Topic Review
URAT1 and Other UA Transporters with Metabolic Syndrome
Urate transporter 1 (URAT1), which is a urate anion exchanger that regulates serum uric acid (UA) levels in the human kidney, was identified in 2002, and it has been targeted by uricosuric agents. In humans, renal reabsorption of UA into the blood plays an important role in controlling serum UA levels. The UA exchange is mediated by various molecules expressed in the renal proximal tubule. UA enters the proximal tubule epithelial cells in exchange for monocarboxylate via apical URAT1 and for dicarboxylate via the apical organic anion transporter (OAT) 4. OAT1 and OAT3 on the basolateral membrane of epithelial cells transport UA from the renal interstitial into the renal proximal tubule epithelial cells. Renal UA reabsorption is mainly mediated by URAT1 and glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9). Apical GLUT9b plays a significant role in UA reabsorption; the reabsorbed UA exits the proximal tubule epithelial cells into the blood through basolateral GLUT9a. The ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) has been identified as a high-capacity UA exporter that mediates renal and/or extra-renal (intestinal) UA excretion.
  • 175
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Friction Dissipative Beam-to-Column Connections for MRFs
The use of friction-based beam-to-column connections (BCCs) for earthquake-resistant moment-resistant frames (MRFs), aimed at eliminating damage to beam end sections due to the development of plastic hinges, has been prevalent since the early 1980s. Different technical solutions have been proposed for steel structures, and some have been designed for timber structures, while a few recent studies concern friction joints employed in reinforced concrete structures. Research aimed at characterizing the behavior of joints has focused on the evaluation of the tribological properties of the friction materials, coefficient of friction, shape and stability of the hysteresis cycles, influence of the temperature, speed of load application, effects of the application method, stability of preload, the influence of seismic excitation characteristics on the structural response, statistical characterization of amplitude, and frequency of the slip excursion during seismic excitation. Studies aimed at identifying the design parameters capable of optimizing performance have focused attention mainly on the slip threshold, device stiffness, and deformation capacity. 
  • 186
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Imaging Tools for Detection of Inflammatory Choroidal Neovascularization
Inflammation plays a key role in the induction of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Inflammatory choroidal neovascularization (iCNV) is a severe but uncommon complication of both infectious and non-infectious uveitides. Inflammation itself can compromise perfusion, generating a gradient of retinal–choroidal hypoxia that additionally promotes the formation of choroidal neovascularization in the course of uveitis. The development of choroidal neovascularization may be a complication, especially in conditions such as punctate inner choroidopathy, multifocal choroiditis, serpiginous choroiditis, and presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome. Although the majority of iCNV cases are well defined and appear as the “classic” type (type 2 lesion) on fluorescein angiography, the diagnosis of iCNV is challenging due to difficulties in differentiating between inflammatory choroiditis lesions and choroidal neovascularization. Modern multimodal imaging, particularly the recently introduced technology of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (noninvasive and rapid imaging modalities), can reveal additional features that aid the diagnosis of iCNV. 
  • 117
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Reliability and Validity of Online Placement Test
Due to the use of English as the medium of instruction in many universities around the world, including the Middle East, the standardization of in-house locally developed English placement tests (PTs) has gained substantial importance. PTs, in general, follow several methods to place students at different levels of English language programs and may include interviewing, essay writing, multiple-choice tests, or a combination of different methods. Therefore, the evaluation of their reliability and validity depends, to a large extent, on their specific characteristics.
  • 228
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Artificial-Intelligence-Based Clinical Decision Support Systems in Primary Care
Primary care stands as a cornerstone in healthcare, serving as the first point of contact and managing the most significant number of patients in the United States and worldwide. AI can mimic human reasoning and behavior and handle the increasing volume of medical data within healthcare systems. Machine learning (ML) is the most common AI technique used.
  • 169
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Pathophysiological Basis of Mas-Related G Protein-Coupled Receptor X2
Mast cells (MCs) are immune cells that reside in tissues; particularly in the skin, and in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the Mas-Related G Protein-Coupled Receptor X2 (MRGPRX2), which is present on the surface of MCs and can be targeted by multiple exogenous and endogenous ligands. It is potentially implicated in non-IgE-mediated pseudoallergic reactions and inflammatory conditions such as asthma or atopic dermatitis.
  • 97
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Hydrogels for Cardiac Repair and Regeneration
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death globally, affects the heart and arteries with a variety of clinical manifestations, the most dramatic of which are myocardial infarction (MI), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and intracranial aneurysm (IA) rupture. In MI, necrosis of the myocardium, scar formation, and loss of cardiomyocytes result from insufficient blood supply due to coronary artery occlusion. Beyond stenosis, the arteries that are structurally and functionally connected to the cardiac tissue can undergo pathological dilation, i.e., aneurysmal dilation, with high risk of rupture. Aneurysms of the intracranial arteries (IAs) are more commonly seen in young adults, whereas those of the abdominal aorta (AAA) are predominantly seen in the elderly. IAs, unpredictably, can undergo rupture and cause life-threatening hemorrhage, while AAAs can result in rupture, internal bleeding and high mortality rate. In this clinical context, hydrogels, three-dimensional networks of water-seizing polymers, have emerged as promising biomaterials for cardiovascular tissue repair or protection due to their biocompatibility, tunable properties, and ability to encapsulate and release bioactive molecules.
  • 595
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Effects of Astaxanthin on Cognitive Function in Humans
Astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant, which has been outlined to be beneficial for cognitive function both in vitro and in vivo. Astaxanthin has been researched in relation to various facets of cognitive function in humans, including episodic memory (visual and verbal stimuli), working memory/short-term memory, processing speed, response inhibition, cognitive shifting, and attention.
  • 202
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Stem and Progenitor Cell for Ischemic Heart Disease
Despite improvements in contemporary medical and surgical therapies, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality; more specifically, ischemic heart disease (IHD) may affect individuals as young as 20 years old. Typically managed with guideline-directed medical therapy, interventional or surgical methods, the incurred cardiomyocyte loss is not always completely reversible; however, recent research into various stem cell (SC) populations has highlighted their potential for the treatment and perhaps regeneration of injured cardiac tissue, either directly through cellular replacement or indirectly through local paracrine effects. Different stem cell (SC) types have been employed in studies of infarcted myocardium, both in animal models of myocardial infarction (MI) as well as in clinical studies of MI patients, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), Muse cells, multipotent stem cells such as bone marrow-derived cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cardiac stem and progenitor cells (CSC/CPCs). These have been delivered as is, in the form of cell therapies, or have been used to generate tissue-engineered (TE) constructs with variable results. 
  • 172
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Water Ice Resources on Shallow Subsurface of Mars
The planet Mars is the most probable among the terrestrial planets in our solar system to support human settlement or colonization in the future. The detection of water ice or liquid water on the shallow subsurface of Mars is a crucial scientific objective for both the Chinese Tianwen-1 and United States Mars 2020 missions, which were launched in 2020. Both missions were equipped with Rover-mounted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) instruments, specifically the RoPeR on the Zhurong rover and the RIMFAX radar on the Perseverance rover. The in situ radar provides unprecedented opportunities to study the distribution of shallow subsurface water ice on Mars with its unique penetrating capability. The presence of water ice on the shallow surface layers of Mars is one of the most significant indicators of habitability on the extraterrestrial planet.
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  • 27 Mar 2024
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