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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Microbiota and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasing cause of chronic liver illness associated with obesity and metabolic disorders, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, or type 2 diabetes mellitus. A more severe type of NAFLD, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is considered an ongoing global health threat and dramatically increases the risks of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is characterized by an increase in fat accumulation in the form of micro and macro vacuoles of lipids into hepatocytes (named steatosis), is the most common liver disorder worldwide. Steatosis is classified as mild (5–33%), moderate (34–66%), or severe (more than 66%) depending on the fat number in vacuoles within the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Additionally, other histopathological features should be taken into account in the presence of steatosis including inflammation, fibrosis, and ballooning degeneration.
404
06 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Gastrointestinal Involvement in Extra-Digestive Disease
Calprotectin (CP) is a dimer composed of S100A8 and S100A9, which are calcium and zinc binding proteins. CP is found mainly in neutrophils, where under constitutive conditions, it represents about 45% of the total cytosolic protein. Moreover, calprotectin is constitutively expressed by monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells oral keratocytes and squamous mucosal epithelium. In inflammation, the expression of calprotectin is increased. CP is released by neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages during inflammation due to its antimicrobial properties. CP can be detected in serum, urine, cerebrospinal, synovial, and pleural fluids in proportion to the degree of any existing inflammation, but the most useful and widely used form is in stool as a reliable marker of intestinal tissue inflammation. Moreover, CP concentration in feces is approximately six times higher than in plasma.
404
13 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Impact of Sex Hormones on Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Several chronic liver diseases are characterized by a clear gender disparity. Among them, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) shows significantly higher incidence rates in men than in women. The different epidemiological distribution of risk factors for liver disease and HCC only partially accounts for these gender differences. In fact, the liver is an organ with recognized sexual dysmorphism and is extremely sensitive to the action of androgens and estrogens. Sex hormones act by modulating the risk of developing HCC and influencing its aggressiveness, response to treatments, and prognosis. Furthermore, androgens and estrogens are able to modulate the action of other factors and cofactors of liver damage (e.g., chronic HBV infection, obesity), significantly influencing their carcinogenic power.
404
21 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Immune Cells in Gastric Cancer
Despite the fact that the incidence of gastric cancer has declined over the last decade, it is still the world’s leading cause of cancer-related death. The diagnosis of early gastric cancer is difficult, as symptoms of this cancer only manifest at a late stage of cancer progression. Thus, the prognosis of gastric cancer is poor, and the current treatment for improving patients’ outcomes involves the application of surgery and chemotherapy. Immunotherapy is one of the most recent therapies for gastric cancer, whereby the immune system of the host is programmed to combat cancer cells, and the therapy differs based upon the patient’s immune system. However, an understanding of the role of immune cells, namely the cell-mediated immune response and the humoral immune response, is pertinent for applications of immunotherapy. The roles of immune cells in the prognosis of gastric cancer have yielded conflicting results.
403
23 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Skeletal Muscles in Obesity
Skeletal muscles, as well as adipose tissue, are largely recognized as endocrine organs, producing biologically active substances, such as myokines and adipokines. They may have either beneficial or harmful effects on the organism and its functions, acting through the endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine pathways. Moreover, the collocation of adipose tissue and skeletal muscles, i.e., the amount of intramuscular, intermuscular, and visceral adipose depots, may be of major importance for metabolic health. Traditionally, the generalized and progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength or physical function, named sarcopenia, has been thought to be associated with age.
403
05 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Role of the Immune System in IBD-Associated Cancer
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have increased incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC). IBD-associated cancer follows a well-characterized sequence of intestinal epithelial changes, in which genetic mutations and molecular aberrations play a key role. IBD-associated cancer develops against a background of chronic inflammation and pro-inflammatory immune cells, and their products contribute to cancer development and progression. In recent years, the effect of the immunosuppressive microenvironment in cancer development and progression has gained more attention, mainly because of the unprecedented anti-tumor effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors in selected groups of patients. Even though IBD-associated cancer develops in the background of chronic inflammation which is associated with activation of endogenous anti-inflammatory or suppressive mechanisms, the potential role of an immunosuppressive microenvironment in these cancers is largely unknown.
402
13 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Dietitian for Insulin Resistance and Urolithiasis
Many obesity and diet-related diseases have been observed. Insulin resistance (IR), a state of tissue resistance to insulin due to its impaired function, is a common coexisting condition. The most important predisposing factors are excessive visceral fat and chronic low-grade inflammatory response. An additional disease that is often associated with IR is urolithiasis. The common feature of these two conditions is metabolic acidosis and mild inflammation. A patient diagnosed with IR and urolithiasis is a big challenge for a dietitian.
402
30 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Nanoparticles in Scavenging the Free Radicals
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a significant role in the survival and decline of various biological systems. In liver-related metabolic disorders such as steatohepatitis, ROS can act as both a cause and a consequence. Alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are two distinct types of steatohepatitis. There has been growing interest in using medications that target ROS formation and reduce ROS levels as a therapeutic approach for oxidative stress-related liver disorders. Mammalian systems have developed various antioxidant defenses to protect against excessive ROS generation. These defenses modulate ROS through a series of reactions, limiting their potential impact.
403
13 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Protective Role of Natural Compounds under Radiation-Induced Injury
Evidence has shown the potential therapeutic effects of different natural compounds for the prevention and treatment of radiotherapy-induced mucositis (RIOM). RIOM represents one of the most frequent side effects associated with anti-neoplastic treatments affecting patients’ quality of life and treatment response due to radiation therapy discontinuation. The innate radio-protective ability of natural products obtained from plants is in part due to the numerous antioxidants possessed as a part of their normal secondary metabolic processes. However, oxygen presence is a key point for radiation efficacy on cancer cells. Here, it is to describe the most recent evidence on radiation-induced injury and the emerging protective role of natural compounds in preventing and treating this specific damage without compromising treatment efficacy.
401
26 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Genetic Alterations in Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms
Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) are benign pancreatic cysts found in the ducts of the pancreas that have the potential to become malignant. Identifying IPMNs that have high potential to become pancreatic cancer may help prevent unnecessary surgery which is the definitive treatment of IPMNs. Whole exome and targeted sequencing were utilized to better characterize the genetic alterations in IPMNs. The most commonly mutated gene in IPMNs is KRAS with 50–80% of IPMNs harboring a KRAS mutation.
401
31 Mar 2023
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