undoubted biotechnological importance. It is a heterogeneous yeast species able to grow under extreme conditions, such as high salt or relatively alkaline pH levels. This yeast has high respiratory and low fermentative activity. It ferments with important variations, depending on the strain and growth conditions used. Briefly, some examples of its beneficial effects are the production of xylitol, lipases, and exopeptidases important in the food industry, and of thermophilic β-glucosidases essential to produce fuel alcohol. Debaryomyces hansenii is, most probably, the most abundant yeast found in sausages and dry-meat products manufactured all around the world.
  • 2.0K
  • 04 Aug 2021
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