Topic Review
Queen Snake
The queen snake (Regina septemvittata) is a species of nonvenomous semiaquatic snake, a member of the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Bacterial Flagellar Filament
The bacterial flagellum is a complex and dynamic nanomachine that propels bacteria through liquids. It consists of a basal body, a hook, and a long filament. The flagellar filament is composed of thousands of copies of the protein flagellin (FliC) arranged helically and ending with a filament cap composed of an oligomer of the protein FliD. The overall structure of the filament core is preserved across bacterial species, while the outer domains exhibit high variability, and in some cases are even completely absent. Flagellar assembly is a complex and energetically costly process triggered by environmental stimuli and, accordingly, highly regulated on transcriptional, translational and post-translational levels. Apart from its role in locomotion, the filament is critically important in several other aspects of bacterial survival, reproduction and pathogenicity, such as adhesion to surfaces, secretion of virulence factors and formation of biofilms. Additionally, due to its ability to provoke potent immune responses, flagellins have a role as adjuvants in vaccine development.
  • 1.2K
  • 02 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Antigen Presentation of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines
Infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has reached pandemic proportions. A number of effective vaccines have been produced, including mRNA vaccines and viral vector vaccines, which are now being implemented on a large scale in order to control the pandemic. The mRNA vaccines are composed of viral Spike S1 protein encoding mRNA incorporated in a lipid nanoparticle and stabilized by polyethylene glycol (PEG). The mRNA vaccines are novel in many respects, including cellular uptake and the intracellular routing, processing, and secretion of the viral protein. Because of space restrictions, viral vector vaccines not discussed in detail. The antigen presentation routes in MHC class I and class II, in relation to the induction of virus-neutralizing antibodies and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, will be reviewed. In rare cases, mRNA vaccines induce unwanted immune mediated side effects. In rare cases, the mRNA-based vaccines may lead to an anaphylactic reaction. This reaction may be triggered by PEG. The intracellular routing of PEG and potential presentation in the context of CD1 will be discussed. 
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Oct 2021
Biography
Stephen Emmott
Stephen Emmott (born 3 June 1960) is a British scientist, entrepreneur and chief scientist of Scientific.[1][2] Emmott was named one of London's most influential scientists, and one of the most influential people in London by the Evening Standard in 2012.[3] Emmott studied at the University of York, where he completed a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (experimental psychology), graduating in 198
  • 1.2K
  • 30 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Adenosine in inflammation and neoplasia
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside, resulting from the degradation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Under adverse conditions, including hypoxia, ischemia, inflammation, or cancer, the extracellular levels of adenosine increase significantly. Once released, adenosine activates cellular signaling pathways through the engagement of the four known G-protein-coupled receptors, adenosine A1 receptor subtype (A1), A2A, A2B, and A3. These receptors, expressed virtually on all immune cells, mitigate all aspects of immune/inflammatory responses. These immunosuppressive effects contribute to blunt the exuberant inflammatory responses, shielding cells, and tissues from an excessive immune response and immune-mediated damage.
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Mammalian Aquaporins
Mammalian aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane channels expressed in a large variety of cells and tissues throughout the body. They are known as water channels, but they also facilitate the transport of small solutes, gasses, and monovalent cations. To date, 13 different AQPs, encoded by the genes AQP0–AQP12, have been identified in mammals, which regulate various important biological functions in kidney, brain, lung, digestive system, eye, and skin. Consequently, dysfunction of AQPs is involved in a wide variety of disorders. AQPs are also present in the heart, even with a specific distribution pattern in cardiomyocytes, but whether their presence is essential for proper (electro)physiological cardiac function has not intensively been studied. In a recent review published in Int. J. Mol. Sci. (https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20082039), we summarizes recent findings and highlights the involvement of AQPs in normal and pathological cardiac function. We conclude that AQPs are at least implicated in proper cardiac water homeostasis and energy balance as well as heart failure and arsenic cardiotoxicity. However, our review also demonstrates that many effects of cardiac AQPs, especially on excitation-contraction coupling processes, are virtually unexplored.
  • 1.2K
  • 06 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Hydroponic Cultivation of Medicinal Herbs
To ensure a stable supply of medicinal plants, efforts to cultivate them have been made. In China, around 200 species of medicinal herbs are cultivated on over 9.3 million hectares of land.
  • 1.2K
  • 23 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Aeromonas
It is well known that correct identification of recovered Aeromonas strains at the genus and species level is a complex process.  Biochemical or phenotypic identification tests and specially those included in miniaturized and/or semi-automatic commercial identification systems (API, Vitek, BBLCrystal, MicroScan etc) produce confusion with the Vibrio genus and an erroneous overestimation of the species Aeromonas hydrophila. Correct identification requires the use of molecular techniques, like the detection of the gene that encode for the GCAT (glycerophospholopid-cholesterol acyltransferase) that can discriminate the genus or the analysis of the sequences of housekeeping genes (gyrB, rpoD, etc) to correctly identifying the species. The latter genes are necessary because the 16S rRNA gene does not show enough resolution to discriminate closely related species (i.e. A. salmonicida from A. bestiarum). In fact many new species were discovered thanks to the use of gyrB and rpoD genes for identification, and the construction of a multilocus phylogenetic analysis with the concatenated sequences of five housekeeping genes was used as a tool in their descriptions. The progress in the techniques used to obtain bacteria genomes had an spectacular impact on the genus Aeromonas  because the genome of the type strain of the different species are available at the GenBank. Tools developed for bacterial identification based on the comparison of genomes like the in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH) and the Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) provides objective criteria to define if two genomes belong or not to the same species. This review aims to guide microbiologists in the correct identification of the Aeromonas spp.
  • 1.2K
  • 23 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer represents a heterogenous disease whose incidence has increased in the last decades. Although three main different subtypes have been described, molecular characterization is progressively being included in the diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm of these patients. In fact, thyroid cancer is a landmark in the oncological approach to solid tumors as it harbors key genetic alterations driving tumor progression that have been demonstrated to be potential actionable targets. Within this promising and rapid changing scenario, current efforts are directed to improve tumor characterization for an accurate guidance in the therapeutic management. In this sense, it is strongly recommended to perform tissue genotyping to patients that are going to be considered for systemic therapy in order to select the adequate treatment, according to recent clinical trials data.
  • 1.2K
  • 21 Jul 2020
Topic Review
LCA of Edible Flower Production
The globalization of the floricultural sector creates more competition, challenging the innovation and reorganization of some ornamental and horticultural nurseries, which started to look at flowers as food products. This research aims to quantify the environmental impact of the emerging productive process of edible flowers through the LCA – Life Cycle Analysis method, due to the higher awareness towards sustainability. Two model species and two types of final products were chosen, using a “cradle to gate” approach.
  • 1.2K
  • 26 Oct 2020
  • Page
  • of
  • 1814
Video Production Service