Topic Review Peer Reviewed
The Effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the Angiopoietin/Tie Axis and the Vascular Endothelium
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can cause potentially life-threatening coronavirus disease (COVID-19). COVID-19 is a multisystem disease and is associated with significant respiratory distress, systemic hyperinflammation, vasculitis, and multi-organ failure. SARS-CoV-2 causes the deterioration of numerous systems, with increasing evidence implying that COVID-19 affects the endothelium and vascular function. The endothelium is important for preserving vascular tone and homeostasis. The overactivation and dysfunction of endothelial cells are significant outcomes of severity in patients with COVID-19. The Angiopoietin 1/Tie 2 pathway plays an important role in endothelium quiescence and vessel stability. The disruption of Angiopoietin/Tie balance affects the vessel contact barrier and leads to vessel leakage, and this in turn causes endothelial dysfunction. Although vascular instability through SARS-CoV-2 is associated with endothelial dysfunction, it is still not understood if the virus affects the Angiopoietin/Tie axis directly or via other mechanisms such as cytokine storm and/or immune response associated with the infection. This review provides an overview of the impact SARS-CoV-2 has on endothelial function and more specifically on the Angiopoietin/Tie pathway.
  • 245
  • 21 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Parameters Used to Evaluate Glycemic Variability
In the current diabetes management paradigm, we know that in evaluating the overall quality of glycemic control, besides the traditional measurements of glycemias and HbA1c, we need also to evaluate the degree of glycemic values fluctuations, which are incorporated in the glycemic variability phenomena. It is well known, that independently of glycemic values and HbA1c, glycemic variability is associated with the development of chronic diabetes complications and is linked to an increased risk of clinically significant hypo- and hyper- glycemias. To evaluate glycemic variability, several parameters are recommended, depending on what component of glycemic varibility is wanted to be assessed. Herein, the most frequently used parameters of glycemic variability are presented, how these parameters are calculated as well as their individual clinical usage are also described. 
  • 77
  • 11 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Genetic Features of 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
The 22q11.2 region has a complex structure, characterized by low copy repeats (LCR22A, LCR22B, LCR22C, LCR22D) which share >96% of their sequence and are particularly prone to nonallelic homologous recombination during gametogenesis.
  • 45
  • 08 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Etiopathogenic Factors for Obesity
Obesity is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that represents a health risk, and it is characterized by reaching a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30 kg/m2. Obesity is a chronic disease of multifactorial etiology that involves an energy imbalance, genetic and epigenetic factors, alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, disorders of adipose tissue functioning, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and alterations in the intestinal microbiota, among others.
  • 122
  • 05 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Physiopathology of Atherosclerosis in Type 1 Diabetes
People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have a high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, which remains the leading cause of death in this population. Despite the improved control of several classic risk factors, particularly better glycaemic control, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality continue to be significantly higher than in the general population.
  • 39
  • 27 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Diabetes Peptide-Based Drugs
Peptides continue to gain significance in the pharmaceutical arena. Since the unveiling of insulin in 1921, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised around 100 peptides for various applications. Peptides, although initially derived from endogenous sources, have evolved beyond their natural origins, exhibiting favourable therapeutic effectiveness. The FDA has authorized a variety of medications for the treatment of diabetes, each designed to target different receptors and operate through diverse mechanisms, depending on the specific type of diabetes being addressed.
  • 55
  • 26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Neuroglia in Administrating Nerve Blockers and Anesthesia
Dysfunction of the neuroglia can have profound consequences on the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Studies have shown that the disruption of astrocytic–endothelial interaction can compromise the permeability of BBB and its effectiveness in selectively regulating the exchange of substances. Microglia have been recognized to have a significant role in the initiation of chronic pain and in its interactions with various nerve blockers and anesthetic agents. Microglia have a role in pain resolution via a pathway that involves Cannabinoid receptor type 2 activation and MAP kinase phosphorylation. 
  • 220
  • 26 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Managing Colorectal Cancer from Ethology to Interdisciplinary Treatment
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract, which has become a serious threat to human health worldwide. CRC is a complex disease due to its extensive heterogeneity; thus, effective treatment could be enhanced by the implementation of a personalized medicine approach. Despite constantly improved diagnostic and individualized therapeutic methods, CRC remains one of the biggest problems of contemporary medicine. Knowledge of the basic risk factors, early clinical symptoms, and available screening tests, as well as the preservation of oncological alert, allow the proper targeting of the diagnostic process and, consequently, the earlier diagnosis of the disease. Undoubtedly, new research at the molecular and genetic level allows us to precisely understand the process of initiation and progression of cancerous diseases and, consequently, precise, personalized prevention and treatment.
  • 38
  • 23 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Different Vitamin D Compounds in Adiposity
A large body of research shows an association between higher body weight and low vitamin D status, as assessed using serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations. Vitamin D can be metabolised in adipose tissue and has been reported to influence gene expression and modulate inflammation and adipose tissue metabolism in vitro. However, the exact metabolism of vitamin D in adipose tissue is currently unknown. White adipose tissue expresses the vitamin D receptor and hydroxylase enzymes, substantially involved in vitamin D metabolism and efficacy. The distribution and concentrations of the generated vitamin D compounds in adipose tissue, however, are largely unknown. Closing this knowledge gap could help to understand whether the different vitamin D compounds have specific health effects in the setting of adiposity. 
  • 37
  • 23 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Coffee and Microbiota
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, which has important repercussions on the health of the individual, mainly because of certain compounds it contains. Coffee consumption exerts significant influences on the entire body, including the gastrointestinal tract, where a central role is played by the gut microbiota. Dysbiosis in the gut microbiota is implicated in the occurrence of numerous diseases, and knowledge of the microbiota has proven to be of fundamental importance for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
  • 47
  • 21 Feb 2024
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