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Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Oct 2023Apelin and Elabela (Ela) are peptides encoded by APLN and APELA, respectively, which act on their receptor APJ and play crucial roles in the body. Recent research has... (Review)
Review
Apelin and Elabela (Ela) are peptides encoded by APLN and APELA, respectively, which act on their receptor APJ and play crucial roles in the body. Recent research has shown that they not only have important effects on the endocrine system, but also promote vascular development and maintain the homeostasis of myocardial cells. From a molecular biology perspective, we explored the roles of Ela and apelin in the cardiovascular system and summarized the mechanisms of apelin-APJ signaling in the progression of myocardial infarction, ischemia-reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, preeclampsia, and congenital heart disease. Evidences indicated that apelin and Ela play important roles in cardiovascular diseases, and there are many studies focused on developing apelin, Ela, and their analogues for clinical treatments. However, the literature on the therapeutic potential of apelin, Ela and their analogues and other APJ agonists in the cardiovascular system is still limited. This review summarized the regulatory pathways of apelin/ELA-APJ axis in cardiovascular function and cardiovascular-related diseases, and the therapeutic effects of their analogues in cardiovascular diseases were also included.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Apelin; Apelin Receptors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiovascular System; Peptide Hormones; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 37562237
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115268 -
PloS One 2016There is a need for effective interventions to address the social difficulties of children with ADHD. This randomised controlled trial examined the effectiveness of a... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
UNLABELLED
There is a need for effective interventions to address the social difficulties of children with ADHD. This randomised controlled trial examined the effectiveness of a play-based intervention for improving the social play skills of children with ADHD in peer-to-peer interactions. Children with ADHD (5 to 11 years) were randomised to an intervention-first (n = 15) or waitlist control-first group (n = 14). Participants allocated to the control-first group received the intervention after a 10-week wait period. Children invited a typically-developing playmate and parents of children with ADHD participated. The intervention involved: six clinic play-sessions, weekly home-modules and a one-month home follow up. The Test of Playfulness (ToP) was scored by a blinded rater. Parent reported treatment adherence was used to assess treatment fidelity. Between group statistics were used to compare the change of the intervention-first (10-week intervention period) and control-first (10-week wait period) groups. Once all children had received the intervention, repeated measures ANOVA, post hoc Least Significance Difference tests and Cohen's-d were used to measure effect. Changes in ToP social items were analysed using Friedman's ANOVA. Linear regression analyses were used to identify variables that predicted change. The control-first group did not change during the wait period. The change in the intervention-first group was significantly greater than the change in the control-first group (during the wait period). When the data from the two groups were combined, the mean ToP scores of the children with ADHD (n = 29) improved significantly following the intervention, with a large effect from pre to post intervention and from pre intervention to follow up. Children maintained treatment gains at follow up. All ToP social items improved significantly following the intervention. The findings support the use of play involving parent and peer mediated components to enhance the social play skills of children with ADHD.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12614000973617.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Male; Parents; Patient Compliance; Play and Playthings; Social Skills; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 27529693
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160558 -
Cureus Aug 2023Traumatic life events, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, can be a challenging health emergency, among others. The pandemic can also affect young preschoolers. They... (Review)
Review
Traumatic life events, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, can be a challenging health emergency, among others. The pandemic can also affect young preschoolers. They can experience negative emotions and behavioral and social difficulties. It can be hard for children to understand on their own what is going on, as well as for their families. This narrative review summarizes the role of psychotherapeutic approaches in working with trauma and aims to manage trauma, such as COVID-19, in preschool children. It focuses on the possibilities of applying cognitive-behavioral play therapy (CBPT) in preschool children who suffer from trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The therapeutic approaches are tailored to specific development in preschoolers. Furthermore, the article provides insights into the relationship between negative emotions, thinking, and behavior, and COVID-19 as a threat, by describing a cognitive model in preschool-aged children. Finally, the article offers possible ways of applying play-based cognitive-behavioral therapy programs in preschool children who are victims of trauma.
PubMed: 37772203
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.44249 -
Microbial Biotechnology Sep 2017Antibiotic resistant bacterial infections are a global public health challenge that has been increasing in severity and scope for the last few decades. Without creative... (Review)
Review
Antibiotic resistant bacterial infections are a global public health challenge that has been increasing in severity and scope for the last few decades. Without creative solutions to this problem, treatment of injuries and infections will become progressively more challenging. A better understanding of the human microbiome has led to a new appreciation for the role commensal microbes play in protecting us from pathogens, especially in the gut. Antibiotics lead to disruption of the gut microbial ecosystem, enabling colonization by antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens. Many different lines of research have identified specific bacterial taxa and mechanisms that play a role in colonization resistance, and these lines of research may one day lead to microbial therapeutics targeting antibiotic resistant bacteria. Here, we discuss a few of these strategies and the challenges they will need to overcome in order to become an effective therapeutic.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Humans; Microbiota
PubMed: 28771951
DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12783 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022NETs are chromatin-derived webs extruded from neutrophils as a result of either infection or sterile stimulation using chemicals, cytokines, or microbes. In addition to... (Review)
Review
NETs are chromatin-derived webs extruded from neutrophils as a result of either infection or sterile stimulation using chemicals, cytokines, or microbes. In addition to the classical role that NETs play in innate immunity against infection and injuries, NETs have been implicated extensively in cancer progression, metastatic dissemination, and therapy resistance. The purpose of this review is to describe recent investigations into NETs and the roles they play in tumor biology and to explore their potential as therapeutic targets in cancer treatment.
Topics: Chromatin; Extracellular Traps; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Neoplasms; Neutrophils
PubMed: 36059520
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.937565 -
Biomedicines Dec 2017Photodynamic therapy is well-established as a treatment for a number of conditions in ophthalmology, principally in the field of medical retina, but less so in ocular... (Review)
Review
Photodynamic therapy is well-established as a treatment for a number of conditions in ophthalmology, principally in the field of medical retina, but less so in ocular oncology. Cancer of the eye is rare, the commonest lesions to affect the globe being choroidal melanoma (as a primary malignancy) and choroidal metastases (a secondary malignancy). The mainstay of treatment of such lesions remains radiotherapy in various forms, however, photodynamic therapy does have a useful role to play in the management of such patients. In this article, I hope to review the current indications, treatment regimes, and the risks and benefits of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a treatment for eye cancer.
PubMed: 29292745
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines5040069 -
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta.... Nov 2018Photodynamic therapy combines three non-toxic components: light, oxygen and a photosensitizer to generate singlet oxygen and/or other ROS molecules in order to target... (Review)
Review
Photodynamic therapy combines three non-toxic components: light, oxygen and a photosensitizer to generate singlet oxygen and/or other ROS molecules in order to target destruction of cancer cells. The damage induced in the targeted cells can furthermore propagate to non-exposed bystander cells thereby exacerbating the damage. Ca signaling is strongly intertwined with ROS signaling and both play crucial roles in cell death. In this review we aimed to review current knowledge on the role of Ca and ROS signaling, their effect on cell-cell propagation via connexin-linked mechanisms and the outcome in terms of cell death. In general, photodynamic therapy results in an increased cytosolic Ca concentration originating from Ca entry or Ca release from internal stores. While photodynamic therapy can certainly induce cell death, the outcome depends on the cell type and the photosensitizer used. Connexin channels propagating the Ca signal, and presumably regenerating ROS at distance, may play a role in spreading the effect to neighboring non-exposed bystander cells. Given the various cell types and photosensitizers used, there is currently no unified signaling scheme to explain the role of Ca and connexins in the responses following photodynamic therapy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Calcium signaling in health, disease and therapy edited by Geert Bultynck and Jan Parys.
Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Calcium; Calcium Signaling; Cytoplasm; Humans; Nitric Oxide; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Reactive Oxygen Species
PubMed: 30076858
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.07.022 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022Play as a therapeutic strategy can help to improve daily functioning in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Play-based intervention can thus be... (Review)
Review
Play as a therapeutic strategy can help to improve daily functioning in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Play-based intervention can thus be an optimal option for treatment of this population. Our aim was to describe play-based interventions used in children and adolescents with ASD. We conducted a scoping review. A peer-reviewed literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases. We included experimental studies which analyzed play-based interventions in children and adolescents with ASD, which were published in English/Spanish with full text available. We used three tables elaborated a priori to perform data extraction by two authors. Fifteen studies were included, mostly conducted in Australia and published during the past 10 years. Play-based intervention was categorized into three groups: new technologies, symbolic play or official techniques. Interventions lasted approximately 11 weeks, contained one weekly session of 30-60 min and were delivered by parents and teachers. Play-based interventions using new technologies were the most used. Intervention duration and number of sessions varied between articles. Further studies are needed to create play-based intervention protocols which can be implemented in clinical practice with children and adolescents with ASD, thus promoting evidence-based interventions in this field.
PubMed: 36138664
DOI: 10.3390/children9091355 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2021Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most important component of the stromal cell population in the tumor microenvironment and play an irreplaceable role in... (Review)
Review
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most important component of the stromal cell population in the tumor microenvironment and play an irreplaceable role in oncogenesis and cancer progression. Exosomes, a class of small extracellular vesicles, can transfer biological information (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites as messengers) from secreting cells to target recipient cells, thereby affecting the progression of human diseases, including cancers. Recent studies revealed that CAF-derived exosomes play a crucial part in tumorigenesis, tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, and the immune response. Moreover, aberrant expression of CAF-derived exosomal noncoding RNAs and proteins strongly correlates with clinical pathological characterizations of cancer patients. Gaining deeper insight into the participation of CAF-derived exosomes in tumorigenesis may lead to novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in human cancers.
Topics: Animals; Biological Transport; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Disease Susceptibility; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Energy Metabolism; Exosomes; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Neoplasms; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 35058933
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.795372 -
NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine Sep 2022Bronchiectasis is the third most common chronic inflammatory airway disease, after chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma with a prevalence clearly... (Review)
Review
Bronchiectasis is the third most common chronic inflammatory airway disease, after chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma with a prevalence clearly underestimated probably because of its clinical similitudes with other chronic airway diseases. Bronchiectasis can be caused by a dozen of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary diseases and a variable number and severity of exacerbations can appear throughout its natural history, usually with an infectious profile. The dilation of the airway and the inflammation/infection is their radiological and pathophysiological hallmarks. Primary Care should play an important play in many aspects of the bronchiectasis assessment. In this article, we will try to offer a series of important concepts and practical tips on some key aspects of the diagnosis and management of bronchiectasis in Primary Care: clinical suspicion, diagnostic methods, severity assessment, overlap with asthma and COPD and microbiological and therapeutic aspects.
Topics: Asthma; Bronchiectasis; Chronic Disease; Humans; Primary Health Care; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
PubMed: 36075906
DOI: 10.1038/s41533-022-00297-5