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Topic Review
Multidrug Resistance Mechanisms and Nano-Treatments
The cellular mechanisms of drug resistance prevent the correct efficacy of the therapies used in various types of cancer and nanotechnology has been postulated as a possible alternative to avoid them. This entry focuses on describing the different mechanisms of drug resistance and dis-covering which nanotechnology-based therapies have been used in recent years to evade them in colon (CRC) and pancreatic cancer (PAC). Here we summarize the use of different types of nanotechnology (mainly nanoparticles) that have shown efficacy in vitro and in vivo in preclinical phases, allowing future in-depth research in CRC and PAC and its translation to future clinical trials.
  • 499
  • 02 May 2021
Topic Review
mPR-Mediated Signaling with Other Steroid Signaling Pathways
Progesterone (PRG) is a key cyclical reproductive hormone that has a significant impact on female organs in vertebrates. It is mainly produced by the corpus luteum of the ovaries, but can also be generated from other sources such as the adrenal cortex, Leydig cells of the testes and neuronal and glial cells. PRG has wide-ranging physiological effects, including impacts on metabolic systems, central nervous systems and reproductive systems in both genders. It was first purified as an ovarian steroid with hormonal function for pregnancy, and is known to play a role in pro-gestational proliferation during pregnancy.
  • 306
  • 05 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Morita Therapy
Morita therapy is an ecological, purpose-centered, response-oriented therapy created through case-based research by Shoma Morita, M.D. (1874–1938). Morita developed his theory of consciousness and medically-grounded four-stage progressive therapeutic method with rigor. The goal of Morita therapy is to have the patient accept life as it is. This does not mean that the patient cannot set and achieve goals, but be able to be satisfied with their life in the moment. Morita therapy places an emphasis on letting nature take its course. This is not to say that patients should be resigned to their mental illness but to respect the laws of nature. Feeling emotions is a law of nature according to Morita therapy. Morita therapy helps its patients understand that experiencing emotions, positive or negative, is a facet of being a human being. Morita describes his own therapy as follows: Morita therapy was originally developed to address shinkeishitsu, an outdated term used in Japan to describe patients who have various types of anxiety. Morita therapy was designed not to completely rid the patient of shinkeishitsu but to lessen the damaging effects. While Morita therapy has been described as cognate to Albert Ellis's rational-emotive therapy, this description does not account for the ecological foundation of the therapy. Morita therapy also has commonalities with existential and cognitive behavioral therapy.
  • 842
  • 10 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Molecular Mechanisms of Colistin Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii
Colistin, as a positively charged peptide, exerts its antibacterial effect via electrostatic interactions with negatively charged lipid A, a component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Accordingly, two main mechanisms of colistin resistance have been described in Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii): the complete loss or modifications of the target LPS, leading to abolishing or reducing its negative charge. The complete loss of LPS results from inactivation of the first three genes of the lipid A biosynthetic pathway (lpxA, lpxC, and lpxD genes), whereas the modification of LPS occurs through the addition of phosphoethanolamine (PEtN) moieties to lipid A by the pmrCAB operon-encoded enzymes. Although 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose (L-Ara4N) modification of LPS has been described as a more common and effective colistin resistance mechanism compared to PEtN LPS modification in diverse Gram-negative pathogens (Salmonella enterica, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), it was absent in A. baumannii. In addition to chromosome-mediated mechanisms, plasmid-mediated colistin resistance encoded by mcr genes has been recognized as a major driver of rapid dissemination by horizontal gene transfer among pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria, including A. baumannii.
  • 461
  • 21 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Insights of Diabetic Vasculopathy
Clinical and basic studies have documented that both hyperglycemia and insulin-resistance/hyperinsulinemia not only constitute metabolic disorders contributing to cardiometabolic syndrome, but also predispose to diabetic vasculopathy, which refers to diabetes-mellitus-induced microvascular and macrovascular complications, including retinopathy, neuropathy, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and peripheral artery disease.
  • 344
  • 22 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Molecular Hydrogen into the Body
It is known that molecular hydrogen is a relatively stable, ubiquitous gas that is a minor component of the atmosphere. At the same time, molecular hydrogen has been shown to have diverse biological effects. By the end of 2022, more than 2000 articles have been published in the field of hydrogen medicine, many of which are original studies.
  • 668
  • 10 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Cyclodextrin Complexes
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are highly respected for their ability to form inclusion complexes via host–guest noncovalent interactions and, thus, ensofance other molecular properties. Various molecular modeling methods have found their applications in the analysis of those complexes. However, as showed in this entry, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations could provide the information unobtainable by any other means.
  • 463
  • 24 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Liver
The liver plays a key role in systemic metabolic processes, which include detoxification, synthesis, storage, and export of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. The raising trends of obesity and metabolic disorders worldwide is often associated with the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which has become the most frequent type of chronic liver disorder with risk of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver mitochondria play a key role in degrading the pathways of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and xenobiotics, and to provide energy for the body cells. The morphological and functional integrity of mitochondria guarantee the proper functioning of β-oxidation of free fatty acids and of the tricarboxylic acid cycle.
  • 925
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Mitochondrial dysfunction results in a series of defective cellular events, including decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) output, and altered proteastasis and cellular quality control. An enhanced output of ROS may damage mitochondrial components, such as mitochondrial DNA and elements of the electron transport chain, resulting in the loss of proper electrochemical gradient across the mitochondrial inner membrane and an ensuing shutdown of mitochondrial energy production. Neurons have an increased demand for ATP and oxygen, and thus are more prone to damage induced by mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial dysfunction, damaged electron transport chains, altered membrane permeability and Ca2+ homeostasis, and impaired mitochondrial defense systems induced by oxidative stress, are pathological changes involved in neurodegenerative disorders. A growing body of evidence suggests that the use of antioxidants could stabilize mitochondria and thus may be suitable for preventing neuronal loss. Numerous natural products exhibit the potential to counter oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction; however, science is still looking for a breakthrough in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. β-caryophyllene is a bicyclic sesquiterpene, and an active principle of essential oils derived from a large number of spices and food plants. As a selective cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonist, several studies have reported it as possessing numerous pharmacological activities such as antibacterial (e.g., Helicobacter pylori), antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic (e.g., neuropathic pain), anti-neurodegenerative and anticancer properties. The present review mainly focuses on the potential of β-caryophyllene in reducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, and its possible links with neuroprotection. 
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Mitochondrial (dys)function and Sperm Biology
The dogma of mitochondria as the major source of energy in supporting sperm motility should be critically reconsidered in the light of several experimental data pointing to a major role of glycolysis in mammalian spermatozoa. In this light, the reported positive correlation between the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and motility of ejaculated spermatozoa cannot be explained convincingly by an impaired mitochondrial ATP generation only. Evidence has been produced suggesting that, in human sperm, dysfunctional mitochondria represent the main site of generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, in these organelles, a complex bidirectional relationship could exist between ROS generation and apoptosis-like events that synergize with oxidative stress in impairing sperm biological integrity and functions. Despite the activity of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant factors, human spermatozoa are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress, which plays a major role in male factor infertility.
  • 791
  • 01 Jun 2021
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