Mostcited Articles

In children, the global burden of vaccines-preventable diseases (VPDs) and deaths can be averted by adopting timely immunization practices. Administering immunization to a child within 28 or 30 days of the designated immunization date is referred to as timely immunization. Besides timely immunization, immunization non-compliance (invalid or delayed or missed immunization) increases the risk of various forms of VPDs and death in children, particularly living in urban slums. 

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective prevention and management strategies are essential to reduce the burden of CVDs. This review summarizes recent advances in the prevention and management of CVDs. In terms of prevention, lifestyle modifications, such as diet, exercise, and smoking cessation, remain important strategies.

Liver fibrosis resulting from chronic liver injury can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. Current treatments are limited, creating an urgent need for novel antifibrotic therapies. Multiple emerging approaches have shown preclinical promise in inhibiting liver fibrogenesis or stimulating regeneration, including artificial liver support, stem cell therapy, cell/gene therapy, nanomedicines, immunotherapy, and herbal medicines.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major global health concern, with an estimated 50% of the world's population infected. The bacterium colonizes the stomach and is associated with a range of gastrointestinal diseases, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. The current standard of care for H. pylori infection involves a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), but the widespread use of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori, making treatment more difficult. Recent advances in diagnostic strategies include the use of non-invasive tests and serological biomarkers.

Human dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) is one of the neurotransmission genes that plays an important role in controlling the behavior and psychological reactions toward various physical activities. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the associations between SLC6A3 3’-UTR VNTR (3’VNTR) genotypes and eight personality traits in Egyptian athletes. One hundred athletes (50 males and 50 females) and one hundred non-athletes participated in this investigation either in individual or team games.

Last year’s article In the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology [1] highlighted that Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) is now the leading cause of visual impairment in the developed world [2]. It also provided a definition of CVI [3,4], and summarized its functional deficits, and methods of assessment. 

This is the first reported case of COVID-19 associated optic neuritis (ON) presenting with classic Uhtoff’s phenomenon typically associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Uhthoff phenomenon, also known as Uhthoff sign or syndrome, is a transient worsening of neurological function lasting less than 24 hours that can occur in multiple sclerosis patients due to increases in core body temperature.

Burnout in medical students has been a consistent focus of research on stress over the decades. Medical students have been cited as at risk for burnout due to excessive stress, unrealistic expectations, and societal pressures.

Venetoclax, a small-molecule B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor, selectively eradicates leukemic stem cells (LSCs). While venetoclax has revolutionized the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), treatment failure and disease relapse are common. Mechanisms underlying venetoclax resistance are surprisingly heterogeneous.

Oxidative stress (OS) in the airway epithelium is associated with cell damage, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction that may initiate or worsen respiratory disease. However, it is unclear whether exogenous antioxidants can provide protection to the airway epithelium from OS. Resveratrol and astaxanthin are nutritional compounds that have shown diverse benefits including protection against OS and inflammation in various situations.

In their recent article, “Jail-Based Competency Treatment Comes of Age,” Jennings et al. reviewed the historical development of the model and presented the first large-scale empirical support for its effectiveness, which covered eight years of outcomes across four different program sites for nearly 2,000 Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) defendants.

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a progressive disease affecting the normal cardiac structure and function. CA could be isolated or associated with a spectrum of organ involvement, including the kidneys, lungs, nervous systems, bones, and others.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak occurred in China and spread to the whole world in a short period of time. The WHO (World Health Organization) named the viral disease as COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2) on February 11, 2020.

The first case is described in Wuhan city of China in December 2019 and the disease (COVID-19) continues to pose threat to global health all over the world affecting more than approximately 476 million confirmed cases and 6 million deaths. Reliable and effective methods are taken a critical role such as real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR test as a gold standard method, serological tests, and reverse transcriptase loopmediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method is chosen firstly. 

Sleep is an evolutionarily conserved phenomenon which has survived tremendous evolutionary pressures. Its disruption has deleterious implications for human health. The importance of sleep is illustrated by the fact that sleep deprivation in many animals leads to death. While sleep is tightly regulated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors it becomes progressively disrupted in old age and in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD). 

As the literature shows, the categorical diagnosis of personality has received numerous criticisms. Over the years, authors suggest that personality dysfunction is distributed along a dimensional continuum. Dimensional assessment of personality severity has been included in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Section III, and in the World Health Organization’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, where levels of personality functioning are posited to account for personality complexity

The article ‘Enablers and barriers to effective clinical supervision in the workplace: a rapid evidence review’ presents evidence from the international literature on effective clinical supervision. The review searched nearly 16000 international publications to answer the question: What makes effective clinical supervision? When in place and done well, clinical supervision has many benefits for the organisation, professional development and patient services.

Imatinib is a selective inhibitor of the bcr-abl tyrosine kinase making it a potential treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), as well as a selective inhibitor of KIT protein tyrosine kinase, and PDGF receptor, and is the treatment of choice in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs)

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD) are debilitating conditions that are highly associated with aging populations, especially those with comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension.

In nature, nanoparticles can be found as natural or synthetic. Nanoparticles may form either physically or chemically. Nanoparticles are uniform types of common material whose dimensions are less than 100 nm. Volcanic ash, ocean spray, fine sand, and dust are some examples of natural nanoparticles.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) based nano-sized photocatalysts (NPCs) were synthesized following a green method from the extract of Peepal (Ficus religiosa) leaves and titanium tetrachloride as precursors. Doping of TiO2 with Magnesium (Mg) was done using magnesium chloride through the method of chemical precipitation. Size of the NPC samples were estimated and characterized by CPS Disc Centrifuge, Diffracted Light Scattering (DLS) and Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEG-SEM) techniques.

The development of direct-acting antiviral agents for the treatment of Hepatitis C (HCV) has changed the practice of treating patients with HCV. In particular, organ transplant recipients who have not previously been exposed to HCV are now able to consider receiving an organ from a donor who is infected with HCV, and anticipate effective antiviral therapy after transplantation.

Experimental and hereditary defects in the ubiquitous scaffolding proteins of the spectrin gene family cause an array of neuropathologies

A role for oxidative stress in the etiology of myriad neuropathologies is well accepted. However, the specific effects of oxidative DNA damage in the onset or promotion of neuronal dysfunction have been less studied. In our recent publication by Behrouzi et al. (Oxidative DNA Damage and Cisplatin Neurotoxicity Is Exacerbated by Inhibition of OGG1 Glycosylase Activity and APE1 Endonuclease Activity in Sensory Neurons), inhibition of enzymes that play a role in repairing oxidative DNA damage exacerbated neurotoxic effects of the chemotherapeutic agent, cisplatin. 

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has a bimodal age distribution with peak incidence at age 24 and age 65 with worse outcomes developing in aged populations

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic and a major risk factor for numerous diseases. The regulation of feeding behavior and body weight depends on a wide range of neuronal pathways influencing satiety and hunger. Serotonin (5-HT) is one of those players identified to have a profound effect on energy homeostasis. The effect of obesity on 5-HT metabolism in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and its underlying mechanisms still needs to be further elaborated. 

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia with hallmarks of ß-amyloid (Aß) plaques, tau tangles, and neurodegeneration. Studies have shown that neurodegeneration components, especially brain metabolic deficits, are more predictable for AD severity than Aß and tau. However, detailed knowledge of the biochemical composition of AD brain tissue vs. normal brain tissue remains unclear.

Heterozygous mutations in ELANE, the gene for neutrophil elastase, cause cyclic and congenital neutropenia through the programed cell death of neutrophil progenitors in the bone marrow. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is an effective therapy for these diseases, but alternative therapies are needed, especially for patients who do not respond well or are at high risk of developing myeloid malignancies. We developed an HL60 cell model for ELANE neutropenia and previously demonstrated that transient and regulated expression of mutant ELANE causes cell death by accelerated apoptosis.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been shown to acutely alter the gut microbiome diversity and composition, known as dysbiosis, which can further exacerbate metabolic and vascular changes in the brain in both humans and rodents. However, it remains unknown how mTBI affects the gut microbiome in the chronic phase recovery (past one week post injury). It is also unknown if injury recovery can be improved by mitigating dysbiosis. The goal of the study is to fill the knowledge gap.

The osteoblasts contribute to bone homeostasis maintaining the bone mass, and intervene in bone injuries repair. Insights in the events leading to the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts might allow uncover potential molecular targets to control the complex mechanisms underlying bone remodeling. Signal transduction pathways contribute to the differentiation and metabolic activities of osteoblasts, with special regard to calcium-related signaling, including the Phosphoinositide (PI) pathway.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research has long been dominated with communications regarding the amyloid hypothesis and targeting amyloid clearance through pharmacological therapies from the brain. Unfortunately, this research strategy has yielded only one new FDA-accelerated approved therapeutic for early AD, and its clinical benefit still needs to be verified. It may be time to employ a new strategy in AD therapeutics research. Hammond et al. reported that diminished uptake of glucose in the brain is a better marker for classifying AD than beta-amyloid (Aβ) or phosphorylated tau deposition.

The multi-ligand binding protein megalin (LRP2) is ubiquitously expressed and facilitates cell uptake of hormones, nutrients and vitamins. We have recently shown megalin is present in the mitochondria of cultured epithelial and mesenchymal cells, as well as many organs and tissues. Mitochondrial megalin associates with stanniocalcin-1 and SIRT3; two proteins that promote anti-oxidant defenses.

Despite all good intentions, dogs are still running behind humans in effective cancer immunotherapies. The more effective treatments in humans, like infusions of CAR-T and NK-cells are not broadly pursued for canines due to significant costs, the rather complicated logistics and the lack of targetable surface antigens. Monoclonal antibodies are challenging to develop considering the limited knowledge about canine target antigens and about their mode of action.

Advances in sensor and computing technology have enabled researchers to develop artificial pancreas systems (APS) that can mimic the glucose regulation function of a healthy pancreas to treat type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). APS use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) sensor to read the latest blood glucose level (BGL).

New globally circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains are causing concern about evolution of virus transmissibility, fitness and immune evasion mechanisms. A variant emerging from the United Kingdom called SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01, or B.1.1.7, is thought to exhibit increased transmissibility that results from replication 4-10 times faster than the original Wuhan virus (Wuhan-Hu-1).

Macrophages play a crucial role in host innate immune defense against infection and tissue injury. Although macrophage activation and polarization has been well studied, we know less regarding the role of macrophage activation/polarization in inflammationassociated necrotic cell death. By using bone marrow-derived macrophages, we have recently demonstrated that M1 macrophages are much more susceptible than M0 and M2 subtypes of macrophages to necrotic cell death.

Extraordinary journey began on June 18, 1981, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in United States reported a cluster of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (now known as Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) pneumonia or Pneumocystis pneumonia in five gay men in Los Angeles.

Ca²⁺/ calmodulin (CaM) signaling is important for a wide range of cellular functions. It is not surprised the role of this signaling has been recognized in tumor progressions, such as proliferation, invasion, and migration. However, its role in leukemia has not been well appreciated. The multifunctional Ca²⁺/CaM-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) are critical intermediates of this signaling and play key roles in cancer development.

The expression of small non-coding RNA MicroRNAs (miRNAs) during respiratory viral infections is of critical importance as they are implicated in the viral replication, immune responses and severity of disease pathogenesis. Respiratory viral infections have an extensive impact on human health across the globe. For that is essential to understand the factors that regulate the host response against infections.

The replication of viruses requires host cell functions, specifically for protein synthesis, as viruses lack their own translational machinery. Failure to translate viral mRNAs and generate viral proteins would affect the propagation and evolution of a virus. Thus, independently of their size, complexity, and genomes, viruses evolved sophisticated molecular mechanisms to hijack the translational apparatus of a host in order to recruit ribosomes for efficient protein production. 

The ongoing pandemic of the novel coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in over 1 million deaths, primarily affecting older patients with chronic ailments. Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have been deemed particularly vulnerable given their high rates of disability and increased susceptibility to infections. There have also been concerns regarding disease-modifying therapy (DMT) during the pandemic as many DMTs may increase the risk of infection due to some of their immunosuppressive properties.

Dravet syndrome (DS) is an intractable childhood epilepsy disorder affecting one in 15,000 to 20,000 births [1]. It is caused by de novo heterozygous lossof- function mutations in the SCN1A gene encoding the brain type-I voltage-gated sodium channel Na_v1.1

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) significantly reduces the risk of HIV acquisition in patients exposed to a high risk of infection such as men who have sex with men (MSM), heterosexual couples, and people who inject drugs.

Caspase-6 was discovered decades ago, but its roles in biological processes remain largely unknown. Recently, we have demonstrated that caspase-6 plays a critical role in influenza A virus (IAV)-induced cell death and innate immune responses. During IAV infection, Z-DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP₁) initiates ZBP₁-PANoptosome assembly to drive inflammasome activation and cell death, and we showed that caspase-6 interacts with RIPK₃ to enhance the interaction between RIPK₃ and ZBP₁, thus promoting PANoptosome assembly.

Guanylin peptides (GPs) and their receptor, guanylate cyclase C (GC-C), have recently become a topic of great interest in metabolic research. Guanylin and uroguanylin are the most investigated GPs and they belong to a larger family of natriuretic peptides. GPs play a physiological role in regulation of electrolyte balance via the intestine and the kidney by regulating the energy balance via their action in the brain.

The symptoms of the COVID-19 range from asymptomatic or mild disease to severe disease that results in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and eventually death. Understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for the progression from mild to severe disease is the key to decreasing the mortality of COVID-19. Compared to mild cases, severe cases of the COVID-19 have decreased interferon (IFN) a, ß, λ production. Type I (IFN a/ß) and III IFNs (λ) work coordinately to induce inhibition of viral reproduction through the stimulation of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs).

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a spectrum of pathologies ranging from simple steatosis to fibrosis and cirrhosis, is the most common cause of chronic liver disease, affecting over 80% of adults with obesity, one third of obese children ages 3-18 in North America [2] and ~10% of the general pediatric population.

Previously characterized as a purely immune mediated disease, sepsis is now recognized as a dysregulated multisystem response against a pathogen. Recognition of the infectious agent by pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) can initiate activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and promote the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. During sepsis, the activation of NF-κB is dysregulated and results in cytokine storm, or the pathologic release of cytokines.

ICAM-1 is a transmembrane, cell surface glycoprotein expressed by a variety of cells, but has been best-studied in vascular endothelium. Structurally, ICAM-1 is composed of five extracellular IgG- like domains to help facilitate cell-cell interactions and has a short cytoplasmic tail anchored to the cytoskeleton to facilitate intracellular signal transduction.

Diabetes is a major healthcare concern worldwide. In addition to the financial burden estimated at $760 billion, the human suffering related to complications of diabetes as well as the disease itself are immense. Complications associated with diabetes affect both men and women, but there is a higher incidence reported in the aging population, women, and people of color.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Chronic hepatic inflammation and fibrosis play a critical role in the development of HCC. Liver fibrosis develops as a result of response to injury such that a persistent and excessive wound healing response induces extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition leading to HCC.

The immunomodulatory drug lenalidomide is used for the treatment of certain hematologic malignancies, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Lenalidomide interacts with cereblon (CRBN), a component of the CRL₄^CRBN E₃ ubiquitin ligase complex, leading to ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of substrates, such as transcription factor Ikaros (Ikaros family zinc finger 1, IKZF1).

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is an important intra- and extra-cellular signaling molecule that can determine cell fate. At low concentrations, H₂O₂ plays roles in proliferation, immunity, and metabolism. Cellular exposure to higher non-physiologic concentrations of H₂O₂ can result in oxidative stress.

Vinpocetine is a derivative of vincamine. It has been used to prevent and treat cerebrovascular disorders such as stoke and dementia, and remains widely available in dietary supplements that often marketed as nootropics. Due to its excellent safety profile at therapeutic dose regimen, vinpocetine has raised research interest in its new applications in various experimental disease models.

Using robots in surgeries dates back to the mid-1980s. The robotic was applied in a wide range of biological and medical sciences such as clinical medicine, neuroscience, cardiovascular, dentofacial, and cellular and molecular life sciences. Orthopedic robots are much more widely used and complex in medical engineering sciences. 

Inhalational anaesthetics have been used for induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia for more than 150 years. In human medicine desflurane, sevoflurane, and isoflurane are commonly used.

Methylphenidate (MPD) is a psychostimulant that is widely used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and is being increasingly misused as a recreational drug and cognitive enhancer

Stroke is a common and very serious illness where timely evaluation and intervention can have dramatic effects on patient outcomes.

Cardiac sarcomeres express a variant of troponin I (cTnI) that contains a unique N-terminal extension of ~30 amino acids with regulatory phosphorylation sites. The extension is important in the control of myofilament response to Ca²⁺, which contributes to the neuro-humoral regulation of the dynamics of cardiac contraction and relaxation.

In the realm of DNA repair, base excision repair (BER) protein, APE1/Ref-1 (Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease 1/Redox Effector - 1, also called APE1) has been studied for decades. However, over the past decade, APE1 has been established as a key player in reduction-oxidation (redox) signaling. In the review by Caston et al. (The multifunctional APE1 DNA repair-redox signaling protein as a drug target in human disease), multiple roles of APE1 in cancer and other diseases are summarized. 

In mammalian cells, ceramides are central lipids in sphingolipid metabolism and serve both as signaling lipids and as precursors for other bioactive sphingolipids, ranging from complex glycosphingolipids to “simpler” lipids such as ceramide-1-phosphate, sphingomyelin (SM), sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P).

The physiology of coagulation routes and paths is a cascade of several molecular phenomena and biological events which was classified into two categories based on their phenomena i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic, originated separately, consisting of various factors and features such as fibrinogen, prothrombin, plasma thromboplastin, Hageman factor, Christmas factor, and Stuart-Prower factor, participate in its physiology

Molecular docking approaches explore the receptor-ligand conformations within the binding sites of macromolecular targets [1]. Structure-based drug discovery is widely used by the scientific community in Medicinal Chemistry to estimate the ligand-receptor binding free energy by evaluating critical phenomena involved in the intermolecular recognition process [2,3].

Malignant mesothelioma is a relatively rare malignancy arising in the body’s serosal surfaces, with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) being the most common type. It is characterized by local spread within the thorax, poor prognosis and resistance to treatment. The development of various immunotherapeutic options has provided a new way- and hope- in treating cancer patients. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has been proven very successful in treating hematological cancers, like leukemias and lymphomas, and its use is now being tested in solid tumors.

Flavopiridol (FVP; alvocidib), an FDA-approved orphan drug, has been studied in clinical trials under both single treatment and combination scenarios; several singleagent Phase I and Phase II clinical trials against leukemia, lymphomas, and solid tumors are active. To date, there have been more than 50 clinical trials involving FVP in the United States. Unfortunately, almost half of patients on FVP clinical trials showed serious adverse effects, implicating appropriate dosages need to be found and an alternative way to circumvent the toxicity of FVP with synergistic agents.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by a fear of gaining weight and self-starvation, leading to life-threatening weight loss [1]. It occurs predominately in women and frequently begins during adolescence.

APE1/Ref-1 (also called Ref-1) has been extensively studied for its role in DNA repair and reduction-oxidation (redox) signaling. The review titled: “The multifunctional APE1 DNA repair-redox signaling protein as a drug target in human disease” by Caston et. al. summarizes the molecular functions of Ref-1 and the role it plays in a number of diseases, with a specific focus on various types of cancer.

Current research investigating the pathomechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Parkinson’s disease (PD), led to the understanding that these diseases have to be seen in the context of immune responses. In other words, inflammation plays a central role in neurodegenerative disorders of the CNS. 

Allicin (diallylthiosulfinate) is a volatile, oxygenated, sulphur-containing compound, extracted from garlic (Allium sativum). It is responsible for the characteristic odor of garlic. Allicin is known to exert its effects as an antipathogenic agent mainly by targeting the thiol-containing proteins or enzymes in different microorganisms and also by regulating the key genes responsible for the virulence of the microorganism.

When creating the project, “An Escape Room Simulation Focused on Renal-Impairment for Prelicensure Nursing Students” [1] the author’s goal was to increase positive health outcomes for patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI is complicated, but nurses who can help identify those at risk for the disorder and help initiate early treatment can improve patients’ results.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is an aggressive brain tumor that arises in the ventral pons during middle childhood. 

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by extracellular deposition of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) and intraneuronal accumulation of the microtubule-associated protein, tau

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccines have gained international acceptance and have been proven to be safe and effective [1,2]. In a study of 3,950 frontline healthcare workers with no previous laboratory documentation of COVID-19 [3],

Recent progress in the therapies used for patients with Non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) has improved survival. In 2020, 77,240 people were diagnosed with NHL. Although it accounts for 4% of all cancers, the incidence has been reported to be decreasing in the last few years. About 26% of people will expire from NHL (15% males and 11% females).Non-Hodgkin lymphoma arises from the clonal expansion of B, T, and natural killer (NK) cells. There is a significant degree of heterogeneity in NHL and this is likely related to different degrees of differentiation and maturation of these cells. These hematological malignancies exhibit different tumor behavior and are responsive to different chemotherapy agents which impacts clinical outcomes. There are patients who can be cured with current regimens; however, subtypes such as indolent and some aggressive lymphomas remain incurable necessitating treatment with new therapies including immunotherapy, targeted therapy, CAR T cells, and hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an interstitial lung disease characterized by an accumulation of scar tissue within the lungs and the common presence of usual interstitial pneumonia. Unfortunately, only a few FDA-approved therapeutic options are currently available for the treatment of IPF and IPF remains associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, the identification of new pharmacological targets and strategies are critical for the treatment of IPF.

Human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) is an emerging life-threatening tick-borne disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Ehrlichia chaffeensis. HME is often presented as a nonspecific flu-like illness characterized by presence of fever, headache, malaise, and myalgia. However, in some cases the disease can evolve to a severe form, which is commonly marked by acute liver injury followed by multi-organ failure and toxic shock-like syndrome.

Human body implants are rapidly covered by a conditioning film (which contains the biochemical moieties) when they interact with human body fluids and its components. This surface-bound biochemical blend elicits a chemotactic response to attract bacteria that are transmitted through infection or by contamination. 

The neuropeptide Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) is a 37-amino acid peptide, with a wide-range of biological activities including vasodilation, neurogenic inflammation, immune function and hypertension. In addition to these various roles, it has also been heavily implicated in metabolic disease, with roles in feeding, energy dissipation processes and pancreatic β-cell insulin secretion.

Plant virus nanoparticles (PVNPs) are increasingly recognized and studied for use in biomedical applications. PVNPs include plant virions with self-assembled capsid protein coats (PC) that encapsulate the virus genome, and virus-like particles (VLPs), a capsid without the viral genome.

The goal of reconstructive foot and surgery for diabetic foot pathologies is to create a plantigrade foot that is braceable and has low risk of ulcer formation or recurrence. Experienced surgeons are cognizant that foot pathologies are defined in three planes: frontal, transverse and sagittal. The Achilles’ tendon is the chief deforming force in the foot along the sagittal plane.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma is a recently recognized complication of textured breast implants. It typically presents as unilateral peri-implant swelling approximately 7-10 years after implantation. While the course is usually indolent, breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma may form a locally invasive mass and metastasize to regional lymph nodes or beyond to distant sites.

Gemcitabine is a synthetic pyrimidine nucleoside analogue which is administered intravenously as a chemotherapeutic to treat numerous cancers. Gemcitabine requires transport into cells and activation by phosphorylation, the resulting gemcitabine triphosphate is incorporated into newly synthesized DNA during cell division, inhibiting further DNA synthesis and causing cell death. Gemcitabine is used to treat cancers including those of the pancreas, lung, breast, colon, and ovary either as first or second line treatments as a single agent or in combination.

It is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the world, first described by a German Scientist, Alois Alzheimer, in 1906. 

The renewed interest in understanding how activated T cells alter their metabolism to support their growth and differentiation has led to several innovative advances in synthetic biology; culminating in a number of genetic and pharmacologic approaches aimed at improving the antitumor function of adoptively transferred T cells. Indeed, the growing field of immunometabolism has accelerated rapidly giving rise to exciting discoveries and exploratory studies revealing how T cells balance metabolic adaptations in response to intrinsic and extrinsic regulatory cues. Central to this body of work, we showed how chimeric antigen receptors (CAR)-induced metabolic reprogramming is an important determinant of efficacy and clinical outcome in blood-based malignancies.

Currently, around 60-75% of the HIV positive patients in developed countries on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) have undetectable plasma viral load using current diagnostic PCR assays.

Platelet preparations (PDPs) have gained success, mainly due to their high concentrations of biologically active molecules, such as growth factors and cytokines, which play an important role in tissue repair and reconstruction. Recent knowledge shows that platelets can play a new role in tissue reproduction and vascular restoration, as well as being the protagonists of inflammatory processes and immune system responses. They release bio-active proteins and other active ingredients that can affect a number of phenomena that promote cell consumption, growth and transformation (growth factors).

The Wnt signaling is classified as two distinct pathways of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and the non-canonical pathways of planar cell polarity and Wnt/Ca²⁺ pathways. However, the scientific discoveries in recent years have shown that canonical and noncanonical Wnts pathways are intertwined and have complex interaction with other major signaling pathways such as hedgehog, Hippo and TOR signaling.

Supracondylar fractures of the humerus are the most common elbow fracture in the pediatric population and comprise nearly 60% of all elbow fractures. Supracondylar fractures most commonly occur in children aged five to seven. Historically, males had a higher incidence of supracondylar humeral fractures. More recent studies support a more equal distribution amongst males and females.

For more than 35 years, the world has grappled with an AIDS epidemic that has claimed an estimated 35.0 million [28.9 million-41.5 million] lives and at its peak threatened global stability and security.

In 1989, researchers proposed an intricate strategy in the field of adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Using the T-cell receptor (TCR) as a template, they replaced the coding sequence for the Vα and Vβ chains with the antigen- recognition domains from an antibody (VH and VL chains).

In an early publication, we could show that striae distensae always develop perpendicular to the skin tension lines. In another article, we demonstrated that virtual skin tension lines are identical to the obvious Main Folding Lines; we recommended their use as optimal directions for orthopedic incisions, when inconspicuous scar formation is a prerequisite, as in children, younger adults, and women.

Background & Aim: Patients presenting with an array of benign oral mucosal diseases to oral & maxillofacial (OMF) units practicing risk habits such as betel chewing could be at high risk of poor oral health and progressing into Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMD) or oral cancer. Against this backdrop, we investigated the possible role of selected habits, periodontal disease an oral hygiene in occurrence and prognosis of oral mucosal lesions, among a cohort of patients in Sri Lanka.

The worldwide prevalence of dementia is estimated to be over 45 million people. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, responsible for 60-80% of cases. 

Chronic, non-healing, or slow to heal wounds present a significant and growing health problem in the United States, with an estimated 6.5 million people affected, at an annual cost of US $20 billion, with the highest risk groups represented by the elderly and the increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

Significant milestones and seminal discoveries during 1674-1966, by individuals who have made crucial contributions toward progress in the diagnosis of hematologic neoplasms as we understand today are depicted chronologically. It is notable that the path to progress in the understanding of disease and neoplasms initially took centuries for significant discoveries (17^th-18^th centuries), and subsequently, many decades (19^th-20^th centuries) for a breakthrough or a change from the prevailing norm. 

The medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is a thickened band of tissue that originates from the adductor tubercle and inserts on the proximal medial patella. It is expected that the MPFL, under patellar lateral subluxation, will fail at approximately 12-18 mm of displacement  due to the failing of collagen based structures at 20% to 30% elongation.

Introduction: Disease free survival is the optimum treatment outcome in cancer management. We explored the impact of age on key treatment outcomes among a group of Sri Lankan oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. Material & Methods: We studied clinical records of 44 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients consisted of age- matched two groups (22 in each group) who had close surgical margins and clear surgical margins respectively. 

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is caused by an insufficient iron supply for erythropoiesis that leads to a reduction in hemoglobin (Hgb) and circulating red blood cells. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in the United States (US) and occurs most often from blood loss and in patients with chronic diseases and inflammation. It was estimated that approximately 10 million people are iron deficient in the US, including 5 million who have IDA.

Bladder cancer is one of the most common and expensive cancers in the United States, with an expected 81,400 new cases and 17,980 deaths in 2020 alone. The incidence is increased among white men and diagnoses often occur in the 7th decade of life.

“Women are not dying because of diseases we cannot treat. They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.”

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with microvascular and macrovascular complications.Duration of diabetes, poor glycaemic control, high blood pressure and proteinuria are reported risk factors contributing to the development of diabetes related complications.

HIV is no longer only a public health challenge, but also a global threat with a devastating negative impact that has claimed over 35 million lives globally. In 2017, about 36.9 million people live with HIV, and 1.8 million people becoming newly infected with the disease globally [1].

The human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology was developed more than ten years ago and has provided important tools for the mechanistic and cellular interrogation of many diseases [1]. To generate iPSC lines, somatic cells are reprogrammed into cells resembling embryonic stem cells by the overexpression of key transcription factors.

In the peripheral nervous system (PNS), Schwann cells (SCs) are responsible for myelin production, which contributes to axonal protection and allows for efficient action potential transmission. Unfortunately, acquired and hereditary demyelinating diseases of the PNS are numerous and affect an increasing number of people.

Cell Death has long been considered to be an inevitable part of the life cycle of a cell and hence, considered a familiar consequence of cellular life.

Epigenetic processes provide a mechanism for integrating metabolic inputs and translating them into various phenotypic outputs [1,2]. Indeed, epigenetic modifiers often require or are inhibited by key citric acid cycle (CAC) metabolites (e.g. succinate,

The 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is mainly located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, widely spread throughout the body tissues and is abundant particularly in steroid-synthesizing organs. Cigarette smoke (CS) is considered as a major risk factor for the development of oral, lung, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancers. TSPO protein expression is elevated in cells exposed to CS, which subsequently results in increased TSPO-related cellular processes. 

Although the prevalence of gastric cancer is decreasing in many developed nations, it is the fourth most prevalent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Around 8 percent of recently diagnosed malignant tumors are stomach cancer, more than 7,00,000 individuals die from gastric cancer yearly. Despite extensive research into new diagnostic and therapeutic methods, the prognosis for individuals with advanced stomach cancer remains dismal, and survival rates have hardly improved. In recent years, many latest innovations have improved our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and modifications that contribute to gastric cancer’s beginning and progression, including several genetic and molecular modifications and mutations.

The intestinal microbiota creates a bodily barrier for invading pathogen by using aggressive exclusion. Pathogens and immune cells can interact directly and dynamically with symbiotic bacteria, determining the pathophysiology and outcome of an infection. They can defend the host through a variety of processes, including attachment site occupancy, nutrition intake, metabolite competition, and the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds including bacteriocins that influence pathogen survival (a process referred to as colonization resistance).

The protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2, encoded by PTPN11, functions as a critical signal transduction regulator and interacts with key signaling molecules in both RAS/ERK and PD-1/PD-L1/ BTLA (B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator) pathways. Targeting SHP2 pharmacologically, therefore, may be a promising therapeutic strategy for many RAS-driven cancers.

Peripheral pancytopenia is not a disease by itself; rather it describes simultaneous presence of anemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia resulting from a number of disease processes.

Probiotics are generally defined as nonpathogenic living organisms that have beneficial effects on host health. The term “probiotic” means “for life” that is derived from Greek language. At first, probiotics was defined as substances that are produced with microorganisms and promote the other microorganisms.

The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARSCoV- 2). Studies have reported oral lesions in patients with COVID-19 such as ulcers or blisters or diffuse reddish lesions affecting both keratinized and non-keratinized tissues of the oral cavity. Such lesions have been observed in the palate, lip mucosa, buccal mucosa, and tongue.

Oral mucosal lesions affect the quality of life of many patients and are an apparent indicator of oral and general health. Red or white lesions in the oral cavity, including asymptomatic ones should never be ignored. Dentist could be the first person performing important roles in the early diagnosis and management of oral lesions. Taking a biopsy should be considered to exclude the possibility of potentially malignant conditions or oral cancers.

With increasing rates of obesity, rates of type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications are expected to rise exponentially over the next few decades (American Diabetic Association). A key feature of type 2 diabetes is a resistance to insulin. Insulin signaling is key to a number of physiological processes, including glucose metabolism, cell growth, general gene expression, and apoptosis.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a public health problem, accounting for more than 257 million cases of chronic infection and a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. With the vaccination and the advent of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) as antiviral therapy, chronic HBV infection currently accounts for approximately 50% of HCC cases worldwide, a significant decrease from >80% in the 1980’s. The reduced incidence of HBV-related HCC (HBV-HCC) with NAs with lamivudine, entecavir, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is well documented.

Nanotechnology is an evolving revolution with enormous promise in a variety of fields, including mechanics, medicine, and the food business. Nanoparticles owing to having greater surface area and enhanced rates of mass transfer seem to pose higher biological and chemical activities, penetrability, catalytic behaviour, enzymatic reactivity, and quantum

The question of whether or not correction of vitamin D deficiency might reduce the risks of later type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been under debate for many decades. The necessity of vitamin D for normal insulin secretion was first identified experimentally in the 1980s.

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common malignancy in the United States and 70% of cases are non-muscle invasive at the time of diagnosis. Effective treatment is crucial to prevent progression, which occurs in about 30% of patients. The American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines recommend treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with intravesical Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer stands as the most lethal gynecologic malignancy and remains the fifth most common gynecologic cancer. Poor prognosis and low five-year survival rate are attributed to nonspecific symptoms at early phases along with a lack of effective treatment at advanced stages. It is thus paramount, that ovarian carcinoma be viewed through several lenses in order to gain a thorough comprehension of its molecular pathogenesis, epidemiology, histological subtypes, hereditary factors, diagnostic approaches, and methods of treatment.

Addiction is defined as being a primary chronic disease of the brain reward, motivation, and memory in this complex circuitry. A dysfunction in this complex circuitry can lead to certain manifestations in an individual [1]. The individual who suffers from addiction does not have the ability to abstain from this harmful pursuit and, as a result,

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains undiagnosed for many years in large number of persons living in developing countries. The cost of diagnostic tests and the invasive procedures involved in conventional screening methods remain a major setback to timely testing

Environmental pollution is a significant concern in both developing and developed countries. The pollution load in the environment accumulates as a result of anthropogenic activity. Both organic and inorganic contaminants are hazardous to living things, and their incidence and persistence have risen dramatically in current years.

 Inhaled budesonide benefits patients with COVID-19. ProLung™-budesonide enables the sustained, low dose administration of budesonide within a delivery vehicle similar to lung surfactant. ProLung™-budesonide may offer anti-inflammatory and protective effects to the lung in COVID-19, yet it’s effect on SARS-CoV-2 replication is unknown.

The electron-dense spherical granules found in the perinuclear region of atrial myocytes store and release both proatrial and probrain natriuretic peptides (proANP and proBNP, respectively). Mature ANP and BNP produce vasodilation and natriuresis and inhibit the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems.

ASD refers to a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by deficits in social communication, interaction and demonstrating restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forecasted that the prevalence of ASD would be 1 in 45 in USA.

Biopolymers have earmarked their importance in the biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Researchers are still working for the facilitation of better therapeutic effects and medical benefits. In this context, several strategies are on a play like functionalization of biopolymers with physicochemical modification, functionalization of lipids with biopolymers, development of composites or hybrid systems for bringing together the benefits of individual moieties/systems

Competent human DNA mismatch repair (MMR) corrects DNA polymerase mistakes made during cell replication to maintain complete DNA fidelity in daughter cells; faulty DNA MMR occurs in the setting of inflammation and neoplasia, creating base substitutions (e.g. point mutations) and frameshift mutations at DNA microsatellite sequences in progeny cells. Frameshift mutations at DNA microsatellite sequences are a detected biomarker termed microsatellite instability (MSI) for human disease, as this marker can prognosticate and determine therapeutic approaches for patients with cancer.

The Corona Virus disease is a severe respiratory problem generated via severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). The latest strain of the disease was deadly enough to halt the global routines of human development. In this context, a number of research studies have been conducted to provide knowledge and to combat with this severe illness.

The failure to eradicate minimal residual disease often located at metastatic sites and/or the bone marrow niche continues to be a clinical barrier for successful treatments in cancer.

Diabetes is a widespread autoimmune disorder that affects nearly 10% of the adult population in the United States. In addition to the primary disease, there are numerous complications associated with inflammation including abnormalities of the heart, visual system, and peripheral nervous system. More than half of the individuals with diabetes will have one or more ocular related complications such as dry eye disease (DED), keratopathy, or retinopathy.

Until the early sixties, the concept prevailed that alcoholic liver disease (ALD), also termed alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), results from malnutrition commonly observed among individuals consuming chronically high amounts of alcohol rather than being causally related to the use of alcoholic beverages. However, the malnutrition concept became a matter of debate because of the clinical observation that humans, even on a normal diet and without signs of underweight or malnutrition

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a tumorous marker for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is synthesized mainly by the embryo yolk sac, fetal liver and the gastrointestinal tract. AFP belongs to the family of protein products of albuminoid genes, which are located in tandem arrangement in chromosome 4 (region 4q11-q13).

Unequal access to drinking water and basic sanitation are old issues in Brazil and worldwide. Besides, this situation foments the proliferation of infectious parasitic diseases. Moreover, mainly in underdeveloped countries, it victimizes socioeconomically vulnerable people. The degree of water contamination analysis, usually by fecal matter, is made by the number of microorganisms present in the sample, including Escherichia coli or thermotolerant coliforms. In addition, several

CAR-T cell immunotherapy is a great advance in hematological cancers treatment. New CARs and therapy schemes are being developed and a mathematical model could contribute to a rational design of treatment. Here we comment and show new results with previously published models of CAR-T cell therapy, emphasizing the contribution of initial tumor load, the proliferation of CAR-T cell and inhibition of CAR-T cell activity by the tumor resulting in different scenarios as tumor escape, equilibrium (stable disease) and tumor elimination.

Tenofovir, alias (R)-PMPA, was first divulged as an anti- HIV agent in 1993 [1]. That it would in 2012, become the first antiretroviral agent, approved by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to prevent HIV infection, could have been predicted from the findings of Tsai et al.

Forward head posture (FHP) and rounded shoulder posture (RSP) are common postural misalignments caused by muscular imbalance that lead to a variety of pain patterns in the neck and shoulder [1,2]. FHP prevalence ranges from 61% to 85% and is associated with RSP [3-7]. RSP prevalence ranges from 66% to 78% [3,5,7]. Importantly,

Telehealth has been around since the 1960s as a healthcare delivery modality, though it did not gain widespread acceptance as a viable and reliable clinical tool until the late 1990s, when digital imaging and high speed, high bandwidth telecommunications technology became widely available [1]. Historical boundaries to its acceptance and

The advancement of chronological age is characterized by the progression of symptoms of chronic degenerative diseases that are triggered or accelerated in their progression by unhealthy lifestyles, decreased fitness and inadequate nutrition with decreased consumption of natural protective substances. Recent scientific evidence

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to exert both beneficial and harmful effects in the human body. Singlet oxygen (¹O₂), is highly reactive and considered as one of the ROS, although it is not a radical molecule. ¹O₂ reacts with many kinds of biological components such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. ¹O₂ is short lived because it reacts with biomolecules and collisions with water molecules rapidly causing the return of ¹O₂ to the ground state, and is therefore not easy to quantify. Antioxidants, such as β-carotene, lycopene and astaxanthin, are quenchers of ¹O₂.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV- 2) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA with genome size 26.2, and 31.7 kb coronavirus, covered by an enveloped structure, which is a major source of disaster in the 21st century. A typical CoV contains at least six ORFs in its genome. SARS-CoV-2 is the seventh coronavirus that is known to cause human disease.

Since the discovery of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) by Blumberg et al., great progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of the virus and its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is estimated that hepatitis B is responsible for about 50% of the HCC cases worldwide. Because of geographic variations in HBV incidence, the burden of HBV-related HCC (HBV-HCC) is highest in endemic areas such as Asian-Pacific and sub- Saharan Africa and lowest in the United States and the West.

The exchange of information within the cell is extremely complex. Besides the well-studied chemical signalling, physical signalling is required to fulfil spatial and temporal aspects. The Golgi apparatus and the microtubule skeleton system are the decisive structures for numerous intracellular transport tasks.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an age-related metabolic disorder affecting 347 million people in modern society. Expanding its prevalence beyond developed countries, DM has emerged as a global public health issue associated with a high morbidity and mortality.

Pharmaceutical companies have been actively adopting artificial intelligence (AI) approaches for drug discovery and are starting to focus this technology on clinical trials. The shift from large-scale collaborations to smaller strategic partnerships and recently to internal teams has led to increased headcounts that are being organized to deliver AI across the enterprise. Although the urgency of the COVID-19 could have been a perfect test case for leveraging AI, it drew awareness to the obstacles of data access.

In light of the current pandemic from rapid transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) and significant morbidity, there has been inconsistent medical guidance given to the public regarding the wearing of non-medical improvised fabric masks or face coverings to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

At the end of 2019, a novel severe respiratory disease (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) spread to Wuhan, China, it became pandemic in few months, with more than 41 million people infected worldwide as of October 2020. COVID-19 is caused by a novel virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) CoV-2 to distinguish it from SARS-CoV that emerged in Guangdong province in China in 2003 and caused the severe clinical condition known as SARS. Like SARS-CoV, SARS- CoV-2 causes a severe inter

Editorial is usually a brief article, written by the editor that expresses publishers or journals collective views on a current issue. As an Emeritus Professor, I have taken the liberty of writing these editorial comments, at the invitation of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Diabetes and Clinical Research.

In this paper we consider the hypothesis, based on our human and mouse studies, that white matter connectivity can be altered by appropriate stimulation at the theta frequency [1,2]. In one study we used optogenetics to change the output of cells in the mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) at 1, 8 or 40Hz.

In the last decade, the study of nanometer-scale particles has grown exponentially worldwide. This growth is due to the broad field of nanostructures applications, which, due to their dimensions in nanometric sizes, have new properties not found in micro and macro scale. These properties result from the increase in the ratio between the surface area and volume, and the nanostructures’ size directly influences these. Tolerance to temperature, variety of colors, changes in chemical reactivity,

This article is an extension to our recently published article in Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, entitled “Β-Sitosterol: Isolation from Muntingia Calabura Linn. Bark Extract, Structural Elucidation, and Molecular Docking Studies as Potential Inhibitor of SARSCoV-2 Mpro (COVID-19)”[1].

In recent time, supercapacitors (SCs) are one of the emerging technologies used for clean energy prospect. The higher power density, low specific energy, longer cycle life, and environmental affability made the SCs superior compared to conventional batteries. However, the scientific community is working towards increasing the specific energy of SCs by finding a suitable electrode material. Carbon materials, conducting polymers, and metal oxide or hydroxides are

Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome (ODS) is a unique process of selective demyelination and destruction of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in specific areas of the brain that usually occurs a few days after an osmotic stress. ODS has been described most frequently in association with a rapid correction of hyponatremia, though it may occur with other electrolyte or metabolic abnormalities.

The immune system developed certain checks and balance to control or inhibit the reactivity against normal cells of the body. Uncontrolled immune responses to the non-self entities such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or mutated self-antigens can cause an inflammatory reaction and autoimmune diseases.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a devastating autoimmune disease that affects women to men at a ratio of 9:1 and is predominant in those of African ancestry. In SLE, the presence of autoantigens results in aberrant immune activation leading to systemic inflammation that predominantly affects the brain, kidneys, blood, and skin. Current guidelines recommend treatment with immunosuppressive drugs like prednisone, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, and even some antimalarial drugs

Obesity has reached a global epidemic and it predisposes to the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic diseases. Current interventions against obesity and/or type 2 diabetes such as calorie restriction, exercise, genetic manipulations or established pharmacological treatments have not been successful for many patients with obesity and/or type 2 diabetes.

Inflammation can be caused by various environmental factors, including microbial infection and toxic chemical exposure. In response to inflammation, immune cells like macrophages, B and T lymphocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and various stromal cells secrete soluble polypeptide cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF?)

The term paraduodenal pancreatitis and groove pancreatitis are today used interchangeably, with all conditions having similar manifestations; they refer to an uncommon and still under-recognized form of recurrent or chronic pancreatitis that affects the so-called groove. The groove represents the potential space between the head of the pancreas, medially and the second part of the duodenum, laterally. It is bordered by the duodenal bulb and the third part of the duodenum in the superior and posteroinferior aspects, respectively. 

Plastic is a composite material made from organic polymers and can be freely molded into a film, fiber, or plate by heat or pressure processing. In 1839, Goodyear proposed the vulcanization of natural rubbers, while E. Simon discovered polystyrene

Endometriosis is a chronic, hormone-dependent, inflammatory disease, characterized by the presence and growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity and it is associated with chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Worldwide, approximately 176 million women between the ages of 15 and 49 are affected by endometriosis. Endometriosis is a complex disease that induces a chronic inflammatory process and can be challenging to treat. Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is defined as pelvic pain lasting greater than three to six months that is not solely related to menstruation, sexual activity or bowel movements.

Reducing the size of a metal from macroscopic to the nanoscale generates a scaling behavior in physical and chemical properties due to the large surface-to-volume fraction. While a further size reduction to small clusters under 2 nm (<~100 atoms) yield geometric and electronic structurwhich are still different from their nanoparticle (NP) counterpart.

Fluoropyrimidines have been extensively used for almost 6 decades to treat a variety of solid cancers, especially colon, gastric, anal, rectal, head & neck and breast. However, 31–34% of patients encountered grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) with 0.5% mortality oftennecessitating dose reduction or discontinuation. A significant proportion of these AEs are likely to be the result of inter-individual genetic variation, in particularly such as dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD). DPYD gene encodes DPD, the rate-limiting enzyme responsible for catabolism of 5-FU and is responsible for >85% of 5-FU elimination.

The important immune cells in the brain are called microglia acting as the central junction between neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. In patients of cognitive disorders and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) animal models, amoebic morphology and inflammatory pathways are activated to release numerous cells in the inflammatory factors by active microglia.

The study “knowledge and health beliefs of reproductive-age women in Alexandria about tetanus toxoid immunization” has shed a new light on the attitude of obstetricians in Alexandria (Egypt) towards recommending tetanus toxoid vaccination to pregnant females. According to the study, the use of tetanus toxoid vaccine among females in child-bearing age in Alexandria was low.

Despite the curious advancement in medical science and therapeutics, tuberculosis (TB) persist the primary factor of mortality than any other infectious disease and socioeconomic disaster for millions of people around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), World’s One-third of the population is infected with this disease and of these, 8 to 10 million people develop active disease and 2 million people die each year and the rest of the infected people remain asymptomatic.

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent conditions that will affect 70-85% of individuals at some point in their life [1]. LBP accounts for 2.3% of all visits to the physician, and is the most common area of the body to experience pain [2]. Exercise has been a mainstay for managing persons with chronic low back pain for almost 40

Red cell fragmentation may result in erroneously high platelet counts by automated blood counters. Therefore, any abnormal platelet counts in a full blood count analysis should be re-evaluated either using blood film manual counting or with more accurate automated analysis options. Case Report: We report a case of Haemoglobin-H disease that was noted to have a very high platelet count, by newly installed automated blood analyser, during regular follow up.

Purpose: As long-acting reversible contraceptive choices are becoming more popular among young women, proper informed consent over potential complications should be addressed when such decisions are made. A local case series was analyzed to consider the risk of intrauterine device (IUD) fracture. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of provider experience with the intrauterine device over a seven-year period was undertaken, to specifically analyze the incidence of IUD embedment and fracture in the studied population.

Behavioral interventions with regular physical activity, weight loss and diet have repeatedly demonstrated preventive effects in a wide range of diseases. Furthermore, an unhealthy lifestyle is a known predictor for increased use of medication and also the leading risk factor for global mortality.

Worldwide, obesity is a public health concern and a metabolic ailment characterized by excessive adipose tissue accumulation resulting from an imbalance of energy expenditure and energy intake [1]. This disorder is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and metabolic

By deduction from complexity of (behavioral) models, we develop an entropic computational tool to distinguish erroneous/redundant eye movements from task relevant eye movements.

Exosomes are nanosized, organelle-like membranous vesicles secreted from various cell types, including normal cells and cancer cells. Exosomes contain abundant bioactive molecules, including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins and dynamically participate in intercellular communications. By shuttling the functional molecules into the recipient cells, exosomes secreted by cancerous cells can alter the cellular environment to favor tumor growth and metastasis.

In South Africa, new amended regulations required a review of complementary and alternative medicine (CAMs) call-up for registration from November 2013. This impacted traditional healers (THs)’ compliance with the regulatory authorities’ on the good manufacturing practice which in return affected the public’s access to CAMs. This investigation embraces methods, THs use to diagnose and treat diabetes (DM) in Mamelodi. Furthermore, it assesses what their purported medications comprise of.

The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked a global, rapid increase of cases due to the high infectivity of the etiological agent, COVID-19 virus. In February 2021, over 110 million confirmed COVID-19 cases with 1 million deaths were reported worldwide (www.who.int).

Fatty acid oxidation disorders unfortunately can result in the sudden unexplained death of infants. Mitochondrial trifunctional protein (MTP) deficiency is one such disease where long-chain fatty acids cannot be fully oxidized through beta-oxidation which, can lead to cardiac arrythmias in an infant.

When immune cells are activated, they undergo metabolic change in order to have sufficient energy to function effectively. The Krebs cycle is one of the most important pathways involved in this response and citrate, a critical component of this pathway, regulates carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

Diagnosis is a process that identifies, explains, or establishes the individual’s disease from its symptoms and signs. Early and precise diagnosis is crucial since it influences the efficacy of treatment and avoids longterm complications for the infected person. Further, in the case of infectious diseases, undiagnosed patients can transmit the disease to a healthy population unknowingly. Besides, most of the diseases evolve with the time that significantly affects the clinical outcomes.

Today, metabolic syndrome (MS) has been regarded as a very important disease due to its complex multifactorial etiology and damage to different organs. In general, obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance are the main metabolic abnormalities of the MS. Compared with the others; in particular, insulin resistance and central obesity are considered the main causes in the pathogenesis

Being a sophisticated and highly organized living system, mammals harbor a large number of biomolecular machineries which represent a dynamic and complex network of interconnections responsible for the effective operation, development and survivability of their body cells. Sphingolipids are a special class of lipids in eukaryotic cells, which have recently gained the attention of researchers because of their involvement in several fundamental processes of living cells, including proliferation

External beam radiotherapy with concomitant platinum-based chemotherapy followed by brachytherapy is defined as radical radiotherapy of cervix uteri carcinoma. Radical radiotherapy is the gold standard treatment for locally advanced cervix uteri carcinoma. The rates of survival and treatment-related adverse events in patients with cervix uteri carcinoma are affected by both stage of disease and treatment. Both should be optimal in proportion to the available facilities. Here, recommendations from the current literature are presented.

The psychosocial aspects of pharmacological prescription are the factors that intervene in ways of reacting of the doctor and the patient to the prescription of a drug, as well as the role of social structures that determine it. The role of psychosocial factors in pharmacologic treatment of patients remains unclear and is notably absent in the literature of the discipline of general medicine. Biological (specific) and psychosocial (nonspecific) effects of drugs are not simply additive, but interact with each other.

Fluoropyrimidines compose the backbone of regimens to treat many common solid tumors, including gastrointestinal (GI), breast and head/neck. As we continue to use these agents routinely, recognition of rare but real toxicities, such as cardiotoxicity, has also improved. The treatment options for patients who have encountered fluoropyrimidine-induced cardiotoxicity are limited as many anti-angiogenic drugs also pose a cardiac risk.

Gastric cancer (GC), also known as stomach cancer, is a worldwide health problem. Anatomically, it can occur from the gastroesophageal junction to distal portions of the stomach. Considering both sexes, worldwide, it is the 5th most common neoplasm (5.7%) and the 3rd cause of mortality among malignancies, leading to approximately 782,000 deaths in 2018. The incidence varies geographically but 50% of new cases are diagnosed in developed countries. High incidence is observed in Asia, Latin America, and in the central and eastern parts of Europe. There are several ways to classify GC, but the most used is Lauren’s Classification, which proposes two main histological groups: intestinal and diffuse. This classification is important because there are marked etiological, pathological, and epidemiological differences between the subgroups, guiding the clinical approach for each patient.

However, the entire coagulation cascade is dysfunctional, in progressed chronic diabetes and cancer patients. Platelets (PLTs) in type 2 diabetic (DT2) involved in Thrombosis and Haemostasis (T&H) of individuals adhere to vascular endothelium and aggregate more voluntarily than those in healthy individuals, as are abnormalities in the microvascular and macrovascular circulations. However it is already known that the circulating PLTs are essential for T&H, inflammation growth factors delivery, regeneration; and knowledge of their function is fundamental to understanding the pathophysiology of vascular disease in diabetes and cancer-related diseases.

During the last decade, the world experienced an incredible increase in displaced populations; a staggering 70.8 million, which has been a direct outcome of war and human rights violations. This figure includes 25.9 million having been identified as refugees, and 51% constituting children below 18 years of age which has been documented as the highest figure in a decade.

Intentional facial expression of emotion named facial mimic is critical to healthy social interactions. Psychological and functional implications of the facial paralysis present a devastating management problem to patients afflicted because their face have an important challenge of facial muscles that are fundamental also for affective communication.

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are usually used for the treatment of urinary tract infections. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance (PMQR) genes among ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolates obtained from tertiary referral hospital in Tehran, Iran.

Phytophthora infestans is the causal agent of late blight disease, which affects potato and tomato crops worldwide, that brings about significant economic losses in the production of these crops. The PITG_06016 gene codes for one of the 7 glucokinases present in this phytopathogen.

Nearly 80% of people with diabetes live in low and middle-income countries. It increases healthcare use and expenditure and imposes a huge economic burden on the healthcare systems. The International Diabetes Federation estimated 7.1 million people with diabetes in Bangladesh and almost an equal number with undetected diabetes. This number is estimated to double by 2025. 

Babesia is a single celled protozoan parasite which may be transmitted through the bite of an infected tick, blood transfusion and/ or maternal-fetal transmission. We describe the case of a woman previously treated for Lyme disease and babesiosis who relapsed with severe malaria-like symptoms during the 3rd trimester of two consecutive pregnancies.

The most important elemental-carbon-based materials include zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensionalstructured fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and graphite, respectively. These non-metallic carbon materials have properties that are similar to semiconducting metals.

Cancer is a worldwide public health issue that affects millions of people every year. In 2018 there were 17 million newly documented cases of cancer globally (8.8 million in men and 8.2 million in women), leading to 9.6 million deaths. Cancer is a vastly heterogeneous disease, with over 100 different types of cancer currently identified in humans; the most common types of cancer are lung, female breast, bowel and prostate, these four types account for more than 40% of all new cancer case

Onion has been a very useful vegetable for human. The organic molecules present in onion are extremely diverse and exert numerous pharmacological pathways to prevent diseases. Although, mechanism of action of the compounds present in onion has been investigated, clearly there remains enough scope to study this subject further. In general, many scientists believe that the medicinal values of onion are because of a series of oxidation processes of the molecules present in it. 

The gut microbiome or gut flora is a vast community of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi that inhabit the digestive tract of the human and other animals. In the human body, bacterial species colonize into the oral cavity, skin, vagina, and placenta, however, the largest population of microorganisms resides in the intestine. The majority of gut microbiota belong to the phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria.

Contraception encompasses the concept of avoiding a pregnancy, and is aimed at women of reproductive age who, although are sexually active, do not want to achieve any pregnancy at their option fertility preservation and family planning. It should be underlined that no method of contraception is 100% guaranteed because its success depends on many factors such as patient’s compliance to gynecologists instructions, woman’s age, the advantages and disadvantages of each method, the frequency of sexual intercourse and of course the type of contraception.

Therapeutic compliance has been defined as the degree to which the behaviour of a person corresponds with the recommendations of the health professional [1].

In recent years, various discussions, disagreements and opinions are seen in the field of athletics. For example, in long distance such as marathon, the recommended way of running has changed. In other words, it has been said that landing with the heel is good before, but recently there is some information that the first-class runner is landing on the toe

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short double-stranded regulatory molecules derived from precursor transcripts called primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs) and transcribing in the nucleus from chromosomal DNA by the RNA polymerase II. These pri-miRNAs were shown to contain internal imperfect hairpin structures which are processed by DCL (dicer-like) enzyme

One of the most important renal nursing procedures is the cannulation of a vascular access (VA), a procedure that is carried out on every single dialysis treatment. VA cannulation method is still a procedure that reflects local unit practices and the skill of the individual nurse. Despite the impact needling has on VA survival and patient outcome, no universal or standardized method has been proposed for cannulation. 

The use of molecular and genomic analysis of a cancer as a means to define a patient-specific treatment is interchangeably referred to as Precision Medicine, Personalized Medicine, or Genomically-directed medicine (herein, collectively PMED). In the foregoing commentary we have focused on PMED approaches related to treatment selection and do not prioritize the development of novel molecular assays used to guide patient diagnostics or prognostication. 

In the manuscript entitled “The ion channels and transporters gene expression profile indicates a shift in excitability and metabolisms during malignant progression of Follicular Lymphoma”, we reported recent advances in our understanding of how the gene expression profile of ion channels and transporters (ICT-GEP) contributes to identify specific signatures associated with Follicular Lymphoma (FL), with those FL that acquire chemoresistance after a relapsing-remitting course, and with the more aggressive Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), which in some cases represent the evolution of FLs. 

Acanthamoeba was first described by Castellani and represents single-cell eukaryotes existing as either cellular trophozoites (25–40 ?m) or under adverse conditions (desiccation, lack of food, and extreme pH or temperature fluctuations), as dormant cysts (13–20 ?m). The cysts are known to be resistant to antibiotics, the effects of chlorine, and very low temperatures, and have been shown to maintain viability for over 20 years.

Delivery of high-quality cancer care improves oncologic outcomes, including survival and quality of life. The VA National Radiation Oncology (NROP) established the VA Radiation Oncology Quality Surveillance Program (VAROQS) which has developed clinical quality measures (QM) as a measure of quality indices in radiation oncology. We sought to measure quality in community care, assess barriers to data capture, and develop solutions to ensure long term sustainability of continuous quality improvement for veterans that receive dual care, both within the VA and in non-VA community care (NVCC).

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation is a critical type of epigenetic modification that typically occurs in a specialized region of DNA, CpG-rich regions in the mammalian genome and is associated with regulating gene expression. Previous studies have revealed a strong association of change in DNA methylation with various diseases such as cancer, obesity and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A national perinatal survey in France in 2016 showed that 12.2% of women have instrumentally assisted vaginal births with vacuum extraction used in 49.8% of cases, making it the most frequently used form of obstetrical assistance. The 2006 initial concept of the Icup^® vacuum extractor was based on the development of a single-use device with a partially deformable cup to avoid any fetal scalp injury. 

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are defined by their role in maintaining glucose homeostasis and natural GCs are a class of corticosteroids secreted by the adrenal cortex. Cortisol is the most important natural GC in humans. Cellular cortisol levels are regulated by the tissue-specific metabolic enzymes 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (11β-HSD 1 and 2); 11β-HSD 1 converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol, while 11β-HSD 2 has the opposite function.

Infectious diseases caused by microorganisms of the most varied natures and by viral entities cause millions of deaths every year. Around the world, viral infections have impacted civilizations’ circumstances since the earliest times, including the current panorama of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic known as coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19). In this sense, in the last century,

Five months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. death toll from the virus has now surpassed 100,000 people. Many more cases remain nationwide, while an unknown number of patients currently harbor the virus asymptomatically. While health officials are now optimistic regarding the decline in prevalence and number of deaths due to COVID-19 and the possibility of a vaccine by the fall, we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture: the next pandemic.

Loneliness is a distressing experience perceived as isolation and rejection. It has been recognized as a social problem throughout the existence of Homo sapiens, and is now considered, in conjunction with social isolation, to be an emergent public health problem affecting all age groups

The variety of methods employed during the fabrication of MONPs can alter the characteristics and control the properties of the obtained nano-oxides. The reaction mechanisms and, therefore, the functionality of nanostructured MOx depend on their composition

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a genetically determined lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) particle that is comprised of apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] and apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB) moieties. It is well-established that elevated Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) principles published in 1956 included the recommendation to use algorithms for solving complex processes. The creation of the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) was published in 1993 with integration of an intelligent algorithm to solve issues of causality assessment in cases of complex suspected drug induced liver injury (DILI) cases. Other causality assessment methods (CAMs) published before the era of AI and RUCAM followed rather general principles without precise and valid algorithm.

Chest pain is the leading symptom in 5 to 8% of all emergency department (ED) visits and is also one of the major reasons of repeated ED visits, causing around 6% of these cases [1]. Generally, in 15 to 25% of patients with chest pain, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the underlying cause.

Levels of Intellectual Disability and Categories of Communicative Skills When conducting a patient interview, it is crucial to understand the individuals’ level of ID as well as their expressive language skills in order to communicate effectively

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is one of the most common T-cell lymphomas, second only to peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS). Initially AITL was considered a non-malignant lymphadenopathy with immune hyperactivation, nowadays being classified as a PTCL.

Observational studies have demonstrated association of metformin with reduced cancer incidence and mortality in multiple cancer types, including gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. Anti-neoplastic effects of metformin are believed through many mechanisms including activation of AMP-activated protein kinase, which controls mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) growth regulatory pathway.

Chronic stress exposure is linked to health and performance deficits including mental disorders, chronic diseases, and metabolic conditions. Stress management is an active process of coping with internal or external stressors to prevent or dampen biological and psychological strain

The currently ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the SARSCOV- 2, interchangeably referred to as the COVID-19 infection, has in a short span of time altered the ways and means of almost all of mankind. So strong has been its effect that all human activity ceased in one way or another for a considerable time, led to significant loss of life and economic drain of.

Ketamine has long been used in the field of anesthesia [1]. Its rapid and long-acting analgesic effects associated with its dissociative properties have also established its use in prehospital and emergency department patients.

In the process of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), retinal homeostasis may be adversely affected with resultant modifications in retinal and choroidal tissue. Hypoxia and nutrient deprivation along with inflammation at the detached retina may lead to morphological and microvascularity alterations. These changes imply that the functional status of the macula may not be entirely restored despite anatomical repair.

It is now well accepted that the ionizing radiation-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), that constitute ~2/3 of the effects of external beam radiation, do not only produce direct tumor cell death, but also affect the surrounding microenvironment. Moreover, this indirect effect of radiation may result in systemic effects, specifically the initiation of an inflammatory response.

Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) are known by their nature to cause inflammatory responses in numerous disease states from cancer, trauma to age related diseases (e.g. atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases), these molecules are released by cells undergoing cell death.

Proton minibeam radiotherapy (pMBRT) is an external beam radiotherapy method with reduced side effects by taking advantage of spatial fractionation in the normal tissue. Due to scattering, the delivered small beams widen in the tissue ensuring a homogeneous dose distribution in the tumor. In this review, the physical and biological principles regarding dose distribution and healing effects are explained. In the last decade, several preclinical studies have been conducted addressing normal tissue sparing and tumor control in-vitro and in-vivo, using human skin tissue and mouse or rat models. The major results acquired in these studies are summarized. A further newly emerging therapy method is FLASH radiotherapy, i.e. the treatment using ultra-high dose rates. The possibility of combining these methods in proton minibeam FLASH therapy (pMB FLASH) is worked out. Additionally, technical feasibility and limitations will be discussed by looking at simulations as well as preclinical studies and also pointing out new ways of delivering the desired tumor dose, such as interlacing. We will also highlight the opportunities that emerge regarding high dose radiation, hypofractionation and the combination with immunotherapy.

NOBOX is an ovarian specific transcription factor that plays an important role in follicular growth and survival. Nineteen NOBOX variants have been previously associated with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Disease severity in patients with heterozygous and homozygous mutations largely overlap however, hampering genotype-phenotype correlations. We recently reported the first case of biallelic truncating mutations (NM_001080413.3 (NOBOX):c.826C>T, p.(Arg276*) and NM_001080413.3(NOBOX):c.1421del, p.(Gly474Alafs*76)) of NOBOX in two Belgian sisters with POI.

The nature of gene mutations induced by ionizing radiation in germ cells and transmitted to offspring remains one of the most important problems in radiation genetics of higher eukaryotes. The data accumulated in this field were obtained by different authors under different experimental conditions which does not give a complete insight about the nature of radiation-induced inherited mutations at different genome levels (chromosome, gene, DNA).