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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Cardiac Connexins
Connexins are a family of transmembrane proteins that play a key role in cardiac physiology. Gap junctional channels put into contact the cytoplasms of connected cardiomyocytes, allowing the existence of electrical coupling. However, in addition to this fundamental role, connexins are also involved in cardiomyocyte death and survival. Thus, chemical coupling through gap junctions plays a key role in the spreading of injury between connected cells. Moreover, in addition to their involvement in cell-to-cell communication, mounting evidence indicates that connexins have additional gap junction-independent functions. Opening of unopposed hemichannels, located at the lateral surface of cardiomyocytes, may compromise cell homeostasis and may be involved in ischemia/reperfusion injury. In addition, connexins located at non-canonical cell structures, including mitochondria and the nucleus, have been demonstrated to be involved in cardioprotection and in regulation of cell growth and differentiation.
926
13 May 2021
Topic Review
Peer Reviewed
Fungal Metabolites in Human Health and Diseases—An Overview
Fungi produce a wide range of secondary metabolites. Some of these metabolites are toxic to humans and cause various health disorders, ranging from acute poisoning to chronic diseases. Contrary to this, some fungal metabolites are valuable sources in therapeutics, such as penicillin. Herein, researchers briefly highlight the role played by different fungal metabolites in human health and diseases and give an overview of the most common fungal genera.
926
24 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Retrotransposons and Their Impact on Mammalian Genome Evolution
Retrotransposons, a large and diverse class of transposable elements that are still active in humans, represent a remarkable force of genomic innovation underlying mammalian evolution.
928
31 Aug 2022
Biography
Ewan Birney
John Frederick William Birney (known as Ewan) (born 6 December 1972)[1][2][3][4] CBE FRS FMedSci[5][6] is joint director with Rolf Apweiler of the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI),[7][8][9] part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire. He also serves as non-executive director of Genomics England, chair of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (
926
08 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Camelids Milk Nutritional Properties
Milk is considered a complete food because all of the nutrients important to fulfill a newborn’s daily requirements are present, including vitamins and minerals, ensuring the correct growth rate. A large amount of global milk production is represented by cow, goat, and sheep milks; these species produce about 87% of the milk available all over the world. However, the milk obtained by minor dairy animal species is a basic food and an important family business in several parts of the world. Milk nutritional properties from a wide range of minor dairy animal species have not been totally determined. Hot temperatures and the lack of water and feed in some arid and semi-arid areas negatively affect dairy cows; in these countries, milk supply for local nomadic populations is provided by camels and dromedaries. The nutritional quality in the milk obtained from South American camelids has still not been completely investigated, the possibility of creating an economic resource for the people living in the Andean highlands must be evaluated.
926
23 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Circadian Clock
Most living organisms in both the plant and animal kingdoms have evolved processes to stay in tune with the alternation of day and night, and to optimize their physiology as a function of light supply. In mammals, a circadian clock relying on feedback loops between key transcription factors will thus control the temporally regulated pattern of expression of most genes. Modern ways of life have highly altered the synchronization of human activities with their circadian clocks. The circadian clock orchestrates most physiological events in living organisms and its deregulation in association with modern ways of life correlates with the rise of multiple pathologies in humans.
925
23 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Platelet
Platelets are small, anucleate blood cells produced by megakaryocytes. The main function of platelets is to participate in the physiological process of haemostasis, allowing bleeding to stop at the site of an injury, while maintaining normal blood flow elsewhere in the circulation. Platelets are also involved in immunity, antimicrobial defense, cancer growth and metastasis, lymphangiogenesis, inflammatory diseases, wound healing, liver regeneration and neurodegeneration. Their life span is 7–10 days in human. They are produced by megakaryocytes (MKs), mostly in the bone marrow.
925
11 Mar 2021
Topic Review
The PINK1/Parkin Pathway
The process by which dysfunctional mitochondria are selectively targeted for lysosome-mediated degradation otherwise known as mitophagy, requires the serine/threonine kinase PINK1 and the E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin to occur. In the last decade the PINK1/Parkin pathway received great attention due to its importance in many physiological and pathological processes. Understanding the mechanisms by which mitochondria are selectively recognized and targeted for degradation is thus fundamental to understand and to develop therapies for many devastating diseases. Here the mechanisms at the basis of the PINK1/Parkin-mediated degradation of dysfunctional mitochondria are described.
925
27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Saffron for the Treatment of Human Diseases
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a medicinal plant, originally cultivated in the East and Middle East, and later in some Mediterranean countries. Saffron is obtained from the stigmas of the plant. Currently, the use of saffron is undergoing a revival. The medicinal virtues of saffron, its culinary use and its high added value have led to the clarification of its phytochemical profile and its biological and therapeutic characteristics. Saffron is rich in carotenoids and terpenes. The major products of saffron are crocins and crocetin (carotenoids) deriving from zeaxanthin, pirocrocin and safranal, which give it its taste and aroma, respectively. Saffron and its major compounds have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and in vivo. Anti-tumor properties have also been described.
925
18 Feb 2022
Biography
Jeffrey Satinover
Jeffrey Burke Satinover (September 4, 1947) is an American psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and physicist. He is known for books on a number of controversial topics in physics and neuroscience, and on religion, but especially for his writing and public-policy efforts relating to homosexuality, same-sex marriage and the ex-gay movement. Satinover was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 4, 1947
924
29 Dec 2022
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