Topic Review
Cyclic Peptides in Pipeline
Cyclic peptides are molecules that are already used as drugs in therapies approved for various pharmacological activities, for example, as antibiotics, antifungals, anticancer, and immunosuppressants. Interest in these molecules has been growing due to the improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the cyclic structure over linear peptides and by the evolution of chemical synthesis, computational, and in vitro methods.
  • 455
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Properties and Applications of Levan
Polysaccharides play a crucial role in medicine, pharmacy, and cosmetology, as well as in the production of biofuels and biomaterials. Among microbial biopolymers, microbial levan, a fructose polysaccharide, holds significant promise due to its high productivity and chemical diversity. Levan exhibits a wide range of properties, including film-forming ability, biodegradability, non-toxicity, self-aggregation, encapsulation, controlled release capacity, water retention, immunomodulatory and prebiotic activity, antimicrobial and anticancer activity, as well as high biocompatibility. These exceptional properties position levan as an attractive candidate for nature-based materials in food production, modern cosmetology, medicine, and pharmacy. 
  • 910
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Radiation Oncology and Surgery for Brain Metastases Management
Brain metastases are of increasing concern in the management of cancer patients. New systemic treatment options like specific targeting agents or immune checkpoint inhibitors allow for longer survival with a higher incidence of brain metastases over the course of the disease. Single or a few small, asymptomatic lesions are mainly treated with focal stereotactic radiotherapy. On the other hand, in many cases, large and, in particular, symptomatic metastases require microsurgical resection for immediate symptom relief.
  • 200
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Ketogenic Diet, NAFLD, Mitochondria, and Oxidative Stress
Together with the global rise in obesity and metabolic syndrome, the prevalence of individuals who suffer from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has risen dramatically. NAFLD is currently the most common chronic liver disease and includes a continuum of liver disorders from initial fat accumulation to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), considered the more severe forms, which can evolve in, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Common features of NAFLD includes altered lipid metabolism mainly linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, which, as a vicious cycle, aggravates oxidative stress and promotes inflammation and, as a consequence, the progressive death of hepatocytes and the severe form of NAFLD. A ketogenic diet (KD), i.e., a diet very low in carbohydrates (<30 g/die) that induces “physiological ketosis”, has been demonstrated to alleviate oxidative stress and restore mitochondrial function. 
  • 293
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Clinical and Dermoscopic Characteristics of Cutaneous Sarcomas
Under the umbrella of cutaneous sarcomas (CS),  a heterogeneous group of rare, malignant, mesenchymal neoplasia, such as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, atypical fibroxanthoma, cutaneous undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, cutaneous angiosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma is included. Clinical presentation and histopathological examination are the cornerstone of CS diagnosis and classification. CS are characterized by mostly unspecific dermatoscopic patterns. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and in a lesser degree, cutaneous angiosarcoma, may display distinct dermatoscopic features, facilitating their early clinical recognition. In conclusion, dermatoscopy, in conjunction with the overall clinical context, may aid towards suspicion of CS.
  • 447
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Role of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles in Neurodegenerative Disease
Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles (BEVs) possess the capability of intracellular interactions with other cells, and, hence, can be utilized as an efficient cargo for worldwide delivery of therapeutic substances such as monoclonal antibodies, proteins, plasmids, siRNA, and small molecules for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). BEVs additionally possess a remarkable capacity for delivering these therapeutics across the blood–brain barrier to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
  • 422
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Physiological Roles of TRPM4 in the Heart
The transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) channel is a non-selective cation channel that activates in response to increased intracellular Ca2+ levels but does not allow Ca2+ to pass through directly. It plays a crucial role in regulating diverse cellular functions associated with intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis/dynamics. TRPM4 is widely expressed in the heart and is involved in various physiological and pathological processes therein. Specifically, it has a significant impact on the electrical activity of cardiomyocytes by depolarizing the membrane, presumably via Na+ loading. 
  • 216
  • 25 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Pharmacological Activities of Betulin
Betulin is a natural triterpene, usually from birch bark, known for its potential wound-healing properties. Betulin has protective effects against cardiovascular and liver diseases, cancer, diabetes, oxidative stress, and inflammation. It reduces postprandial hyperglycemia by inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, combats tumor cells by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting metastatic proteins, and modulates chronic inflammation by blocking the expression of proinflammatory cytokines via modulation of the NFκB and MAPKs pathways.
  • 271
  • 25 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Diabetes Mellitus and COVID-19 in Children
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a complex infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and it currently represents a worldwide public health emergency. The pediatric population is less prone to develop severe COVID-19 infection, but children presenting underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, are thought to be at increased risk of developing more severe forms of COVID-19.
  • 299
  • 25 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Smooth Muscle Heterogeneity and Plasticity in Aortic Aneurysm
Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the predominant cell type in the medial layer of the aorta, which plays a critical role in the maintenance of aortic wall integrity. VSMCs have been suggested to have contractile and synthetic phenotypes and undergo phenotypic switching to contribute to the deteriorating aortic wall structure. The unprecedented heterogeneity and diversity of VSMCs and their complex relationship to aortic aneurysms (AAs) have been revealed by high-resolution research methods, such as lineage tracing and single-cell RNA sequencing. The aortic wall consists of VSMCs from different embryonic origins that respond unevenly to genetic defects that directly or indirectly regulate VSMC contractile phenotype. This difference predisposes to hereditary AAs in the aortic root and ascending aorta. 
  • 320
  • 25 Jul 2023
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